#polaris fic series

[ilovedthestars]

OC-tober Day 8: Past

A young SecUnit makes a decision.

--

Still catching up on some very late prompts! This one is for Old Unit, Young Unit, but i'm not sure it will make sense without context I haven't posted publicly yet.

[waynes-multiverse]

Polaris – Chapter 1

Series Summary: When Beau Arlen moved to Montana, he left behind a past he wasn’t proud of. But when a series of murders requires the FBI’s help, Sheriff Arlen‘s ghosts come back to haunt him one by one. With a wrong turn waiting at every crossroads, it’s hard to make the right choices and find his way back home – back to you.

Pairing: Beau Arlen x FBI Agent!Reader

Warnings: 18+, smut, fluff, angst, hints to a slight drinking problem, mentions of murder, serial killers, divorce & death, set after & before the events of season 3

Word Count: 5.1k

A/N: Welcome to another series, loves! I'm so excited to share this one! 🤍 You may read the Dirty Drabble that inspired it first, but there's references to the events of it throughout. Enjoy, babes! 😉

Huge special thanks to @blackcherrywhiskey, @deans-spinster-witch, @roseblue373 & @ladysparkles78 💚 for kicking my ass to write a whole series from that little one shot. I know y'all wanted me to bring the smut, and while I certainly did that, I couldn't resist bringing the angst. And well, once that angsty stone started to roll, it couldn't be stopped and downhill it all went... 😝 I usually do slow burns, so starting off hot and going in reverse for once was such a fun change!

Series Masterlist || Main Masterlist || Tag List

Chapter 1: Caught Up In A Moment

September 2023

One. Two. Three.

At the third knock, your bare feet sprinted to the motel room door from the bathroom, a towel still in hand as you dried your damp hair.

“Coming!” you called out and twisted the knob, opening the door with a keen smile.

Beau stood in front of you in all his glory – washed jeans Sherpa jacket, a button-up in your favorite color, and some tight denim clad his muscular bow legs. That man always effortlessly took your breath away when he really shouldn’t.

A cocked brow graced his features as he eyed you from head to toe, a smile twitching on his plump, kissable lips underneath the scruffy beard. “You open the door always like this, darlin’?”

The familiar drawl made your knees weak. Back home, the accent was nothing special, but his deep timbre of a voice that made your bones tremble surely was. The combination of the two was heaven-sent and hell-bent.

“I just got out of the shower.” You shrugged innocently, your golden halo swinging with your sinful hips.

As you rubbed the rest of your hair dry, your black silk robe swayed with the movement of your legs before you leisurely discarded the used towel on your bed and waited for the handsome sheriff to follow you inside.

“Brought you something,” Beau said and wiggled a thick folder over his head as he walked in, closing the door behind him with a kick of his boot. He ceremoniously slapped the file on the small desk in your room.

Your lips curved into a sly grin. “Oh? Almost feels like my birthday, Mr. President.”

Beau let out a hearty laugh, showing off the endearing crinkles around his shimmering green eyes. “I think you’ve got something confused there, darlin’. It was Kennedy’s birthday.”

“Huh, so I’m the president and you’re my Marilyn?” you teased.

“Oh, I’ll happily be your Marilyn,” he said with a cheeky smile.

As your fingers eagerly leafed through the file, you could feel Beau’s breath fanning against your neck as he came to stand behind you, shiny leather boots plodding on sordid motel carpet. The hair on your skin saluted him as goosebumps rose.

You could smell his cologne as it tingled your nose, bergamot and cedar mixed with a hint of vanilla flooding your senses and washing a sea of memories into your mind. Memories you wished were lost and never found.

Postponing the deep dive to tomorrow, your eyes only skimmed over the contents of the folder. But just as you suspected, the victimology and modus operandi were all too familiar. You’d seen this before, and it wasn’t good.

You’d be here for a while.

“And?” Beau’s voice broke you from your thoughts before you felt his fingertips softly brushing the flesh on your hips. An electric shudder ran down your spine at his touch, your mind on the fritz.

“Definitely my jurisdiction,” you replied and closed the file.

Moaning with pleasure, you felt his lips on your neck, kissing a pathway down to your shoulder. One of your hands wandered up and tangled in his thick, luscious locks, grabbed and tugged until he groaned against the shell of your ear. You still managed to blab about the case with strained concentration.

“There’s been similar cases in, uhm… Texas… Utah… Colorado… Wyoming… and now here.”

“Hmm,” Beau hummed, not letting himself be disturbed. The vibrations of his voice thrummed against the column of your throat.

Your cunt clenched; you could feel the rising wetness between your legs and the growing bulge against your ass.

A large hand brushed stealthily across your stomach and snaked past the silk fabric to grab a generous breast, squeezing the tender flesh and tweaking the nipple between his thumb and a finger. His hardening cock pressed at the crack between your buttcheeks, your arousal dripping down your thighs.

A second palm wandered to your front but was bound southward this time. His digits pried apart your folds, two of them running through your slick with a growl in your ear before slipping inside your pussy. A whimper left your lips as you braced your palms on the surface in front of you for support, your legs threatening to buckle under the pressure.

But Beau wasn’t going to let you fall, his grip like a vice around you as he held you flush against his chest, hot breath tickling your earlobe and beard burning your cheek. You moaned his name with a few expletives as he thrust his fingers in and out of your soaked channel.

“Fuck, you’re so goddamn wet. Want you to come for me,” he husked into your ear and pushed his erection even more against your ass. Your pussy clenched around him. “Yeah, that’s it. Squeeze those fingers like you’ll squeeze my cock… It’s been too fucking long. Wanna finally fill you, darlin’.”

“God, yes,” you whined in agreement as the coil in your belly tightened with each plunge into your heat.

He curled his knuckles and expertly thumbed your clit, making you cry out. His strokes became harder, your breathing grew labored. Your body quaked with each thrust, cunt throbbing around his fingers.

“Fuck,” you moaned as the heel of his palm rubbed your clit, igniting the fuse to the fireworks in your belly. Your explosion could be seen in the sky from miles away without binoculars.

“I gotcha,” Beau whispered as a strong arm wrapped around your ribcage, your pussy pulsing with his fingers deep inside you. Brushing your damp hair to one side of your neck, his teeth sunk into your shoulder as you steadied in his embrace.

“You’d think as the sheriff, you’d care a little more that a serial killer is running around and murdering citizens of your county,” you teased breathlessly.

“Oh, I’m not worried,” Beau said simply, removing his wet fingers from your drenched cunt.

You lifted an eyebrow at him and bit down on your lower lip. “No?”

“Nope, not since you’re here,” Beau quipped and kissed your shoulder blade. “I know you won’t rest till you got that bastard all nicely cuffed up.”

You huffed a laugh. “Wow, you’ve got a lot of confidence in me, huh?”

“You betcha. Got nothin’ to do with confidence, either. I just know you, darlin’,” Beau stated with a cocksure grin and palmed one cheek of your ass as he rutted against you.

“Beau, fuck… I still have to lock the folder into the safe,” you managed to say, your mind in a haze of desire as your pussy whined in starving anticipation.

“C’mon, who’s gonna steal it, huh?” he muttered against your skin. “Would be a damn fool to break into a room with a sheriff and a federal agent.”

“You can never be too careful,” you argued lightly.

“Says the woman who can’t lock a damn door,” Beau sassed with a chuckle and threw you a raised look as he spun you in his embrace.

You laughed, your cheeks blushing when you were reminded of your little unfortunate adventure at lunch. Your arms draped around his neck as his hands wandered to your lower back, the two of you gently swaying from side to side.

“I’m sorry, okay? I told you. I thought it was locked.”

“Uh-huh.” Beau chuckled, shaking his head. “You’d think with all those criminals running around, you’d know better.”

“Look, the Academy doesn’t technically teach us how to lock doors, just how to kick ‘em in, alright?” you retorted. He pecked the tip of your nose, flashing you a grin. “Is your deputy, okay? I felt bad. He looked traumatized. You know, he couldn’t look me in the eye when I left.”

“Yeah, I bet.” Beau laughed and rubbed his bearded chin before his palm moved back to its original place on the small of your back. “As soon as his shift was over, he bolted straight outta there. But Papa Smurf will be fine. Don’t worry about it,” he assured you with a warm smile that could melt several hearts. It sure did yours. “You do know, though, I’ll get teased for this, right?”

“I know.” You laughed and buried your face in his chest upon Beau’s playful glare. He pursed his lips as his cheeks flushed with color before placing a kiss on your crown. “I’m sorry. Maybe no one knows?”

“Y/N, this ain’t Houston. This is a small town. Everyone knows by now,” Beau reminded you with a small laugh.

Guiltily, you looked up at him and bit your lower lip, one corner of your mouth tugging upwards into a smirk. “I’ll make it up to you?”

“Oh?”

On tiptoes, you then nuzzled your nose against his, hands traveling from his neck to his cheeks as you tenderly caressed his beard and felt his breathing quicken. Your gazes locked. You got lost in pine green.

His fingers played with a wet strand of your hair, a smile fluttering on his mouth as he tucked it back behind your ear. His palm wandered to the back of your head and pulled you to his lips. The first kiss was tender and hesitant, like a kid testing the temperature of the ocean with its big toe before fully diving inside and getting carried away by the waves.

The kiss grew needier and rougher as he pushed you back until you hit the edge of the small desk in your room. Effortlessly, strong arms lifted you on the surface, your bare buttcheeks feeling the worn wood underneath. It was too easy for you two to fall back into an old rhythm.

“This is very handy, by the way,” Beau said with a smirk as his fingers opened the loosely tied bow of your robe and revealed your naked body underneath.

“Thought you’d appreciate it,” you purred as he slid the silky material off your shoulders, letting it billow around your waist.

“Oh, I do, darlin’,” he rasped, his voice loaded with lust, nibbling along your jaw. His mouth wandered down to your throat, sucking the skin purple and blue before he claimed your first breast, his tongue rolling over your nipple until it peaked.

“Fuck, baby,” you whimpered breathily, your head lolling back as he worshipped your body, running a river of kisses from your collarbone to the end of your ribcage. “Need you inside me, please.”

It had been so long, you had almost forgotten how good he was at making you come undone. Or better said, you had tried to forget it on purpose.

“You don’t know what you’re doing to me,” Beau growled huskily in your ear.

Cupping his cheeks, you needily brought him back to your lips, your breathing ragged between a dance of tongues. His kisses were addictive; one taste and you were hooked. Consumption became an obsession.

Your hands climbed down his body, unbuckled belt and unzipped jeans, palming his massively hard cock that only grew even larger in your hand. Everything was indeed bigger in fucking Texas.

While you popped every button of his maroon shirt, he slipped out of his jacket and boxers, his erection springing against his stomach. It was perfectly wide and long, dangerously able to stretch you to your fullest. Your mouth watered, the taste of him still fresh in your mind.

His shirt joined the graveyard of clothes on the floor as your legs wrapped around his waist. He positioned his head at your waiting entrance, catching your gaze as he pushed inside, sheathing his cock fully in your soaking channel.

“Fuck, I missed this,” he groaned and rested his head on your shoulder as he momentarily stilled when he was at your deepest. He inhaled your scent and memorized every note like a love song. His lips bit and soothed your skin in a vicious cycle. There was no escaping him.

His harmless words caused a sting in your chest, however, cutting deeper than any knife could. You tried to ignore the dulled pain, reminding you of your oath to keep it casual this time. Your heart couldn’t get dragged back into his mess. Once was enough for a lifetime.

Beau had a punch list. You had a forget-about-him list.

A part of you doubted your decision to come here. Maybe it was too soon. Maybe no amount of time would ever be enough.

Beau grabbed you tightly and carried you to the bed, your legs still wrapped around him, still connected with him inside of you. Your back touched the light sheets underneath you as his weight heavily laid on top of you, pressing him further into you until you felt him at the spot you loved so much.

“Oh, fuck,” you mewled as he moved your thigh over his shoulder and thrust even deeper inside of you, filling you to the brim. It felt like he had remembered every move, everything you’d ever loved.

His hips then began to snap faster. Harder. He bottomed out each and every time. You felt him everywhere, your nerve endings catching fire as the flames inside you rose, climbed and burned down walls.

Beau could feel you were close, and he was right there with you. His hand snaked between your sweat-clad bodies and found your sensitive spot once more, his thumb rubbing circles on your clit till he pushed you over the cliff and you lost sight of the shore.

Ocean. Waves… Your boat capsized and got lost in them.

His lips sought out yours. His kiss was deep and passionate and lasting as his hips stilled, spilling his release inside of you with a guttural grunt. Your muscles trembled, your pussy tight and throbbing around his cock, and yet, still craving more. He was the worst drug you’d ever known.

As he slipped out of you and rolled next to you, both of you were panting heavily on the mattress. You stared at the water-stained ceiling above you, your skin glistening and sticky.

Chuckling, Beau ran a hand through his hair and whistled lowly. “Man… this was… wow,” he said and opened his arm, inviting you into his embrace.

“Yeah,” you breathed in agreement, your cheeks flushed as a blissful smile haunted your features. As your head rested safely on his chest, you listened to his heartbeat, steady and reliant, and concentrated on his tender and calm caresses on your arm.

“You know, I really did miss this,” he told you and placed another affectionate kiss on top of your head.

“Me too,” you admitted quietly and felt your heart crack a little more.

“You know, this kinda reminds me of that night in that shabby motel in Mexico,” Beau reminisced with a soft laugh. “Not Juárez but, uhm… Culiacán! Minus the food poisoning.”

“Sure as hell taught me to never eat tacos from some shady street truck again, no matter how hungry a stake-out makes me,” you agreed, chortling.

“Yeah, pretty damn sure that wasn’t beef,” Beau added. “Tasted like armadillo.”

Amused, you lifted a brow. “How do you know what armadillo tastes like?”

“Trust me, you don’t wanna know,” he replied and shuddered in disgust to drive the point home.

Laughing came easy with Beau. During stormy times, his heart was your lighthouse, burning in the distance. But then, it suddenly wasn’t one day, swallowed by fog and leaving you surrounded by darkness. Walking down memory lane also reminded you of that – the times when your tears could fill an ocean.

Moving out of his arms, you left the familiar and irresistible warmth and grabbed one of your navy FBI shirts from your duffel bag, pulling it over your head. Soon you found a pair of gray sweatpants as well. With each clothing item, you added another layer over your heart.

Beau watched you get dressed in silence, feeling you pull back from him. His heart twinged with anguish; his soul throbbed with longing. It was rare that he was at a loss for words, but you had a habit of leaving him speechless.

Softly, he cleared his throat to catch your attention and get you out of your head. “I meant what I said today, you know? I want you to stay, Y/N. Even when this case is over. I was serious about that.”

“I know.” You nodded, an amused snort involuntarily escaping your throat. “Just hard to believe, I guess… especially with Carla being available again.”

You bit your tongue and closed your eyes as the words slipped out of your mouth. You didn’t mean to, but it did.

“Y/N–”

You quickly turned around and faced him, doing your best at damage control. “Beau, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s fine.”

“It’s not fine,” Beau said and shook his head.

He grabbed his clothes from the floor, feeling his time with you quickly coming to an end. He wanted to at least be dressed in case he had to chase after you. He figured one naked public outing per day was enough for Helena’s sheriff.

“Look, let’s just talk about it. Get it all out in the open, alright?”

“Beau, really, I get it. You don’t have to explain,” you replied in an attempt to brush him off.

“Yes, I do,” Beau insisted as he slid back into his jeans and buttoned his shirt, his gaze drilling into yours and pleading with you. Rising from the bed, he stalked closer to you. “A lot’s changed since the last time we saw each other. I told you. I moved here to be closer to Em.”

You rolled your eyes back and scoffed. Carding a hand through your hair, you spun on your heel in disbelief. You had to take a moment before looking at him again. “Are you kidding me right now?”

Beau sighed and conceded, hands held high in defense in case you fired another shot. “Alright, I hear ya. Maybe that wasn’t entirely true… initially. But it certainly is now, alright? It’s more complicated than you think. It just-… There’s so much I need to tell you… Carla and I… that’s over. Resolved, okay? Trust me. You don’t need to be worried.”

“I’m not worried!” you lied. Badly, might you add, but you didn’t care if he believed you or not. You let out a deep sigh and tried a calmer approach. “Look, uhm, maybe this was a bad idea. We shouldn’t have–… We-, we got caught up in a moment. I mean, that’s our thing, right? It doesn’t mean anything. Let’s just concentrate on the case and then go our separate ways again, alright?”

