#thanks for inspiring Willex every time
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Can I interest you in some soft Them in these trying times?
Hello hello! I wrote this for @legolasghosty's birthday (ilyyyy) and thought I'd share it here too hehe.
Willex. Rated G. 1123 words. No warnings, just fluff.
Alex woke because his head slipped from where it was resting against the wall and his torso fell to the side. When he was upright again, disoriented and a little dizzy, he noticed that he was the only one left outside on the porch. He hadn’t even realized he’d fallen asleep. He’d been sitting next to Willie on the bench, leaned his head back against the cabin’s wall and womp, he’d fallen asleep, apparently.
Turning his head to look around, he registered faint laughter from inside the cabin. But it sounded less like it was coming from his friends and more like from the TV.
What time was it? Couldn’t be too late if people were still awake. And they also wouldn’t have left him sleeping outside, someone would’ve come get him when they were all going to bed.
A yawn pushed its way out of his throat and he let it escape. Only when he smacked his lips and moved a hand to scratch his chin, did he notice that his upper body was covered. He’d left his hoodie inside, it had still been pretty warm when they had all sat down outside on the porch after coming back from the restaurant, but he must’ve looked like he was cold when he was sleeping. Willie’s sweater was draped over his chest, the sleeves laid over his shoulders so that it wouldn’t slip right off. The fabric felt almost delicate when Alex shifted underneath it, despite being thick cotton, but maybe that was just because it was Willie’s.
He smiled to himself. He could imagine that small internal struggle Willie must’ve felt upon seeing his boyfriend asleep next to him. Should he wake Alex? He looks cold. Would he want to come inside with us? But he’s sleeping. Alex allowed himself to press his nose into the fabric and take a breath. The scent was a strange mixture of campfire and pine and coconut shampoo that shouldn’t work but just did, because it was Willie’s. Alex loved this smell.
A gust of wind flew over the porch and blew his hair into his eyes. It was fresher than the standing air, predicting the temperatures to drop in the next few days, and told Alex that he should probably go inside. The pressure behind his eyes, his tell-tale sign that he was really tired, increased at the brush of cold, and he shivered.
With a groan, he got up from the bench and walked around the porch table. The trees of the forest swayed in the wind, the moon painted glowing white circles in the soft waves of the lake, and he heard the call of an owl somewhere far away. They’d really picked a great spot for their post-tour vacation. He couldn’t remember ever being somewhere this peaceful, apart from maybe his own home, or back at his grandparents place in Germany. It was a shame, they only had a few days left.
Yawning again, he slipped the sweater over his head. It warmed him immediately and he felt yet another wave of sleepiness wash over him.
Stepping inside the cabin, his suspicions about the TV were confirmed, when he saw the flickering lights around the corner and heard muted, dramatic music. He spotted Luke asleep with his head in Julie’s lap on one of the couches, Reggie leaning against her on her other side, eyes on the TV screen. Bobby was sitting in the armchair, arms crossed in front of his chest, head tilted back, dead-asleep like a dad on a Saturday night. Flynn must be in bed already, because Willie was sitting alone on the other couch, cross-legged, comfortable. But their eyes caught sight of Alex as soon as he stepped into the room.
“Hey, you’re awake,” he called quietly when Alex moved into his direction. His legs unfolded and he lifted an arm so Alex could sit down next to him.
Alex took the hand offered to him as soon as he reached it, then sat on the couch and smoothly slipped into Willie’s side. They let out a surprised laugh when Alex draped an arm across their waist and pushed his face into Willie’s shoulder.
“Hi,” he whispered back.
“We wanted to watch a movie, but I didn’t wanna wake you. You looked so cute, when you were asleep,” Willie explained what Alex had been thinking.
“Thank you,” Alex responded. He lifted his head and nudged his chin forward, glancing at Willie’s lips. Willie got the message and smiled before leaning down and giving Alex a gentle kiss. Alex hummed comfortably, then placed his head back on Willie’s shoulder, closing his eyes.
“Tired?” Willie asked.
Alex nodded.
“You wanna go to bed?”
He shook his head. “Wanna be with you.”
He felt Willie’s breath hitch a little, like it always did when Alex randomly said cute things like that. They brushed their hand over Alex’s arm across their body.
“I wanna stay here a bit longer, is that alright?”
Alex nodded again. “This is perfect.”
He turned his head and pressed a kiss to Willie’s collarbone through the fabric of their shirt. Willie’s hand not on Alex’s arm brushed over the back of his head, lightly scratching his scalp. Alex felt himself melt into Willie at the sensation, slowly breathing out. Now being warm and fully enveloped by Willie, he started feeling drowsy with tiredness.
Willie halted momentarily. “Is everything alright? What’s going on?”
Alex didn’t lift his head, just turned it a little so they’d be better able to hear him. “I’m baby,” he said simply.
Willie breathed out with a laugh that sounded almost delighted. They shifted so they were able to press a lingering kiss to Alex’s forehead. Alex relished it with a smile.
“So baby,” Willie responded. Another kiss, even longer now. “And I love you so much.”
Alex felt soft and warm and glowy all over. He was on vacation, wearing his lover’s sweater, while they held him comfortably and kissed his forehead so gently. He couldn’t imagine anything better than this.
He finally lifted his head again so he was on eye level with Willie. “I love you too.”
Willie lifted the hand off Alex’s arm and curled it around his jaw. He kissed Alex again, so sweetly it made Alex’s head spin in the best way.
“I was hoping you’d put on the sweater,” he whispered against Alex’s lips and it made them both chuckle. “You look amazing in it.”
“It’s very comfortable.”
“I know.” Willie kissed his cheek. “Go to sleep.”
And almost as soon as Alex had placed his head on Willie’s shoulder again, he did.
#willex beloved#i missed them#felt like coming home writing them again <33#love you Legolas#thanks for inspiring Willex every time#julie and the phantoms#willex#alex mercer#willie jatp#linden writes stuff#legolas tag#jatp fanfic
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Hi Legolas, I'm about to be annoying and excessive again 💜
3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25 all for JATP
Hiiiii, thanks for the ask!
Okay... *cracks knuckles and does some stretches*... here we go.
3: What inspires you to keep creating fanworks?
Answered here!
4: What are your favorite types of fanworks to make?
The thing I do the most(and am probably the best at) is writing fanfics, mostly one shots and stuff cause I have a short attention span, lol! But I also love drawing when I have the time and ideas for it. It's so fun and occasionally turns out pretty!
6: What has been one of your favorite fandom experiences?
Okay, there's so many, but one thing that has been really special for me is that, pretty soon after I got into reading fics on AO3, I started betaing a long fic for @michelangelinden. It's called Between Chaos and Contentment(and a Little Creativity), and just... getting the chapters early and editing and screaming about them with him and just... the whole thing has been absolutely amazing!!! I love them and that fic so much!!! (everyone should go read it!)
8: Who are three fanwork creators (fic writers, gifmakers, artists, meta writers, etc.) that you love seeing on your dash?
Okay, these are in no particular order. First one has to be @latinposeidon. The headcanons and all the fun stuff he posts is amazing! @wr0temyway0ut is another lovely one that I love seeing around! His SMAUs my beloved!!! Last one I'll put here is @lyxchen! Her art is so pretty!!!! I love it so much!
9: What’s a fanwork that made you laugh?
Answered here! But also I have more so... One of yours that cracks me up every time is When the Moon Hits Your Eye Like a Big Pizza Pie, that's a Werewolf. Luke as a werewolf and just... doing weird stuff! I love it, it(and the whole series) makes me laugh every single time!
10: What’s a fanwork that made you cry?
Answered here!
11: What’s a fanwork that made you squeal?
Oh gosh... so many... Here's a good one! I'm Feeling Like I Missed You All This Time by Puddlesandparkinglots! Adorable Willex meeting and getting to know each other and getting together fic! I go back to this one when I need a pick-me-up <3
15: What three fanworks are you the proudest of making?
Answered here!
16: Are there fanworks in JatP that you’ve revisited multiple times?
Yes. Tons. I have a whole list in my head of Willex cuddle fics I go read when I'm feeling depresso. I am a chronic rewatcher/reader/listener. Everything I recommend in here or any other ask is probably something I've read at least three times. Well here's one from the list... Just Let Me Adore You by @julies-butterflies! So cute and soft, I love them so much!
18: What fanwork of yours would you like more fans to check out?
Oh. Um. Well, I don't think anyone should have to read any of my stuff, cause I don't think it's very good. I guess if I have to send you to any of mine, it would probably be You Are My Getaway. It's a cute little Willex fic that I wrote for Michelangelinden(tagged above on a previous question), and I think it turned out pretty cute!
19: What fanwork by someone else would you like more fans to check out?
Answered here! But also I have more so... Petals Under the Edges of my Skin by QueenoftheQuill. I just adore this fic so much and everyone should read it, even if you don't ship Julie and Bobby. It's just fricking gorgeous!
21: What is a recent fic you read for JatP that you enjoyed?
Geez, again with the hard questions? So many good ones! Just going through my AO3 history to the most recent one, We Can Lay Low by @curvesomesunsets. So cute!!!
22: Tag someone who brings great vibes to the JatP fandom!
Uhhh, all y'all? Wait, that's too many people... who haven't I tagged yet on here? @molinapattersons and @fandomscraziness22 both bring the lovely angst vibes that I could never have, so I deeply appreciate them both! I could go on for hours about their fics... and about other people here in the fandom! It's a good time here!
25: What unique thing do you think you bring to the JatP fandom?
... Am I allowed to say absolutely nothing? Like, I don't really... add much. I mostly enjoy everyone else's amazingness, rather than put in the stress and effort to put out my own stuff. I guess I'm a decent beta reader, so I help make other people's stuff better?
Whew, okay, that was a lot. Thank you so much for the ask, these were so fun!!!! Also, I'm so sorry to all the random people I tagged in here. Not trying to bother you, I promise! Just telling the humans how amazing you all are! Y'all are cool and deserve all the kudos and comments and screaming!
Send me some numbers from this list and I'll answer the questions!
#legolas tag#legolas ask#legolas answers asks#jatp fanfic#fic rec#answered ask#ask game#jatp#goodness gracious this took forever!#it was so fun though!#no regrets!#also if any of y'all know the tumblrs of people I mentioned on here without an @#please let me know so I can edit them in#they deserve all the happy yelling
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Anonymous requested: willex and one of them confesses their feelings to the other while sleeping
So I wasn’t 100% sure if I’d understood this right and I had two directions I could go, either of which would have been good, so I did the Right Thing and included both versions of how I interpreted this. It’s a little short, but I love it. I got a random burst of inspiration for it in the middle of a maths exam yesterday so that was fun, and this is what came out of it. Thank you for the prompt!
No Going Back
If there was one thing Alex had become certain of in all the time he’d known Willie, it was that the guy didn’t get nearly enough sleep.
At first Willie’s constant state of being so exhausted that he was hyper had been endearing. Alex had looked forward to receiving that inevitable ‘are you awake?’ text in the darkest hours of every night, thrilled that he was on Willie’s mind, anxious to have a late-night deep conversation or for Willie to show up at his house and whisk him away on a midnight adventure. He had loved the spontaneity that Willie displayed, a by-product of his insomnia that rendered him incapable of figuring out when something was a bad idea – though Alex was still bitter about that time they’d nearly been arrested for breaking into a skatepark after dark, something Willie had sworn was perfectly legal.
He still loved all that about Willie, it wasn’t something he could ever stop loving. Willie was like that – once you loved him there was no going back. But over time Alex had started to worry, as he was wont to do, about how little sleep Willie was getting.
“Did you sleep at all last night?” Alex asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes,” Willie said, not looking up from what he was doing. “What makes you think I didn’t?”
“Nothing,” Alex replied, “just the fact that you’re still wearing the same clothes as last night and there’s a marble run spanning the length of your apartment that definitely wasn’t there yesterday.”
It was mid-morning and Alex was stood in the doorway of Willie’s apartment, peering in through the door at what could only be described as chaos. Willie was stood in the centre of the living room, fiddling with a section of the marble run, his tongue poking out in concentration. All around him, the marble run twisted through the apartment, an explosion of plastic in colours that clashed painfully alongside each other. By the looks of it, the run started atop a light fixture, wound its way through the kitchen (including going inside the fridge and back out again), tracked into Willie’s bedroom, linked back around into the living room, and ended in the perfect position to hit the TV remote’s power button.
