#this is also going to be a part of the dtiys so now i only need to finish one and i think ill have it ready for at the last friday | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

yuckydraws · 2 years

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Here’s @jnpie ‘s second part of their prize for winning second place in my dtiys contest! The prompt they gave me was “Papyrus experiencing something new on the surface” and since summer isn’t over yet, I thought I would write the first time he sees the ocean!

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Papyrus can’t sleep.

Thunder booms outside, the sky lighting up with unpredictable lightning strikes as rain pounds against the windows of Toriel’s beach house.

He stares at the ceiling above, only one thing on his mind.

Seeing the ocean.

When he, Sans, Undyne, and Alphys all took a roadtrip to see Toriel, Asgore, and Frisk, the plan was to also see the beach for the first time that night. Have a bonfire, stay out late with the waves… those plans haven’t changed perse, but as they were saying their hellos to their friends this storm started brewing.Toriel being Toriel, would hear no complaints or arguments about going anyways. She expressed her understanding, but stayed strong in her ruling that no one was to go outside in this lightning storm. Bummed out and tired from their long drive, everyone went to bed rather early.

Sans told him the faster they fall asleep, the faster they’ll be able to see it tomorrow. Undyne apparently took that as a challenge as she passed out within minutes, her snores rivaling the noise of the thunder and rain. Sans fell asleep soon after, and Alphys followed him.

“It is not safe.” Toriel said, and Papyrus knows she’s right.

So, why is he sneaking out of bed with plans to do exactly what she said not to?

He knows it’s stupid, and dangerous to go outside right now, but how can he just ignore the ocean when it’s right there? He’s never been this close to it and the call of it is just too strong.

He expertly slips from his shared make-shift bed on the floor with Sans, slipping away from his brother’s sprawled and quite frankly, hogging, limbs.

That’s the easy part. Sans could sleep through a fire alarm.

As he stands, he glances at the real challenge.

Undyne.

He knows from many sleepovers that she is a light sleeper. He definitely won’t be able to change out of his pajamas without waking her, but that’s okay. He just needs to get out of the room.

He tip toes quietly, easily but carefully side stepping Sans and everyone’s half opened luggage with his long legs. He’s glad for the small night light in the corner, making obstacles much easier to see. Just as he gets to the door, someone on the bed stirs - the mattress creaking ever so slightly.

He holds his breath (which really isn’t hard, seeing as he’s a skeleton). He risks a glance over his shoulder and towards the bed. Undyne huffs, her snores pausing as she furrows her brows.

His soul beats faster.

But then she rolls over with her back to him, taking Alphys with her. Which is. Quite a silly sight, especially seeing as Alphys doesn’t even stir.

He huffs a quiet amused breath and turns the knob of the door, opening it quickly rather than slowly to avoid as many creaks from the old hinges.

It works. He’s out.

He doesn’t risk closing the bedroom door, simply being extra quiet as he makes his way through the hall and down the stairs - grabbing his boots at the front door. Finally, makes it to the back door where he slips on his boots and takes a deep breath before he unlocks the door and makes his way out, closing it behind him.

Despite being under the cover of the porch roof, the pouring rain still barrades him due to the strong winds.

Papyrus steps out from under the roof and once he’s gone that far… he doesn’t even look back at the beach house as he takes off running towards the beach. Sprinting through the rain, he feels a sort of freedom he hasn’t felt since coming to the surface.

It’s invigorating.

Glancing at the raging clouds above. Feeling the rain on his bones… sure, he’s felt it in Waterfall before, but this is real rain. From the sky he’d been denied his whole life.

He trips and slips on the downwards hike a few times in his haste to get to the beach, but he catches himself each time and doesn’t let that stop him.

Nor does he let the lightning striking above worry him.

Making it through the dark proves to be a challenge, but once he hits sand, he slows to a stop. Looking out in front of him, he observes the angry waves, clashing along with the storm as his ribcage expands and contracts with his heavy breathing. He brings a hand to his sternum and clutches his shirt.

Never has he seen something so… vast.

Staring out into the seemingly endless waters feels like a fever dream.

And after watching for what seems like only seconds, but was probably more like an hour, the clouds move on and the storm goes with them. The waves calm and the moon peeks out from behind her cloudy barricade, reflecting on the water with a sense of calmness that leaves Papyrus transfixed.

The smell of freshly fallen rain mixed with the saltiness of the ocean just seems right.

And again, he just watches…

Until his curiosity gets the best of him.

He takes a step towards the water. Then another. And another.

And soon he’s racing to the water, only slowing when the force of the water around him causes him to. When he’s knee-deep, he takes a deep breath and closes his sockets, enjoying the feeling of the water moving around him.

Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth.

A lovely rocking motion that he will remember forever.

He sways with the waves, and when he opens them again, he bends and places his hands in the water, swishing them in front of him with a peace that one often has to search for. The water is dark. He can only faintly see his hands underneath the surface, and he has that lovely moonlight reflecting his porcelain bones to thank for that.

He glances up at her appreciatively.

And as he looks back at the water, he can’t resist the temptation.

He stands up, surveying the abyss once again with curious appreciation. The water is practically pitch black. An unknown… but it doesn’t scare him.

He dives straight in, the warm water on the surface getting much colder the deeper he goes, but he doesn’t mind. He pops up a few feet out, making sure even in his excitement that he stays in relatively shallow water. His grin is almost painful as he laughs delightedly, standing up just to dive again.

And again, and again, and again - his joyful, breathless giggles mingling with the sound of the waves rolling against the shore.

He doesn’t even notice his tears.

He’s been deprived of this his whole life, and dammit he is going to frolic as he pleases.

It’s not until the morning sun starts to rise that Papyrus is able to pull himself away from the waves.

But, even then he can’t bring himself to rush.

His clothes cling to his bones as he gets to the shore, turning around to watch the sky for a few, lingering moments. The sunrise and sunset will never get old, and Papyrus finds that the ocean in the morning light is also a sight he will not forget anytime soon.

As the world starts to wake, Papyrus is distracted from his musing and continues his trek.

He gets strange looks from the early beach goers, such as walkers, hikers, joggers, and of course, surfers. Whether it’s because he’s a tall skeleton, or that he’s in soaked pajamas and red knee-high boots, or maybe even a bit of both - he doesn’t know nor care. He simply smiles brightly and waves.

“GOOD MORNING!” He calls out to each person that he crosses paths with on his way back to the beach house. Some wave and greet him back, others give him a wide berth.

His smile never falters.

Nothing could bring down his mood right now.

Even when he uh… hears the beach house before he sees it.

“Well he couldn’t have just disappeared! What if something happened to him?! His car is still here!!” Undyne’s voice booms. As he gets over the hill leading to the house’s backyard he hears a lower rumbling that he recognizes as his brother’s voice but he can’t discern what’s being said.

The sliding glass door is opened. He sees Toriel, one slippered paw stepping out of the door as she addresses her friends still inside, “Maybe he stepped out-“

She turns and sees him, her kind eyes widening in surprise.

“Papyrus!!” She exclaims as she rushes over to him, grabbing his shoulders as she looks him over. Papyrus sees Sans, Undyne, and Frisk poke their heads in the doorway as they hear her, shoulders slumping in relief when they see he’s alright. “You poor thing, you’re soaked, what happ-”

“I Couldn’t Wait.” His fulfilled grin not showing an ounce of regret. Even when his bones start to rattle from the cold as a breeze picks up.

The group staring at him softens. Toriel’s scolding lecture and worry catches on her tongue as understanding washes over her expression. She simply pats his skull and places a paw on his upper back as she urges him inside.

“Well, come along then. Let us get you warmed up and fed, hm?”

#I’m so so sorry for the wait #i hope you like it!#jnpie #mutuals #yucky writes #undertale #ut papyrus #papyrus

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noven-warsh · 1 year

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I posted 151 times in 2022

That's 151 more posts than 2021!

36 posts created (24%)

115 posts reblogged (76%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@turquoisemagpie

@chaseisglitched

@isa-ghost

@fear-is-nameless

@rogue-of-broken-time

I tagged 122 of my posts in 2022

Only 19% of my posts had no tags

#jacksepticeye - 42 posts

#jse iris - 24 posts

#antisepticeye - 15 posts

#chase brody - 10 posts

#noven speaks - 7 posts

#goncharov - 6 posts

#project iris - 6 posts

#antispeticeye - 6 posts

#my art - 5 posts

#marvin the magnificent - 4 posts

Longest Tag: 128 characters

#i legit had a genius idea where after the end of every episode you'd have this small video game-esque “report” of where jack was

My Top Posts in 2022:

So with the whole thing about Anti's tootsies remember that one Ashi Wash vid where the ending was all

13 notes - Posted December 4, 2022

Just Watched Mandela Catalogue Vol.4, gonna talk about it

SPOILERS

Seeing the reveal that Adam was an alternate and the Intruder was Stanley has me SHOOKETH

Dave was able to see someone no one was able to see, what a lucky boi /j

Also Gabriel sounds so fucking goofy I can't- (/pos)

THEY KILLED OFF DAVE I- HELP-

At this point just listening to Thatcher is depressing. Just-man it's hard not to pity him

"A scared boy with a gun. Sound familiar?" AYO

"That's why Evelin left you" AYO

Face Studio 2 looks sus af like you're telling me I have to give you my parents phone number to make my face sing 'WAKE ME UP WAKE ME UP INSIDE'-

anyways this is the end thanks yall for listening

14 notes - Posted November 26, 2022

Why do I imagine all the contained Subject-ALTRs (even the malicious ones/ones that are planning to escape) and anomalies all going (chuckles nervously) "what is going on?" when the sirens start blaring and Anti pulls up and hops out at the after party

15 notes - Posted November 5, 2022

I wanted to do @tracobuttons dtiys but exams and procrastination killed my progress so now you have this weak-as-hell floating dude and my concept wip

Gonna talk about the failed art now

-> This was the first time I drew feet and I'm flustered that its with this one (I'm gonna blame Anti for this mf decided it was a good idea to be barefoot)

-> The weird ass shading was supposed to be a base? guiding pont? (idk something) that would give me a good idea to render and stuff

-> Listening to "Malmo" by Mook and "First Death" by TK while arting was a vibe ngl

-> I was losing faith in it mannnn

-> The hair was kinda the hard part becuase I didn't know how to draw his hair now and stuff

-> I had to erase an ear because it DIDN'T ALIGN I-HELP

-> If you've seen the last time I tried to draw him youd know how I was lazy/unconfident in drawing dudes with beards so uh-yeah when I learned I could do a simple blank face I claimed it without hesitation

-> really like the colors

33 notes - Posted December 5, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Thinking about how the whole "Don't stop, don't look, don't listen- just keep going"

Imagine how effective it would be for other subjects to survive if they follow this, especially against someone like ALTR-114209 who thrives off of attention

(all I'm imagining is someone pulling a georgenotfound and sleeping through the chaos and somehow lives because they were sleeping)

52 notes - Posted December 6, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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letoscrawls · 3 years

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Hiiiii

I hope you're doing well!