“Don’t do this, Y/N. Don’t push me to the sidelines,” Beau contended firmly. “It does mean something. It never didn’t. You know that.”

“Do I? I didn’t push you anywhere, Beau. You’re the one who left,” you snapped and unapologetically shrugged your shoulders once the words escaped. You held back the tears that brimmed in your eyes. The afterglow evaporated. Soberly, you walked to the door and nodded towards the exit. “I think you should go… After all, it’s what you do best.”

Beau smacked his lips, his brow creasing as he averted his green eyes and thoughtfully glanced out the window, his hands resting on his squared-off hips. You knew it was a low blow, but you couldn’t stop yourself, either. It was the truth, and sometimes it hurt to hear it.

Nodding, he scratched his beard. “Alright, I’ll go, but we’re not done,” he said resolutely. Internally, you sighed. You forgot they grew quite stubborn in Texas, too. “Look, I know I’ve made mistakes. I screwed up a lot… especially with you. But I’m not giving up… He wouldn’t want me to.”

With that, he walked out the door. As it closed behind him, you exhaled a deep and long breath. Looking out the window, your eyes drifted from the parking lot and gazed up at the famous big sky above you.

You found yourself fascinated by the twinkling spots of light in the midnight blue. Pensively, you glanced down at your hand and twisted the golden band on your ring finger. Your eyes then found one of the brightest stars in the dark night sky, Polaris, hoping it would guide your sinking ship back home.

September 2021

“This is the most boring stake-out ever,” you complained and blew a raspberry in frustration, leaning back against the metal hood of the car as the Milky Way shone brightly above you and the cicadas chirped their song in the distance.

You had parked the SUV on top of a plateau in the middle of the Chihuahuan desert somewhere in Mexico, overlooking a cartel hideout, but far enough away to not be spotted.

“Yeah, I don’t think they’re coming tonight. We better check that intel again tomorrow,” Beau said with a sigh and took off his cowboy hat, laying it on the hood behind him.

“I’ll talk to my CI again,” you replied and sighed as well, your eyes feeling more tired than they’d ever been. It had been a long few months and sleeping wasn’t exactly high on your priority list.

Beau nodded and ran a hand through his hair, scratching his head in impatient irritability. He then pulled out a silver flask from the inner pocket of his Sherpa jacket and took a big swig.

You raised an eyebrow at him. “We’re still on the job, you know?”

He stared straight ahead, not daring to look at you as the crescent moon hung high above him. “Yeah, so?”

“Nothin’.” You shrugged, not wanting to start a fight or upset him. “Just noticed you’ve been doing that a lot lately. Since the funeral… It’s not like you.”

“Yeah, well, things change,” he said bitterly and took another sip.

“I worry about you,” you confessed quietly, the concern shimmering in your eyes.

At that, he finally turned his head and caught your gaze. “Don’t. You’ve got enough to worry about. You don’t need me on your list.”

“Well, it’s too late for that,” you said and sent him a small smile. “In fact, all I do is worry about you. You’re the only thing on the list, actually.”

“Hmm… I guess it’s nice to know that at least someone cares,” he muttered and drank again.

“Oh, don’t gimme that! Stop with the sulking and the feeling sorry for yourself,” you chided and sat up straight, getting a better look at him as you leaned your arms on your knees. “Did you talk to her since… you know?”

He threw you a sideways glance, lifting a brow. “Since we signed the divorce papers? Nope,” he replied and popped the p, taking another swig.

“Maybe it’s not too late. Just talk to her,” you repeated words you’d said a thousand times by now. “That’s all she wants, you know?”

“Yeah, I know.” Beau nodded quietly, a thick swallow stuck in his throat as he stared at the desolate landscape ahead.

“You talk to me about it. I’m sure Carla would understand,” you added.

“I talk to you ‘cause I got no choice. You deserved to know how I fucked up. ‘Sides, you were already knee-deep in this shit. No stoppin’ ya,” Beau said. His eyes found yours briefly before he averted his gaze again.

“I prefer shoulder-deep,” you joked lightheartedly. Then, the familiar heaviness returned, weighing down your chest, your heart aching. “Feels like quicksand around my throat.”

“Yeah,” Beau agreed quietly, tongue swiping across his lips. “That’s why I don’t want her anywhere near this. With Carla… I have a choice.”

“She’s a defense attorney. She’s seen some shit, you know?” you pointed out. “I mean, is it really worth losing your family over?”

“It’s more complicated than that,” Beau said stoically. He then let out a humorless laugh that you couldn’t place before putting the flask to his lips again.

“Okay, enough. Gimme that,” you snapped and grabbed the silver container from him, swallowing down a big gulp. You grimaced in disgust, everything in your body shuddering at the awful taste. “Dear fucking Lord! What the hell is that?”

In response, he snorted and gave you a passive twitch of his shoulders. “Little bit of everything I could find in the motel minibar.”

“Ew! You’re pathetic,” you retorted with a crinkle of your nose and meant it partially as a joke. You had always bantered like this, but this time, he took you by your word.

“Yeah, that’s what Carla said, too,” he belittled himself.

“Okay, stop with the pity party. I can’t take any more of this sad face you’ve got going on there,” you remarked with a huff. It broke your own heart to see his shattered like this. You missed his sunny laugh and the endless bad jokes and the nonstop chatter. He’d always been a good man, despite this newfound darkness of his, and deserved better.

“Well, get used to it. It ain’t going anywhere,” Beau replied, much to your dismay.

“Fine,” you relented and let out a sigh.

Silence fell between you two, only filled by the cicadas and the coyotes roaming about. Thoughtfully, you stared up at the beautiful night sky and spied a shooting star, feeling almost silly for daring to make a wish.

“Randy always said you should fight for the things that are worth fighting for,” Beau’s voice finally broke the silence. “Never give up.”

You peeled your eyes away from the stars above and looked at him. You chuckled softly at the memory. “Yeah, that sounds like him. He was annoyingly persistent like that.”

“I just don’t know if it’s worth it, I guess,” he said quietly.

“Of course it is,” you insisted. “You love Emily and Carla. They’re your family.”

“I’ve let them down… I’ve let a lotta people down, actually,” Beau said, and you could feel his eyes on you from your periphery.

“It’s been a tough year,” you said sympathetically.

“It has,” he agreed soberly and turned his gaze to the night sky above you. “You know what star this is?”

“The North Star, right?” you guessed, following his gaze to the Little Dipper constellation.

“Yeah, Polaris. It’s fixed in the sky while everything else moves ‘round it. It’s supposed to help you find your way when you’re lost,” he explained. “True north.”

“You’ll find your way again,” you told him confidently and nudged his shoulder, giving him a small but encouraging smile. “No one’s blaming you for what happened, Beau, so give yourself some grace, okay?”

He nodded, swallowing harshly as he met your gaze. “Thank you.”

Confused, you furrowed your brow. “For what?”

“Not leaving when you should’ve…”

You smiled softly. “We’re friends… and trauma bonded. I’d never do that to you.”

Beau matched your smile, but you could see the tears stinging in the corners of his forest-green eyes as the sadness overwhelmed him. “Shit,” he cursed, burying his face in his palms. He sniffed.

Concerned, your brows drew together. You laid your hand on his shoulder and gingerly stroked his back. “Beau, what’s going on?”

“I can’t…” He struggled for words, shook his head. Whatever was on his mind, he refused to voice it. His lower lip quivered before he covered his mouth with his palm, running a hand over his beard. Then, a sad smile grazed his face. “You know, I always thought Randy was the luckiest bastard alive.”

“Why?”

Beau didn’t respond. Instead, he closed the distance between you until his lips crashed against yours. You were shocked for a moment, froze down to your core. But then your hands found his cheeks and reflexively pulled him closer, a magnet you had no power over.

His hands did much the same, needily roaming your body and holding you flush against his own. His tongue hungrily slipped inside and devoured yours, tasting like the contents of the flask. Tequila, whiskey, and vodka were only a few you could decipher, but now the aftertaste was heaven instead of hell.

The kiss lasted till your head spun, a lack of oxygen forcing him to withdraw. It could’ve been chalked up to a drunken misstep, a glitch in the fabric of the universe that could’ve been swallowed by a black hole just as suddenly as it happened. But for you, it was enough to turn your whole world upside down and toss your planet out of orbit.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that,” he whispered, his breath ghosting against your lips. The further he retreated, the more you could see the battle raging in his mind. “Fuck,” he cursed and clasped his mouth with his palm.

He jumped off the hood and walked a few suicidal-crazed steps towards the cliff, his back standing like a tall wall between you. You watched his shoulders tense as his gaze drifted upwards to the sky. It seemed like he was praying.

Your fingers touched your kiss-swollen lips, hot and yearning for more. There was a tug on your heart, a rope lassoed around the muscle that pulled you to him.

“Beau?”

Your call of his name forced him to face you. An apologetic and torn look pervaded his features as he fought a combat in his mind and wrung with the feelings in his heart.

“It’s okay,” you said gently.

He met your eyes, a shimmer of hope in his as a glimpse of a smile twitched on his lips. Something you hadn’t seen in well over a year. It was so delicate, you weren’t sure it wasn’t a malfunction. A damn counterfeit.

“How?” His question hung from the moon with despair.

“I don’t know.”

He stared at you for a moment, the hesitation behind his eyes still prominent. You felt the magnetic pull again, and you could tell that he felt it, too.

And then, with a few strides, he was in front of you, hands in your hair as he claimed your lips in a scorching kiss that set your entire world on fire. You sunk into him, forever lost in a cosmos of green, sucked in by his gravity, air gone from your lungs, and feet never touching ground again.

Beau sat in his car in the quiet parking lot of the motel, his gaze wandering up to the night sky above as he thoughtfully rubbed his chin. His other hand rested on the steering wheel, fingers tapping.

The same old war waged in his mind. Guilt filled his heart and bubbled to the surface. He debated whether he should turn the ignition or knock on your door. He always felt torn, unsure if you were a mistake or the best damn thing of his life.

His green eyes then fixed on the North Star, praying it would show him the way to your heart once more. This time, he swore to whoever was listening that he wouldn’t lose it. He’d keep it safe.

‘Cause the first time he kissed you, it surely changed everything for him.

Chapter 2: No Signs, No Compasses – MAY 8

If you've caught my not-so-subtle hints throughout this, you can already smell the drama and angst this series has in store for you 😂

Any ideas who Y/N is yet? Let me know in the comments 😏🤍

Hope you enjoyed this smangsty introduction!

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[oldestenemy]

I write out of order sometimes and I just did the quest through Malistaire's house.

So.

Have a little rough draft of the scene with Duncan before I'm anywhere even close to publishing.

“Duncan.” The wizard tucks Malistaire’s journal into their bag, eyes not leaving him. “I don’t know who you’ve gotten tied up with—I don’t know what they promised you or what you get out of it—but you’re standing between me and the exit again. Don’t make this mistake.”

Duncan just shakes his head, an angry painful sounding laugh bubbling out of him. “No, no—sorry wizard—” he spits it like the word tastes foul, and honestly, maybe it does. “—but it’s you making the mistake this time. Go ahead. Try and leave. You’re not the only one who can play with shadows.”

[aethon-recs]

Tomarrymort Intermediate Pack — 16 Longfic Recs

As a follow-up to the Tomarrymort starter pack rec list, I put together a list of Intermediate Reads that are best enjoyed with a bit of context about the ship. If you’ve been reading Tomarrymort for a while, or have read everything in the starter pack, this next set of recs is for you. 

These recs feature a sampling of different authors than the first list, with an emphasis on underrated fic that I think deserve more recognition (hard to define, but for the most part, I tried to find fics with fewer than 2000 kudos). So I hope that even for the readers who’ve been reading Tomarrymort for a long time, there’s something new in here to discover.

This is Part 2 of a 3-part series (see here for Part 1, and Part 3 will be an Advanced reading list that will feature works of a more challenging nature). In the meantime, please enjoy these additional 1.8 million words of wonderful Tomarrymort fic.

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Tomarrymort Intermediate Recs

aurora polaris by @aglassroseneverfades (E, 136k, WIP)

Setting: Post-Canon Premise: If Harry wakes up one day with no memory of his past, upon which he’s greeted by a handsome, doting older man named Gaunt who claims that he and Harry have been in a relationship together for years.  Why I rec it: A haunting psychological horror where the truth slowly creeps up on Harry that his domestic life with his devoted partner Gaunt is not as idyllic as it initially appears. The twisting, unhinged depths of Voldemort’s obsession in this fic are so beautifully portrayed. There were chills that ran down my spine as Harry starts to get his memories back and the mystery of what happened starts to unravel. I love the pacing in this fic — there’s no one big reveal; it’s a slowly unfolding sequence that gets delightfully darker and more fucked-up as the fic progresses.

dawn of a death of a dream by @cindle-writes (E, 66k, WIP)

Setting: Post-Canon Premise: If Tom Riddle appears in London the morning of Voldemort’s defeat, with the last thing he remembers from 1944, and quickly realizes that Harry Potter is the key to all the answers that he’s looking for.  Why I rec it: A light-hearted take on the identity porn trope, full of playful banter and delightfully charged chemistry between Harry and Tom. It’s usually Harry who’s thrown back through time, so it’s fun to see Tom scramble to figure out what’s going on when he’s pulled forward into Harry’s time. It’s also fun to see Harry try every avenue to prove that this mysterious new Tom is the Tom Riddle, even as he ends up hitting dead ends, and subsequently falls so deep into his obsessive tendencies that he refuses to let Tom out of his sight.

My Lord, Master, My Soul by FletchleyRose (E, 69k, complete)

Setting: Post-Canon Premise: If Voldemort captures Harry after the final battle and decides to break him — not with torture, but with pleasure and softness. Why I rec it: The soft, creepy non-con in here is so memorable and excellent! Voldemort takes a different approach to breaking in his horcrux than what we usually see, and this particular approach leads to such delicious and hot smut scenes between them wherein Harry utterly succumbs to all the softly pleasurable attentions. I can never get enough of darkly twisted captive Harry stories and all the ways that Voldemort keeps Harry isolated and utterly reliant on him. I gasped out loud at the part where Voldemort made it so that Harry can only speak Parseltongue — this exactly the kind of fucked-up content that is so perfect and fitting for this ship.

(never) let me go by @perhaps-sunlight (M, 28k, complete)

Setting: Post-Canon Premise: If Harry returns to Hogwarts after the war for eighth year, and he’s the only person in the castle who can see and talk to the ghost of Tom Riddle.  Why I rec it: This fic completely destroyed me. The story unfolds in such a poignant and haunting way — it feels like the most natural thing for Harry to feel such a strong connection with Tom and fall in love with him as the year progresses. The angst in here is so delicately layered and beautifully portrayed — Harry’s feelings are muddled with a growing hope that Tom doesn’t have to move on to the afterlife and the desperation that he feels when he realizes they’re running out of time — such that the emotional beats will end up resonating for a long time after you’ve finished reading this fic.

One Year In Every Ten by @saintsenara (E, 124k, WIP)

Setting: Post-Canon Premise: If a series of gruesome murders 10 years after the war has Harry and the rest of the Aurors completely stumped, and Harry figures out how to bring Voldemort back from beyond the Veil in exchange for his help in solving the murders.  Why I rec it: This is a spectacular and richly layered murder mystery featuring incredibly complex character dynamics and gorgeously lavish prose. I am blown away at the sophistication of the storytelling here — we get to delve into Voldemort’s past and so many hidden layers of his character, as well as how Harry has been handling the ‘picture-perfect’ life he’s always wanted after the war (in short: not well) — and in between, following all the clues and disparate threads of a mysterious serial killer case that could be its own standalone casefic! One of the most impressively sweeping pieces of writing I’ve seen in this ship, and there isn’t an element of this fic that I don’t absolutely adore.

Perfect Places by @skaelds (NR, 72k, complete)

Setting: Post-Canon Premise: If Voldemort dies in the Final Battle, and then wakes up in a strange house with no one but Harry Potter for company, and there is no way for either of them to get out. Why I rec it: I absolutely love the trapped-in-a-room trope, and how Voldemort and Harry have to work out their differences if they want to have any hope of getting out. I adore that the entire fic is told from Voldemort POV — his arrogance and his malevolence and his rage and the utter force of his emotions are so palpable. The emotional journey in this fic is so intense from beginning to end, as they eventually come around to an understanding about each other and figure out a way out.

