#dlm au | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

verfound · 7 months

Text

MINIFIC: Oct. 23: Day 1: Autumn (MLB, Lukanette, DLM AU)

...I was gonna do these, and then I wasn't gonna do em, and then work life flipped off creative life and here I am, joining the fun at @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers's late. Using the Ghostober 2021 prompts here. Just having fun. 👀

Read on A03

To Feel Alive Again: Day 1: Autumn

A chill breeze whispered through the street, nipping at the edges of exposed skin peeking out from coats and scarves. Marinette pulled her own coat – a lumpy, gray thing she had lifted off a reap a few weeks back – and tried not to scowl.

She used to love this time of year. Before.

The changing of the seasons meant a new wardrobe. Layers of material, vibrant splashes of color, boots and hats and scarves – so many accessories. She used to have the cutest peacoat, made from a deep burgundy wool that always kept her warm on the coldest fall days. She had embroidered a swirl of leaves around the hem in a rich gold thread, and she had even found golden buttons shaped like maple leaves to line the front. She had been so proud of that coat. She’d lived in it every fall for years.

…she hadn’t died in it, though.

She’d died in the spring.

When it was too warm for such a heavy coat.

She supposed it was funny, in a way. Before, the fall – a season marked by death – had always brought a new life to her, but the spring – the season for life and renewal – had brought with it her death.

Now she saw it everywhere.

It was hard to love things anymore. In the After.

“You’re still allowed to love things,” Théo had said, not unkindly, one morning over breakfast. It was a rare moment of seriousness for him, and if she hadn’t been in such a foul mood she might have appreciated it. Instead, she hunkered down deeper in the gray coat she hated and stared – glared – out the window. She hummed, not really agreeing or disagreeing. She didn’t see the way Luka glanced up at her from his coffee, a small frown playing at the edges of his mouth.

She did see the large, chunky sweater folded on the foot of her bed when she came home a week later, though.

“…Fred, what…did you leave this here?” she called, her hands trembling as she held the sweater up. It was obviously handmade – not as good as she could make, but absolutely perfect in its little imperfections. The stitches pulled just a little too tight or a little too loose, the slightly uneven ribbing along the neck, the braiding that hadn’t been blocked properly zigzagging down the front…it spoke of time, and care, and things Marinette hadn’t let herself think about in far too long. And it was soft, the yarn used to make it obviously high quality. She knew just how much a sweater like this would cost – more than she could dream of affording these days, when she was still struggling to hold down an after-death job.

“Hmm?” Fred called, popping his head in the room. When he saw the sweater, his eyebrows lifted. “Ah, that? No, it wasn’t me. Luka dropped it off while you were out. Said something about pink suiting you?”

Marinette’s head jerked up, surprised, but Fred was just smiling at you.

“You’re still allowed to love things, Marinette,” he said, inclining his head towards her. “You’re still allowed to feel.”

She looked back at the sweater, her lips pursed and her eyes burning with tears she refused to shed, and didn’t answer. Fred sighed and flipped his hat onto his head, nodding at her.

“I’m off,” he said, tipping his hat at her. “Make sure you eat tonight, kid, all right?

…he probably hadn’t meant a mug of hot chocolate and a plate of macarons, but as she hunkered down in the nicest sweater she had ever worn and watched her old favorite sappy movie on the cracked tv…well.

At least when you’re dead you don’t have to worry about calories.

#miraculous ladybug #marinette dupain-cheng #luka couffaine #fred haprele #lukanette #endgame lukanette #lukanette endgame #lbsc october minifics 2023 #ml fic #ver fic #lovebugs-and-snakecharmers #prompt fic #established character death #angst #dead like me au #dlm au #to feel alive again

16 notes · View notes

deuynndoodles · 12 days

Text

[ID: A colored, digital comic featuring characters from Dey's Links Meet AU with a focus on Mask. The colors are muted and warm.

The group walk through a forest marked as "Rancher's Era." Rancher leads the group, commenting that they're "Almost there". Tiny, Tracks, Mask, Vet and Sky follow behind him, in that order.

"Oh, how sad..." someone says. A skeleton rests against a tree, sword and shield in hand, wearing the Hero's Shade armor. Mask's shadow casts upon the skeleton, their head lining up right with the skull.

Mask furrows their brow, expression near indiscernible.

"Kid, hurry up!" Mask rolls their eyes and turns to follow.

Sky waves to Mask as they run ahead to catch up. Their eyes are not visible. End ID]

hero's shade

#doodles #dlm #dey's links meet au #mask dlm #loz #legend of zelda #majora's mask #mm #twilight princess #tp #hero's shade #<- me just piling tags in here in hopes someone will see it lol #this has been cooking for two months. i'm happy it's finally done!#came up w the idea 2 months ago + did a thumbnail march 1st + started the actual file around march 26th #still unsure on the colors (the shadow rlly threw me off) but i'm ok w them for now #i don't usually color comics if u can tell #4/14/24 #minor edit cuz there was a random blob

211 notes · View notes

catgriller · 1 month

Text

#catgriller art #harry potter #drarry #drarry fanart #drarry au #draco malfoy fanart #draco malfoy #harry potter fanart #harry potter fandom #hpdm #dmhp #hjp #dlm #harry x draco #draco x harry

89 notes · View notes

arc-angel-o · 2 days

Text

Not to make Mortals & Fools about all my other favorite ships but it's so Toad/Rabbit in the Dead Like Me or vampires aus

Also Stalemate for the 1920s au...

I should write a fic where Light and L are go-getters

#wip: rabbit dlm au #wip: rabbit vampire au #wip: rabbit 1920s au #fanfic ideas

0 notes

shyrenmoon · 4 months

Text

AU: Auror Harry x Trapped Draco

After the war, Harry is an auror assigned to investigate the sudden spike in dark magic emanating from the Malfoy Manor.

With both of his parents in Azkaban awaiting trial Draco decides to spend his newly appointed house arrest removing the darkness from his childhood home. Unbeknownst to him the Manor's many ghosts and dark artifacts fight back.

DLM: Potter, just go... please.

HJP: If you think I'm going to leave you here you're crazy.

Images made with Picrew's Fantasy OC Creator.

#harry potter #draco malfoy #drarry #hpdm #fanart #picrew

12 notes · View notes

dramioneasks · 9 months

Note

Oh i hope someone can help. I'm looking for soulmate / a/b/o fics where dramione just accepts their fate. They both trust in the magic so there is no angst between them.

Charmed to You by CJRed - M, 36 chapters - Hermione comes up with a charm that allows for ‘bonded soul’ matches, something that has been unheard of for generations. The charm changes the marriage game, but what will Hermione do when her own magic matches her with none other than Draco Malfoy? (Story is written and just being edited.) Disregards Epilogue. Fluff and Lemons. Unique pairings. Should update weekly.

A Little More Alive, Far Less Lost by MGL_Dramione_Lover - M, 22 chapters - After Draco’s post-war trial, he finds himself attending his 8th year at Hogwarts with Hermione. As remorse and acceptance replace anger and hate, the old enemies begin a friendship that sparks into much more than they ever hoped for. Hermione’s goal as Head Girl is to banish old prejudices and unite the school while Draco’s only wish is to become a man worthy of her love.

Initially Yours by HufflepuffMommy - M, 46 chapters - Upon waking up on his 18th birthday, Draco Malfoy noticed three small letters on his wrist: HJG. That same day, Hermione Granger also woke up with letters on hers: DLM. "What does it mean?“ she asked quietly. "It means… we’re soulmates.”