It was very obvious to Alex that Willie had spent the whole night trying to find the most complicated way of turning his TV on – getting him to admit it would be the difficult thing.
Willie looked around the apartment, eyes wide as if he was only seeing the marble run for the first time now. He looked utterly bewildered, stumped by his own creative genius.
“Oh,” he said simply. “Yeah, well, I did sleep for a bit. And I also made this. A guy can do two things.”
Alex stepped cautiously into the apartment, shutting the door behind him, being careful not to tread on the marbles that littered the floor. Willie quickly got back to tinkering with his marble run, trying to secure two bits of track together. He was stood on a coffee table up on his tip-toes – Alex moved instinctively behind him to catch him in case he fell.
“Did you really sleep?” he pressed.
“Yes,” Willie insisted. “For, like, an hour maybe. I woke up at about half one.”
Alex checked his watch and felt his jaw go slack in shock. “You’ve been building a marble run for eight hours?”
Although he probably didn’t need to, Willie held onto Alex’s outstretched hands as he lowered himself slowly down from the coffee table. He didn’t let go once he was down, leaving one hand gently slipped into Alex’s. Alex felt his heart beat that little bit faster but ignored the feeling in favour of continuing to worry about Willie’s godawful sleeping habits.
“Not the full eight hours,” Willie told him dismissively. “Probably more like five? I built a domino chain first, and then I had to clear it all up.”
He pointed to a box in the corner of the room that was being used to prop up a good chunk of the marble run and appeared to be filled with an ungodly amount of dominoes. He was smiling triumphantly as if setting up dominoes all night was any different to setting up a marble run.
“You say that like it makes this better, but you’ve still only had one hour’s sleep,” Alex reminded him as Willie tried and failed to stifle a yawn. “I think it’d be a good idea if you got some rest now.”
Willie shook his head. “I’ll be fine, hotdog. One hour is more than enough sleep, I usually get less.”
“That’s not something to be proud of.”
Willie just shrugged, but he wasn’t fooling Alex. In recent weeks, Alex had noticed that Willie’s lack of sleep really seemed to be getting to him. He was sleeping less and less, running on energy drinks and sugar highs, spending his time doing nonsensical things like building colossal marble runs all night instead of at least lying in bed. And Willie was pretending that he was fine, carrying on like it was nothing, but there was something in his eyes that told Alex he was struggling with it more than he would let on.
But now, Willie’s face broke into an excited grin and he squeezed Alex’s hand. “Do you want to test it out?”
In his head, Alex knew he should have insisted that Willie just try and take a nap instead, but he would have been lying if he said he didn’t want to see the end result (after all, there were some loop-the-loops in there and he was quietly curious to see if they’d actually work). So he nodded reluctantly and let Willie pull him to the kitchen where he hoisted himself onto the counter and plonked a marble in the start of the tube.
They watched in awe as the little blue marble rolled its way through all the tubes, flipping around the loops, gathering speed in tight spirals. It was oddly mesmerising and Alex was so caught up in watching it that he forgot he was supposed to be a little annoyed that Willie had made it instead of getting some well-deserved rest.
It was going well, the marble run holding out sturdily, but Alex noticed Willie tense as the marble neared the section he’d been fiddling with when Alex walked in. As the marble ran over that bit of track, there was a catastrophic crash and the entire marble run collapsed around them, raining bits of rainbow-coloured plastic down around the apartment like an avalanche. Alex had covered his head and closed his eyes instinctively, but when he opened them he saw that every inch of the floor was carpeted in bits of marble run and crushed dreams.
The marble dropped to the floor with a pathetic clack, the icing on the cake.
Alex turned to Willie, who was still stood atop the kitchen counter, staring at the wreckage with a completely blank expression. He reached his hand up to hold Willie’s and got nothing in response.
“Willie?” he prompted softly.
“I hate everything,” Willie sighed.
He hopped down from the counter and began trying to pick up bits of the marble run to clear it away. Alex could hardly believe how much of it there was when it wasn’t all stacked together – he couldn’t help but admire Willie for putting it all together, but it was overshadowed by the pity he felt now that it had failed.
Gently, he placed a hand on Willie’s shoulder. Willie instantly broke, his shoulders sagging and his head hanging defeatedly. The bit of track he was holding clattered to the floor.
“You take a nap,” Alex said. He wasn’t asking anymore, he was telling, and truth be told Willie looked like he was ready to fall asleep on his feet. “I’ll pack this away.”
“I can’t ask you to do that,” Willie said, rubbing at his eyes exhaustedly.
“You’re not asking me, I’m offering. Go on, you need to rest.”
There was a short pause while Willie looked at Alex, something indescribable in his teary eyes. He broke it to say, in a tired voice not quite like his own, “Will you come and stay with me when you’re done?”
Alex smiled softly. “If you want me to then of course I will.”
Willie nodded, eyes already drooping closed, and made his way to his bedroom incredibly slowly as he tried to avoid stepping on any bits of the marble run. Alex began packing it away, and he could hear Willie’s soft snores within minutes.
He spent at least two hours tidying away all the pieces, mainly because for most of that time he was arranging them by size and colour and trying to get them all to fit perfectly in the large container Willie had labelled ‘MARBLES :)’. Eventually though, when the apartment was clear, the final marble plonked into the box, Alex carefully pushed open the door to Willie’s bedroom.
Willie was tucked in underneath the covers, warm and snug, snoring soundly. It appeared he still hadn’t got changed out of yesterday’s clothes, but at least he was finally getting some rest. Alex crouched down by the side of his bed and placed his hand next to Willie’s where it was thrown out exhaustedly across the mattress.
People often thought Alex and Willie were dating, told them they were such a lovely couple, asked about how long they had been together. And every time they would laugh it off, correct whoever had said it, no harm done. But Alex wished that just once he could reply in a very different way, thank them for the compliment, tell them he and Willie had been together for six months or a year or five. Sometimes he suspected that Willie wanted it too – like when he held his hand, or giggled at Alex’s dumb jokes, or smiled in a way that seemed like it was just for him.
But he couldn’t bring himself to ask.
He thought about it now, how if he had been Willie’s boyfriend he could have held him as he slept, run his fingers through his hair, pressed kisses to his forehead until he dozed off. It was probably wishful thinking, but he wondered if he could have helped simply by being Willie’s boyfriend. (He knew the problem ran deeper than that, but he could hope.)
Willie shuffled a bit in his sleep and his hand came to rest atop Alex’s. He felt his breath stutter and hitch in his throat.
“I hope you can’t hear me,” Alex said quietly before he even knew he was going to say anything, “because all I want to tell you right now is that I love you. And I don’t know if that’s what you want to hear. But it’s true – I love you, Willie, and I’m always going to be right here when you need me.”
There was the briefest moment of silence in which neither of them moved and all Alex could hear was the thumping of his own heart. He couldn’t tell if Willie was fully asleep, and he wasn’t certain if he wanted that or not. He wanted Willie to know how he felt, he just didn’t want to tell him.
But after that moment, Willie’s hand clutched weakly at Alex’s, and he breathed, “I love you too.”
It was so quiet Alex thought he might have imagined it. He blinked, leaned a little closer as if Willie might say it again, but he was already back to sleep. Alex wanted to shake him awake, tell him again, make sure he wasn’t dreaming.
He didn’t though. That conversation could wait until Willie was awake. Instead, Alex sat himself down on the floor next to the bed, hand still in Willie’s, head resting against the mattress, and let Willie finally get the sleep he so deserved.
*
Taglist (if you want to be added or removed just let me know): @ace-bookworm @williexmercer @willex-owns-my-heart @itstiger720 @the-reckless-and-the-brave @that-one-newsie @bluedarkness @lookingthroughmirrors @teammightypen @salty-star @julieandthequeers @lmaohuh
#jatp#willex#alex mercer#julie and the phantoms#willie jatp#willie x alex#alex x willie#willex fic#jatp fic#fanfiction#julie and the himbos#sleep#fluff and angst#<<< kinda? i guess?#friends to lovers#<<< again. kinda?#love confessions#willie would make marble runs instead of sleeping fight me#marble runs are a perfect metaphor for insomnia and mental health :D#fanfic#writing#my writing#fic#emotional hurt/comfort#<<< once again. kinda.#request#fic request
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Day 1 of JATP Fanworks Appreciation Week
Hey ladies, gents, and non-binary friends,
I just want to start off by saying a huge thank you to the show and the fandom as a whole. Being a Fantom is truly unlike any other experience I’ve had, in both terms of being a fan and a fic writer.
I have written for different fandoms before and have stopped writing fics for some years, but Julie and the Phantoms grabbed me by the throat and gave me so much inspiration, inspiration I thought I lost/ left behind in high school.
This year had been very isolating and difficult for me. I struggled a lot with staying motivated and even staying hopeful for the future, and I often find myself feeling so utterly alone.
But ever since watching the show and becoming more active on Tumblr, I was able to find such an incredibly warm and supportive community and I felt less alone. I’ve met pretty amazing human beings here through the show, some I even talk to pretty much everyday.
Seeing the overwhelming support for my fics and my art has been something that always fill me with such joy when I log on everyday, and I don’t take any comment, reblog, or tagging for granted.
I’m honestly floored with how much we all talk and root for each other here. And for those who have already tagged me and listed me on their Motivation Monday posts for today, I really thank y’all from the bottom of my heart.
I had a long day of classes, so it’s finally time for me to return the favor and do some shoutouts of my own:
@captainkippen: Oh Captain, my Captain... One of the earliest fics I’ve read in this fandom were written by you. One of the fic writers that I had start to recognize by name. Your AU’s, especially ‘Love Drunk’ and ‘A Familiar Picture’ have been longtime favorites of mine. You had vision for these versions of the characters and committed to them, and we couldn’t help but fall in love them and root for them in your storylines. I bow down to your skills.
@echocharm17618: Just... you are an amazing human being. I need to put that out there first. Your soulmate fic, ‘So That’s How It Happens’,was what first brought you to my attention, as well as your constant support and comments on my fics. I enjoy talking to you about writing and I’m- damn, I really can’t find the words to properly thank you for what you’ve done for me. But I’m gonna try: thank you :)
@vicesvsvirtuesfanfic: Your more mature AU’s have me laughing and fawning over your versions of the characters. You too have been a real one since the early days of the fandom. I remember keeping up with ‘The Busker’ (or as used to be called, ‘The Busker and the Barista’) and just being glad to have something to look forward with every update. I miss ya!
@pink-flame: The pink to my blue. The flame to my fire. We’ve just started talking you and I, but I have been a fan for a while now. I remember my breath catching at the climax of ‘Feels Like I’ve Opened My Eyes Again’ and pretty much with every chapter of ‘We Found Wonderland’. I call you the ‘Master of the Buildup’, for you know how to keep us invested long enough to deliver a satisfying and powerful conclusion. You’re killing the game rn.
@thedeathdeelers: My Casper Soulmate, and the proponent for soulmates in general it seems lol. We did not talk. We did not plan it. But we both posted JATP x Casper fics on the same day, maybe within hours of each other. From then on, I’ve been hooked on your writing and your blog where you keep making such fantastic posts. Like every one is a winner. Thank you for blessing my dash every day, I always know that I’m gonna have a good time.
@pearlcaddy: Alright miss m’am, you already know how much I adore you and your work. One of the more prolific writers of our fandom, producing such hit AU series such as ‘Wizard Love’ and ‘Julie the Vampire Slayer’. Your characterizations are incredible and raw and feel so three-dimensional, really brought these lovable characters into the real world in a way that feels so natural. We reference and quote your fics all the time, that’s how famous you are, again, you know that already. Thank you for sparking this appreciation week.