Promises, Promises (part 1) / Dreams in the Dark (part 2) by @mosiva (E, 72k, complete)

Setting: Time-Travel (1940s) Premise: If Harry is accidentally thrown back in time to Tom’s 6th year, and then suffers a bout of amnesia from a memory-loss spell and can’t remember anything about Tom Riddle or why he spent all semester trying to avoid him.  Why I rec it: A brilliant fast burn featuring amnesia trope and tons of delicious dubcon. Tom is at his manipulative peak here, as he tries every underhanded technique to first figure out exactly what is going on with that new transfer student Harry Evans, and then when he’s figured it out, doing everything he can to keep Harry within his grasp. I cannot say enough about how hot the smut is throughout this 2-part series — so many layers of dubcon and manipulation that blew me away at every turn.

Sunspots by @crowcrowcrowthing (E, 249k, WIP)

Setting: Alternate Universe Premise: If Harry grows up in the muggle world without realizing he has magic, but he suspects there’s a bigger world out there because he’s had recurring dreams featuring Tom’s horcruxes his entire life.  Why I rec it: One of the most unique takes on a book 1 rewrite that I’ve ever seen. First of all, the characters are aged up to college-age, and since Hogwarts starts at 18 here rather than at 11, there’s a lot of character dynamics that are possible to explore with older characters that aren’t possible with 11-year-olds. Secondly, Harry has access to each of Tom’s horcruxes through a magical dreamscape dimension he can access in his sleep, and he has unique and distinct relationships with each of them, including (the main) Voldemort, so there’s a lot of fascinating and multi-faceted Harry and Tom dynamics. Also, the descriptions of magic in this fic are just stunning; it’s clear that a lot of thought went into the magical worldbuilding here that makes you feel as excited and awestruck by the concept of magic as reading the Harry Potter books for the first time.

Tender Reigns Our Night by @noumena-writes (M, 69k, WIP)

Setting: Time-Travel (1940s)  Premise: If Harry is sent back to the 1940s, just after Tom Riddle has graduated from Hogwarts, on a mission to stop Tom becoming Voldemort and imperiling the world of magic. Why I rec it: I love the mutually obsessive chemistry here as Harry and Tom quickly fall into each other’s thrall as their relationship heats up. The writing style is so poetic and beautiful, and I find myself rereading many sentences over again just to fully absorb the impact and beauty of @noumena-writes’ words. Even as Harry becomes increasingly entwined with Tom, he’s never blind to who Tom is, and he’s able to strike back with just as much viciousness — their relationship dynamics are so very intense and suspenseful, and the latest plot twist had me completely floored.

The Incantation of the Oak-Priest by @relic--crown (T, 223k, complete)

Setting: Alternate Universe Premise: If Harry and Tom are pulled into an alternate reality where Voldemort never existed and Harry’s parents are still alive.  Why I rec it: The richness of the magical worldbuilding in this fic blew me away — there’s a whole system of magic explored here that goes deeper and is far more brilliant and sweeping than what is covered in canon. The relationship between Harry and Tom develops in such an organic, lovely way, and it was fascinating to see all the changes in this parallel universe where Harry’s parents live and what Harry’s life could have been like, were there no Voldemort. Also, the plot! This fic was so intricately plotted that it felt like reading multiple books with a complex, epic plot spanning fifth through seventh years at Hogwarts, ending in a grand showdown like in the original book series, but with a surprising twist.

The Sense of Self by SpitFire97 (E, 87k, complete)

Setting: Time-Travel Fix-It Premise: If Harry and Voldemort find themselves trapped in a strange cycle of reincarnations where they visit different points in time in Voldemort’s past.  Why I rec it: A very cool take on a time-travel fix-it. Instead of traveling back to a fixed point in time, Harry and Voldemort are thrown back to various points of Voldemort’s past and relive life through certain people significant to shaping Voldemort into who he eventually becomes. The time travel theory in here is amongst the most complex that I’ve encountered — I love the concept that time is a river where multiple timelines and divergent events end up converging, rather than branching off and creating a bunch of alternate universes. I also love how organically the growing relationship between Voldemort and Harry unfolds as they progress through each cycle and gradually start to develop trust in one another and care and attraction for each other.

These steep woods and lofty cliffs by Rimeme (M, 76k, complete)

Setting: Canon Divergence – Book 6 Premise: If Harry runs away to America after Sirius’s death and disguises himself in the Muggle world for many years before getting discovered by MACUSA and offered a job with the magical government. Years later, he is recruited back to Britain to work for the Ministry, under none other than Undersecretary Thomas Gaunt himself.  Why I rec it: A thoroughly enjoyable read from beginning to end — I devoured this fic in one sitting. Harry makes an extremely rational decision here — why not run off from the war if Voldemort is trying to kill everyone you love? But then, when he comes back undercover 15 years later, things don’t quite seem to add up. Britain doesn’t seem like it’s been taken over by a genocidal Dark Lord, but there’s something nefarious simmering under the surface. Voldemort as a very rational Undersecretary Thomas Gaunt is a delight here, with his seemingly very reasonable focus on progressing wizarding society. It was fun to follow along as Harry slowly starts to put the pieces together, and I love how relentlessly Voldemort pursues and seduces Harry in this fic, until he's utterly unable to resist his attraction to a Voldemort who seems to have turned over a new leaf.

These Violent Delights by @heirofdragons (M, 55k, WIP)

Setting: Time Travel (1940s) Premise: If Harry, Ron, and Hermione accidentally find themselves thrown back in time to the late 1940s, four years after Tom has graduated Hogwarts and is working at Borgin and Burkes.  Why I rec it: A highly entertaining time travel fic with Harry stumbling back in time to find Tom Riddle in the full dregs of his Retail Hell years post-Hogwarts. Their chemistry is delightfully charming as they prod at each other and do everything to get under each other’s skin (including attempted murder), while growing undeniably attracted to each other. They simply can’t stay away from each other, despite Harry knowing who Tom turns out to be, and Tom knowing that Harry is the one who destroys all his Horcruxes and ends up defeating him in the future.

Three Turns Should Do It by @vdoshu (M, 284k, WIP)

Setting: Time Travel (1940s) Premise: If Harry gets thrown back in time after an accident with the Time Turner in 3rd year, and ends up as a disembodied voice in Tom’s head from the time that Tom is 11. Why I rec it: I absolutely love Tom growing up alongside Harry who is a kind of caretaker presence in his mind, helping make his days a little bit less lonely and helping him navigate the unfortunate circumstances he’s thrown in. This is probably the most extensively researched WW2 era story I’ve ever read; at times I felt like I was learning more detailed history about everyday life during WW2 than I’ve ever read out of a history book. This fic does an amazing job of fleshing out the pivotal events of Tom’s Hogwarts years and showcasing Tom’s humanity, and the bond of mutual trust and love that he and Harry build over the years is so beautifully portrayed. It also does a great job of exploring the question of predestination and whether anyone has the power to change the fate that lies in store for them.

Til Death Do Us Part by @duplicitywrites (M, 117k, complete)

Setting: Voldemort Wins AU Premise: If Harry gets captured by Voldemort and held as his captive, in a world where Voldemort had won the war sometime before Harry was born, and Harry has been fighting against Voldemort his entire adult life. Why I rec it: The emotions that this fic evokes are so moving and heartfelt. The evolution from Harry as Voldemort’s prisoner to Harry as Voldemort’s trusted advisor unfolds in such a beautiful, unrushed way. Harry is in his early 30s when he’s captured, so he’s older than what we typically see in fics where he’s Voldemort’s prisoner, and his maturity and composure really shine through as he starts working together with Voldemort and trying to exert his influence to improve the fate of the wizarding world. He eventually breaks through Voldemort’s shell, and helps Voldemort to grow in so many ways as the story progresses — particularly in his understanding of love and acceptance of death as a part of life.

With a resolute heart by Act_Naturally (M, 84k, WIP)

Setting: Same-Age AU Premise: If Harry and Tom attend Hogwarts together and are selected as Hogwarts Champions for an AU version of the Triwizard Tournament that is structured more like the Hunger Games tournament.  Why I rec it: This is a skillfully-written generation mashup featuring an incredibly suspenseful and high-intrigue setting. There’s a dark overhang of dread and anxiety that permeates every character interaction and training session, as we’re informed that most of the champions (8 from each of the 3 schools) will not make it out of the Tournament alive. Yet the chemistry between Harry and Tom builds and builds despite the life-or-death stakes — Harry is immediately attracted to Tom, and Tom admires Harry’s resourcefulness — even while they each realize they may be the death of the other.

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[chiyoso]

𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒔𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 (revising/proofreading)

series masterlist | part two

࣪ ˖✧ following content. headcannons · crossover · reader is herrscher of death · oc coded · sprinkle of trauma · fighting · nanook doesn't know what personal space is, nanook is referred to he/him in this fic · welt/blade ptsd moments.

࣪ ˖✧ author notes. 11/21/23 update: everything is planned out, and this will be a series. // 4/17/24 update: revamping. 1.7 out of 3 done. (god forbid tumblr fucking me up by restarting the app, and i didnt get to save. im)

࣪ ˖✧ hired actors. the astral express · the stellaron hunters · aeon nanook.

𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒚𝒂𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒕. 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔

𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐓 𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐆 had his hand around his throat, feeeling it lump to the sight of you.

𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐓 𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐆 questioning your existence in this world internally, over and over, and it didn't help that your evident youth glistened under the lights of the express' lounge, reminding the old trailblazer of what being a herrscher was; a longevity of your lifespan, a title feared by a decaying world, along with reminding him of the sins he committed long before being welcomed to this world.

𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐓 𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐆 whose stomach churned at the sight of your breath hitching in your deep sleep, a sign of your consciousness returning while his astral companions and a fluffy conductor that held your hand, giving your body a positive reaction to the soft conductor's paws, all looked at you with utmost fascination.

𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐓 𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐆 who couldn't help but feel compelled to ingulge in his curiousities, finding your stigmata almost immediately in the process. an intricate design that its way paved against your flesh from your neck, down to your chest.

𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐓 𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐆 discussing with himeko and the conductor afterwards, having discovered your body, floating along the stars unconsciously that alerted the astral express, hence the automatic notion to save you.

𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐓 𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐆 rembering stigmata technology along with other various things back from his homeworld. it's technilogy originating from schicksal, from a tyrant, and it's something that will determine if you were either a friend, a foe, or neither, and welt yang desperately hoped you were the first option, holding onto the hope that you weren't a being against humanity.

prologue; the sovereign.

“everyone,”

welt took a step forward in instinct, hollow and guarded to your direction. “step back, now.” a warning to his stellar companions, feeling a dread that swelled inside him from taking in your familiar energy, honkai energy, radiating and reemerging from you, forcing a part of him that he buried long ago to be present in your presence.

“huh?” the pink haired girl took a moment, glancing back and forth to you and him. “what do you mean mr. yang? she's still asle—” the pink haired's curiousity was interrupted, followed by a small yelp, reaching out for your arm mid-way, the girl's body tensing up as she found her wrist being held tightly with one deft movement, non other by you, which alerted everyone instantly.

“a-ah! let... let—go!” she whined, struggling in your godly grip, and collectively, everyone's took sharp breaths, sensing the thick, sickening spike of your aura.

you felt in your wake a metal sensation against your neck, resulting you to fully awaken in your unconsciousness, eyelashes fluttering open to the sight of a lounge of some sort.

once you did, they all took notice of your eyes the first thing, a color of your irises that brought out the shape of your pupils, it was polaris star shape and unusual — but besides the initial glaring, you shouldn't ignore the cane against your throat.

star of eden. you felt it's familiarity.

and the sovereign's presence. you found him.

unphased, you release the grip on the poor girl's wrist, sitting up slowly with the metal that remained on your throat.

“i see,” you take a breath, your eyes following the direction of the length, up, up and up towards it's bearer. “the mission,” you say with half effort, a little hazy from just waking up. “it was a success.”

haah. you were frightening, your voice dripped with elegance, haunting and low, the astral express' interiors allowing echo with the words you muttered.

mission? as if himeko's and welt's thoughts were one, giving each other looks of shared conflict.

“state your business.” the boy with horns broke the silence, his index and middle finger positioned to your neck aglow, along with the pressure, and yet their unease hadn't settled as you were truly unphased by their threatening actions.

“i relay... a message.” your head rotated slightly, to the all-too-familiar sight of authority.

“you.”

“—you do not belong here.” he intercepts.

“and neither do you, mr. sovereign.”

welt facial features screamed death. his amber irises determined to yours once you found yourself under his gaze, hearing the oh-so familiar title you let him wore again, the strength of your voice not helping as it would echo through the train's lounge.

his companions looked to one another in brief confusion, then all eyes settled on the visibly disturbed, distressed man who looked at you with so much fear and disarray.

flight or fight?

fight.

adrenaline filled hands, fogging his rationality, his mind thick with a current full of resurfacing memories. his astral companions that didn't need to know that side of his, these shattered fragments of his past, he didn't need them to be reminded, he—was about to plunge star of eden through your throat, but his cane. it was already on the other side of the express, flicked away with a lift of your finger, landing against the wall with a clear display of strength, cracks all over the surface the cane piercing through halfway.

“dan hen—” no need to complete as the vidyhadra's cloudhymm magic began to disperse the group towards the man with the glasses, away from you, hurriedly retreating from your presence.

the moment you took your first step up from the cushioned seat, you were greeted by a gravitational force in shape of an black orb, moving straight towards you with its force pulling the air around it—but you've been warned of it by your mentor, the concept of his abilities.

“a warm welcome.” you sighed as they further tensed to you—meeting the black hole with the tip of your summoned lance (the 6th divine key), feigning ignorance to their reactions while the other hand movies, a finger tracing down from your neck to your curves, black dust particles surrounded your body, changing your battered former dressing to a grand, black and elegant flowy dress, perfecting your once messy state.

“forgive us for being such a terrible hosts, however—what is a herrscher doing here?”

“haah, you act as if you weren't one, mr. former herrscher of reason.”

“...strongly,” two fingers hoist his frames up his nose bridge, eyes following the direction of his uneasy companions, before returning to yours.

“i advise you to cease,” he grips his cane. “calling me something in which i've severed ties with long before,” the astral express crew remained on the defense, pairs of eyes guided by determination, and uncertainty all focused towards you.

“i trust that you'd understand why it is heavily recommended.” he finishes with a subtle glance to your spectators, making you follow your gaze.

bronya was right, he really is too guarded. you thought, a little bit of admiration for your mentor, predicting this possibility of his hostility.

𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐓 𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐆 couldn't understand you, even when you bathed in nostalgia for him, even when you aligned where your loyalty lies, meaning no harm, he couldn't understand you, and understanding something you thought you were knowledgeable about left a sour taste in his mouth.

𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐓 𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐆 allowed his defenses to simmer, reassuring his fellow trailblazers that you were an ally, an ally of highest regard more specifically, now aware of your situation along with who, what about and why you were doing these things.

𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐓 𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐆 who had his eyes intently to yours, finding himself wavering to the mention of your mentor (bronya zaychik), having a familiar name escape your lips, uttered in this other universe, so far away from where he was, but he was good at controlling himself and his emotions, except for the gleaming of hope in his tired eyes.

𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐓 𝐘𝐀𝐍𝐆 more curious than ever, once he sees through your facade of intimidating elegance, falling apart to subtle, fidgeting movements with your fingers, the entirety of your demeanor and body language turning a 180 due to his line of questioning and persistence, insisting about the truth as to why you were willing to go such lengths and risk just to find him, even risking yourself that you might not ge able to go back to where he was what he was trailblazing for in the first place.

you're thankful though. that welt yang was more of a gentleman than you thought, having no other information regarding about him, except for official and important things, that made him seem threatening, or even far more than that.

also thankful that he didn't pry about your gradual change in behavior, bit by bit as the two of you continued conversing, discussing, getting interrogated, but you didn't mind, not at all.

not if you were being watched by those brown, tired eyes, attentive especially to you, maybe even captivated too? who knows. you'd brush that last thought under the rug though.

“mr. yang—?” the pink haired girl stepped forward, interrupting your thoughts, along with the conversation you and him were discussing.

“i'm sorry to interrupt but...”