Trust the Magic by CordeiliaOllivander - M, 17 chapters - When Draco Malfoy discovers that Hermione Granger is his soulmate, he feels like nothing in his life could possibly be as wrong as this. Hermione feels that the last person she would ever love is Draco Malfoy. When he shows up unexpectedly explaining that their meant to be, will they both see that they’re just two broken halves that can only fix each other?

Sanguine Cry - januarywren - E, 2 chapters - ‘Why,’ Hermione wanted to ask, after every use of her first name, and when his heated gaze lingered on her. There was nothing that she could give him aside from caring for his son, though he never treated her as a mere governess. The times that she spent with Draco, regardless of whether Tom was between them, or not were her favorite, regardless of the impossible dreams they encouraged. She knew without a doubt that she wanted to stay, though she knew that she could not if Draco took another as his mate. There were letters in her desk left unsealed and unsent, ones she intended for the Longbottoms and other neighboring families, like the Parkinson’s. All had children that she could care for, and she knew that she could work anywhere with Draco’s recommendation. The thought made her heart desperately ache, as everything within her demanded that she stay. Tom lay asleep still in her lap, reminding her of who she would abandon if she sought another position. Still…she longed to stay. Historical Werewolf AU | A certain governess and her employer pine for one another

All that is Rare - smithandbarrowman - E, 31 chapters, Words: 119,755 - In the wizarding world, it has long been assumed that men are Alphas and women are Omegas. However, when Hermione Granger discovers that assumptions are rarely factual, her status as one of only a handful of female alphas that has ever existed has men falling at her feet. But there’s only one man she wants, and like the male alphas before her, the hunt is on until he bears her mark.

-Lisa

#anonymous #soulmates #bonding

23 notes · View notes

dramione-literary-analysis · 2 years

Text

The Analysis That Started It All: What Makes a God-Tier Fic (A Swotty SWOT Analysis from a SWOT)

As mentioned in my Introduction Post, here is the analysis that I originally submitted on r/Dramione. All fic reviews will be analyzed through these parameters. Please note that for literary analyses purposes, there are several fics used as examples in here, in which there may be minor spoilers. Those fics are: Remain Nameless by HeyJude19, Bring Him To His Knees by musyc, and Clean/Marked by olivieblake.

____________________________________

In the past year that Dramione has had me in an absolute CHOKEHOLD, I've been obsessively making my way through the library of amazing DrH fic recs out there (seriously, how lucky are we so lucky to have such incredible content creators...we are SO spoiled to FEAST non-stop, for free!)

However, since there's so much content out there, I noticed that I have a hard time finishing stories unless they are absolutely compelling (coupled with my ADHD and limited time, I want whatever I read to absolutely SLAY me!)

So being the nerd that I am, I started logging everything I've read in Excel--complete with notes detailing overall impression, favorite scenes, whether I finished or not, etc, so I can identify what my preferences are for a Dramione fic.

Below are the columns that I created for fics I started reading:

Type: (eg., Epic, Novel, Novella, one-shot, etc.)

Genre: (eg., Action-Adventure, Comedy, Angst, Crime, Slice of Life, Dystopian, etc.)

Draco Characterization: (eg., pining, snarky, broken, protective, self-sabotaging, toxic, soft, etc.)

Setting: (eg., War, Post-War, Muggle, Hogwarts, AU, etc.)

Tone: (eg., Introspective, intense, slice of life, light-hearted, macabre, comforting, sweet, heavy, visceral, etc.)

Tropes: (eg., Secret crush, coworkers, time travel, Voldemort wins, etc.)

Writing Style: (eg., Impressionistic, Narrative, Descriptive, Dialogue-heavy, etc.)

Strengths: What stood out to me? What did the author nail? This could be characterization, compelling side characters, banter, slow-burn, spice, etc.

Weaknesses: What did I dislike about it? Was it tough to read? Was it boring?

Reasons of DNF: If I didn't finish, why?

I then filled out a weighted scorecard (with a 1, 3, 6, 9 rating scale), with criteria according to what I *personally* think are non-negotiables in any compelling story (I tried to keep this as universal as possible; for example, as much as I adore banter-heavy, comedic writing, I know that's not an element that would fit into all fics.) Below is the scorecard:

Overall Plot

Pacing (10%)

Natural Arc (10%)

Romance

Emotional Payoff (15%)

Unresolved Sexual Tension (15%)

Spice (10%)

Setting

DLM Characterization (15%)

HJG Characterization (15%)

Side Characters (2.5%)

Worldbuilding (2.5%)

Technical Writing (5%)

So, let's talk about why I structured the scorecard this way. (Keep in mind that this is based off personal preference, so YMMV!

Plot: In any good narrative, there has to be a compelling plot. I noticed that a lot of the DNF fics for me didn’t have a driving plot, in which my interest quickly waned. This is true for any content I consume--books, movies, long-form television. Of course, I do enjoy light-hearted, slice-of-life fluff as well, but I find that the stories that live rents-free in my head and have created a lasting impression on me is because it has a very tight, intricate, mindblowing, complex storyline.

Romance: Self-explanatory. This is why we all read Dramione, right? However, similar to how a story's plot should be well-paced, the romantic elements must be paced, too. In my opinion, there are two elements to romantic payoff: the emotional burn and the sexual burn. Once these two elements are paid off (which certainly doesn’t have to happen at the same time), the story should conclude shortly to avoid turning saccharine. And of course, the SMUT! This is obviously a personal preference, but I love an emotional sex scene. Fade-to-black is fine too—no matter how it’s executed, the smut MUST add purpose and dimension to the overall development of their relationship (this is why hardly any PWP fics make it into the god-tier club).

Setting: This one is also pretty self-explanatory, I think. I HAVE to love how our babies are characterized! Bonus points if the world-building is immersive, like the whimsy magic of Hogwarts, or the gritty setting of wartime AUs. Bonus points if the side characters are well-written--they can add so much dimension to a story. Side characters could be anyone. They could be Harry or Ron. They could be OCs. They could be Slytherins (my personal favorites). Also, they could be house-elves. I LOVE a good Malfoy house-elf sidekick!

Technical Writing: A fic may nail the first two elements, but without good writing, I have a hard time reading it.

So, let's talk about the fics that are commonly placed in the god-tier ranks, and some of the commonalities I found between them.

Basically, as I mentioned above, there are 3 major "payoffs" in a compelling Dramione story: the sexual payoff, the emotional payoff (re: love confessions), and the plot payoff. Once these three are resolved, it's time for the story to wrap up.

Stories that have a focus on romance over plot may be god-tier, but they MUST be well-paced. A perfect example of this is Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love, in which the romantic aspect certainly outweighs the plot—yet the payoffs occur in the last 15% of the fic.

A pure romance fic that didn’t quite nail this execution is Remain Nameless. (Don’t get me wrong; I absolutely LOVE this fic--I think it rightfully deserves its place in the GOAT collection!) But here is my take on this:

>>REMAIN NAMELESS SPOILERS AHEAD<<

The slow-burn for both romantic elements was absolute chef's kiss. The scene after the opera was so beautiful—to me, this was the sexual payoff.

