#tooth-rotting fluff inbound

[frazzleboop]

[Cinematic Theatrics] - Sundrop x gn!Reader

Took me long enough to get this out. Here's that tooth-rotting fluff I promised. Reader works in the theater.

Also, a note, there's no real gendered language used to describe the reader here, as opposed to the fem!reader I'd originally intended. Can't promise it'll stay gender neutral for future installments if they so happen to spring up. We'll see. Anyway, enjoy~

Words: 3,541 CW: None. Tooth-rotting fluff. Original male character who is a turd. 'Das it.

Cheerful music buzzes from the speaker above your head as you hum the tune to yourself. It was impossible not to get stuck in your head when it could be heard everywhere in the Daycare area and even here behind the concession stands of the Superstar Daycare Theater. Your hands grip at the damp rag you were using to wipe down the counter and soda machines when the soft thumping of what sounded like many small footsteps and the sweet tinkling of bells begins to creep closer and closer. Leaning slightly over the counter, you couldn’t help but smile as a small parade of toddlers and children began to march towards the Theater, a tall, bright figure leading the charge with a voice as bubbly and exuberant as his design.

The animatronic in charge of the daycare lifts his knees high, arms swinging joyously, unhindered by the multiple children practically clinging to his spindly yet sturdy frame. Though you didn’t often work very closely with them, you found Sun and Moon to be the highlight of your days working at the Freddy Fazbear Mega Pizza Plex. It was so interesting to be able to see such fascinating characters in action; the AI that had been developed for Fazbear Entertainment never ceased to amaze you in how much depth and realism each respective character had. Indeed, you often found yourself musing how downright human some of the animatronics seemed. Maybe in another life it would have been too eerie, bordering Uncanny Valley territory; maybe it should have bothered you how easy it was to accept the fact that, although they were made of metal, wires and plastic, you could so easily see them as people rather than objects made for children’s entertainment.

But, no, not to you. You lived to see this.

“The ants go marching three by three, hurrah~! Hurrah! The ants go marching three by three, hurrah! Hurrah!” A quick shift of his head has Sun beaming in your direction with a wave. “Hellooooo, [Y/N]~! You’re looking awfully swell today! Say hello, kids!” A chorus of children's voices half-shouting your name never failed to put a smile on your face as you waggle your fingers back at them, stretching your body to lean your elbows on the counter and count them as they slowly march by. “What’s on the schedule for today, Starshine?” he calls out.

“It’s your favorite, Sunny!” you coo, happily in response, watching the solar rays surrounding his faceplate spin rapidly in glee, arms outstretched in a pose that radiates pure elation at the news.

“Oh, ‘FazTasia’! Wonderful, wonderful! Popcorn and Fizzy-Faz all around!” he cries, causing the children to scream in cheer at the news that there would be soda and snacks to go with their movie.

“You got it,” you reply back easily, keeping that mental count in your head of how many would be needed to hand out to every child. It looked to be a total of about fifteen kids; thankfully you weren’t the only staff member working the concessions because heaven knows you couldn’t grab it all on your lonesome, even with your prior experience in the food service industry. “Anything for you, Sunny! Enjoy your movie, kids!”

At your words, the daycare attendant animatronic seems to jolt and spasm for the briefest of moments, kicking a leg out in his enthusiasm at the slight praise. “Wow, wow, wow!” He seems to almost puff and preen at that, a more defined bounce in his step as he and the gaggle of kids at his heels disappear further into the cinema. You chuckle, shaking your head; it really was too easy to rile him up. The littlest glimmer of praise and compliments and he instantly became a puppy wagging his tail.

You turn your attention to your coworker, Ben, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed and giving you a stare that seems to be equal parts judgement and amusement. “What?” you ask, a twinge of bashfulness causing the blood to ride it’s way to your face.

“Why do you do that?”

“Do what?” you counter, beginning to focus your energy on counting out the number of cups, lids, straws, and popcorn bags you would be needing to sate the appetites of the kiddos. “Are you going to just stand there and watch, or are you going to help me? Get some trays.”

Ben merely shrugs off the wall and grabs a few large serving trays from a cubby under the counter, setting them out as you set about organizing snack time, all the while peering at you with a strange expression. “Why do you talk to the daycare attendant like that? It’s not human. Don’t you think it’s kind of creepy?”

