#Originally it was supposed to be the more classic sense of a soulmate | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

you-are-my-joy · 3 years

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Hye hyeee, do you have bangtan fic recs ? (If possible, angsts hoho) 😆

“If possible, angsts”

you've come to the right person love

Here's a few of my favorite fics with some angst (of course with fluff and smut)

(Might add on to this list in the future)

OT7 stories

Ethereal Orbit by @nomseok (fluff, angst, smut)

Summary: Somehow you’ve landed on this strange planet named Utepnia and you have to save their race from extinction.

(Note: Honestly one of my favs)

Enchanted to meet you by @ditttiii (fluff, angst, smut)

Summary: no one ever told you that you had a soulmate or—soulmates for that matter. humans don’t have soulmates but shapeshifters do. what are you supposed to do when the seven members of the worlds biggest boy band turn out to be your soulmates—only for you to realise that they aren’t even human.

The band is on a hiatus and army thinks they are completing their mandatory military service. you believe that too, at least you did, until you realised that you had adopted them and that one way or another they were gonna live with you—as hybrids because apparently you all are soulmates.

Lifeline by @forgottenpasta

Summary: What happens when a witch curses seven vampires to share one fated mate between them?

More ot7 fic recs can be found here

And fics recommended to me through asks by @ephemerallyrainy found here and by a lovely anonie found here

Multiple members

Florescence by @jincherie (fluff, smut, angst)

Pairing: Jin x reader x Taehyung

Summary: Okay, so maybe you’re lonely, and maybe there is something missing in your life, a void that you maybe want to fill with a companion that may or may not be of human origin… You’re perfectly content not doing anything about it though, until your best friend calls you in desperate need for your help and you suddenly end up coming home with not one, but two hybrids that may or may not have been on the way to the chopping block had you not taken them in. They’re more than a little rough around the edges, and the situation is less than ideal but… maybe the best things don’t always come in perfect, shiny packages. Maybe they just need a little time to bloom.

Reasons Wretched and Divine by @hollyhomburg (angst)

Pairing: Yoongi x Jimin x Namjoon x reader

Summary: You live on an isolated but sprawling farm with your abusive husband, but things start to change for the better when your husband adopts a retired police dog hybrid named Namjoon.

Jin stories

Seven Seconds in heaven by @jimlingss (angst, fluff, tiny bit of smut)

Summary: In the moment of your death, Heaven drops the hammer of punishment; making him travel back in time to relive memories that can never be changed. Seven memories. Seven minutes in each. Seven seconds before they are ripped away.

(Note: this is actually really sad oml)

Last November by @kithtaehyung (angst, smut)

Summary: You two broke up on good terms. even seeing each other on your friends’ yearly end-of-november trip was never awkward. so why did this trip feel so different? and why does it feel like the end of something that wasn’t even there in the first place?

2,561 Days by @gossamie (angst)

Summary: Two years of marriage could not stop the relationship from falling apart. As an attempt to seek closure before the divorce, Seokjin and you retrace your seven years together.

Ephemeral by @donewithjeon (angst)

Warning: mentions of death

(Note: this one hurt me :( especially the last line...)

Yoongi stories

Burnout by @myfeelsinink (angst. fluff)

Summary: A tale of relationship torn apart by the classic supervillain, distance. Perhaps, when people ask you how does you and Yoongi ends, you should’ve answered like a fire burning out.

Goodbye by @itsamejin (angst)

Summary: Yoongi watched silently as you exited the car and out of his life, but he can’t help but feel a sense of panic at the thought of you leaving him for good.

The Truth Between Us by @jimlingss and @gukyi (angst, fluff)

Summary: a book deal should be the most exciting time of your life, but there seems to be a constant and omnipresent damper on your mood in the form of a certain min yoongi, who you would just cut out from your life, if he weren’t your editor. but then, the world shifts beneath your feet, and you begin to wonder if maybe you’ve always been looking at life from the wrong angle.

Hoseok stories

Sunshower by @jimlingss (fluff, smut, tiny bit of angst)

Summary: Hoseok is the sun and you are the rain. There are no ways you can compare to him.

Meadows by @mortaljin (angst, fluff, implied smut)

Summary: You plant flowers because there is no consequence to accidentally killing one, that’s why you don’t have a pet. Your life becomes a lot more stressful one day, however, when you barter for an exotic flower seed at your local market place. No matter what you do, it won’t grow. The old woman who gave it to you gave you no instructions, other than adequate water and sunlight, on how to care for the flower. You were about to give up, ready to smash the flower pot to smithereens, when the softest, faintest voice begs you not to. You were just hearing things, right? It’s not like the voice came from the seed, right? "If possible, angsts"

The Train of Lost Souls by @inktae (angst)

Summary: The moment you step inside the train, you are given two options.You can choose to live, to be given a second and a last chance in life, in exchange for your memories and your previous existence. You can choose to be alive again, but it can only be an entirely new life. Everyone you’ve ever crossed paths with would forget your name. All the pain and the love you knew, all the ups and downs that made you hurt and made you smile — all of it, completely gone.

Or you can choose to move on, to give your life away while keeping your memories until the end of time. To step out of the world of the living and to embrace a new kind of loneliness, but with the warmth of your past always safe between your cold hands.

You are dead, but it’s up to you to do something about it.

The choice is solely yours.

Namjoon stories

Bloom by @hobidreams (angst, smut, action, little bit of fluff)

Summary: Family is who you kill for. Who you die for. In this society, you and your kin are shadows, clinging to the darkness to obey orders absolute. But when such orders command you to abandon what little honor remains for wealth and notoriety, you find yourself lost in lonely uncertainty about the only vocation you’ve ever known. That is, until you meet a man with gentle hands, a poet’s heart, and a love for coaxing the world into bloom.

(Note: y’all just read it, it’s so good)

Good to me by @httpjeon (angst, fluff, smut)

Summary: club ardor holds a special raffle for a free night with a man who will supposedly be the boyfriend of your dreams. you definitely don’t expect to win.

Jimin stories

Lavender Hues by @inktae (angst, fluff, smut)

Summary: It all started with brown and lilac eyes, a shy and virtuous smile -and you thought you knew beauty before.

The Waltz Between Us by @inktae (angst, fluff, smut)

Summary: A Christmas Story

Soliloquy by @kinktae (fluff)

Summary: Jimin was a boy who had an affinity for flowers. You were a girl who liked to talk to them. It all should have been very simple. Except for the incredibly complex fact that Jimin was an angel and you were painfully human, completely oblivious to his existence and how he had somehow fallen deeply and foolishly in love with you.

Dead Leaves & Wasted Roses by @jamaisjoons (angst)

Summary: by sheer luck, or as if destiny bound as he liked to think of it, jimin had met you. and then, in a blink of an eye, and in a cruel twist of fate, he’d instantly lost you.

Taehyung stories

The firefly that guards the fox by @magicsalemander (angst)

Summary: His mother and father weren’t supposed to fall in love. They weren’t supposed to find a mate in one another.

They weren’t supposed to.

After losing his father years ago, Taehyung vows to find and avenge the injustice his family has gone through. You were childhood friends with Taehyung. The four of you Taehyung, Hoseok, your older brother and you were inseparable. You were torn apart from Taehyung, your fox who’ve you’ve always vowed to protect and be with, without a warning. He called you Firefly, you called him Tae-Tae the fox. Was your fate supposed to end there in the past with your childhood?

Paper cranes by @aquaminwrites (smut, angst, fluff)

Summary: It is said that if someone folds 1000 paper cranes, they will receive one wish. Kim Taehyung has been folding you paper cranes since he was six years old. He won’t tell you what he’s going to wish for once he reaches his goal, but even into your twenties, all you know is that he’s been wishing for the same thing every time.

Love is the Warmest Colour by @honeymoonjin (fluff, smut) (not much angst but still a good fic lol)

Summary: still bitter about a scandal that ruined your painting career, you’re recommended a getaway by your therapist to a small island off the coast of seoul. expecting a tranquil location to wallow in self-pity, you’re startled when on your first night, you encounter an avid fan of your work. instead of annoying you for an autograph, kim taehyung ends up being the very thing you need to fall in love with art again.

With love by @rosaetae (angst)

Summary: You were only 15 when you were diagnosed with cancer and met your best friend. He promised to stay by your side. You were 15 when you started gaining feelings. You were 15 when you started writing letters. You accepted the fact that you were going to die. You were only 18 when you were ready to leave.

(Note: (T_T) )

Jungkook stories

Future Hearts by @jungblue (smut, angst) (A bit of jimin x reader)

Summary: It was everything, from his tattoos, to his touches, to the way sweat rolled down his neck as he strummed into his guitar on stage; everything about him completely enthralled you. So why are you now, two and a half years later, on a train to Seoul, telling a complete stranger the recollection of how you became fated to forever have scars on all of your future hearts due to the happiness, but most of all the pain, that came along with falling in love with Jeon Jungkook.

(Note: Fair warning, the last time this was updated was three years ago.. but it’s still such a good fic, one of my favs <3)

Fatal Attraction by @jungcock (angst, fluff, smut)

Summary: Your dangerous ex-boyfriend comes back to haunt you in more ways than one

(Note: Honestly one of my favorite fics, but sadly the last update was also three years ago... but still I recommend reading it!)

Purple Rain by @borathae (smut, angst) (a little bit of taehyung x reader)

Summary: “Two months on the road with Jungkook and his friends and you couldn’t be happier about your life. You spend your days laughing, dancing and rolling around the sheets with the boy of your dreams, all whilst visiting beautiful places.

But your idyllic life soon changes, when Taehyungs past catches up with him, putting not only him, but your entire gang in danger. Can the group get through his betrayal and if so can you outrun the danger before it is too late?”

(Note: this entire series *chefs kisses* hurt me in the best ways)

Proposals by @pjxmin (smut, fluff, slight angst)

Summary: You and Jeongguk propose at restaurants to get free food, but somewhere along the way you start to fall for him.

#fic recs #poly bts #poly!bts #bts fanfic #jin x reader #yoongi x reader #hoseok x reader #namjoon x reader #jimin x reader #taehyung x reader #jungkook x reader #bts angst #bts smut #bts fluff

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likesrandomstuff · 3 years

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Avalance Fic Recommendations Part 2

This is the second instalment of my Avalance Fic Rec series. See Part 1 (link below) for the explanation of what’s going on. One thing to add, if you like a fic, there’s a good chance the author has more, so I would encourage checking out their author profile to see what else they’ve done.

Part 1: Bite Sized

Snacks (Between 5,000 and 20,000 words)

When you want plot, but here for a good time, not a long time

Better than Ice Cream by Gabna43

My tags: Ava’s pov from first date to asking for French toast, it’s really sweet, great character work

This fills in the gap in season 3, as Zari says that Ava is wearing what she wore previously, but Ava was wearing her suit for the first kiss. That must mean multiple days of fluff! One sad thing about season 3 is how little time Avalance got in the honeymoon phrase before the break-up. This fills it in perfectly.

never be the same by lucylikestowrite

My tags: Soulmate AU, but canon for 3A, Ava feels the connection while Sara doesn’t, until she does

I love soulmate AUs. So much. Basically, Ava feels something for Sara, but soulmates aren’t real. Takes you through 3A from Ava’s perspective. Really interesting twist on what happened when Sara went through that Mallus portal. Canon until after Beebo God of War.

i just wanna spend the nights with you by moonlitprincess

My tags: College AU! Sara has abs, Ava cannot cope with them

I could read this fic every day of my life and still not be sick of it. Ava hates Sara, except for all the things she likes about Sara, so maybe she doesn’t hate her. They are out a house party, and a frat guy is hitting on Ava. Sara comes to the rescue. Things escalate from there. Not smoothly.

Bent With Longing by MufasaTheChill

My tags: Early season 3 setting, Sara loses her memories in a mission, Ava is tasked with looking after her

Ava gets to see a different side of Sara when Sara doesn’t have the weight of all that has happened to her. Happy Sara is great. The Legends want to keep it that way. A really nice character exploration of Sara, and what she might have been like if everything didn’t happen.

Nailing The Canary by notthegoblin

My tags: Ava is trying to arrest the crime boss The Canary, she runs into Sara and feelings, does not know Sara is the Canary

When the person you’re falling for and the person you’re chasing are the same person. It makes life hard, especially if you don’t know. Ava can’t say no to Sara, Sara would do anything for Ava. It gets messy and Darhk is a pain.

guns hidden under our petticoats by plinys

My tags: one of the classics, Ava has to make sure Sara survives to be recruited by Rip, Arrow Season 2-4 from Ava and the Time Bureau’s perspective

Ava is supposed to be keeping an eye on (babysitting) Sara. Sara finds her out. Ava has to deal with keeping Sara safe and not letting Sara know too much. One of the I’m not sure how much this will make sense if you haven’t seen Arrow, but it’s better than Arrow group. Sara sorts through Ava’s mail. That’s an important plot point.

i can be your hero by plinys

My tags: The shortest of the Social Media AUs, everyone’s a Marvel fan, they go to a con

If you haven’t seen one of these before, I’d start here, as the others on my list are significantly longer. The bulk of the story is told on Twitter through fake screenshots from social media. I personally find them so cool, but if you give it a go and don’t care for it, 90% of the list is normal fics. If the story isn’t your thing, the other three are all very different in tone, so you might still enjoy them. The fic is the follow-up from what’s told on Twitter, which is the case for all of them. Plot wise, Sara and Ava are mutuals, Ava has a crush, and has to deal with meeting Sara in person for the first time.

Two Sides of The Same Coin by reshop_heda

My tags: set in Season 4, new recruits are sexist, Sara puts them in their place

Who better to train new agents than the White Canary? Especially when said agents were being rude towards Ava in her earshot. They deserve it. There’s Avalance not being able to keep their hands off each other too. Ava has two sides: Director and in love with Sara.

the more things change by TheTruthAboutLove

My tags: the kid from the future visiting present day fic, Avalance’s kid keeps visiting her mums at different ages of her life, featuring a canon Arrowverse character that did that (Nora)

It’s really strange that Arrow, the most grounded of the original shows, had future kids, but Legends, a time travel show, has not. Avalance are great parents, even though they are not ready to be full time. The conversation about getting a cat is 100% my niece at that age, so there is authenticity. Avalance realise they are in it for the long haul, and they love that.

Moonshine by WardenRoot

My tags: College AU, Sara and Ava have mutual friends but don’t really know each other, what Ava calls a one-time thing keeps happening.

Ava does not have time for a girlfriend, but she and Sara keep hooking up, then spending time together before hooking up, then spending time together without hooking up, wait a minute. Fun teasing from the rest of the Legends help push them in the right direction. Super fun story from one of my favourites.

Click here to see all the parts

#Avalance fic rec #Avalance #Sara Lance #Ava Sharpe #fanfiction

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merryfortune · 3 years

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B-B-Black Ink, Black Lipstick

Written for the 100ships on Dreamwidth Challenge

Prompt - #10 Black

Ship: Growlshipping | Romin/Tiger

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS

Word Count: 2,920

Rating: T

Warnings: No Warnings Apply

Tags: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Awkward Situations, Humour, Mild Swearing

Kamijo “Tiger” Haruka lives in an irksome world.

Tiger is someone who could be called fastidious about their appearance to a harsh degree. She likes cleanliness. She likes order. She did not like things out of place or mess to her appearance. Unfortunately, her soulmate appeared to not know about the miraculous invention called the pen and paper. What a fool they were, she considered.

Tiger’s irksome world is moulded by something she considered something of a stupidity: soulmates.

For one reason or another, beholden only to fate and the universe itself, the scrawlings one makes onto their hands, arms, or any other body part - the various notes, the grocery lists, the silly doodles, the whatever - are not kept in confidence of only one’s self. These various etchings also appear in the corresponding stretch of skin on one’s soulmate. Their own, corresponding soulmate, as it were.

Of course, there were various rules to this mark making. One could not simply use this odd system to just reach out across time and space to one’s soulmate, writing “hi” on one’s hand to spark conversation would not work. Sorry hopeless romantics but it simply does not work that way. However, having a moment of absent thought and needing to remember that the fridge needs milk, scribbling down just that on the back of your hand will appear on your fated person’s as well.

Thus, it was not uncommon for children to be permanently graffitied all over with crayons and paint and for businessmen to have twice as many notes than necessary on their skin. Fortunately, these marks washed off all the same as if you had written it yourself and so, Tiger worked exceptionally hard to scrub off any unnecessary notes she didn’t write upon herself. It was just how the world worked.

However, for all her work at keeping herself neat and tidy, Tiger had noticed some consistency amongst the notes that her soulmate had left for them both. It seemed they had something in common: they were both musicians.

That being said, the style of music they practiced were drastically different. Tiger was, of course, classically trained and thus, if she really had to - and she tried her hardest not to - the notations that she would make on her hand or arm were comparatively elaborate. Her soulmate, meanwhile, specialised in pop or rock. Chords of four were always popping up on Tiger’s hands or arms at odd times because of this.

Though, most frequently, Tiger would say, at dusk or late at night. Times, Tiger supposed, made sense that a pen and notebook may not necessarily be accessible but gee did Tiger wish her soulmate was more proactive in their music making. Especially because these seemed to be original compositions rather than whatever current song that her soulmate was learning. A little bit odd, Tiger supposed but she did understand that inspiration had a tendency to strike at inconvenient times. Not that that would stop her from being a scolding wet blanket.

And these original compositions, they weren’t exactly Tiger’s favourite. She found them trite, at best. They did remind Tiger of… something, though. Some band on the tip of her tongue. She wasn’t sure. She wasn’t exactly up to date with modern pop culture, speaking of-

Tiger huffed, “Idiot brother,” she snarled, “could you turn that racket down?”

Rook stiffened. He made a scared and startled expression before scrambling to do exactly as Tiger said. He turned that racket down. He had hooked up his phone to a wireless speaker and was sharing it throughout the drawing room where he and Tiger were both doing their homework.

Once the noise was at a manageable level, Rook sheepishly glanced at Tiger, “Just so you know,” he quivered, “that’s RoaRomin’s new single. Romin’s been working really hard on the chord progressions and melody, it was basically all her own creation with Roa doing the lyrics. She’s really proud of it.”

“Oh…” Tiger murmured. “I feel bad now.” She stiltedly added. “Its just-”

“Not your thing?” Rook interrupted her.