Then the time Hermione gets back from Italy and Draco blurts out his love confession was the emotional payoff (I’m pretty sure I cried). However, this happened relatively early on in the story—afterwards, I felt there wasn't much to look forward to. Without an external plot, the story turned very saccharine and domestic and I got bored. (Many, including the author, will likely disagree with me, contending that the point of the narrative is to depict realistically how a matured Hermione and Draco fall in love. This is valid, and to each their own!)

>>REMAIN NAMELESS SPOILERS END<<

>>BRING HIM TO HIS KNEES SPOILERS AHEAD<<

Another example of an A-Tier fic that has all three elements but doesn't quite nail the pacing, IMO, is Bring Him to His Knees. The sexual payoff is achieved pretty early on (fast sexual burn, and WOW were those scenes spicy!) and if I recall correctly, the emotional payoff is achieved shortly after, definitely within the first half of the fic. But while the sexual and emotional payoffs were great, I really didn’t care at all about overarching plot and the case, which made the last third a bit hard for me to finish. It’s clear that the author’s focus was on the romantic and sexual relationship between Draco and Hermione, rather than the crime aspect. Which is totally fine! However, because I didn’t care too much about the external conflict (all the girls who died were OCs whom we had no emotional attachment to, and same with the killer), so it was hard for me to finish once the romantic payoffs were achieved.

>>BRING HIM TO HIS KNEES SPOILERS END<<

Enter: War-time fics. The overwhelming majority of god-tier fics for me fall under this category. Layer in a good plot to a romance, and the love turns from sweet to EPIC. Wartime fics typically NAIL the plot. There's an external conflict which allows the romantic tension to be amplified. The stakes are high, and the emotions are intense. We get to see our babies become heroes, overcome major trials, care for each other, persevere against all odds, experience a range of emotional highs and lows, and make sacrifices for each other that costs them everything. The drama is intensified by threats of enemies, death, separation, what have you. The romance becomes very visceral, us-against-the-world, star-crossed lovers-feel. And despite all odds, they end up together in the end. (I will only read fics with a HEA). And even if the emotional and sexual payoff is achieved earlier on, the compelling plot can continue to hold the readers' interest. The Clean/Marked series by olivieblake does a wonderful job of this.

>>CLEAN/MARKED SPOILERS AHEAD:<<

Even when all the sex has been sexed, the love confessions have been confessed, and is missing from the end of the story, the final plot arc with Hermione and Theo is still wonderfully compelling.

>>CLEAN/MARKED SPOILERS END<<

So, that’s it! For the tldr; version, a god-tier fic essentially needs to pace the emotional, sexual, and (if the author chooses to layer in an external plot), final climatic arc well, and then conclude shortly after.

What would you add to the scorecard? How would you have assigned the weights?

What are S-tier fics for you?

(Oh, and if anyone is wondering, only one fic got a perfect 9/9 score from me: The Auction. Literary PERFECTION. Although, if I didn’t read TRRTD/ATWT beforehand, the score may have dropped a little, as the flashbacks in those two added to the emotional weight and payoff of The Auction. And even though the ending was controversial for many people, I thought it was utter gold. Yes, my indulgent hopeless romantic heart would have loved to have an additional epilogue as well, but from a narrative perspective, it was perfect. If The Auction got turned into a movie, the credits would cut in right there and it would be the PERFECT timing to a satisfying ending. Anything more would have diluted the emotional impact of that final scene. I could write a whole-ass defensive argument on why this fic is the crowning jewel of all the fics I’ve read, but this post alone is already turning into a dissertation.)

Okay, fellow SWOTS, let me knw your thoughts!

#dramione #dramione fanfic #dramione fanfiction #literary analysis #fanfic #hermione x draco

23 notes · View notes

bsaka7 · 2 years

Note

fic tropes: childhood friends to lovers, college/uni au, fake/pretend relationship 😎😎😎

Thank u marthe 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

childhood friends to lovers: B

when this one works... It WORKS!!!!!!!!! But I think it can be tough to figure out sort of what changes and why and what sours and all of that. obv here we have the excellent chalex and pierre/charles than can play with this trope... both of which i enjoy very much.

college/uni au: A

yes u saw that right I'm actually giving something an A. college au's are without fail one of my favorites. i think they are a microcosm of mess. also i love school. but they do a good job transposing characters into a situation that can feel very high stakes (college sports or academics) while capturing their ages well and mostly being a place where people can make a lot of intimate, painful, sprawling decisions (in a way that doesn't feel... idk. out of place). idk. i also just graduated and miss school so a lot of the emotions often. hit for me. my fav (which u know) is the one with all the football which is narry (1d) and makes me perfectly miserable. okay this is a fic i think about all the time but never actually read the last chapter but... pale fire by dlm. I commented on it when drunk last summer and promised to leave a better comment. Which I have not done. But I WILL do. ANYWAY. I guess I like college aus when they hurt.

fake/pretend relationship: B-

Obv PERFECT PRETENDERS GETS AN A++++++++++++ cuz it's amazing and brilliant the best EVERRRRRR. generally I'm not a massive fan even tho I do like them because I feel like they often fall into sort of the same traps but also that rhythm is generally a good one that's fairly enjoyable if not entirely memorable. this is one i like to read but probably would have trouble writing?

#I also rlly like magicians fics generally even tho I only read the books. I think bc they fit generally into the college genre #Ask game #I like when fic makes me sad lol #Some girls at a coffee shop the other day asked me if I read a little life and I said yes and then they asked me if I liked it #And I was like. Idk if I liked it but it was all consuming in its sadness #Which is an experience ig #They probably thought I was weird. But then one of em told me to read Tolstoy and I was like I think we r the same. Too bad they r 3hrs awa

2 notes · View notes

opentripper · 1 year

Text

"AUBON MARCHE"

FAKTA UNIK:

1️⃣.N.V. AuBon Marche (ABM) Rumod/Toko fashion dari Paris Perancis yg menyediakan pakaian khususnya wanita: Jl. Braga 3-9 (di potongan Jl. Braga bagian selatan)menyediakan pakaian resmi, pakaian santai, pakaian olahraga-perkakas -->ada di stand PAMERAN JAARBEURS (Stand Jaarbeurs de Koerier 29 Juni 1921-1928)

2️⃣. Owner Toko "AUGUST HAGELSTEENS"

Pemilik awal Rumah mode jl.braga no 3 peritel fesyen kelahiran antwerp belgia, meninggal bandung 22 Nop 1922 (usia 52 thn) setelah sakit parah, selanjutnya diteruskan A.MAKKINGA (pemilik terakhir) Pemilik Au bon marche Jl.braga no 3--9, meninggal di Amsterdam belanda 28 mei 1955 (usia 72 thn) Tinggal di bandung dari thn 1911--1952

Keluarga hagelsteens & makkinga sangat populer di braga bandung memberikan kontribusi yg signifikan bagi perkembangan kota terutama dalam dunia fesyen mode tentunya..bravo!

3️⃣.Braga Fashion Story Fashion Paris Perancis (aubon marche)VS Amsterdam (onderling belang)

Ngomongin sesuatu tempo doeloe biasanya identik dgn MEMORI EMOSIONAL nan melankolik tapi Braga tempo doeloe penuh dgn pesta pora, confetti & keglamoran!

Bayangkan di Braga pendek (bagian bawah) ada 2 boutique fashion kelas atas beda kiblat berhadapan saling bersaing di jalan ini, Ibaratnya Viktor & Rolf versus Christian Dior saling berhadapan!

