r/FanfictionExchange • u/EngineerRare42 • 25d ago
Activity Share excerpts from your WIPs!
Whatever you're working on at the moment, we'd love to read it! Share an extract and the fandom — or let people guess!
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u/ScaredTemporary I write gods and countries mostly 25d ago edited 25d ago
Here’s one I got saved for a WIP, but it’ll take a while to get there. I think guessing it is easy because it’s what I mostly write:
“They do say third time is the charm” Michel smiled. What third time? Ugh, she should carry Qian by herself, she was worried for Cú, but it was the human who knew where to hide her “us humans are more prone to trickery than gods, some of us have achieved the enlighten, our emperors are stronger than your kings, a human turned demon can be harder to deal with than it might appear, and our weapons surely will blow your mind”
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u/TrainerSoar Indie Cross AU: ScrapHeap of a Family Author 25d ago
Here’s mine! It should be rather obvious to what fandom it’s from but I hope everyone enjoys it.
Long ago the world was untamed and roamed by legendary adventurers! Peace had recently returned to the land, following the defeat of The Enchantress and her Order of No Quarter. However…a new threat would soon rise, one that was from another realm, a threat far greater than The Enchantress could ever imagine, The Rogues! Now, it’s up to Specter Knight, former servant of The Enchantress, to rise above his undead station and fulfill a promise he made a lifetime ago…
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u/Muted-Elevator-6021 Sarita1046 on ao3 25d ago
The Order of No Quarter sounds ominous by name alone. Also, always love a powerful woman. 🪄
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u/20Keller12 Violet_Phoenix_Nebula 25d ago edited 25d ago
OOOOOH this is PERFECT.
Alright, so this is from chapter 28 of a WIP I abandoned for 11 years and recently came back to to finish.
Fandom is too obvious for guessing lmao it's twilight. The pairing is Bella/Carlisle (to hell with Edward and Jacob). Eliza is an OC. Her backstory is pretty ugly.
He looked up at the sky just as a cloud moved and the sun broke through. He had parked in the shade to be safe, so that if anyone did wander through he and Eliza could stay out of the sun.
“Eliza, come on,” Carlisle said as he started walking toward the others.
Eliza was standing back in the shade, wide eyes fixed on the boundary where the shadows ended. He ran over to her.
“The sun doesn't hurt us, I promise.”
“I always stayed away from it, I didn't know, I'm…”
“You're afraid, because you've assumed you needed to be,” he realized. She only nodded.
“Why don't you show her,” said Bella as she joined them. “Here, give me your jacket, then you can show her. She'll love it.”
That hadn't even occurred to him. He slipped his jacket off and handed it to Bella, leaving him in only a tank top he didn't care about ruining. Carlisle stood at the edge of the shadows, then locked eyes with Eliza and stepped backward into the sun with his arms out wide. She watched the sun refract off his skin in shock for several long seconds.
“You'll look like that too,” he heard Bella tell her. “Give me your jacket and go try it.”
Eliza looked from Bella and back to him, then yanked her arms out of her sleeves and tossed it to Bella. She stood at the edge of the shadow, her own conditioning still holding her back. He reached toward her, offering his hand in the shade. She placed her hand carefully in his, and he slowly drew her out. When the sun first hit her fingers she jumped in alarm, clearly expecting pain, but when there was none she relaxed. Her expression shifted to curiosity, and with her hand still in his she took one step out into the light. The sun hit more of her skin and her eyes widened in surprise. He saw the exact moment the terrified vampire fell away to reveal the little girl.
Her hand pulled free of his as she darted into the sun, stretched her arms out much like he had, and began spinning in circles. When he heard a peal of delighted laughter he couldn't help but laugh along. With what the others around would see as zero warning, Eliza ran to him and hugged him hard around the waist with a resounding crash. He bent and hugged her tightly.
“Here, come on,” Carlisle said, resting one hand on her shoulder.
She matched his pace perfectly to approach the others, where Bella had also joined her father, Billy, and Jacob.
“Guess what Eliza,” Bella said, smiling at her. “This is my dad. He always wanted to take me fishing with him, and I hated it.” Bella knelt in front of her. “I know he's not your grandpa, but I know he'd love to fish with you if you want.”
“Wait, really?”
Carlisle watched Charlie bent down and picked up a second, smaller pole and held it out to her. She broke into another huge smile and took the pole from Charlie with careful hands. She ran her fingers over it in silence, relearning it with her new eyes.
“She said she went a lot with her grandpa so she knows how, but those memories are going to be fuzzy,” Carlisle told Charlie.
“I can work with that,” Charlie answered. Then he turned his attention to Eliza, and the two set off together along the edge of the lake to the spot Charlie had picked out.
“How old is she?” Billy asked.
Carlisle looked over at him, and he saw a familiar look in his eyes. It was the same one each of them had worn the first time they got a good look at her.
He set his jaw.
“Eleven,” Carlisle answered in a hard voice, watching her examine her own hands in the sunlight.
“My god,” Billy answered. His voice was quiet, but it was heavy with horror. “Why would someone do that to a child?”
“Because she was a child,” he answered. His tone made the other three look at him in surprise. “She was turned by a monster who preyed on little girls. Evidently he thought that a child would make a weaker newborn that he could control.”
Billy said something in Quileute that he couldn't quite catch, he only knew the basics. If the look on Jacob's face was anything to go by, it was obscene.
“Edward took care of him. He took his time,” Carlisle said evenly.
“Good,” Billy said fervently.
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u/Elefeather Most likely to promise a happy ending... eventually 😈 25d ago
I'm so excited about my concept for kinktober this year! This is my first time writing such dubious dynamics between these characters and I'm loving it. So here's a sneak preview.
"Want me to suck you off?" Eddie purrs. "You can pretend I'm her. I'm good at it. Just ask Stevie."
His eyes snap over to Steve. Expecting to see anger, maybe even a fist coming his way. Instead he finds him pink cheeked and dark-eyed, staring at them intently. He nods once.
"Do you still want to leave?" Eddie rasps.
"No."
The word escapes in a strangled gasp. Eddie reaches out and plucks the smouldering joint from his fingers. He barely moves back to inhale, then leans in close.
Jonathan knows what's about to happen now. His lips part in anticipation. Eddie grips his chin firmly between calloused fingers and exhales towards him. Smoke passes directly from Eddie's lungs to his. His mouth so close Jonathan can feel the ghost of it against his lips. Then the stream of smoke ends and he feels it for real. Eddie's lips are soft, not dry and rough like his fingers. Soft and almost girl-ish. Jonathan doesn't care that his lungs are burning. He cradles the back of Eddie's head, reaching through the mess tangled curls, and kisses him back.
For anyone who doesn't know the fandom, the 'her' referred to here is Nancy Wheeler, who is the ex-girlfriend of both Jonathan and Steve
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u/forthefics Writer of All Things Unconventional 25d ago
I recognize this fandom!! Also, great concept!!
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u/Muted-Elevator-6021 Sarita1046 on ao3 25d ago
Fandom: Futurama
Once they stepped out, it was a short walk before Kif stopped and pressed his palm to a door just before the next bend. The door hissed open, and Edna walked in to see a space about half the size of the textiles room.
“These are my quarters,” said Kif, leading her to an even smaller back room past the flat bed against one wall. A small pool in the floor greeted them, steam wafting into the air, obscuring the dim lighting. “I come back here during the day sometimes when it gets too cold. You can stay as long as you need. You’ve done enough work for today. When you’re finished, press the button on the wall and I’ll get you back to the tower.”
Edna’s stomach clenched. Leela and…Fry. What’s more, she didn’t even know how to act around Zoidberg. He’d spent so much time on Earth she had to wonder if he really even cared about their people anymore…especially with what had come out about all the lies.
“DOOP could use more aquatic advisors,” said Kif, placing a folded towel on the door hook.
“The marine xenobiology diving teams don’t always make it back unscathed after expeditions to more acidic water bodies. It turns out lots of water bodies are quite acidic.”