“Don’t disrupt me whilst I’m speaking, idiot brother.” Tiger scolded him again.

“Sorry!” he squealed.

Tiger sighed, “But yes, you are correct. It’s not to my tastes but I will congratulate Romin on her efforts the next time I see her.” she relented.

“Good idea,” Rook smiled, cheering up and bouncing back from his older sister’s nagging in record time, “why don’t you join us at Rush Duel Club tomorrow afternoon and see her then?”

“That’s a good idea, thank you.” Tiger intoned with genuine appreciation at her darling little brother’s suggestion.

“Sweet.” Rook replied.

And so, it became a date.

One that Tiger would dread because by the end of the day, her hands and her arms were absolutely covered in black ink that most certainly did not belong to her. She could not be more infuriated or on the verge of being mortified. Tiger wanted to look respectable for when she met up with the Rush Duel Club. She, and the others, maybe have her younger brother’s dorky little friends but Tiger enjoyed having that level of maturity over them and having all sorts of… honestly Tiger wasn’t even what it was that was scrawled up and down her arms, all over her hands. There was even a few notes on her upper thighs. Her soulmate had been desperate for pen and paper today.

She wasn’t even sure what the vast majority of these notes were. Some - if not most - of it was music related. Ideas for chords, ideas for song lyrics but it was all so frantic and jumbled and quite frankly, Tiger was also quite certain at least a little bit of it was her soulmate’s mathematical homework on top of their music. It was ridiculous. She felt ridiculous bearing all her soulmate’s inner most thoughts and for what?!

For the universe’s idea of matchmaking. No thank you, Tiger was quite certain that she could pick out a good partner for herself.

In between the final bell and the shuffle of students getting to their extracurricular activities, Tiger had tried to cleanse herself of all this extremely excessive mark making on her. She tried her hardest, with all the foaming soap and hot water she could muster from the Goha Seventh Elementary School girls bathrooms and it still wasn’t enough.

All she had done was smudge or fade the majority of the black ink on her skin. Her soulmate must have found themselves a very high quality pen as of late, Tiger would praise that were it not an inconvenience to her. So, frustrated, Tiger had no choice but to attend the Rush Duel Club in this dishevelled state and though it was hot as it was summer, she would simply have to wear her pushed up sleeves down.

A fashion choice that no one, fortunately, commented on as she came inside of the clubroom. She was welcomed very warmly by Yuga and Gakuto, then was flagged down by Rook who was glad she could make it and she was ignored forthright by Romin which did surprise Tiger. She didn’t bring it up at first, letting herself mingle with her underclassmen before it came up naturally in between conversations of who should duel who and should help theory-craft a deck with someone else.

“Sorry about Romin, by the way,” Rook apologised, scratching the back of his head, he and Tiger both glanced off to Romin who was in the back corner of the room, “but you know how I said she was real proud and working real hard about RoaRomin stuff?”

“Yes, I recall.” Tiger replied as she folded her arms.

“Well… Speaks for itself, don’t it? They’re trying to put together a new studio album or something and Romin is determined to create another song like her hit single.” Rook explained.

“I admire her work ethic.” Tiger said.

She spoke haughtily but it was true - and Rook could tell. There was, indeed, a glimmer of admiration in Tiger’s purple eyes as she observed Romin go all but feral with her ideas. She was slinging them out onto her notebook, brandishing her pen as though it was the mightiest sword and leaving scars in the paper thereafter. Not to mention how she was mumbling to herself, bits and pieces of soon to be song lyrics invoked more a witch’s hex than a rock and roll song. All of it wrapped up under Romin’s fiercely determined expression which was more like a grimace. But the point remained: Tiger was impressed.

“I want to tell her that to her face.” Tiger decided, very matter of fact.

“Wh-What?!” Rook exclaimed, trying to stop her sister from getting her eyes nearly clawed out by Romin, he had learnt that the hard way earlier during lunch. “Don’t do that!” he added but Tiger was already striding forth towards Romin. “You literally got upset with me yesterday when I disturbed you mid-sentence!”

Tiger chuckled to herself. It was not because she was the embodiment of rules for thee and not for me (though, she kind of was) but merely because she trusted herself to have the tact to interrupt that her idiotic younger brother merely lacked. So, she walked up to Romin who was scribbling away in the corner like a gargoyle, though now she had shoved a chocolate bar in her mouth for refuel as she kept going.

And did something that Tiger had to pause to observe, to Rook’s relief.

Tiger blinked owlishly as she realised there was a method to Romin’s madness. She wasn’t merely writing down in a very ferocious style of stream of conscious, she was cross-referencing her writing with, well, more writing. Writing that happened to cohabitate upon her arms. That caused Tiger to do more than just stop. She also considered.

No, it couldn’t, that would be highly unlikely. She put her foot down on such thoughts. Such speculation. It was baseless, confirmation bias, perhaps, something like that, maybe. So, she cleared her throat and took a deep, deep breath as she was prone to do whenever slightly stressed.

“Excuse me, Romin,” Tiger began, her voice very deep as she spoke on her practice exhale, “but I was hoping to congratulate you on RoaRomin’s most recent success.”

Romin was on edge as Tiger approached her. First, she seemed fit to rip Tiger’s face out for interrupting her artistic process, and then her ears twitched. Her determined scowling softened and became light. She rocketed to her feet from the ground and bore only the most saccharine and sparkling of smiles for Tiger.

“Really?!” she exclaimed. “You want to praise me?”

“I do.” Tiger nodded.

Romin’s smile continued to widen. Her magenta eyes even glittered so excitedly, it honestly made Tiger’s heart flutter as she was often, in private, swayed by overly cute things.

Tiger continued to praise her and made sure to keep her tone of voice even and informative, “I was told you were the main creative force behind your lucrative, new single. Well done. I can tell you work extremely hard at your craft and even I could learn from that tremendous effort. I hope for more success in your future.”

“Thank you, it means a lot to hear from such a strong person like you.” Romin said and began to jabber. “I’ve been so inspired all day. I really want to do well but my ideas notebook got confiscated during class because the teacher wouldn’t let me do my schoolwork alongside my work for RoaRomin. It was totally unfair. So I resulted to just writing all my ideas down on myself.” Her voice dissolved into laughter and alarm bells continued to ring in Tiger’s head regarding a certain thing. “So, if you don’t mind, I still have a lot of catch up to do on top of all my new ideas as well.”

“I shall leave you be, good luck.” Tiger said, her discomfort levels rising. She had never wanted to be wrong more so than right now.

Tiger politely excused herself and Romin continued to getting back to what she was doing. With Romin’s back turned - and with the boys occupied in an Entertainment style three-way Master Duel played in classic - Tiger remained put. She kept herself very quiet as she tried to steal glances of what Romin was writing down and just as she feared.

The random scraps of song lyrics, the discordantly put together ideas for chords and melodies, no wonder Tiger found RoaRomin music so dull and uninteresting. She was always ahead of the pop culture curve, getting sneak peaks and unintentional previews of their new music through Romin. Tiger felt herself grow very hot under her collar with embarrassment.

Everything that Romin was trying to get off her skin and onto her paper, it all lined up exactly with what Tiger remembered from the notations that had appeared on her. She shyly took a look at her left arm, rolling up her sleeve and though the black ink had bled, she could still find matches between Romin and her writing.

This was undeniable proof of the universe’s favourite trick to pull, Tiger realised. Romin was her soulmate. And immediately Tiger was wracked with agony. She had no idea what to do. Not the faintest idea. She had always considered this whole soulmate thing to be an impossible and irritating ordeal. She had never guessed that her own would be so close to her already and in her life. She felt horrible for dismissing Romin and all her notations so callously.

Tiger felt her stomach knot. She stole another glance at Romin, blissfully ignorant. She was so busy as she wielded that pretty ball-point pen of hers that left a very smooth ink on her paper as she wrote down all her ideas with unparalleled furiousness.

She could be unpoetically direct about it, Tiger mused. She could just pull Romin up again and tell her. Or, she thought, she could be poetically direct about it. Per the arbitrary rules of this whole having soulmates thing the universe had granted them, she couldn’t just write her name on her hand and let Romin know that way but she could find another way. Tiger was quite certain that she might appreciate this more artistic way of letting her know that her own soulmate was in her midst.

Tiger returned to the other side of the room so she could rummage through her backpack for her pencil case. She drew out her own ball-point pen, blue ink in its veins as it were, and Tiger wrote something on herself. Just a small note, something random, something she had always wanted to buy but never thought would look good on her. On Romin, however, she was quite certain that it would look stunning.

Tiger wrote down two words: black lipstick.

It was difficult to find a spot that Romin hadn’t already graffitied but Tiger was knowingly gratified when Romin screeched all of a sudden, “My soulmate just wrote on themself! They never do that! Oh no, they must be really mad at me today! I’m sorry!”

“It washes off, don’t worry.” Gakuto reminded Romin in his most mother hen voice.

Yuga chuckled to himself, “I’m sure they don’t mind, not everyone is so lucky to have a rockstar for a soulmate. Some poor bastard has me, an inventor. Not quite so romantic.” he self deprecated.

“Exactly, I don’t mind at all now that your identity has been unmasked.” Tiger said.

There was a lull in conversation after that. There was something wrong about that statement that Tiger had just supplied but it all took them a moment and once that moment was computed, all eyes were on Tiger and all jaws were dropped. She was very nonchalant about it whilst Romin, in complete bewilderment, marched up to her, to which she offered her hand that she had written on.

Romin gawked at the two words that Tiger had written on herself - and had, of course, written on Romin too. Romin grabbed Tiger’s hand roughly, gripping it like a vice as she continued to read those two words in blue ink over and over. Her already bulging eyes bulged some more each time. Tiger smirked to herself.

“I think it would look good on you.” Tiger spoke in code.

“I’ll have my make-up artist know for my next concert.” Romin managed to reply, her brain just flat out refusing what was beyond apparent now.

“Good. I’ll look forward to it, as your soulmate, I hereby declare to be your biggest supporter. It's the least I can do with such a lofty expectation thrust upon me.” Tiger replied.

“I-I appreciate it.” Romin stuttered out and then stiffened. She looked as though she had a light-bulb moment. “I think I have an idea for my chorus that I’m trying to work on. Blue universe, I love your uniqueness, when we’re together, I hope it’s forever with b-b-black ink, black lipstick.”

“Already doing my job expertly.” Tiger gloated whilst Romin shot off like a sonic boom from an electric guitar back to her notebook in the corner.

And with that, the entire room erupted into chaos because of a lot of black ink. Tiger revelled in the resulting chaos but that couplet that Romin had come up with, she liked that quite a bit and had a solid suspicion that she might yet pick a favourite RoaRomin song after this.

#femslash #100ships challenge #growlshipping #yugioh sevens #sevens #yugioh #kamijo tiger haruka #kirishima romin #romin x tiger #tiger x romin #writing tag #i had this idea in a 0.02 instant where my brain just went into hyperspace looking at some pen marks on my hand

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khadij-al-kubra · 4 years

Text

Worst Impressions are the First (ch 7)

Main Characters: Logan, Patton, Roman, Virgil (Human AU)

Pairings: Romantic LAMP

Word Count: 5036

AO3

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Author’s (longer than usual but it’s for good reason) Note: *The Apocalypse—2020. Zoom in on a plague rat turned writer. She has survived thesis projects, getting a Master’s degree, burnout, writing and illustrating a children’s book, being a slave for the U.S. census bureau, months of overthinking anxiety spirals, and one or two incidents involving an asshole skunk. But now, battle weary yet unwavering in her love of art and love for her loyal readers, this onesie-clad tea slurping book dragon....has finally arisen from the ashes*

I LIVE BITCHES!!!!!!! And I am SO SORRY for taking so long!!! I’ve been hard at work, been editing like a mad woman, and I even have a beta now! The gorgeous and talented @humbletortoise So I am OFFICIALLY off hiatus!!! *cue confetti canon*

Also, one of the biggest reasons I’ve taken so long to update is because I’ve spent the past month or so essentially retconning the fuck outta this fic. I realized looking back at earlier chapters in this story that, although I was proud of them at the time and greatly appreciate the positive reactions, they were...not my best work. (shitty first drafts if I’m being honest) That’s because, at the time, I was trying to split my attention between writing this fic and working on grad school stuff, which resulted in my writing for this not being as best of quality as it could have been upon first posting. This story deserves my best, and so do all of you. So now I hope to give you that.

I encourage you to go back and re-read the previous chapters up till now (trust me, they’re near unrecognizable to the first drafts, but in the best way). Or if you don’t feel like doing that, you can just continue on from here. totally cool. For the sake of convenience and my own sanity, I’ll attach the AO3 Link to this fic from the start. I may also start just posting chapter updates on tumblr but only have the link to the chapter and add my reader tags. Again, for the sake of my sanity because Tumblr is a bastard when it comes to posting fics. (Also PLEASE let me know if there are any tagging issues if anyone’s on my tags list; yet another reason i’m considering just linking my fics in the future)

Anywho, without further ado, at LOOOOOONG last, here is the next chapter!

Chapter 7 - (POV Roman)

When Roman had offered to walk with Logan to class, it was only partly out of an innate sense of chivalry; a side of himself that he rarely got to show on account of being a socially awkward gay disaster. Though mainly, he saw it as a chance to get to know his second soulmate better.

He certainly hadn’t expected two long minutes of civil but silent walking. Well, as silent as a stroll through their school could be with its usual racket buzzing around them. With a vocabulary as big as the continents of Africa and Eurasia combined, you’d think Logan would be more of a conversationalist. Alas. He merely walked in step with Roman. They glanced over at each other every so often, but Logan stayed tight lipped and seemingly impassive; fiddling with his bumblebee hair pin every now and again. Damn. Looked like he was going to have to make the first move.

Roman was bad at this. How did people usually…Oh yeah, common interest. That’s a thing. He wracked his brain for some sort of ice breaker. One that’d make him look cool and calm or, something, in front of Logan. He was a fairly decent student though not quite mathletes level. He could compliment his outfit maybe? Was that too forward? Too shallow? Maybe he could find common ground? That was as good a place to start as any.

“So! So uhh…What kind of music do you like?” Roman asked. Yeah, that’s good. Everybody likes music.

Logan glanced at him. “Can you be more specific?”

Roman’s brow furrowed. “I mean, like, your favorite genre of music to listen to?”

“Classical,” said Logan in a clipped tone.

“That’s cool. I don’t really listen to classical myself.”

Logan only hummed, his face neutral. Roman was really hoping for more than that. A few awkward seconds passed, then Logan spoke up.

“Are you perhaps a fan of the classic Sherlock Holmes novels?” He inquired.

“Um, I haven’t gotten around to the books yet, actually,” Roman said, scratching his earlobe. “I mean, I’ve heard great things about them. And I’m a big fan of the Robert Downey Jr. movies.”

“Ah. I see.” Logan said, giving him the judgiest side eye.

Come on, Roman thought. Give me something to work with. “Oh! What about theater?”

“What a frustratingly vague inquiry.”

“Well, excuse me for trying to get to know my soulmate a little better.” Ay come jode, work with me here, man!

Logan sighed. “While I understand and appreciate your intention, I believe ‘getting to know someone’ as you put it, requires a certain level of specificity. Anything less indicates a somewhat shallow level of sincere interest, and I greatly despise shallow conversation. That said, if you’re inquiring as to whether or not I enjoy theater, no. I don’t understand the concept of professional make believe, though I appreciate it as an art form. I assume you’re a fan?”

Is he seriously implying I’m shallow? Roman groused, pushing his red frames up the bridge of his nose. Ugh, forget it Roman. He’s throwing you a bone here. Take it.

“Obviously,” said Roman, gesturing dramatically. “I mean I’m no actor—Eesh. No. Yikes—but everything about the artform enthralls me. And I like all kinds of genres and eras of plays, from Shakespear to Ruhl, but musicals are by far my favorite, because like, there’s so much you can do with them design wise. I mean just look at how groundbreaking Hamilton was.”

For a second, Logan’s face actually softened, his eyes lighting up. But just as Roman thought they were finally about to make some progress, his stony companion was back to wearing that platinum puss.

“Ah. How… original.”

Roman blinked. “Are you saying my tastes are basic?”

“Well, yes.”

Augh! Okay. Yep. I don’t like him. Patton was going to be so disappointed, and Roman was too. He’d wanted so badly to get along with all his soulmates, but Logan was a snob! Way less intimidating than Virgil and his ilk, but still a jerk. I wonder if soulmarks can make typos or something? Thank the stars they’d already arrived.

Roman and Logan filed in with the rest of the class for seventh period. Somebody had the liberty of opening a window– the AC was still busted in this classroom– so for once there was actually a decent breeze cutting through the usual mucky Florida humidity. Still smelled like it would probably rain later. Good thing Roman had packed an umbrella just in case, Mom’s orders. His hair looked too good today to be wrecked by frizz.

Roman took a seat at his desk, running distracted fingers over the carved letters in the wood while he mulled over his predicament. Just look at him over there, thought Roman as he glared at Logan, not two rows away from him. Sitting with his hands clasped on the desk all smug—of course he’d be near the front—and with such disturbingly good posture. What is he, a robot? Who is he to call my interests basic, the NERVE! And okay, sure, like Hamilton, sometimes I get over excited and shoot off at the mouth. But great Zeus, does that guy show passion for ANYTHING besides academics? Roman blew a raspberry, plopping his head in his hands.

He always thought soulmates were supposed to get along, even as just friends for life. Balancing each other out, bringing out the best in you and forming a deep connection—that was the whole point. He sighed to himself. Cymbals clashed less than he and Logan did.

He was stirred from his brooding by the bell. Apparently Mr. ‘Call-me-Terrence’ Williams had materialized without him noticing. Okay fine, he should probably pay more attention, but he was having a crisis here.

“Afternoon everyone,” Terrence greeted in that measured, upbeat tone of his.

He draped his navy blue blazer over the back of his desk chair and rolled his shirt sleeves to the elbows. Roman pitied the poor guy; he had to teach sauna of a classroom all day. He could see the glisten of sweat on his teacher's smooth forehead as he wrote things on the board. Yet he still kept a pleasant attitude towards his students.

“Alright class!” Terrence started, “Today we’re covering the next section on the American Revolution. Specifically, the Battle of Yorktown...”