ORDERLING BELANG (skrng Sarinah) (Belang di sini bukan beda warna tapi Bahasa Belanda artinya kepentingan), adalah toko fashion didirikan thn 1913, cabang langsung dari AMSTERDAM, apa yg sedang ngtrend di Amsterdam pasti tersedia di Onderling Belang ini (skrng Sarinah Artotel)

Masih di tahun yg sama (thn 1913) di depannya ada toko "Au Bon Marche" (kalau kita lihat pagar berandanya Art Nouveau banget,gaya sblm thn 1915) dlm Bahasa Inggris artinya "at good market", kenyataannya gak murah juga toko ini sangat menjunjung citra gaya Perancis, pendiri A. Makkinga LEBIH MAHAL dari Onderling Belang. Toko AB m ada di bandung, batavia & surabaya

Nah , kira2 para meisje, mevrouw, nonik- nonik HB Belanda bingung gak sih mau shopping di mana? Ternyata mereka gak bingung, karena tinggal borong aja dari 2 toko tsb. Apalagi di tahun segitu 1913 Bandoeng lagi jaya2 terkenal & ada rencana Bandoeng jadi ibukota HB (saran dr.Hendrik Freudk Tillema)

Mustinya bangunan di sepanjang Braga ini dibetulkan utk city branding .

===Ganis===

SUMBER: @Haryoto Kunto, Sudarsono katam, Her suganda, atep kurnia @catatan pribadi

0 notes

verfound · 7 months

Text

MINIFIC: Oct. 23: Day 10: Full Moon (MLB, Lukanette, DLM AU)

Continuing from Ch8-9. Let's see if I can stay caught up. 😂

For @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers October Minific Challenge 2023.

Read on Ao3

To Feel Alive Again: Ch10: Full Moon

“That won’t work, you know.”

Marinette jumped at the voice, and that was probably the proof of his words right there. She tried to scowl at Luka, but she found her face didn’t want to cooperate. She turned away instead, tipping her head back against the chair she had brought up to the roof a few hours ago and glaring at the moon.

It had no right to be so pretty, she thought as she took another long drink from the bottle in her hand. The world wasn’t pretty. It didn’t deserve pretty things like that full moon above her when it had such ugliness inside.

“At least share,” Luka sighed as he dropped to the roof beside her, plucking the bottle from her fingers and taking a swig.

“No one invited you,” she bit, snatching the bottle back. Luka coughed as some of the alcohol went down the wrong pipe, and she smirked as she tipped the bottle back. The lip was wet from…well, his lips. Gross. “I only share with people I invite. This was a solo party.”

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you it’s bad form to drink alone?” he asked, taking the bottle back. She glared at him, and he lifted an unimpressed eyebrow in turn.

…she probably looked like a grumpy kitten to him. He was condescending like that. The asshole.

“Stop checking up on me,” she said, turning away with a huff and slumping back in her chair. She pulled the blanket she’d brought up tighter around her shoulders. It was an indulgence she had gotten with her first post-death paycheck: a thick, pink, Sherpa-lined throw that was sinfully soft and kept her entirely too warm.

She loved it.

“I’m not…” he started. She shot him a Look, and he sighed as he leaned back on his hands and looked up at the moon. She tried to ignore the way it lit up his eyes, making them shimmer in its soft glow. “Ok. Fine. I’m checking up on you. But I’m checking up on you because I wanted to, not because Mendeleiev is making me.”

…huh. That was new.

“…why?” she asked, glancing over at him.

“Because she’s a bitch and dealt you a shitty hand,” he said. His fingers tapped at the roof, and when he glanced over at her he offered her a small smile. “…and I missed you. And when Fred told me what happened, I started to worry.”

“Softie,” she chided, and he sighed as he looked back up at the moon.

“I’m afraid you might be right,” he said. He was still smiling. “Tell the others and I’ll kill you.”

“Isn’t that going to be a little hard?” she asked, nudging his knee with her foot. “We’re already dead, Luka.”

“I’m pretty determined,” he said casually. “I’ll find a way. Even if it’s locking you in my closet until I finally get my own lights.”

“Asshole,” she giggled. A comfortable silence settled between them, where they just watched the moon and pretended they could see the stars beyond the city lights. It was nice, she couldn’t help but think. She was finding Luka was nice. Or, at the least, he wasn’t as prickly as she had initially thought.

She was starting to drift off, the exhaustion of the past few days meeting the quiet comfort Luka’s presence offered to lull her towards the sleep she desperately needed. She might have missed his question, if he hadn’t nudged his knee back against her foot. Her lips twitched with a smile as she looked at the roof before her, where their limbs were barely touching. Where they were stretched out like the old friends they might have been another lifetime ago, had she been born a few years sooner or he had been born a few years later and they had both lived past the brief spark of twenty-something.

“He would have liked you,” Juleka had said.

She was starting to think she would have liked him, too. Back before he was dead.

“Are you ok?” he asked, his voice soft in the quiet night.

She blinked tired eyes at the moon and thought of Abby Rousseau, the little girl who had been senselessly snuffed out even sooner than they had been. She thought of the undead man beside her and the quiet comfort his presence brought. Of Fred, downstairs, worrying over her like the papa he was because he couldn’t worry over his own little girl anymore and she no longer had a papa to worry about her, either. Of Théo and even fucking Mendeleiev, their merry little band of reapers slipping through life on the periphery. They didn’t have much anymore, but at least they still had each other.

She supposed that had to count for something.

It had to be enough.

“…no,” she answered. Her hand slipped out of the blanket and reached for his, and she smiled when he threaded his fingers through hers and squeezed. “But I think I will be. Thanks, Luka.”

“Any time, Marinette.”

#miraculous ladybug #luka couffaine #marinette dupain-cheng #lukanette #endgame lukanette #lukanette endgame #lbsc october minifics 2023 #to feel alive again #ml fic #ver fic #dlm lukanette au #dead like me au #this is what we call progress #reapers can't get drunk #mason tries his damnedest but their metabolism is too high #if anyone needed the lore behind him saying that won't work #I don't think I actually stated that here 😂

19 notes · View notes

deuynndoodles · 2 months

Text

[ID: A lineup of the artist's designs for 12 Links. In order of height, from left to right, their nicknames are Tiny, Mask, Sky, Four, Shadow, Sailor, Tracks, Fairy, Glam, Slate, Vet and Rancher.

Tiny (Minish Cap) is 21 and uses he/she. He’s very small and slight. She has a healthy tan, hazel eyes, and wavy, light blonde hair tucked into the classic green windsock hat. He wears the Roc's Cape, a green dress in which the skirt mimics the forest minish’, black leggings, light brown gloves and boots, and a black waist apron. A golden chain strapped to her belt holds kinstones and a charm that resembles Ezlo. He holds up a mallet in his left hand. He has a resting bitch face.

Mask (Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask) is around 12 and uses they/them. They're short and stocky with baby fat still on their cheeks. They have light brown skin, dark brown eyes, and poofy straight blonde hair that goes just past their chin. They wear a Kokiri tunic and boots, a baldric across their chest, a joy pendant and silver earrings. They have the Kokiri sword strapped to their hip and hold the Fierce Deity mask in their left hand, looking off to the side curiously.