I would like to ask if u have and advise about starting and art account on insta. I have a small one here on tumblr but people say insta is better for art accs. So I just create an account and start posting? Or do I promote myself in some way, maybe taking dtiys and other challenges?

Thanks in advance:D

Hi! thank you so much for checking on me! :)

okay, i get this question quite often and i wish i could give you solid advice, but the problem with instagram right now is its algorithm. when i started my account it wasn’t that fucked up, so i don’t really know how it is for new artists who have just started their accounts now! but i can tell you that it really affected every artist, even the bigger ones, so please keep that in mind. if you “fail” to reach your audience it’s not your fault, instagram is literally sabotaging artists and i don’t know for how long it’ll be “the best platform for art”. so just to warn all of you, i don’t want you to compromise your mental health for a social platform that makes money out of our stress and insecurities, i’ll try to share what i think could work because sharing art can be really rewarding and shouldn’t be an ordeal so i’d be happy to help somehow!!!!!

so this is the “algorithm tricks” part:

when i first opened ig, i remember my stories were viewed by at least 100 people for the first two days even though i had less than 10 followers, so i think that’s instagram way to encourage you to keep posting, so my first advice would be to post your art in the stories too, at least for the first week or something?? now, i know the algorithm is currently promoting reels, so if you’re skilled with those go for it! make videos of your creating process and stuff like that. it’s important to inform your followers when you make a new post bc the chances of it being noticed are higher, you have to do the work bc ig won’t show that post to most of your audience (did i mention that i hate whoever made this algorithm?? yes??) i’m not really sure about this but i think ig prefers the reels you make with their set of editing tools instead of just uploading a pre saved video (i think it’s their way to sabotage those who post their tiktoks), i’ve never tried them so i don’t really know what they’re like, but i’m pretty sure tiktok is way better. i read somewhere that IGTV aren’t ig big thing anymore, so i don’t think you’d get much engagement from them. in general i’d say to always promote your posts in your stories and to wait at least an hour before editing a post bc i think you’ll lose engagement if you edit it right after posting (i know, it’s so stupid).

the use of hashtags is the only thing that i approve, because it’s an helpful tool made by social media before it got so bad and they really help you to reach more people (that’s like their purpose, i just wish there weren’t dozens of other stupid rules to follow in order to be noticed besides hashtags). so using tags like “art”, “artists on instagram” and “daily art” along with tags related to the pic you posted (like the name of the character or the fandom etc) is really helpful, just don’t use unrelated tags bc it’s annoying and idk how convenient it is :P the last thing is promoting your posts by using the sponsored feature; i never used that because i’d rather eat a slug than give money to instagram, but if you have the possibility and you are okay with that then you could try!

now for the “artsy” part

artists have found many ways to bypass the algorithm and keep the community alive over the years, challenges are probably the best way to do so! dtiys are awesome, not only they help you get more recognition, but they also make artists incredibly happy! i should host one very soon myself, i’m looking for a pose and an outfit to draw one of my ocs in, hopefully you’ll see it soon! i cannot explain how happy it makes me to see people draw a character of mine, and it’s great to see them in so many different styles, so i highly recommend dtiys! usually the artists who host them post the entries in their stories too, so yeah, you should definitely try those! there are other challenges like art vs artist, memes etc, it’s incredible how creative the community is despite all! and lastly, draw fan art! contributing to a fandom with your art is so cool, personally i prefer it over original content most of the time, i feel the need to share my point of view and to let out all the idiotic thoughts i have when i consume some kind of media so i’m really biased, but every artist is different, so don’t force yourself to do something if you don’t feel like doing it! drawing something you don’t particularly enjoy because you want to get recognition is gonna make you burnout REALLY BAD, trust me, i personally think that passion>effort, so never forget to put your enjoyment first!!!!

okay this took me a while and i hope it was helpful! good luck!!! i definitely forgot something dskfjhis

#ask #faq #art tips

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bansheeoftheforest · 3 years

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What if one of the lodgers refuses to believe ghosts exist and is constantly brushing off legitimate evidence

-ouija anon

So what you're telling me... A buzzfeed unsolved Ghost Jekyll au? 👀 I don't know what is funnier, one person not believing it or the whole Society being split about it. We have the skeptics who doesn't really believe in ghosts or that they are spooky, much to the disappointment of Maijabi who literally works with ghosts (technically), while the other half is so superstitious and so terrified of the ghost and what possibly could have caused it to haunt them. It would be just like Shane and Ryan. Henry pushes someone down the stairs and the skeptics would go "It's just the wind, the stairs were slippery". Henry would cut down a chandelier in hopes of hitting one of the Lodgers but that is "faulty wiring" and "it's was a shitty job done, it was probably bound to break at some point" and Henry would be so frustrated XD

...Y'know what would be a fun idea? Remember that "Hyde gets separated from Jekyll" Part of the au? What if that happens with the rest of the guys in Jekyll's head? So they have Mind!Lanyon and Mind!Frankenstein and Sabrina mentioned that there existed a Mind!Jasper somewhere in there is haunting the Society too, or at least can take over Jekyll much easier than before? Now we also come to the fun part of Jekyll probably being horribly mentally ill if this only happens to him rather than everyone else that has died and come back as a ghost but maybe it was some hoodoo voodoo bullshit with the hj7? XD

...The fact that no one is question why a ghost is getting coffee-- would Henry just become Some Dude once he is a ghost? Like, no matter if people realize that he is Henry Jekyll or not, would he cause enough trouble that people don't bat an eye when he is out and about getting coffee and shit? Can you imagine the Lodgers seeing him and overhearing that??? XD

...Y'know I have daydreamed about that so hard but I'm disappointed in myself bc I did not manage to make him spooky enough in the DTIYS... Yet at least but I really love the thought of him turning really spooky, especially if he, at some point, turns Moreau-spooky-esque. That would be absolutely terrifying and especially if it happens over time. Like, when he is freshly dead he looks exactly like when he was alive, perhaps bloody and injured depending on his death, but the angrier he gets and the more defiled his corpse and his legacy is being and the more the Lodgers are ignoring him he just turns spookier and spookier. His clothes gets ripped and his hair gets shaggier and his fingers turn into claws, especially if it also makes him more powerful too and sjdfsdjfsd <3<3<3

#ouija anon #ghost au #banshees au #ask

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tifaria · 2 years

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I posted 1,213 times in 2021

53 posts created (4%)

1160 posts reblogged (96%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 21.9 posts.

I added 1,134 tags in 2021

#tma - 333 posts

#the magnus archives - 309 posts

#jonmartin - 100 posts

#tma fanart - 80 posts

#jonathan sims - 76 posts

#pedro pascal - 54 posts

#wwdits - 48 posts

#i'm in this post and i don't like it - 47 posts

#what we do in the shadows - 45 posts

#good omens - 42 posts

Longest Tag: 123 characters

#and then got offended when i said my cats are more important than anything and i won't ever give them up fir another person

My Top Posts in 2021

I’m so honored to have gotten to work on these illustrations for @gruhukens amazing fic, On the Subject of Our Former Selves, as part of @tmabigbang! Do yourself a favor and read this amazing, heartbreaking, hopeful story as soon as you can. I kept coming back to this one as when the summaries were released, and I am so happy that I was able to work on it.

Thanks to @gruhukens @fricklefracklefloof @jawbonemage for all of their help with reference images and feedback for how to depict Martin as explicitly Filipino and how to accurately show Jon using a cane. Also for their patience as I finished these up last minute and for help with the image IDs! Seriously, this was an amazing team to be on, I couldn't have asked for a more supportive group.

Why are you still here? Go read the fic!!

[Image ID: A digital painting of Martin Blackwood from The Magnus Archives. Martin is depicted as a fat tan-skinned Filipino man. He has streaks of gray hair in his bangs and the rest is his natural dark hair color. He wears rounded glasses and has a confused expression on his face. He wears a green tshirt and stands at the window of a London tube train car. The window has a thin black border, and the rest of the train car is red. Behind Martin is a blurry background of other train passengers. /end ID]

[Image ID: A digital painting of Jonathan Sims from The Magnus Archives. Jon is depicted as a dark skinned South Asian man. He has curly black hair with graying strands, and wears slightly squared glasses. He wears a light lavender-grey dress shirt, a dark purple waistcoat, and a rust colored brown dress jacket. His right hand grips the handle of a cane and his fingers are pressed against the window of a London tube train car. The window has a thin black border, and the rest of the train car is red. Behind Jon is a blurry background of other train passengers. His expression is shocked and distressed, with wide eyes and mouth hanging open. /end ID]

134 notes • Posted 2021-11-02 13:27:47 GMT

Finally finished up this DTIYS by @dudeiwannasleep! This was so much fun to work on. I kept changing my mind over the lighting, but I think I’m finally satisfied with this. Went with a different facial expression than the original because I was struggling to get it right. Overall I’m really happy with this! If y’all know of any more TMA-themed DTIYS challenges, let me know!

168 notes • Posted 2021-07-15 20:55:09 GMT

Been burnt out from job lately and really miss drawing, so I colored in this sketch from a while back. I love one (1) weary Archivist.

183 notes • Posted 2021-12-06 02:28:59 GMT

Jonathan "now they're on a ladder" Sims and Alexander J "bought every microphone in England" Newell really thought no one wanted 10 episodes of office romance in season 5 and Anil "The Hero of the People" Godigamuwe was the only one to speak up and say "Hey, have you seen the fan reactions?"

191 notes • Posted 2021-04-04 06:24:57 GMT

“What’s going to be left of me after this, you can’t see that.”

Just a quick sketch of this scene. I want to believe I’ll fully render it out one day so that it properly matches what’s in my head.

878 notes • Posted 2021-03-26 03:01:24 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

#my 2021 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #No surprises here

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foopeach · 3 years

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As promised per my last post, a short PSA on the differences between tracing and using a reference in Art.