Roman mentally punched the air. My time has come. He opened his textbook to the right page but didn’t bother looking at it. He already knew most everything about Yorktown. Not just because he’d listened to the Hamilton soundtrack fifteen and a half million times, but also because he’d done actual research on the event and time period that the musical took place; There was always the off chance he’d get to stage crew or, heck, even dramaturg the show. He liked to be prepared.

“So the battle of Yorktown took place in 1781, but a great deal of its success was thanks to the French Allies. Many especially aided in fighting the British Troops surrounding New York. Now who can tell me where the French Soldiers first landed?”

Roman half raised his hand. He was pretty sure he knew the answer.

“Logan.” Terrence called.

Roman turned to Logan desk, where his hand was held high and mighty.

“The French Ally ships first landed in Rhode Island, then made their way to Chesapeake Bay,” said Logan, adjusting his glasses. Not even a hint of second guessing in his voice.

“That’s right!”

He almost missed the quick smirk on Logan’s frustratingly pretty face. Look at that smug—thinks he’s so smart...Okay yes, he is smart, but he doesn’t have to be a show off about it. Terrence continued through the passages, calling on a student every now and again to review. Of course, Logan got called on most and he got every answer right. Roman didn’t feel like raising his hand anymore.

“Of course there were many turning points in the revolution, but Hamilton’s return to the field for Yorktown was a key point.” Terrence continued on. “And keep in mind- this was a man who up till now had never been in a position of command before. Not to mention the mental strains he must’ve been under, especially having had to miss the birth of his son Philip, the first of three children he had.”

Wait a sec. “Well, that’s not right.”

Even though he’d muttered, apparently Mr. Terrence still heard him. “Come again, Roman?”

Shoot. “Um, I said,” Stop sounding timid, you know you’re right. “I said that was, um, wrong.”

The whole class turned to him. Oh great, history class has its eyes on me. Roman cleared his throat and tried to look taller.

“What I mean is: Hamilton had eight kids, not three. And on top of that, Phillip was born a few months after they won the Revolution, not during, so Hamilton didn’t miss the birth of his son. I mean sure, it’s a small thing, but the devil’s in the details as they say. Heh.”

Terrence gave the most insultingly bemused look. And Roman definitely heard a few kids snickering behind him. He glanced quickly at the culprits and felt his ears go hot. This is what he got for putting himself in the spotlight.

“Roman, I applaud you for participating in the class discussion,” Their teacher started gently, “but I’m afraid you’re wrong on this one. If you read your textbook close you’d see in the fifth paragraph where it mentions from one of his later letters—“

“Actually Mr. Williams, if I may, Roman is correct.”

Roman saw Logan at his desk, one hand raised while the other adjusted his neck scarf. Was the teacher’s pet actually… backing him up?

“It is a common misconception that Alexander Hamilton only had two children, even more so modernly, what with the musical having only named two of them. However Roman has clearly done his research on the plays historical accuracies, which is more than I can say for some.”

Logan shot a cool but scathing look at their recently snickering classmates and they withered. Roman fought the urge to point and laugh aloud. He did however stick his tongue out real quick. What? He could be shy and petty at the same time.

“My guess,” Logan continued, “is that this textbook edition is also either misprinted or outdated, judging by the publication date in the copyright section.”

Brows furrowed, Terrence looked at the textbook laid open on his desk. He flipped back to the front, before pulling out his cellphone—“I’m the teacher, I’m allowed to do this. You guys aren’t.”—and after what Roman guessed was a quick Google search, their teacher looked up. His eyebrows drawn in a ‘hm, well damn’ expression.

“Looks like you’re right, Roman. And thank you Logan for bringing to my attention about the textbooks. I’ll have to talk to the principal about hopefully getting some updated materials. But we’ll see how that goes,” Terrence, muttered the last part, though Roman was close enough to catch it. Terrence cleared his throat and moved back to the board. “Maybe if we call on assistance from the inside. Much like how the Sons of Liberty sent in Hercules Mulligan to spy on the British...”

“Perhaps if we knew of an immigrant who was unafraid to step in,” Logan said just under his breath.

No one else seemed to notice the reference, but when Roman did, he felt like a mini volcano about to burst rainbow lava. Apparently there was a lot more to his soulmate than first meets the eye; and now that he knew, Roman was determined to see more of it. The rest of class passed quickly and everyone filed out to the halls as the first bell for the last class period of the day rang. Roman made sure to catch up to Logan on the way out and staccato tapped him on the shoulder.

“Hey, Logan?” He said.

When Logan turned, he swore time slowed down for a moment. The brilliant boy’s skirt flared around his waist, and somehow his skin glowed even under the dull, inconsistent school lights. His posture was erect yet natural, he could have been raised among nobility. Amidst the stench and clamor of loud sweaty students, Logan was as poised and striking as the goddess Athena. Oh...

“Yes, Roman?” Logan asked.

Roman gulped. “I uh, just wanted to thank you for backing me up in there.”

“Thanks are unnecessary,” Logan said. “I detest when someone is shamed by other students for speaking up in class, regardless of whether or not they have the correct information.”

“Well regardless, thanks for coming to my aid in the face of academic danger.”

“Dramatic, but my pleas—oof!”

A hurried passerby bumped into Logan from behind, rushing off with a half-assed ‘sorry’. Logan, caught off guard, stumbled right into Roman’s arms. The two looked at each other, cheeks filling with heat. Roman caught a whiff of something faintly floral on Logan, something natural– a lavender and honeysuckle perfume, perhaps. It was heavenly. They were still in the middle of foot traffic though, so he maneuvered them to the side. Which was tricky since Logan was still so close to him and also a good two inches taller with the heels.

“Well,” Roman flashed his pearly whites. “Seems you’ve fallen for me.”

Logan pulled away, but his lips quirked upwards in a teasing smirk. “Oh please, I merely stumbled into you.”

“Ah, but stumbling is the first step towards being swept off your feet.”

“Bold words from an abashedly charming homunculus in such an… eye catching ensemble.”

Did he call me charming!? He composed himself, “Hey, don’t let the sweater vest fool you. I may be short but I’ve got guns.”

“Aaah. But mind over muscle, as they say. Do you find yourself up to the task?”

“Only if it’s you, my brainy blossom.”

Roman’s class was in the other direction, but Logan didn’t need to know that. They walked through the halls, conversing. class was still in the next ten or so minutes, but Roman was having fun. Banter with Logan felt surprisingly easy. Natural like they’d been at it all their lives.

“By the way, was that a ‘Guns n’ Ships’ reference I overheard, pastel poindexter?” Roman asked.

Logan cleared his throat. “It… may have been, yes. I found myself unable to resist toppling the figurative dominos.”

“In other words, you seized the opportunity you saw,” Roman said, matching his own reference to the source’s cadence, which got a chuckle out of Logan.

“Precisely. Under more casual circumstances, I may have even recited Lafayette’s part.”

“You can rap? You can rap Guns n’ Ships? Like, the whole thing, no tongue twists?”

Logan stopped for a moment, turned to Roman. The taller boy cleared his throat, and after a moment wherein he seemed to mentally restrain himself, he simply adjusted his glasses. “I have an appreciation for poetry.”

Roman blinked rapidly. Holy shit, he’s an even bigger nerd than I am. He definitely needed to see that at some point.

They turned a corner, stopping just outside of the science room. Some students were going in to take their seats, and the teacher was already making notes on the board. Logan pulled an AP Physics book from his backpack, but made no move to leave, much to Roman’s delight.

“So then,” Roman leaned against the eggshell wall, “How come you acted so indifferent earlier and called my tastes basic? Oh, and I think I remember you also implied I was shallow?”

Okay, yeah, he was still kind of salty about that. But then he saw the shamed look on the nerd’s face, and Roman wished he could have taken it back. Logan looked at his shoes then back at him.

“To be candid I was… hesitant to show the full extent of my enthusiasm. In case you thought I’d be—I believe ‘being the most’ is the term— it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve caused someone to lose interest in conversing with me due to informational overload. I nearly bored my Aunt Patricia to sleep once talking about a fascinating article on jellyfish. And considering how I blundered our initial meeting—“

“Pfft, ya think?” He mentally slapped himself again when Logan went tight-lipped and turned to go. “No, no, wait. I—I’m sorry. Truly. ...Truth is, I was no gentleman either. I’m not always great at thinking before I speak. It’s why I’m so awkward around people. Takes a while for my true charming nature to shine through.”

“Clearly. Still, you show a level of interpersonal aptitude that I, well, lack.” Logan fiddled with his hair pin again and a stray hair came loose. “Reading people and expressing emotions has never really been—It’s something I struggle with.”

Much as Logan tried to maintain his cool composed posturing, Roman could tell that this was something that really bothered him. He tried so hard to seem put together and confident and serious, but really he was just as awkward and insecure as anyone. Roman smiled softly and stepped closer to Logan, reaching up to tuck the loose ebony strand behind his ear.

“Hey, everyone’s got things about themselves they can work on. Including me,” Roman smiled. “And believe me when I say that I will never judge you for being passionate about something you like. So if you ever want someone to ramble about jellyfish or Sweeney Todd to or—I dunno, calculators or something?—I’m all ears.”

Logan’s cheeks went pink and he gave a hesitant yet sincere smile. “That’s...very kind of you, Roman. And coincidentally, I also greatly enjoy Sweeney Todd. The use of iambic pentameter and alliteration to give a succinct synopsis to the story in just the first sentence alone is pure brilliance.”

“Right!? I mean the man’s a mad genius. I’m dying to design sets for one of his musicals someday. Like last year? I came up with the concept of having the Sweeney Todd sets done in a way that highlights the class differences with the characters.” Roman went into a small three minute ramble regarding the specifics before he cut himself off abruptly. Logan was blinking rapidly, a look of mild shock crossing his feature. Roman nearly started sweating; Had he messed this up again?

“That… that’s ingenious”

Roman’s ears were burning. Ohmygosh!Ohmygosh!Ohmygosh!

“Hey, Logan!” They both startled and turned to an impatient cheerleader with a ginger undercut and they/them pronoun pin shaped like a coffin. “What’re you doing just standing out in the hall, ya dork? Oh, hey Roman.”

“Uh. Hey, October,” Roman said, waving awkwardly to them.

“I told ya, Red, you only get to call me that when we’re working on a show.”

“Wait, October? Red? You two know each other?” Logan asked, brow arching.

“Kind of. They sometimes help out with costumes for the drama club,” said Roman. And they have terrible timing. I mean seriously Tobes, we were having a moment.

“Come on Lo, class is about to start, and you promised to go over my homework with me real quick beforehand. See ya ‘round, Ro.” Toby grabbed Logan’s hand and pulled him into the classroom. “You can fill me in on what you were doing with Red later.”

Logan followed his—apparently—friend into their classroom, but he shot Roman an apologetic look over his shoulder. Roman bounced a bit on the balls of his feet before following halfway into the room. Logan was in his seat with Toby showing him an open notebook. A teacher in a tight grey hair bun was writing on the board. Students at their seats were chatting, and some looked up at the short dork in red who burst in. For once Roman ignored them, his mind set on one last attempt at wooing his green skirted genius while he still had the nerve.

“Hey, Logan,” he said. “I’ve also got some great layout designs for an Into the Woods set. If you’re interested, maybe we can meet up after school and I can show them to you? Maybe we talk a bit more over iced lattes or something?”

“Excuse me, Mr. Prince, seventh period starts in five minutes,” said the teacher. “Unless you’ve suddenly transferred to my class, I suggest you stop distracting my favorite student and get going.”

“I’ll be gone in just a second,” he said. “Well?”

Logan smoothed the silky fabric of his pink scarf and said, “That sounds optimal, Roman. I’ll meet with you. By the first floor water fountain perhaps?”

Roman grinned. “I shall be counting the minutes.”

“Mr. Prince,” said the teacher with a warning glare.

Roman blew a kiss at Logan and then ducked out of the doorway. Was he embarrassed of himself? Oh definitely. Did he regret it? Absolutely not. He felt ten inches tall.

Now to complete the quest of making it to class in time. He slid off a shoulder strap to unzip his classic Mickey backpack, getting out the notebook and the relevant homework. He found them amidst the mess of spiral notebooks, granola bar wrappers, two textbooks and rainbow sticky notes. But something was missing from his folder.

“Where are those– it should be here.” He could’ve sworn he had his stapled the blocking notes in his folder. No, wait, the last place he saw them was— “Ah shoot! I left them in the tech closet again.”

Under normal circumstances, Roman would’ve grabbed them after school, but the auditorium was locked on weekends. He’d have to wait till Monday to get them and that just wouldn't do! he wanted to show Logan his notes today! I’ll bet David Korins never has these kinds of problems. Okay, okay. Still got four minutes. He could rush to the auditorium, grab the notes, and then head straight to class. I should have enough time, right? Right. Besides it was only Spanish Class, he was already pretty fluent after all those summers visiting his grandparent in Nicaragua. He spent most of class time dreaming up blocking notes anyway.

Despite not being totally convinced by his own argument, Roman immediately turned on his heel and started running in the opposite direction. After a teacher told him no running in the halls, Roman power walked through the halls with a skip in his step and a song in his heart, feeling absolutely gay in both senses of the word. Logan had actually called his idea ingenious! And the way those sharp eyes softened just for him- he would squeal if not for the fact that it would draw too many eyes to him. The halls were still filled with a few stragglers rushing to the last class of the day, and he was already trying not to get caught being late for class.

Now he knew how Maria felt in West Side Story. Y’know, before Act 2. Oh sure, they’d gotten off to a shaky start, but as the Bard’s adage on the course of true love said; and Roman felt it in his gut that this was certainly the start of true love. Not just with brilliant Logan but also with soulful Patton as well. He didn’t know how an awkward geek like him ever got so lucky in the soulmate department…Then again, there was still the matter of Virgil. So maybe not so lucky.

Roman touched his arm, remembered flustered yet flattering purple words. I know they both said Virgil is secretly sweet and I can sympathize with the terrors of closet town, but COME ON! Virgil? Really? That gloomy gladiator? There had to be a mistake in that. After all, Patton liked to see the good in everyone. Logan was much more of a skeptic, but he does seem to have a blind spot with sarcasm. Maybe Virgil was messing with them somehow. Even if he’s not a jerk jock, the guy’s still kind of a creepazoid; with his dark eyes and cheeta-esq gait and those probably huge muscles hidden under that bulky jacket and big hands...

His gay disaster train of thought came to a merciful halt as he reached the auditorium. Roman pushed open the doors, took a pause to breathe in the quiet comfort of this chapel of the arts. Okay yeah, chapel was maybe a little kind for the school’s auditorium which doubled as the drama Club’s rehearsal space/prop closet backstage/Mx Joan’s unofficial office because the school didn’t fund the arts programs enough. Even so this space was Roman’s sanctuary. The place where he could help create magic from the shadows, bring stories of those gone and living to life. Here, Roman found something of a community with his fellow backstagers, glee club losers, and budding thespians (the nice ones). So he loved every squeaky stage plank, every duck taped seat cushion and every speck of dust that floated in the spot lit air like fairies.

Mx. Joan wasn’t around for once, thankfully. Probably in the teacher’s lounge or rendezvousing with the school nurse or something. They were pretty chill and Roman knew he was their favorite student, but the choir director/drama club moderator/music teacher (this school really needs to fix its funding habits) wouldn’t have been too keen on Roman being deliberately late for class.

Roman walked down the aisle and to the side room by the stage. It was originally a janitor’s closet, but their club moderator transformed it into a ‘Crew Only’ Storage Unit… Okay it was still a closet, but with less bleach and more coils. This was where they kept important equipment for semester shows, like the lighting and sound boards, along with other supplies. Roman made a quick mental note to get more gaffer tape later, seeing their supply was low.

He looked through the small pile of scribbled and highlighted sheets with the lighting cues for the spring show. I’ve really gotta get a binder for these…Ah-Ha! Here you are! Roman pulled out the stapled sheets titled ‘Into the Woods Dream Set’ and carefully shoved them into his bag. Perfect timing too. He might just be able to make it to class after—

RIIIIIIIIIIING

“GAH!”

What the heck? He could’ve sworn he was alone in there, but that yelp just now said otherwise. Up close, Roman saw that the curtains were rustling, accompanied by sounds of heavy breathing and moaning, yet not a footstep to be seen or heard.

Holy SHIT, this place IS haunted! I KNEW that backdrop fiasco last semester wasn’t caused by cheap slit plywood. My supplies are the best quality allowance money can buy. Great Macbeth’s bloody knife, I TOLD Kai we should've sprung for a ghost light! Remus always teased him for being superstitious but look who’s laughing now.

He dashed back into the crew closet and grabbed the heavy push broom leaning in the corner. Roman Prince was NOT about to be caught unawares and possessed by the ghost of a disgruntled student without a fight. He would defend his domain of imagination!

Roman slowly climbed the stage steps, wielding his broom like a bow staff, turned the curtain corner where the noises were coming from and was about to release a war cry on the—

“Virgil?”

Roman nearly dropped his weapon at the sight of Virgil Alighieri—star athlete, object of his fears and supposed soulmate—curled in on himself trembling and crying.

His jacket was pulled over his head like a hood, yet Roman could see the tear stained face peeking out from underneath. Virgil’s eyes were squeezed tight, making the dark circles he’d never noticed before more prominent. There was no denying the athlete had muscle but he was more lithe—thin enough for Roman to wonder if the guy ate enough. Virgil’s trembling could rival a chihuahua, shaky hands clutching his knees, and he was clearly in the midst of a bad panic attack.

Roman had built Virgil up in his mind as being like some odd combination of Hades and Ares. The strong silent wolf within his pack of jocks, a surging thunderstorm just waiting for the right nerd to come along and piss him off enough to strike down like the bolt of Zeus.

Someone to be afraid of.

But now? Seeing him in this state, all alone and whimpering like a wounded animal...it broke Roman’s heart.

He set the broom down gently and carefully crouched down in front of Virgil. “Virgil,” he said softly. “Virgil, can you hear me?”

Virgil let out a breathy sob but otherwise didn’t seem to register him. Just how long had he been sitting here like this?