Sky (Skyward Sword) is 20 and uses he/him. He's short and stocky, built of healthy fat and muscle. He has light skin, blue eyes, and slightly curly, light brown hair that frames his face and goes to his shoulders. He has a green tunic and gold chainmail, as well as pants, boots and fingerless gloves. His sailcloth is pinned over his right shoulder and his loftwing's feathers are tucked behind his left ear. He has no visible weapons. He has an easy going smile on his face despite being tired.

Four (Four Swords Adventures) is 18 and pronouns match fronter(s). Four is on the thinner and shorter side. Four has light skin, grey eyes, and a short blonde bob pulled back with a dark grey headband. Four wears a white-and-grey four-panel tunic embroidered in gold with the elements and the hilt of the Four Sword. Said blade rests on Four's hip. Four wears a dark grey longsleeve shirt and pants with boots. Four gestures with a hand, looking a bit scandalized and annoyed.

Shadow (Four Swords Adventures) is about 18 and uses he/it. He’s skinny and a bit short. It has light, purplish skin, red eyes, and scruffy purple hair tied in a low ponytail. It has a scar on its left cheek resembling a shattered mirror. He wears a black hood over his black, four-panel tunic, pants and boots, the hood tip flickering with dark magic. It floats with a hand on his hip, the other alight with a dark flame. He smirks, showing off a fang.

Sailor (Wind Waker and Phantom Hourglass) is 17 and uses he/it. He’s lean and short. It has light brown skin, brown eyes, and very short curly, light blonde hair tucked into a green bandana. He wears a cyan tunic with the crayfish of his casual wear, a green sash, russet pants and sandals. The Phantom Sword hangs on its hip and it wears various gold jewelry, including a joy pendant. He brandishes the Wind Waker with a confident grin.

Tracks (Spirit Tracks) is 14 and uses she/they. She's a little chubby and of average height. She has brown skin, dark brown eyes, and a short golden bob that frames her cheeks. They wear an engineer’s uniform, stained with soot and oil, a red bandana tied around her neck, and gloves and boots. Her right sleeve is tied just under the shoulder due to her amputated limb. The Lokomo Sword is on their right hip and a chain of keys hangs from their belt. She adjusts her hat with an easygoing grin.

Fairy (Legend of Zelda 1986 and Adventure of Link) is 18 and uses he/fae and mirror pronouns. He’s skinny and a bit lean. Fae has brown skin with freckles, dark brown eyes and chin-length dark brown curls. Faer bangs are clipped out of faer face with barrettes. He wears a short, dark green poncho with 3 rounded points, the back two mimicking fairy wings. Underneath, he wears a green tunic, an orangish-brown longsleeve shirt, and brown shorts and gloves. Fae goes barefoot, faer legs exposed with several bandages and scars on them. The Magic Sword and an empty potion bottle hang from his hips.

Glam (A Link Between Worlds and Triforce Heroes) is 22 and uses he/him. He's fat with some muscle. He has light brown skin with vitiligo and stretchmarks, red eyes and short, curly blonde hair with brown roots, going just past his chin. He wears a long, pastel green dress under a brown and pink apron stained with paint. He wears simple boots and Ravio’s bracelet. He holds the skirt of his dress with his right hand and smiles.

Slate (Breath of the Wild) is 20 and defaults to they/them and is also genderfluid. They're quite skinny and lean, favoring speed over strength. They have light skin with lots of visible scarring, cyan eyes, and long, choppy, dirty blonde hair in a braid that reaches their waist. They wear the champion's tunic, a hylian hood, pants boots and fingerless gloves, and the Sheikah Slate on their hip. They rest their hand on their other hip and give a closed-eyed smile.

Vet (A Link to the Past, Oracle of Ages/Seasons, and Link’s Awakening) is 24 and uses she/her. She's a bit skinny, taller than most of the others, with plenty of muscle hidden by baggy clothing. She has warm light skin, purple eyes, and a short pink bob with sidelocks that touch her collarbone. She wears a long green dress, pegasus boots, a brown longsleeve undershirt, and a purple scarf. She has a messenger’s bag over her shoulder, the tempered sword on her hip, the pendants of virtue on a necklace, and various gold jewelry. A decorated cane hangs on her back for when she needs help walking. She has a hand on her bag, looking over her shoulder with a flat face.

Rancher (Twilight Princess) is 19 and uses he/him. He's tall and has very strong arms. He has light brown skin, hazel eyes, and reddish-brown hair that's shorter in the back. He wears an altered version of the ranching outfit, with the green sleeve removed, pants traded for a skirt, and sandals traded for sturdy boots. He has no visible weapons. He looks a bit rugged, with several visible scars (thanks to exposing clothing) and sharp teeth, but is fairly welcoming and friendly in demeanor. He has a hand on his hip and a piece of barley in his mouth. End ID]

updated links meet au!! i didn't touch it at all in the past year but i wanted to start making stuff for it. unfortunately the old stuff was a bit outdated so i updated them

for a long list of personal hcs canon to the au, hit the cut!

Tiny

agender, likes girls (in a relationship with zelda)

talks aloud

was 12 during minish cap, which took about a week

stopped growing at age 12 (during her adventure) due to transformation side effects

resting bitch face and flat effect. tends to come off as apathetic but he cares A Lot

a large part of her magical ability comes from minish magic (transformation side effects)

when he shrinks, he becomes a minish (transformation side effects). this is not what usually happens but he used the portals enough that it did happen

his mallet is charmed to change sizes from something he can use in the forge to a weapon to bludgeon monsters with

has surpassed her grandfather as royal smith

incredibly wary of dark/black magic

Mask

enby and pan (currently has a crush on malon)

signs

was 10-17 for ocarina of time, and got yeeted right back in time to when it started post oot. maybe 6 months later, they set out in search of navi (majora's mask). hyrule warriors also happened about a half year later

common pattern is they get plopped back where they were before the adventure

they aren't very sure of their age and tend to age slide due to this—when asked, they go by physical age (this is why they are roughly 12)

skittish about forming relationships because they fear they'll be forgotten again. they try to act like a little brat to ward people away (surprise: it doesn't work)

as they chill out, they're less hostile but they're still a trickster

transformation side effects really freak them out + they'll try to “fix” it

has an incredible internal clock

Sky

trans and bi, in a polycule with groose and zelda

talks aloud

17 during skyward sword, which took about 10 months

his crimson loftwing isn't “special” bc that's kinda silly (to me). her name is epona

“i miss my bird, tails. i miss her a lot”

refuses to carry a sword around because wielding anything but fi feels strange. he is still the best at swordplay out of all of them, even if he's a bit rusty

the mom friend—but not overbearing, more like he'll fight someone to the death if they hurt his family

nerve damage in his right hand from catching lightning. tremors, pins and needles, etc. doesn't shake when holding a sword, oddly enough

chronic fatigue, narcoleptic

Four

all four speak aloud

16 for four swords adventures, took a little under a year. four and zelda revive shadow when they're 18

four is plural and is not usually in the same body, four does it sometimes for masking purposes (four's not too great at it)

the fronter wears their elemental charm

red (any pronouns, genderqueer, likes girls) is energetic and mischievous. he has the best emotional intelligence of the four. situational arsonist. likes to cook and bake. volunteers at lonlon ranch and dates malon

green (he/him, agender, likes boys) is good at taking charge within the group and is good at management, but sucks when it comes to interpersonal conflict and gets self conscious. he's very aware of his strengths and flaws, and acts accordingly. likes to carve wood, train, and ride epona

blue (she/her, trans girl, lesbian) is headstrong and knows her strengths. she likes to joke and tease but sometimes can go a bit too far. likes to sew, train and spar. dating erune

vio (they/them, nonbinary, greyaroace) is stubborn and dislikes not getting their way. they like to plan and come up with ideas or experiments, which are either great or horrible, no inbetween. they like to read and tend to plants.