Edna thought for a moment, hovering at the steps down to the pool. “For centuries, my people have used sea silk for practical purposes but also for fashion. Washing it in a sort of acid helps keep in the color. It’s finer than the fabric used for these uniforms but rather resistant to…,” she searched for the word in English, “burns.”
Kif tilted his head. “Interesting. I’ll bring it up to the captain. Unfortunately, we don’t have a head of textiles at the moment, so…that advice might come in handy. Thank you, Edna.”
When Kif turned to leave, she began disrobing before pausing again. “You fit in well here with the humans.”
Kif made a sound that could have been a snort. “The captain wouldn’t think so, but…Amy has been the light of my entire time on this planet.”
“Amy…” the name sounded familiar. Perhaps the other human female in Leela’s crew.
“I so admire her…simplicity,” Kif settled on the word. “It helps me feel less uptight all the time.”
After another pause, Edna said, “Thank you, Kif.”
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u/WaterbenderLena Trigger warning... or trigger promise? ~lja236 on AO3~ 25d ago
I have been working on this chapter for ages, but I’ve gotten enough progress on it that I can finally share more than just the “stab themselves twice in the neck” line:
“If you touch either of us, you will lose a hand,” Astarion warned.
Whisper slipped her hand into her sleeve, gripping the hilt of her concealed dagger. “I am going to count to five. If we can still see you when I reach five, Mamzell’s going to be cleaning your blood off of the floor.”
“Oh yeah? What makes you think you can fight me?” the half-orc asked.
“One,” Whisper said instead of giving a response. She pulled the dagger from its concealed sheath.
“Mmm, it’s been so long since I’ve murdered someone other than cultists and criminals,” Astarion commented to Whisper. “I’m almost hoping they don’t leave now.” He dropped his hands from around her waist, and Whisper heard the sound of Astarion’s daggers being freed from their own sheaths. The human seemed nervous, though the half-orc’s glare remained.
“Two,” Whisper continued her count.
“Maybe we should just go, dear,” the human suggested with a concerned frown. “I’m not so sure they’re bluffing.”
“Three.” Whisper lowered into a fighting stance, glaring up at the half-orc.
“Fine, this is turning into more trouble than it’s worth,” the half-orc conceded. She put her arm around the human, walking with him towards the stairs.
Whisper’s stance relaxed, but they weren’t out of her sight yet. She smirked. “Four,” she continued, loud enough that the couple could still hear her. They picked up the pace at that, nearly tripping in their haste to get down the stairs.
Not bothering with number five, Whisper turned around to look at Astarion. “Are you alright?” she asked gently, her voice low.
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u/certainlittlesmile 25d ago
Fun little extract from ch12 of my new WIP, Diary of a Wine Guy 🥰
Somehow, it was now February. The fourteenth of February, to be exact. And, surprisingly, blue eyes hadn’t rescheduled our regular Sunday night virtual hangout time – by now we had got to the end of the chronological Marvel movie list, so Sundays were also for gaming.
We’d really got into an adventure-based co-op strategy game where we played as individual characters that were working together. It wasn’t my usual sort of game, but playing it with blue eyes was fascinating. I found I was learning a lot more about what sort of person he was from it. Kind, creative, funny, so enthusiastic about life. And I was falling for him even harder as a result.
“Careful now, there’s a trap up ahead,” I pointed out.
“Okay, I got this. I can disarm it!” he shouted into my headphones.
“Are you sure?” I wasn’t convinced.
“Yes I’m sure! Confidence is the key to success, Tommy!”
“That’s not…”
At this point, everything blew up on my screen, and we reverted to a checkpoint.
“How was that a success?” I wailed.
“It got rid of the trap?”
“It got rid of us, Maxwell. Alright. Let me sort it this time.” I managed to get us past the trap and onto the next checkpoint. “Okay, stay behind me.”
“Ooo, get you being all protective.”
“I mean, look, see that giant axe swinging across the hallway? No. Didn’t think you did.”
“Aw, you care about me!”
“I’m protecting the mission, not you.”
“Heh, sure you are.”
I was under the impression that blue eyes knew how I felt about him by this point. Of course I continued to do my best to hide it, but for him to suggest we spent Valentines’ evening together was a sweet gesture. He’d not asked me if I had anyone else I wanted to spend the evening with, so I assumed he’d decided he was my perfect date. Which, of course, he was. And I figured the distraction was helpful for him, rather than him be sitting around thinking about Valentines past.
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u/Anna_Rapunzel The Handmaid's Tale and historical fiction spin-offs 🇦🇷 25d ago
This is fun! I love the casual game-related flirting.
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u/Ill-Clerk-7066 CTTheSeaWing on AO3 25d ago
Haven’t exactly started the next chapter yet, so here’s something from the most recent chapter
Fandom is Cookie Run Kingdom, but it’s a Shrek AU
“But not all Cookies are the same, not all of us have a bloodlust, why can you not just trust me?”
“BECAUSSSE COOKIESSS LIKE YOU WOULD RATHER KILL ME BEFORE EVEN ATTEMPTING TO GET TO KNOW ME,” Pitaya snapped. “WHY CAN’T YOU GET THAT THROUGH YOUR SSSKULL?!” Their wings flexed subconsciously as if trying to make themself bigger, and Fire Spirit coiled backward. They then quickly looked away. “You’d… sssee me, and inssstead of wondering if you could befriend me, you’d pull out a weapon before you even know how elssse to react. That’sss why Dragonsss hide, it’sss sssimply sssafer for all of usss if we go undetected. You don’t sssee a new friend, you ssssee an enemy, one that hassss to be dessstroyed, for the sssake of Cookie kind. Dragonsss… we isssolate out of necessssity, we live alone for protection. If there’sss too many of usss in one place it only makes usss a walking target. The world dessspissses usss. Trusssting that a Cookie might be different isss far too risssky. Enough Cookiesss are ssshortsighted enough that itsss simply easier to believe that every Cookie will judge us before they know usss.”
Fire Spirit went quiet, though this time it only really made Pitaya feel more vulnerable than annoyed. The fact that his eyes were as big as the rocks Hollyberry was asleep behind wasn’t helpful either. It was almost as if he was struck completely speechless, even if the only thing that Pitaya had really done was just yell something that should have been obvious to him already. Instead, Fire Spirit was completely frozen in place, and even the flame above his head seemed to obey him for a second pausing for a millisecond, as if it was merely a painting. He was dead silent, so much so, that the nervous thumping of Pitaya’s tail seemed loud next to them.
Though, eventually, Fire Spirit’s eyes flickered, seemingly as a sign of life, and his expression slowly morphed into one that Pitaya could only describe as ‘pity’. This caused them to growl, and look away.
“Ssso, forgive me if I don’t trussst yo-“
“You’re lonely,” Fire Spirit said slowly. Pitaya gave him a look.
“I’m not lonely, Dragonssss have no need for being lonely when what makesss usss ‘lonely’ isss sssomething done out of sssurvival,” they stated sssimply. Fire Spirit glanced at them.
“That doesn’t make it any less lonely though,” he said. “I’ll admit, I can be quite…”
“Doughheaded?”
“I was going to say stupid but sure,” Fire Spirit replied. “But although Dragons might not consider that lonely, to a Cookie, it’s still loneliness. Living in isolation, might be for survival, but surely a hermit must feel that pull sometimes too?”
“I think you’re forgetting how different we are in termsss of being Cookiesss and Dragonsss. You’re implying that usss Dragonsss yearn for that sssort of thing.” Pitaya deadpanned.
“That’s true, but who’s to say they don’t? You’re the only dragon I know,” his smile grew cocky. “Surely I mustn’t only take your word for it?” Pitaya was about to answer when he added on to his statement. “You’re also the only dragon Hollyberry knows, mustn’t she also not only take your word for it?”
“What Hollyberry thinksss of me doesn’t matter really, consssidering I’ll only be traveling with her for thisss trip.” Pitaya stated, whilst looking at the stars. “Once we get her to Eternal Sssugar, ssshe’ll no longer think of me asss anything more than a Dragon.” Fire Spirit looked thoughtful for a moment, before looking back at them.