“no,” welt cuts her off, glancing back and forth to you and the rest of his astral crew. “you all have every right to the context of everything's that happened within this short span of time.”

“please,” a mature voice caught your attention briefly, turning your head towards the woman in white and gold ornaments. “take your time.” the red haired woman steps in, walking in between march and himself.

“we trust in your judgement and intuition, if this person is able to be in your presence without so much provoking much hostility within you, then surely,” the red haired woman turns to face to yours, and you greet her with a subtle, necessary smile, and it doesn't go unnoticed that you two were seizing each other up, an internal battle welt and the others could sense.

“we are able to trust her too—and besides, it looks like it's going to take a long time explaining everything, so,” she turns towards her young companions, hands clasped together.

“why don't i prepare all of you some snacks and coffee in the meantime?”

𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒇𝒕. 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔

𝐊𝐀𝐅𝐊𝐀 didn't expect an actress like you to take part within the stage, let alone bearing a leading and costly role similarly to that grey haired trailblazer.

𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐒 too. resulting in prolonged scripts, revising plans for penacony, it was disharmony, with elios relying in his hacker again, summoning her and against the IPC for a chance of information about you, but to no avail once she took action.

𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐖𝐎𝐋𝐅 found you, and her research of you frustrating, annoyed that she could've been spending her time grinding shit in her game, and instead she's spending it trying to find things about, tedious really, it was just her rummaging through files from any knowledgeable source she could find.

𝐒𝐈𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐖𝐎𝐋𝐅 was at a stalemate (for once), when prior to this, she thought she had finally found some dirt on you, only to actually find dirt and dust on all information regarding you, be it from the intelligentsia guild or the genius society—nothing. there was nothing about you, or your species, so.

𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐒 commanded his faction, already on the tail of the astral express, and word after word, his actors and actresses will get information about you, and of course.

𝐊𝐀𝐅𝐊𝐀 finds you separated from your crew, and yet the woman couldn't shake a certain feeling off. it was neither fear, nor any sort of unease, either way, she became guarded along with her fellow hunters, only up until the point where you, the new actress noticed the group, having them under your gaze.

·୨⚝୧· ⸻ sidestory one: elios' new actress.

spirit whisper. in low, sultry tones the woman said.

that was the name one of her abilities this pecuilar woman had. a mental themed ability, able to torment, suppress, or soothe the psychological state an individual was in, along with being able to control a mortal's state of self to her bidding.

unfortunately, the moment kafka encountered and tried her ability over you, she was met with a flood of honkai energy that protected you infinitely, or rather—reciprocated her gesture.

just toying with this, less superior version, a type of corruption she was using, accessing her mind instead, tormenting the woman in ways more than one, but you can't bring her to her end yet of course, not yet. she fascinated you.

no one could. except for the sovereign, but besides that, it was the way she held herself, her lack of fear, her mannerisms and how she looked, you resisted the urge to turn her into a mindless honkai creature. elegant, powerful, maybe emperor class level even if you decided to do so.

“you interest me.” you gave a faint smile, before tugging one of her glowing threads, pulling her close to you while it was active, then your hand forces contact towards her chin, now forcefully to meet your gaze.

kafka felt a sudden pulse in her essence, her stomach whirring with an unfamiliar sensation as she locks her eyes upon your unique pupils.

young one?

you looked the same age as her.

youthful, beautiful and enchanting, the way your voice sounded; so dreamy with maturity, complimentary with your authoritative narration.

and kafka wasn't smiling this time. a sight silverwolf couldn't believe, taking mementos with her phone from far a reach, away from you.

“you are a walking contradiction, a threat to elio and our goals,,” kafka grips the hilt of her sword, taking a side stance. “you will meet your end. poetically, if not cruelly. as elio's script implies.”

“—and i've never heard a threat sound so enticing before.” you break into a chuckle, giving her a moment of respite, before flicking the woman in the chest, sending her flying with a forceful speed towards the man with dark, navy hair with red tints in the end of his beautiful strands, catching her with a visible shock in his widened eyes.

she reminds you of a certain woman you have once laid eyes on. a certain schariac, but only the way they present their demeanor and wit.

“blade-” cough. “bladie. please, do it.” the woman spoke with shaky exhales, using her spirit whisper to him that failed on you. “unleash the mara—”

“you will refrain from doing so.” you interrupted, suddenly appearing infront of the individuals.

“you—” were so far away, how did you—blade with no choice had to drop kafka, with intent to bring his infused weapon to your throat, only to be met with an lance that manifested from a key that you summoned, parrying him.

blade felt his insides suffocate, with a clenched jaw and his already turbulent mind, only spiraling downwards further at the sight of it. your weapon.

flowered with sharp ornaments of death, a dark material for its main body. it's so intimidatingly elegant, designed as if it were mimicking life and death, a craftsmanship only seen with those who had a knack for birthing weapons — like him as a prime example.

like him.

like him?

what does he mean?

“agh,” he longed for death with a groan, more than he ever did in his long life. having instances of unwanted imagery just thrashing against him, along with the fluctuating mara within, triggering and pulsing, with no kafka to ail his suffering with spirit whisper, enduring memories from the old, back when he was a blacksmith, someone mortal.

and normal.

like yix██g.

but.

who is yix██g?

despite experiencing metal and physical pain, kept his eyes to yours, one hand covering half of his face, the other had let go of his weapon, unable to hold it and himself, just struggling in your almost divine like presence, while you just studied him in clear fascination.

you drifted around the struggling man, your eyes preying upon the sight of liquid gold that seeped out from the glowing cracks, and the noises you found delectable from him came to a sudden halt, reduced to shaky gasps, and throaty exhales.

it was silent.

but it was your doing too.

“you crave death,” you whisper, trailing a sharp nail from the base of his right hand, up towards his bicep, you wrap your hand around it, keeping him in place. “but,” your eyes glow, and he tenses.

“only because the opposite of it clings to you mercilessly,” you can see blade struggle to stand, yet his eyes remained conscious, or trying to keep consciousness, and with a faint smile you help, pressing your front close to his, digging your nails into his arm, earning a grunt of pain from him.

was this it?

was he able to finally achieve—“death,” this word snaps blade out from his sleepy trance, his gaze falling to the new feeling that invaded his flesh.

it was the lance instead of your hand, remaining eye contact as you pierced a small part of his flesh, a closeness not enough to distract him from the sensations of vitality, life and energy, almost like coating his very soul besides his body.

this isn't right.

“n- no...” he grunts, both of his blade's gripped the length your heavy lance, taking in unsteady breaths, locking his eyes to yours—and only now he sees you truly, taking in the sight of you.

“you can't do this to me.”

with those words, the will of honkai whispered to you simultaneously, and you learned nothing but him craving the blankness of death, the end of which he desperately wanted long before all this.

“i-” you mirrored his conflict, facially and emotionally, your own will wavering from this revelation. “you- you don't desire salvation?” you whispered weakly, refocusing his attention and snapping back to reality, biting his lip to blood, torn with the feelings of betrayal from wishing for death all his life, as well as finally enjoying the peace that he finally achieved because of you.

blade could only reply with silence, yet his gaze told a thousand tales of sorrow and a hidden gratitude that he had no choice but to express.

“i see.” but it was too late, seeing as how you pulled you and your lance away from him, your weapon, assuming its key-like state once again before disappearing into a golden dust of air.

he stood still in the same silence, but his expression became more vulnerable each second, and he allowed his gaze that followed you, you that assumingly kept his the mara in him control, or got rid of for good, either way, he was at a silent bliss. it was far superior than spirit whisper.

it's effectiveness would be proven by how he began find himself trembling in self awareness, the fog in his mind that had once enveloped him, always feeling like in the verge of breaking, now met with feelings without torment that he longed for since his many rebirths and eons of living.

“what you crave,” he gets interrupted by your sudden closeness, your face nearing his, all while you trail your index against his bandaged scars on his left hand. “is a temporary solution,” you smile, and he inhales.

“you are already aware of death, so why rehearse it further?” his gaze falls to your gesture with confusion, reacting to your words with disbelief, along with your sudden touch.

you were wiping golden tears that streamed down to his pretty face with your thumb, the remnants of the golden liquid that strained his face looked absolutely endearing, especially when he looked all confused and fragile, causing you to chuckle while your thumb continued to wipe the gold off the handsome canvas of a man.

your touch was similar to how kafka treated him, and yet, yours carried obvious interest and seduction that his scarred, gashed physique subtly trembled to, and it calls to you again as well, the will of honkai whispering the remainder of his struggles to you while you continue to study him—and he was doing the same to you.

“immortality isn't that bad, there are an infinite amount things to do and to live for.” you say with a distant gaze, retracting yourself from him, with blade following you to your direction instinctively, almost as if it were a reflex to follow you.

how can you say those words so simply?

blade stood tall, idle as you drifted away from him, his appearance nothing matching the vulnerability his expression carried, having trouble with breathing, taking in sharp, unsteady breaths as if it were his first time breathing in a long time, and it was, you gave him this new beginning.

something he was unwilling to acknowledge, this overwhelming sense of clarity you gave him, and if it was unintentional or not—what is he to do with this unwanted peace now?

you won't get away with this.

you can't do this to him.

not after all these centuries of pleading for death.

this wasn't the mercy he wanted.

“you—simpleton.” he grunts, clenched fist mirroring the frustration mixing with his weak gaze. he couldn't do anything. how can he?

what could his own blade do to you? and what would it benefit him if does decide to come at you once more? the one that gave him this serenity, this peace of mind he had once had long ago.

and if someone like you existed, won't his loyalties lie better at the hands at someone who was able to give him wanted? instead of continuously giving him tedious tasks, missions, with nothing to look forward to afterwards.

the silence broke with a snap of your fingers, golden dust particles coming off from your fingers, and of course, they had no choice but to refocus their attention to yours.

“somewhere, and someone, knew, that i would be here,” you incite, your irises preying to their direction, settling upon the battered three.

“isolated from the express. a coordination much perfectly timed, and so carefully anticipated,” and your gaze shifts to kafka.

“as if my presence caused a troubled influx of superiority, becoming known to those with great influence.” they all glance to one another, specifically to silverwolf shrugging, before laying their eyes on you as you continue ascending.

“it's not you,”

you point to blade.

“nor you,”

to the silverwolf girl.

“especially not you,” you point to kafka, and can't help but subtly smirk to the sight of her in her physical state, something that you had a delight in causing from her persistence in erasing you from elios' narrative.

“and,” you let out an amused 'hmm.' “the three of you are so willing to reduce yourselves into puppets,” and you raise your chin, and you sneer at their facial response and ques. “so, continue what you are familiar with, and listen well.”

with your index, you do a vertical motion, cutting the ether with a dark glow that trailed your finger against the space before you, the rift having these scarlet and gold colored, mist-like substances seeping out from its contents.

the rift expands shortly after its creation, warping and molding into a dark gate, with an arched entrance, and an abyss at the other side, pertaining the same two-colored mists that glittered towards you.

the two hunters had already helped kafka up, continued to look towards you that was prepping to take your leave. “on the day, where···i find the path of akivili struggling against their foes, will be the same day where the concept of their faction ends. this includes any living, and non-living thing.” you give both the two contrasting individuals, before taking a glance to blade.

“because a herrscher—no,” you pause, rethinking your choice of words, turning your body to them once more. if welt had provided you information that holds true, then.

“classify me with a category you're all familiar with, to give your elios' an idea of what kind you are dealing with, and is planning against. you are making an enemy of an emanator of a pathless.”

you sigh through your nose.

“and maybe something more.”

but this faction didn't need to know about that yet, especially blade.

[editing/revising/proofreading]

[this part below is being edited real time.]

”... And, if any of you partake in harming The Sovereign, Welt Yang, I will gladly ruin the continent of this universe only within a few hours, heed my warning, or die permanently to the touch of my weapon.”

Permanently. Permanently?

Warm, throbbing and dizzying.

That's what he felt at the moment from the genuine threat you gave, he sensed no bluffs, no lies and only the truth, and he... found complete comfort in knowing you can give such a wish to the trouble man who struggles in his immortality.

Blade's heart only fluttered to your words upon talking about a permanent death, while Kafka only looked... genuinely annoyed for the first time, something even Silverwolf couldn't achieve.

Herrscher... Herrscher... Whatever you called yourself, it was an old language and something Silverwolf can definitely look up about.

And you, mentioning Welt Yang of the Astral Express—even if you said something else... about... him being the Sovereign? Them following Elio's next scriptures, they will definitely be stopping by to wherever Welt Yang is, alone or not, ignoring your genuine warning with the goal of attaining information from him regarding to you.

Blade... smitten at the thought of permanent death, only wanted to meet you again, to feel your authoritive, piercing gaze to him again.

He tried his best, prolonging the pierced scar you placed upon his flesh, to not heal immediately, but ultimately losing to his immortality a few days after, leaving him restless and unyielding to the thought of your reverence since meeting you.

Herrscher... of Death.

Something his mind kept repeating, and the threatening, genuine tone of your elegant and sensual voice just left him alone with his vitality, his newfound serene and awareness of himself that you bestowed to him only frazzled his mind and the clear emotions he was once experiencing again in a frantic daze.

He will plead to Elio, to Kafka, to let him meet you again—ultimately being denied as you were the most dangerous leading actress in their script that they desperately tried resuming without fail. He needed to see you again, that was apparent, and his visible desperation only amused Silverwolf while she worked, researching about you with Blade by her side, waiting for the silver haired girl to indulge him anything related to you.

You tested his patience immediately.

You were emitting such intense, unfamiliar blazing heat signatures that anyone with the technology or the abilities to sense such energy can easily detect in any reach within the universe, thus alerting... a few Aeons.

But only The Aeon Of Destruction was the first to take action.

The Aeon himself... had a certain difficulty capturing you in his domain in psychological aspects, all because of the intense, infinite authority that the Will of Honkai had that resided within you.

You were on your way towards Jarilo-VI, heeding the cute little human whose wrist you gripped firmly previously request since encountering the—Trailblazers...

is what they call themselves, apparently they're also under the belief of what they call an "Aeon" something similar to you, an Aeon of Trailblaze, named Aki- Akivili? No matter, The Sovereign had already informed you quite a lot, important information that had stored inside your brain with the help of the Will, that enhanced your capabilities in all aspects.

Once again, you were on your way towards the supposed cold planet you haven't been to, heeding a request to the human named after a month, flying along the sea of stars with your flowy, dark and elegant dress, only to be met with a sudden bright light combusted to where you previously were that you effortlessly dodged.

Looking over your shoulder with a stern gaze, your irises land upon an unfamiliar figure, a figure whose presence heavily differed from the people you encountered previously.

Your stoic expression changed to one that was filled with amusement, your lips curled into a sly smirk as you turn your body to face the figure who dripped in gold.

“Now this... is a situation I've certainly been wondering about since my time here in this universe.”

You enraged him with the familiar feelings of anger, frustration and all things negative.

You weren't cowering in fear, dread and insanity like the last time people laid their eyes upon, and that angered him further.

“Reveal your nature, or perish to my wrath.”

...

“And who, might I be revealing myself to?”

You questioned the Aeon back?

A sudden whip of golden liquid hurled towards you in a speed that only beings like you and him are able to witness.

But it was met with an effortless vertical rift of darkness that emitted with white dust particles that met the aureate liquid whip, and you weren't moving an inch as well.

The Aeon's slashed chest that continued to drip with gold, throbbed with a slowly growing sense of wonder from your piercing, unwavering gaze.

A staring contest basically, all while both of your abilities continued to clash each other, but one thing was clear... You genuinely weren't phased by such a situation at all, especially with that growing faint smirk that he grew more irritated of.

Fucks sake, he was an Aeon.

But you...

He didn't know anything about you, everyone except for your mentor's mentor (Welt Yang).

How was the Aeon supposed to know? That you were a living death, an absolutely feared existence back in your homeworld?

As soon as an uncontrollable yawn escaped your mouth, your little action caused the being to flare up in golden destruction of his boiling liquid.

“You dare...”

“I dare.”

He genuinely wanted to go all out.

But how can you satiate the thoughts the stirred endlessly within his heavily troubled mind? How can you heed his running questions if he decided to end you? (He can't, if he tried either way.)

“You're one of the creatures who call themselves... an Aeon, that the mortals revel and believe in, aren't you?”

Creatures. Creatures???