Shadow

gendervoid, greyaro pansexual (in a qpr with zelda)

talks aloud

age is a bit questionable. are you 18 if you were mirrored from someone who was physically 16, then you died when you both were 17 and got revived? who knows

recently revived from the dark mirror! he's more or less a hylian now, but with dark magic. not as powerful as during fsa

is really, really close to his links and/or four. they tend to sleep in a dogpile

wears a cloak to protect itself from the sun

usually hostile and assumes the worst of people. conversely, gets attached very easily to people who show it kindness

Sailor

agender, aroace (considering a relationship with tetra)

will cycle between speaking aloud and signing

12 for wind waker which took a little over a year, 15 for phantom hourglass, hyrule warriors hasn't occurred yet

loves to entertain children with dramatized tales of his adventures

still carries aryll's telescope as a good luck charm

loves to brag about how cool its sister is

recycled the hero's tunic into a sash and bandana so it'd actually wear it

replaced the center gem of the joy pendant with a pirate stone! likes to lend stones out when they separate into groups

congenital hard of hearing. was shy as a kid, especially due to widespread sign language being lost with the great flood, but eventually learned how to sign and speak aloud. very good at lipreading. now will never shut up. likes to talk loudly and hear his own voice

Tracks

demigirl, lesbian (dating zelda)

signs. it takes a bit longer because some signs are unavailable

was 12 for spirit tracks, took half a year

enjoys coming up with outlandish tales on how they lost their arm

generally pretty open and friendly, except for when they're tired or pissed off by someone

sees ghosts

Fairy

agender, aroace

signs

was 12 for legend of zelda 1986, which took a year and a couple months, and 16 for adventure of link which took a year

has some fairy blood, when he left calatia at age 10 fairies helped guide him and taught him a bit about magic

shy sweetheart at first, but when fae opens up to you fae likes to play minor pranks and jokes (he, sailor and mask like to team up on pranks)

very good at foraging and other various wildlife skills, yet gets lost even with a map in front of him

Glam

trans and gay (currently single)

tends to speak aloud, signs when exhausted

was 17 for link between worlds, which took a year, and 19 for triforce heroes, which took half a year

is a blacksmith. does everyday supplies like nails, tools, utensils, etc, but can also craft weapons if necessary. forges all his own weapons

he and tiny compare blacksmithing techniques

paints and does art in his off time. it was originally a coping mechanism he, zelda, and the sages attempted, but he ended up really enjoying it and continued afterwards

the stereotypical camp gay. likes ‘feminine’ things like makeup, fashion and skirts

lives with ravio + is married to him for tax benefits/citizenship reasons. they're gay but not for each other

Slate

genderfluid, pan (defaults to they/them, in a qpr with zelda)

signs, uses the slate as augmentative/alternative communication when necessary

was (1)17 for botw, which took over a year and a half

likes to talk about their amazing friends

had plenty of time to confront their trauma and is proud of their land and people for returning after the calamity

knows every nook and cranny of their era's hyrule

doesn't know the difference between edible and poisonous. still manages to make delicious food that no one throws up later

totk is semi-canon, as in a lot of the setup is established, but the actual game events haven't occurred

Vet

trans, lesbian (grieving marin)

usually signs unless she has something to say and nobody's listening to her

kinda bitter due to grief, doesn't talk much unless she's being a know-it-all

hoarder. has lots of duplicate items or items with the most ridiculous purposes

wears marin's necklace under her tunic

as she deals with her trauma, she becomes more animated and sweet. it's not just marin she has to work through, though

also, marin is from the adult timeline just after the great flood and believes link has died. oops!

Rancher

trans, straight

speaks aloud

was 17 for twilight princess, which took a year and a half

still a bit hung up on midna leaving

closeted emo

trying really, really hard to fit into his lifestyle pre-adventure but is failing

knows he looks threatening so he tries to tone it down. it doesn't work all the time, especially when he gets angry

initially hated to leave ordon again, but he finally feels good again so he's conflicted

midna taught him her twili abilities towards the end because she knew she'd have to leave. he's still pretty good at them

sharp teeth and sharp nails (transformation side effects)

note about hyrule warriors: due to its status as not canon in the timeline but the appeal of time shenanigans, i've decided it has a tenuous place in the timeline. it's schrodinger's cat—it happened and a lot of the people involved in the war remember it, but it caused a time paradox, it's not written in the history books, and most peoples' memory of it was erased. hyrule warriors link will not be showing up but he may be mentioned at times.

107 notes · View notes

bluehhj · 5 years

Text

(don’t) love me masterlist

LISTEN TO ME; MAIN AU

plot; chapter 01

chapter 02 | chapter 03 | chapter 04

#skz #stray kids #ltm spin-off #masterlist #dlm masterlist #listen to me #(don't) love me #stray kids au #skz au

7 notes · View notes

arc-angel-o · 20 days

Text

Hmm I was gonna just ignore the fact that grim reapers don't get paid to reap but maybe if I do keep that element Dispatch can stay with the service so the groups less crowded

I was also thinking of making Valerie a one off mortal but I'm kinda sick of it I want her to be reoccurring so badly!!!

#wip: rabbit dlm au

0 notes

artificialqueens · 5 years

Text

GRAVITY (Branjie) - Lyonne-dlm & Saiphl

Grav·i·ty /ˈɡravədē/ The force that attracts a body toward the center of the earth, or toward any other physical body having mass. syn.: attraction, attracting force, downward force, pull, weight, heaviness “GRAVITY ATTRACTS OBJECTS TOWARD EACH OTHER.”

==============================================================

So we are back, back, back again.

Now jumping into the Branjie train with the beginning of a slow burn collection of how Brock and Vanessa started dancing together and never stopped doing it.

We hope you enjoy the first part of the ride.

We want to thank MistressAQ for the beautiful work she did by editing and suggesting for this project.

Also, we wanted to share the song that inspired the idea of this fic. We tried to describe a bit how this happens, but we’re adding the reference so you can picture the whole routine together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emTePWNepkk

==============================================================

GRAVITY

Juilliard was a mean environment, if anyone wasn’t able to reach perfection, then that was not the place one should be. They both knew that was their last chance. Neither of them really eager to work together.

Vanessa knew she was good, at least good enough to keep her scholarship. Her notes were an impressive parade of congratulations and high distinctions. Except for the one she feared the most, the class that gave her a reputation among fellow students as “the girl who burns dance partners.” With each year her options dwindled and now, in what must be a cruel joke of destiny, she was trapped in an incredibly complex piece with the only dance partner that she could happily throw down the stairs. Both the proverbial and physical ones.

Brock knew the teacher made him dance with her because he was good enough to mitigate the “Vanjie Effect,” but also to break him out of the comfort zone he and his twin sister built around them. He heard for years now the teachers saying “your technique is impeccable Brock, but I feel nothing when I see you dance with Lynn, you seem to be disconnected.” He was screwed, it was too late in the year to find a partner with the technical quality to match his. The only possible partner available, was the one he feared the most. The girl who was literally unable to dance with a partner.