Im gonna make this as short as possible, but the biggest distinction between tracing a piece of art and using other art as a reference is the intent and aspects of the original piece that you carry over, as well as CONSENT. If you add an aspect of another drawing onto your own drawing then it is still your drawing. Now let me clarify.

Tracing a piece of art that is not your own with little to no change and calling it your own is not okay. That’s what Butch Hartman did when he caused that fiasco on twt awhile ago.

This is the type of tracing that counts as plagiarism ^ Butch Hartman passed the piece off as his own, despite its obvious resemblance. The biggest problem with this is that

He did not change the content of the piece. It is still a drawing of mikasa, so it is not his own piece or idea.

He could have been fine if he has asked the artist if it was okay to draw their piece in his style.

If the artist had given him permission then he should not be profiting off of the piece.

It is important to note however that This is not the only type of tracing. It is not all plagiarism!

You might look at a piece of art and go “woah I really like that pose, I want to incorporate that into my next piece of art”, and then go on ahead and create a new piece with the same pose. This is okay! You are allowed to do this! That’s why things like drawing challenges, dtiys, pose games, and many other forms of tracing exist!

The sailor moon screencap redraw trend that comes around every few years or so is a good example of drawing challenges.

Pose challenges are another form of acceptable tracing.

Manga panel or cover redraws are also okay!

The biggest difference between these examples and the one provided by Butch are that these are consensual and have credit visible! They are their own individual pieces but acknowledge that the content in them is not entirely original. Now that you have an idea of what tracing is and can be, we can talk about the other part of this post.

A reference image is a photo or drawing you incorporate certain aspects of into your drawing, wether it’s for anatomy or something else.

This is a reference image. Araki incorporated the composition and the pose of the models into his piece, but it’s still his own original piece of artwork because he is drawing his own characters and not the models themselves. It is legally your own drawing if 70% or more of a photo is adjusted or changed. Wether it’s the pose, a certain brush, an interesting composition, or small details that you find cool, there is nothing wrong with incorporating things into your style. Nothing in this world is original and every art style and piece made is a mixture of thing the artist has seen and liked. That’s why similar art styles exist and why there are so many different and unique ones exist.

——————————————————————————

It’s a big problem for people who consume content from the art community to go after artists because of misplaced justice. It’s nice and very good that you try and defend artists from plagiarism and art theft but it should be directed at actual cases like NFTs and literal rip offs like Butch’s drawing instead of the products of artists trying to get better at their own art or attempting to make the content they enjoy.

#rb if you have any artist friends. this is very important #the redraw of Deliora is my own work so it’s doesn’t have an attached credit.#important #quispeech

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quillyfied · 4 years

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Mega Good Omens Fic Rec Post 5

What up, it’s back!

77 carefully-curated titles for your perusal today! As always, the fics are broken into the following categories: Jaunts through History/Canon, South Downs, Post-Apocalypse, Bus Ride/The Night Before/Heaven and Hell, AU/UA, Just Soft, Touch-Starved/Body Worship/Wings, Bonus, and H/C /Whump/BAMF. I don’t read smut fics but sometimes there are sexual elements to the stories and sometimes you get invested and then suddenly the author drops a smut chapter, so warnings where applicable.

Mega GOmens Fic Rec Post MASTER

LET ME KNOW IF A LINK IS BROKEN OR MISATTRIBUTED AND I WILL FIX IT RIGHT AWAY.

JAUNTS THROUGH HISTORY/CANON

1. Get Thee To A Nunnery – Owenjones (T, the one where Aziraphale is put in a nunnery and needs a bit of a rescue. More or less Ineffable Wives time, but warnings for Aziraphale being forced into a female corporation against his will, that’s pretty icky (three guesses for who the offending Archangel is). Crowley is posing as a little lady known as Julie D’Aubigny, which, if that rings no bells, you should Google her immediately and then go into this fic cackling like I did. Very sweet, a fun little adventure!)

2. Bibliophilia – @wingedspirit (G, the one where Aziraphale has a book nemesis and Crowley always seems to have the perfect book as a gift, what a coincidence. This is so funny, you guys, seriously. We stan ONE (1) oblivious angel in this house. And when Aziraphale finally catches on, it’s so cute, I can’t even. I cannot EVEN. Go read it right now immediately.)

3. The Heart Goes To Heaven, The Head Goes To Hell – Dekkles (T, the one where Crowley has intentions of making an angel Fall and it kinda…backfires. Guys fair warning, this one’s version of Hell is really gross, if you’re squeamish tread very carefully bc WOW it can get a bit graphic. Y’know what’s also gross? The PINING (obviously not gross in the same way but the pining is awfully feelsy and part of it does happen in Hell). Watching this Crawly go from an honestly nauseating portrayal of Hell to watching Aziraphale and kinda awkwardly twitching in his light is so delightful and I hope for more in the future (though maybe less visions of Hell, I will be so glad if and when the fic leaves that place because yikes).)

4. i like this place (it feels spooky) – @asideofourown (G, the one where Warlock manages to convince Nanny and Brother Francis to take him to a haunted house and it’s so cute. You guys. It’s SO cute. You really get a feel for little Warlock’s personality and how he sees things (and he sees ALL). Just a really cute “family” outing, really, and someone gets spooked at the end and it’s not who you think!)

5. Doubt the Stars are Fire – LilithReisender (T, the one where Aziraphale bails Crowley out of prison and they spend time together in an Italian villa. This one has cool history bits, really fun banter, and Crowley actively on the job while trying to pretend he isn’t on the job. It’s a delight, and it’s just getting started! Jump on this bandwagon, folks, it’s great!)

6. The Hellfire Club – @amarguerite (NR, the one where greater measures are taken to make sure Aziraphale isn’t promoted back upstairs. This one is so hilarious, you guys, I can’t even tell you which bit is my favorite. And the cherry on top? Wing grooming! (I can also tell you that something highly unpleasant happens to Sandalphon, if that sweetens the pot for anyone.) If you have a Thing for Crowley and Aziraphale being melodramatic and overacting, then stay put, friends. Also continue reading this list, there’s a few more that’ll catch your eye later on.)

7. The Immortal Look – MickyRC (G, the one where Crowley puts Aziraphale in some kohl and it’s awesome. A written entry for the Prince of Omens DTIYS, and even independent from Prince of Omens this fic is a winner, in my book. Crowley going dewy-eyed over Aziraphale’s looks in any capacity is always My Jam and this fic really goes for it.)

8. Merry & Bright – @peppervl (G, the one where Aziraphale and Crowley go undercover as a married couple in the Regency. You like fem!Aziraphale but don’t see it often enough? SIT DOWN, FRIENDO. Not only does this have a lovely Miss Fell for us to fawn over, but it’s a Miss Fell in possession of a fortune and surely in want of a husband, according to prim-and-proper London, and who better to help her out than one Mr. Crowley who happens to need some help on a temptation? Fun, romantic, and with a cute little twist at the end I shan’t spoil but you should really stick around for.)

9. Putting the Endearment in Dear – @joyandotherstories (G, the one where Aziraphale starts calling everyone “dear” just so he can also call Crowley by endearments. This one is sweet and a little sad and has the softest possible ending, y’all don’t even know. Read it, the point in time where Aziraphale doesn’t have to hold back his mountain of endearments anymore is a sight to behold.)

10. Between the Lines – cyankelpie (G, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale’s feelings are known but not spoken, at least not directly. This one is a historical jaunt where they have a lot of double-meaning conversations (and Crowley is very rightly lost through a lot of it, poor dear), and it aches, you guys, it just hurts. Not finished yet as of this review but WHEN IT’S DONE—I’m sure it’ll be worth it. Hot dang.)

11. No Matter How the Stars Align (They Make Me Think of You) – silentsonata (G, the one that covers stars that Crowley and Aziraphale have met under. Every once in a while there’ll come along a fic that shakes the ground as it walks. I understand the Big Bang events usually churn these out, and there are quite a few on this list, but this fic here? A masterpiece. Pitch-perfect in every way, just a stunner. I want to tell y’all to pay special attention to certain chapters but they all took my breath utterly away and it would be unfair to single any out over the rest, the whole work is a monument. Just beautiful.)

12. Too Wise to Woo Peaceably – purewanderlust (T, the one that’s five times they see “Much Ado About Nothing” throughout history. I love me some “Much Ado,” personally, and this fic knows what it’s on about. Wonderfully romantic and ends with the single most perfect conversation, I swear 2 someone. Hits right in the feels.)

13. Just Another Sword Fight – DemonicGeek (NR, the one that’s a 5+1 about Crowley swordfighting. If you’re here because Aziraphale taking on the role of the swooning maiden to Crowley’s dashing hero makes you, in fact, be the one swooning, say hello to your new best friend. If you like to follow all that up with Aziraphale taking charge when needed, I might suggest building a home here, because ABSOLUTELY that’s what you’re getting.)

14. A Few More Rescues – @poetic----nonsense (T, the one with, predictably, a few more rescues. If the previous fic had you reeling and begging for more, welcome to the buffet, children. These are some really fun rescues by Crowley on behalf of Aziraphale, and they’re unconventional and historical AF (especially the bit with the dragon) (you bet your sweet keister there’s a bit with a dragon). This fic is so much fun and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.)

15. Floriography – Frenchmeister (T, the one where Crowley doesn’t get flower language. The premise is, Crowley slept through a large chunk of the Victorian era, so he doesn’t know what Aziraphale keeps trying to say as they work at the Dowlings’ estate raising Warlock. He does know that the philodendron is a menace, no matter what it’s supposed to mean. Funny and nerve-wracking and so, so sweet.)

16. The Interplay of Illusion and Magic – SoulJelly (T, the one where Aziraphale tries to join a magicians’ society. This one has some delightful history and Aziraphale trying to perform sleight of hand magic to get in a secret magicians club and a surprising twist near the middle, all told; it’s a lot more exciting than I initially thought it was going to be (I was just expecting some fluff and that was not all I got; it’s always a good day when Crowley has to come to the rescue).)

SOUTH DOWNS

17. There goes the neighborhood – @bestoftheseekwill (G, the one where Crowley’s retirement peace is threatened by construction. If you’re here for Crowley wiles, anti-capitalism, and flashes of protective Aziraphale, get ready to take a load off because this is primo.)