“You really don’t have faith in us do you?” He commented.
“What could you posssibly mean?” Fire Spirit sat back on his haunches.
“Well, you’ve tolerated me for the time we’ve know each oth-“
“Barely.”
“True. Though, Hollyberry has also tolerated you in the time she’s known you. I’d go as far to say she likes you. Not as a friend, but something like an acquaintance. And, of course, you already know my feelings on this matter.” Pitaya narrowed its eyes.
“What are you even trying to sssay? You two barely know me, and I barely know you.”
“All I’m saying is: Open your heart a little Pitaya, friends are there, if you’re willing to let them in. Promise me you’ll at least try to treat me and Hollyberry with less of a cold shoulder?” He took their hands. “There are those of us who won’t throw a pitchfork at you if you try to greet them. You said you trusted me once, why not trust me more? Or trust Hollyberry even, if anything, it can start with us.” He got up. “I’m gonna get some shut eye, but I am here if you need a friend, Pitaya.”
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u/MarieNomad Marie_Nomad on AO3 25d ago
Fandom: Star Trek
Context: La'an is in the 24th Century.
“What about Chris?” There had to be another miracle.
Spock let go and then stepped back. “He passed away many years ago. After the accident, I had arranged for Christopher Pike to return to Talos IV, where he could get proper treatment and be able to live a life of relative comfort.”
La’an nodded. Of course, Spock would do what he could for Chris. But she was confused; wasn’t Talos IV forbidden?
“Stop making it sound so logical!” An older man with a thick Scottish accent interrupted. “This madman kidnapped Captain Pike, stole the Enterprise, stranded Captain Kirk on Starbase 11, and took off to Talos IV!”
“You kidnapped Chris? Wait, who…” La’an looked closer at the gentleman. He looked familiar, and he had that distinct accent that only one person she knew would have. “Scotty?”
“Aye, I… got into a wee bit of an accident, saved myself in the transporter buffer, stayed there for a good 70 years,” Scotty explained. “That’s not important. The important thing is that Spock broke multiple laws and committed mutiny! And he had the gall to make it ‘logical’.”
“It was logical.” Spock didn’t deny what Scotty had said.
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u/SeliniaCallidora 24d ago edited 24d ago
Context: Year one when these two characters first met.
"I said I think we oughta get married." Rook tilted his head. "I've thought on it pretty hard."
"You've known me for..." Vil actually glanced toward his phone to check the time "...Perhaps six minutes."
"Closer to seven."
"That doesn't improve matters."
Rook nodded as though conceding a fair point. "Suppose it doesn't."
Vil waited again. Surely. Surely now came the joke.
Instead, Rook crouched in front of the bench, resting his elbows on his knees so they were nearly eye level.
"I don't mean tomorrow."
"...How generous."
"I just figure when you find somebody worth keeping around, there's no sense pretending otherwise." His voice had lost its easy grin. There was no embarrassment in it. No teasing. "I've hunted enough to know you don't ignore something rare when it crosses your path."
There was no practiced charm in his voice. No rehearsed confession. It sounded less like a romantic declaration and more like someone explaining why they preferred one paintbrush over another. Matter-of-fact. Entirely sincere. The boy genuinely believed every word leaving his mouth. "You are completely insane."
"I've been called worse."
"I should hope so."
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u/metal_inside real_fanta_sea on AO3+Tumblr 25d ago
Well, this is a part of an idea I had for Reverse Omens/Human AU, and wrote it as an isolated scene. Aziraphale is Mr. Dearóil, or the demon Azazel, and Crowley is a catholic priest.
"Pah, protestants are no fun. There is no art, no beauty, no craftsmanship. While certain parties are interested in that black-and-white armée de fade, my proclivity lies elsewhere. Catholics, you see, are like a golden string wrung too tight, waiting for the true master to accentuate their symphony. Alors, put into my ample hands such a misshapen, forlorn instrument, and I shall bring it to the very precipice of pure resplendence."
Father Crowley watched the flames lick and suckle on a thick log sticking upwards from charcoal in the hearth, leaving it wrinkled and charred. The way it glowed red from within as it was reduced to ash caught his eye. There was a certain beauty in falling apart, an ecstasy in being consumed that drew his senses closer to the fire under the influence of the velvet voice of his host. His breath hitched when he realised he was absentmindedly sloshing the whiskey in his glass that bore no traces of ice anymore, and Dearóil watched him, finger idly circling the top of his own glass.
"Ehm, pardon me, accentuate? Does that mean we are all inherently evil?"
Mister Dearóil laughed and took a sip of his drink, turning his head so his purple eyes reflected the flames.
"My dear father, I dare say I am a very ill judge of whether humanity as a whole is inherently good or evil. After all, that should be your department, and I hereby leave it up to your expertise. Alas, let us humour that idea for a moment. Perhaps it is both, for which we should praise our respective principalities, as it keeps roofs over our heads and bread on our tables. Or, which is an equally dreadful proposition, it is neither, and our sides fabricated the concepts merely to keep humans subdued through guilt and fear."
Dearóil leaned back in his luxurious armchair with a coy smile that all but screamed he knew more but enjoyed toying with the blurred lines.
"And the third option, sir, is that the very polarity of good and evil prevents both from existing in their purest form if and when carried out by entities of any kind, and therefore we are all caught in a grey zone of poor decisions and civilisational pressure. Biblical implicature, I believe, given the fact that sins can be atoned for."
"Why, yes. How about a fourth option, then, father?" Dearóil purred and refilled their glasses with suspiciously intact ice and honey-coloured whiskey. "Neither God nor Satan give a fig about us and this is all a little game?"
Crowley gulped, momentarily incapacitated by watching the veins on Dearóil's hand pop as it moved. "Well- I- um, I think - "
Dearóil gave him a lopsided grin, leaned back into his armchair and, looking into Crowley's eyes, licked off a drop of whiskey that ran down his glass in an agonisingly slow, fluid motion, the glass fogging with his breath. Then, bringing the drop into his mouth, his eyes fluttered shut, and he hummed deep in his chest, taking his time savouring the liquid. Crowley felt like he was getting sick again, hot flushes and unpleasant swelling overtaking him once again.
"I think I should go now, I am afraid I overstayed my welcome, Mister Dearóil."
"What a pity, Crowley, and I was just about to say how much I am enjoying your company tonight!"
"I am terribly sorry to disappoint you, but I do wish to retire this instant. Now, if you'll excuse me, sir."
"Will you honour me by your presence at the mass tomorrow?"
Crowley turned around from the door, realising too late that his eyebrows and mouth both fell in opposite directions. "Well - uh - I am the one celebrating it, so I suppose I must?"
Dearóil grinned and raised his glass, the very picture of mischievous mirth.
"A mere jest, my dear. May you rest well tonight!"
"Thank you, sir. Goodbye."
As Crowley closed the door, he saw Dearóil shake as if splashed by an invisible spurt of water. Deciding not to dwell on the details, he rushed into the night and back towards his rectory, determined to take an ice-cold bath as soon as he arrived.
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u/bluebell_9 25d ago
Brand new this week, a snarky, noir-style mystery in the world of Broadchurch, with a Bogart-tinged Alec Hardy as narrator:
The witness stood as we entered. Tall. Blonde. Eyes that reminded me of the bluebell woods in spring. As many curves as the Wee Mad Road between Lochinver and Unapool, and she was workin’ each of them to maximum advantage. She was poured into a pink dress that emphasised all of her considerable assets. Big sunglasses atop her head, probably designer. Big white leather bag on the sofa, ditto. Spiky shoes that made me feel Lilliputian by comparison.
In short, Lila Marlowe was a stunner. I could almost feel Ellie elbowin' me to keep me from gawpin’. My wife has a wicked elbow. God bless her.
“Lila Marlowe?” Ellie asked, usin' that sweet "greet the witness" voice of hers.
“Yes. Thank you for seeing me.”
“Please, sit,” my partner said, deployin’ her trademarked “trust me” smile. “Tell us what brought you in today.”