Okay. Okay. Okay. Now for my Triad-
@blush-and-books: Chloe. You bitch (affectionate). You never cease to amaze me. The talent you wield... And you use it to craft the most amazing, intimate Juke fluff I’ve ever read. ‘Been Dreaming That You Feel It Too’ spoke to me and my ghost boyfriend fantasies and called me ‘single’ in just about every language under the sun. Just giving me all the damn feels. Thank you for roping me into our little Discord chat where we talk and riff everyday. I love talking in all caps with you and for making thirst presentations with you. You’re awesome and I love you.
@lydias--stiles: Ophelia, my princess. You always know how to reach into the crevices of my soul and psyche to give me exactly what would make me both scream happy expletives and cry yearning tears. Your Juke Road Trip AU, the one I never shut up about, inspired me to make my own. You write such beautiful beginnings, leaving us off with a sense of hope- something we all kind of need right now. You’re insanely talented, and for you to make quick riffs while also needing time to translate them, just makes you a legend. (As well as drinking a lot of coffee and writing out a banger in one night.)
My Triad, like with Juke, y’all make me a better writer.
Now, I wish I can get in depth with just about everyone I want to thank, but I wanna shout out some other names of people who have elevated my JATP experience:
@moreflowersthanweeds @nottheleastbrave @caffeine-catastrophe @syfygirl1998 @tmp-jatp @thesunwillart @theobligatedklutz @willex-n-waffles @rainfallingfromthesky @fanfics-she-wrote @willexx @kidovna @merry-the-cookie @swanssaviour @lwhoscribbles @thesevenumbrellas @random-nerd-3 @going2xgone @lord-of-the-fried @randomfandomingwrites
If I didn’t mention you, I’m sorry, but if we talked or interacted at one point, you’re still made an impact on my experience here.
#jatp#julie and the phantoms#julie and the himbos#jatp fandom#fanworks appreciation#i love you all!!!!!!!#blue loves you
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Happy 2nd Borthday!! From your prompt list, 24 or 29 for Willex? AU your choice.
Thank you! So, I somehow managed to combine both of these prompts and it may or may not be absolute chaos. Inspired by the time my husband told me he learned to take my tickle aversion seriously after I full on kicked him in the balls, please enjoy ticklish Alex and regretful Willie, set in a high school AU where everyone is alive!
#24: whispering in their ear, lips touching skin & #29: tickling the other one (Rated T for language)
So, it probably hadn’t been the smartest choice to let Willie know just how ticklish he was. Usually, Alex kept that little tidbit to himself as long as he possibly could. Maybe it was because Luke, Reggie, and Bobby had figured it out in third grade and continued to use it to their advantage every chance they got. Maybe it was because his dad always told him that real men weren’t ticklish. Whatever the reason, Alex didn’t typically share how ridiculously sensitive to tickling he was unless he absolutely had to. And right now, he was desperately wishing he hadn’t ever told Willie about it. Because what he had also neglected to tell Willie, was exactly how violently he reacted to tickling. And not in a cute way, but in an actual I will seriously hurt you way.
Which was why Willie was currently rolling around the floor of the Molina’s studio, curled in on himself, moaning in pain.
“Willie?! Oh my God, I am so sorry!”
Alex wanted nothing more than to reach out to comfort the other boy but given the fact that he had just elbowed him full force directly below the belt, it didn’t really feel like his comfort would be appreciated. Willie didn’t respond with much more than a quiet groan and Alex’s guilt grew exponentially.
“Okay, okay, I’m gonna...I’m gonna go grab some ice and I’ll be right back!”
He fled from the studio before Willie had a chance to respond, tearing up the path from the studio to the Molina’s house as if his feet were on fire. Julie, bent over a Calculus book with Luke hovering distractedly at her side, raised a judgmental brow as he burst into the kitchen.
“Aren’t you supposed to be having your little study date out in the studio? Where’s Willie?”
“Hmmm, yeah, yes, I am, but uhhhh, I need some ice.”
Alex had already stuck his head in the freezer, rummaging past bagged tamales left by Tía to hunt down the ice pack he knew was lurking somewhere within the frozen depths. Luke chuckled loudly from his spot at the breakfast bar.
“What gives, dude? Did you try and impress him with your mad drum skills and accidentally chuck a drumstick at his head because you were so distracted by his beauty?”
Alex pulled his head from the ice box to stick his tongue out in Luke’s direction.
“No. Not all of us fuck up playing just because the object of our affection happens to smile at us.”
Luke’s cheeks turned a bright red and Alex silently applauded his victory. Luke hadn’t managed to properly play through the bridge of Finally Free once since Julie had started sharing the mic with him during it. Take that Biceps McSleeveless. Julie rolled her eyes, oblivious as always to the underhanded barbs passed between the boys.
“Okay, so, why are you suddenly pawing through my freezer like you’re searching for Narnia? And, again, where’s Willie?”
Alex felt his own cheeks warm to match Luke’s. It wasn’t really worth lying about, even if it meant accepting a certain amount of ribbing from Luke in the aftermath.
“I, uhhh, might have maybe told Willie about how ticklish I am? And I might have maybe hit him in the balls when he tried to test just exactly what I meant??”
Julie, to her credit, maintained a strict poker face. Luke, on the other hand, lost his shit completely, falling off the stool as he laughed his goddamn ass off at Alex’s misfortune.
“It’s not my fault!” Alex tried to protest. “I told him I couldn’t be held accountable for my reactions when I was tickled! I just...didn’t tell him that my reaction might be no holds barred violence? Fuck he’s never gonna go on an actual date with me now.”
Alex felt his shoulders slump, the shame weighing heavy on his conscience. If only he could be like the other boys, normal and not so ticklish that he completely blanked and went into fight or flight mode with his dial always turned to fight. Things had been going so well before the whole tickle incident too! Willie had been kind and patient with Alex as they worked their way through a series of physics questions in his homework. At one point Alex had even sworn that Willie got so close Alex could practically feel his breath along his neck, the atmosphere shifting into a kind of charged tension as Willie whispered directions for solving the problem right into Alex’s ear. Just the thought of Willie’s lips against the skin of his neck had Alex feeling a bizarre mix of hot and cold all over. He shivered at the memory, and then remembered he was standing in front of the open freezer door. Julie squeezed in next to him, grabbing an ice pack from one of the shelves and pressing it into Alex’s hand.
“Lex, breathe, okay? Willie probably feels just as bad for tickling you in the first place. You were as honest as you needed to be about that and he’s probably kicking himself for pushing past your boundaries.”
“Right, yeah, okay? Right? Like...we can both be at fault here, yeah? I can just...go apologize and give him the ice and everything will be okay, right?”
“Right,” Julie agreed, guiding Alex back towards the back door and shooting Luke a death glare as he rolled around the kitchen floor still laughing. “Just...go apologize and see what happens. It’s not the end of the world.”
“Okay...okay,” Alex nodded. “Not the end of the world. I fucking ball racked the dude I’ve had a crush on for months but it’s not the end of the world. Yeah. Okay.”
Julie nodded and practically shoved Alex down the path back to the studio before closing the door behind him, the lock clicking into place as a clear indicator that she would not be letting him back inside before he dealt with this. Alex tripped his way down to the studio and took a deep breath to steel himself before wrenching the garage doors open and slipping back inside. Willie had managed to move from the floor to the couch, though he was still half folded over in pain. Alex offered him the ice pack with a sheepish smile.
“I’m uhhh really fucking sorry about that. I didn’t...I should have warned you that when I said I was really ticklish I actually meant ‘don’t tickle me unless you want to be violently assaulted.’”
Willie looked up at him through his long, messy brown locks, taking the ice pack with a kind of dignity Alex only wished he could fake right then. And then, he smiled, actually fucking smiled, like everything was fine.
“Don’t worry about it, dude. I shouldn’t have tried to test it. You told me you were ticklish, and I should have left it at that. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”
“Made me...made me uncomfortable? Willie, I fucking elbowed you in the...!”
Alex gestured helplessly and then realized exactly what he was doing and let out a high-pitched whine of embarrassment. Willie giggled softly.
“I mean, I was kind of asking for it. You have a right to react like that when someone touches you in a way that you don’t like. I’m just mostly sorry that I took advantage of you like that. I swear that was not how I pictured our first date going.”
Alex’s brain short circuited. Nothing but a blank blue screen as Willie’s words repeated in his mind endlessly: first date first date first date.
“This was a date?”
Not the best line, but could Alex really be blamed for such a lame response when his brain wasn’t actually properly working anymore?
“I mean...yeah I was kind of hoping it was?”
Willie laughed quietly, only a small bit of awkwardness tinging his tone.
“No, no...I mean, yeah! I...I also wanted it to be a date...if that’s...cool with you?”
Look, Alex had never claimed to be smooth. Socially awkward and anxious, yes. Smooth? Hell no. Willie stood, stepping close to Alex until the scent of his coconut shampoo tickled Alex’s nose. He dropped the ice pack to the floor with a plop, reaching up to move an errant strand of hair out of Alex’s face with ice cold fingers. Alex felt frozen to the spot, especially as Willie leaned in close, just like before, so that Alex could feel his hot breath across his neck, his words floating through the small space to twist themselves into Alex’s ear.
“Hey Alex, wanna go on a date with me?”
Alex stuttered for a short second, desperately searching for the only acceptable words to answer a question like that.
“Yes...yeah...yes, definitely.”
Willie laughed again and Alex could swear he felt the way the other boy’s lips quirked into a smile against his skin.
“Awesome. I promise not to tickle you this time.”
Send me prompts for my second birthday!
#mads writes#send me prompts for my birthday!#so I learned while writing this that 'ball racked' isn't actually a term outside of my high school group of friends#but actually it's a GREAT term and should be used more regularly so you're welcome for that#willex#jatp#julie and the phantoms#willex ficlet#jatp ficlet#willex week
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Here’s my very late contribution for @willieappreciationweek day 4: Willex day! This was a small ficlet I started last month inspired by this quiz. I liked the idea of exploring Alex and Willie’s points of view when each of them experiences the soft, italicized “oh” moment in their relationship.
Read on AO3
Alex: the first meeting.
Once upon a time in a different world and a different life, when Alex was feeling sad, Reggie used to joke that someday Alex would get swept off his feet by the love of his life, his very own Disney Prince Charming cruising in to save the day. Alex would pretend to scoff, but the idea was nice, even if he never really believed it.
The pavement of Sunset Boulevard impossibly knocks the wind out of lungs that Alex doesn’t even need, and all he knows is that someone knocked into him and every point of contact between their bodies is warm, warm, alive. There’s a flash of green light when their bodies collide, like when Luke wished for his guitar. Alex will only remember it later.
Alex’s anxiety, a ghost of its own, apparently a powerful tool for manifestation. “The afterlife should come with, with, instructions! Or a quick start guide, or something.”
Careful what you wish for, Reggie will joke much later, and Alex will laugh, because in a way, it’s true, that he sort of got exactly what he wanted.
Alex’s gift from the afterlife takes off his helmet and whips back a curtain of brown hair, locking eyes with Alex over cheekbones that could cut diamonds. His smile contains traces of the troublemaker’s smirk that first made Alex fall for Luke all those years ago in high school, but this one is different, and somehow better: like he knows a thrilling secret that Alex doesn’t, but he’s just itching to share it.
“I’m Willie,” and suddenly the universe’s gift is offering a hand to shake, the first person outside the band that Alex has touched in twenty-five years. Willie’s rings are cool against Alex’s palms, soothing the sting from his fall on the pavement, and suddenly he finds he doesn’t mind the pain. Alex feels their eyes lock like an electric current, a meeting of magnets, an anchor in space, and all of it should scare him, but somehow Willie’s grip feels like the safest, surest thing he’s ever known.
Alex thinks, oh.
Willie: the late night talk.
It’s mid-morning when Willie lets the tug in his borrowed soul bring him to Alex at the Orpheum, but in the dark of the theater it could be midnight. Alex is solemn and mournful and gorgeous, all sharp jawline and ocean blue eyes, and Willie has never wanted anything so bad as he wants to just fix everything.
It should be terrifying, the things he’s willing to give up to make this boy happy, but Willie isn’t scared. He’s sad and he’s angry and he’s probably about to get his heart broken thanks to the hole he’s dug them all into, but he isn’t scared of the lengths he’s willing to go to if it means Alex gets to be safe. Gets to live, whatever that means for him now.