You don’t bother to spare him a glance, instead lining up the small cups and beginning to dispense the fizzy soft drink into them. Each child at the Daycare was given one pass for a free FazMeal at the diner or a pass for free concessions at the theater when there was a show scheduled, like today. Those, you would collect from Sun once the treats were passed out.

Ben of course is a teenager, perpetually edgy, angsty, and unimpressed with most things. And while you can’t exactly blame him—hell, you remember your teenage years weren’t exactly a walk in the park; now in your mid-twenties, you sympathized with your poor parents for having to put up with you, bless their hearts—it still strikes a nerve to hear him speak of Sun in this way. You adored Sun; his bright and bubbly personality was a breath of fresh air to you (especially when compared to Mr. Grumpypants over here). If you had even a smidge of an opportunity to work more closely with the animatronic, you’d have taken it in a heartbeat. It helps that you adored children, despite having none of your own. Working at the Mega Pizza Plex (and particularly the Daycare) was a dream come true for you.

“No, I don’t think he’s creepy at all,” you retort, correcting his improper use of Sun’s pronouns and passing the drinks to him to place their lids on; fifteen cola-flavored Fizzy-Fazzes down, now on to the popcorn. It was as simple as filling the bags, as the machine had been prepped and a fresh stream of fluffy kernels had been popped and perpetually heated only a few short hours ago. “He’s actually very sweet, not to mention he’s such a hard-worker; him and Moon. You have to be, in order to work with this many children every day.”

You think you hear him grumble something about “Of course it is, it’s programmed that way,” but you choose to ignore that with a sigh and a roll of your eyes. There was just no pleasing some people. Teenagers.

“Just help me with these, would you?” Exasperated, you grabbed the plastic tray with both hands, hoisting it into the crook of your arm and shifting your weight to help balance it. While it was tempting to just give Ben the fifteen soft drinks to carry on his own, in the spirit of fairness, you’d divvied the snacks equally between the two of you; in part, you didn’t want to be responsible if the kid happened to trip up and dump all the drinks on the head of some hapless toddler, thus making more mess for Sun to clean and fuss over, though you also acknowledged that though the popcorn bags weren’t a great burden, their distinct lack of weight compared to their height only meant they were slightly more top-heavy and liable to tip over on the tray and spill. Either way, you were saving yourself and Sun a mess to clean up later.

Not that you’d ever seen the happy-go-lucky attendant seem to mind much. True, he was programmed to see to it that any messes made were promptly and efficiently cleaned before they became a hazard to those in his care or to his fellow employees, but he also never seemed to get truly upset over it, either. Always taking whatever the day threw at him in stride (unlike certain coworkers you’d not mention by name). The perks of being a machine crafted specifically to cater to and keep up with children and their boundless energy; Sunny was a (literal) ray of sunshine who never seemed to tire the way a human would.

Spotting Sunny doing his absolute best to wrangle the children into some semblance of order in the front rows of the cinema, you and Ben begin your trek down. Spot lights illuminate the small section of stage before them as they clamber about, squirming over the padded bench cushions and colorful foam play blocks strewn about the area, while a Fazbear and Friends cartoon advertises the glorious treats to be had at the concession stands. Within seconds, several of the tots have taken notice of your approaching figures and a cacophony of cheers erupts, causing Sun to turn his head in your direction. His static grin almost seems to stretch wider as the light casts a shadow across his faceplate, though you’re fairly certain that is an impossibility.

Even still, you find yourself grinning right back, unable to help it. You watch as the rays around his head spin and wiggle in delight as you draw near. “Wonderful, simply splendid! Oh here, let me help you with that, Starshine!” the animatronic enthuses as he rises and takes the tray from your hands, holding it ever so carefully to allow you to begin passing around the treats to the kids.

Once everyone settles in, he passes the now empty tray over to Ben, who takes it with an averted gaze and a groan, even as Sunny thanks him heartily for his service. You muster a stern glance at the back of Ben’s retreating head as he seems only too eager to get as far away from Sun as he can, but even then, as you bask in the presence of your most favored animatronic, you can’t find it in you to be frustrated for more than a second or two. Sunny just has that effect on you.

The children happily chatter away as they wait for the show to start, the company commercials starting to roll just like in any normal cinema would. Backing away a bit so as to not make a nuisance of yourself getting in the way of the kids, you crook a finger at Sun, who is only too happy to follow you those few steps, looming over you as he shifts from one foot to the other. Ever the restless bundle of energy, this one.