He's so pissed off that its starting to show on his face, veins popping all over his jaw along with the dilating gaze of fury was visible to you, causing your playfulness to highten. He was one of those type of 'rulers' that you despised, the same type of Herrschers who wanted to rule over humanity that you hated.

And the fact that you called him a creature.

Another blink, and he was suddenly infront of you, fuming before you while you planted your 'innocent' smirk towards the tall, menacing Aeon.

“What are you.”

Now, Welt Yang had mentioned the time, date and the advance technologies about this universe to you. Of course it was all vast and drastically different to both of your homeworlds, even the Previous Era's technologies heavily differed to this universe's, and this universe was all the way fast forward to a more than a thousand years later, and the time this mission you did in hopes of discovering Welt Yang's whereabouts happened, it was 2029 in your homeworld, a vital information that heavily fascinated you.

With that knowledge in mind.

“An old god.”

?

“No such thing.”

“Of course, you most likely came into life after the creation of the old, ancient rulers titled Herrschers.”

...

Herrs...cher?

“An old language... You speak the truth.”

“But of course.”

What can he do now? What is he able to do?

You were a more ancient testimony in contrast to him, he couldn't... fanthom you, understand you.

“And I come from another universe if it satisfies your loud thoughts.”

“...That is if you believe in multiverses, being who weeps in gold.”

“Mm.” That made sense to the Aeon, a concept he can grasp. His anger immediately soothed, replaced with a natural curiousity and fascination towards the being before him.

“Before so rudely interrupting my travels,”

“All you need to know, is that I side with humanity.”

Oh.

“And I've most definitely heard of your endless atrocities and sins against the mortals who struggled to your lowly imbued subjects that abide your words, Aurelian.”

Referring to the time where the pink haired mortal that shared their recent adventure against a being named Phantylia the Undying, a Lord Ravager who works under the Aeon, Nanook.

The air tensed once again, this time the Aeon felt your seriousness, your stern, unwavering gaze.

Your words raised a question within him.

“...Why do you side with such weak, feeble and distasteful creatures? Beings that taint themselves with nothing but greed, selfishness, and an endless need to hurt their fellow kin—”

“You speak from experience, don't you?”

Ah. That was haunting, for a split second.

Oh how he hated your words with a passion.

Only because... you spoke nothing but continuous truth, and despite his supreme status of being the Aeon of Destruction...

The forgotten, brought out once mofe with the truth can only truly waver whatever creature harbors a dark, sinful past—and we all know this certain Aeon, is just oozing with a heavy amount of all kinds of negativity. Holding eons and eons worth of sin, all by a tall, dark, and quite ravishing figure.

Bzzt Bzzt ... Bzzt

Right, Jarilo-VI.

“Mm, however fascinating this situation is, I must take my lea—”

“No.” (Decode: I'm not done with you.)

“Unfortunately, that is not for you to decide, Aurelian.”

“Tch, foolish woman.” Says the Aeon and his uncharacteristic actions right now.

Aurelian... you already had a nickname for him? Teasing bastard.

Nanook attempted to grab your arm, only for you for you to retract and raise it up as your face breaks into a knowing smirk once again from earlier.

Wh—!?

“You dare defy me?”

“You dare provoke me?” Your smirk fainted, narrowing your eyes to his actions.

“You're blessed to witness my appearance that many perish in hopes of understanding the concept of an Aeon.”

He attempted to attain you in his grasp once again, which he successfully did as his hands finds its way swiftly to your wrist.

“Unhand me, the subjects of Akivili need my presence.” — “At once.”

“Resist once more and you'll b—”

You sigh, in defeat, summoning the tall, black and red gate you previously with your other free hand, and he took witness to your effortless abilities.

“Encounter me once again in another time where I don't have matters to attend to, Aurelian.”

The moment he loosened his grip upon witnessing your summoned gate, you quickly free yourself from him, floating backwards towards the gate while your eyes settled into his, before disappearing into the gate towards Jarilo-VI.

Too agile, he thought.

“... How difficult.” He referred to your enigmatic existence. Nanook's thoughts lingered about you, a serious threat to his existence and his other fellow Aeons, and yet couldn't help but think about the nickname you gave him.

The way your rifts of darkness swallowed his bright, golden attacks with minimal effort, he wanted to fight you again, maybe even seriously, he wanted to converse with you once more, more about you, your capabilities.

And, as trifling this encounter was, this one wasn't the worse one—for the Interastral Peace Corporation (IPC) had their eyes set on you.

2024 CHIYO·SO.

[aziraphales-library]

Hi, just wondering if you have any fics were Crowley and Aziraphale text frequently? AU's are fine 😊

Thank you!!

We have some texting fics here and you may enjoy fics on our #social media tag, which will include fics with online messaging. Here are more fics with texting...

Short Message Service by squiddz (E)

He got halfway down the page before the phone flashed with a notification again. Another message from Crowley. It took all of three seconds for Aziraphale to fold and pick up the phone. Crowley: so Crowley: what are you wearing Aziraphale: What kind of question is that? You know exactly what I'm wearing. --- In which Crowley gives Aziraphale a mobile phone, and then tries his level best to sext with him.

just friends (he's too important) by Narwhalhavingsomuchfun (T)

Biology student Anthony Crowley can't afford to fail his gen ed history class at Tadfield University. But luckily he's found a someone willing to tutor him in history. 3 guesses as to who that may be *** Crowley POV Strangers to friends to best friends to lovers texting fic

Play The Game by ffonippop (M)

Aziraphale was a university student on his last grueling year of pursuing a joint-honors Bachelors degree in Biology and Theology. His favorite day of the week was Sunday, because on Sunday, he could forget about the lab and leave behind the library to gather with his friends and play a competitive game of trivia— Quiz Bowl. He liked Quiz Bowl because it was a brain game, it was engaging, and it promoted teamwork. But most of all, he liked Quiz Bowl because he was the best at it. Until Crowley, the arrogant bastard with a swagger in his saunter, started showing up.

Dim the Lights and Sing You Songs by Polaris (E)

A few months prior to leaving the Dowling household, Crowley had downloaded Grindr for the sole purpose of catfishing randy morons. He was not expecting a paragraph that began with: ‘hello. I hope you don’t think this is too forward, but I couldn’t help but notice you have the most lovely nipples.’ Crowley keeps trying to meet his Grindr fuckbuddy. Aziraphale keeps showing up at all his meeting spots. This is terrible.

Readings From the Books of Ashtoreth by Quefish (E)

Vicar Aziraphale Bookman has a comfortable life. He lives in and serves the small village community of Tadfield. He enjoys contributing to local businesses, taking walks, and of course reading. His 'guilty pleasure', which gives him no guilt and all pleasure, is a series of novels by one AJ Ashtoreth. But what happens when he reaches out with an innocent bit of fanmail?

What We Make of It (Shotgun Wedding) by charlottemadison (E)

The important thing, Crowley tells himself -- the most important thing -- is Adam, his brilliant, creative, empathetic nephew. Being fourteen's hard enough; the kid didn't ask to deal with the weight of the world on top of it. And if taking care of Adam means Crowley has to tough it out at a job he can’t stand, so be it. And if Crowley's job means that Adam’s charming English teacher is NOT a romantic possibility, well, that's just how things go. But the occasional drink with Aziraphale proves hard to resist. They frequent the same pub, so who can object to them saying hello? Briefly sharing a table? Perhaps a little conversation? The painful knowledge that it can’t be anything more -- not without somebody getting fired or sued or both -- well, that can't be helped. Until Crowley stumbles onto a terribly reckless idea...

- Mod D

[zepskies]

Hi, Zep! I’ve read your Beau fics and I ADORE them. Are there any other recs you’d give? Series, drabbles, one-shots, anything :)

Hey there!

Thank you so very much, lovely anon. 🥰💗 I have so much fun writing Beau Arlen and the rest of the Big Sky cast, especially most recently with the Take Me Home series.

But what a good question! And I do have some fic recs for you...

(Stories are Beau Arlen x Reader unless otherwise noted. Minors beware, many of these are 18+ only!)

The Fix - @waywardxwords. This is a lovely friend of mine, and this story is both angsty and gripping, but also very sweet, with plenty of protective Beau to feed my hopeless romantic soul.

Beau Arlen Masterlist - @waynes-multiverse. My friend Wayne is a brilliant writer. She pairs "hilarious" with "heart-gripping angst" so well in her romances. I'm rec'ing her whole BA masterlist, but she also just started a new series: Polaris, which is already shaping up to be angsty, smutty, romantic, complex, and amazing.

When Fantasy Pales - @dean-winchester-is-a-warrior. This is a series of one-shots that I enjoyed immensely by another very talented writer. Absolutely love her writing style.

Beau Arlen Masterlist - @luci-in-trenchcoats. Another lovely friend of mine (I think most of you know Michelle). I haven't had a chance to read all of the Beau stories on her masterlist, but I really enjoyed Bad Day in particular.

The Change (Alpha!Beau x Omega!Reader) - ABO dynamics.

The Change: Beau - Sequel from Beau's POV.

If It's Meant to Be - @jawritter. This is also Alpha!Beau Arlen x Omega!Reader.

All My Ghosts - @abramswife. Series in progress, and it hooked me right away. This story has strong themes and is very emotionally gripping.

I may add to this list as I get to read more of my favorite cowboy sheriff!

[winchestergirl2]

July Reading Recs

To show some love and appreciation to all the amazing writers here on tumblr, here are all the fantastic fics I've read this month. 💖

Many of these fics and blogs are 18+ only, and NSFW please heed the author's individual fic warnings and requests regarding no minors. I am not responsible for your media consumption.

Reading Recs Masterlist

The Boys

Soldier Boy

G.B.A @impala-dreamer

Authors Summary: ~Spend the 4th with America's first and greatest superhero~

Fuck The Quiet Game @voxmortuus

Authors Summary: Prompt “there’s no one else here, be louder”

Every king needs a queen @thebiggerbear

Authors Summary: Homelander makes you an offer that you're all too happy to refuse.

Power Play @venus-haze

Authors Summary: So, you lost focus and had a consensual workplace relationship. It happens all the time. Maybe not quite like this.

Supernatural

Dean Winchester

Mine @hintsofhoney

Authors Summary: When Dean is forced to mark Y/N in order to not blow their cover on a case, it leads him to reveal a secret that he's been keeping since they met.

Lost & Found @luci-in-trenchcoats

Sam Winchester

Untitled drabble @supernaturalfreewill

Breathe @sams-sass

Authors Summary: What it would be like to wake up to Sam Winchester 

Too Hot @just-another-busy-fangirl

Authors Summary: A witch puts a spell on you, making your body temperature rise to dangerous degrees.  Can Sam save you?

Multi Fandom

Dean Winchester, Beau Arlen, Soldier Boy (Ben)

Headcanon: Wearing His Clothes @zepskies

Authors Summary: Headcanon: How Dean, Beau, and Soldier Boy (Ben) would react to you (getting caught) wearing his clothes.

Big Sky

Beau Arlen

S.I.N.G @zepskies

Authors Summary: Beau wishes you’d take this self-defense lesson a little more seriously.

Echoes @zepskies

Authors Summary: Beau has another rough night, but you help him face a harder truth. 

Polaris Chapter 2 @waynes-multiverse

Authors Series Summary: When Beau Arlen moved to Montana, he left behind a past he wasn’t proud of. But when a series of murders requires the FBI’s help, Sheriff Arlen‘s ghosts come back to haunt him one by one. With a wrong turn waiting at every crossroads, it’s hard to make the right choices and find his way back home – back to you.

Tracker

Russell Shaw

You're safe now. I'm here Part 1 @thebiggerbear

Authors Summary: You've been taken hostage and Russell is part of the unit sent in to retrieve you.

Colter Shaw

Bloodied Hands @marvelwitchergilmore

Authors Summary: When you get hurt on a case, Colter stays with you.

Chicago Fire

Matt Casey

It's just a headache @kitkatscabinet

Authors Summary: You wake up with a headache, you attempt to work through it. Prompt: “Sorry, I’m… I’m really dizzy.”

[luxaofhesperides]

decided to make an actually useful pinned post so here we go:

i have a newsletter that goes out every so often with my thoughts on things, what i'm reading, and occasionally a look at my original wips. it's totally free bc this is just a little thing i do for fun. subscribe if u want! here's the link

all of my writing can be found under the 'my writing' tag. edits, usually book edits, are under 'my edit'.

my ao3 is aryelee and every fic i post in here is also posted over there so if youre having trouble finding something, that's where you should go!

all my random thoughts are tagged as 'rambles' and when i live blog the comics im reading, i use 'comic read' so block either of those if you don't want me clogging ur dash.

below the cut is a look at all of my wips at the tags i use for them

ORIGINAL WIPS

this darkness swallows us whole ; the very first wip i ever started when i first began writing. it's a hot mess with too many uncompleted first drafts, but i love it so much. demons, gray morality, and one mute girl ready to start throwing hands. - #camellia

every other face ; superhero wip! with a villain taking in a child and trying to live a normal life despite the hero, her main nemesis, constantly popping in to make sure the kid is safe and she hasn't decided to cause trouble. - #caerleon community

past the pages ; isekai wip focusing on the characters trying to figure out what went wrong when the 'villainess' goes missing, ruining the happy ending the protagonist was expecting

- no tag yet! will update once i post about the wip on here.

DC

these aren't wings, they're futures ; in which tim and damian travel back in time to when jason was robin, and try to make this new timeline better while avoiding being caught by the bats for the illegal things they're doing as very young children. - ao3 link - #these arent wings

medium!tim verse ; in which tim is a medium who helps ghosts. three timelines planned: canon, polaris, and civilian. - ao3 link - #medium tim verse

manako ; my dc oc, a very tired, no nonsense baker in gotham who doesn't want to deal with bats begging for snacks in the middle of the night. ocs everywhere, and a look into the community of gotham and the life of civilians. - ao3 link (to be made) - #manako

OTHER

ghostlights requests (dc x dp) ; fics made for danny fenton/duke thomas prompts sent in to me. currently not accepting prompts. - ao3 link - #prompt fill

those who serve (dc x dp) ; danny is taken in by alfred and works as his apprentice in wayne manor. - ao3 link - #alfred's apprentice au

the harmless series (dc x dp) ; danny is reincarnated as damian's older brother + the fallout of remembering - masterpost of all parts - #the harmless series

my askbox is always open if you want to know more about any of these!

(last edited: 7.21.24)

[h0mocodes]

H 0 M O C O D E S 🌙

I figured I would talk a little about my life experiences beyond the spam posting of gifs ✨There is person with a story to tell 😭

My name is Dhyrek Grigorieva. Most just call me Derek. My partner thinks it's funny to mispronounce my name or call me comrade Zady 🤨 I'm 45 years old and I work as an administrator for CMS/SSA at a local hospital. I enjoy cookery (more specifically paleo/keto based), weightlifting & writing. I actually have four novels I am working on 😊

A lesser Evil which was a novel length witcher fan fic that I have removed all the copywritten stuff from & did a complete re-write.

Halycon is a classic cyberpunk series.

Quillington is a male queer Lovecraftian horror romance. It is written exclusively in Polari which was an English Pidgeon language used by gay men in Victorian/Edwardian period.

The Abysmal Horncall is Dracula but from the perfective of Draculas' wives.

I am also a musician. I make sample based lofi/cloud rap/vaporbient or drone noise music under the name h0mocides.

Music | h0mocides (bandcamp.com)

I'm creative but can also be very a bit standoffish with most people. I'm in decent shape; Average-height with olive skin, naturally dark auburn hair but the light makes it look darker with blue-gray eyes. I'm Serbian, well, to be specific my mother's side of the family are Bosnian and Balkan Jews who settled in Serbia. My father's family were from Hungary that came to work the molybdenum mines in Serbia. My extended family are Sicilian, Turkish and Hawaiian but I never met them. I grew up in a working-class neighborhood. I was raised by my mother; my father having left when I was young. I had a brother who killed himself about 2 decades ago. I have one stepbrother and two stepsisters; The sisters I have met twice. I feel like that was enough 🙄 My stepbrother is pedophile that made me sexual advances towards me, and I feel to some degree is a reason why I struggle with internalized homophobia. My stepfather...How do I describe him:

Well, insane but there's a bit more there to pick apart...