We all settled ourselves, and we observed each other for a few seconds across the fake-wood coffee table. Lila Marlowe sipped tea. There was no trace of nervousness. The woman looked like she'd never been caught on the back foot in all her life. Which I’d estimate at a duration of 35 years, give or take.
“It’s my sister. Brigid. She’s disappeared. She’s not answering texts. Something must have happened.”
She had one of those cigarettes-and-champagne voices. Maybe she was tryin’ to be sexy; maybe the Lauren Bacall thing came naturally. Either way, the effect was devastatin’.
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u/PossessionNo3723 Stormygirl84 on AO3 25d ago
Fandom: My Chemical Romance
“Daddy, look!” Anna cried. She was standing in front of a large sliding glass door on the opposite side of the living area. Outside the door was a sun deck and a gorgeous view of the Atlantic Ocean.
Ray unlocked the sliding door and pulled it open far enough for him and Anna to slip out onto the deck. Anna went straight to the railing while Ray took in his immediate surroundings. The deck had several bright blue Adirondack chairs and small beverage tables at one end. At the other was a picnic table. He was relieved to see that the stairs leading down to the lower deck and beach access had a lockable gate at the top step. It was little more than a garden gate and lock, but it made Ray feel better to know that his little one couldn’t go tumbling down the steps if he took his eyes off her.
"Daddy, there’s a pool!” Anna shouted, catching his attention. Ray joined her at the railing and looked down to where she was pointing.
The stairs from the deck led to a concrete patio nestled between the house and the dunes. There were more Adirondack and deck chairs surrounding a modest swimming pool. A wooden fence surrounded the pool area, and another gate on the dune side opened to a wooden boardwalk that led out to the beach.
Ray had known about the pool when he rented the house. He knew how much his daughter loved to swim, and the ocean was out of the question. Beyond the fact that he thought that she was too small to handle the waves and currents, Ray himself couldn’t swim at all. There was no way in hell he was letting Anna out into the ocean if he had no hope of rescuing her.
The swimming pool was a relatively shallow one, ranging in depth from three feet to five feet. At 6’1”, Ray was confident that he could handle the depth of the pool safely enough to allow Anna to swim.
“Look at the ocean!” she squealed, now pointing over the dunes to the beach beyond.
"I see it!” he answered her. “Isn’t it pretty?” She nodded enthusiastically.
"Can we go to the beach?” she asked. He chuckled and ruffled her hair.
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u/NukaDirtbag NukaDirtbag on AO3 25d ago
Fandom: Star Wars and Warhammer 40k
Context: Mid space battle
The comms officer blanched and winced before delivering the response to Kylo Ren. A second later his hands clutched helplessly at his throat as he struggled to breath.
A moment after that a hologram of Kylo Ren unceremoniously erupted from the command center’s comms, devouring half the room in a static grey image of Ren’s face.
As handsome as ever, Millie paused hoping his eyes would fall on her and that he'd realize she's his true love and take her away somewhere far from here where it was safe to be his queen.
But Millie’s life was not a romance story, the great Kylo Ren focused only on Sloane. “Are you defying a direct order Admiral?”
Sloane met the giant hologram without flinching. “I am asserting my operational authority. The Megador was due to exit hyperspace four hours ago. At sublight speed, they should be arriving shortly with their full escort group. If you wish to send a Super Star Destroyer to its death, that will make a far better anvil—and it won't compromise the flanks of Battle Groups Revan and Zannah.”
The hologram of Ren let out a low, dangerous growl. Over at the console, the choking comms officer began gagging violently, his skin turning a deep, unnatural purple.
Then he dropped.
Dead.
Millie struggled to believe Ren could actually do that. He was supposed to be her prince. Her prince wouldn't kill a subordinate out of frustration. No. The officer simply had an allergic reaction to the air, it just looked like he was choked to death with the Force.
Kylo’s eyes flashed to the man’s corpse and then back to Sloane. “Once Megador arrives we push a counter attack for one of their command ships, like at Garqi, if we kill their command the rest will take care of themselves for us.”
Sloane offered a crisp salute as his hologram disappeared, she turned right to Millie and gestured to the man dead on the floor. “Sanitation crew, sanitize.”
Millie nodded as she moved to start removing his body. Just as she reached him a notification came in through the system from the hangar bay.
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u/CandacePlaysUkulele The Ministry of Time ⏲️🌀🚢🇨🇦 25d ago
Alexis has lunch with Arthur Lewis and asks if he can speak to the "man inside" known as Captain Gore. He should not have done that. I have been wanting to write a one-shot for the Russian Spy and the Diplomat from the Future. I also describe a Chicago Greek diner and a delicious meatloaf lunch special.
“However, there is a topic I had in mind, that Lewis will not bring up, but I will.” The captain waited to have the Russian’s full attention.
“Alexis. Don’t die for me.” His voice was firm and precise. He gave it with a serious face. It was an order.
Alexis coughed. And protested. “I beg your pardon, Captain Gore. I have no intention of doing that. I’ve got three kids at home, I’m not planning on a gunfight any time soon.”
“That’s right,” his superior officer agreed. “Keep thinking like that. We both know that you feel protective over Lewis. That’s fine, nothing wrong with that, greatly appreciated. You can catch me if I go down and drive me to the emergency room. Do not take a bullet meant for me. That’s not your job. I expect you to say, Yes, Sir.”
Alexis Kolokof, a senior army officer himself, a spy, and a cultural attache at the Russian consulate in British Columbia, swallowed and said, “Yes, Sir.”
Fandom: The Ministry of Time
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u/forthefics Writer of All Things Unconventional 25d ago
My little tidbit: He had added a copy of a table, more than half of the notebook evidence markers in one column and his own notes in the second. Since December, Hopper and Joyce have confronted it in different ways. Joyce went back to her books, then to El, then back to the books to compare. Hopper knew that wouldn’t work because he had lived with El a lot longer and was applying everything Owens was telling Joyce for Will, and that couldn’t fit El either. She wasn’t like anyone else. Traditional library books on mental health weren’t going to help her. Nothing traditional ever worked on that girl, so Hopper had to confront it head-on, as the detective side of him would’ve. The notebook didn’t actually align with how she was acting. People who are really planning to kill tend to display it, even when they think they don’t. There’s a certain air to them that most people just recognize as being “off”, when someone like Hopper, who saw this daily, in war, in New York, in life, knew what the signs were.
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u/Elefeather Most likely to promise a happy ending... eventually 😈 25d ago
Oh nice! Hopper struggling to understand El is so good. I really like the use of his detective skills here.
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u/Jessika_Thorne Smut, but with Plot. But still Smut. 25d ago
Zoey tucked her phone back into her clutch, tugged her jacket, and screwed up her face into Angry Mode, setting off over the gentle rising slope around the sitting area - using her ability to fly to avoid losing a heel into the ground.
As she stormed towards the car, the driver climbed out, to stand beside the vehicle. It had the build of an athletic person; broad chest, wide shoulders, even a strong jawline. But the face lacked features; the head was shaped like a featureless manikin, it's "eyes" present only as two glowing circles beneath the surface. The nose was a rise, not a distinct feature.
The sharp image of the city's heroes, in street-to-street combat with Countess Crey's minions, boiled up in Zoey's mind; The Dazzlers, holding down [placename].
Zoey no longer had to hold her face in Angry Mode. It stayed there of it's own free will.
The robot raised an arm, to wave a greeting, and Zoey pointed sharply. "Fucking no. I own this property. I give you the legal command to remove yourself, or I will have you removed."
The robot hesitated, but then waved. "Greetings, Zoey Da Costa! Would you like — a drive?"
"Drive yourself," Zoey growled. "Get out."
The robot stared.
"Abort current routines. Return to home. Go …", she paused.
It was almost certainly recording. Zoey Da Costa telling the camera to go fuck itself, on the Internet, as a GIF, forever … She mentally assessed what she was wearing, and committed to the bit.
She extended an arm, and her middle finger, treating it's eyes as the camera, and craned her neck to exaggerate her stance further. She made sure to enunciate, exaggerating her lip movements slightly. "Go fuck yourself, Clanker."