Roman was at a loss for what to do. Sure he knew plenty of people with anxiety but never saw someone having an actual panic attack before. He did know that if he didn’t help the other calm down soon, Virgil was liable to pass out. He’d never wanted to hug someone so badly in his life. Roman tentatively reached out a hand but stopped. What if touching him makes it worse? What if I startle him so badly he actually has a heart attack!? Maybe I should get the nurse. But I can’t just leave him like this.

He caught sight of the colorful soulmarks written on Virgil’s arm. Saw his own harsh thoughts: ’Dios mio, he’s staring right at me—like he wants to punch my face!’

Roman took his shame and forged it into steel. I won’t abandon you...my soulmate.

Virgirl’s let out a hiccuped cry, and this gave Roman an idea. Something from back when he was a child. It was probably stupid and a long stretch, but it was all he could think of. He readjusted himself so that he was now sitting right next to Virgil, making sure not to startle him. Roman cleared his throat, then as softly as he could, he began to sing.

“Come stop your crying, it’ll be alright.

Just take my hand, hold it tight.”

Roman one and carefully gentled his hand over Virgil’s. After a moment, he felt a light squeeze, and that encouraged him to keep going.

“I will protect you from all around you.

I will be here, don’t you cry…”

General Tag: @quoth-the-sparrow @altruistic-skittles @em-be-lievable @justisaisfine @broadwaytheanimatedseries @thekeytohappiness-is-you @jynxlovesluck @queer-human-being @phlying-squirrel @ab-artist @grey-lysander @a-valorous-choice @xx-fandom-potato-xx @impatentpending @book-of-charlie @randomslasher @tinkslittlebelle @insanelycoolish @ironwoman359 @icecoldparadise @bluebloodstains @purpleshipper @patchworkofstars @axyzel @hissesssss @beautifully-terribly @pink-and-purple-flowers @thatsanswitch @6tick6tock6 @hanramz-the-fander @azlinne @helplesscreator @thestoryofme13 @bibbidi-bobbity-booyah @accidental-sanders @moonstone-fox @smokeyrutilequartz @madly-handsome @puns-and-patton @notveryglittery @eequalsmcscared @safesandersides @lizziepopanime @anxiously-unsatisfied-world @unikornavenger @humbletortoise @backatthebein @mephonic @paperghastly @ravenclawangst @iamtrashcans @loganberrysanders @ierindoodles @a-new-witch-in-learning @punsterterry @your-average-pangirl @goldteethandacurseforthistown @dragonsight9 @gattonero17

Worst Impressions Tag: @everphantom @wundergirllovesyou @im-awkward-go-away @reinefandoms @shadowenbynerd @always-in-a-fandom @deadinsidebutliving @somehowsnakesblog @halfcrazedandrogynouswizard @selectivereality @occasionally-pauciloquent @donalev @princessbelix @justasadchildwithablog @megkir13 @cats-vetal-miking-vomit @karmels-stuff @daughterofsomnus @soijusthavetoask @to-precious-to-process @kimolothecatt @gabe-killed-me-with-ace-cream @notveryglittery @loving-neko @corracii @nerd-in-space @absolutesandersidestrash @hanramz-the-fander @minamishipsit-secondround @i-read-by-lamp @irrelevantbutsanders @themultishipperchild @anonymous-by-design @analogical-mess @marvelfangeek09 @incoherentfangirl @mirror2thespirit @wherethewaterstarts-andyouend @redundant-statements-for-400 @deathshadowrules @basicmillennial @beach-fan @withspaces @cisnesincorbata @merlybird500 @lovingcreatorstrawberry @dante1138 @k9cat @no-no-no-no-6 @sanderssidesvp @sevencrashing @karmels-stuff @kaioanxiety @reblogged-anything @theotherella @randomsandersides @phantomofthesanderssides @unisaurioamorfo @fabulouswritingfanboyofdeath @sniffingoutmywilltolive @pippippippin @shadowenbynerd @sugarglider-s @angels-and-dreams @larry-angels @hexdream18243 @itsthemoooooooooon @ibasicallyjustreblogeverything @stormblessedcastiel @the-sweet-space-bi @bisexuallyinlove @ijustreallylovesanderssides @everythings-coming-up-aces @loving-neko @theunoriginaldaisy @dreamybluecupcake @selectivereality @soft-transboy @veryvirginvirgil @wowimsogoddamnoriginal @shaeshaetheravenclaw @anxiousangel121 @cataclysm-al @fanartfunart @flufflerekt @floof-13 @mining-pup @ofdismaldays @b0y-guts @a-trans-ghost @romantichopelessly @isaac-or-izzy @quietwords-loudthoughts @im-gonna-yeet-outta-here @bunny222 @xxlithiumangelxx @tinyemogod @edgy-gremlin @coloursintheblur @i-have-n0-idea-what-im-d0ing @damnitvirgil @unicorndragon1-2-3 @littleladynightshade @peanut0303 @seeyoube @why-should-i-tell-youu2 @idiot-anonymous @unicornofdarknessstuff @winterswishing @wundergirllovesyou @surohsopsisofclouds @andreaissy @neon-skates @pumpkindotorgdotuk @llamaly @thetruthaboutthesun @frankiprowsworld @gattonero17 @kittykat3e @i-willgo-on @theiwatobiicepic @emiliopiccolo @im-awkward-go-away @singularthoughtofstatic @notyourperfectmexicandaughter @la-dolce-vita-on-deck @chocomiruk @anianthe @cause-a-gay-has-got-to-slay @lunatatic @incoherant-ramblings @09shell-sea09 @stormblessedcastiel @zaisling @im-a-solanum-lycopersicum @r1ght-as-ra1n @here-is-your-paper-trail-unicorn @a-gay-treee @ambivalentanemone @halfblood-demigods @tssidesfamily @fightmedragonwitch @anteonnix @kai-the-person @annoying-alien @t0astyt0es @astudyinfuckmylife @respectmekaren @winterknight1087 @wewuzraw @annoying-alien @dragonphantom13 @emiliopiccolo @theiwatobiicepic @thefingergunsgirl @bluerosesbleedred

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gameofdrarry · 3 years

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Wizards Hearts Recs: Modern AU/Non-Magical

Wizards Hearts was a four-month-long Drarry reading fest. Players were given a playing deck of 52 tropes, and were asked to find 52 different fics to read and comment on to fill their decks. To prevent the same few fics from being read, fics were restricted to only being used for the game three times before being considered ineligible for further points. The tropes and submissions list can be found here.

Check out the masterlist of fics for this trope below the cut!

📜 Black Coffee on a Lonely Night by Femme (femmequixotic) Rated: Mature Words: 21658 Tags: Cricket, British Politics Summary: Draco owns a café in the city. Harry's a MP who comes in every morning, newspapers in one hand, BlackBerry in the other, and orders a triple espresso macchiato. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Scribbled Confessions by MotherBooker Rated: General Words: 9185 Tags: past Harry Potter/Fred Weasley, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Diary/Journal, POV Third Person, POV First Person, Pining Harry Potter, Fluff, Teacher Harry, Alternate Universe - Muggle, Implied/Referenced Homophobia Summary: Draco finds a diary and discovers that the latest entries are all about him. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 And They Were Roommates by sithsanidala Rated: Mature Words: 21547 Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Muggle, Roommates, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Eventual Romance, Bisexual Harry Potter, Physical Abuse, Light Angst, Coma Summary: Harry Potter has college life all figured out: athletic scholarship, good-looking girlfriend, and his bestfriends by his side. His only problem? His roommate is the most stuck up person he's ever met. And Harry thinks he's falling for him ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Seeking: pet carer for Bartholomew (four-year old rescue greyhound, no special needs) by GallifreyisBurning Rated: Explicit Words: 14694 Tags: Alternate Universe - Muggle, Dog Carer Harry Potter, Lawyer Draco Malfoy, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, No Angst, Oblivious Draco Malfoy, Running, Pet Ownership - Freeform, Past Draco Malfoy/Blaise Zabini, Getting Together, Mentions of Canonical Character Death, Not Canon Compliant, (in basically any way), Minor Original Character(s), Explicit Sexual Content, Anal Sex, Shower Sex, harry works for draco, but I promise there's no power dynamic involved in their relationship, There's nothing unethical at all I swear, just read it you'll see, HP Fluff Fest 2020 Summary: When Draco’s boyfriend ends their relationship rather abruptly (and, frankly, extremely rudely), he leaves Draco with full-time responsibility for their rescue greyhound, Bartholomew. Draco loves his dog with all his heart, but the long hours he works at his law firm mean that he can’t possibly be home as much as Bartholomew needs. Enter Sirius Pet Care, an app designed to solve this very problem! When Draco books Harry, he’s relieved at how quickly the man and his dog bond. He’s less relieved by how unexpectedly, distractingly attractive Harry turns out to be… and how Draco’s afternoon meetings keep being “mysteriously” cancelled, meaning that he JUST HAPPENS to be home when Harry comes by. After all, it’s not appropriate to ogle one’s employees… right? ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Worlds Apart by QueenyMidas Rated: Explicit Words: 30561 Tags: muggle, Muggle AU, Alternate Universe - Muggle, Gaming, World of Warcraft - Freeform, Falling In Love Summary: In a muggle AU, Draco and Harry are left looking for magic in much more virtual places. For the both of them, the PC game World of Warcraft provides an outlet from their lives at school (where they’re both still nasty rivals). When their characters meet in game and a romance blossoms, it’s only a matter of time before they figure out who’s on the other side of the computer screen. You really don’t need to know anything about WoW to read this. Explicit in later chapters. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 We Built This Right by Remy_Writes5 Rated: Explicit Words: 15344 Tags: Inspired by Yuri!!! on Ice, Alternate Universe - Skating, Ice Skating, French Draco Malfoy, Desi Harry Potter, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, First Time, Fluff, Light Angst, Smut, Getting Together, Enemies to Lovers, Homophobic Language, Draco Malfoy & Pansy Parkinson Friendship, LCDrarry, Anxiety, strained relationship with parents, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Minor James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Minor Lucius Malfoy/Narcissa Black Malfoy, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical Summary: At last year's Grand Prix Final, Harry had an accident that left him with a lightning scar on his forehead, a concussion and a twisted ankle. Now everyone is waiting to see if his career is over - including former rival, Draco Malfoy. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 You Give Me Feelings That I Adore by rosejoongs Rated: Teen and Up Words: 2235 Tags: Humor, Alternate Universe- No Magic, modern!AU, Embarrased!Draco, Flustered!Draco, Teasing Slytherin Girls, smitten!Draco, Teasing, Kissing, Flirting, Terrible Innuendos, Aaaand I've Nothing Interesting To Tag, ooh wait, confident!harry, Flirtatious!Harry, Kinda Fluffy, shy!Draco Summary: There’s a gorgeous brunette standing at the table opposite theirs, grinning and taking the orders of the group of girls sitting there. He’s clad simply in a toga (the uniform here is strange) but damn is it raising Draco’s- And with that his brain comes to a screeching halt. Nope. No. He is not going to become another one of the predators sitting at his table. He is not going to lust after that guy and imagine taking him home and pinning him against the- “Having a nice reverie there, are you, Malfoy?” OR The one where Harry works as sexy-ass waiter in a strip bar and Astoria Greengrass can still bully Draco into going to such bars. Of course, it's not like Draco is exactly left wanting to complain about the ambience when he spots said Greek God in a toga... ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Songbirds of Avebury Manor by Tessa Crowley (tessacrowley) Rated: Explicit Words: 18237 Tags: Omega Verse, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Victorian, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Omega Draco Malfoy, Alpha Harry Potter, Class Differences, Soulmates, Sexual Tension, Mating Cycles/In Heat, First Time, Knotting, Implied Mpreg, Victorian Attitudes, Well sort of Victorian attitudes, Like Victorian attitudes except A/B/O, It makes sense in context I swear Summary: Harry Potter presents as alpha at fifteen, and it is supposed to change his life for the better. Instead, it leads him to a beautiful noble omega he cannot have, a political plot he cannot escape, and a threat on his life. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Catfish by QueenyMidas Rated: Explciit Words: 49525 Tags: Underage, Alternate Universe - Muggle, Catfish - Freeform, MTV Catfish, Falling In Love, travelling, Investigations Summary: After having gone to high school together and parted bitter rivals, Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter find themselves reunited under professional circumstances. They’re hired to host MTV’s hit show ‘Catfish’, a program dedicated to finding out the truth about online romances when one partner is desperate to meet offline and the other has avoided every attempt at real-life interaction. Fake profiles, lies, and surprising love stories run amuck with Draco as the classic skeptic and Harry as the hopeful believer when they travel the country for the show and become invested in their cases and in each other. American muggle AU. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Dial Tone by firenxe Rated: Teen and Up Words: 34699 Tags: Texting, text fic, Drarry, non-magic au, AU Summary: Harry Potter decides to text the number on his arm. Draco Malfoy finds himself woken up by messages. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Boldly Go by ChristineP Rated: Teen and Up Words: 1895 Tags: Alternate Universe, Non-magic, American!Harry, Humor Summary: Harry was sure the scowl would have had more force to it if the blond wasn’t dressed in a catsuit reminiscent of Seven of Nine. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Consort: Hummingbird Cirus by Gold-Snitcher (Revenant) Rated: Mature Words: 78568 Tags: Alternate Universe, no-magic, harem/slave fic, Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Betrayal, fist time, Loyalty, Love, Non-Graphic Violence, Romance Summary: When a rebellion is crushed on the outer-edges of the empire Draco finds among the captives an intriguing youth who joins the men and women of the harem. Can this quiet boy who refuses to admit his name be worthy of the role of Consort? Or is he as scheming as the other occupants of the harem? ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Unexpected Turn by Oakstone730 Rated: Explicit Words: 26812 Tags: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, United States, Road Trips, Mechanic Harry, real estate developer draco, tow truck sex, One Night Stands, American Harry, past Draco/Krum, South Dakota Summary: English real estate developer Draco Malfoy is in America to find his long lost cousin and escape a scandal. When his car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, his trip takes an unexpected turn. Non-Magical AU. (Fleeting mentions of Neville/Ginny and past-Draco/Krum) ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 A Surprising Christmas Present by 100SleeplessNights Rated: General Words: 6632 Tags: Harry Potter's Cat, Fluff, Meet-Cute, First Meetings, harry has a cat, Christmas Eve, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Soulmates, Romantic Soulmates, First Dates, kind of, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, Christmas Fluff, Artist Draco Malfoy, Alternate Universe - Muggle, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, New Year's Eve, New Year's Kiss, New Year's Fluff, First Kiss, Artist Harry Potter, Artist Lily Evans Potter, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Meeting the Parents Summary: Harry's cat disappears on Christmas Eve and he goes to find her. In the end he also finds something else he has searched for. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Incurable by Warholhp Rated: Explicit Words: 119473 Tags: Angst, Alternate Universe, First Time, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Smut, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Explicit Language, Sexual Content Summary: Non-Magic AU. Harry Potter was not sent to Hogwarts at age 11 as his parents intended. Instead, when an altercation with his uncle turns violent, he is sent to St. Brutus's Secure Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys. But four years later, he has the opportunity to attend Hogwarts, where he learns to live a life he never thought possible for himself. H/D and a bit of mentor-Snape. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Give Me a Quiet Mind by calrissian18 Rated: Teen and Up Words: 16260 Tags: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical Summary: Draco is Weasley’s assistant. Except for the week he’s not. Whose brilliant idea was that again? Featuring offices in Edinburgh, an epic Measley Bromance (that no one will admit exists), several unrequited crushes, fantastical revenge scenarios, coffee snobbery, the dreaded – yet adorable – toddler terror, promises of organ swapping, a play about Scottish history (no one cares), sequins, and the League of Snarky Secretaries! ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 There's No I In Team by JulietsEmoPhase Rated: Explicit Words: 13389 Tags: Alternate Universe - Muggle, Alternate Universe - Office, Parent-Child Relationship, Babysitting, Getting to Know Each Other, Past Character Death, Smut, Fluff and Smut, Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Dom/sub Undertones, Dom/sub Play, Romance, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Time, Praise Kink, Coming Out, Top Harry, Bottom Draco Summary: When Draco's babysitter cancels on him, he has no option but to bring his son to work, despite the fact he has an extremely important day ahead of him. Rescue comes from the most unlikely of places, and Draco ends up having a day he never could have planned, or hoped for. Muggle AU, smut. Birthday present! ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Synthetic Bonds by mypetelephant Rated: Mature Words: 116270 Tags: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Arranged Marriage, Drapple Summary: Harry has always been the golden boy of Malfoy Corporation, earning the respect of Lucius and the resentment of his high school rival, Draco. But Lucius has a business proposal that involves Harry becoming a Malfoy..by marrying Draco. Non-magic AU ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 When Trust and Truth Collide by silvergalaxy Rated: Explicit Words: 47374 Tags: Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Office Romance, Banter, Mistaken Identity, Misunderstandings, Oblivious Harry Potter, Fluff and Angst, Insomnia, Power Imbalance, Boss/Employee Relationship Summary: Harry meets Draco for the first time in the employee break room on a boring Wednesday morning and they immediately hit it off. Chance encounters turn into dates, and dates turn into feelings. Oh, yeah. Draco's also Harry's boss. Harry has no idea. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 To the Memory of Love by jamesilver Rated: General Words: 55952 Tags: Major Character Death long fic, Amnesia, but not, Coma, i really don’t know how to describe, AU, Alternate Universe - Voldemort Wins, kinda ya know like in the beginning, Angst, So much angst, Fluff, Muggle Life, harry in the muggle world, background hermione x ron, background sirius x remus, because this is an au i can do what i want so i day sirius didn’t die okay okay, Hogwarts Eighth Year, But also not, Past Child Abuse, don’t worry the major character death isn’t like draco or harry but it is other people, Horcrux Hunting, alphard black is alive, Happy Ending Summary: The light was bright as he blinked open his eyes. He was vaguely aware of the steady sounds of beeping. And he felt weird. His mouth felt like it was full of cotton. Strange. He was in a hospital. But it wasn’t St. Mungos. It was muggle. All the technology, it was muggle. “Mr. Potter, you’ve been in a coma for the last seven years. When you were eleven, you took a terrible run face-first into a wall at King’s Cross.” “No, but. But Ron. Molly was there and she...she directed me to. And Hagrid. Hedwig. Diagon.” This was a mistake. This was all a terrible mistake. ____ Or, in which Harry wakes up from a coma in a muggle world at 18, but with all the memories of Voldemort and the war. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Man with the Purple Umbrella by Moood Rated: General Words: 2251 Tags: Fluff, Drabble, Drarry, Muggle AU, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés Summary: Draco Malfoy works in a coffeshop. One day, a man with a purple umbrella walks in, and Draco's life change forever. ❤️ Read on AO3

#game of drarry #drarry #drarry recs #wizards hearts #wh masterlist

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genogenocrazycatman · 3 years

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Unlucky - Corey Graves x OC

Unlucky [Archive of Our Own, FanFiction.Net]

Progress: 1/1

Characters: Original Female Character, Corey Graves

I didn’t want to be marked. I thought the whole concept was stupid. When you get near your other half, you suddenly get a mark that represents them at that time. You first get near your soulmate when you’re five and he’s still playing with bricks, you got a brick on your arm.