They’ve been working together for the last month and a half. First learning to understand each other, and then, to put up a complex choreography to get the final note for their Pas de Deux class. Truth to be told, they weren’t bad together. They were actually amazing, as if they were born to do that exactly: dance together. What was the real burden, was they had a hell of an attitude issue to each other. Vanessa really enjoyed teasing him, and Brock was more than pleased to piss her off.

They were running one last rehearsal before the actual performance. They’ve been locked in a studio for the last three hours. Vanessa was tired and in need of anything that could raise her blood sugar. Brock, as every other day, was being an ass.

“Seriously Vanessa, I’m not going to fail this course because you can’t jump,” he said, turning to take the remote and stop the music.

“You know I can jump, but I need to have something to eat, otherwise I’ll faint,” she clapped back. Maybe if she had something to eat, she could be less cringy.

“You’re weak.” He said, looking at her reflection on the mirror.

“And you’re an asshole.” She slid gracefully to his side just to put her hand on his shoulder, knowing he wouldn’t like it.

“Let’s do it again, from the top… and you have to make that jump work.” Brock took Vanessa’s hand as if it was infected and tossed it away in disgust.

The music started again. Brock took his position laying on the floor and took a deep breath, counting in compasses. His long body in full display, the defined lines of each muscle showing with the motion. Vanessa exhaled, she hadn’t noticed she has been holding her breath. Vanessa took two graceful steps, bending to blow lightly on his back. His arms, in one fluid motion, are thrown in the air to find her. Their fingers intertwined in one hand, the other Brock had working as support to make her fly above his head.

Vanessa landed on the tip of her toes while he fell to her feet, as practiced. There was something incredibly sensual about that movement, something that made her feel powerful, invincible. He turned up looking for her, a sense of loss on his face. That is, until her hand brushed his bicep while passing by. Brock shivers… and doesn’t understand why. That girl is frustrating, loud, and impossible, but each time they dance, it’s like the world stopped around them, just to see them gravitate to each other.

They’re almost two minutes into the six minute routine when he has to lift her up again. Except this time Vanessa’s ankle doesn’t support her enough to jump and they both fall.

“Fuck! I told you, YOU-HAVE-TO-JUMP-VANESSA!” Brock says, giving his back to her, assessing with practiced ease the motions of his left arm, which held most of the impact of his fall. He gets back on his feet, oblivious to the girl still struggling on the floor, assessing the state of her ankle.

Vanessa bit her lower lip while doing tentative circles with the sore ankle, relieved at being able to move it, otherwise she’ll fail the class by default. A slight taste of blood floods her mouth, she’s been so tense that her body was tired and wasn’t responding as she needed. One last turn to the ankle, a contorted face and a strangled moan, the one that makes him turn to her.

“Are you ok?” Brock asked dryly, finally looking at her and leaning to check if she needed some help.

Vanessa tossed loose hair out of her face. “I am… let’s do this, at least one single time has to be right.” She stands by herself, barely suppressing the sting of pain pulsing on her foot. “One more time Mr. Brightside, then I’ll go get something to eat.” She said, drawing a couple more circles with the tip of her hurting foot and supporting her weight, assessing her possibilities.

“Ok, just jump this time right? I’ll do the rest.” He walked towards her and she seemed to realize how close they were, so she lightly slapped him away. She started walking to her spot. Brock stared at her, unable to keep himself from holding the stubborn girl again while she stumbled back to her starting position. “Do not force yourself Vanessa, we have to do this in front of the jury in few hours, I don’t need you making me fail.”

Vanessa hissed, half from the pain, and half resisting temptation to slap his face. She was nervous too, her scholarship and permanence at Juilliard depended on this performance, and of course, Brock Hytes wouldn’t make it easy for her. “Shut up and play the music… I’m fucking starving.” Brock shrugged turning to the stereo, muttering unintelligible things. He went back to lay on the floor, this time with eyes wide open in case his dance partner fell.

The music filled the tense silence between them, both easily engaging on the fantasy of the choreography. Electricity running down their bodies while the light brushing of their limbs. The steady support of his arms, the natural playfulness of her body, all of it melting in a perfect symphony of fluidity and sensuality. On that soft moment, when they looked into each other’s eyes, there it was, the weird connection that made them fit together like the pieces of a puzzle. Vanessa shivered and Brock stumbled, cursing under his breath. Unavoidably and still dancing, she gravitated to him, taking his time to recover the rhythm.

Brock lifted her up; she felt light as a feather. She was light as a feather. He started spinning, holding her steady by the waist, hungry for the sensation of her hands on his cheek. Longing to get lost on every trace of her chocolate eyes. Detailing all the little things he could see inside, the light green freckles in the iris, and how the white light reflected their color in sparkles of golden. Landing her once more, he regretted letting her go, and she suddenly felt cold without the shield of his lean body.

They kept dancing until the last part of the song came. The little move at the end when they both held hands just to lay them on her cheek. The intensity of the moment was unbearable. He knew he had to step away, to come apart from her, but his feet seemed to be glued to the floor. Vanessa looked at him, confused, still unwilling to be the first to lose his baby blue eyes from sight. He took a deep breath and not even thinking, he leaned and kissed her. It was gentle, soft and unexpected. It was tender but still full of desire and lust.

Vanessa snapped from the moment, breaking all contact, and slapping his face as hard as she could. “What the fuck are you doing you moron?!” She hit his chest with a tightly closed fist. “Do you think this is a joke? my whole life depends on this number and you decide to play the fool?!”

Brock stared at her, wounded and confused. “Now it’s my fault?”

“Yes, it is… you kissed me idiot, YOU FUCKING KISSED ME! this can’t happen on the performance!” She yelled to mask the fact she was about to cry.

“Then fuck you Banjie girl, for once in all your life someone finds you slightly interesting and you react like if you were punched in the gut.” He said, regretting almost immediately the sarcastic tone of his words.

“Well, fuck you then, and you better control yourself on the final performance. I twisted my ankle because you didn’t lift me, and will have to work double if you plan to screw my work.” She went to the stereo to recover her CD. “You better be on time for the performance, or I swear I’ll skin you alive.”

“As if you were good enough to make it up without me.” The bile rising through his throat with those words, he knew he was being unfair. He couldn’t help it. His face felt hot, and not just where she’d hit him. “Better you get that fucking ankle good for the performance, I won’t cover your ass if you stumble.”

“FUCK YOU HYTES!” And with those last words, he heard the door of the studio slam shut. Brock screamed in frustration before he picked his things up and left the place.

The performance was going to be a fucking circus.

Vanessa ran to the nearest place where she could be by herself for a bit. She locked herself in a stall of the dance studio’s empty bathroom. Agitated and confused, she tried to regain composure. Inhale… exhale… inhale… exhale. As her heartbeat diminished, she recalled the scene. The music, the choreo, the moment they got lost on each other. The tension always dense between them getting thicker which each movement. The deepness of his eyes capturing her whole attention and then, the kiss. A kiss she didn’t know she craved, but didn’t know what to do with once she got it.

Her ankle shooting in pain for the speed of her run on the hallway. “Fuck you Brock… fuck you”, she muttered, not knowing at all if her anger came from of him kissing her, or the fact that she wanted more. She wanted much more. Reflexively she put her hurting limb over her other knee, massaging and moving the ankle with a hiss.