“You have their passes?” Lowering your voice, you hold out your palm. Sun’s grin only seems to get wider, a trick of the light, as the LEDs of his eyes dim ever so slightly, as though he were squinting at you. For having a fixed appearance, he sure could be expressive with the limited range he possesses.

“Of course I do, silly,” he chirps, brightly though not as loud as he usually is, dialing down his boisterous nature to accommodate the theater setting. It was an amazing example of his advanced AI, having the ability to recognize such social cues from his surroundings and adjust his behavior accordingly. From a pocket in his pants, he produces the aforementioned Theater Concession Passes—(“Good for one free popcorn and Fizzy-Faz with the purchase of a Superstar Daycare/Theater Pass! Complementary refills at select locations. Offer valid for date of purchase only. Certain exclusions apply. See S.T.A.F.F. for details!”)—and waves the stack in your face. “They’re all right here, see?” The animatronic makes as though to put them in your hand, but seems to think better of it and snatches them back, dangling them out of your reach. “What will you give me for them, hm? Hm?” Sun’s voicebox is low but excited, giddy, teasing you as he uses his towering height to his advantage.

This isn’t really so odd of an occurrence. The daycare attendant animatronic was rather quirky and playful, even to staff, much to the chagrin of your fellow employees who didn’t seem to care much for Sun’s antics. You, however, were a different story. You could play his game. Resting your chin daintily on your knuckles, you simply smile at him as you shift your weight from one side of your hip to the other. “Okay, I’ll bite. What would you like for them this time, Sunny?” Often enough when he got into these playful moods, he would usually politely request an extra concession snack for himself—though, truthfully, you weren’t even sure if he actually ate it considering his mouth didn’t move or open; it was much more likely that he shared it amongst his little charges instead, sneaky Sun smuggling them extra treats before naptime—or perhaps a few extra FazCoins to pass out to the kids so they could each have a chance to stop by the arcade and play a game if they liked.

Sun hums to himself, mimicking your stance and pretending to think about it a moment. “Hmmm, how about…” He draws it out for so long, you begin to wonder what’s on his mind. Usually he’s all too eager to ask for those extra snacks, knowing exactly what pleading tone to use to get his way. Something lights in his eyes, and you briefly think you see a faint flicker of color there—blue, red, blue in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it pass—before they turn back to their normal pale white, leaving you wondering if you really saw anything at all. “How about, for these passes, I get…” He leans his faceplate in closer, leering over you. “…a kiss!”

If you’d been drinking anything in that moment, you’d probably have spat it all out in Sun’s face, sputtering for a reply. That was the last thing you’d expected him to ask of you. Where did THAT come from? Who taught him that? “A… kiss…?”

“A kiss,” he confirms, merrily, waggling the passes once more. “Then these are aaaaaaall yours. Whaddaya say, Starshine? Just one little kiss, right here.” He turns his face towards you, tapping a long, spindly finger on the rounded portion of his cheek. How does he manage to look both smug and shy at the same time, you wonder. It’s honestly adorable. “Pretty please?”

This… didn’t mean anything, right? Certainly didn’t—couldn’t—mean what your poor disheveled mind was trying to twist it into… It had to be the children. Or– or maybe even their parents! Sun must have seen one of the kids giving a kiss to another, or a mother kissing her husband, and thought that maybe that’s just what friends do. Because you were friends. Everyone was Sun’s friend, but you especially considered yourself his friend, because, well, you liked Sun. And Sun sure seemed to like you, but that didn’t mean— It didn’t— He didn’t “like you” like you, did he? Was that even possible, because you’re fairly certain that—

You cut off your panicked inner monologue mid-ramble as you blink and take in the sight before you. Oh. Oh, he’s still waiting, looking at you rather expectantly, and just how can you say no when he asks so politely and looks so sweetly back at you? (Could you get in trouble for this? Well, nothing in the employee rulebook specifically states that you shouldn’t kiss the animatronics, and it is just a peck on the cheek, right?) “O-of course, Sunny.” As if it were the most natural course of action that you weren’t overthinking and overcomplicating. It’s a kiss. Just a little kiss. Between coworkers— friends.

Placing a hand on his head, you turn Sun’s faceplate more towards you and away from the little ones sitting not ten feet away—(hopefully they were too invested in their soda and popcorn to notice and any who looked your way would think perhaps you were just sharing a secret with their daytime guardian; hopefully.) Having to stand on the tips of your toes rather than dragging him fully to your level, you lean in, finding that he’s also doing the same. He wants this.