***

“I just want it to look more feminine, you know?”

I nodded at the woman looking at the calendar, trying to find a place, where I could fit her in.

“Well, it’s not gonna be easy. You got one gnarly set of horns there, but it’s not anything that I can’t work with,” I said reaching for a pencil, when I found a couple of hours available on a Tuesday. “I do a lot of tattoos like this.”

“What about you?” she asked.

“The only marks on my body got there the hard way.”

“Oh. I’m sure you’ll get yours one day.” Her words were meant to be reassuring, but I took them as an insult.

I didn’t want to be marked. I thought the whole concept was stupid. When you get near your other half, you suddenly get a mark that represents them at that time. You first get near your soul mate, when you’re five and he’s still playing with bricks, you gotta brick on your arm. Meet your future wife, when she’s in the middle of her emo phase, you got fucking Gerard Way on your thigh.

It caused more harm than good in my opinion. Some people never found their other half and wasted their entire life looking for that person. Sometimes they passed each other in the street, never to see each other again. Just because you were supposed to be perfectly matched didn’t mean the timing was always right. It didn’t mean that was the only person that you would ever fall in love with. Hell it didn’t even guarantee that the pair would like each other.

But for some it did, and those people got their happily ever afters. Good for them. I wasn’t anti-happiness. I was just anti-mark. Well save for when I was working. Being that the mark was representative of the other person, it didn’t always fit the person it was on. Like now. The woman in front of me was a classic southern belle, with a massive set of horns taking up the entirety of her upper back. Her husband was apparently a rancher. So she came to me. The marked skin took ink, so I was able to tattoo over and around them. It was like a cover up, but only partially.

“Maybe,” I said, scribbling her name in and taking the deposit. I handed her the time card and she was off.

I settled down in the chair of the reception desk and went back to reading my magazine. I was there solely to work reception that day, so I had done absolutely nothing.

My boss Rich was there, tattooing a friend of his. It was the nth session on a massive back piece that he’d started a while back.

“When do you think you’re going to meet your mark maker?” he asked, knowing that it was going to wind me up.

I took the bait anyways. “Ain’t got no room for a mark,” I said.

I had filled up most of my body with tattoos, and was running out of space. If I ever did get a mark, I was probably gonna be pissed. That was valuable real estate any more.

The bell above the door chimed. I looked up expecting another person with a cringe worthy mark. Instead, my eyes fell upon Corey Graves, former professional wrestler, current NXT commentator, regular client at the shop and a friend of mine (with a benefit or two).

“Look, Trouble’s here,” Rich said.

“Trouble’s at the desk,” Corey said.

I let the jab go. I was trouble. I was also very well aware of that fact. “S’up, Graves?”

He shrugged. “Nothing, hit the gym, since I didn’t go yesterday.”

“Hit the gym, since you weren’t hung over today,” I corrected.

“Fuck you.”

I laughed.

Corey and I hung out a lot. Most of that time was spent at bars.

“I’m not the one that started ordering tequila shots.”

“Yes, you were.”

“I was?”

I did not remember shit, save for Corey scaring some asshole off, who kept giving me shit, making out with Corey outside of the bar and then throwing up. The more I thought about it, the more tequila made sense.

“Yes.”

“Well it didn’t hit me as hard the next day as it did you.”

Corey rolled his eyes.

A thought popped into my head. “You’re a piercer right?”

He nodded.

“If I order the shit will you pierce my lip?” I asked.

“If it’s cool with Rich,” he answered.

I spun in my chair to look at Rich.

“Sure. I don’t give a shit.”

I did a little victory jig.

“Start of list in your head, go pick me up some food, and, when you get back, I’ll write it down.”

“You’re obnoxious.”

I grinned.

“Bacon cheese burger?” he asked.

“Yes, please.”

“Rich you want something?”

“Same.”

“I’ll be back,” he said, leaving the shop.

Three Weeks Later

“Are you nervous?” Corey asked, as he got everything ready.

“No.”

“Are you sure about that?” he asked, opening and closing the clamp.

I rolled my eyes. “You’d never hurt me.”

“You think this isn’t going to hurt?”

“Alright, you’d never hurt me more than necessary. Better?”

“Better,” he said, chuckling.

“You’re such a dick.”

“I try.”

We gone through all of the prep stuff, and now it was time to actually jam a needle in my lip.

“Alright open up,” Corey said, putting on some weird evil dentist persona.

“Calm down Isaac Yankem.”

Corey pulled my lip down to clamp it and paused, pulling a confused face.

“Something wrong?” I asked. It was a bit awkward considering that he still had a hold of my lip.

“How long have you had this?” he asked, letting go.

“Had what?”

He pulled my lip down again and held the mirror up so that I could see.

On the center of my bottom lip was a bold black 13 with Unlucky written over it in script.

“What the fuck?” I leaned forward to get a better look at it. “What the actual fuck? Where the hell did that-“

“You didn’t get that?” he asked.

“No,” I answered.

I didn’t have any attachment to the number thirteen, and there was no one that I knew that could put something like that in there. I didn’t think anyone could. Very few people could do something like that at all, let alone so legibly.

Corey fell silent for a moment. “Do you think it’s your mark?” he asked.

“No!” I cried indignantly. ”No. No. No. The only marks on this body are there, because I put them.” I was getting more and more upset as the situation set in.

“Calm down,” he said.

“How the fuck am I supposed to calm down? Do you get with this means?” I asked. “Things are gonna change.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in that.”

“Just because I don’t doesn’t mean that other people won’t. What-“

He cut me off. “That’s not true. You didn’t know it was there. You could’ve had it for years, and been none the wiser. Has anything changed in that time?”

He knew something.

“Corey, do you know how long this has been here?” I asked.

He sighed. “I have an idea.”

“An idea?”

He dipped his head, so that I could see the space behind his ear, a red calla lily that was so dark that it was almost black my favorite flower.

“I don’t know when it got there. I never noticed it, until Hunter asked me about it a few months ago. If I had to guess, I probably got it the first time I walked into this shop.”

“Wait you-“

I was panicking before. It increased tenfold the second I realized what Corey was implying.

Corey sighed, setting down the clamp and taking off his gloves. He placed his hands on my shoulders. “Look at me. Look at me.”

I did as he said. “You need to calm down. You’re making a big deal out of nothing.”

“But-“

“Listen to me. Since when the hell have you ever cared about your mark?”

I was silent. I had never cared, not even when I was young.

“Answer me.”

“Never.”

“Then why start now? This friendship and whatever the else has come along with it had nothing to do with our marks. We didn’t know we were marked. Whatever else happens, even if nothing else happens isn’t going to be because of a flower or a number. It’s gonna be because we’re us.”

I did feel a lot better, but there was still part of my brain screaming about how everything was going to be fucked.

“Earlier, you said that I’d never hurt you?”

“Yeah.”

“You trust me?”

“Without a doubt.”

“Then trust me. Everything will work out fine.”

I felt that last bit of apprehension ease out of my system. I was still confused. For sure. It was going to take a while to process everything and to come to terms to it, but at least for now, I was fine.

“It’ll work out,” I repeated.

He let out a relieved sigh and gave me a small smile. “Good. Now, do you still want to pierce your lip?”

I nodded.

“Then let’s get it done.”

***

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#repost #because I never finished moving everything over from that side blog I had for a quick minute #teroin writes #wwe #corey graves #fanfiction #corey graves fanfic #corey graves fanfiction #corey graves x oc #corey graves x ofc

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terramythos · 3 years

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TerraMythos’ 2020 Reading Challenge In Review - 8/10s!

See Master Post

Here’s the 8/10s! This is basically the mid-level “stuff I liked” rating.

1. How Long ‘Til Black Future Month? by N. K. Jemisin (Full Review Here)

The 8/10 on this is a little misleading, as it’s an average score among 22 stories. Anthologies are basically never going to be my highest-rated works because to me short fiction is hit-or-miss. As you can tell from my actual write-up, there are a lot of great stories here; Jemisin is just a fantastic writer. The Trojan Girl, Valedictorian, The Evaluators, The Narcomancer, and Too Many Yesterdays/Not Enough Tomorrows all live in my head rent-free. There’s just some that also didn’t click with me.

2. All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells (Full Review Here)

If you peeked at the 9 and 10 lists you know I loved this series, lol. This one ranked a little lower than the others because it’s super short! Just as I started getting attached to Murderbot and interested in the world, the book ended. It was a good hook to get me further into the series but hard to rank on its own. The other novellas ranked higher since I was more familiar with Murderbot by then. I’m very glad I stuck with it and kept reading!

3. City of Saints and Madmen (Ambergris #1) by Jeff VanderMeer (Full Review Here)

This is the first book in the pseudo-trilogy that is the Ambergris series. It’s basically a short story collection, and boy is it weird! There’s clearly something wrong with Ambergris as a city, and it’s hard to parse fact from fiction when the stories intentionally contradict each other or obfuscate information. There’s a ton of hints that don’t pay off until Finch, which is totally bonkers. Anyway, I really liked the horror/historical stories (yes those are basically the same when it comes to Ambergris) -- The Hoegbotton Guide to the Early History of Ambergris, The Transformation of Martin Lake, King Squid, and my personal favorite The Cage. The other stories just ranged from mildly interesting to meh.

4. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz (Full Review Here)

I can totally see why this is a classic in LGBT YA fiction. The writing and love story are both fantastic. As someone perpetually closeted in real life, the struggle of Ari realizing he’s in love with his best friend hits close to home, and is clearly drawn from the author’s own relationship with his sexuality. I really like that both of the leads’ families are integral to the story, and while Ari’s personal arc is a family conflict, it’s refreshingly not due to the LGBT stuff. This book would be an easy 10/10 but something happened near the middle that totally killed the pace for me. Thankfully it does get better in the last third or so.

5. The Siren Depths (The Books of the Raksura #3) by Martha Wells (Full Review Here)

This book is probably my favorite in the original trilogy; I like the reveal of Moon’s past and the complicated emotions associated with that. The Fell are genuinely creepy villains played to their full potential as well. The Siren Depths also introduces two of my favorite characters, Malachite and Shade. It’s got the emotions! It’s got the action! It’s got the kinda-horror! The main thing that dragged down the score is the ending, which felt rushed and tied up way too quickly.

6. The Cloud Roads (The Books of the Raksura #1) by Martha Wells (Full Review Here)

As an introduction to the Raksura series, I really liked this book! There’s a sense of this huge setting with lots of interesting worldbuilding and development. I’ve said it a lot, but I like that it’s a fantasy setting with zero humans or recognizable fantasy races. It’s also super cool to have the main characters able to shapeshift and fly! Moon learning about the Raksura and their culture feels natural because he’s an outsider. I also like his arc; how he mistrusts/allies with the Raksura for convenience, then gradually finds his place among them. At this point in the series the Fell weren’t especially interesting villains, but (spoiler) the series does eventually address this.

7. Middlegame by Seanan McGuire (Full Review Here)

So I really like the concept behind this one -- twins created by shady alchemical experiments get tossed into the real world in order to observe their natural development. While intentionally kept apart, they manage to find each other nevertheless via telepathy. There’s this grand scheme for the villains to steal the twins’ power and become a god? And at some point the reader realizes there’s time loops and stuff where they’re trying to prevent certain bad endings (hello Zero Escape)? Platonic soulmates?! Just... a lot of interesting stuff going on. I think what kept this from a 9 or a 10 for me is much of the book reads like contemporary coming-of-age fiction, which isn’t what I was looking for with a concept like this. Technically the “ordinary” nature of the first half is a façade because Plot, but... you still have to read through it.

8. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson (Full Review Here)

This is an interesting nonfiction work that summarizes major scientific knowledge in terms a layman can understand. Bryson is actually a travel writer, but consulted dozens of experts in order to write this book and cites the hell out of everything. I think he does a great job presenting accurate and accessible information. Even stuff I learned in school is explained in ways that make more sense than how I was taught-- like ice ages. I also learned lots of interesting facts! My main issue is there’s a heavy focus on individual scientists, many of whom were boring. And while this isn’t the book’s fault, some of the info is outdated. I think this would benefit from a revised edition.

9. Wolf by Wolf (Wolf by Wolf #1) by Ryan Graudin (Full Review Here)

Absolutely fuckin’ bonkers concept. Alternate “the Nazis won” history, starring a Holocaust escapee who can skinshift, posing as a professional motorcyclist, trying to compete and win an annual Reich-sponsored race, in order to get a private audience with Hitler and murder the shit out of him? Probably the most surprising thing about the premise is it mostly works. I really like the deliberate pacing through the tense motorcycle race, the level of deception Yael has to maintain, and the harrowing flashback sequences. Sometimes the symbolism is a little heavy-handed, and I wasn’t a huge fan of the generic antagonistic YA love interest character Luka, but overall I was pleasantly surprised by this one.

10. A Conspiracy of Truths (A Conspiracy of Truths #1) by Alexandra Rowland (Full Review Here)

This takes place in a fantasy world with analogues to real-world nations. The main character, an old man named Chant, is a professional storyteller who is arrested for supposed witchcraft in the Eastern Europe-esque country of Nuryevet. While it’s clearly a farce, he’s screwed over by the local political system and imprisoned. Faced with possible execution, Chant uses his gift for storytelling to manipulate local powers, and accidentally starts a political revolution in the country. Whoops!

I liked the book’s meta-commentary on storytelling, and it features a lot of wonderful side-stories told by Chant and other characters. Oddly enough, the economics are super interesting (a trait shared with the sequel). My main criticism is most of the political intrigue goes down off-screen; we just learn about it through other characters. While that makes sense with an imprisoned protagonist, it’s not the most exciting approach. I ended up liking A Choir of Lies more, but this one was still good.

11. The Serpent Sea (The Books of the Raksura #2) by Martha Wells (Full Review Here)

Boy did I read a lot of Martha Wells this year. This is the last one! This is probably my least favorite of the series; very much a filler/side-story. Nevertheless, it’s an entertaining entry on its own merits. The leviathan city is distinctively gross, and I liked the evil magister antagonist and his creepy-ass museum. This is also where we learn about Chime’s powers, which continue to be relevant through the series. But I don’t have a whole lot to say beyond that. It’s a solid entry that doesn’t change much.

#2020 reading challenge #taylor reads

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dwsecretsanta · 4 years

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Spoilers Are Rude

I own nothing.

This is for @emkaywho who wanted a soulmate AU with either Nine/Rose or Twelve/Rose. They left the choice up to me, so I hope they enjoy this. The title’s a bit of a giveaway as to which I chose, but my brain latched onto the idea so here it is.

When the words I can’t believe Dumbledore dies first appeared on his skin, he is less than impressed.

One, his cousin was never going to leave him alone about it.

Two, it meant that there was at minimum an eleven year age gap between him and whichever poor sod fate had decreed was his perfect match.

“What kind of name is Dumbledore anyway?” Donna questioned, poking at his shoulder where the messy script was written.

“How should I know?” He grunted, swatting her hand away. “Hand me the wrench, would you?”

She handed him the requested tool. “At least it’s better than mine.”

“Don’t know about that,” he was referencing the stuttered ‘Hello Donna’ written in painstakingly neat cursive on her forearm. “Seems like you get introduced to yours. Speech impediment aside, could be worse.”

“Does the age thing bother you?” She pushed the box of random bits and bobs towards him. The last time she’d reached into it, her hand had come out covered in grease. It had taken ages to get it all off.

“Why should it?” He absently reached into the box and pulled out what he needed. He was going to get this car working before Grandad got home. Why should he care about some babe in arms that he may never meet?

He wasn’t like Donna, who even at thirteen dreamed of meeting her soulmate and dragging them to the altar. She was also at the other end of the spectrum, having been born with her words already in place. Most people were, or they received their words within a year or so of being born.

Jonathan Noble didn’t rightly care one way or the other. Science and machines were more interesting. So were books and history.

Donna rolled her eyes at him. She despaired at ever getting him to interact with the rest of the human race, the big eared lug. She knew he was a boy and boys were different, but annoying or not her cousin was special.

A spark arched from the part he was working on and he leapt back. Donna shrieked, tumbling off her stool and sending his cobbled together toolbox scattering across the garage floor.

He laughed. “Fantastic!”

“That’s not what mum’s gonna say if you start a fire in the garage again,” Donna dusted herself off once she regained her feet. “If it’s sparking, does that mean it’s working again?”

“Think so, let’s close her up and find out!” He eagerly began putting the casing back around the engine.

Rolling her eyes again, Donna opened the door. She wasn’t going to let the idiot kill them in his excitement.

“Donna, are you and John about done in there?” Wilfred Mott stuck his head out of the back door. He had heard something, but far be it from him to discourage his grandchildren from trying things. If Jon could get the old girl working again, he’d just teach the boy to drive it.

“He thinks so,” Donna grinned. “Jon got his soul mark!”

“Is that so?” Wilfred chuckled. That was good. His grandson needed something good in his life after the loss of his parents and home.

“Yeah-” whatever else she had planned to say was cut off by the loud BANG from the garage.

Jon stumbled out, coughing to clear his lungs of the smoke. “I’m fine!”

Wilfred ran to get the fire extinguisher as Donna dragged the protesting Jon away from the garage. Nothing was actually in flames, but probably only due to the lack of flammable material.

“I think that’s enough tinkering today,” Wilfred patted Jon’s shoulder. “Come on lad, let’s have some tea. I picked you up some new books while I was out.”