Brock was a distraction, a huge one, and if he insisted to do things like that , he would become even more of a problem. She didn’t understand at all how to feel about him, about her thinking of him or about what to do with that damned kiss. Frustrated, she just punched the door of the stall with a very tight fist. “Damn it!” she cursed when the pain reverberated through her whole arm, tears sliding down her cheek.

“Great… like, great now I’ll have to cope with this too…” she said, assessing now her hand and knuckles. Going to the mirrors and looking at her messed up self, she started the sink and cleaned her tear stained face “You need to get this together Vanessa.”

Brock was a whole other story, he couldn’t tell he was mad, he was just confused and kind of aroused. One thing he came to know, was that Vanessa made him nuts. Her loud unnerving self and the natural way she cursed, like it was a part of her; something that made him beyond curious. After the first week working with her, he realized that her biggest trouble was a clear inability to follow instructions. Brock grunted in frustration; he’d been paying more attention than intended in the last weeks, and finding himself aroused after her slapping him was truly fucked up.

He didn’t know what she was doing to him but damn that girl had an effect on him.

Before he could even notice, he had walked the distance between the school and Central Park. Obfuscated he adjusted his bag strap to his back and started jogging. Nothing cleared his mind better than doing some physical activity. “First of all… she’s obnoxious” he said to himself between rhythmic breathings. “Obnoxious, loud and vulgar”, he added with a huff. Knowing by the word what would his sister, Lynn say, he could clearly hear her voice in his head, reminding him: “and you like it, so stop being a prick.” He sped up, shaking his head both to clear his mind, and to answer to his thought. ”You like her loud mouth” a soft smile spreaded on his lips. “Ok… supposing I like her loud mouth, that doesn’t help she curses like a sailor,” he said under his breath, now trotting to the lake.

“You have to admit it’s charming when she does it,” Lynn’s voice said, he nodded in response. Reaching the shore of the lake, he sat by the water, finding a fallen branch to play with. “It’s charming, and she makes me feel like I can be me around her. I don’t have to worry about what I say or how to behave, she just let me be.”

That simple admission was comforting, he had never liked the way they have to be chivalrous around all the other girls. Vanessa was frantic and direct, and she never feared to speak her mind out loud. “Well dude, that’s a start, and you can’t deny she’s hot”, he laughed, truth to be told, Vanessa was good looking and the natural curves she had, accentuated by her years dancing made her such a sight for sore eyes. “Yeah, she is hot…” he said, inhaling deeply with images of her delicate frame dancing on his mind. “So… you wanted to kiss her.”

Brock lowered his face, which was turning beet red. “Yes… No… Fuck!” The voice in his head laughed again. ”You want her so bad It’s driving you crazy,” he grunted again, one thing was admitting to himself he liked the girl, and another totally different to say out loud he wanted her. His hands started buzzing with the memory of holding her tiny waist, “Guess I’m screwed” he sighed, clapping his hands together to mitigate the buzzing. “Why? she reciprocated the kiss”, Lynn’s voice nagged. “All you have to do is ask, if you dare to, of course.”

He rolled his eyes, the sensation of Vanessa’s slap on his cheek still fresh. “If you don’t remember, she slapped me. There’s your answer.” The bitterness in his voice crystal clear, he had never been rejected by anyone, and Vanessa just made very clear that she didn’t want him. Those last words, making his head shut up. The beeping of his watch snapping him back to reality made him jump. Brock quickly stood up, leaving the pointy branch he had been playing with forgotten on the grass. He ran back to the school.

Vanessa was sitting on the bench outside the studio, swollen hand holding the CD, makeup freshly done, and an ankle brace holding her ill foot. She was a nervous mess, and the fact that they were supposed to perform in five minutes and Brock was nowhere to be seen getting her snappy. Brock sprinted to her, his hair slightly damp from the shower. “I’m sorry I’m late, last minute complications.”

Vanessa looked at him, radiating anger. “Look who finally decided to show up… they’ve asked for you and I had to tell them you were on your way” she said dryly. “You better not fuck this up. If I get expelled because of you, I hope you had your last prayers.”

Brock huffed. “Listen Vanessa, could we please try to do this and leave whatever happened outside?” He pressed the bridge of his nose, trying his best to keep himself chill. She nodded in response, rising to her feet. “Just remember to jump and everything will be fine.”

Vanessa punched him in the shoulder, immediately hissing in pain. “Fuck you Brock… FUCK YOU!”

“Let’s just get this shit show going.” He bent to pick up the CD that fell from her hand. In that moment the door opened for someone to call the both of them inside. The teacher looked puzzled watching while they entered without even looking at each other.

Brock gave the music to the teacher and then joined Vanessa on the dance floor. He laid on the floor taking a deep breath, counting until the music started. In that moment, just like it had in rehearsal, everything faded around them, the music and the choreography flowing harmoniously between them, each motion precise and on point. The soft touches and the eye contact yelling all the apologies they couldn’t tell. When the moment came, Vanessa jumped effortlessly, trusting blindly on the firm grip of Brock in her hands.

He felt like he was high. High on adrenaline and the green apple scent radiating from Vanessa’s body. She felt like she could fly. For a moment, when he was holding her up above his body on the floor, she could picture memories of home, the place where she felt safe and sound. Gravity was non-existent for a second. One last jump, the one when he took her to spin around looking to each other’s eyes and he pictured himself looking at those eyes for the rest of his life. He put her back on the floor, intensely lost in her eyes, a sudden sadness taking over his when their intertwined hands laid them on her cheek. When he stepped away, an overwhelming longing spreaded through her, stretching her left arm to uselessly try to reach him and finally falling to the floor all curled over herself. She didn’t know why, but started crying. Then the music ended.

The teachers’ applause brought them back to the moment, when Brock approached to her stretching his hand to lift her up. He saw the tears in her eyes and made her turn to bring her close to him, giving some time to wipe the few tears that fell down her cheek. He pulled her close to his chest, making her melt on that single motion. Still embraced, they bowed, and then separated to listen to the notes of their teachers.

Most of the comments were praises and a couple of corrections on the execution. The Dean inviting them to keep dancing together, cause what they made on that piece was magic. Finally, they were dismissed and with no words, they went to their locker rooms.

Later, Vanessa was sitting in one of the hallways, waiting for Brock to appear. When he finally came, he was with a couple of friends, they were laughing. The moment he saw her sitting there, he dismissed his friends and bent down, “hey stranger.” His voice as soft as she had never heard him She mouthed a “Hi” that he responded with a smile and stretching his hand to lift her up.

Once on her feet, she smiled at him “Thanks for not messing it up.”

“Hey! anytime” he said, playful and returning the smile.

Vanessa bit her lower lip, doubting for a second on what to say next. “I… shit-”

He laughed. “I know, but if we’re going to keep doing this, please, avoid slapping me.”

“Who said I want to keep dancing with you?” she asked, curious.

Brock rolled his eyes, still smiling. “Because you’re here and I want to do it. I want to dance with you Banjee Girl.”

“Alright, I won’t slap you if you promise something…” she said, lowering her voice

“What?” he asked, raising a brow.

Out of nowhere, she tiptoed and kissed him, this time soft and tenderly. “Promise you’ll keep doing this.” She whispered to his lips. As an answer to her request, he kissed her once more.

#rpdr fanfiction #gravity #dance school au #branjie #brooke lynn hytes #vanessa vanjie mateo #lyonne dlm #saiphl #m/f au #ballet au #dance au

36 notes · View notes