18. Teatime Revelations – Cardinal_Daughter (T, the one where God invites Herself over for tea. This one is strained and it’s emotional and it’s all the softer for it. Aziraphale being quiet and protective while Crowley has a come-apart in the face of God is iconic, tbh; pretty sure this fic inspired a lot of my own portrayals of the GOmens God, looking back on it. A wonderful and light-hearted take.)

POST-APOCALYPSE

19. Lose a Kraken, Gain an Angel – MistressKat (T, the one where Hastur has an expected friendship. This fic has everything—Hastur being a sympathetic character, the Kraken, Crowley pining after Aziraphale, the Antichrist, and is hilarious from start to finish. A fun and tonally accurate diversion, please read.)

20. Something Old, Something New – shippityshipship (G, the series where Crowley and Aziraphale are involved in weddings. Short and hasn’t updated in a while but still excellent reading, I find; great characterization, some fun OCs, lovely atmosphere, oblivious pining while everyone else thinks they’re dating, it’s amazing.)

21. The difficulty with disposable demons – @areyougonnabe (T, the one where Eric the disposable demon shows up and it’s a madhouse in Crowley’s apartment. This is a really funny take on what happens to the disposable demons and why they are the way they are, and with the added bonus of driving Crowley up the wall and some mild miscommunications with Aziraphale that are all sorted out in the end.)

22. Care and Keeping – @arcafira (M, T, the series where Crowley is shedding and Aziraphale tries to help. Not rated M for anything violent or sexual, really more of a T than an M but there is a bath scene and a lot of self-loathing. There’s a lot of convincing Crowley to let Aziraphale care for him and a lot of working through Fall-related issues, but it leaves off in a wonderfully hopeful place.)

23. The Clockwork Days – redwinehouse (T, the one where the world’s ending again. There are many fics that have tackled possible sequels to Good Omens and this is one of the more tonally accurate ones, I feel; it’s very tongue-in-cheek and matter-of-fact, and the little twist at the end was a genuine surprise to me. Whack in plenty of mutual pining and a Bentley that has had it up to HERE with these idiots and you’ve got a recipe for a good little story.)

24. don’t leave me here alone – Elvendork (T, the one where Crowley asks for holy water again. This one is a tense argument, right up until it isn’t, and absolutely delectable, really. If you’re a fan of Aziraphale bringing up hellfire to go toe to toe with Crowley on the issue, BUCKLE UP BUTTERCUP, this one is dunking itself into Soft Town with that accelerant to really drive it home.)

25. The Next Time We Wed – seashadows (T, the one where a mix-up leads to marriage. If drunken mistakes and their aftermath is what you’re after, welcome to the party, folks, because this one’s a whopper. Can people pine while being married to each other? The answer is yes. Can it have a soft ending? Also yes. Can it include the mothers of such characters as Anathema and Newt being wonderful characters in their own right? The answer, incredibly, is yes.)

26. You Can’t Un-See A Dog – @holycatsandrabbits (T, the one where Crowley is summoned and there’s shenanigans afoot. I won’t talk too much about the plot of this one bc I don’t want to spoil it but suffice it to say that this one is hilarious and has some especially gratifying Ineffable Husband silent communication at play. If your entire reason for existence, like Crowley’s, is seeing Bastard!Aziraphale at work, then bunk down here, friendos, you’ve arrived.)

BUS RIDE/NIGHT BEFORE/HEAVEN AND HELL

27. Crowley, Big Bad Demon, Can Keep His Cool Around His Crush – @edennovik (T, the one where Crowley…well, see title, and then immediately disregard. Crowley cannot, in fact, keep his cool around his crush. Crowley is doing the opposite of keeping his cool around his crush. Crowley is a ball of anxiety and screaming pining gooey mess and Aziraphale might just like him anyway.)

AU/UA

28. If Not Now, When – @ineffablefool (T, the one where trans café worker Crowley strikes up a conversation with fat pretty Aziraphale. Listen. Y’all know ineffablefool. Y’all know he is a force that cannot be stopped or reckoned with, when it comes to Soft Fat-Postive Asexual Romance. So I do not say this lightly when I say that this is possibly his masterwork. There is a lot of good, good content in his catalogue but the emotional work put into this makes the whole thing stand straight up and resonate. It’s tender and respectful and handles conflicts of gender and sexuality with grace and gentleness and oh no I’m tearing up pls send help I’m DROWNING—).

29. Trip the Light – @summerofspock (M, the one where Aziraphale falls in love first. M for a sex scene near the end of the fic, second half of Chapter 17, so keep an eye out for that if you’re sensitive to it. Oh, y’all. This one goes through canon and a few scenes outside of it and the recontextualizing of those scenes as Aziraphale hopelessly in love and Crowley as oblivious is amazing. Even more amazing: once Crowley finally catches on and then it becomes Aziraphale once again in his role of holding back. Guys. Y’all. My DUDES. I am in the throes of agony. It’s so good.)

30. one love (only for you) – @weatheredlaw (M, the one that’s a vague Snow White AU. It’s truly unfair how poetic and romantic this one is, how lovely. It has fantasy elements and ridiculous vengeful brothers and soft, soft boys in love. A sweet little way to spend an afternoon, tbh.)

31. in the house we remain – @commodorecliche (M, the one where Crowley’s a ghost in the house Aziraphale has bought. M for masturbation, weird ghost sex, and a harrowing backstory for Crowley; if you’re squeamish about sexual things and not good at gauging how to skip them, or if you can’t stand abuse stories, I would pass this one up. Y’all. Y’ALL. So thoroughly upsetting, this one; the horror elements are real but so is the romance and it’s a beautiful balance of the two. What’s wild is how believable it is; it could easily have been a story about Aziraphale just becoming obsessed with and romanticizing a dead person who used to live in his house but it feels like an actual love story, with Crowley learning how to trust Aziraphale, as well, despite their planar incompatibility. The ending is so unbelievably sweet. And there’s art now! There wasn’t, when I first added it to the list! Huzzah!)

32. pop! goes my heart – @areyougonnabe (E, the one that’s a Music and Lyrics AU. E for a sex scene near the end of Chapter 6 that’s a bit difficult to skip, since there’s a couple of relevant paragraphs after it that set up the next chapter, but if you’re up for the challenge, godspeed. First things first: this fic has ORIGINAL MUSIC RECORDED BY THE AUTHOR AND IT’S AMAZING. Music and Lyrics is one of my personal favorite romcoms, and what’s been done with it is not only accurate to the actual music industry, but accurate to the characters, as well. It’s such a fun story, adapted well, and the writing style is just charming. Fantastic!)

33. For the First Time in Forever – @nicnacsnonsense (T, the one that’s a Frozen AU. I am excited for this one, y’all. The adaptation is already so much fun and it’s only going to get funner. Aziraphale as Elsa and Crowley in an Anna-adjacent role (but not actually bc no incest) is amazing, the Olaf stand-in outshines the original, and the emotional toll is already pretty high. Absolutely worth a read.)

34. Sailor’s Omens – NeverNooitNiet (G, the one where Crowley’s a pirate and Aziraphale is his prisoner. There’s a touch of historical homophobia but that doesn’t matter much out at sea, really. If the boys being clever and bickering and also one-upping beloved series antagonists is something you enjoy, welcome to the party, friends. It’s a good old-fashioned piracy romp that’s sure to satisfy.)

35. Pomegranate Seeds – @nicnacsnonsense (G, the one that’s a Persephone and Hades AU with Aziraphale as Hades and Crowley as Persephone. This one has a unique tone and is also romantic as all get-out; throw in genderfluid Crowley, love at first sight, and Aziraphale being a sweetie, it’s a story well worth its salt, imo.)

36. Laws of Gravity – @brightwanderer (T, the one where Aziraphale invents pining for Raphael. Listen. I think we all know at this point that brightwanderer, or Atalan on ao3, has earned her clout as a GOmens fanfic heavyweight. She didn’t NEED to write an awkward and earnest Raphael trying to go incognito as Crowley into the Garden of Eden. She didn’t NEED to write about how incredibly awkward Aziraphale is while heels over halo in love. She didn’t NEED to have an engaging plot and a wonderful twist on the Temptation of Eve and also the most awkward and obvious besotted angels in the universe. But she did. And we are blessed. So go partake.)

37. Incubus!Crowley – GenericUsername01 (G, T, the series where Crowley is a sex demon and we get to see what that means. This fic threads the very specific needle I personally enjoy where sex is an element of the story and has bearing on it, but the story doesn’t have any actual sex scenes in it. I love this writer’s style and where they take Crowley and Aziraphale’s relationship; I love the view of Hell in the first bit; I love all of it, really. A+++.)

38. Everyone But You – @summerofspock (M, the one where Crowley is hired to seduce an angel. M for some saucy makeouts and some post-coital afterglow but nothing explicit. If y’all like stories where a conman is hired to do a job and starts to have complicated feelings about it, especially if those feelings are falling in love with his mark, then here you go. It’s amazing as all heck and hilarious to boot; Crowley learning what falling in love is like is always a treat but omg. Poor Aziraphale. And the most DELIGHTFUL resolution, my goodness.)

39. In Mixed Company, or the Corporate Retreat of Heaven and Hell – @theoldaquarian (M, the one where Heaven and Hell have a joint corporate retreat every so often and Crowley and Aziraphale are doomed. M for some adult themes but nothing explicit. Y’all. TheOldAquarian must be stopped. They cannot continue to be so funny and engaging. They cannot continue to have the most corporate and hilariously mundane depiction of Heaven and Hell. They are a MENACE who, in the space of one fic, has packed all the pining of the ages in so tightly that when it finally bursts free, my shoulders physically relaxed and my spine uncoiled. This fic in particular is too much and too wonderful. I really must protest.)

40. Loosely Ballroom – marginalia_device, @mortifyingideal (T, the one where Aziraphale is a professional dancer and Crowley is a contestant on a show with him (for American viewers, think Dancing With the Stars). This fic is so good and so funny and so achingly in-character. I love Crowley as the washed-up old star trying to kick his career back up, I love Aziraphale as the put-upon dancer on his last legs, and I love that they’re both the victim of a studio gimmick and then decide that malicious compliance is their best bet. It’s still early in the fic (…at over 40k words wow it’s gonna be a monster and I’m ready), but it’s going to be so good already, I can just tell. There’s already some art for it floating around by naniiebimworks for the interested.)

JUST SOFT

41. Repeat the Sounding Joy – @allonsy-gabriel (G, the one where they decorate a Christmas tree. This is a short and sweet look at what the holidays are like for an angel and a demon post-apocalypse and it’s so adorable, you guys. Crowley having FEELINGS and Aziraphale being fussy about his decorating, it’s just a treat.)