It’s all for Alex. Willie is starting to suspect that it all always has been.
Willie has been seventeen for thirty years, drifting unmoored in time. Sometimes, he suspects he can’t trust his own memory, losing days and weeks and years, jumping from 1987 to 1992 to the beginning of a new millennium in the span of what feels like days. He has placed his faith in the wrong people, letting himself be lied to and manipulated again and again, and somehow yet -
Alex nudges their knees together and tells him, “I would have still followed you,” and the instant their eyes meet, Willie believes him.
The corner of Alex’s mouth quirks up almost imperceptibly, the barest trace of a smile. The drumsticks in his perpetually busy hands are still, his blue eyes open and honest. All cards laid flat on the table.
Willie thinks, oh.
#isa writes#jatp#willex#willie appreciation week#i will probably hate this tomorrow but i wanted to post something#willie jatp#alex mercer#julie and the phantoms
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Gif Maker Appreciation Tag
rules: answer the first half of the questions with gifsets of your own, then answer the second half by tagging gif makers you love!
Tagged by so many beloved mutuals: @iridescentides, @miriammaisel, @molinareggie, @jackarthurdavenport (thank you 🥰🥰🥰🥰)
LINK A GIFSET...
Link a gifset you’re really proud of: Julie Molina character bio! I love how it came togethet and I love the coloring on it!
Link a gifset where you tried something new: Reggie Peters in Every Episode! This is the biggest gifset I ever created and I'm so happy with the results!
Link a gifset that features your favorite character or celebrity: Betty Cooper, my beloved.
Link a gifset that you want more people to see: A lot of them, but Juke + Quality Time
Link a gifset that you had fun making: Tv/Film Characters that I see myself in! It was really fun picking out what characters and scenes I wanted to use.
Link a gifset that you created as part of a meme, challenge, or series: Willex for the JATP Secret Santa! I think it came out really good and I think it was a little under appreciated.
Link a gifset of yours that makes you smile: Juke + Physical Touch & Bughead + an AU that I am currently trying to finish! I adore the last gif in the Juke gifset, I think the coloring came out so good! And the Bughead gifset is still one of my favorite things that I've created!
Link a gifset that you made for someone else: Reggie Peters + the Five Love Languages for the loveliest lovely @alexander-vlahos.
TAG SOMEONE WHO…
Tag someone who inspired you to start making gifs: I'm not really sure if there was one specific person who inspired me, rather just the onslaught of incredible creations I saw each day that I wanted to contribute to.
Tag someone who makes great vibrant gifs: @iridescentides and @alexander-vlahos both make incredible colorful sets
Tag someone who makes great pale/pastel gifs: I'm not really sure if I follow anyone who makes pale gifs....
Tag someone who gifs for a fandom you love: I'm in love with every single gifset that @inejz-ghafa creates for S&B
Tag someone who uses text/typography really well in their gifsets: @malikjavaddzayn and @julielukes
Tag someone who motivates you to step up your game: So many people, literally every gifmaker I follow tbh.
Tag someone who you have taken inspiration from: @timothyolyphant posted a template awhile back and I used that as the basis for my Reggie Peters in Every Episode gifset.
Tag gif makers who you admire and appreciate! (Put as many people here as you want!): everyone I mentioned above, @neve-campbells, @inej-g, @benj-barnes, @aleksandr-morozova, @waydekinsella, @tabitha-tate, @haleyjs, @oretsevmal, @owenmercers, @alina-mal, @favoriteliar, @rockyblue, @jakeperalta, @jemmablossom, @lizzies, @rue-bennett, @zoyagenya, @nessa007, @dani-clayton, @seance, @rafasilvas, @nazyalenska
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jatp fanworks appreciation - day 1 (writers)
motivation - so in true me fashion and my aversion to brevity, i've made three (3) posts (see also artists, gifs/edits) to celebrate the wonderful people in this fandom who have made my jatp tumblr experience what it is; a community of people who simply shout into the void about their love of a ghost band and their fearless female leader. i've enjoyed simply being on the sidelines admiring everyone's love for the show, but i thought this would be a good time to really show my appreciation for all these wonderful people, because if i've learned anything from this pandemic, it's that there is NEVER a wrong time to tell someone that they are simply ✨the best✨.
disclaimer: i don't interact with most of these people personally and i simply absorb their content from afar and scream about how wonderful they are in the tags.
This list kind of became a fic rec, so if you're looking for some wonderful fics to read (or reread), I've also included my favs from the author here as well.
Okay this is gonna get a little long so please bear with me. But I just wanted to preamble this by saying that the fanfiction written by the jatp fandom is what resparked my love for reading fiction after about 3-4 years of not reading for leisure (be an adult they said. it'll be fun they said.). So I'm really grateful for that? I don't interact with a lot of people, just because it makes me a little anxious, but I will constantly yell about your content in the tags as if I were on a set of bleachers with a megaphone.
I also know there are so many wonderful fic writers out there (on Tumblr and not on Tumblr) that make amazing pieces of work, and this is just a tiny peek into that, and is not at all conclusive.
Without further ado here are some writers who live rent free in my head, in alphabetical order, so feel free to just skip to your name to avoid my rambling:
@bluefirewrites -> your Merry Ex-Mas fic had me on the edge of my seat every single time you updated. I am so in love with how you wrote the characters into this and at how many words you churned out for this fic. This was filled with so much adventure, and it was really welcome during a time when the world wasn't allowed to travel. And I simply love all the other drabbles and fics you write, but I especially enjoy the hilarity of Ray Molina, Crime Scene Photographer and Matchmaker.
@captainkippen -> I'm pretty sure Love Drunk was one of the first fics I ever read in this fandom. Your stories and your writing feel so goddamn real and I find myself so immersed in the worlds that you've created. I have reread most of your jatp fics and I still manage to find myself stupidly grinning at my phone each time. Your stories flow so easily and are such perfect characterizations of the characters we know from the show, but elevated to fit into your verse. I cannot say enough how wonderful your writing is and how talented you are!! (also a slight nudge that I am still very much following along with The Key and the Crown and I hope you continue it!)
@catty-words -> Your???? Exhaustive??? Music??? Lists???? The amount of work and dedication and microanalyzing that you put into pulling out every detail from each scene is so admirable. You not only manage to find the details, but you also give us EVIDENCE via your intricately selected gifs. You could've just put the video of the performance, but no, you take your time to find that specific 1 second shot to emphasize your point. And your little fics that you sometimes throw out into the world? They're so beautiful, and so fun to read and I enjoy them so much! (I am STILL screaming about this band's a snack) Thank you for validating my yelling in the tags, and for feeding my hyperfixation to this show. (I'm sad these lists are ending soon, but it's about the journey ya know?)
@lydias--stiles -> I don't even know what to say here because I've yelled so much about your fics that I feel like there's really nothing else to yell. Your Road Trip AU was also one of the first ones I read in this fandom, and really just made me go absolutely feral. Pretty sure I absorbed the rest of your fics in an ungodly amount of time and I just simply think you are incredibly skilled and talented. Every time you post a new fic I always wonder what it's like to be in your head because the ideas you come up with are so unique and so well thought out. Thank you for all the art you create for this show, I will constantly be in awe of you. (Special shoutout to the 5+1 fic that became a 31 chapter monster)
@pearlcaddy -> This list would not be complete if I didn't mention you. First of all, thank you for suggesting this wonderful week, it has been so lovely to see so much love being spread around today. Secondly, I never thought I'd find myself reading a Buffy or a Wizarding World crossover fic, considering I know nothing about those two things. And yet I found myself on various nights after work at 3 in the morning just silently screaming and/or crying into my phone. Your writing is so insane. Your world building is so insane. Your banter/dialogue is insane. The way you capture the love between Julie/Luke in different universes is so perfect. Thank you for gifting us these beautiful pieces of art, and I hope you know that you have at least made one person (me) a very happy reader. I also really admire your dedication to "this will only be a oneshot", only to write like 4 other POVs for it. (Special shoutout to 100 Bad Days)
@ruzek-halstead -> Literally every single fic you have written lives rent free in my head. The way you've managed to build this universe of different Julies and Lukes, and each one still captures the essence of them is astounding. You've extended their characters beyond what we know from the show and I am just in awe of everything you write. Please know that dead of night is both triggering to me and yet the most hilarious thing I have read. (Special shoutout to the Fake Dating Christmas AU and of course the Cinderella Story AU)
@serendipitee -> Your stories and your writing are absolutely magical. I think Write It Down was one of the first multi-chapter fics that I followed super closely and whenever you updated, I would literally drop what I was doing and read it instantly. You have such a way of building the plot and the characters for all of your fics and drabbles, and making the reader just want more. Please know that I am so obsessed with Oh, She Waltzed With the Dead and I cannot wait to see where you take the story!
@sunsetcurbed -> I have no words for your writing. I am simply in awe every time I read something from you. The way you've got down Alex and Willie's voice to a tee is so crazy good. You write their characters and their stories with such grace and care, especially with how you approach the topic of mental health. Thank you for all the research you do and for also writing in your own experiences. I literally binged the Princes Diaries AU during work and lost a good half day to it, and I regret nothing because that fic left me in SHAMBLES. I secretly adore the way you say you're going to keep a fic short, and end up writing an insane amount of words for it. (I have not yet left my obligated long-ass comment on Chapter 4 of the College AU yet because I am still processing the fate/destiny concept.)
@tangledstarlight -> Gahh. Rosie. Please. This is going to sound a little repetitive considering I just screamed at you last night, but now I guess I will just have to publicly confess my adoration for you!!! Thank you for being my first online friend in a very long time, and for putting up with me yelling at you about everything (and also nothing at the same time). I can't believe all it took was one message about your Royals AU for you to post it, but I will gladly take that credit any day. You are so so so incredibly talented with your writing, and your ability to transport me to another world while I read your fics is unparalleled. I adore the way you can come up with a new story to write every day, and then proceed to throw it into your pot of other WIPs. I am so so so so lucky to have gotten to know you and am incredibly grateful that I now have someone to cry about everything with 🧡 (If you read anything from Rosie, you need to read her Seasons/Long Distance Juke "friendship" fic and the Reggie x Photography oneshot that made me bawl my eyes out.)
@thedeathdeelers -> No thoughts. Just soulmates. Jk jk, you know I love your Reggie x Ray x Carlos fics, and I will scream in the tags about it until the day I get more of those fics from you. This is lowkey a threat, but wrapped in kindness. You are so wonderful to see on my dash (albeit scary at times because of the sheer amount of headcanons and theories running through your head), but you radiate such positive energy that it's impossible to not want to jump in and scream about soulmates with you.
Some special mentions to fics that also live rent free in my head:
@sunsetsandcurves wrote a Willex Cruise Ship AU inspired by a Simple Plan song and it’s something I never knew I needed until I read it.
@phantom-curve wrote a Juke fic based off of Coney Island and I would just like to say, yes, it did shatter me. (Here’s the fluff sequel that makes up for it though)
@unsaidjulie wrote the Juke dog fic of my dreams and I simply cannot express how much I want the Molina’s to have a dog now.
@pawprinterfanfic managed to get me incredibly invested in a Star Wars AU even though I know absolutely nothing about Star Wars. I just know that I would die for two (2) space boys.
@sanssssastark your Later universe made me realize that I do very much want there to be more mature content for this fandom (and you constantly deliver).
@theobligatedklutz wrote a Tangled Willex AU that makes me screech every time there’s an update. Just read it.
@alexthedrummerboy your talent knows no bounds when it comes to your Social Media AU. Also she’s written ORIGINAL songs for Alex and Willie?!?!?!
@gennified has this really wonderful modern take on pride and prejudice for Willex and I’m so obsessed with how much miscommunication there is.
@bananaleaves okay, I just found your Tumblr today, and I know you don’t know me in any capacity, but allow me to scream about THIS FIC RIGHT HERE. If anyone in this fandom is to read ANYTHING, it’s this fic. This was one of the best things I’ve read in a long time and absolutely wrecked me. Please just read this.