He believes in the great replacement theory

He believes that Jews are at the center of controlling the world bank (he doesn't see us as Jews because we don't present as he puts it 'New Yorker Jews')

He believes that America should not be a democracy but rather a Libertarian based theocracy

He believes in a strange Venn diagram where non heterosexual sex/gender meets with pedophilia and bestiality.

He supports project 25 and says there is no place in the modern age for faggots, embryo murders or California styled Bolsheviks.

He believes that the president is representative of God's will and no other religion than Jesus has a place in this great country.

So, simply put we don't see eye-to-eye. When my stepbrother was convicted of child sexual assault, he went off the deep end and then Trump appeared. I should note had it not been for a blood clot we later found out from text messages he fully planed on going to the J-6 rally to 'save America.' Won't shock you but he also is fatphobic and racist. The aforementioned was something he used to bully me about a lot which is why I yo-yo in-between BED and AFRID.

When I was 14 years old, we left Serbia because of the Bosnian War. Lived in Germany and the UK for a year. I loved living in the UK, but our solicitors fucked up and we were shipped to Canada but sadly they were over capacity for immigrants, and we were sent to Anchorage, Alaska while our claim was processed. We got citizenship and lived in Isla Vista, California, Yuma, Arizona and later Aurora, Colorado. That's where the rest of my mother's family is and I will post about it another time, but for obvious reasons I have nothing to do with them. My mother met her husband, and his family was from Tennessee; I lived here from 17-25 and then left for New York after series of bad events; Friends overdosing, physical abuse from my stepfather, etc. So, before the pandemic I was living in Floral Park, NY. I won't lie I was doing sex work, DJing and Mobile Messenger Service (those are the guys on bikes delivering documents to corps in NY). Then my mom got very sick. My lease was up so I decided to move back home briefly to take care of her. The intent was to move back to NY or CA but it didn't pan out that way. I actually almost moved to CA but that too is a post for another time. We found out what she had would later be called Covid related Tapia syndrome and Covid induced AFIB.

Within 5 days of arriving New York was shut down; I was rather lucky. I lived there from DEC 2019-MAR 2023. Sadly, my step and I had been on a long slow burn over issues with me accusing him of stealing money from my savings, creating credit cards in my name, stealing and destroying my personal effects and his issues with my religion (Rodnovery, or Slavic Native Faith), my clothing (apparently it looked 'too gay') and how I was flaunting the faggot shit. I will not make this already long ass entry long but just summarize. He attacked me and tried to kill me. Police were involved and watched until I safely got my stuff. My mother was beyond traumatized but I needed to leave for my safety, and I didn't want the stress to further impact her health. From March until August I was completely homeless without work or money living out of my SUV (mom was paying for it and buying me food secretly) under a bridge. I was talking to my new life partner, and I ran into my ex-boyfriend, Cory, who had me move in with him. Shortly later, Stephen and I went from boyfriends to partners and were in a position to move in together. I will say I love with living with him (despite the differences in our daily routines and our approach existing) but Christ on a stick I 🤬 hate Preakness apartments with unbridled passion lol 😖It has been interesting for two in love gay boys, one autistic with C-PTSD and the other with ADDHD moving in together building a life.

Sadly, the experiences of seeing murders, rapes, drug culture and gang violence along with my experiences throughout my life had a deeper impact that I realized. It was during that time I lived off of credit cards and recently the creditors have become particularly aggressive with litigation, but I am lucky that most have been charged off and I'm now with CCCS of Chattanooga which is helping me get back on track. I am pending 2 accounts to be added, on Oct. 4th I am going to court to see if one can be forgiven and 1 is with another agency so I am honestly making an attempt to fix my life and now that I am with a brilliant and loving man I feel hopeful but at the same time living in this Trump age is making us both consider our options. Japan, Scotland or Canada is on our short lists and we're going to Japan from Oct. 25th-Nov 15th so it's definitely a possibly. What a strange age to live in. Also, we're going to move out of Antioch in March as I literally hate this city 🖕 We have a few tours set up with nearby complexes at Tusculum, Stewart Ferry, Piccadilly and Heron Pointe.

Anyways, here's a survey to get to know me 💀❤️

Hobbies - I like Papier-mâché, Candle making and Walking

Have you ever collected anything? What was it? Yes, I collect enamel/button pins, vinyl stickers, vinyl's/cassette's.

How many relationships have you been in? 6-8, I think.

Turn ons - Confidence, Needing Me, Trust, independence

Turn offs - Ego, being the 'bitchy gay'

Favorite food - Riced Cauliflower Onigiri and ika sashimi

Favorite drink - Macha Latte and Water

Are you optimistic or pessimistic? Neither... I ama realist.

What is the most expensive thing you own? PS5, Gucci Shoes and SUV.

What is the cheapest yet most useful thing you own? knock off Plushes from China and maybe...my Tamagotchi lol

Text or call? Text...call if it is an emergency or our first time talking.

What is your definition of success? Being happy. Periodt.

Favorite song? VØJ, Narvent, KoruSe - Euphoria

Favorite artist? Yoshitaka Amano

Favorite flower? Chrysanthemums, Mushrooms & Ghost Flowers

What is the best gift you could receive right now? A kiss from Stephen

Do you like anime? Yes, but only 80s/90s magical girl, horror and cyberpunk. I absolutely hate harem, Isekai and mecha.

What was the name of the last book you read? Vampire Hunter D Volume 29: Noble Front

Do you believe world peace will ever exist? No, conflict and dominance is part of the human condition unfortunately.

Do you have any allergies? Onions, Dairy and gluten.

If you won a trip to Hawaii and you could take 5 people with you, who would those 5 people be? Stephen, Toby, My mom, Stephen's mom and best friend, Bree!

How many countries have you visited? 10 (Japan, South Korea, China, Iceland, Germany, UK, Canada, USA, Russia and Italy)

Do you consider yourself mature? LOL....No.

What is your favorite quote? “Transient guests are we.” ― Hideyuki Kikuchi

If you could live anywhere, where would you live? The place can be in an imaginary, fantasy, or the real world. If mythical I would love to live in Shangri-La, Toussaint from the witcher or maybe Night City from Cyberpunk 2077. IRL - maybe France or Portugal.

What were you like in 2013? A junkie. A Miss. I don't miss her.

If you could change one thing about society, what would it be? Get rid of all this MAGA bullshit.

Are you LGBT? Yes, Gay/Top.

What is the funniest joke you have ever been told? How does Darth Vader like his bagels? On the dark side.

What is your favorite animal? Narwhals, Cats and Goats.

What is one thing that everyone is bad at? Remembering shit.

What time do you normally sleep? How many hours of sleep do you usually get? 9-10. Maybe 6-7.

What is your favorite clothing store? Vapor95 and Incerun.

If you had the power to erase one person from the world so that nobody remembered him or her except you, would you, do it? First, it would be Donald Trump and hell yes, I would.

What do you fear the most? Losing Stephen. He's my heart.

If you could travel back to one year and relive it again, which year would it be? 2009. Would've kept clean and dumped Michael. He ruined so much for me.

What is the weirdest thing you have ever seen? RNC causing Grindr to crash lol.

What is something you will never forget? Grace and Compassion.

Is it harder to love or to hate somebody? I will say this quote ....Doug, you think killing is hard, huh? You wait in the bushes, the animal might outrun you or charge you. It's not easy to get your shot, hm? Try healing something. That is hard. That requires patience. You can break something in two seconds. But it can take forever to fix it. A lifetime, generations. That's why we have to be careful on this earth and gentle.

Coffee or tea? Both. Honestly.

[marshmallowprotection]

Hi Kait, I hope you're doing great! I came all the way here to tell you that I've fallen in love with your Mystic Messenger writings 💕💕 you have a way of narrating the thoughts and emotions of the characters that keep me reading until the end (I was literally reading an article for an assignment and ended up reading one of your writings in full!) I think you've become my inspiration to write someday 🫶🏻

From the Mysmess universe do you have any recommendations for me to read? Yes, I know I could look in your AO3 but I thought I could ask the author herself jaja

Thank you Kait for being in this fandom and filling it with your beautiful writing! ✨

So, I could give you some of my stories to read, and I will give you some of my longer stories and which ones I would recommend you to read, but I will give recommendations from other authors who have penned longer stories that I really enjoyed. Just three for now since I don't want to give you too much homework!

Constellations by Cervella: Detective MC / Saeyoung, follows the canon game with a few minor adaptations! It unfortunately hasn't been updated in a few years but it's still worth the read in my opinion. The MC is interesting! I love reading about the different ways we all imagine our characters to face all the challenges that come, and this MC works fast and hard to find solutions. Stubborn, but any Saeyoung MC is.

an act of kindness by Khismer: This is one of my favorite Unknown stories. It was one of the first ones I came across in the fandom in 2016. There wasn't a lot to go off of back then when it came to his personality, but this fic really drew me in when I was desperate to have content with this guy. It's a wild ride in which you become close to him and I don't want to spoil it because it's a lot of fun.

Everlasting Party by ZenTheRainbowUnicorn: I would be remissed if I didn't bring up one time loop story. If I had to pick one, it would be this one. Again, the story isn't completed but I do think it's always worth your time to read a story that might be a little bit older to give that author a smile when they see new reviews. This is a Zen fueled love affair and you don't see too many of those these days, I'm afraid.

Okay, now to recommend some of my stories that might interest you based on what I've seen you like.

Iris by lilacnightmares: SE Saeran x Former Believer. A story that's built around jumping from the past to present as you make sense of what happened to you and Saeran. It's a story I always wanted to sit down and write ever since I was inspired by all the Assistant stories for Unknown. This one? I will love it forever.

Gloxinia by lilacnightmares: It's my own time loop story. This time, the focus is Suit Saeran... how many times can you go around and around before you crack?

Gardenia, et tu Polaris? by lilacnightmares: Have you ever wanted a story where Saeran AND Saeyoung get love? Find out in this story of an Angel Saeran and Demon Luciel as they fight to make sense of not only their religious trauma, but mine because this fic helped me deal with a lot of feelings! Also, Rika is a very interesting antagonist you'll never understand until the very end!

Cereus by lilacnightmares: Please, read my cowboy story and love it because it's my favorite series. Have you ever wanted to kiss the cute outlaw Unknown? No? Well, you're not in the loop because you owe him for saving your life, now dance on that saloon stage with Zen and find out what's going on in this dusty little western town!

Zantedeschia by lilacnightmares: Have you ever wondered what VAE Ray and Saeran do once they have to make sense of life after the end of the second party? Well, this is what happens. They get a job at a cute little bed and breakfast, but, here's the catch, their uniform is a maid outfit and they happen to catch the eye of the gardener who works at their job... this is actually @/DailySaeran's favorite story of mine!

[ilovedthestars]

For ArtFight I finally got around to drawing my group of Murderbot OCS :) This is the first time i've drawn some of them in a way I'm happy with and I'm very proud of it! (And finding the sweet spot of a simplified style that I'm comfortable in was really nice too!)

They're a group of rogue constructs who all have each others' backs :) and they're all either part of, or were rescued by, an underground railroad-type organization that Niri put together to help free more constructs and get them to Preservation.

I've written fic about Niri and Unit 46 (ao3). The others so far only exist in my head and my scrivener drafts, but I love them all <3

(pssst you can attack them on artfight https://artfight.net/~lovedthestars )

[waynes-multiverse]

Polaris – Chapter 6

Series Summary: When Beau Arlen moved to Montana, he left behind a past he wasn’t proud of. But when a series of murders requires the FBI’s help, Sheriff Arlen‘s ghosts come back to haunt him one by one. With a wrong turn waiting at every crossroads, it’s hard to make the right choices and find his way back home – back to you.

Pairing: Beau Arlen x FBI Agent!Reader

Warnings: 18+, hurt, angst, more murder mystery, divorce, drinking, death

Word Count: 5.8k

A/N: Welcome back, guys! I'm still trying to catch up with comments and reading, so be patient with me 😂 BUT there's a big reveal in this chapter and things are about to pick up. Can't wait to hear your thoughts on all of it. Enjoy! 🤓🤍

Series Masterlist || Main Masterlist || Tag List

Chapter 6: Curses And Cries

March 2021

As you entered the dingy bar on the outskirts of Juárez, the smell of salsa deliciously hit your nose, causing your stomach to growl. Ever since your prolonged stay in Mexico, you had really gotten attached to the cuisine here.

After your husband’s death, you started to eat your grief in spicy carbs and worked it off with an hour-long jog in the mornings and some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in the evenings.

And while you were eating your sadness, your companion was drowning his in tequila. Apparently, three shots in this time, judging from the empty glasses on the oak counter in front of him.

You sat down next to him and wordlessly grabbed a plastic menu, skimming through it with interest as Beau watched you from his peripheral and downed another shot.

“Oooh, they have Quesadillas here,” you hummed happily.

“They have Quesadillas everywhere here. And back home. It’s called Tex-Mex,” Beau grumbled and gestured at the bartender for a refill with his fingers.

“Maybe some Nachos, too,” you mused, ignoring his murmurs next to you. He had become quite the grump.

“You’re gonna puke at some point,” he muttered, thanking the bartender as he placed down five more shots in front of him.

“Jesus, by the looks of it, you’re the one who’s gonna puke tonight, not me,” you quipped and arched an eyebrow at his life choices. “Maybe you should order some food as well, soak up all that Don Julio. Or at least eat the limes that come with it…”

“I’m fine,” Beau said and hissed as he gulped down another glass.

“Yeah, by all means, you look great,” you retorted wryly. “What happened? What are you doing back here so soon? You were supposed to be at home the whole week. Weren’t you and Carla planning to go on that cabin trip with Em?”

Unlike you, who had come down here and never gone back, Beau made the trip home every couple of weeks for the sake of his marriage and daughter. You knew, however, from the occasional concerned phone calls with Carla that he barely kept his commitment afloat.

You tried to talk to him, tried to keep a balance, tried to send him home, but you knew deep down that you could try even harder. Selfishly, you wanted him here with you. He was your lifeline, the only piece you still had left of your husband.

Beau snorted a drunken laugh in response and grabbed another shot. “Yeah, that went downhill quickly.”

Your brow scrunched with a mix of concern and confusion. You placed a palm on his forearm in a comforting manner. “What happened?”

Beau silently reached into the inner pocket of his jeans jacket and pulled out a folded and crumpled heap of stapled papers, slapping them onto the counter in front of you. With a creased brow, you took them and unfolded them carefully, while Beau downed another shot.

“Oh Beau…” You sighed when you read over the lines that stung out and looked at him, putting the document back down. “She’s divorcing you?”

“Yup,” he replied bitterly and stared ahead, another shot raining down his throat.

You frowned and snatched the last remaining shot, drinking it before he could.

“Ey!”

“You’re cut off,” you barked sternly at his protest. “Drinking isn’t gonna make this better, you know?”

“You sure? ‘Cause it certainly feels like it.” Beau grinned lazily at you. Judging by the glaze in his green eyes, you were honestly surprised he didn’t slur his words yet. But then again, you figured he had built up quite the tolerance over the last couple of months.

“Uh-huh, worked out great for you the last few weeks. You know, some would even say all the booze is what got you into this mess in the first place,” you retorted and threw him a pointed look.

Beau muttered mockingly into his empty glass, “Really? And who are those people?”

Rolling your eyes with a small sigh, you grabbed his arm and tried to get him up from the barstool. But Beau shook his head and wiggled himself out of your grip. In that moment, you wished that he was lighter and that you were a lot stronger.

“Nuh-uh, I’m not done sulking yet,” he told you and swiftly turned to the bartender once more.

Fourteen tequilas in, you were finally allowed to take him back to the motel. Getting him from the bar into the car and then from the parking lot into the room was quite the straining task. He was a big guy, his full weight resting on you as you had his arm slung around your shoulders, guiding him on wobbly bow legs.

“Where’s your key?” you demanded firmly like a kindergarten teacher talking to a misbehaving toddler.

Beau flashed you a crooked smirk. “It’s in my pocket. Go fish.”

You laughed in annoyed amusement. “Oh, you’re gonna regret that one tomorrow,” you said and dove your hand into the back pocket of his jeans, hauling out the key without further ado.

“Ow! Did you just pinch me?”

Well, some further ado.

“You bet I did,” you replied dryly, chuckling as you turned your back to him and fumbled the key into the lock.

“Oh, you’re a sly one, alright… Kinda like it,” he slurred drunkenly behind you.