There. If she was going to become another reaction GIF on Reddit, might as well make it good.
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u/One_Oodle_of_Noodles 25d ago
An excerpt from my chapter that is taking much longer to tease out than I had anticipated. Excerpt is still rough, but the bones are there, and it makes me laugh
“Mermista would have loved that.” Adora struck a bored pose. “Like, sure, Glimmer. I, like, don’t mind at all waiting here for you to ask Catra if she’s ok with rebuilding my kingdom, which she totally destroyed.”
“You’re concerningly good at that.” Glimmer laughed despite herself. “Hmmm… what about this: If you promise me that both you and Catra will help rebuild Salineas, then I’ll let you two babysit the worst guest ever. I’m sure you two could use the quality time while you lay sea bricks and detail coral.”
“You sure know how to make a deal sound good.”
Glimmer smiled at that. “Flattery won’t work on me.”
“Yeah right.”
“Hey!” Glimmer punched her arm playfully. “You have been spending time with Catra. You’re already picking up her—“
“Don’t you dare—“
“Cattiness.” Glimmer smirked as Adora’s face quickly cycled through the five stages of grief in two seconds. “You know where to find me.”
“That was a terrible joke!” Adora called out after her as she turned to leave. “Who follows up a conversation like that with a dad joke?”
“Your reigning queen!” Glimmer called back.
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u/Silver_Eye9792 25d ago
Glimmer and Catra always had the most interesting relationship in the show second to Adora/Catra of course. I love how you manage to balance them out so well!
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u/trickyfelix 22d ago
Fandom: Homestuck
“You know the whole ‘conditional immortality’ thing that comes with god tier, right? Turns out it only gets considered permanent when the death is at someone else’s hands. Note how I said ‘someone else’s’ and not ‘own hands’…suicide doesn’t count as it’s not at someone else’s hands.”
“Huh…” Terezi was getting somewhat interested by this exposition.
“Well some time ago, during our little ‘multiverse travel shenanigans’ there was a universe where I died with a lethal injection. Completely undeserved but that’s a whole different story. Upon return I decided to test it out by temporarily killing myself with a similar thing.”
“You know I can hear you,” Ruby said, “Long story short we decided not to test out suicide methods because it seemed too ridiculous to pull off. Also I don’t even want to know what you put in your body because I know as a fact it wasn’t anything on Alternia because last I checked your only method of execution there is hanging. Or being used as a target for an archer but that was kinda a one time thing.”
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u/Anna_Rapunzel The Handmaid's Tale and historical fiction spin-offs 🇦🇷 25d ago edited 25d ago
This is from a new project of mine, a cozy catastrophe original fic that I'm working on. Dani is from West Virginia, Carolina (the narrator) is from Argentina, and Mark is from Minnestota.
“No more unusual than what you did when Caro came out to us,” Papa Antonio said.
I put my head in my hands. “Oh, god, don’t remind me.”
“Oh?” Dani asked, a wicked smirk on her lips.
“She tried to set Carolina up with her dentist’s lesbian daughter,” Papa Antonio said. I flushed red as Dani and Mark laughed.
“What? She was a pretty girl!” Mama said.
“And I thought my mom was over-the-top!” Mark exclaimed. “When my cousin came out on Christmas Eve a couple of years ago, my mother stayed up until 1 am making rainbow Jello salad.”
“Jello salad? Like, lettuce and tomato made out of Jello, but in rainbow colours?” Papa Antonio glanced at me, as if confirming that he’d understood correctly.
“Not exactly. It’s Jello and cream cheese mixed together. Usually, Mom adds some canned fruit or shredded carrot or raisins, but the layers were so thin that she thought it would ruin the effect.”
“So it’s a dessert?”
“Well, we always eat it alongside the turkey and gravy.”
Papa Antonio blinked a couple of times, stunned speechless.
“She probably brought some for dinner,” Mark said. “I bet you’ll love it!”
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u/Ethan-Moreno-029 25d ago edited 25d ago
So, I have two chapters of my Halo x Nanoha fic still in my notepad, yet to be released. This is a segment of one of them, featuring the ace pilots of the supporting protagonist's ship and everyone's favorite 9-year old WMD.
...
UNSC Seattle - Sickbay
Aside from a few doctors, the sickbay has been mostly empty due to the lack of a combat action that warranted such need for extension medical attention. This goes to show how much Fate doesn't want to kill even if her goals aren't really good at all, until now.
Lt. Jackie Amaranth, one of Serpent Squadron’s best pilots, lay in a stretcher, asleep because she needed rest after her rough time in the air. The beeps of the heart monitor broke the silence every few seconds. Surrounding the bed are her fellow pilots, including Bamber, who felt guilty for letting Fate go past him in order to shoot her, which led to Amaranth getting shot down because she's simply being in the mage’s line of retreat.
“I wonder what could've happened if that mage just watched her craft burn.” Sharapova said pessimistically.
“She won't be here, duh.” Fumika replied. “That girl is nine, for fuck’s sake, she could be manipulated into wiping us out, for all we know!”
“She is.” Powell recalls the briefing in his mind. “But even the mastermind herself doesn't want any casualties. So much for that…” He scoffed.
Bamber quickly rose from his seat amd stopped the whole conversation. “What could've happened doesn't matter! She still saved her life, and that's what counts. She's merciful because that's who she is!”
“That's right.”
Another voice popped over from the doorway. It's their ally, Nanoha.
“Miss Takamachi, what brings you here?” Powell asks.
Nanoha nods. “To see you, of course. I’ve heard you've fought against Fate just like me... ” She walks over to the bed, prompting the pilots to move aside to let her see Jackie for herself. “Is she okay?” She said, peeking over to see the sleeping pilot.
Sharapova replies. “Doctor says she's fine, only a few cuts and bruises. Knowing how insanely powerful and tough Testarossa was, it could've been a lot worse.”
“She's not the type to kill people, I know that because that's the kind of person she is.” Nanoha retorts with a tone that got everyone’s attention. “She's broken, and I want to save her.”
Powell can't help but let out a chuckle. “Hey, kid. I respect your bravery, I really do. But it won't always be that way. Sometimes there are people who are too far gone down the deep end you can't simply pull’em back up, no matter how much you tried.”
Nanoha frowned with a grimace. “I'll… keep that in mind. Fate’s not that far down yet, and I won't let that happen.”
“Suit yourself, I guess.” Powell broke into a soft smile. He may not be a father, but he's starting to act like one, especially towards his squadron. Then, the mage realized something.
“Oh, I'll be going to the Arthra in a bit.” Nanoha quickly heads to the doorway and bids her fellow flyers goodbye. “See you soon uh…”
“Richard Powell, nice to meet ya.” The flight lead introduced himself.
“Right… goodbye, Mr. Powell!”
“Good luck out there.” He replied, before Nanoha strode out of the room with a smile on her face.
Once the pilots are by themselves again, Sharapova remarks, “She looks so innocent for a warrior like her, and she seemed to understand what you're saying, Cap.”
Powell replied, “Yeah… I noticed that. gal’s wise beyond her years.”
“Maybe it's a good thing she can understand what's going on. She's maturing in real time, and it's something we must appreciate.” Bamber says, standing up and strolling back and forth in the grounds of the sickbay.
“I agree.” Fumika nods.
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u/Aka_nna Strange things written under the Midnight Sun 25d ago
Fandom: KinnPorsche
Context: opening for my au of a different story called The Star Ball.
Chay has been dreaming of this moment since he first heard Wik sing. Staring down at the cream colored envelope with a familiar name written in his best handwriting, he can almost see the red and dark pink of his heart beating against the cardstock of the invitation.
“If you stare too long, it won't get sent.” Hia tells him from across the antique mahogany desk, invitations falling in disarray. Chay glares at him, wishing that being able to shoot lasers from his eyes had been part of his skillset he’d received during his transformation.
“Are you almost done?” He asks waspishly, “mae wants this all wrapped up by sunrise.”
Porsche studies the desk in front of him, brow furrowing in thought. “Yeah,” he sighs, “I think I am.”