This turned out WAY longer than it was supposed to, and I’m SO SORRY. (I also tried to make sure I got everyone’s pronouns right, so PLEASE let me know if they’re wrong!) A final sincere thank you to everyone in this fandom who writes. Your talent knows no bounds. Gonna stop talking now before this becomes an essay....
#jatp fanworks appreciation week#fic rec#if i realize that i've missed someone i'm gonna bite the bullet and send an ask to you okay. i will not let my anxiety STOP ME FROM#YELLING HOW MUCH I LOVE PEOPLE'S WRITING!!#idk what else to tag this other than i genuinely think this show saved my mental health and so have all the fic writers.#gonna post this now before i chicken out oky aklfwjepofae#motivation monday
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36. helping brush their hair after a shower
someone requested this—i know they did; why else would it be on my prompt list??—but i think i accidentally deleted the ask, so i’m sorry :(( but! person who sent the request: i want you to know that this has inspired a willex short story that i’m in the process of planning & i might get to writing soon. so, thank you for that :)
EDIT: i found the ask!! this is for @thesmallest-ace. hope you enjoy!! :D
(this is my first time writing willex; willie might be a tad ooc? i’m sorry? i don’t know him as well i alex but i tried! haha)
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Willie isn’t sure about his hair. He’s been told it’s too long. His father says he’s just asking for it—it being, he assumes, whatever comes along with being basically out as gay in the 90s—his mother doesn’t mind, maybe just “a little shorter on the sides”. His friends have no opinion, fine with either; it’s usually hidden under his skate helmet anyways.
Perhaps the only opinion he really cares about comes from a pretty blond he’s still getting to know. Still learning about, yet he comes over every other day without Willie’s parents knowing. Still discovering sides of him, even though they spend most nights curled into each other under the protection of Willie’s bed spread.
Alex sits on the bed behind him, knees next to Willie’s shoulders, stroking a brush through Willie’s hair. It’s relaxing for both of them, he thinks. Alex works in silence; he often works in silence. It’s comfortable. Willie leans against him, the fingers gently massaging across his scalp nearly lulling him to sleep.
“Do you think I should cut my hair?” he asks quietly; any louder feels forbidden.
“Do you want to cut your hair?”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Alex hums. He brushes Willie’s bangs back with his fingers. “I don’t think so,” he answers. “I like your hair.”
“You do?”
“Of course I do.” Alex presses a kiss to the top of Willie’s head. Then he leans around Willie to look him in the eye. “Why do you ask?”
Willie shrugs. “I just… I don’t know. You don’t think it looks… girly?”
Alex’s head jerks while his eyebrows furrow. “Who told you that?”
“My dad.” Willie shrugs again. “Forget I said anything; it’s not a big deal.”
Alex is quiet again when he continues his task. Willie sighs deeply, instantly regretting the whole conversation. He focuses on the smooth strokes through his hair instead of whatever Alex might be thinking. Alex over thinks a lot; Willie hates that he probably just added to the list.
“Willie,” Alex mumbles. He lays the brush next to Willie’s leg.
“Hm?”
Alex sits next to him. “Baby,” he whispers, and Willie nearly melts. “You should know that your hair is beautiful.” Alex runs his fingers down Willie’s hairline and across his jaw. “And so are you.”
Willie swallows thickly. He smiles as soft as his love for the boy next to him. Taking Alex’s hand in his own, Willie leans forward and kisses him.
“I love you,” he says before kissing him again. They don’t break apart this time; Alex’s arms wrap around him, and Willie knows he’s gone.
He doesn’t consider cutting his hair again.
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learn to love without consuming (1/4)
fandom: knight squad
relationships: arc / ciara, minor or one-sided arc / oc and ciara / oc
word count: 4,603
a/n: eek. it's finally here. if you follow me here you know that i've been working on this for a few weeks (months?), but the idea has been sitting in my drafts for basically forever. almost since i watched the show to begin with. the recent resurgence of the ks fandom prompted me to dig this back up and gave me the motivation to actually try and finish, because fuck it! i love my babes and i want more of them.
so quick note is that this picks up pretty soon after the season 1 finale but disregards basically,,, everything that happens in s2. s1 and the finale proceed the same way except prudy never finds out ciara's secret, so she and warwick don't know at the moment. this chapter was initially gonna have more scenes that drove the plot/romance arc but once i got upwards of 6k with a few major scenes left i decided it would be best if i split the chapter up, so for now it’s just a lot of me trying to work around the convoluted knight squad lore to establish my own. i know that's not exactly what everyone is here for, but i promise things on the romance/action front will pick up soon. i'll place warnings as detailed as i can get without spoiling in the tags and notes as i go, but just anticipate fairly significant violence by chapter 3.
anyway! i have talked enough. the title is from thus always to tyrants by the oh hellos, the rating is t for swearing/violence, there are three more chapters that are in the process of being written, and reviews are like crack as far as i'm concerned. i really hope you like this! thanks for reading <3
dedications: this fic is first and foremost for @ciara-knightly, who is not only my amazing beta but also the whole reason this fic exists. she helped me so so much with the development of the plot and worked through it with me even way before i decided to really start writing it, and i wouldn’t have been able to do this without her. all of the notes she left after beta-reading were so so helpful and really made this whole fic make sense so basically i owe her my entire life. she inspires me to be a better writer all the time and i love her. everyone say thank you shona!!! also tagging my lovely friends and some people who have expressed interest, who are in no way obligated to read this; @juliesdahlias @mistyskiesrambles @dr-rigatoni @willexs @taylorswiftrulestheworld @onplanetmars @neshatriumphs @zackmartin @julies-molinas @soni-dragon @yagorlemmalyn @hopefulbeautifulfool @cactus-con @waterisntreal @onetwothreefarkle @bitchmilsky
summary: “Now that Ryker isn’t a threat anymore, the councils are supposed to resume as planned, and Astoria is set to hold the first one two weeks from now.”
“Okay,” he says slowly. “That sounds exciting.”
Ciara nods. “It is! I finally get to meet some of the other nobility, and actually get to be involved in Astorian politics for once. But my dad won’t let me go without an escort,” she says, and then hesitates. “Which is where you come in.”
read it on ao3
The morning before training that day, Arc is testing his skills against a heavy bronze padlock when Ciara enters the squad room and drops a brown paper bag on the table in front of him.
“These,” she announces as he raises an eyebrow at her, “are for you.”
He pulls open the package and is instantly greeted with a rush of warmth and the smell of vanilla. “Dragon puffs?” he says, half in awe. It’s a clear bribe, but he can’t help but shove a sugar-coated sweet in his mouth anyway. They’re an Astorian original and possibly the best thing he’s ever tasted; he’d tried them once at a bakery near the castle and hasn’t stopped thinking about them since.
“Okay, what do you want?” he says then, words muffled around the cream and pastry.
Ciara pulls a face at his manners, but still manages to blink innocently at him. “Can’t I just do something nice for a friend?” she tries, but it’s half-hearted.
He swallows and grins at her. “Nice try, Princess. Your dessert deliveries always come with an ulterior motive.”
Huffing a sigh, she sits down next to him. There’s this subtle air of anticipation lingering around her, one he can only sense based on how in tune they are after so long of being teammates. The two of them have this easy way of reading each other now; they’ve been spending more and more time together, something having shifted in their dynamic after the battle against Ryker. He can’t quite place what it is, but he knows it’s only brought them closer. “Do you know what the Council of the Five Kingdoms is?” she asks finally.
He shrugs. “Sure. Nobles from each kingdom used to have a big ball every year to talk trading and politics and other boring stuff…”
“Except there hasn’t been a council since Ryker’s invasion, because the kingdoms have been isolated and preoccupied with their own safety,” she finishes for him. Her fingers tug at the lacing of her leather gauntlets; she’s nervous, but he still isn’t sure why. “Now that Ryker isn’t a threat anymore, the councils are supposed to resume as planned, and Astoria is set to hold the first one two weeks from now.”
“Okay,” he says slowly. “That sounds exciting.”
Ciara nods. “It is! I finally get to meet some of the other nobility, and actually get to be involved in Astorian politics for once. But my dad won’t let me go without an escort,” she says, and then hesitates. “Which is where you come in.”
Arc chokes on his second dragon puff. “You want me to be your escort,” he says flatly, once he’s finished coughing, “to the Council of the Five Kingdoms?” Normally he’d jump at the chance to spend a night dressing up and eating castle food. But the council is a decidedly different scene; there’s a set of formalities, politics underlying everything, and too many chances for him to expose his lack of knowledge when it comes to Astorian customs. Not to mention that Catalias’ royals will be there. He doesn’t know if he can stomach looking them in the face, knowing what they did to Seagate.
Ciara grimaces. “Look, I know it’s not exactly your thing, but my dad won’t let me go alone. And this really means a lot to me.” Her eyes are pleading, and Arc feels his resolve chipping away.
“Can’t one of your actual guards go with you?” he tries. “Or, Prudy or Warwick or someone?”
“I’ve already talked to my dad about it,” she explains. “You’re the only Knight School student he’d let protect me, because you already proved you could when Ryker invaded. Besides, if something were to happen…you’re the one person who knows I can handle myself as Ciara.”
There’s this brief stretch of silence where Arc works his bottom lip, and Ciara looks as though she’s debating something. “Also,” she adds finally, with the soft flicker of a hesitant smile, “I thought it might be fun to go with you.”
Arc blinks at her, caught off guard by the admission. There’s this sudden buzz in his chest that he can’t push away; in truth, he doesn’t like the idea of her spending the night with someone else either. Maybe, by some miracle, this will actually be a good thing. “Alright,” he relents. “I’ll be your escort.”
Ciara’s face breaks into a grin. “Yes! Thank you!” She throws her arms around him, and he’s shock-stilled, a rush of warmth flooding through him as he hugs her back. When she pulls away, her eyes are shining with excitement. “Okay, I’ve gotta go tell my dad you said yes, and there’s a million things to do, but I’ll see you at training later. You are the best.”
“I expect dragon puffs for life!” Arc calls after her as she disappears through her passageway. He leans back into the couch, lightheaded, and in that moment, he realizes abruptly that there’s almost nothing he wouldn’t do for her.
And he is so completely screwed.
*
Two weeks later, Arc is standing outside Ciara’s bedroom, waiting for her to finish getting ready.
It feels odd to be out here in the open. Generally his visits to her chamber are accompanied by an air of secrecy, but tonight, he’s a guest in the castle. He’s dressed like it, too, decked out in the guards’ typical formal wear: pressed brown pants, a white shirt laced up the front, and a navy leather jacket trimmed in gold, with Astoria’s crest on one shoulder. He looks kind of dashing, honestly.
Despite the confidence boost his new look offers him, his hand keeps drifting to the hilt of his sword. It’s sheer force of habit; he only associates this brewing sense of apprehension with battle, and his muscles are responding in kind. He’s glad, at least, that he turned down the other guards’ offer to lend him one of their ceremonial blades and instead has the familiarity of his own. Hopefully he won’t need it, but it’s a steadying presence all the same.
“Almost ready!” Ciara calls from inside, and Arc carefully unclenches his fingers from around the leather grip of his sword. He has to keep it together tonight; she’s made it clear how much this means to her. The last thing he wants to do is embarrass her in front of nobles from all five kingdoms.
Well, four, he reminds himself. Seagate won’t be attending. There isn’t anyone left to represent them.
The thought makes his stomach twist.
He’s saved from having to dwell on it by the sound of Ciara’s door unlatching. “Better prepare yourself, Princess,” he teases, leaning against the wall, “I look pretty good, and the last thing we want is for you to get too smitten—”
He breaks off as she emerges from the doorway, all the air in his lungs leaving in a sudden rush. He’s trying hard not to be the cliche of a guy scraping his jaw off the floor at the sight of a pretty girl in a dress, especially not like this, with Ciara—but he can’t help but think that it’s ridiculously unfair of her to come out looking like that. Her dress is a pale blue, falling gently off her shoulders and cinching at her waist, and her tight curls are weaved with strands of gold and tied into a low knot, some of them falling loose to frame her face. There’s a crown of gold leaves and rosebuds settled in her hair.
“You...um…” Arc searches for his voice, “you look amazing.” His mouth feels dry.