It was Donna who discovered it first. She had picked up a slightly tattered copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and opened it to begin reading. At first she didn’t get why the name sounded familiar, but when she did she burst out into laughter before scowling.

“You’re soulmate’s rude,” she proclaimed later on once they were together again.

“How are they rude?” Jon asked calmly, focused more on the manuals Wilfred had found at the second hand shop at the moment.

“Literally the first words they say to you are a freaking spoiler!” She waved her book in his face. “I know who Dumbledore is!”

He took the book from her, flipping through it to read the first chapter. “So?”

“So?!” Donna scowled at him and took her book back. “So, this is the first book in a series! There’s going to be seven! If his death is major enough to be included in the first words your soulmate says to you, then it means he’s a major character! Even I know that much.” She had looked it up before coming over. It was nice to know things before her too-smart-for-his-own-good sometimes cousin.

Jon blinked at her. Alright, so perhaps she had a bit of a point. What was he to do about it? It wasn’t as if anyone had any control over what their soul-words said. It wasn’t as if he were prone to wearing silly things like sleeveless shirts and jumpers. He wouldn’t be giving away any ‘spoilers’.

Donna threw her hand into the air. “You’re impossible!” She turned to leave, pausing in the doorway. “You can read it after I’m done!”

Despite himself, Jon did read the stack of books Donna eventually left for him. The first three were already out, the characters well established even as fans awaited the release of the fourth book. He found himself fascinated, even if he knew the fate of one of the characters.

Considering he found Dumbledore a bit daft, he found himself able to ignore it. He may or may not have read several pieces of fan work by likeminded individuals, but he admitted to nothing.

As he got older and the series finished, the movies came out and the world was consumed with the universe created by Rowling. He did not get as involved as Donna did (he supposed he was alright in being considered a Ravenclaw to her Gryffindor, although he argued her loyalty and work ethic made her a Hufflepuff), not that he would admit to in any case.

He entered the army in order to assist in paying for University. He blew things up and understood why his grandfather was proud to have never fired a single shot during the Second World War. He completed his degrees in mechanical engineering and history, moving on to working his way up to professor as he tinkered in the garage turned lab during his free time.

Jon inadvertently introduced Lee Williams to his sister. The man stuttering out Donna’s words as, enamored with his face and shy demeanor, she said his without either realizing it until deep into conversation and Donna agreeing to go fishing with him the next weekend. Jon had a good laugh at the both of them, dodging the wrench Donna threw at his head.

Life went on. Donna got her dream wedding (smaller than she originally imagined, but a singularly enjoyable day nonetheless). He somehow ended up running a small bookshop near the university campus, giving history lectures and assisting an ever expanding assortment of people in various endeavors.

It was a day like any other when the blonde wondered in, ratty bag at her side as she perused the shelves. He would have greeted her like he did most customers, but he was busy dealing with a rather rambunctious red-head who had six questions for every answer he gave her. By the time he was finished with her, the blonde was nowhere to be seen.

Donna, who sometimes watched the shop while he was giving lectures, mentioned her once or twice. She called her polite and mentioned that she had found several of his hidey-holes. He never found her in any of them, although he did spot her coming and going several times over the next few months.

It was a bit silly, really, how they met in the end.

The day was overcast and threatening rain, a typical day in London during the fall really. A new semester had begun and he was avoiding a faculty meeting by being in the shop.

He heard the soft sniffles coming from his favorite reading nook on his way back from the storage room. He set the stack of adventure books down and turned the corner to look inside the little nook. It was the quiet blonde that he was always meaning to greet and never had.

“You alright?” He asked gruffly, uncertain what to do with crying women. Kids he could handle, even bothersome cousins who sometimes had more bravery than sense.

She looked up at him. “I can’t believe Dumbledore dies.” She swiped at her eyes. “Sorry, first time readin’ it and it caught me off-guard.”

He blinked at her, taking in the book on her lap opened to a well-known chapter. “It’s you.” Was all that he could think to say.

“What?” She looked up at him in confusion, mascara smeared a bit from her tears.

He chuckled, feeling his ears redden. “Sorry, that part’s always shockin’, even when you know it’s comin’.” He shifted. “Known since I was eleven, and it still gave me a twist when it happened.”

“What?” She frowned at him, even more confused.

“Words,” he blurted. “My words,” he explained further. “Had no clue what they meant till my cousin threw the first book at my head all pleased with herself for figuring it out. Called you rude for spoiling it.”

“Wha-oh!” She reddened this time. “I…wait…” She tugged her shirt sleeve up, revealing You alright? in his messy script. She giggled. “I suppose it is a bit rude, ruining a plot twist like that.” She held out her hand. “Rose Tyler.”

Jon shook the offered hand, the tingling sensation alerting the both of them they had met the right person. “Jon Noble.” Now what was he supposed to do? “Tea?”

She smiled at him. “Sounds lovely.” She held up the book. “Least you didn’t make fun of my reading choice.”

“Harry Potter is a classic,” he defended stanchly. “Fantastic book for any kind of day.”

She laughed. “Yea, it is. Seen any of the movies?”

That sparked a lively conversation that lasted well past tea time and ended with an invitation to join her in seeing it when it premiered later that week.

She stayed in the shop until closing. He offered her a ride home and she accepted.

By that time the rain that had been threatening all day had arrived in a steady downpour. He pointed to the beaten up old blue truck he had eventually gotten and kept working.

He grabbed her hand. “Run!”

Laughing, she did just that.

I hope this makes you smile! Happy Holidays @emkaywho!

#doctor who #fanfic #emkaywho #magewriter #doctor #nine #rose tyler #donna noble #lee mcavoy #wilfred mott #submission #doctor x rose #nine x rose

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lyorofthequill · 4 years

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Death’s ribbon dance.

Dejah walked through the town. He was going to meet Carine and Tenebrous about a recent... Occurrence with him. He looked down at it again, he was walking away from whoever it was. He felt sick about it. He always did. He chuckled as waved to the Craver demon of violets, he was with his daughter, the Craver demon of the lily flower. He was one of the more respectable reapers. He worked close with Thanatos and Hades. He even had an apprentice in the small daughter of the Craver demon of spirits, the daughter was named Azrail Freyja. For a man like him, for any Craver demon like him to take an apprentice was unheard of. Some saw it as a sign that you had accepted that one day you'll die, that you wouldn't fight back against it, others saw it as dangerous.

Many apprentices killed their masters. Apprentices were only for Craver demons who lived rougher, they said, he was not so sure about that. He would prove that Craver demons did not need to fear the next generation, instead they needed to talk and teach them to take up the handle of Craver demons. He walked to the Alpha's domain. A wonderful little home. A cottage, almost, that stuck out of a small cave. A waterfall beside it, there Tenebrous and Celestia stood talking. They bowed to him as he came. ''Come, inside. With the others.''Tenebrous led them inside, N, Garde, Carine, Hecate and Serpentes. Ah, all the most important Craver demons had come to speak about this. He chuckled as he wiped dust off his jacket. He was wearing a classical outfit, something that would have been worn by American politicians in the later years after a revolution. His jacket was a dark purple and his trousers and boots were different shades of black. He had dark-ish, ash skin with silver hair and wonderful grey eyes with pink pupils. He had skeleton wings, not attatched to his body.

His black leather gloves kept his hands warm, he slipped off his jacket. He had a grey button up shirt underneath. He hung the jacket behind his chair.

''Well, I never expected a party when I came in? Is this all for me?''He chuckled as he sat down. Tenebrous's wife, Desiderare. Later her name would become the origin word for the word, 'Desire'. She was the Craver demon of lust and of course, desire.

'She was a loving woman, what she desired was a warm bed and a roof over her head. She desired ones to call her kin and to call someone her kin. She desired warmth and all things that was her right. She desired for people to be fair to each other. She desired simple things of life, such as a glass of milk with some cookies beside the fire. She desired to learn more, a curious spirit she was. What she lusted for was a lover, a child and a home. She lusted for the power of having some land and the little power that came with it. She lusted for the ideals of the people to become the truth. She had a lust for everything sweet and savory.'

A small excerpt from a paper that he and Manfos wrote after her sad passing later in years. Tenebrous smiled as when she poured his wine, he clasped her free hand and placed a kiss on it. He whispered something to her as he placed a hand on the one he held close. Both his hands over hers. As she smiled and nodded at what he spoke. She had wonderful pale, virgin snow hair and dark skin. She had been from the Craver Demon tribes in Africa, much human and Craver demon cross-breeding had happened in those tribes. They did not share the thought that they were equal with the Gods as their Asian and European brothers and sister did. Dejah respected their views and shared them. That Craver demons were another creature of Gaia, not above, nor below any of the others. She had mortal blood in her, some said that’s why Tenebrous first fell for her. As a human falls in love with their puppy-dog. If those rumors ever reached the Alpha's ears, Dejah was sure that that 'puppy-dog' would turn in to that black shuck that will tear them limb for limb.

She smiled and ruffled Tenebrous's hair and then walked away. Mostly likely to prepare the meeting of Public Servants and to take care of her and his daughter, Acra. Carine was the only one without wine as Dejah sipped at his. Ah, only the best wine. Vinum, the Craver demon assistant to Dionysus, for obvious reasons. It came from their vineyards. The best red wine, any of them had. It would later be missed by all.

''Actually, Dejah. We came here to speak about Celestia's claims about a place called... Elkar? Its been decided that it is non-sense.'' Serpentes spoke up, he bowed his head as Celestia eyed him. Dejah nodded at this, ''Right. And now my problem?'' ''Yes, your red-ribbon problem.''Hecate spoke up, she was leaning back in her seat. They all nodded, there were some seats missing. Yet they weren't needed for this. No, this was a matter for some more emotional people. Which was this, bar Hecate. But Dejah supposed that she was here for Celestia's problem, not his.

Carine smiled, Dejah knew that she was happy for him. Yet a Craver demon that was not born, that manifested, as he did. It was strange that he had one. It mean't that his soulmate had been either born or manifested, and he was excited to meet them.

''I believe that you have a forgathered us, to speak about this recent occurance,''Serpentes looked down at his notes, ''Because you wish to abandon your duties for a short time and find this soulmate?'' Dejah nodded. He was asking for something that came at a heavy cost. He took another sip at his wine, it calmed his nerves. He sighed and closed his eyes. Serpentes turned to Tenebrous and the other Craver demons. ''Sir, I shall be the one to say it. It will not be easy. There are no other Reaper, Craver demons. The gods need someone to help them.''Serpentes sighed, turning to Tenebrous.

Hecate cleared her throat as she raised her hand, ''Sir Tenebrous? Do you know how many people die a day?'' He turned to her before nodding, ''Quite.'' She turned to Dejah and then Serpentes and Tenebrous.

''I'd like to point out. That Dejah's apprentice does have time bending magic. So, she can slow time and maybe even do a better job then Dejah.''She pointed out. Tenebrous sat back as Serpentes laughed. ''She is training, an Apprentice.''He tried to reason. Hecate paused, ''So? She is the demon of Seimancy. She is more intact with spirits then a demon of Necromancy does.'' She willingly pointed out. Carine nodded.

‘’' believe that he should go. To find the person he is fated to love.'' Garde lifted his hand as he added, ''Its the right of every man, orc, elf, dwarf, Leo Capra and demon to find love. Why should we deny it to him?'' An agruement started, about ones duty against ones destiny. Dejah lowered his head as he listened. He took a large swig of his wine. Finally a bark came from Tenebrous as he growled like a hound. They all shut up as Dejah lifted his head.

''Dejah, do you have absolute faith in your Apprentice?''Tenebrous leaned forward, resting both forearms on the table. His wife stepped out of the back and placed a hand on Tenebrous's back. She sighed as leaned in close to his ear.

They could all see his anger in his eyes, shadows were about to destroy everything. She was singing a lullaby in to his ear, a soft one that the others could barely hear it. She was massaging his shoulders, rocking him back and fourth, ever so gently. The rest all sat there, backs straight, chests tight. They dare not look away from this act. Finally she kissed him on the neck and it was complete. He turned to her, he gripped her hair. Celestia who was a little less aware of the two, froze at this. Unsure if he was to slam her head down in to the desk or something else. Instead, he gently led her head down and kissed her. It was deep and loving. Finally the grip on her went loose, his anger was no more. Finally they pulled away.

''Love you Desiderare.''

''I know, I love you too. My king~''She purred back as she kissed his forehead and walked back to the back. They could hear the daughter giggle as her mother returned. Tenebrous turned to Dejah. He cleared his throat.

''Indeed, Azrail is capable. I will put my life on it.''He spoke it loud and clear, Tenebrous nodded, ''And it shall be if she fails. I wish you look, may the stars bless you Dejah.''

With that Tenebrous stood and left. The others copied, Celestia patted Dejah on the back. She froze as he grabbed her wrist, he looked up at her.

''Celestia? This Elkar business. I wish to hear more about when I find my love, Even take me there if you may.'' He chuckled, he was truthful. Another world sounded like a fairy tale. Yet he wanted to believe. She smiled with joy. ''And they shall welcome you with open arms.’’

With that Dejah was alone. He sighed as he stood. How idiotic was he, he was a demon of death. No, he was death. And death was now searching for love and was putting his life on the line. Hoping a young girl would save him from this. He knew he could be gone for years, but he was ready. Perhaps to even pay the price of if Azrail failed.He swung his jacket over his shoulders. He looked at the moon. Dawn would approach at any moment. He would pack and head out on the first ray of Ra's return to this realm.

#Original story #original character #original demon character #my own fic #original fiction #original fic #fantasy

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lokisasylum · 4 years

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Why are Kpop Predictions so... negative?

I'm not one to humor people who do Kpop Predictions (and for free? really? ya'll out here "spilling info/tea" about celebrities for FREE? IN THIS ECONOMY?). I just find them laughable/amusing because of how inaccurate they are 95% of the times, while toying with the fandoms' emotions. Creating unnecessary drama and stress about things that anyone with a common sense and logic could've predicted all on their own. But to give you guys an idea, here are a few by category:

#1. Twitter based Kpop Predictions

I’ve always had this MAJOR feeling that the great majority of them are run by THE SAME person on different accounts (kinda like how on Tumblr we're allowed to "manage" different blogs for whatever we may need 'em). Cause if you pay close attention they ALL share the same pattern:

SAME moon/crystal ball Icons

SAME way of "predicting" events ( *coughCOPY/PASTEcoughcough* )

They ALL go on hiatus at the SAME TIME and when they finally return they give the SAME excuse that they were depressed, drained of energy, mental blockage/migraine from predicting so much.

They throw shade at other prediction accounts and accuse them of "copying" them since they're "the original one."

They throw random predictions per day that never come true and when they don't and get called out its always the same excuse of "you choose what you want to believe" or "I never said it was gonna happen NOW, it could still happen in the future." (even after saying they would during the current year lol).

The great majority of these accounts are BIASED AF and mostly run by delulu shippers who tease the followers with incomplete information to keep ‘em interested.

🐍 Note: The one thing that I heavily dislike about these is that it's been proven in previous years that these accounts either work with or buy information from Sasaengs or insiders within the companies. Which is a big NO-NO in the Kpop community since Sasaengs are disgustingly invasive and have zero disregard for the Idol’s personal life and safety.

#2. Youtube Kpop Predictions/Tarot Card Readers, or as I like to call them: the "super-tragic-always-negative-BTS-are-gonna-disband-this-year-or-the-next-under-super-tragic-circumstances" accounts.

These youtubers are known for spending and wasting 15-20 minutes of their videos (and viewers lives) doing self-promos and showing off the different card decks that they've just recently bought (as if the predictions change based on whether or not you're using a Classic Arcana or a Sailor Moon/Pokemon/YuGiOh with limited edition EXODIA & Shadow Realm included deck) And as mentioned above, ALL of them give super tragic/negative predictions, especially when it comes to BTS. Like I remember at the start of this year, there were around 10 (or more) of them saying that BTS would either disband in mid or near the end of 2019. 5 of them stated (in COPY/PASTE fashion) that 2 members would either abandon the group to pursue solo careers, or that 1 would leave and the other would be kicked out for either health issues or this super huge controversial scandal that would ruin BTS' or the member's image and something about "diva behavior" or that the same member was a huge bully towards the others (and annoyingly enough, all of them kept pointing to both Jin and Jimin for some strange reason). But as we've seen, 2019 came and practically went and BTS are still together, still thriving. Maybe one or two "dating rumors" here and there during their "time off" that died in a span of 1 month or so and everyone went on with their lives because it was found to be the product of antis wanting to start shit because everybody wants a BTS scandal (and of course, close to AWARD SEASON *LE GASP*). So now those same "psychics" are correcting themselves and making up excuses that "they didn't have all the info" or "misunderstood it when they first got it". 🐍🐍 Note: I found it both hilarious and ignorant how the great majority of them are using the "members will start to leave one by one" as a sign of the group disbanding, when we know that starting next year they'll start enlisting in the military which is MANDATORY FOR ALL MEN IN KOREA. Meaning that all Male Korean Idols go through this process and DOES NOT necessarily mean imminent disbandment.

🐍🐍🐍 Extra: Oh yeah, can't forget that one account who said that all Kpop groups are part of the illuminati and they’re using some MK-Ultra shit on the fans through their music which is why fans all over the world now like Kpop and made it famous. Can't forget about those or someone will fight me. (The person deleted their channel too)

#3. Tumblr Kpop Predictions

*SIGH* .... where to start with this one....?

The group in this category is a strange hybrid between Twitter, Youtube and Wattpad/AO3. 'Cause i swear that some of the stuff I've read in a few of these account posts. while browsing for BTS. look like they were taken straight out of a super Angsty, Slow Burn, Hurt/Comfort, Soulmate AU, 30 chapters summarized into a oneshot fic. So you'll be either heavily disturbed or highly entertained at how creative the person is with their "reading". Like there was this one person who alleged that Jimin had been a woman in like 3 of his past lives, but was always involved in very abusive relationships (in 1 of said lives his/her father had r*ped him/her and Jimin gave birth to a daughter and when the daughter grew up they both fell in love with the same man. And the daughter ends up killing Jimin to keep the man for herself LOL what kind of twisted A/B/O shit is this?!) and apparently its...affecting him in the present with how he treats others? And like... the only way for him to "break the cycle" is by "making peace" with his past selves? Or else he'll keep repeating it?