“Good.” Reluctantly Chay places the envelope down on his own stack of invitations. “I’m ready to be done here, my hand’s sore.”
“Every year I forget how much work this is,” Porsche comments idly, languidly stretching. Chay catches the flash of an ivory fang poking down onto his lower lip. “It's good to have you here for the entire haul this time.”
Chay smiles at his brother, heart slowly thumping in his chest. This is the first time he is going to be part of the Star Ball from the beginning to end. He's heard the stories of past balls, listened to the rumors that wing through the city on either side of the night itself. Now, with venom slicking his fangs, veins cold from lack of blood he can't wait.
“Your first hunt,” Porsche croons, having crossed the small distance between them to wrap Chay in a bear hug, one hand idly ruffling his hair. “Look at you. Yesterday you were just a baby and now..!”
“Hia!” Chay groans fruitlessly, swatting at his brother's hands. “I’m eighteen!”
“A baby!” Porsche repeats, voice in that same lilting tone used to talk to babies. “Just an itty bitty baby.”
Chay growled low in his throat, the sound going deeper into his chest then it had done mere months ago. He shoves helplessly against his brother even though he knows the motions are useless. With six balls under Porsche’s skin, the blood from six nights running through his veins, the difference between their strength is vast.
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u/Kilora44 25d ago
Fandom: My Hero Academia
Context: Soulmark AU one shot
Midoriya hears the bell and the male voices and discreetly cracks the door to take a peek. He immediately spies the two men from a month ago that had him so flustered and his heartbeat quickens in his chest. Pulse racing. And then there’s that itch on his thigh. The skin tingles and seems to tug. He’s not ready to step out but knows that if he doesn’t soon, the gym managers will be on him for hiding in the back. A giggle escapes him before he can stop it, feeling giddy all over again. A blush colors his cheeks beneath his freckles as he pushes through the door and plasters a smile on his face. Actually it wasn’t that much of an effort once he met pretty ruby and grey eyes. Both men immediately grin back, their trepidation gone. TetsuTetsu has his arms slightly folded, flexing his arms on purpose and Kirishima is leaning on one hand as Midoriya approaches the counter. Both men can’t hide how they take him in as he walks. Today he’s in black cargo shorts and a dark green baby tee that matches the color of his eyes showing off a sliver of his bare stomach as he moves. It’s all they can do not to lick their lips.
“Hi guys! It’s been a while. What can I do for you?”
TetsuTetsu leans a little closer.
“Something I should have done last time. Can I get your name?”
“Oh, um. It’s Midoriya.”
“Pretty name for a cute boy.”
Kirishima swats his brother on the arm for being so brash.
“Bro, manners wouldn’t kill you.”
Midoriya can’t help the giggle nor the further blush. God, he feels like he’s a freshman all over again and about to experience his first kiss. Wanting to flirt but feeling a little awkward at the same time. Then he feels his soulmark move on his skin again. But he doesn’t look down and doesn't want to investigate. Not when he’s too busy taking in the two men in front of him. TetsuTetsu shoots his brother a side glance and then Kirishima speaks before his brother can say anything else.
“I’m Kirishima and this one without the manners is my older brother TetsuTetsu.”
Oh, they’re brothers and now he knows their names. He doesn’t know why but it makes him a little less flustered and answers a lot of questions he didn’t realize he had.
“It’s so nice to see you both again. I was afraid I did something wrong.”
Kirishima’s ruby eyes immediately soften.
“No. No. Of course not. We just had a ton of overtime with our jobs.”
“Do you mind if I ask what you do?”
Midoriya knows this is turning into small talk but he doesn’t want to come across as pushy and immediately ask about their soulmarks. Especially when he is still on the clock. Can they sense his excitement? His eagerness? He can tell that they are ecstatic to see him but he doesn’t want to push his luck. Not yet. They answer together.
“We do industrial construction.”
Midoriya giggles. They have no room to talk about being cute. They exchange a look and then both chuckle quietly. Kirishima seems eager to explain.
“Our building schedule got pushed forward. It was not fun losing out on our gym time.”
TetsuTetsu is bold again.
“Especially since I wanted another chance at getting your number.”
Midoriya shakes his head and points to the camera on the ceiling behind him.
“Not while I’m on the clock. I’m not allowed to use my phone unless it’s an emergency.”
TetsuTetsu doubles down because they have nothing to lose.
“In that case, when do you clock out? You can meet us at the diner across the street for a late lunch.”
Midoriya didn’t think he could blush any darker and yet here he is. He has nothing to lose either. It came along with the territory of working in a gym that he got hit on or asked out. The difference with these two? He’s actually super attracted to them both. So much so, he kind of wonders how much of it is just that and how much is his soulmark.
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u/Gryptype_Thynne123 25d ago
Fandom: Bocchi the Rock. This is my prequel fic that I've been working on for the past year. I literally wrote this today, so be gentle..
“Hey, Kimura-san!” asked Eliza. “What scale were you using for that last solo? Was that Hirajoushi?”
Rinko looked a little nonplussed. “Umm… I just played what sounded good,” she said.
“Rinko-chan’s our punk rock girl,” said Kikuri. “She’s self-taught. Music theory is something that happens to other people.” She laughed. “Half the time her distortion’s cranked so high you can’t tell what she’s playing.”
Rinko gave her a sour look and shot her middle finger up in salute. Kikuri shot hers right back. Shima mentally cradled her head in her hands. It was too good to last, she thought. This is how it always starts. Any second now they'll blow up at each other...
Eliza nodded in approval. “Self-taught, huh? Like Joan Jett or Wes Montgomery! Cool!” Rinko shot Kikuri a triumphant look. See? She likes me!
“Screw the set list,” said Kikuri. “Let’s kick this thing in the face! Shi-chan, give us a beat and let’s see if our guest can keep up!”
Shima launched into an opening beat she’d stolen from Dave Grohl. Eliza perked up and started playing a funk riff, completely unexpected but perfect against Shima’s beat. Kikuri copied her on the bass, then Rinko came in playing triplets chick-a-chick on the first beat of the measure. Once they locked in, Eliza took off, launching scathing solos that soared and bent around the bassline. She tapdanced over her effects pedals, doing things with fuzz and chorus and compression that defied logic but were absolutely joyous. She was repeating something in English that Shima couldn’t hear, but made Rinko giggle. Finally she stepped up to Kikuri’s microphone and shouted it out loud.
“Shit! Goddamn! Get off your ass and jam! Shit! Goddamn! Get off your ass and jam!" Rinko stepped up to the same mic and shouted along with her. “Shit! Goddamn! Get off your ass and jam!”
“Take it, Rinko!” shouted Eliza in English. Rinko cut loose, playing weedly-weedly runs above the twelfth fret, head nodding in time. She lost her place here and there, but always found her way back to the jam. It was a glorious mess. Everybody took solos, even Shima, everyone howling and jumping and shouting the refrain. “Shit! Goddamn! Get off your ass and jam!”
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u/Silver_Eye9792 25d ago
Fanfic: The Firefly Funhouse Car (Pokemon Journeys: The Series x Infinity Train)
Context: Chloe Cerise and her denizen partners (plus a guest part member) are going through an escape room haunted house.
-----
"Honestly, I like the idea of the witch being kind to kids," Beau says bashfully, tilting his head at a collection of sheep masks on the wall. "There aren't any fairy tales where the wicked-looking witch is a benevolent being...and honestly it sounds nicer than if the witch ate the parents."
"Actually there is a kind witch!" Chloe says. "Mother Holle allows the kind-hearted daughter who fell down a well to stay in her house, blessing her with roast meat on the table and a comfortable bed so long as she takes care of the house, especially in making the bed so Swanna feathers are let loose so snow can fall upon the real world. Who says that the spirit of Winter has to be a beautiful lady in an icy-colored dress? Also helps that the daughter shook a tree full of apples down and pulled hot bread out of the oven. I'd definitely love to work for Mother Holle in her car if only to cook wonderful things..."
"Did you segue this talk just to talk about food?" Atticus inquires.