Ciara smirks and reaches up to adjust the collar of his uniform. “You don’t look so bad yourself. I’m definitely smitten,” she jokes, like it’s nothing for them to be flirting openly. It should be nothing. Except his skin burns where her fingers brush against his neck, and he suddenly wonders if she can hear his heart pounding.
He clears his throat. “We should probably get to the ballroom.”
She nods. “Give me your arm,” she says, looking at him expectantly. When he raises an eyebrow, she continues, “You’re my escort, remember?”
“Oh, right.” He lifts his arm obligingly, his cheeks warm.
“I really wish we’d had more time to go over Astorian customs,” she breathes as she takes it, more to herself than anything. “Between training and helping with preparations, I’ve been so busy…” His nerves must show on his face, then, because she squeezes his arm gently and amends, “Sorry. You’ll be fine, don’t worry. Just stay close to me, okay?”
“Not a problem,” he grins without missing a beat, and Ciara scoffs and shoves him, the smile tugging at her mouth taking all the bite away from it.
They can do this, he thinks. The two of them have kept up appearances for each other for months now, have fought and trained and battled Ryker together. They’re Arc and Ciara, unstoppable duo. One little party should be nothing.
As they make their way down the hall towards the ballroom, flanked by guards, Ciara lowers her voice. “When we get there, most of the nobles should be inside already. The herald will announce my father first, then us, and then each of the other three kingdoms. We’ll be beside the thrones as they come in—you’ll stand by me, left side—and once they’ve all been announced, we can leave the thrones and mingle. Bow to each of the rulers as they come by.”
They had, at least, practiced his bow. Arc swallows back the dread in his throat; all he has to do is stand beside her and greet the other royals, it’s easy enough. For a moment, they linger outside the entrance to the ballroom, until an official-sounding voice announces the King. “We’re next,” Ciara whispers to him, eyes glinting with excitement. “You ready?”
He nods back at her, and the voice calls, “Accompanied by Sir Arc...Princess Angelica of Astoria!” They step into the ballroom, greeted with applause. Arc doesn’t think he’s ever been in a place this lavish; the walls are white, accented in deep gold, and the floors are polished to a gleam. The ceiling looks hand-painted, ornately decorated in constellations and swirling designs, and crystal chandeliers dangle over their heads, casting a golden glow over the whole room. He tries not to look too awe-struck.
They make their way to the platform on which the thrones rest, Ciara nodding and smiling and waving at the other nobles as they pass. She stands next to her father, and Arc takes his place on her other side, placing his hands behind his back and trying, for all the world, to look like he belongs there. He wonders suddenly if he’s stood too close to her, and if it would make things worse for him to shift over now, and if his indecision is showing on his face—
And then, almost imperceptibly and hidden from the ballroom’s view by the folds of her dress, Ciara reaches over and links her pinky with his. It’s a tiny gesture, a friendly reassurance, but Arc feels a tide of warmth swell in his chest all the same. He lets his gaze flit to her for just a moment, and her lips are graced with a small smile as she tugs his finger gently.
His breath hitches, and he fights to keep his face a passive neutral as the herald announces the next kingdom and he turns his attention back to the doorway.
“Presenting King Hugo, Queen Luciana, and their son Prince Isaac of Catalias!”
Arc’s stomach turns as the couple enters, trailed by their son, all three of them swathed in lavish red and gold. Their reputation precedes them; he knows little about the prince, but the king and queen are infamous for their hoarding of wealth, their favorance of the rich nobles and landowners of their kingdom over the common people. Arc knows them best for what they had done to Seagate.
His hand twitches for his sword, but he fights against the instinct.
True to form, the two have a haughty look about them, all starched clothes and stiff smiles as they bow to Ciara and the King. The two of them return the greeting with Arc following their lead—grudgingly.
“I am so pleased you could join us tonight,” the King smiles, a little tight-lipped. “It is high time that Astoria and Catalias united again.”
King Hugo nods back. “I couldn’t agree more. The honor is ours.”
Arc detects a veiled sort of tension between the two of them, hidden well underneath the cordial formalities. He glances at Isaac, whose eyes are trained intently on Ciara even as he and his parents move to greet the other guests. Something about it is unsettling.
He’s so focused on Isaac that he almost misses the herald’s announcement of the next kingdom. “Queen Damyanti, and her children Princess Aadhya and Prince Kavan of Khurjan!”
Queen Damyanti is the picture of elegance, draped in silver silk that almost seems to glow against her dark skin. Aadhya looks around fifteen, with the same deep eyes and regal expression, and Kavan must be ten or so. He grins toothily as the three of them approach the thrones and bow.
The King’s expression is much warmer now. “Queen Damyanti. It has been too long. I trust Khurjan is doing well?”
“Not quite as well as Astoria, perhaps,” she replies, and it’s teasing, no sharpness to it. “This ball is absolutely lovely. Princess Angelica, you look so beautiful. Just like your mother. I was so sorry to hear of her passing.”
Ciara’s eyes go soft. “Thank you, Queen Damyanti,” she nods back. “It’s wonderful to finally meet you.”
“You as well. It’s a shame your sister couldn’t make it, but hopefully we’ll all gather again soon.” She gives a small, departing nod and joins the rest of the nobles, Aadhya giving them a bright-eyed smile and Kavan waving enthusiastically as they follow her. Ciara laughs.
“And finally...King Jesper of Vysalt!”
Arc is confused for a moment; he wonders if he had remembered the name of Vysalt’s king wrong. Then a young man with a head of dark curls and a smattering of freckles against tawny brown skin enters, his crown just slightly crooked. His eyes are wide and dark, and a jagged, white scar cuts across his cheekbone. He can’t be much older than they are.
“He’s the king?” Arc whispers to Ciara under his breath as Jesper makes his way over to them. “How old is he?”
Her expression twists a little in sympathy. “Seventeen. He wasn’t supposed to inherit the throne so soon. His parents were killed when Ryker’s army took over his kingdom.”
Arc isn’t sure what to say to that. He knows what it’s like to lose everything to Ryker—he can picture the flames every time he shuts his eyes. But he hadn’t known about Vysalt or the fate of its royals. They had been close allies with Seagate at one point, one of the only other kingdoms without much wealth, and their king and queen had been known for their generosity.
Somehow Arc had thought the damage had been done to Seagate alone, but now he wonders how the other kingdoms fared, if they suffered just as much. If any of them came out as unscathed as Astoria did.
“Your Majesties,” Jesper says as he bows, and there’s a note of pity in the King’s expression as he returns the gesture. Arc can only imagine how he feels about someone so close to his daughter’s age having to run a kingdom on his own.
“King Jesper. How are you doing?”
It’s a more personal question than he had asked the other royals, Arc notes. Jesper smiles easily; it’s soft, highlights his deep dimples and makes his dark eyes glimmer. “Well, thank you. Vysalt is recovering with time. As am I,” he adds, voice quieting for a moment.
The King nods back. “That’s good to hear. Let us know if there’s anything Astoria can do to help.”
Something flickers in Jesper’s expression, hard to read and gone so quickly that Arc wonders if he imagined it. The young king bows again before moving to join the others, but not before he catches Arc’s eye and smiles warmly. It surprises him—the other royals had hardly given him a second glance—but he returns it with one of his own. Beside him, Ciara lifts an eyebrow, her expression a mixture of amusement and something else he can’t place.
“What?” he asks quietly, and she shakes her head, glancing away.
“Nothing.”
He wants to pry, but the King is clearing his throat, getting ready to address the room. The chatter dies down as all eyes turn to him.
“My fellow Astorians,” he says in his deep, booming voice, sounding more formal than Arc has ever heard him, “and my guests from our neighboring kingdoms...I am honored to welcome you to our castle, and so pleased that we could all be in attendance tonight.”
Not all of us, Arc thinks, but no word of Seagate comes up.
The King continues, “For decades, our kingdoms have been isolated and divided by Ryker’s armies. We have long suffered under his forces, but his threat is gone for good. Thus, tonight is more than a council; it is a symbol of our victory, a symbol of our unity as we move forward and rebuild. So enjoy yourselves! After all, we have so much to celebrate!”
To Arc, the sentiment feels hollow. He got his revenge, and of course he’s glad that Ryker can’t hurt anyone else, but it doesn’t change the fact that Seagate is in ruins. It feels suddenly difficult to celebrate with the weight of his village’s absence lingering in the air around him. The rest of the partygoers don’t seem to share his hesitance, though; the room breaks into applause and cheers, several of the guests raising their goblets jovially.
Ciara gives him a subtle nudge, jolting him out of his thoughts. “Now we get to mingle,” she grins, leading him off the throne platform and towards the crowd.
He follows dutifully as she heads toward the table where the other kingdoms’ royals have gathered, Astoria’s king staying behind to greet the other royals. Queen Damyanti is in conversation with King Hugo and Queen Luciana, but she doesn’t seem entirely pleased about it, and Jesper and Kavan are laughing at something Aadhya has said. Isaac hovers next to them, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. He has his father’s golden hair and clear blue eyes, but the frown on his face is entirely his mother’s.
It disappears, though, the moment he sees Ciara approaching them. “Princess Angelica,” he greets her, with a little too much enthusiasm for Arc’s liking, “I’m so honored to finally meet you. You’re even more radiant in person.” Before she can say anything, he takes her hand and kisses it swiftly. Arc narrows his eyes.
Ciara gives a forced-sounding chuckle and curtseys, pulling her hand back. “Thank you, Prince Isaac. I’m glad you could make it. Allow me to introduce Sir Arc, my guard and escort for the night.”
Arc bows—and if he never has to bow to another pompous royal again, he thinks, it’ll be too soon—and Isaac offers him a dismissive sort of half-smile. Any further interaction they would’ve had then is thankfully avoided by the other royals noticing Ciara’s arrival.
“Hi, Princess Angelica!” Aadhya says brightly, with a neat little dip of a curtsey, “I’m Aadhya.” When Ciara and Arc begin to return the gesture, she waves her hand with a tiny scoff. “Oh, you don’t have to do that. Formalities. Just come sit.” She returns to her chair and pats the seat next to her, and Arc decides right there that he likes her.
Ciara takes the offered chair, and Arc takes the only other open spot, in between her and King Jesper. As Ciara launches into conversation with Aadhya, Jesper turns to him.
“Hi,” he says, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I’m Jesper.”
Arc bites back a laugh at the unnecessary introduction. “I know who you are, Your Highness,” he replies lightly.
“I know. I was just trying to give you an opening to tell me who you are.”
Oh. That’s unexpected. There’s no prerogative behind his words, no assertion; Jesper’s grin is almost bashful, his voice easy and bright. He doesn’t sound like a king, just a seventeen-year-old boy trying to flirt. Arc can’t help but return his smile.
“I’m Arc,” he says. “Normally I’m a student at Knight School, but I’m the princess’s guard and escort for the night.”
“Wait,” Aadhya pauses her conversation with Ciara to lean over and look at him, “You’re the Arc who defeated Ryker?”
“I helped,” Arc says with a shrug, and the princess’s eyes go wide. She turns to Ciara.
“Were you there too?”
“I was—” Ciara pauses for a moment, “hiding. I was hiding. Arc got me to safety.”
He grins a little at her, tongue between his teeth, knowing it must be killing her to hide what she was actually doing. She narrows her eyes and kicks his leg under the table in response, a silent shut up. He lifts his eyebrows, like, I didn’t say anything, and she rolls her eyes in an entirely non-subtle manner.
Across the table, Queen Damyanti is watching their exchange with a raised eyebrow, Arc notices belatedly. She has a mildly amused look on her face, but doesn’t say anything about it. Instead, she states, “Battling Ryker face-to-face must have been quite the experience.”
“What was it like?” Prince Kavan asks eagerly from beside his sister.
Aadhya elbows him. “Kavan,” she hisses, but Arc just grins.
“No worries. It was…” he trails, trying to think of what to say and suddenly aware that all the royals’ eyes are on him. He shifts in his seat. “It was scary, obviously. He had the Armor of Astoria, and a whole army with him, and most of the Astorian knights under his spell. But, y’know. We Knight School students are pretty formidable. We all took him on together. Wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise. I wasn’t half as scared as I would’ve been without my squadmates watching my back.”