42. The Nesting Habits of Angelus Principalum – @obaewankenope (NR, the one where Aziraphale nests and is gently protective. This fic is quiet and understated and so unbelievably romantic without being over the top about it; it’s a quiet coming together that creeps up on you, much like how the realization of Aziraphale’s nesting habits creeps up on Crowley. A lovely little thing.)

43. we’ll get there fast and then we’ll take it slow – @tonyhawksmovingcastle (E, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale wind up faking a relationship on a couple’s cruise. E for Chapter 7, which is completely skippable without ruining any plot. This one gets a double whammy for both engaging plot and wonderful OCs that add to rather than distract from the story. Fake dating is fun enough but when you’re fake dating and also being wingmanned by well-meaning possibly supernatural sapphics, while also having fun in the tropics, it’s a recipe for a good time all around (at least for the audience). So lovely and sweet and that moment when Crowley and Aziraphale finally get together is magic.)

44. Road Trip Games and Love – rgfalso (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale go on a road trip together. This one almost takes place in real time, and has the most intense and emotional back-and-forth while these poor saps try to work out the Thing between them without actually talking about it for as long as inhumanly possible. Of course there are lots of road trip games, and of course those road trip games are a vehicle of conveyance for what they’re actually trying to say, and cue all the misunderstandings in the world. It’s frustrating and cathartic and amazing and the end especially is so, so sweet.)

45. The Most Stylish Wedding of AZ Fell and AJ Crowley – @leapoffaith1489 (T, the one where Aziraphale is determined to discard tartan for the wedding. Y’all. Omg. If relatively low-stakes cute wedding shenanigans are your thing, welcome home. If Aziraphale being pleasantly surprised is your thing, welcome home. If Aziraphale working through minor insecurities is your thing, welcome, truly, home. Featuring a lovely cast of side characters and a soft-as-butter plot.)

46. The Newlywed Game (Not What You’d Think) – @heavenslittlehellion (NR, the one where a game of drunken truth-telling goes a little farther than anticipated. Hello, welcome to the emotional gut-punch fic, you’ve arrived. The only thing that saves this from dunking into the last category on this list with the other h/c and whump fics is how low-stakes it is and how soft it is when they get past the unpleasant bit. People who love theories on what the Fall felt like, welcome to the table.)

47. On the Road to Love – Mizmak (G, the one where Crowley enters a motor rally race with the Bentley, with Aziraphale as navigator. While there’s great fun in Crowley and Aziraphale needling each other, there’s greater joy in their friendship and tenderness towards the other (and asexual bed-sharing fans, rejoice). It’s a fun concept all around and definitely worth the read.)

48. Mr. Fell’s Bookshop ficlets – @holycatsandrabbits (G, T, the series where Mr. Fell has regular customers and they love the place as much as they love its weird and eldritch owner. For folks who love seeing the Ineffable Duo through others’ eyes, this is a fun series to scratch that particular itch, and has spawned a number of spin-off fics, unless I’m mistaken. It’s a relatively low-stakes series, for people wanting something like that these days, too.)

49. Quiet Reflection – @shinyopals (T, the one where they have to duck into a church to avoid demons. If the phrase “spicy Jesus crackers” holds any appeal whatsoever, go read this fic immediately. It’s heartfelt and hilarious and really that’s all you can ask for in a good fluff fic. Also Crowley being held. Really, that’s all any of us want from life.)

50. Deck the Halls – forthegreatergood (G, the one where mistletoe should really not be this hard to get a hold of. Y’all you simply MUST stick around for the hijinks in this one. They are manifold and hilarious. Does it end in makeouts? Possibly. You’ll just have to read it, won’t you?)

51. The Secret Dress – GlitterSkullFairy (G, the one where Crowley has a secret wedding dress. This one is very dramatic and sad…and then Aziraphale pops in. Like with all things concerning these two, it immediately takes a turn from there. If putting Crowley in pretty dresses is a thing you enjoy, have a seat and enjoy the show, it’s a softy.)

52. Well…That’s New – @almaasi (G, the one where Crowley doesn’t realize he’s in love. If oblivious Crowley is more to your taste, this is the one for you. Takes the concept “what if Crowley was in love but didn’t realize it” and runs with it for all it’s worth. Hilarious and sweet and wonderful.)

53. serpent, serpent-bearer – @elsajeni (G, the one that’s about horoscopes. I realize the Soft section of the rec list is for things that are Soft but hhnnngkk you guys. This one is so cute. My heart can’t take it. They’re so gosh darned precious, with their newspaper and their horoscopes and their welcome invasion of each other’s personal space.)

54. If Only You Were Mine – @somethingscarlet13 (G, the one where Crowley gets so drunk he can’t remember who Aziraphale’s husband is, just that he’s married. This is a little sugar shot for your day, folks—short, sweet, silly, and did I mention sweet? It is so worth having a giggle at drunk Crowley’s expense, please do read it.)

55. Cupboard Love – @copperplatebeech (T, the one where Crowley is a cranky snek. I would also highly recommend this for folks who enjoy Madam Tracy, especially Madam Tracy being utterly unaffected by being face-to-face with the supernatural and cooing over things like the wonderful lady she is. Fun and a little silly and a lot adorable.)

56. affirmation, appreciation – pearlwaldorf (G, the one where Aziraphale helps someone in need a little differently than expected. This one has Aziraphale taking on the persona of an interested male party looking to pick up the spirits of a woman on the tail end of a messy divorce and Crowley understanding but still getting a little jealous. It’s so sweet and so lovely, both what Aziraphale and Crowley do for this poor woman and how Aziraphale reassures Crowley afterwards. Top notch.)

57. Forget-Me-Not – @dietraumerei (T, the one where Crowley gets amnesia. Not as dramatic as others, he just loses 200 years and it’s temporary, but it’s ever so sweet, watching Crowley fall back in love with the modern world and be gobsmacked that he and Aziraphale are finally together. There’s a lot of reassurance and tender sweet nothings thrown about and I’m pretty sure I developed a heart condition just from reading this, it’s too good.)

58. They Shake The Mountains When They Dance – @copperbadge (T, the one where Crowley finds Aziraphale’s scar. Operating on the theory that Aziraphale was injured in the War in Heaven and that’s why he clutches his leg and limps when he’s discorporated, this is the sappiest, sweetest rumination on the subject I have ever read. Crowley gets so protective and defensive, and Aziraphale is so gentle in talking him down. On the whole, it’s just wonderful and so, so cute. Omg.)

59. Familiar Care – ginger_mosaic (G, the one where the Ineffable Dads have to take their snabies in for medical help. This comes from the Wiggleverse, which on the whole I cannot strongly recommend enough, but this fic in particular centers around the most delightful OC veterinarian who handles Crowley and Aziraphale’s strange family very well. There’s also a fun twist at the end, so absolutely keep reading to find out what that is. And also, immerse yourself in adorable snake baby shenanigans, because they are the best sort.)

TOUCH-STARVED/BODY WORSHIP/WINGS

60. Rituals (or the Seven Layer Bean Dip Approach to Sex) – SleepySelfLoathing (T, the one where no seriously metaphysical angel/demon sex is super weird. Fans of truly esoteric ethereal/occult mating rituals rejoice, for this is your new home. It’s abstract but no less beautiful for it, I think; the imagery and emotional accompaniment are all lovely, even if they don’t meet conventional human romance standards. You can really tell that it means a lot to Crowley and Aziraphale, the ways they show how much they love each other. A weird and delectable little dish, by all accounts.)

61. Under Pressure – @copperplatebeech (M, the one where Crowley steals kisses. M for sensuality and body worship but nothing too explicit; also could be construed as dubcon kissing, for those of you sensitive to that. Hhhgkk y’all. Crowley thinks he’s being sly getting away with smooching Aziraphale throughout history while they’re both drunk off their rockers but does not count on Aziraphale actually remembering, and then once the Apocalypse is done with and they’re On Their Own Side and Can Aknowledge These Things…well. They do. Crowley is a mess and Aziraphale is a mess and they love each other so much. The writing is so tender and I’m CRYING.)

62. London Calling – forthegreatergood (G, the one with slow-burn wing grooming. There’s so much crammed into this bad boy and it balances it admirably—Crowley’s relationship with Aziraphale, Crowley’s relationship with Hell, Crowley thinking about retirement, Crowley getting preemptively banned from a certain European country for being a pest outside of its consulate, Crowley losing his cool over getting to touch Aziraphale’s wings. Humor, aching tenderness, the kind of longing that feels like a high, quavering violin note, tension and release. A beautiful piece.)

63. Elmie’s Ineffable Fireplace Fics – @almaasi (G, M, M, the series that is completely unrelated except for the physical and also figurative appearances of warm fireplaces. M for sensuality but nothing explicit. The first two are mainly short fluff; the third is a long Regency-esque AU with some gender and sexuality shenanigans on top of Real Danger and Intrigue. True to the writer’s promise, all three fics are pretty comfortable and warm, even if the third has some action and tension. They’re absolutely lovely, imo.)

64. The Hands Applauded (And This Was No Sin) – @ticketybye (G, the one where Crowley as a preoccupation with Aziraphale’s hands. Deals with both touch-starvation and touch-aversity in the same fic and weirdly enough it works. The fic is heartbreaking but it has a good resolution and that’s important.)

65. Moult – @sameoldsorceress (T, the one where Aziraphale molts and Crowley doesn’t. This is typical wing-grooming fare…right up until it isn’t. I won’t spoil the twist but rest assured that there is absolutely a twist. Other than that, it’s supportive and sweet and lovely and lord knows we all could use some of that right now.)

66. never get to heaven on a night like this – RestlessWanderings (G, the series where the Ineffable Wives are touch-starved and pining. The only reason this fic goes here instead of in Jaunts Through History is because especially in Crowley’s side of the story, the touch starvation is so horrifically visceral I very nearly bought myself a weighted blanket out of sympathy stress. They are both so afraid and so desperate for a bit of connection, the pining is absolutely ridiculous. And it helps that there’s worldbuilding there that’s both thematically appropriate and interesting to read. Engendered by lesbianism and catholic guilt, I believe the author said, and in this case what a delicious combination with an absolutely amazing ending.)