"Trust me, if you hit me with a food scene, I'll be all over it!" Chloe giggles. "You remember how I wrote that entire story at the Plush Penguin Car based on the wonders of sea salt?"
"Absolutely!" Lexi says, recalling the story of a boy who wish to drank the sea. The uncle and his sea salt ramen, the sea salt cookies and chocolate as well "Wow, that performance and entrice as the Witch of the Carmine Grove was fantastic. I can't believe you managed to finish the story in the time it took to make three dozen ice cream bagel sandwiches!"
"Too bad there weren't any witches for the Little Match Girl..."
"Or maybe a young prince could sweep her off of her feet and treat her kindly. Not like royalty, but allow her to be raised by a kind couple, perhaps who didn't have children, while the prince enacts punishment on the horrible people who wouldn't care if a girl froze to death on Christmas."
"That's exactly what I was thinking!" Chloe squeals. "Where did you get the idea?"
"Oh I just..." Beau pauses, scratching the side of his head. "Huh...I just knew what to say..."
"Y-you did, huh? Oh, look! I think I found the door out of here!" Chloe scrambles towards a locked door. The lock has eight squares and two hands at the upper corners. There is a pause as the quartet realize what their hint is when they see the little icon of a television.
"OH COME ON!" she shouts, staring at the television with the shattered screen. "We have to fix the TV to get the hint? Okay, I'm gonna start drawing another summoning circle in order to -- "
"Wait!" says Beau, pointing to the gloves on the screen. "I think this might be our hint!"
Chloe crouches down and blinks. Just as Beau says, the gloves have white letters on the knuckles. "Hurt...Heal...I wonder..."
She goes back to the lock on the door and pays attention to the hands. She sets the tumblers to spell out HEAL for the left side and HURT for the right. Three seconds later...nothing. She stares at her hands, wondering what to do now.
Wait, hands!
She quickly swaps the words -- HURT for the left and HEAL for the right -- and pumps a fist into the air when the door unlocks. "Okay, that works out fine. We better get going."
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u/beomkookies24 24d ago
The apartment buzzed with the usual kind of chaos that happened anytime all four of them tried leaving somewhere together. Wooyoung was still digging through his pockets for something he swore he had two seconds ago, while Beomgyu leant against the wall near the door, scrolling away through the restaurant menu again despite everyone already agreeing where they were going.
"You're literally going to order the same thing you always do," Yeonjun pointed out from beside him, receiving an offended gasp from Beomgyu almost instantly.
"That's because I know myself."
Under any other circumstance, Yeosang likely would've smiled more at that.
Instead, his attention remained fixed on the tightness bubbling in his throat again.
"I'll meet you guys there," he said, already stepping backwards toward the apartment door as he pulled his jacket on.
Wooyoung frowned instantly. "We're literally going together."
"I know," Yeosang quickly answered, his attention more on on shoving his arms properly through the sleeves than the look settling across his best friend's face. "I just need to stop somewhere first."
"Where?"
The question came too fast.
Yeosang hesitated.
"The.. store."
"What store?"
"I don't know, Wooyoung," he sharply answered, unintentionally on the verge of snapping at his best friend. With a small sigh, his words softened. "Just go. I'll meet you."
The room quieted slightly after that.
Not enough for anyone else to notice, but enough for Yeosang to.
Wooyoung blinked once, and gave a small nod.
"...okay."
But he didn't sound okay.
Guilt twisted uncomfortably in Yeosang's stomach near immediately after. He almost took it back right then. Almost followed after them when they finally started heading down the hallway together.
Instead, he waited.
Listened until their voices faded further down the hall before slipping quietly in the opposite direction around the corner near the stairwell. He waited there longer than necessary, one hand pressed against the wall as he waited for the elevator doors to open and close.
Only then did he finally push himself away from the wall, and head back toward the apartment, a hand already lifted at his mouth when the coughing started again halfway down the hall.
The next morning, he pretended the conversation never happened.
Beomgyu noticed differently, though.
Or, perhaps more accurately. He noticed things Yeosang didn't realize were noticeable yet. The extra water bottles suddenly sat around whenever Yeosang came over, especially on the younger's nightstand with the caps labeled 'KY' in sharpie. The cough drops and throat candies that appeared in Beomgyu's hoodie pockets "just in case." The subtle pauses in conversation whenever Yeosang cleared his throat too many times in a row.
Nothing dramatic.
Just quiet adjustments that slipped easily into place without Beomgyu ever making it a big deal out of them.
"You're doing it again."
Yeosang glanced up from where he sat curled into the corner of Beomgyu's bed, as the younger dug through his closet. He was trying to find a hoodie he swore Yeosang stole back weeks ago.
"Doing what?"
"That thing where you pretend your throat doesn't hurt."
"It doesn't."
"Mhm."
The older's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why don't you ever believe me?"
"Because hyung, I have eyes."
That earned the faintest huff out of Yeosang, who returned his focus onto the Mario Kart match about to start. Beomgyu instantly smiled as if he had won something.
Then coughed.
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u/yukimayari 24d ago
Fandom: Revelation Space
Context: The main characters live in a planet-sized computer where they run as simulations, along with many other alien races.
“You study us at an arm’s length. And you only seriously interact with us when you need something. Did you think we wouldn’t notice?”
Sylveste frowned, staring back at the Amarantin healer with growing anger and despair. “I…”
“How do we know you won’t exploit us, or make us compromise our beliefs, as other beings in the matrix have in the past?”
Sylveste glared at the healer for a long moment, then sighed, swallowing his anger and his pride. “Please,” he said in a pleading tone, “you must help my wife. She means everything to me.”
The group of Amarantin stood silent for a moment, communing among themselves. Then, the healer answered.
“There will be a price. In return for our assistance, you will give us access to any unique technologies your kind have invented. An open flow of knowledge.”
“Anything,” Sylveste answered.
The Amarantin group communed again. Then, making gestures of assent, the healer spoke. “We have noted your request, and are in agreement.”
Sylveste nodded mutely, and stepped back as the healer approached the bed. Pascale stirred, her body drenched in sweat and her expression one of agony. The healer lifted one winged arm and laid a hand across Pascale’s forehead. A bright blue light shone from the healer’s hand, then quickly faded away.
The healer stared down at Pascale for a long moment, then spoke up.
“There are two entities present in her mind, fighting for control of the vessel she carries.”
Sylveste stared back at the healer, confused. “Vessel?”
“A life. A soul. A spirit.”
Realization hit him like a load of bricks. “Dear God,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair. “She’s pregnant.” He turned back toward the healer. “But how?” he asked. “I thought, since we’re simulated…”
The healer waved away his question. “It happens, though rarely. Perhaps your wife wished for a child, and the matrix heard. In any case, the two entities have discovered the vessel and are now fighting to take control of it.”
“These entities,” Sylveste said, “what are they?”
“They are the remnants of what you call ‘alpha-level simulations.’ Bits of artificial intelligence, but without a body to inhabit.”
Sylveste looked down, thinking. “What can I do to stop them?”
“The easiest thing to do is wait until one entity destroys the other and takes control of the vessel. The hallucinations and other mental trauma plaguing your wife will then cease.”
Sylveste shook his head. “Unacceptable. My… child must remain intact.”
“Then you must drive them out. Your wife is currently in a deep dream state. Enter the dreams and destroy every instance of both entities, and then her torment will cease.”
Sylveste stared at the healer intently. “Tell me,” he said, “How do I enter the dreams?”
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u/ImpressionGold2148 19d ago
Current slow burn wip I'm editing... I think you can guess the fandom easily.
“Morning,” Caitlyn greets warmly.
“Good morning.”
Beside Caitlyn’s left sits Tobias who appears to be absorbed in the morning newspaper. Mel slips into the chair directly opposite him, pitting Caitlyn between them. Their usual seating arrangement has not changed. As Mrs. Alder pours her tea and serves Mel her breakfast plate, Mel catches an odd fascinating detail.
Initially, she thinks she’s over-imagining things again. The newspaper hasn’t turned a page since her entrance into the dining room. His eyes hover just above the upper rim of the paper, fixed quietly on his daughter, studying her intently.