He glances at Ciara, who smiles softly and nudges his foot, gentler this time. Jesper has that same unreadable look on his face and Aadhya has her chin propped in her hand, her expression amazed, but Queen Luciana gives a snide sort of scoff.
“It’s a wonder it took so long to defeat him, then, if a group of students cut him down so easily,” she says. “Perhaps Ryker was never as great a threat as we all made him out to be.”
There’s a cut of silence across the table in which Jesper visibly stiffens. “With all due respect, Queen Luciana, Ryker’s attacks were devastating. Or have you forgotten what happened to my parents?” he demands, without any respect at all. His eyes are blazing.
“I’m merely pointing out that the only real damage done was to the less...fortified kingdoms,” she sniffs. “Ryker only breached Catalias’s walls once, and he was driven out rather quickly.”
“Well, not every kingdom has Catalias’s resources.” Ciara sounds like she’s choosing her words carefully, frustration masked well behind them.
King Hugo gives a huff of a laugh; his blue eyes are cold. “My dear princess, you have no cause for indignation. Astoria lost the least to Ryker, what with your,” he waves a hand, “magic bubble.”
Ciara opens her mouth but falters, brow furrowed, and across the table, Queen Damyanti speaks up. “Nevertheless, Ryker was still a formidable enemy to all of us. We were only prepared for his attacks because he targeted Seagate and Vysalt first. And Seagate’s destruction is a clear example of his power.”
“Oh, even you can’t argue that Seagate was rotting long before Ryker got to it, Damyanti,” Hugo replies swiftly, and Arc’s breath catches in his throat. Queen Damyanti shrugs in agreement, her expression passive; Arc almost stands up, but Ciara’s hand on his leg underneath the table stops him.
“Don’t,” she hisses, just barely loud enough for him to hear, “Let me handle this.”
Though as it turns out, she doesn’t have to. Before she has a chance to speak, Jesper is already bristling, his voice sharp: “As if Seagate’s corruption justifies the destruction of its people?”
“It’s thieves and criminals, you mean?” Isaac scoffs. “Seagate was a wasteland. The kingdoms are better off.”
The words ring in Arc’s ears, alongside the pounding of his blood. They sound painfully similar to what Ryker had said to him on the mountain—rats and thieves, I did the five kingdoms a favor—and he thinks fleetingly that he’s going to be sick. He’s always known that Seagate was looked down on by the other kingdoms, but hearing them say so casually that what happened, the flames and the destruction and all of the death, was deserved—
“The people were only thieves and criminals because Catalias took advantage of them,” Jesper argues. “I hope I don’t have to remind you that it was your government that poured money into the gangs of Seagate for their own profit and allowed them to stage a coup in the first place.”
The words are deadly and cold, but Arc feels a flash of admiration for Jesper; the king has no obligations towards Seagate, and yet defends it like his own. King Hugo’s gaze hardens. “You’re blaming Catalias for Seagate’s problems?” he says with a derisive laugh. “If anything, Ryker’s attacks only revealed that Seagate was a kingdom full of people that weren’t worth saving.”
“That’s enough,” Ciara says abruptly. Her hand tightens on Arc’s leg, and he can no longer tell if he’s the one trembling or if she is. There’s this burning fire behind her eyes; she looks, Arc thinks briefly, the same way she does in battle. “What happened to Seagate was a devastating tragedy, and I won’t let you treat it as otherwise. Those who disagree aren’t welcome here.”
It’s a weighted statement, one she doesn’t entirely have the formal authority to make, but no one dares to contest it. A heavy silence settles over all of them. Arc doesn’t know how long he can sit there with all the heat under his skin; he doesn’t remember when his hand found the hilt of his sword, only that he’s gripping it tight enough that the leather bites into his palm. He wants to stand up and tell them that none of them would be here if it weren’t for him, a thief from Seagate. In truth, the only thing holding him back is Ciara. In a battle between her steady hand and the storm in his chest, she wins without even trying.
He doesn’t say anything or look at her, but her gaze flits to him for a moment and she just knows, standing up. Before she even opens her mouth, Isaac is on his feet too. “Going so soon?” he asks. “Would you care to dance, Princess?”
She looks at him coolly for a moment. “I would, actually.” And then, she turns to Arc, offering him her hand, “Sir Arc, dance with me?”
Arc blinks up at her and takes it as he stands. “Absolutely, Princess,” he says, letting her lead him away from the table and glancing back only long enough to catch the dumbfounded expression on Isaac’s face.
#oop#knight squad#knight squad fanfic#tiara thief#tiara thief fic#writing#my writing#fanfiction#arc#ciara#ks#//umanawrites#learn to love without consuming
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3, 9, 10, 14, 15, 19!
Hiii, thanks for the ask!!!!
3: What inspires you to keep creating fanworks?
Uhhh, my stupid brain that won't stop putting the little blurbos into little situations? Also, seeing all the cool stuff my fandom friends and mutuals do. I love seeing what y'all are up to!
9: What’s a fanwork that made you laugh?'
Oh gosh, so many! I'll grab one of yours for this one... Does He Drive You Wild, Or Just Mildly Free? That one is hilarious and the paper mache octopus tentacles crack me up every time! Everyone should go read it!
10: What’s a fanwork that made you cry?
Answered here(another one of your fics...)!
14: What is one of your favorite pieces of fanon for Julie and the Phantoms?
I love how we've all just decided that none of them are straight. JatP was my first real dive into fandom, especially a largely queer fandom, so I absolutely love how we all just looked at that mess of people and were like, "... Yeah, no cishets here."
15: What three fanworks are you the proudest of making?
Okay, well I don't have that many out for public consumption... I gotta say one would be Maybe You Can't, But That's Why I'm Here. It was the first fic I ever published, and to this day remains one of the most personal ones I've put out there. I guess another one would be this piece of art I posted on Instagram a while back. Word art and Willex my beloved! I guess a third would be It's New, It Looks Good on You. Again, more soft Willex. It was an idea I played around with for a while and I love the idea of Alex supporting Willie in exploring their identity and expression and stuff. Can you tell what my favorite ship is?
19: What fanwork by someone else would you like more fans to check out?
Again, so manyyyyy! All y'all are so talented!!! I guess one out of my AO3 bookmarks would be You're Ripped at Every Edge by @a-tomb-with-a-view. I just love the idea of literally all of them being ace and discovering that and finding a family that doesn't rely on sex and stuff. But like... I could recommend fics for literal hours, so... There's many more if y'all are looking for recommendations!
Thanks so much for the ask, love you!
Send me a number from this list and I'll answer the question!
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It’s late and I’m sleepy, but I wanted to do a very very very quick post for JatP Fanworks Appreciation Week! Today’s Motivation Monday and it’s such a good reason to celebrate all the amazing talent in this fandom!!
There’s a lot of you under the cut, but still not everyone I look up to in this fandom. If you’re not on this list, I promise you I JUST MISSED YOU. You all are so important and vital to this incredible fandom!!!!!!!!! It wouldn’t be the same without you.
@pearlcaddy - thank you for creating this week and for creating such spectacular stories and crafting such fun fics. You’re an icon.
@emeraldphantoms - your gifsets are incredible and the way you analyze the show is ??? amazing. Your gifsets always point out so many little details I’ve missed in my multiple rewatches and you always get me thinking about certain scenes and moments in a different way. Whenever I’m feeling low on motivation, your blog is one of the first ones I check for a boost!!
@reggiesjams - I love the way you analyze the show. Whenever I’m trying to remember characterization and dive back into these characters, I ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS check your blog because you understand them so well!
@reggieshamster - Tee... oh my goodness, TEE!!! your fics are !!!! incredible. I will always ALWAYS think of the Juke package delivery AU... AND thank you for always supporting me and giving me all the love. You’re an incredible friend. ilysm.
@hearjessroar - YOUR FICS!!!! you make me feel so many emotions. always!!!! one thing I absolutely love about your fics is how you’re able to tell an emotional and AMAZING story so concisely (this is something I struggle with MAJORLY and so I think about it whenever I read a fic lol - but JESS you have this down PAT). every fic you write is legendary. Thank you for sharing so many gems with us!
@theobligatedklutz - your love for these characters truly shine through everything you do; whether that's gifsets, fics, or analyzing the show. You bring so much to the fandom and you always light up my dash when I see your posts!!
@thesunwillart - Ryn, you always blow me away with your art. I have said it a thousand times before, and I will say it a thousand times more but... you’re such an amazingly talented storyteller. Each piece of art you do tells a story. Your attention to detail and your love for each character are things that are always evident in each piece of art you make. I think of it often tbh. You’re such an inspiration and the fandom is lucky to have you!! (I am also lucky to have you in my life!!)
Another part of Motivation Monday is giving thanks to all the people who bring me (as a creator) motivation! I cannot name all of you BUT... @emeraldrain55 @julie-and-the-himbo-ghosts @homeinabookshelf @fairygclds @rawwwra @phanhowell @julie-n-phantoms @willex-n-waffles @fandomscraziness22 & many anons & SO MANY MORE - thank you so much for always being so kind. Your engagement with fandom (and with the fan content I throw into the universe) is so appreciated and I’m so thankful.
#jatp fanworks appreciation week#jatp#julie and the phantoms#this fandom is so lucky to have so many incredible and talented people in it#and the fandom is also lucky to have so many kind and nice people willing to read and support fics!!!#so many of you give me motivation and inspire me - whether that's through fan content you've made#OR if its from engaging with fandom positivity#essie rambles#im v thankful in this chili's tonight#sappy hours are here
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23 and 24 for the end of year asks? 💛
Hi Nele!! Thanks for the ask 💛
23. fics you wanted to write but didn’t
There have probably been soooo many this year that just, don't even hold residence in my mind anymore but I'm going to give it to The Mercer Legacy because while I did start it, lord knows I never finished it. I'd still like to, I think, the inspiration just isn't there at the moment!
24. favorite fic you read this year
Now see this is just an impossible question! It's been a long year and I am absolutely shit at keeping track of every fic I've read, not that I'd be able to pick one favorite anyway. So, I'm not gonna. I am, however, going to put the recs under the cut bc this got really long oops
Right now I'm on a pretty big Harry Potter kick (Fremione specifically, atm) so there are gonna be the most of those, sorry lol.
Favorites from the HP Fandom:
Defectors - James/Lily/Regulus where rather than die in the cave, Reg fakes his death and defects to the order. It's got wolfstar angst, sirius and regulus estranged siblings angst, and just lovely potter triad fluff (but also some angst for them too, it is a war after all). I would die for every interaction Reg and Harry have. Jegulily was simply not a ship I knew I needed in my life but I am forever obsessed after this fic!
The Family Potter - what if Petunia and Vernon died instead of James and Lily and Dudley went to live with the Potters? Oh. My. God. I truly will never ever ever be over this fic it just,, wowowowowow. It presents such an interesting new dynamic to explore between James and Lily and their nephew and creates an entirely new dynamic between Dudley and Harry than we get in canon. It's all just,, *chefs kiss*
Reparations - Draco/Harry. Listen, I'm not even a drarry fan. I came here for post-war healing, Harry becoming a healer not an auror (one of my favorite hcs), and a Draco redemption arc. I got all of that and infinitely more. The preexisting characters are portrayed beautifully and the original characters that fill St. Mungo's are so compelling and lovely!!
so just give me one more night - Fred/Hermione fake dating. I am a sucker for a fake dating trope and I'm also a sucker for Fred and Hermione going to the Yule Ball together. To quote myself in my ao3 bookmark: This is everything. They’re everything. I can’t believe they invented romance ugh.
don't you know you've got the best of me? - Fred/Hermione. I'm actually still finishing it up right now (started it yesterday) but oh my goodness is it amazing. It's a complete retelling of the series but if Fred and George had befriended Hermione early on. I'm absolutely obsessed with the dynamics Hermione shares with the twins, Lee, Alicia, Angelina, and Katie as well as the shift in her dynamics with Harry and (especially) Ron. Just,, 12/10 and I'm not even finished yet!
Some favorites from JATP:
It's not Sunset Cis either - an incredibly large collection of trans!sunset curve fics all set in the same universe! I actually haven't even read them all but every single one I've read has been phenomenal!