You soon caught a waft of tequila as his breath tickled your neck, your gaze wandering up as his flat palm steadied on the door next to your cheek. He then leaned his forehead on your shoulder as he swayed behind you in the cool night air. A shiver ran down your spine, but you tried to remain composed.

“You smell nice,” he noted with a smile in his voice. “You always do.”

You snorted and finally managed to unlock the door. “Okay, now I know you’re really wasted,” you joked and tried to get his mind to focus on something else.

You didn’t take offense to his advances nor did you put too much thought into them. You supposed every guy, who was drunk, lonely, sad, and most of all, a man, would hit on any female in his proximity. His pride was shattered, and you were just the closest thing there to mend the pieces of his ego back together again.

Besides, you weren’t all that scared of him. Maybe currently a little uncomfortable, but that was it. You knew he was a good guy. And if it turned out he wasn’t, you had practiced enough Jiu Jitsu over the course of the last months to throw him on his ass with the power of your little pinky.

However, before you could twist the knob and open the door, he gripped your waist and spun you around. Your back hit the flat surface behind you, pressing against the fragile wood as you came face to face with him. He licked his plump lips with a mischievously cocky smile, leaning closer to you as he dipped his head.

But you didn’t move or flinch. Instead, you patiently crossed your arms over your chest and quirked your brow with an amused smile. “And what d’you think you’re doing here, gaucho?”

As long as he didn’t overstep any lines, you were willing to entertain his little flirtations for the sake of his ego. Deep down, you knew he wouldn’t go through with them anyway. Like the tequila, it just made him feel better in the moment.

As expected, the mischief soon disappeared abruptly from his face and was replaced by a surprise attack of nausea. “Puking,” he managed to spit out.

With a sigh, you grabbed behind you and swung the door open for him, watching him bolt past you into the bathroom. You heard him retching a second later.

“Told you so!” you called after him with a triumphant grin.

With a few taps of your combat boots, you waited till the silver elevator doors of the DA’s office parted with a ding. Your head bobbed mindlessly to the jazzily generic music till you reached the fifth floor and Diane’s office. For once during this case, you were excited to meet with a prosecutor. You finally struck gold and had something in your hands, even if it was just a username and a possible connection to the victims.

Depending on what your tech analysts at the FBI back in Houston would find, you hoped for an arrest by the end of the week.

“Hey, working hard, I see,” you said with a friendly smile as you approached Diane’s desk and saw the huge piles of files in front of her. It was late, too. The office was empty, her colleagues already having cleared out.

“Yeah, I’m the newbie, so I got a lot of catching up to do,” she said, chuckling softly.

You then noticed the diploma behind her hanging on the wall and nodded impressed. “Wow, Stanford Law School, huh? You’re from California?”

“Oh yeah, born and raised. And honestly, it’s not that remarkable. It’s really just like any other law school in the country,” she replied modestly.

You snorted, amused over her response. “Yeah, I doubt that.” There was a twinge in your stomach and a voice in your head.

Smart, driven, the California Penal Code, it whispered, checking off a secret list.

“By the way, I’m sorry about last week,” Diane apologized, causing your brow to wrinkle in confusion for a moment before you caught on. Her voice sounded secretive like the two of you were having a chat between friends. Only that you weren’t remotely close at all. “I didn’t mean to barge in and interrupt anything with that hottie sheriff.”

“Oh, uh, don’t worry about it,” you told her courteously, squinting your eyes a bit.

“You’d think someone like him would be married,” she commented cheekily, while you direly wished you could escape the awkwardness of that conversation.

“Divorced,” you supplied politely, trying your best to remain professional.

Socially weird, the detective voice in your mind noted.

“Oh, that explains it. Wonder what happened there. I was actually so surprised when Sheriff Arlen introduced you as his girlfriend,” Diane said and explained further, “I just noticed your wedding ring, so I assumed you were his wife.”

“Uh, no.” Your eyes flashed down to your golden wedding band around your ring finger, the urge to take it off and hide it in shame before crawling into bed with a torrid lover suddenly permeated your thoughts. As if taking it from your finger and hiding it in some pocket, out of everyone’s judgmental sight, would make the immoral affair less of a betrayal.

There’s nothing to feel guilty about, you reminded yourself sternly.

However, there was a flicker of something in Diane’s gray eyes that tugged and tore at you, cautioning you to tread carefully. That something wicked in her eyes wanted you to suffer and doubt yourself.

“So, what’s the story there? You married?” Diane asked bluntly and then shook her head, chuckling. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t pry. It’s none of my business.”

“No, you’re good,” you feigned your assurance with a hard smile. “Dead husband, actually. Happened a couple of years ago now.”

“Ah, well, lucky you. Sheriff Arlen seems like a catch,” she quipped, grinning.

“Yeah, lucky me,” you faux-agreed and kept your smile, although everything was killing you inside.

“So, how did you two meet? Excuse my nosiness, I’m a sucker for a good love story.” Diane’s question reverberated with charm that could’ve easily fooled anybody into thinking it was all just harmless curiosity.

But not you.

You broke a polite smile, but your stare could’ve killed her. “He was my husband’s partner back in Houston.”

“Oh, wow. Sounds a bit messy, doesn’t it?” Diane gave you a surprised look, but you couldn’t shake the feeling she had already known the answer and her question was only supposed to torture you. Your feet were starting to get antsy to leave, your hands itching to grasp your gun. When you only replied by offering her another tight-lipped smile, she cleared her throat and dropped her intrusive exam. “So, uh, what can I do for you? Any new leads?”

Pursing your lips, you shook your head. “Uh, no. It’s a tough one. We’re still chasing down several ends, but nothing concrete. Just wanted to stop by to give you the coroner’s report of our last victim. It came through this morning.” You pulled out only one file from your bag, keeping the others inside, and handed it to her.

“Oh, alright. Anything remarkable?” Diane’s smile was sharp as she leafed briefly through the report. You guessed she didn’t need to read it to know what state the victim was found in.

“Uh, no. Nothing so far. Gotta be honest with you – this case is a tough one. Might take us a while,” you lied openly. You knew she didn’t buy a word of what you said, and you could see that she didn’t care.

“Oh, I’m sure you’ll solve the case. After all, you’re a smart one, Agent Y/L/N. I have no doubt you’ll catch her, eventually.” Diane sent you a confident smile.

It was the last insurance you’d needed. You knew for a fact you had never mentioned to Diane that the killer was most likely a woman. That information wasn’t anywhere in the documents you’d given her yesterday. You had kept it close. Only a handful of people knew.

You could then see it all right there in front of you as the alarm bells rang in your head. You were face to face with your killer, staring right into her gray and cold eyes, and there was nothing you could goddamn do about it.

Judging by her cunning look, she knew it, too. She wanted you to catch on. She wanted you to know it was her. She was fucking playing with you.

March 2021

“Oh God…” Beau groaned as he hugged the yellowing porcelain throne, his forehead propped up on the back of his hand, knees scraping against the chipped and dirty green motel bathroom tiles.

“There, there…” you soothed with a hint of amusement in your voice, your palm rubbing his back in comforting circles when he heaved again. “Let it all out, big guy.”

“I think this was the last of it.” Beau straightened a bit as his fingers fumbled blindly for the flush. His eyes were bloodshot and teary, his nose was red and snotty, and his lips were pale and dryer than the desert. He never looked worse.

You grinned and pulled out your phone, swiping to the camera. “Say cheese.”

Beau’s brow scrunched in confusion and betrayal. “What in God’s good name-… Why the hell would you do that?”

“You look terrible, my friend. Figured it’d be a great picture for the slideshow I’m planning for your fiftieth,” you quipped, your wicked grin widening.

“Oh God…”

“Relax.” Playfully, you rolled your eyes back, while you saved the photo to your favorites on your phone. “You’ve still got a while ‘til then. You’ve just turned forty not that long ago. I’m just planning ahead.”

“Not that.” Beau shook his head and clutched his stomach, his cheeks losing color again. His eyes widened in miserable realization. “I think it’s starting again.”

With that, he tossed himself over the stained white bowl and puked his literal guts out for the umpteenth time.

“Yeah, I’m not surprised. Pretty sure you purged all the tequila and drank the entirety of Mexico dry,” you commented with a chuckle over his vomiting noises. If you ever thought the guy was sexy again, you would remind yourself to think back to this moment.

“I don’t remember you ever being this funny when I was sober.” After his last heave, Beau flushed once more and leaned back against the cool wall with an exhaustive sigh. “I think I’m really done now.”

You lifted an eyebrow. “You sure? You’ve said that a few times in the last two hours.”

He nodded with his eyes closed. “Mhm, yeah… That one felt final.”

“Alright.”

You rose from your floor seat against the bathtub and held out your hands. He glanced at them for a second before he took you up on your offer. With your help, he hoisted himself back onto his wobbly feet. You reached behind him and grabbed his toothbrush with a dab of paste from the sink, handing it to him.

You smiled. “You’ll thank me in the morning.”

After he thoroughly brushed his teeth and washed his face with cold water, you accompanied him to his bed with his arm slung around your neck. While he was more sober and coherent after his vomit escapade, he was still pretty drunk. You knew the massive hangover that would hit him in a few hours would be more punishing than the desert heat.

Sitting him down on the edge of his bed, you handed him a Tylenol and a bottle of water to swallow it down. “Hydrate,” you ordered as you kneeled down on the carpet in front of him, untying his boots and slipping them off his feet.

As you straightened, your face fell right into his hands, both of his massive palms cupping your cheeks. You stared into his hazy pine-green eyes, a twitch of confusion on your brow as your breaths mingled. Your heart skipped a beat, the white noise ringing in your ears. You weren’t sure what he was doing, but you could guess.

Beau swallowed thickly and dropped his hands from your cheeks. “I should lay down.”

“Yeah, you should,” you bit, a trace of anger in your voice. Though, you couldn’t tell if it was because he almost overstepped or because he didn’t. You knew the latter would be a problem for both of you, so you decided on the first. There was no need to unnecessarily burden your conscience with imagined immorality.

Beau groaned as his head hit the pillow. His eyes found yours, a fragment of an apology fluttered across his features. “Thank you, uhm, for taking care of me. You coulda just bailed.”

“Yeah, I know. But this was more fun to watch.” You grinned teasingly.

Beau pursed his lips, chuckling lightly. “Is that the only reason you stayed? ‘Cause it was fun?”

“No, you’re also my friend, and I’d never desert you. We leave no man behind, remember?” you said with a smile, quoting one of the cliché lines your task force team repeated often. “‘Sides, you and I are trauma bonded.”

“Alright.” Beau bobbed his head pensively, his lips curled. “So… on a scale from one to ten, how full is my quota for tonight to do somethin’ stupid again?”

Your heart twisted and clenched in your ribcage. You knew what he meant. He couldn’t have been clearer. It was all written in his eyes as bright as the stars in the sky when he looked at you, only a dangling question of “May I?” hanging in the air between you two.

“Twenty,” you said firmly and held your chin high, swallowing thickly. “I think that quota is pretty fucking full.”

“That’s too bad.” On his lips flickered a forlorn smile, his hand brushing your cheek for a moment before he gently tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. His touch lingered like smoke on your skin. “But maybe for the best. I’d like to remember that one, and I’m not sure I would tonight.”

A shallow scoff left your nose. “Maybe you’ll remember this,” you said with bitter anger in your voice and stared daggers at him. “You’ll always be the guy that stood on my doorstep and told me my husband was dead.”

Beau nodded with a harsh swallow of understanding and retreated, forcing some distance between you two. “Yeah, I think that’ll stick even through the tequila.”

“Good,” you bit and rose to your feet, walking to the door. “Get some fucking sleep.”

Beau’s mouth opened with a want to say something, maybe even an apology, but the door slammed harshly behind you before he got a chance. And now, all he had left was silence, a raging headache, guilt in his stomach, and regret in his heart.

Breathlessly, you arrived at the Sheriff’s Department and stormed into Beau’s office. The door was ajar as he chatted with Jenny, both of them curiously looking at you before concern took hold of their faces.

“Hey, everything alright?” Beau instantly rose from his chair, his brow knitting with worry.

“No,” you replied with a shake of your head, the alarm visible in every crease of your flushed face. “I think I’ve found our killer.”

“What? How? Who?” Beau ran down the basic wh-questions in confusion. “Weren’t you just at the DA’s office?”

“It’s Diane, isn’t it?” Jenny shot straightaway, and your eyes widened in confirmation as you nodded. “Yeah, I got a weird vibe from her, too.”

“What, no? Diane?” Beau raised his brow at the two of you in disbelief. “Okay, back up a little here. Why do you think it’s Diane? We met that woman only three weeks ago. She seemed alright. Little awkward maybe, but we can’t arrest people ‘cause they’re weird.”

“Look, I know that,” you said and crossed your arms. “And I don’t have anything concrete yet, but it’s just a feeling. I got a really strange vibe from her earlier.”

“Well, we can’t arrest people because of strange vibes either,” Beau retorted. “And if it really is Diane, arresting her at all is gonna be hard. I mean, she’s the DA on the case. Who’s gonna issue the warrant, huh?”

“Convenient.” Jenny scoffed under her breath, earning her a scolding look from her boss.

“Don’t encourage her, please.” He shot Jenny a warning and yet pleading glance.

“Look, I’m not crazy! It’s her. I’ll find proof,” you insisted. It almost sounded like a threatening promise.

“What did she say to you exactly?” Jenny questioned and cocked her head at you in interest. You appreciated her professionalism, unlike Beau who still looked at you doubtfully.

“She asked some really personal questions about me and Beau. And not in a friendly chitchat manner. It’s hard to explain. I guess you had to be there… It was weird, okay?”

“Well, you can’t really fault her for that after what she’s seen,” Beau mitigated the circumstances.

“What has she seen?” Jenny looked suspiciously between you two. When both of you responded with deafening silence and averted your gazes, she chortled. “You two really need to lock that door.”

“Alright, that’s not the point,” Beau huffed his retort with blushed cheeks.

“Can we get back to Diane being a serial killer, please?” you requested impatiently. “Look, she fits the profile. She’s got the California connection. She went to Stanford. She’s obviously wicked smart. And she also knows we're looking for a female perp.”

That caught Jenny’s attention. Her brow furrowed. “You didn’t tell her?”

You shook your head. “No, and it’s nowhere in the files. So unless one of you told her, how did she know that?”

Grabbing the football from his desk, Beau’s head bobbed pensively as he squeezed the peanut between his hands. You tried not to think about Randy, but your heart stung nonetheless. Beau seemed to notice your distracted look and quickly put the ball back down.

“Alright, what do we do next?” he asked with a clear of his throat.

“I hope whatever the tech analysts find points to her. We could also put a tracker on her car. Won’t help in court, but maybe she leads us to one of the bunkers,” you suggested and pursed your lips for the next part. “I could also talk to the other DAs on the case. If we can’t get an arrest warrant here, we can still try through the other states and extradite her.”

“Good idea. Who would–” Beau stopped mid-sentence, his eyebrows drawing together as he realized your plan. “You wanna ask Ted? C’mon!”

“It’d be the fastest way! We’ve worked together for years,” you defended.

“Uh-huh, a little too closely…” Beau muttered under his breath, earning a small glare from you.

“Would you calm down? We only went on three dates. Nothing ever happened,” you stated and looked at him, completely forgetting Jenny was still in the room, too.

“I’m gonna go for this part,” she excused herself and touched your arm on the way out. “I’ll do some research on Diane. See what we can dig up about her past.”

“Thank you. That’d be great,” you said as she left.

Beau waited for a beat, ensuring you were completely alone before he found your eyes. “Nothing happened?”

“No, I ended it before it got to that point. Mainly because I didn’t want it to get to that point,” you explained and could see him relax, his shoulders falling.

He stalked closer to you, wrapping you in his arms. He kissed you deeply, hands wandering to your ass and squeezing the cheeks through your jeans. You smiled up at him.

“You’re cute when you’re jealous,” you teased.

“I’m not–… You know what? I am,” Beau stated almost proudly. “I don’t like thinking about losing you to some jerk. Actually, I don’t like thinking about losing you at all. It’s killing me that I almost did. I should’ve never let you close the door on me that day. I should’ve never left… At least not like that.”

“It’s okay. I’m here now… with you. It all sorta worked out. Maybe we needed that time apart,” you said softly and hoped you soothed his guilt a little. Your mind drifted back to Diane’s words. Thoughtfully, you twisted the ring on your finger.