67. Strength in Modesty – flandersmare (T, the one where Aziraphale has a secret wardrobe. Y’all. I have a special love-hate relationship with clothes and my body and this fic somehow felt very soothing on both of those fronts. Corsetry is front and center, and it’s all very well-researched and well-presented. The story is so quiet and understated and is really told through excellent sensory details. The ending about broke my heart for tenderness. It’s a double love letter to Aziraphale and to fashion throughout history and I love it.)

BONUS

68. Tales of the Them – @lyricwritesprose (G, the series where Crowley and Aziraphale are the Them’s godparents, too. This is such a fun series, with a lot of stories that are not just funny in bits, but also meaningful. For fans of the Them and people who like stories about children that aren’t dumbed-down or grimdark.)

69. Stans in High Places – @doomed-spectacles (G, the one where there’s someone in the Earth Observation department keeping an eye on Crowley and Aziraphale. Another take on the angel(s) in charge of Earth Observation, this time featuring a singular angel called Grigori, and boy is he a cutie. His friendship with fellow angel Pravuil is also blossoming and sweet throughout, and the amount of innocent cuteness throughout is just spectacular. What an adorable story.)

70. Anthony J Crowley, Retired Demon and AirBnB Superhost – @theoldaquarian (G, the one where Crowley turns his flat into an AirBnB. Told as if reading a comment section, it is hilarious and paints a horrid picture of what interacting with Crowley—and Aziraphale!—is like for normal humans. I can’t give you any more details than that, you are just going to have to read it and laugh your head off about it like I did.)

71. A Guide to Fame for the Enterprising Demon – @asideofourown (T, the one where Crowley writes a book and accidentally becomes a queer icon. This is…so funny. And so sweet. And like most fics where human bystanders try to piece together what’s happening and come away with completely wrong conclusions, it’s utterly charming. You almost start rooting for the internet conspiracy theorists trying to unearth what exactly Crowley is from his (presumably) evasive or strange answers to interview questions.)

72. Hell Of An Angel – WaitingToBeBroken (T, the one where everyone thinks Crowley is a mafia family. This one is funny in a dramatic irony way; the way that every narrator in this is CONVINCED that Crowley is A. a family of redheads that all look eerily similar, and B. extremely dangerous, is entertaining all on its own. It helps that the writing is smooth and the characters are all fairly engaging, too. A fun little diversion for your day.)

H/C /WHUMP/BAMF

73. the only one i want – @qorktrees (T, the one where Crowley needs some convincing. The hurt in this one is real, folks. But so is the comfort. At last steps are taken to assure Crowley of how much he is wanted, of how much his love is cherished and his touch desired. If you cry while reading this, congrats and welcome to the club, we are all miserable touch-starved fools here.)

74. Always One More Time – boughofawillowtree (T, the one where Aziraphale has remaining psychological scars from Heaven. This one is tough, y’all, real tough. Aziraphale has a couple of abusive flashbacks and intrusive thoughts and his anxiety flaring up is a constant, so people sensitive to that should take heed. That said, this is a very healing fic, with a lot of underlying hurt that floats to the surface. But throughout Crowley does his best to be patient and understanding and even with a disagreement, it remains gentle and loving throughout.)

75. Smote and smitten – @nohaijiachi (G, the one where Aziraphale is a badass and we are ALL here for it. Screaming Hastur, briefly-sentient flaming swords, Aziraphale being amazing, and starry-eyed Crowley are all the ingredients chosen to make a wonderful little fic, and we are all grateful for it. What a guy, that Aziraphale.)

76. Nearly Romeo and Juliet – bisexual_dumbass (T, the one where Crowley’s hiding his panic attacks. This one hurts, friends. This one has miscommunications and fear and boundary communication, all while being so tense even the gentlest touch will snap something. It’s got learning to take care of yourself and value yourself and live FOR yourself. It is very important and I hope a lot of you read it because gosh dang.)

77. Pigeon Girlfriends With A Long Preamble – SleepySelfLoathing (T, the one that’s exactly what it says on the tin. This fic has it all: humor! Torture! Terrible humans! Wrathful Aziraphale! Pain and suffering! Tenderness and care! Pigeon girlfriends! The Hurt and the Comfort are present in about equal measure, but fair warning that what Crowley is made to do just before his rescue is more than a little disturbing, both to readers and especially to Crowley.)

#good omens #good omens fic recs #mega gomens fic rec list #mega fic rec list #whoof #probably take a break for a bit #then start work on six and seven's reviews #and maybe start on compiling eight #why do y'all write so much fic #why is it all so good

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amberskywrites · 4 years

Text

Burnt Edges

Masterpost

Pairing: Sokka/Zuko

Fandom / Genre: ATLA / Soulmate AU

Warnings: Abusive parents, Past physical abuse, Childhood trauma (none are that prevalent but did take place in the past)

Notes: This is the second part to my story for @willowaudreykeyes 100 follower DTIYS! Also, tagging @nemsix2 because they wanted to read this next part- hope you enjoy! ^^

Part One || Part Two

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Sokka didn’t have much of a chance to think about what Zuko said. He needed to stay focused as Sozin’s comet approached. It was proving really, really difficult to keep his mind on track though, his thoughts constantly wandering back to soulmates and his white mark. The possibility that his soulmate was still alive… he hasn’t had hope of finding his soulmate for years, and he felt like a little kid again imagining who it was.

His mind didn’t drift just to soulmates, though. Zuko appeared frequently whenever he would accidentally zone out in the middle of important meetings, and his stomach fluttered with the idea that Zuko could be his soulmate.

He was terrified when Sozin’s comet came, and Zuko and Katara had fought Azula. That’s what they were meant to do, at least. He wasn’t sure if they actually did fight her, and Sokka had hoped that maybe, just maybe, Mai and Ty Lee had talked her out of fighting her brother. But he wasn’t sure if they had been thrown into prison for helping him, Zuko, and the others escape from the Boiling Rock.

Surprisingly, he wasn’t worried about soulmates during the actual battle.

He didn’t think about them until about a month later, Zuko having already been crowned firelord. Azula had stepped down after fighting with Zuko. Sokka didn’t know what had happened, not fully at least. Katara nor Zuko really seemed keen on talking about it, and he didn’t push. Azula had started therapy pretty quickly though, along with the new firelord, and Mai and Ty Lee seemed to always be around the fire nation princess once again.

Sokka still didn’t focus too much on soulmarks, only wondering about his soulmate late at night after long days or stressful meetings. He’d try to imagine what it would be like when he finally found them. But even if he did find his soulmate, it’d be hard to know, right? His soulmark believed they were dead, and if they were alive, their mark was burned off. So it didn’t really matter. Right?

The thought of it not really mattering comforted him.

Maybe he shouldn’t focus on trying to find his soulmate. It wouldn’t matter in the end if they were alive or dead already. His mark was white, so his soulmate would probably not even realize they were soulmates either.

It gave him a bit of confidence when it came to his blooming feelings for one Firelord Zuko.

Sokka stopped actively trying to hide them away, stopped forcing the thoughts to the back of his mind.

So what if he got excited whenever he saw two letters from Zuko, one all business and the other just trying to catch up? No one had to know that he would handle the personal letter with more care than the business one. If anyone noticed Sokka’s face turning a few shades crimson at the mention of Zuko, no one brought it up. And they didn’t bring up whenever Sokka’s eyes lit up after being told he was going to visit the Fire Nation, his eyes shining brighter than when he was going to visit anywhere else.

He was tempted to tell Zuko about his feelings, spill his heart out to the firelord. But something always stopped Sokka.

Sometimes it was another ambassador, or a guard who had almost materialized from the shadows (only when Suki wasn’t around, and Sokka was always unnerved by it). Other times it’d be because Azula would visit, and she didn’t visit very often so Sokka would leave the siblings alone during those times.

Most of the time, though, it was because he was a coward.

Sokka wasn’t afraid to admit that he feared being rejected. He completely owned that fact, and so when Aang had told him he should ask out whoever he had feelings for, Sokka had simply stated he didn’t want to be rejected.

Aang had asked if it was because they wouldn’t be soulmates. Sokka had simply stated no.

He had considered that, but saying it was because they weren’t soulmates wouldn’t have been the case. It’d just have been an excuse. Even if his soulmate was alive, Sokka didn’t really want to try finding them. It’d be too much work, and he didn’t want to find out his soulmate was someone alive too that wasn’t Zuko.

In all honesty, Sokka was just too far gone for Zuko to want to try finding out more about his soulmate.

So, he let his feelings go by over a few years. Well, more than a few. He didn’t mind letting them sit. He didn’t mind that his feelings were probably unrequited, and just not knowing felt better than finding out if he was right.

That’s what he thought, at least.

It wasn’t until almost five years after Ozai was defeated did someone challenge how he felt about it. And it was none other than Azula, who was visiting the Southern Water Tribe in place of her brother as an ambassador.

The two were kind-of friends. They didn’t hate each other, at the very least. And Sokka was the only one besides Ty Lee who could make her laugh with some lame jokes he would tell.

They were waiting for the Northern Water Tribe ambassador, the Earth Kingdom ambassador, and the Air Nomad ambassadors. Sokka wasn’t entirely sure why they were all running late, but he supposed it wasn’t the worst thing in the world. He just wanted to get the meeting over with, and it looked like Azula was getting bored waiting.

And that’s when she had said it, snapping him from his thoughts as she observed him. “You like my brother, don’t you?”

Sokka blinked in confusion, his mouth opening to say something before closing when he realized he didn’t know what to say. Azula was smiling though, neither wicked or really happy. Mostly amused.

“Huh?” he finally managed, and Azula’s amusement seemed to grow.

She looked away from him, to the doors instead. Sokka sighed a little when her gaze had shifted, but his heart still raced nervously when she continued.

“It’s hard for me to say for sure, I’ll admit. But. You looked disappointed that I came here instead, especially since I’m pretty sure Zuzu promised he’d come this time.” She stretched out, relaxing. It had taken her awhile to feel comfortable to relax around anyone. “And you look happier whenever you do get to see him. It’s almost sickening, the way you look so full of adoration when you look at him.”

Sokka’s face warmed, and he avoided looking at Azula altogether as she glanced at him. She laughed a little at his reaction, but quieted quickly. “Do you, though? Like him like that?”

Sokka folded his arms over his chest, leaning back a little and huffing.

“I won’t tell him if you do.”

Sokka chanced looking at her, not sure if he believed what she said. But she smiled reassuringly, and it felt weird to Sokka to feel comforted by Azula smiling. Hesitantly, Sokka nodded. Azula was probably the best at keeping secrets anyway, so that did ease Sokka a little.