(y'know...like The Avatar).

This same person also said that the Maknae Line have a beef with the Hyung Line. And that Jimin was gonna kill himself this year or when BTS disbands next year, cause without the group he was useless/talent-less and it didnt matter if he did solo projects cause they wouldn't be as famous as the other members, plus his supposed "girlfriend" would leave him at the same time which is why he'll kill himself. Like....BITCH, WHICH IS IT? Do you want him to make peace with himself and live a long healthy life or do you want him dead?? MAKE UP YOUR MIND! Or better yet, just say you're a Jimin anti and go (cause she didnt have any probs with the other members, always targeted Jimin). Although there ARE exceptions, like another user who told this past-lives reading on how they all used to be 1 person who died and their soul got divided into 7, and the 7 of them always managed to find one another on each and every one of the lives they've lived through (like the HEARTBEAT mv). That one was nice.

In Conclusion....

I just feel bad because of how ignorant and gullible the Kpop fandom in general has become in the past years (Especially the newer fans who don’t understand how Korean culture works, much less the Korean Entertainment Industry). To the point of giving these people clout when in reality they’re just taking advantage of them because they know how thirsty and obsessed some fans can get in their need to know MORE about the artists/group they stan.

#Personal rant #bts #kpop #bangtan #bantansonyeondan #predictions #Army #bts army

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glassworkspiderlilies · 5 years

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giyushino week wrap up!

aaaaand that’s a wrap!! thank you to the moderators of giyushinoweek, and to everyone who liked/reblogged/commented on/sent me asks about my fics!!

it was a wild ride to write 8 fics in basically a week or so; i keep saying the fics were hastily or frantically written but LMAO considering how little fic i put out nowadays and how long it usually takes me to write because i edit as i go (which means i take f o r e v e r ), i was seriously just screaming like I JUST GOTTA DO IT I JUST GOTTA GO WITH IT I DON’T HAVE TIME the entire time haha. it was really good to be able to just think of a thing and run as far as i could with it, though!! it’s been quite a long time since i was able to do that, and it was really nice to have a project to work on in the back of my head. <3

ideally, if i work myself up to it, i’d like to revisit all of these and spruce them up to post to ao3, but we’ll see. :’)

under the cut is just some thoughts on my process during this and also writing each of the fics, if you’re interested! favorite prompt, the most difficult parts to write, what the fic was originally was, things like that.

thank you again, everyone!! back to hibernation and occasional slow snail pace writing i go, haha.

re: writing process -i tried writing a fic per day during the week before the actual event, which...kind of worked!! ideally, i was going to write a mostly complete fic each day, and then spend the week of the event editing each one before i posted it. what really ended up happening was that i partially wrote several, but not all of them, during the previous week, and then spent the week of finishing up, editing, or writing the whole thing more or less the day before the prompt was “due”, LMFAO. my weekday schedule is pretty structured because of work--I have maybe an hour or two of free time before i have to sleep--so i doubled down a bit more on the weekends. i know like it wasn’t imperative that i meet the “deadline”, but i really, really wanted to!! i figured i’ve written a fic per day for fandom weeks before so why can’t i do it again, but BOY i don’t know who i was back then. i mean, i still did it (yay!) but it seemed so much easier then?? either i was just writing more back then or less afraid or...something, or it’s just been so long that i don’t remember what i felt, LOL.

-i was really quite nervous in the beginning to post the fics, since again, they’re pretty hastily written and my usual writing process is much more “careful” and drawn out. but, it was also freeing as the week went on to just post and not worry, because the point of the week was to have fun, and not necessarily to write the best work i expected of myself within a limited time. (oh, how the perfectionist in me still hisses, though.) still, i’m glad people liked them, and even the extra notes that i just kinda spit out for some of them. :’) i do wish that some had gotten more attention than others, but those ones don’t show up in the tags and i’m not sure why, so. alas.

re: the fics -confession: as of now, i feel pretty neutral about all of them, since i wrote them in a frenzy. at some point i’ll probably go back and read them and feel differently (and catch my mistakes! oh no!), haha. -a lot of them ended up being AU, which is...??? unexpected?? but i think it was just easier to put them in an entirely different setting, so i could play a bit more loose with their characters, haha.

day 1 - glance (or hug) -this one...im pretty sure was one of the ones i waited until the last possible minute to finish up. it’s pretty basic event-wise, one of the few more regular slice-of-lifey ones for the week. it was surprisingly hard to get down the “movement” of it all; a glance is hard to describe in detail and in any other way, but i had really wanted to create kind of this...fleeting, almost nostalgic atmosphere in the back and forth of “he keeps looking, she keeps missing”, if that makes any sense. oof, it’s still hard to describe what i had wanted to achieve even outside of the fic!!

day 2 - soulmate (or family) -this one was SUPER HARD to write!!! originally i had wanted to go with a “A sees flashes of what B sees” soulmate prompt, because i figured that would be SO disorienting and would be fun to play with. but i ended up not being able to run with that one. i had also wanted to do the “soulmates write on themselves and the words show up on the other’s arm” idea, based off of what i had started in a 100 word drabble i did, but that deserved wayyyyyy more exploration and angst i was able to write in the time i’d allotted. i do like the “tattoo” soulmate aus the best, i think, and i did want to explore the one i did more, buuuut. alas. soulmates aus are something i prefer to read rather than write, i think, they can get so complicated!!

day 3 - AU (or touch) -i’ve already made enough notes on this haha, but this ended up being a little too ambitious!! it wasn’t originally supposed to stop where it did, but i just...kinda got stuck and couldn’t bring myself to continue it, because i knew it would just keep going and needed more thinking out. so i just stopped it at the scene break, and hoped it would be decent enough. :’) surprisingly people seemed to enjoy this one most of all????? or maybe it was just the au itself that was a appealing, haha. regardless, i was surprised at the amount of notes this got!

day 4 - demon & wedding -soooooo this might’ve been my favorite prompt LMAO, like when i realized what i wanted to do for this day, i got excited because like, oooh yeah, pain. definitely wanted to go in on this to flesh out and explore various aspects more than i did, but i think of all the ones i wrote, i might be the most pleased with this one so far.

day 5 - moon (or angst) -honestly, it’s a surprise i didn’t choose angst for day 5. writing about shinobu’s death would’ve been so easy, but i’ve seriously been putting it off since i started writing for kimetsu no yaiba. both “a blade of honey” and “if not cut at dusk”, which are my longer fics, were intended to be about shinobu’s death scene and turned into something completely different, and i ended up avoiding it for day 5 even though it could’ve been so easy. it’s denial, probably! anyway, shinobu’s MAD BOLD here. she would never. maybe. there’s two shinobus that i think about--the "usual” one, modeling herself after kanae, and one who’s more in line with her younger self/inner feelings. i think i went with the latter for a lot of these fics, because i didn’t have to be as careful with dialogue. giyu might’ve suffered character-wise, though, woops. but again, maybe shinobu would, in the vein that she wants to win and have the last laugh, haha. still, i feel more like she wouldn’t. :P oh, also, do you remember ages ago, when AMVs were still widespread, that scene that was everywhere in naruto where hinata’s bathing/training at the waterfall and it’s like really pretty and cool and stuff? yeah. that’s what i wanted this one to be, a little, LMFAO. genuinely surprised that people thought this one was pretty spicy!!

day 6 - kiss (or ocean) -confession: i wrote all of this while i was at work LOLLLL. it was a slow day, i promise. this might’ve been the easiest one to come up with, because the “quick, kiss me!” to escape situation is a classic. the characterization is preeeetttyyyyy loose here, but it was also kind of fun, honestly. my day 5 and day 6 run in pretty similar veins though, so i had kind of wished the endings were a bit more distinct from each other.

day 7 - date (or crossover) -honestly i had wanted to do like, a soul eater crossover!! really i was planning out an au, but i think a crossover specifically has characters of two series interacting, and then i was Tired and was like, i can’t do that. crossovers aren’t something i usually read, either, so the planning got too complicated and i gave up. the date idea was also one that came much later and one that i finished up last minute; i’d wanted to make it a little more cohesive and come up with better things for sabito’s list, but. eh. it got longer than i expected too! ideally there would’ve been more of the college life, and sabito and makomo. i thought about doing another additional notes for this, but there was wasn’t enough i had wanted to add on. really it was just the majors for them i’d been playing with--shinobu as a med student (possibly a minor in horticulture/botany, SOMEHOW), sabito & giyu as hydraulic engineering majors (sabito more on fieldwork, giyu more on research), and makomo as a marine veterinary student. shrug!! the lines of “you do realize we were set up, right” and “this was a date, tomioka-san” were the highlight for me, haha. and i’m inordinately fond of the title.

day 8 - halloween (or n*sfw) -sexy stuff isn’t my forte at all!!!! so halloween it was, but. i was thinking of skipping out on this one, and then was like, oh what the hell, you’ve come this far, of course you’re going to go the last leg, too. already wrote enough notes on this one too, but yeah, this one really was quick, and just barely meets the prompt, i think, lmao. ended up being more of a fantasy au, which was fun, though there was a lot left unexplored. ultimately just glad that i was able to come up with something for the last stretch. :)

please feel free to drop me an ask if you have any thoughts or comments! i’d love to hear your thoughts on the fics for the week, if you’d like to share. :)

thanks for reading!!

#author's notes #giyushinoweek #thank you!!#spitting out more notes without proofreading ayyyy

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shemakesmusic-uk · 5 years

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Getting To Know...

Sarah and the Safe Word.

Atlanta gothic pop/rock and roll band Sarah And The Safe Word have released their new EP, Red Hot & Holy. The lead single (and title track) was released on Sept 21, and offers up an ambitious combination of gothicism, dark pop, and hints of gospel. View the video below.

Sarah And The Safe Word introduce a wide variety of instruments in their twist on modern rock, including those such as violins and double keyboards, morphing together to create a dynamic listening experience. Red Hot & Holy is crucial to the band's continuous growth, offering up a tracklist of songs that are a full-fledged representation of exactly what they can offer as a 7-piece. Sarah And The Safe Word is cinematic, sensual, and simply put, talented.

She Makes Music was lucky enough to do a Q&A with the band discussing the new EP, their influences, advice they have for other queer/non-binary artist’s and more. Read the interview below.

This is the first time SMM has been introduced to Sarah and the Safe World so please tell us a little bit about your background. What brought the seven of you together and make you want to start this project?

Susy: “I got a random message on Fb from Kienan asking me if I wanted to play strings on the first album, Strange Doings In the Night. He got my info from a mutual friend and at first, I was unavailable since I was going to Mexico to see family. When I came back from my trip, I received another message from Kienan asking me if I was still interested and I said ‘yes.’ To me, it is absolutely wild that from the first time I met Kienan, I instantly knew we would be friends. The feeling was mutual when I first met Sarah too. I felt like they were old friends and we grew really close during the recording process. I was then asked to perform with them at the Masquerade, opening for Metro Station. I’ve never had so much fun on stage. I come from a classical background and it was a whole new animal to me, being on a stage that doesn’t force me to sit in a chair facing a music stand. Initially, I declined their offer twice to to join, because I am in school pursuing my music degree and my Mariachi band was constantly gigging. Luckily, I came to my senses and joined. The absolute best decision of my life.”

Sarah: “This band started as a solo project of mine - if you had told me three years ago that we would be a huge seven piece cabaret band, I would have never believed you. In retrospect, it was inevitable. The more we played shows and recorded, we all collectively realized what kind of band we wanted to be and where we wanted to take it. Some of the folks in this band began as just studio musicians on our record, and now they're my best friends. Kismet.”

Maddox: “I had been friends with at least Sarah and Kienan through the music scene in Atlanta for a little while. One day I saw a Facebook post looking for a last minute bass player for the Strange Doings release show. In a little over a week I learned the setlist and joined them at rehearsal and played the show, and I suppose I did well enough to be asked to join the band permanently. And though I didn’t play on it, I joined them in the studio to do gang vocals on several tracks of Strange Doings while they were recording it.”

Beth: “Kienan had auditioned me for a couple of other projects he was working on, and to be honest I didn’t do so well with those auditions. He and I had done some songwriting together, and he’s such a brilliant writer that I was determined to work with him. When SaTSW needed some piano for Strange Doings in the Night, Kienan reached out to me to see if I could come in to record ‘You’re the Sort of Man I Like’ and it wasn’t long after that Sarah and Kienan asked me to join the band officially. This group has made me a better musician and a better friend, and I am so lucky to be able to play music with some of the best musicians and best friends I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing.”

Who or what has the biggest influence on your gothic/vaudeville rock sound and aesthetic?

Sarah: “I've always had a fascination with the cabaret and burlesque movement of the 1920s/30s. To me, cabaret was the original punk rock. It was about liberation, sexuality, and expression and tried to subvert the cultural ideals of the time. It's exciting for us as a band to reframe those concepts against a modern rock and roll backdrop, especially with a darker aesthetic. Back when I was a weird goth teenager, I always wanted to see a band dive into a sound like this completely. We got impatient and did it ourselves.”

Beth: “Growing up on piano, I’ve always had an affinity for jazz of the 1920’s-1940’s. I still listen to a lot of Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, B.B. King, Nina Simone, etc. They were the rock and roll artists of their time and laid the foundation for a lot of what we hear from the music industry today. I love dipping into that history to create a modern version of that big band/burlesque sound that pays respect to the artists that came before us.”

Maddox: “If you take my Apple Music account half of it is 20’s - 40’s music. Big band, cabaret, and jazz especially. Django Reinhardt, Ella Fitzgerald, and The Ink Spots are my favourites. Being able to add those influences to rock and roll is a huge thing for me. I love history and especially the roots of music we listen to today. Calling back to it in this band is incredibly special.”

You've just released your latest EP Red Hot and Holy. What's the story behind this record, and what do you hope fans will take away from it?

Sarah: “I want people to have as much fun listening to it as we did creating it. The world is a scary place right now, especially for marginalized people, and I hope that listening to this EP can take them on a little journey away from all of that - even if it's just for a little while.”

Maddox: “We set out to make a collection of songs that each stood out on their own and ended up making a record out of them. Each one is sort of designed to take listeners out of the real world for a moment. It’s all written to be fun and we had so much fun recording them. We hope listeners feel the same way and enjoy being taken out of the real world for just a few minutes with us.”

Beth: “Something we have always been vocal about is encouraging people to be themselves and to love themselves, and I think this record is a really great example of us embracing ourselves. It’s weird, it’s silly, and it really shows who we are as a group. I hope our music encourages people to embrace who they really are and to embrace the weird!”

How does Red Hot and Holy differ from your previous releases? How has your sound evolved?

Maddox: “It’s the first Safe Word record fully collaborated and written by all seven of us. So you can definitely pick each individual one of us out on it. Not to mention we found Aaron Pace who took our sound even further by just understanding us and also allowing our ridiculousness to not only have been included but he somehow made that better too.”

Sarah: “I've been telling people that RHH is the culmination of the seven of us finally realizing our potential as a creative unit. Everyone in the band is featured in some way on each song, and to me this is the strongest we've ever sounded. Working with our producer Aaron Pace was like finding our musical soulmate. He totally understood our band and captured our sound.”

Beth: “The biggest difference between Red Hot and Holy and past releases is that we all collaborated on every song. We took different writing tactics with each song, but each member had an influence on each song in some way. We really pushed ourselves to draw out the best in each of us, and we’re all really proud of how the EP turned out.”

Sarah and the Safe Word are advocates for promoting safety and inclusivity in all listeners, which is something we're also passionate about here at SMM. Please tell us more about why this is so important to you.

Maddox: “As a transgender man in this scary political and social climate, I cling to my friends and bandmates for support. We’re all over the spectrum in this band. We’ve experienced so much individually and as a band. It’s so important to share these stories and experiences and bring them to an audience definitely made up of people like us and perhaps not. We want everyone to feel safe and represented at our shows. As a transgender person afforded the gift of having some sort of platform it would be ridiculous to me to not reach out and give back and let everyone know they’re valued and loved.”

Sarah: “As a band with several transgender, nonbinary and POC members, we've lived through feeling alienated within the music scene. To me, if you're lucky enough to play music in front of a receptive audience, you have an obligation to make sure they feel safe and accepted in return.”

Beth: “There are a lot of scary things happening in our country and across the world right now. It’s easy to get caught up in all of it, but the best thing we can do for each other right now is love each other. We’ve all been through our own personal trauma and unfortunately our stories are not unique. We are all stronger and safer when we stand together in love and support.”

What advice do you have for other queer and non-binary artists wanting to get into the music industry?

Maddox: “Play music. Just get out there and play.”

Sarah: ��Live unapologetically. Don't let the music scene relegate you to a basement just because you're a queer musician. If there isn't a lane for you, make one. If the scene doesn't acknowledge your talent, make it so it's undeniable. Be kind to people who support you and lift up the kids coming up behind you. Don’t let anyone tell you what to write about - just speak your truth. There isn't a band in history who hasn’t gone through a rough patch or faced adversity. Stick with and believe in your craft through those times and don't give up - that's what makes you stand out. If you wish there was a band out there who did this or that, don't wait for it. Make it.”

Finally, what's next for Sarah and the Safe Word?

Sarah: “ I plan to rule the former United States of America as their Dark Empress and undying God Queen. I accept tributes of blood and gold. Pledge your allegiance to me and you will be spared. Also, it’d be fun to tour the west coast.”

Maddox: “Keep writing songs. Keep touring. Support our Dark Empress. Hopefully get to go overseas or to the west coast soon. The usual.”

Beth: “We have plans to write, tour, and bring the Dark Empress her asparagus water. I would love to get to Europe and tour, too.”

youtube

Red Hot and Holy is available now.

#getting to know #sarah and the safe word #red hot and holy

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ebhenah · 6 years

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Sunkissed (Original Fiction)

Fictober 18 Day 16

Prompt: “This is gonna be so much fun!”