Your lips touch the smooth, warm texture of Sun’s faceplate, and you can feel through that brief contact the way he thrums with energy and electricity, mechanisms vibrating and gears turning and fans whirring away underneath a shell of plastic and what feels like soft silicone. Pulling back, you spot what looks like stars and hearts pulsing within his eyes and he rocks back on his heels as though knocked for a loop, like a living cartoon. Large hands come up to cup his own face and he swoons with a glitchy, warbled “Wo~owza!”

You giggle to yourself; what a ham. There’s a soft sound, as of someone clearing their throat, and you nearly give yourself whiplash as you spin towards the entrance to the theater, where Ben was peering around the corner, probably wondering why you were taking so long, with a look that was quite possibly disgust and judgement but you couldn’t tell from this far away. Oh boy. You avert your gaze elsewhere, face burning and you cough and hold out your hand to Sun again, who, it seems, still hasn’t composed himself either. “So, the, uh, the passes?”

“Oh yes, yes, yes! It’s only fair, only fair,” Sun says, rocking forward once more, practically caging you against the theater wall. You throw your hands out to press against his chest as though to hold him up but he merely crouches down to your level and begins counting out the tickets aloud. “—fourteen, aaaaaand fifteen! There we are! All present and accounted for!” He eagerly presses the stack of passes into your palms and you curl your fingers around their weight. “Thank you so, so much for your hard work, [Y/N]!” And he leans back, addressing the children even while his attention never leaves your form. “What do we say, kids?”

A chorus of children’s voices—both semi-harmonious and oddly discordant with the varying levels of attention and enthusiasm from the little tots—reaches you, gratitude for the snacks and drinks. Only some seem to really bother to look your way, as they’re all mostly buzzing with sugar-fueled energy and anticipation for their movie. “You’re all so very welcome. Enjoy the movie,” you manage in return, face still warm as you shove the tickets into your waist apron. Hitching a thumb in the direction of the concession stands, you avert your gaze from Sun once again. “I should get back to work and get that movie going.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Sun enthuses, already recovered from the kiss in record fashion. “Don’t want to keep you from your work. Thanks again, Starshine. I’ll see you again on the way out.” The soft inflection of his tone seems so…. hopeful, like he’s looking forward to it, and you’re not entirely sure what to make of that.

But before you can pull away entirely, a large hand curls around your own and lifts it. You follow the motion in puzzlement before Sunny bends his mechanical neck and presses his faceplate against the tops of your knuckles, a soft mimicry of a kiss, the only way he knows how. Even embellishes it with a soft “mwah”. The gesture is so tender and… dare you call it, romantic of him? Where did he learn these emotions from, these downright human expressions?

Something in your chest tugs and squeezes and begs to be analyzed further, as he lifts his face to stare at you once more, color blooming to even his cheeks now. Your fingertips chase the pigmentation, swiping across his face in a gentle caress that he leans into with a hushed exhalation from his voice box.

You allow your hand to slip from Sunny’s face and the moment is broken. He straightens, skipping back off to join the kids at the front of the cinema. Wiping your palms across the front of your apron, you nearly trip over yourself in your haste to get back to the counter. Bringing up your FazWatch, you enter in the command to finally queue up the movie for the group in there, hearing the cheers of the children as the lights dim ever so slightly and the opening theme music to FazTasia begins to swell.

Returning to your spot, you take up your cleaning rag from before and set about tidying up your station, even though you’re lost in thoughts of a certain jovial robot in the next room, currently singing along to the music of the movie that plays. Feeling eyes on the back of your head, you scoff and try not to look Ben in the eye, knowing full-well he’s there and staring at you like you’ve grown two heads. Finally, unable to take much more of his silent stare, you snap. “What?”

Ben merely scoffs and shakes his head. “Seriously, gross.” You roll your eyes and get back to your work, yet your peripheral vision catches the small subtle quirk of his lips.

“…So, when’s the wedding?”

He has to duck to dodge the heavy rag you violently chuck at his stupid grin.

[lostinfantasies38]

Love Yourself Challenge

Tagged by @cartadwarfwithaheartofgold​​  thanks lovely!! 

Rules: It’s time to love yourselves! Choose your 5 favourite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc. ) and link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world. Tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

1. Sun Touched

A novelization of DA: Origins with my fearless former Carta babe, Sirra Brosca.