Azula looked away and her smile was almost soft, and she folded her hands in her lap.

“You should ask him out.”

Sokka laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. “As if he’d say yes. He’d probably laugh and reject me.”

Azula frowned a little, but didn’t get to say any more as the Earth Kingdom ambassador finally came inside.

Sokka was a little surprised that Azula had actually not told Zuko how he felt, and she wasn’t weird about it like he had guessed Katara or Aang would be.

Correctly guessed, mind you, because Sokka had finally told them and now the two tried to get him and Zuko alone whenever possible. And they would always try hinting at it whenever the group of friends hung out.

Toph would take pity on Sokka and distract Aang and Katara when this happened, much to Sokka’s delight.

Almost a year after his little encounter with Azula did something finally, finally happen. And it had left Sokka stunned.

He was visiting the fire nation for the first time in a long while, mostly on business and he’d barely had a chance to hang out with Zuko. He was busy doing firelord stuff whenever Sokka was free, and Sokka had meetings to attend whenever Zuko had a little freetime. Sokka was also a little disappointed to find out that Azula was already visiting, and he had assumed that she and Zuko would spend more time together like they always did.

But apparently, that wasn’t the case today.

Sokka was filling out some papers in his room, getting them done ahead of time so he’d have some more free time once he got home. He wasn’t expecting anyone to come and get him until dinner, since he had finished his last meeting about an hour ago and everyone else seemed pretty busy.

He was startled when a knock on his door distracted him from his work. Glancing at the clock, he saw that it wasn’t dinner yet. Frowning a little, he hoped it wasn’t something too important like another last second meeting as he pulled himself away from his work.

Sokka opened the door, expecting a guard or one of the many servants he saw scurrying around the palace, always so busy it was hard to even say hi. But he was greeted with something better - one firelord, smiling at him almost shyly.

He grinned at Zuko, leaning against the doorframe. “I thought you’d still be busy?” He found himself asking, and Zuko nodded a bit.

“I have another meeting in a few minutes. But I wanted to ask you something first.”

Sokka tilted his head, arms crossing over his chest as he waited for Zuko to continue. Zuko took Sokka’s small smile as encouragement.

Zuko took a deep breath, and Sokka noticed his cheeks looked a little pink. “Do you want to have a picnic later? As, um. As a date?”

Sokka’s eyes widened a little, and he just stared dumbly at Zuko for a minute. Zuko shifted on his feet, playing with the sleeves of his robe as he waited for an answer, his eyes moving to the floor, flickering back up to Sokka before returning down.

“Obviously you don’t have to-” Zuko was quick to rush before Sokka cut him off.

“Yes!”

Zuko looked up at him, surprised by Sokka’s sudden outburst. Sokka coughed and smiled sheepishly, his face burning as he laughed a little at himself.

“I mean, uh, sure.”

The firelord seemed to relax. “I’ll come get you in a few hours, a little after dinner typically starts?”

Sokka knew he was smiling like an idiot as he nodded and watched Zuko leave for his next meeting.

The rest of Sokka’s day passed by both too slowly and too quickly. He could barely focus on the documents he had been reading and writing before. Instead of the issues with trade routes to Omashu they’d been having, or the possibility of raising the age of when people can marry in the Southern Water Tribe (even if they’re soulmates), Sokka could only think about the fact that he was going on a date. With Zuko.

He could barely wrap his mind around it. In fact, Sokka thought he had dreamt the entire exchange until he heard a knock on his door again, a little after dinner had started, just as Zuko had asked.

Taking a deep breath, Sokka forced his body to relax as he answered the door.

He was surprised, finding Zuko in more casual clothes and looking a lot more relaxed than Sokka. He was smiling as he held out his arm for Sokka, and Sokka looped their arms together as they began walking. They talked as if nothing was out of the ordinary, as if Sokka wasn’t walking outside into the gardens with Zuko to have a date of all things. He tried to pretend that his heart wasn’t about to beat out of his chest and how in the world was Zuko so calm? Sokka was jealous Zuko could look so at peace as they sat down on a blanket together.

It wasn’t until then did Zuko look like he felt awkward, and he folded his knees up to his chest and seemed to take a moment to try and collect his thoughts. Sokka let him, opening the picnic basket that was in front of him and pulling out the drinks that had been carefully placed inside.

“I’m… really sorry that this was so sudden.” Zuko finally said, and Sokka glanced at him, head tilted. Zuko’s face was flushed and he stared at the pond a little ways away. “I just, honestly, I didn’t think you’d say yes,” he laughed a little, bringing a hand to his hair and twisting his fingers in it.

“You didn’t think I’d say yes?” Sokka repeated, and his heart skipped a beat as he continued after Zuko had nodded. “Why?”

Zuko shrugged, still not looking at Sokka. “I don’t know. You’re an amazing person, and I kept remembering when I told you about how your soulmate could still be alive. I guess I thought you’d want to try finding them. I’m sure that they’re just as amazing, and I guess that’s what stopped me.” Sokka’s mouth fell open, and Zuko continued before he could say anything. “I could deal without telling you because I thought you’d find them and be happy with them and all that, but… Then you didn’t. And it’s gotten harder to pretend that I don’t love you, y’know?”

Sokka’s eyes widened as he listened, and he hated that once again, when confronted with something as simple as feelings, he couldn’t say anything.

It took a little while, but eventually Sokka found his voice.

“Like I give a damn about soulmates.”

Zuko turned to look at him, confusion crossing over his face. He was met with a smile brighter than the sun.

“W… What?”

Sokka moved closer, settling next to Zuko and he still grinned like an idiot because by the gods Zuko loved him. “I don’t care about soulmates.” His hand found Zuko’s on the blanket and he rested his upon Zuko’s. “I’ll be honest, I was just scared to tell you… I thought you might reject me, and I could deal with not knowing more than I could knowing you didn’t love me back.”

Zuko’s brow furrowed, before his eyes lit up in realization and a small laugh erupted from him. Sokka’s grin softened as he watched Zuko, and his heart didn’t stop racing but he didn’t care, because he wasn’t nervous, not anymore at least.

“Zuko?” Sokka found himself asking after a few moments of them both soaking it all in. Zuko hummed, glancing at him. Sokka smiled hopefully. “Can I kiss you?”

Zuko huffed out a little laugh, but he nodded. Sokka’s smile grew as he pulled Zuko closer, one hand settling on Zuko’s waist while the other went to the back of Zuko’s neck, just resting there as he pressed their foreheads together. Sokka forced himself to relax as he waited, just cherishing the moment for a few seconds before closing the gap between them.

Sokka didn’t care about soulmates anymore. There wasn’t anyone else he wanted to be with, anyway.

#zukka #amberskywrites #atla #avatar the last airbender #zuko/sokka #sokka/zuko #atla sokka #atla zuko #sokka #zuko #soulmate au #(ask to tag)#ambersky

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whenihaveyouromione · 3 years

Text

When I Have You - Chapter 12

Read on Fanfiction.net or ao3 if you’d prefer!

Follow this story’s Instagram account whenihaveyou.romione

You can also participate in writing challenges and dtiys challenges - can be found on the IG or @rafa-rafaelx

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Chapter 12

Part of Ron wished Hermione hadn’t told him the date she was due to come back, because the next few weeks dragged. Every day, he’d wake up, get ready, then he and Harry would head off to wherever it was they were asked to show up for training that day. At first, it had started with simple tasks within the Ministry, but more recently, they branched out and were taken to various locations around Britain. It was fun, but completely exhausting, and by the time they got home, neither Ron nor Harry could be bothered to cook for themselves.

Word must have reached Molly about this (perhaps through Ginny, who insisted on spending every second night sleeping over), because she now dropped by every so often with food and berating them for not eating properly.

Ron had to admit, he was grateful for it, because on the few occasions he or Harry had attempted to make something, they had both failed miserably.

At the end of each week, they were tested on all the new skills they’d learnt, and much to the chagrin of those who hadn’t spent many months of the last year camping and searching for Horcruxes and experiencing all kinds of Dark magic, Ron and Harry found themselves finishing with the highest marks each time. Ron had the sneaking suspicion that their fellow trainees’ initial awe in working with the Harry Potter had waned ever so slightly.

But that didn’t bother either of them. Ron’s confidence in his ability to become an Auror had skyrocketed when he discovered he could actually do most — if not all — of the tasks asked of him.

But slowly—very slowly—the end of July came, and it was just one day away before Hermione was due to come home.

He’d only received one more letter from her since the first, which had mostly consisted of her being pleased that he and Harry had their own space, that she was happy training was going well, and a brief update on what was happening with her parents.

She’d been successful in restoring their memories, and each day, more and more came back to them. They still remembered their time as their aliases as well, so Hermione was keeping them company and helping them get through their disorientation of feeling like two different people. But she said everything had gone as well as it could have. Even in the letter, Ron could tell she was pleased with herself.

Stepping out from the fireplace after a particularly exhausting day, Ron tossed his bag on the couch and was about to collapse beside it when Ginny appeared in the room.

“Why don’t you just move in here,” he said spitefully. It bothered him that she was staying over so often, but not nearly as much as the irritation he felt about Hermione not staying with him. He just wanted her home.

Harry stepped out a moment after Ron and grinned at Ginny standing before him. “Hey!” he said brightly, coming over to kiss her.

Ron scowled and looked away.

“Oh, cheer up,” Ginny said. “Why don’t you come into the kitchen?”

“Why?” Ron asked, his tone harsher then he intended. He was just so tired. “It’s not more of your cooking, I hope.”

“Shut up and just come!” Ginny said, and she and Harry left the living room.

Ron followed reluctantly, wishing for nothing more than to go upstairs, shower, and go straight to bed. He still had two more days in the week left, and he needed a good night’s sleep.

But the bad mood he’d felt creeping up on him disappeared the moment he stepped into the kitchen. His heart almost leapt out of his chest and he couldn’t quite believe what — or who — he was seeing.

“Hermione!” he cried, and he didn’t waste anymore time in closing the gap between him and her. He engulfed her so tightly he wondered if she was able to breathe, but it didn’t seem to bother her. She threw herself into his hug and held on just as tightly.

“You weren’t supposed to be back until tomorrow!” he then said, hugging her even tighter, afraid that if he let go, she’d disappear.

“I know,” Hermione said warmly. “Mum and Dad reached a point where they just wanted to come home, so I arranged something with the Australian Ministry.” She pulled away and smiled up at him. She looked as tired as Ron felt, but she also looked happy.