Original fiction, Original characters (a continuation of my Fictober Day 7 story: Uncharted, Day 8 story : Anchor and Day 13 story: Soulmates. This one featuring Spook and a new OC: Grift)

Rating: T Mentions of war, death, gun violence

So, there were lots of things that sucked about being stranded in a new timeline, almost a decade before your own birth and staring down the early days of a war that you really hoped turned out differently this time around than your own history would suggest. Little things like being out of touch with pop culture, or not being able to find your favorite tool because it hasn’t been created yet, or craving a food no one knows how to make. Weird things like realizing the new baby that everyone is cooing over is your favorite babysitter from when you were six, or seeing vehicles you consider ‘classics’ being billed as the cutting edge of technology, or fixing your aunt her favorite drink only to have her choke on it, because it was the first time she’d ever tasted alcohol. Oops.

There were big things, too. So few of the people she was meeting now were alive in her timeline, even though they were young and healthy. Her history knowledge told a story of a world that was wholly unprepared for the might of the invaders that came seemingly out of nowhere, attacked using technology they couldn’t even grasp, and operated under a moral view that was unfathomable to humans. Losses had been staggering, to say the least. The devastation unthinkable for anyone who hadn’t witnessed it for themselves. That’s what she and her family had been sent back to try to avoid. They’d done everything they were supposed to- and a bit more… but she was never supposed to stick around to see how those changes played out.

In her childhood, the Earth had been teeming with alien life from across multiple galaxies, humans making up only a small portion of the population. The skies had been grey and dull, air quality poor except in areas where massive purification complexes filtered dust and other fallout from the air and water. It had been HOT, the destruction of hundreds of cities within the span of a few months too much for the planet to correct on its own and throwing ‘greenhouse effect’ into being almost overnight. Most of the surface was water, the majority of the rest was desert, and massive sandstorms raged outside of cities built under the protection of huge forcefields or physical domes- much of the population living underground or in orbit. Now, she was one of less than a thousand individuals with even partial alien heritage, and the Earth was green and lush and thriving. No air quality alerts, no radiation alarms, no food shortages. She was now getting to see the Earth that her family loved and spoke about. The Earth that so many people had died trying to protect.

Sometimes, the weight of that gift got to her. People already thought she was the strange alien traveller, stranger even than the other aliens she had brought with her. It didn’t help that it had been decided it was best not to mention the whole ‘time travel’ thing and instead a cover story of being a science experiment that had been force-grown on a world that no longer exists and growing up in the resistance had been built for her. (Actually, it wasn’t even all that far off from the truth). She was seen as someone not to be trusted, despite being vouched for by the planets most celebrated heroes. Despite the knowledge she had offered them. That was alright. She was from a much more paranoid world than this one, so the mistrust didn’t really bother her much.

But the odd looks when she would get overwhelmed by the little things she’d only ever heard about were frustrating. She wanted to scream and yell at them to appreciate it all, because it could still be lost. Her timeline might not be that different from this one, even with all the work they’d put into changing it.

Seeing a butterfly was a MIRACLE. Swimming in the ocean was a GIFT. Being able to stand, on the Earth’s surface, and feel the sun kiss your skin, no need for breathing apparatus, no need for thick suits to protect the skin from being sanded off by the grit in the air, no need for heavy goggles that protected the eyes from pollution and radiation? Just your feet, on the ground; soft sunshine warming you; clean, salty spray from the nearby beach tickling your flesh; sweet smelling flowers wafting on the breeze? That was something out of a fairy story… and she was going to make the most of it every chance she got, dammit. And if people looked askance at her for it, well, they could stuff it.

“So,” came an awkward voice from somewhere behind her. “When they said you were getting some sun down by the water… I wasn’t really expecting to find you naked…”

She turned toward the newcomer, “you squeamish about nudity, Grift?” He was, by her math, maybe a year her senior at this point. Elite pilot, fast track for military leadership- a rising star by all accounts. In her memory, he was one of the highest ranking members of a military force that was getting younger and younger by the year as losses continued to mount. But he’d been on the front lines of the fighting since the very first assault, and not only had he survived, each and every one of his squadrons held some of the highest survival rates on the books. Smart. Talented. Responsible. Respected… and an arrogant asshole who CONSISTENTLY butted heads with her father and with the aliens that held the power to make tactical decisions. Not a particularly well-liked guy among her loved ones when she was growing up.

She could see all those traits in him now, too, for all that he was younger, brasher, less worldly, more innocent. Green. He was also a xenophobe, which had surprised her, because the man she’d known ‘back home’ was not. Of course, by the time she’d been born, he’d had almost a decade of fighting side by side with aliens to rid him of any initial distrust.

“That’s not my name,” he said, as he always did when she called him that. She was starting to wonder how long it would take him to clue in that the main reason she did it was BECAUSE it got to him. It seemed pretty obvious to her. He didn’t even know yet how much of an insult it actually was. Man, she could not WAIT until the Byx/Sieb made contact with the humans and he found out what ‘grift’ actually MEANT! “Not squeamish about it, no. Just wasn’t expecting to see you… without clothes in public at high noon. You immune to skin cancer or something?”

She tipped her face up to the light, loving the way the sun tickled her markings. “I don’t actually know,” she answered, shrugging, “I’m not really used to worrying about things that might kill me in a few decades. Usually, I can barely keep up with the things that might kill me this week.”

“Yeah, that makes a certain amount of sense,” he chuckled. “You don’t mind people staring?”

“I’m purple, Grift. I’m purple with color-changing rosettes, pointy ears and sometimes my eyes glow… and I blush blue. I’m used to people staring.” She bent down to pull a pair of shorts and a tank top out of her bag, clearly her alone time was being cut short. “What’s going on?”

“Word from on high,” he joked, referring to the tactical ships that were in orbit above them. “I’m supposed to test your firearm conflict competency. The new allies are pushing for you to get a security clearance with Earth’s military… even though you aren’t military.”

“How are they justifying that?” she asked, slipping into the shorts, curious to see what loopholes the younger versions of her family were coming up with.

“Diplomat status,” he said dryly.

She stopped short, waistband sitting at mid-thigh, and gaped at him. “DIPLOMAT?!?!” she laughed, “me??? That’s rich. I suck with diplomacy.”

“Looks like we are in agreement on that front,” he answered.

She glared, tugging the shorts into place and getting to work on the button fly, “listen up, pretty boy- you are no better with people than I am, and you are WELL aware of that.”

“Pretty boy?” one of his eyebrows quirked, he seemed surprised that she’d said that.

“What? You have symmetrical features, good hair, are in good shape, high cheekbones, straight nose, full lips, delicate features… objectively, you are pretty- which you KNOW and have no qualms about exploiting. It wasn’t a compliment. I’m not swooning.”

“You don’t strike me as the type to swoon,” he said on a short bark of laughter.

“You don’t know me,” she reminded him, pulling on the tank top as she walked toward him, “I’m a notorious swooner. You’re just not my type.”

“Not a fan of pretty?” he teased.

“Big fan of pretty,” she replied, her eyes glowing a soft, warm yellow, “all kinds of pretty. Pretty hair, pretty eyes, pretty legs, pretty wings- annnd there you go. That face. The one you made when I said wings. That’s why you aren’t my type. It’s not about how you look, Grift. There’s something ugly in you. You’re pretty like Vokarin Crystal is pretty. Lovely to look at, but get too close, and it poisons you. I’m not human, and I can’t change that. So, I stay away from anyone who thinks that makes me some kind of monster. You can smile and charm, but I see that ugliness in you- just as easily as I see your pretty hair and perfect bone structure. It doesn’t blind me to the fact that you are VERY good at your job, though… so, how do we assess my firearm conflict competency?”

“There is a specific set of training scenarios you need to pass,” he answered, falling into step beside her as they walked back to the building, “all done with non-lethal munitions.”

She turned to him, a predatory smile stretching her lips, and she could feel her ears flatten back in anticipation of something that stirred her hunting instincts, “shoot’em’up sims? I love shoot’em’up sims!”

“Don’t get cocky,” he warned her, voice stern. “I’m the one you are facing off against, and I have HIGH standards.”

“Shoot’em’up sims against YOU?” she could feel her rosettes cycle through a few different colors in response to her shifting mood, “ohhhhh man! This is gonna be so much fun!”

#fictober18 #fictober18day16 #Day16ThisIsGonnaBeSoMuchFun #scifi #ThisIsGonnaBeSoMuchFun

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ihaveanimagine · 6 years

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You pick the skelebros, please include classic. They find out that their s/o is a writer, and writes amazing stories, full fledged books, but never shows anyone because she thinks they’re shit. She writes mostly romance, and a lot of it is monster x human, and then she also writes fantasy, but usually portrays the humans as the villain, not the monsters. She has one book, that is actually about everything that has happened since they fell into the underground, in extreme detail. Everything.

(I did UT, MT and Gaster!Sans and Papyrus)

Undertale!Sans

Sans found out about your work through Alphys who hadrecently fallen in love with your newest novel involving a “Shape ofWater” vibe and showed it to Sans who instantly recognized the Author’sname. Wanting to reveal he knows of your books in the cheekiest way possible,Sans asks Alphys for the cheesiest romance novel you made, and she hands himthis book called “The Tale of the Underground”.

Sans kinda just snorts at the title, inwardly squealing athow cute the title was and began to read it. He was surprised that this wasBASICALLY your diary dictating your thoughts as you travelled the Undergroundand…ooooohh boy, haha, Sans pulled at the collar on his shirt.

Ho boy was this detailed.

Marking the page, Sans went home and awaited your arrival.The second you walked in the door with a distracted “Hey, Babe!” Sansopened the book and read aloud: “…after sans had licked the red spaghetti sauceoff his teeth, i suddenly had the hugest urge to kiss his teeth until my lipswere numb.“

Silence was the only response he received.

“that offerstill stand, dear?”

Undertale!Papyrus

This sweet cinnamon roll was simply dusting (the dirt kind,not the dead monster kind) the house when he came across an unfinished booksitting on your desk wide open. Papyrus wasn’t one to snoop, he honestly didn’tmean to, but he saw the words “Papyrus” and “Gorgeous” nextto each other and allowed himself to read several one chapter.

Wowie!! Whoever this author is must have VERY good sourcesbecause it sounds like his wonderful S/O wrote this from entirely their persep-OH!! IT WAS!! Papyrus felt a wave of embarrassment and fluster overflow hisemotions. H-HE REALLY SHOULDN’T CONTINUE, BUT…HIS S/O OBVIOUSLY PUT A LOT OFWORK INTO THIS BOOK A-AND HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GIVE AN ADEQUATE CRITIQUE!!

So he read everything up until the part you stopped writing(which he spent a good 10 minutes mourning over) before rushing back to hischores, waiting for you to get home later tonight.

Once you walked in the door Papyrus scooped you in his arms,twirled you around and planted a big fat kiss to your lips before allowing youto speak.

“Wh-what’s withthe greeting?” You asked, face completely red from blushing, “N-notthat I mind!” Papyrus simply grinned and kissed you again before helpingyou brush off the snow from your clothes.

“OH, NOTHING INPARRICULAR, I JUST WANTED TO HELP OUT MY ADORING SWEETHEART!”

“Aww, that’s awfully sweet of you!”

“WELL OF COURSE!! ALTHOUGH MAY I ASK A QUICK QUESTION?”

“Shoot.”

“HOW EXACTLY AM I A ‘PRECIOUS NOODLEBONES SKELE-BEAN THATCAN MAKE GLOOMY DAYS GO EXTINCT BY SOUNDING LIKE A BABY RATTLE SNAKE WHENEVERMY BONES RATTLE WHEN I’M HAPPY’?”

You just knew thatsentence was going to come back and haunt you….

Mafiatale!Sans (Colt)

He’s supposed to be grabbing a book on “how to wash bloodstains out of white clothes” when he sees your name scrawled across a bookin the “bestseller” section of the bookstore. At first he thinks it’s acoincidence, but then he picks up the book and thumbs through it, when this employee bounces along andasks if he’s interested in the series.

Series???? This should be good. Naturally, he says “yeah, but I dunno where tostart” which allows the employee to gush about how much she loves your work and how it has almost exclusivelyhuman/monster pairings that more often than not revealed the darker side ofhumanity through satirical situations and comedic monster characters.

Colt had to snort a little at that, not that he wasjudging (he was probably the reason you began the monster/human pairingsanyway) but he knew how much you wanted to repeatedly smack the whole ofhumanity with a baseball bat until it gained some sense and hey, the pen ismightier than the sword, right?

So after Colt accidentallybought one of the shorter book series, and a book labelled “Trip Down Under” heleft the store (completely forgetting his original goal) and began devouringthe books whenever you weren’t with him.

Once he got to “Trip Down Under” he nearly had a heart attack.Before this book, he thought your other ones were marvelously written, balancingpure, unadulterated snark with mushy romance (a trait that he was proud toadmit only he was the recipient of irl)but this one was………an extremelydetailed step-by-step walkthrough of your entire trip in the Underground.

Granted, there were different names and places andenvironments used, but this was creepy!!!He specifically remembered having this exactsame conversation with you at 1am about whether or not condiments were anacceptable flavor spice for pet foods that the protag and her romantic interestwere having.

So, what does he do? After his post-mission meeting withDon Asgore ends and he heads home and proceeds to do your normal routine of smothering each otherin relieved affection before placing his hand on your back and the other onyour head, dipping you backwards.

With a feral grin, he leaned in and whispered to you: “Am Iliving up to your expectations as your bone-ified,straight-shooting, suave-talking punster of a soulmate?”

You suddenly regretted every life choice you’ve ever made.

Mafiatale!Papyrus (Sniper)

This guy was most likely gossiping with Bayonet (Undyne)when she offhandedly mentioned this romance novel series she was reading thatwas set in a fantasy world that had a boss fight similar to the one she experienced when you had gone through Waterfall. Shethought it was just a coincidence, after all, the fight became common knowledge after a while but Sniper’s experience taught him nothingwas a coincidence.

So he went and Googled everything he could about thisauthor.

He found online versions of your books, and read the book that Bayonet said she was reading, and BOY WAS HE SURPRISED. You certainly were detailed in your adventures, but you changed enough facts and names and places so it seemed that every important Family Secret you experienced were all different.

Being the little prankster he was, Sniper wanted to give you a scare. But, in order to do that, he had to pretend he had just heard about your book, and went and Google’d a picture of you.

WOWZA, DOES THIS PERSON LOOK FAMILIAR!!! HEY, S/O! COME LOOK AT THISPERSON!! YOU NEVER TOLD ME YOU HAD A TWIN!!!

You briefly considered lying to him when you felt embarrassment and a bit of fear well up inside you, but that idea wasquickly erased. “Sniper, darling….that’s….that’s me!”

Sniper looked back and forth between you andyour online picture before turning to you with a flirtatious smile: “OH GOOD, FOR A MINUTE I THOUGHT SOMEONE HADSTOLEN MY RECIPE FOR FONDUE! WINK!”

“OH MY GOSH, SNIPER!!!!”

Gaster!Sans (G)

You and G were out on a casual date in the town, arms linked, pulling you close together as you wandered aimlessly, idly chatting abouteverything and anything. Your romantic peace was interrupted by a pair of girlswho spotted you entering the park and ran over to greet you.

They immediately began squealing about your latest bookcalled “Echoes of Home” which set you off into an internal panic, G WASN’TSUPPOSED TO FIND OUT ABOUT THIS BOOK, OH STARS YOU WERE GOING TO DIE OF EMBARRASSMENT!!!

Without any regard for your dwindling dignity, the girlscontinued to fangirl about “Echoes of Home” Going on and on and on about howmuch they fell so hard for the “teeth-grindinglyhot-headed, self-righteous, aloof little jerk of a hunk”.

At one point in the conversation one girl looked over at Gwho had been relatively silent and said with an awe-struck face “Is this him???”She almost screamed with glee. Sensing this was your way out, your shushedloudly and began dragging G away with a quick wink to the girls who giggled andwaved goodbye (you were sure one was about to faint from swooning so hard).

Once you were both out of earshot G threw you a curious look“what was that about?” He asked, your face erupted into color and tried tobrush it off as nothing.

The matter was dropped until you walked past a bookstore with “Echoes of Home��displayed proudly on the window, showcasing the edition of the book with a picture of the main characters in each other’s embrace. “ain’t nuthin, huh?” He asked with anincreasing smirk, you frantically tried to pry G away, but CURSE HIS STRENGTH he was too hard to move!!

“huh, this guy on the cover looks like a weird version ofme. total coincidence, am i right?”

“YEP, ABSOLUTELY, LET’S GO NOW!!”

“ah, darlin’ I’m messing with ya. I’ve known about your bookwriting career for a while.”

“You wHAT!?”

“yeah, your fangirls are rabid.”

Cue an embarrassment-induced faint.

Gaster!Papyrus (Aster)

Aster was out on a grocery runwhen he came across an elderly woman struggling with her bags and decided tohelp her. While he was stuffing the bags inside her car, the old woman hadmentioned that he reminded her of the main protagonist in this book: Tall,suave, drop-dead gorgeous, and the personification of chivalry.

Since there wasn’t aplethora of writers in the Underground, Aster made an inquiry as to who thewriter was, the old woman couldn’t remember for the life of her, but she didgive him the book’s title and recommended he read them as soon as possible.

And so he did.

The book was a romance novel filledwith cheesy fantasies that were definitely made for the hopeless romantics.Scenarios of tall but gentlemanly heroes with a passion for science or artoften guided or encouraged a lost, starry-eyed female to follow her dreams andscrew with the system if it tried to stop her.

After several novels, hefinally read the one the old lady had recommended him, and, oh dear, is that-!!???It is!!!!

This book was a, uh, detailed edition of your travels in theUnderground.

He knows this because he’s the one who taught you thatspecific chemical formula of the carbohydrate strings which would allow foroptimum flavor!!!

And- hey wait, he rememberedthis part!! This was when he took you out on your first official date with him!!He was always so scared he over did it on the pulling out all your chairs,taking your coat, having no physical contact beyond hand holding or arm linkingbut this narrative showed that you-you….oh….didyou really think that?????

Aster felt his face explode incolor and he had to put the book he felt so flustered.

Later, when you came homethat day from a sleepover with Alphys and Undyne, Aster met you at the door likenormal, took your coat, kissed your cheek and asked you how your day was. Onceyou both got the pleasantries out of the way, Pap circled his arms around youand bent down.

“Do I really make you swoonjust by existing, my darling star?”

#gaster papyrus #gaster sans #mafiatale #undertale #mafiatale sans #mafiatale papyrus #undertale sans #undertale papyrus

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