I love this story soooo much!  It has so much heart and soul and highlights the experiences of a dwarven exile letting go of her dark past and opening herself up to new opportunities. Allowing herself to love and be loved, to make lasting friendships, to be who she is meant to be. Sirra is feisty and fierce, yet vulnerable and lost at the same time. She is relatable, and I definitely put a fair bit of myself in her. 

Full of dwarven headcanons and culture, it digs deep into the psychological effects of war and past trauma (i.e. mind the tags). Plenty of dark angst that I try to level out with sweet romance. This is probably my magnum opus and I love this world and my characters like they are my children.

It is not finished (this is a massive undertaking, I’ll have you know!) but it is a labor of love. I have not forgotten this story either and I fully intend to upload a new chapter soon. I’ve merely hit an awkward point in the story that I need to revise a bit, but never fear - Sirra will be back and kicking ass very soon!  

Read her story here on AO3!  

2. Find Me Well Within Your Grace

A Cullistair fic that is also becoming an epic. Set in an alternate universe in which Cullen and Alistair meet as boys at the Bournshire monastery, training to be Templars and fall in love. It will span seventeen years: pre-Blight, through the games during their separation, to their reunion in Skyhold during Inquisition. 

I was inspired to write this story after noticing there have been no attempts to do something along this vein since Swords and Broken Shields by the phenomenal elfroot (tumblr: @elfrooted​). I’m sure other writers did this out of respect, because S&BS is fantastic and I get nervous when I compare the two. Plus, this is another giant undertaking (I’m a masochist, apparently). But I couldn’t resist - the boys were begging me to write them, so here we are!

They are underage for a good portion of the fic so it won’t get explicitly sexy until they have aged up, which allows me to focus on their feelings and experiences as teens. A truly fascinating project, let me tell you! 

Go check it out, if you’re interested in what Commander Cullen was like as a boy or have ever wondered what growing up in a monastery surrounded by thirty recruits would be like. With my background in medieval history, I have taken the liberty to sprinkle that knowledge in the story and make it come alive.

Read their story here! 

3. You Give Me That Lovin’ Feelin’

This is my collection of one-shots and short stories compiled from @scharoux​ 14 Days of DA Lovers prompts for Valentine’s this year. All rare pairs (because that is my schtick!) and fluffy, fluffy, fluffy!  Seriously, it will give you cavities.

Pairings you will find within: Cullistair; Morristair (Morrigan x Alistair); Cullen x Josephine; Bethany Hawke x Nathanial Howe; Female Trevelyan x Varric Tethras; Alistair x Female Trevelyan; and Lace Harding x Female Lavellan

Read the tooth rotting fluff here! 

4. Careworn

Angst prompt from @somniaran​ featuring Varric.

Honestly, to this day, I don’t know where this came from. I read the prompt “Did you ever love me?” and this just… fell out of me in the span of two hours. I even managed to keep it under 800 words, which is a miracle - I’m very long winded.

I’ve tried to resurrect this magnificent prose since and I haven’t been able to nail it down. At least I have it here as proof that once, just once, my words touched heaven and blessed me with this unbelievable creation.

Angst inbound here on AO3!

5. Ruby Red

A Morristair gut punch of angst!  A reunion fic between Alistair and Morrigan at Skyhold that is awkward, but not antagonistic.  Yes, Kieran is there and you really need to go read it now!!

If you crave angst, and wish to sob into your comfort drink of choice, demanding the universe tell you why the author would rip your heart out and stomp it - this one is for you! 

It may hurt like hell, but it’s so fucking good and I’m inordinately proud of it. I may go back at some point and clean it up a bit, since I wrote this early in my re-emergence into fanfiction, but it will do for now. MIND THE TAGS.

Read how to break your heart in 6 chapters here! 

Well, this was a lot of fun! I hope my followers, new and old, find something interesting to pass the time. There are more works on my AO3 - these are just my top 5 faves.  

Tagging @fandomn00blr​ @darlingrutherford​ @ranawaytothedas​ @kita-lavellan​ @ginnyq​ @scharoux​ @kittimau​ @cornfedcryptid @cassandra-pentughasst @dalish-rogue @ginnyq @hanatsuki89 @hottyofhonnleath @jellysharkbat @jacklyn-flynn @kauriart @lucyrne (no pressure, of course!) Apologies for double tags and everyone I haven’t tagged is ALWAYS welcome to join in the fun! Share your faves with us! 💖 Stay safe friends!