“You okay? Did I say something wrong?”

“No, no, it’s just something Diane said,” you told him, your brow wrinkling as the bad feeling in your gut expanded. “She just asked about my ring. It was odd.”

“Well, we already know she’s a bit nutty,” Beau said and gave you a soothing smile, embracing you a little tighter as he pulled you against his chest and pecked the top of your head. But his heart ached with worry and a bad feeling.

“Yeah, I just…” You glanced at your ring again and exhaled one nostalgic breath. You then took it off and placed it in Beau’s palm, who seemed rattled by your unforeseen choice. “Take it and keep it somewhere. Throw it in a lake or feed it to a trout. I don’t care. I don’t wanna wear it anymore.”

“Y/N–”

You stopped his protest, knowing it was well meant. “No, really. It’s alright, okay? I’m ready to let go. I’m with you now… And I love you.” You gave him a smile, and he mirrored a softer one, nodding.

“Alright,” he accepted your decision and lifted the ring to your view. He opened a drawer in his desk and stored it carefully inside. “I love you, too. But I’m gonna keep it safe here in case you ever change your mind… which you can do at any point in time, no questions asked, okay?”

“Thank you.” You stretched up to meet his lips, kissing him passionately. Sometimes, it was hard to believe you’d found it twice – true love. But you were sure of it whenever you stared into Beau’s mesmerizingly green eyes. Maybe Diane was right. You were lucky, after all.

August 2020

The cookbook laid open on the marble counter by the stove, a second one with another recipe right next to it. You stared at them, your narrowed eyes wandering back and forth between ‘Brisket’ and ‘Biscuits and Gravy’ as you tapped your chin with a wooden spatula.

You had never been the best cook, as your mother would attest to, but every once in a while you tried and even had some success with the classics. Those two dishes were Randy’s favorite – like almost every Texan’s if you excluded BBQ.

You’d been gone for close to a month for an assignment that took you all the way to Arizona. You had just gotten home two days ago, and after washing a month’s worth of laundry and getting some well-deserved rest, you promised your husband a delicious meal for date night.

When the food was done, you set the table with the good china you’d received from your mother-in-law at your wedding. As you waited, you filled a glass with Merlot. Then, a second one. You stared at the hands of the clock in the dining room moving in a circle, alternating with the watch around your wrist in case either one was wrong. Every two minutes you checked your phone, scrolled through social media, and exhaled sighs. The food was getting cold, but that was the least of your problems.

You were growing anxious, steadying the slight tremble in your hand with more wine.

But when the doorbell rang, you stood up from your chair with relief and rushed into the foyer. You ignored the voice in your head that told you Randy wouldn’t have rung the damn doorbell. He would’ve just used his key. And you ignored the voice when instead of Randy, you found his partner on your doorstep.

“Beau, hey.” Your brow crinkled at the oddness of seeing him so late at your house, but your lips formed a smile nonetheless. “What are you doing here?”

You ignored the voice that warned you about the universal truth everyone in law enforcement knew about. If a partner showed up at a cop’s wife’s house, it was never good news. Deep down, you already knew why he was here. You saw it in the haunted green of his eyes. You saw it in the dark and puffy circles underneath them. You saw it in the bloodstains on his white shirt. You saw it in the bloody creases of his nails that he couldn’t entirely scrub clean before he came here.

“Beau?” The wrinkles in your brow molded into deeper cracks, hardening like cement. You took a step forward, one hand on the door jamb steadying your jittery bones. “Is Randy okay? Is he in the hospital?”

You needed him to say the words, but he couldn’t. His lips quivered, his hands trembled, his eyes filled with tears. He swallowed harshly and clasped his mouth, not knowing what to say or how to find the words. He turned his back to you, walking a few steps. Whatever courage he had to come to your door in the first place, left him the second he saw your face.

You shook your head, disbelief keeping you from accepting reality. You stood on the tracks, the freight train was coming. “Just lemme grab my jacket. We can drive to the hospital together.”

Snatching a too-large jacket from the coat rack you were sure was your husband’s, you tried to bolt past Beau, but a hand on your arm caught you and stopped you on your front lawn. You found his green eyes. He wordlessly shook his head.

“No! It’s not true,” you insisted desperately, tears starting to flood your eyes. “I just talked to him a few hours ago. I-I made dinner… His favorite. He’s coming home! You don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Beau’s clasp on your arm tightened, a tear slipping down his cheek. “I’m so sorry.”

Your tears now fell, too. Yet, you vividly shook your head and stuffed the pain down your throat until it felt like you were choking. “No, you’re wrong. You’re wrong, Beau! He’s coming home to me. He’s coming home…”

You repeated those words over and over until your sobs swallowed them all. Beau pulled you to his chest and held you tightly. You felt his tears fall like raindrops upon your head, your body stiffening and bones turning to stone as unbearable pain and grief wracked through your veins and consumed you.

“I’m so sorry,” Beau repeated, his voice muffled by your hair. His arms wrapped around you even tighter. “He’s not coming home, darlin’. I’m sorry. I’m so, so, so sorry.”

He kept saying it as he held you – how sorry he was. But once the reality of the situation fully hit you, so did your anger. You pushed him away. As you met his gaze, he almost looked hurt by that action, but all you could find in your heart was vitriol, disdain, and blame.

“You should be. You should be sorry,” you spat through your tears. “Where were you in all of this, huh? You said you’d have his back! So, why are you here and he’s not? Where the fuck were you, Beau?”

His mouth jittered open, searching for an explanation for his own failure. “I know… I-I don’t know what happened. It just went south so fast… I-…”

“You guys told me it was a quick job,” you pointed out furiously. “In and out! ‘No big deal, darlin’,” you quoted him in mock. “It was your fucking idea to go in! I asked if you guys needed backup, and you said no! You told me you could do it on your own, you arrogant shit!”

Beau dragged a hand over his face, wiping some of the tears away. “I know.” He nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry doesn’t fucking cut it! You got it? It’s not gonna bring him back now, is it?”

“I know. I know I fucked up. Trust me, Y/N. I know…”

You furiously shoved at his chest, pushing him back a few inches. He let you, didn’t even try to stop you in the slightest. He was willingly volunteering to be your punching bag as if it would magically better the situation and absolve him from his sins.

“You were supposed to be his partner!” you yelled so loudly all the commotion in the front yard of your quiet neighborhood had woken the neighbors, a few of them flooding out of their houses and gathering in their own yards to gawk at the spectacle.

You pushed him again. Harder this time. “You were supposed to fucking protect him!”

Another push. “You promised me you’d take a bullet for him!”

Push. “You fucking coward!”

Beau just nodded in agreement with all your accusations, his eyes brimming with tears. “I know. It’s all my fault. I’m sorry, Y/N.”

This time, you slapped him across the cheek. “Stop saying you’re fucking sorry!”

The harsh slap echoed through suburbia. Your palm tingled and stung as you watched Beau’s cheek redden with your furious mistake. You stared around you and glanced at the gasping and gaping faces of your neighbors. You clasped your mouth with both hands as you broke down and started to sob uncontrollably.

Kind and forgiving as he was, Beau pulled you back into his embrace, strong arms locking around you and soothing your anguish. “It’s okay… I’m here. I gotcha… It’s okay. I gotcha… I’m not lettin’ go, alright?”

Sobbingly, you nodded as you cried and sniffled, burying your face in his chest. You wrapped your arms around his torso and held onto him, too weak to keep standing on your own.

“It’s okay… I know,” Beau said and tucked you under his arm, leading you back to the house. “C’mon, let’s get you inside, darlin’.”

Chapter 7: Storm Coming – JUNE 19

Welp, we know who our killer is now! Ready for the approaching storm called Diane? When it rains, it pours... 👀⛈️

Join the TAG LIST here! 🌌 Wanna sponsor my caffeine addiction? ☕️

Everything Jensen: @alwaystiredandconfused @xlynnbbyx @lyarr24 @deans-spinster-witch @blackcherrywhiskey

@deansbbyx @foxyjwls007 @ladysparkles78 @roseblue373 @zepskies

@agalliasi @yvonneeeee @hobby27 @iamsapphine @globetrotter28

@mxltifxnd0m @lacilou @feyresqueen @suckitands33 @onlyangel-444

@syrma-sensei @perpetualabsurdity @deans-baby-momma @yoobusgoobus @jessjad

@hunter-or-the-hunted @k-slla @just-levyy @mrsjenniferwinchester @illicithallways

@muhahaha303 @ultimatecin73 @nancymcl @leigh70 @brightlilith

@nesnejwritings @autistic-gothic

Everything Beau Arlen: @snowayumi

Polaris Series: @corruptedcruiser

[singt0me]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let's spread the self-love 💞

tagged by @nix-nihili thank you bb <3

from newest to oldest:

it's a one way ticket to a madman's situation - dead boy detectives, catcrow, 15k

I was crying and loving while you were howling at the moon - shadow & bone, mal/alina/nikolai, 6k

I see a colour cascading (a lightning escaping our hearts) - the goldfinch, theo/boris, 9k

Hard Rock & Callisto - the maze runner, newtmas, 80k/74k (my magnum opus tbfuckingh)

Ivy Growing Downwards - the maze runner, newtmas, 65k

(Honourable mention my Polaris series bc jamie would kill me if i didn't put it on the list)

tagging: @00250 @jlinns @persnickett @seaselkie @grasslandgirl @newtmsa <3

[george-weasleys-girl]

North Star Series

Chapter - 34 - Elysian Days

Start Here:

Summary: Fred is teased mercilessly. George and Y/N discuss the future.

Warnings: heavy allusions to sex

~•~

There are times when life just falls perfectly into place. When, no matter what else might be going on in the world, there's a little bright spot where the sun hasn't yet dipped beneath the horizon. It was within that brief moment in time that George and Y/N existed.

Life was, indeed, good. Business was booming. Y/N's research was progressing. She kept talking about something called genes that had nothing to do with denim trousers. And Fred was spending several nights a week over at Angie's place. Thus giving George and Y/N plenty of alone time, a new luxury in which they were more than happy to indulge themselves in.

~•~

"I don't care what sort of shenanigans you get up to while I'm out, as long as it doesn't happen in my room," Fred announced the day after he'd unexpectedly apparated back home to grab something he forgot and discovered his twin and Y/N heating up the kitchen in ways that didn't involve cooking.

"Shenanigans?" George chuckled. "You make it sound like we're running around banging trash bin lids together."

"Hey, whatever turns you on," his twin shrugged. "Just keep it far away from my room."

"Far away from your room, huh?" A mischievous glint lit up George's eyes, and he gave Y/N a quick wink. "So, um, how far away are we talking?"

"Because there was this one time," Y/N joined in without missing a beat.

"We were up against your door," George continued.

"And it wasn't closed very well," Y/N said with a pragmatic air.

"And we just sorta fell through."

Y/N nodded, "Good thing your bed is right there at the entrance."

"It broke our fall." George explained. "And well... you know..."

Fred's eyes went as wide as saucers, "WHAT?"

George snorted, causing Y/N to giggle, and then they both burst out laughing, raising their hands in defense. "We're kidding, mate!" George said. "Put down the pitchfork, ok? We're just kidding."

Fred's shoulders relaxed. "You'd better be."

"We are," Y/N assured him.

"Well, mostly," George added with a shit-eating grin.

~•~

"Poor Freddie. We shouldn't torture him like that," Y/N said, referring to their earlier conversation.

"He'll be alright. Consider it payback for apparating in on us without warning," George chuckled and downed the last of his wine before laying down on their blanket. They were taking advantage of the last, warm summer evenings and enjoying a night-time picnic on the roof of the shop.

Y/N grinned. "I don't think he'll be doing that again," she said, laying down beside him and resting her head on his outstretched arm.

They lay together in silence for a long while, just watching the stars. "It's a beautiful evening," George mummered once the moon was high in the sky.

"It is," Y/N agreed. "But, I really miss being able to see the night sky in all its glory." The bright lights of muggle London blotted out all but the brightest stars.

"At least we can see our star," he said, pointing to Polaris.

"Indeed," Y/N kissed his cheek and scooted closer to him.

"I've been thinking," George began. "How would you feel about getting a place of our own?"

Y/N's eyes widened in surprise. She wasn't expecting that. At least not yet. "A place of our own?"

"Well, after all this crap with Voldy is over," he clarified. "But I was thinking maybe a little cottage in the country? Or perhaps a hobbit house?"

"A hob - you remember that?" Y/N asked, remembering the week she'd read The Hobbit to him while he had the flu. He'd never mentioned it again, so she thought he'd forgotten all about it. "You could barely remember your own name."

"I may have forgotten who I was," he rolled onto his side, smiling at her. "But I could never forget you. Every single second with you is carved into my memory."

Y/N blushed in spite of herself. "You better be careful, Romeo," she teased. "Flattery will get you everywhere."

~•~

George chuckled and shifted himself on top of her, his lips barely brushing hers. "Good," he said. "I'm counting on it." Then he closed the distance between them.

~•~

@milivanili99 @slytherclaw1978 @quackitysdrugdealer @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @ladylizzieofdarbyshire @fancy-pantaloons @samberriejams @totalwitch2 @aslanvez @mrsgweasley @morally-grey-obsessed @princess-paramour @asuperconfusedgirl @hmisa11 @superduckmilkshake @junerprsh @wolfkill16 @kaysau2510 @planetkt @thankyouforanonymity

~•~

[welcometololaland]

Fic Rec Friday Round Up - Part 2

Thanks to everyone who participated! I have a list below of the fics that people either tagged me in or tagged #fic rec friday. If I've missed anyone (or tagged anything incorrectly), please let me know.

This week's theme: a fic that made you cry / feel all the feelings.

Please read at your own discretion - heed tags and ratings on each individual fic (particularly this week as I see some fics have archive warnings that apply). Keep yourself safe friends!

Red White and Royal Blue

A Picture on Your Corkboard by bleedingballroomfloor

all the glitters (is not gold) by @indomitable-love

Faster, Higher, Stronger by @everwitch-magiks

God Save the Blessed American President Mom by zipadeea

Someday Soon I’ll See You (But Now You’re Out Of Sight) by MaryaDmitrievnaLikesSundays

Such a Burden, This Flame on My Chest by @three-drink-amy

The Cost of Anything by @clottedcreamfudge

Together Forever by RevJohnO

What? like it's hard? by @rmd-writes

you turned a moment (into forever) by viciouslyqueer

you’re leaving (now i’m left amongst the living) by @peppermint-patties

Schitt's Creek

amnesty by oh_la_fraise

An Early Winter by littlebebecrows

Don't Whump With My Heart by @delilah-mcmuffin

five days, one year, a lifetime (series) by FaithNoMoar

Five ways it could have ended (and one way it still could) by @yourbuttervoicedbeau

Gods of the Soil by @madlori

He Shines by @smallumbrella369

I Can't Make You Love Me by Squigmistress

I Love You, But I'm Not Somebody Who Takes Shots by ahurston

let your heart be light (series) by @blueink3 including happy golden days of yore by @blueink3 as podficced by @celeritas2997

Marcy's Innocent Questions by Characterassassination

polaris by @strangeluvz

Some things I still can't tell you by @demora00

tangle and stretch by @stereopticons

Time until the end of time by @yourbuttervoicedbeau and @ships-to-sail

What Feels Right by MirandaPanda

Where the Real Road Lies by @unfolded73

You Can Fall by @wordthieve

Stargate Atlantis

freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose by synecdochic

Stranger Things

(My) Back to the Shoreline by tsaheylu

leave the children behind by greatunironic

Teen Wolf

Play it Again by metisket

The Man From U.N.C.L.E

Forever is the sweetest con by @heytheredeann

The Be and End All by Ingu

The Old Guard

In another life maybe you and i will be walking down the aisle in white by @swifty-fox

The Witcher

And So, A Gladiolus Bloomed by Sipstheytea

Don't Tell Me You Love Me by Dandelion (HonestlyDying)

Even After All These Years by MagdelaneSingerin

it'll pass by Jaskiers

The Flower's Breath by Chandelier_s_Notebook

You Can Do better Than Me But I Can't Do Better Than You by Althe_a

Tortall - Tamora Pierce

i'll rise up in spite of the ache by @cricketnationrise

The Tourakom-Goldenlake System of Communication by Emnot