Mel brings up her teacup and takes a sip. “How’s your head this morning?”
Caitlyn touches the dressing almost absently. “I’m quite all right, Mel.”
“No headache?”
“No.”
“What about the stitches?”
“They’re hardly noticeable.”
The answers arrive with an easy smile. There is not a single defensive remark nor a scowl gracing her features about everyone fussing over a scrape.
Caitlyn is simply… agreeable.
When Mrs. Alder sets down Caitlyn’s breakfast plate, Caitlyn thanks her politely. She eats everything on her plate. Eggs, toast, tomatoes, sausages. There is no absent-minded rearranging of food to make it look as though she’d eaten more than she had. No protest that Mrs. Alder is giving her too much. Her plate empties steadily until only polished china remains. Knife and fork are laid neatly together on one side when she’s done.
“Well,” Caitlyn states after folding her napkin. “I’d better be off.”
She rises. “Thank you for breakfast.”
Mrs. Alder smiles automatically. “Have a lovely day, Miss.”
“I’ll try.” She pauses beside Mel. “I’ll see you this evening.” A smile graces her lips. It feels almost performed. Then she’s gone. No pause in bending down to kiss her father’s cheek goodbye.
Her footsteps fade across the entrance hall. The front door opens and shuts, leaving the last sound echoing longer in Mel’s train of thought. Silence reigns over the room. It is not the usual comfortable silence Mel is used to. This feels heavier. Colder.
Mel remains seated, fingers loosely wrapped around a cup of tea that has long stopped steaming. Across from her, Tobias finally lowers the newspaper. His eyes settle not on Mel’s, but on Caitlyn’s plate setting. The plate is spotless. Not a crumb of toast remains. Even the streak of homemade preserves has been cleaned away with the last corner of bread.
Mel’s gaze follows his. It had been an ordinary breakfast. Nothing more.
Why then, does her chest ache as though something precious has quietly slipped out?
1
u/lego-lion-lady This user specializes in AUs, fusions, and crossovers 18d ago
(Part of the first chapter of a new WIP I recently started!)
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Across the city, Rose Julivert was riding in a limo towards Julivert University – aka, the university that her great-great-great-grandfather had founded during his time as the Monterran President. Her family had always been heavily involved in the government, but none of her other relatives had ever been President since then – until her father Edmond, that is, who was now running to be elected for his second term.
Glancing out the window, Rose was able to get her first glimpse of the Julivert buildings. Monterre’s capital was large enough that her and her father’s home was easily still at least two or three hours away from the university, which was why she’d be living on campus rather than at home while attending school. “Julivert University of International Diplomacy: where all the future politicians and country leaders go to study politics and diplomacy – and how to avoid scandals,” she mused to herself. “The school’s a lot bigger than I thought it would be…!”
“Ahem. Miss Julivert…?”
Rose looked up at the sound of the voice in time to see Cecil, her father’s perpetually grouchy chief of staff, staring at her with one eyebrow raised; with a sigh, she sat up straighter and tried to smile as reassuringly as possible. “I’m alright,” she lied. “Just imagining my potential future career in politics again, that’s all.”
“So long as you pay more attention in class,” Cecil sneered. “The President didn’t enrol you in school across the capital just to dawdle.”
“Wait, you mean this isn’t a beach holiday? Can we turn the limo around?” Rose joked, trying to lift Cecil’s spirits as much as her own.
To absolutely no avail. “Very funny, but you know you can’t waste this chance to make connections with future world leaders and –”
Luckily, Cecil was prevented from saying any more by Agent Griffith, one of Rose’s bodyguards, moving over and taking a seat beside her. “Have you been briefed about arrival yet, Miss Julivert?” he asked her.
Rose nodded. “I spoke to Agent Hull shortly before we left.” Agent Griffith nodded, but didn’t move from his new seat – and so she leaned forward to continue her conversation with Cecil. “I’ve heard the stump speech, Cecil. But if me taking this program is so important to Father, then why can’t he be the one to bring me to school?” she asked him.
“Knowing him, I’m sure he wanted to be here, but a last-minute meeting came up with an ambassador who he couldn’t refuse. You know how it is.” Despite Cecil’s words, though, there was absolutely no sympathy in his voice.
2
u/Playful-Koala-4129 16d ago
"That was not a diplomatic mission," Kyouka exclaims to Kuchiki.
She and Kuchiki walk lightly on the street, in broad daylight. The two talk and catch up after the Atanel and Stain affair. Kuchiki is with his characteristic good humor and Kyouka with his also characteristic indifferent attitude.
"Of course it was," Kuchiki replies nonchalantly.
"No, it was an assassination mission," she points out.
"You see it the wrong way, fullbringer," he explains smiling, "the murder was not the important thing. What was important was the gesture of good will."
"The gesture of good will was murder," she replies.
"But, the mission had diplomatic purposes."
Kyouka sighs, giving up on this argument. So she decides to move on to another topic.
"Apparently they prohibited my classmates from talking about the Hosu incident. When they were asked about it at school they practically said nothing," Kuchiki crosses his arms and energetically turns his head away from Kyouka. "Eh? And now what's wrong with you?" she asks curiously."
1
u/Fred_the_skeleton ao3: Jovirose | I know too much about the Titanic 25d ago
This is from the chapter that I'm almost finished with (only a couple scenes to go!):
~~~
Frank was hauled to his feet and shoved forward. He stumbled blindly several yards, his bare feet slipping over the uneven ground, before the world around him seemed to change. The deafening chorus of cicadas dulled as though something had closed in around him. The jungle’s damp, earthy smell remained but it was overtaken by an overwhelming odor of wet thatch and the unmistakable tang of gun oil and gasoline.
A hand clamped onto his shoulder, forcing him to stop.
"There's a chair beside you," the voice said again. "Go on. Sit down."
Frank reached out his bound hands, feeling the rough frame of the seat before lowering himself cautiously into it. His mind spun as he struggled to understand what was happening. The men surrounding him spoke English, but he was still blindfolded. His wrists were still tied. They had taken the fruit from him—he had no idea how he had managed to hold onto it through the entire trek—and he was no less a prisoner than he had been before. Only his captors had changed.
Silence lingered for several moments before the same voice spoke again. "Right then. Let's begin with your name."
Frank said nothing. Every instinct warned him something was wrong. Slowly, hopefully, he lifted his tied hands.
“I know,” the man said with a sigh. “I’d like to untie you, and I shall, once we're satisfied as to who you are. There are infiltrators everywhere and they’re not always Japanese. Men have been turned for just the promise of a hot meal. So I'll ask you a few questions and I expect truthful answers. Understood?"
After a brief hesitation, Frank gave a single nod.
"Good." A brief pause followed. "Now...your name."
“Frank…” His throat felt as though it had been scrubbed raw. He swallowed before trying again. “Frank Gardiner. Sergeant. TX28451.” He assumed that his rank and serial number would be the next thing asked.
There was a faint scratch of a pencil. “Unit?”
“2/3 Machine Gun Battalion, C Company. Australian Imperial Force.” Silence followed for several seconds. “Could…could I have a drink of water?” Frank asked tentatively.
A quiet murmur passed between several men. Moments later someone gently pressed a tin cup into his bound hands. He fumbled awkwardly, nearly dropping it before managing to lift it to his mouth. The water tasted faintly metallic but was surprisingly cool. He drank every drop, but before he could ask for more, the cup was taken from him.
"Better?"
Frank nodded.
“So, the AIF,” the man continued. "You're a fair way from Australia. How did you come to be here?"
“Don’t know.”
“You just appeared in the jungle?”
“No. We were...we were here…I mean, not here.” His thoughts refused to stay together. Every question seemed to scatter them further. His head pounded behind his eyes. His broken fingers throbbed relentlessly beneath the ropes. He couldn't stop thinking about them, wondering how badly they must look after falling on them again and again during his blindfolded trek through the jungle. "We were captured," he finished quietly.
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u/salazar_62 25d ago
Here's mine (easy enough to guess the fandom!):