Not being able to help himself, he kissed her, over and over, making up for their lost month.

“How are your parents, Hermione?” Harry asked.

Pulling away completely from Ron — Ron shot Harry a disgruntled look — Hermione nodded and looked at him. “They’re good. As good as can be, I mean. The memory of their life in Australia is beginning to fade, and they’re starting to feel more like just themselves. It’ll be a long process, but they’ll eventually forget that they were once Monica and Wendell Wilkins and just remember being… them.” She smiled sadly around at Ron, Harry and Ginny.

“Where are they now?” Ron asked.

“Home,” Hermione said. “I left them to settle in a bit and came over to see you all. I only got here about five minutes before you did. I’ll need to go back soon, as they sometimes have bouts of amnesia such as forgetting how to use a television or something simple like that. I don’t want them misusing knives or anything. I think it’s a side effect of altering their memories for so long, but no one can tell me if it’s temporary or permanent.” She sniffed.

Ron pulled her towards him again, wrapping his arms around her and resisting the urge to never let her go. “I’m glad you’re back,” he said.

“We all are,” Ginny added. “You’ve been missed.”

Hermione beamed at them, then glanced down at their feet, where a large, orange ball of fluff was slinking in and out between Ron's legs, purring loudly.

Hermione gasped, bending down to pick up Crookshanks. "What's he doing here?" she asked in amazement. "Crookshanks, I thought you were…"

Crookshanks nestled into Hermione's arms, continuing to purr.

"He was found at Hogwarts a few weeks back," Ron said. "Then, they gave him to me to keep until you returned." Instinctively, he reached out and scratched behind the cat's ears, earning a rather bemused look from Hermione. "Er —"

"He won't admit it," Harry said, "but he's become rather fond of Crookshanks. Was really worried the other day when we couldn't find him."

"Really?" Hermione asked, a smile slowly reaching her lips.

"Well… I…" Ron wouldn't have called it fond, but he had, admittedly, enjoyed the company and also how Crookshanks curled up against him at night. It oddly made him feel less lonely.

Hermione's small smile broke into a wide grin. "Would you like to keep him here?"

Ron, surprised by the thought of it, found he would like that very much, but he said instead, doing his best to sound disinterested, "I've only been looking after him until you got back. He's yours —"

"I'm not sure Mum and Dad would appreciate a cat at this time," Hermione said, and she placed Crookshanks back on the ground. "You'd be doing me a favour if you could look after him some more. I can get the food, of course. And everything else. You just need to provide the space."

"Okay," Ron said. "I don't mind." And he didn't. He'd do whatever to make her happy.

"Thank you," Hermione said.

"Alright, we better be off then," Ginny said. "Harry and I are going to the Burrow for dinner, so better get ready."

"We… are?" Harry asked, looking as if it was the first time he'd heard about it.

"We are now," Ginny said, and she grabbed his hand, dragging him towards the stairs. "They want to be alone, Harry."

"They could have just asked," Harry muttered, his voice soft as he climbed the stairs.

The moment they were gone, Ron wanted nothing more than to pick Hermione up and carry her upstairs himself, but he resisted and instead, asked, "How was it, really?"

"Hard," Hermione confessed. "Really hard. But we have plenty of time to talk about that later." She eased her arms around his neck, drawing herself closer to him. Then she kissed him, but it wasn't like all of the other times they'd kissed. There wasn't the urgency, the desperation; it was comforting, like something that had always been there, and always would be.

Ron pulled away, watching her, confusion rising in him. He'd missed her more than anything for the past month, and he'd fantasised often about what it would feel like to see her again. He'd imagined sweeping her into his arms, nights filled with passionate moments, holding her and never wanting to let her go.

But he'd not imagined this feeling of contentment, of just wanting to hold her, to kiss her, to be with her.

"What?" Hermione asked, her arms still around him.

Ron shook his head, smiling. "Nothing," he said, and he kissed her again. "I've just missed you. I almost forgot what you looked like."

She laughed. "I've missed you, too," she said, squeezing him tightly. "It really is good to be back."

They held onto each other for a moment longer, and then Ron said, "You want to tell me all about it? I've only heard snippets from Percy and your letters. What are Australian wizards like?"

But Hermione shook her head, dropping her arms from around his neck. "Tell me all about training!" she said excitedly. "I want to hear about everything. I bet you and Harry are fantastic at it. What kind of things have you done so far?"

Grinning, Ron took her hand and led her over to one of the chairs at the table. "It's amazing," he said as they both sat. "Really, really good. A lot of it, yeah, we know, but there's heaps of new stuff too. And at the moment it's all about teaching us signs to look for — not just spells or anything like that, but instead the way people behave. Can't say I'm great at that part, but I'm sure I'll get better."

Hermione watched him for a moment, an uncharacteristically huge smile plastered across her face. Ron suspected she was trying to push down her worry about her parents, but he didn't press the matter. He loved her smile.

Feeling his face heat at how impressed she looked, he averted his gaze to his hands and shrugged. "It's great."

"You'll make a wonderful Auror, Ron," Hermione said, and he heard the sincerity in her voice. "You have a rather tactical mind, which will be great for such a job. No wonder you're doing so well."

"... thanks," Ron said. "That means a lot."

He saw Hermione move ever so slightly. Ron thought she was going to kiss him again. But at just the same instant, Harry and Ginny reentered the kitchen, now with Harry out of his training robes, and Ginny with her hair done up.

So this was what it was like living with your best friend when your girlfriend was over. They chose the most inopportune moments to walk in.

"Well, we'll be heading out now," Ginny said cheerfully. "We'll get out of your hair. We probably won't be back until late tonight. See you."

They then left for the fireplace, and Ron turned back to Hermione, hopeful she might have wanted to pick up where they'd left off, but her mind seemed to be elsewhere now.

He reached across and grabbed her hand. "I love you," he said. "And they'll be alright."

She smiled at him, and this time he noticed a stray tear that she blinked away. "I love you, too," she whispered. "And I hope so."

Ron spent some more time talking about the training. Every time he tried to ask her about Australia, though, she'd respond by asking him another question about him. He got the message well enough that she wasn't interested in talking about it just yet and gave up asking.

"Why don't we go for a walk?" he said after a moment, jumping to his feet.

Hermione also stood up, looking at him curiously. “A walk?”

“Of course,” Ron said. “You didn’t think the block ended at Twelve Grimmauld Place, did you?”

Hermione smiled. “Of course not. But when we were hiding out here, I never really thought about the neighbourhood. It would be nice to see it.” And she accepted his hand.

Ron didn’t know why he’d thought of a walk when they had the whole of Grimmauld Place to their disposal, but it felt like the right thing to do. He’d come to value his time with Hermione when he couldn’t have it, and as much as he would have liked to take her upstairs and then proceed to take off her clothes as well, he had a feeling her current concern over her parents would not have set the right mood.

So, a walk it was.

They got halfway down the street before Hermione spoke. She looked around at the Muggle houses surrounding them, frowning. “It’s not a pleasant place, is it?” she said. “Grimmauld Place, I mean?”

“Not really,” Ron said. “But it’ll do for a while, I guess. I don’t plan on living there forever. That’d be depressing.”

“How long do you plan on being there?” Hermione asked.

Ron took a moment to reply, contemplating his answer. Truthfully, he hoped that one day he and Hermione could live together. But he didn’t know if she wanted to hear that right now, so he said, “I guess until Harry kicks me out.”

“I don’t think he’ll ever do that,” Hermione said, smirking. “He likes your company.”

“Sure he will,” Ron said. “When he wants Ginny to move in, and then I’ll be in the way all the time.”

“I think it’s great that you have your own space, though, even if it’s only for a little bit.”

They continued a bit further in silence. They turned down another street that was lined with more Muggle houses. Ron had never ventured this far into the Muggle world — he hadn’t dared without Hermione. Now that he was in it, it seemed a pretty simple life, if he was being honest.

Hermione’s mind seemed to be on the same thought, because she said, “Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if we didn’t have magic?”

“Not really,” Ron said. “I grew up with it. It’s all I know.”

“That’s true, I suppose. It’s different for me. I feel as if I’ve lived two very separate lives. I do sometimes wonder what it would be like if I’d just been born —”

“Don’t say normal,” Ron said.

“I don’t know what other word there is for it.” Hermione was thoughtful for a moment. When she looked back at Ron, tears had formed at the corners of her eyes.

Ron stopped walking and gathered her into his arms, running his fingers through her hair. “It’s alright,” he soothed.

“It’s just,” Hermione sniffed against him, “had I never been born with magic, had I never gotten my letter, then I never would have been able to alter my parents’ memories. We never would have been in danger. I would have —”

“We never would have met,” Ron said, the very thought of not having Hermione in his life a strange one. She’d been a part of his life in one way or another for so long now, to never have met her almost seemed unthinkable.

Hermione smiled, pulling away and wiping her eyes. “I just feel awful for what I did to them. They were so confused, so unsettled. They just weren’t my parents.”

“You kept them safe,” Ron said. “And they’ll be grateful for that. It means you have many more years together with them. When you think what the alternative could have been…”

Hermione nodded. “I know. I just hope they’ll forgive me.”

“They haven’t yet?” Ron asked, wondering if this was why she hadn’t wanted to talk about them until now.

Hermione shook her head. “They have. They just… maybe I need to forgive myself.”

Ron reached for her and cupped her face in his hands. Then, in the middle of the street, he kissed her. Like earlier, it felt different, but his heart beat furiously against his chest with just the touch of her lips against his. His head suddenly swam with so many thoughts and one of them was why did it now feel different?

Her absence, the longing he had felt for her return, had changed everything about their relationship. Not in a bad way — far from it — but it was different. The desperate desire he’d felt for her, trying to make up for years of not knowing how to handle his feelings, had passed. He knew how to handle it now, and that changed everything.

For him, at least, this was forever. This moment, standing in the middle of a street, lost in her kiss, was how he wanted it to always be. He was completely and utterly in love with her and Merlin was that a good feeling.

Pulling away, looking rather flushed, but also thrilled, Hermione said, “What was that for?”

“I just missed you,” he replied. “And I’m glad you're back. Please don't ever go away again."

She beamed up at him, her mouth finding his once more. Her arms snaked around his shoulders, drawing him closer towards her. He gladly obliged.

He knew that in a month she would be going away again, but at least they now had another whole month together where he could pretend that it would be forever.

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