The Spotlight's Your Hiding Place - Willex and Boggie enemies-to-lovers (with established Juke and Flarrie), social media fic. Anxiously waiting for each new installment of this was practically torture but fully worth it. Made me scream "Fuck Caleb" more times than I can count. (By the same author as It's Not Sunset Cis)
Cross My Heart - Luke x Reader social media fic. Bianca sprang this on me out of the mf blue and just, holy shit did they do an amazing amazing job like she- that's my spouse y'all and I'm truly not just hyping it up because I love her. They really did the best job and the dynamics are all so fun!
Can't finish this list without a Marvel mention:
The Avengers vs The Peter Factor - I've read a lot of MCU fics this year what with all the new content, but this one just hits the spot (probably because it's so removed from all the loss in canon). It's a good old-fashioned Avengers living together in the tower fic with a heavy emphasis on how much everybody loves Peter Parker. Each chapter is dedicated to a character falling victim to what Tony has called The Peter Factor, there are no survivors. It's still being updated (right now there's a Field Trip storyline happening) and will eventually feature the newer characters to the universe!
I know this is only barely scratching the surface of fics that I've read and fell in love with this year but I think it's a pretty sizable list as is 😂
Thank you again for the ask!!! Sorry for the essay!
Send me "fanfic end of the year asks"
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58 willex kiss, Love your writing btw
Ahhh thank you <3
58 was stumbling/pushing into walls kiss, but I went with the pushing into walls bit.
this is also a continuation of a previous Willex moment which can be found here!! I know that another anon asked for a continuation with a different kiss, but inspiration struck with this one!! That Willex kiss will be fluff when I get to it though, promise!!
Feat in this story: Flustered Willie and Angry Alex
As always you can read this on Ao3 here or beneath the cut <3
Alex had imagined how his second reunion with Willie would go, spent many hours running different possible scenarios through his head.
Being so relieved and just holding the boy's face between his hands and committing his face further into his memory, in case he ever left again. Dipping him and kissing him like there was no tomorrow. He puzzled over every possibility.
Or so he thought.
What Alex hadn’t expected to happen, upon him and his band defeating Caleb in his own club, effectively freeing the ghosts and lifers from whatever hold the magician had over them, was for Willie to turn and hightail it backstage, away from him.
Without so much as a look to his bandmates, Alex stormed off towards the skater. With each step towards the boy, he felt his anger and nerves grow, lighting a fire in his stomach and giving a thundering of drums in his ears.
Willie spun around after ducking into one of the dressing rooms and Alex was quick to slam the door shut forcefully behind him. The skater flinched before he began stuttering around words, looking anywhere besides Alex.
“If you even think of poofing out of here, I swear I will hunt you to the ends of the earth.” Alex practically growled, when finally, finally Willie’s shocked brown eyes focused on him. The blonde continued his trek forward, Willie taking equal steps backward until he found himself caged in, back pressed firmly against the wall.
The blush and wide-eyed look on Willie was new, but Alex had assumed it was embarrassment and flustered at being caught. Alex put his forearms on either side of Willie’s head, easing the nerves in his own mind that Willie was there to stay, but the fire in his gut lingered.
The brunette opened his mouth to speak, but was effectively cut off by Alex’s own mouth. The latter was slightly surprised at his own impulsive action, but feeling the fire in his stomach somehow grow, he growled once more, into Willie’s mouth as he nipped and sucked at lips, his small noises blocked out by the drumming in his ears.
“Never run away again.” Alex demanded, just far away from Willie’s lips to speak and keep their lips just brushing each other.
“Never, never again.” Willie promised fervently, drawing in short, sharp breaths with his eyes still screwed shut.
“Look at me.” Alex demanded once again, one hand moving to grip at Willie’s chin. Brown eyes quickly flutter open to stare into blue and Alex watches as his skin ignites in pink once more, as if the fire in his stomach was reaching out to scorch him for his mistake. “Say it again.”
“Never,” Willie swallowed thickly, eyes full of honesty. “Never again.” Alex held him and his gaze for a few more long moments before pulling away, all fire and anger leaving his body, the drums fading away into faint twinkles in his ear.
“Good.” Alex gives him a small smile. “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” Willie laughed, anxiously rubbing his biceps. “Did you know that when you’re angry and terrifying you’re also incredibly hot?”
“I didn’t.” Alex laughed, leaning his forehead into Willie’s. “But it’s good to know for the future.”
“Future?” Willie grinned crookedly.
“If you’ll have me?” Alex grinned back as the brunette nodded. He quickly shed his usual pink hoodie, pressing it into the skaters chest. “Cool, put this on.” He let his previous forceful tone return and watched his boyfriend scramble to pull the hoodie on.
“What for?” His voice came through the fabric as he struggled to shove his arms and head through the right holes before Alex caved and helped him out.
“You just look really good in pink.” Alex smirked devilishly, head jerking to motion to the door. “Come on, let’s go find the band so they can give you a hard time.” He stalked off, only giving one glance backward as Willie rushed to follow him, lacing their fingers together upon catching up with the blonde.
“Anything for you, Hotdog. Anything for you.” And Alex felt his heart light on fire, but this time anger was nowhere near this spark. Maybe he didn’t think through this possibility, but he quite liked how this turned out.
#jatp#julie and the phantoms#willex#alex mercer#willie jatp#my writing tag#writing tag#babble tag#see i made them happy again lol#dont kill me willex stans#Anonymous
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motivation monday
in honor of JATP Fanworks Appreciation Week I wanted to take a moment to recognize some amazing creators that inspire me as well as some of the amazing readers who continuously support/encourage me to keep writing💖
@pearlcaddy for creating this appreciation week as well as some of my absolute favorite fics to ever exist (that have also inspired one of my own works) - I literally spent my entire morning rereading their Wizarding World AU and I regularly return to the 100 Bad Days verse for comfort.
@lydias--stiles for their incredible characterization of what seems like minor characters and their insane ability to tie everything back to a general Juke universe, I will forever feel blessed that your 5+1 grew a mind of it’s own and led me to finding your other fics, especially the Juke verse set in 1895.
@alexthedrummerboy for creating such a WILDLY detailed social media AU that lives in my mind rent free literally all of the time, like the dedication and commitment is pure art. also, POYP remains one of my favorite Willex fics and even though it’s not finished yet I consistently reread it when I need a good dose of Willex serotonin.
@blush-and-books for writing Juke one shots that have the ability to either send me into the fluffiest stratosphere or devastate me completely, literally a Juke for every mood. your multichap 5+1 verse created such intense pining and longing within me and I will never recover.
@sanssssastark for literally the thirstiest Juke fics I could ever ask for in my life like my god the ways I have lost it over Let Me See What’s Underneath and now the Young God verse hoooo boy do these fics haunt my dreams. because they also aren’t defined by their maturity rating, but because of the way they create the relationship between Julie and Luke in a more mature setting that feels just as soft at it’s core.
@xxprettylittletimebombxx for giving me the missing scene of my DREAMS that I refuse to believe isn’t canon and also for validating my All Time Low/Sunset Curve crossover obsession.
@mamirugbee, @reggiescrookedteeth, @illgetmerope, @thesunwillart, @kidovna, and @williessweatycherrysocks for their fanart that is straight up legendary and out of this world in terms of creativity/bringing my favorite characters to life.
@lwhoscribbles, @ourstarscollided, @thatsmyverb, @shellydominique for your unwavering support on my fics and some of the sweetest comments/conversations I’ve had in this fandom.
also, Courty on AO3 (I will forever be in your debt for the inspiration to bring heart strings to life<3), Hannah on AO3 (the fact that you commented on every chapter of strength/melody still makes me feel a lil emotional), and literally anyone else that has ever commented on anything I’ve written. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I obsessively reread your comments when I’m having a bad day and feeling like the worst kind of writer. it’s your words of kindness and love that keep me writing and I wouldn’t be creating for this fandom (at least not publicly) without your support.
THANK YOU to all of you for existing and being as lovely as you are💕
#I JUST REALLY LOVE ALL OF YU EVEN THOUGH I'M SOCIALLY AWKWARD ON THE INTERNET AND DON'T DO A VERY GOOD JOB EXPRESSING IT#this fandom makes my world go round#bless each and every one of you#Mads speaks#motivation monday#jatp fanworks appreciation#jatp#julie and the phantoms
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2020 content creator tag
Rules: answer the questions and then tag 10+ other creators to answer the questions! thank you so much @taylorjoy-anya for tagging me!
i’m digging into my old blogs ( @wmhalliwell & @brandon-routh ) for this one since i've only had this blog since november just fyi!
first creation and most recent creation of 2020: this finn/poe scene was my first 2020 gifset!; my most recent creation is also the one i’m most proud of from 2020, it’s seriously a work of art imo and i’m proud of myself for not giving up on it
one of your favorite creations from 2020: this julie molina set; i tried really hard with making each gif a special color and i think the text is good! it’s also got lyrics from my favorite indie band, parsonsfield, on it ;)
a creation you’re really proud of: this 12 monkeys gifset took me 2 days to make after a few days of research and searching for tutorials and inspiration through many blogs and i think it’s the prettiest thing i’ve ever made
a new style you tried this year and a gifset that uses it: blending gifs! i tried it with this willex set
your favorite coloring: definitely this green rey set; i still love it so much
a creation that took you forever: this willie set took me a few days to make!
your creation from 2020 that received the most notes: i think it’s this howl’s moving castle gifset with around 5500~ and this anna from frozen 2 one with 5600~
a creation you think deserved more notes: look y’all this caos gifset was a struggle asdfghjk
a creation with a favorite scene/quote: this jack black jumanji one is still one of my favorite and makes me laugh every time i see it
a new fandom you joined and a creation you made for it: the only new fandom i joined in 2020 (and by new meaning i wasn’t a fan previously since many fandoms i started creating content for this year i’ve been fans of for years and then rewatched this year and started making content) is julie and the phantoms so here’s a set from there that i like the colors of
a creation you made that breaks your heart: this s3 gert/chase gifset never fails to make me cry (i’m also sad it didn’t get many notes :( )
a ‘simple’ creation that you really love: this murven gifset that gives me all the fucking feelings
a creation that was inspired by another one (add both your creation and the one that inspired it!): this julie/flynn set was loosely inspired by @seance‘s willex set for the round-cutout set up :)
a favorite creation created by someone else: there’s SO MANY so i’m gonna choose a couple here: gabi @lettersdeeplyworn spent days on this unsaid emily set and it still blows my mind!; @yenvengerberg’s allison set is so gorgeous i literally can’t even form words about it!; cece @nora-reid‘s rainbow set is so pretty i can’t even; @merlinemryspendragon‘s gorgeous tros rainbow set like damn the colors!! ; this breathtaking chidi/eleanor set from @will-lyra; this amazing pacific rim mako mori set from @redbelles; you can’t even compete with this rogue one set from @bbbbbbbbbbbbbbb-8 and honestly the list goes on and on
some of your favorite content creators from the year: everyone listed above obvi plus so many more than i could ever list so if i follow you or reblog from you ever...you’re my favorite creator!!! these are just the blogs i could think of as i was sitting here @anakin-skywalker @kyloren @kylos @patel-dev @padawanlost @tennant @winterswake @obi--wans @dreadwolff @samwinchesster @saraheliza @70sgifs @perfectopposite @anya-chalotra @the-maidofmischief @midnightisquiet @michaelguerrin @jackmans @labyrinth @dianaxprince @beltik @lukehan @julie-molinas @rosetico @beaucannon @dindjvrins @montygreen @gracechoi
and for good measure, another a couple more creations of yours that you love: this laura moon one bc i love her sm; this bb luke skywalker set bc he’s adorable; this chewie hugging rose set makes me smile; the spellman cousins i adore sm and i love this tiny moment between them; and we love a new 2020 ship aka daniel sousa and daisy johnson and this knee-melting moment of fake engagement undercover in the 70s
thank you so much for running through these gifsets with me! it’s been fun to see how much i’ve created this year (it was A Lot); i’m tagging anyone mentioned here or anyone who makes creations and wants to take part! share the love and support and be proud of yourselves!
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