KJ

Title: A Home by the Woods
Fandom: Critical Role
Rating: G-ish
Wordcount: 1000
Characters: Percy/Vex
Spoilers: Set vaguely after episode 89, spoilers to that point (though nothing too specific).
Notes: Written for the "a picture is worth a thousand words" challenge, where participants receive a photo prompt and write a story of exactly one thousand words based on it. My photo was Silent Shadow (Finding Alice) by Alexandra Bloch.

Also on AO3.

Summary: On the eve of an important event, Vex goes for a walk in the woods.

Vex always feels most herself in the forest.

From their childhood, Vax preferred the hustle and bustle of cities and towns; while Vex acknowledges the many charms of urban life (good food, cute shops -- and cute shopkeepers -- soft beds...), every so often she needs a day away, needs to trade cobblestones and buildings and prying eyes for soft earth and ancient trees. A day to breathe deeply of fresh air, feel dappled sunshine on her cheeks, listen for the small sounds of abundant life -- wind brushing through leaves, insects creaking, birds chirping, the cry of a distant eagle. Alone, with her bear and perhaps her brother for company, Vex can journey into the woods and find solace there.

Not every day, but some days, she awakens to wooden beams over her head instead of the open sky, and knows she needs to make her escape. On one such day, she rises, dresses, and wakes Trinket -- all quietly, so as not to disturb the man still asleep beside her -- and then goes, snagging some bread and cheese from the kitchen on her way out. As she leaves the castle for the woods, she feels her breath come easier, her shoulders lighten as the trees rise around her and the rustle of wind in the leaves fills her ears. An hour in, she finds a likely fallen log, covered with moss and dead leaves, and sits, pulling out her breakfast and scratching Trinket behind the ears while they watch the sun rise.

( Read more... )

Hmm, I need some Critical Role icons.

Title: Sibling Rivalry
Fandom: Critical Role
Rating: GA
Wordcount: 2011
Characters: Percy and Cassandra, mention of Percy/Vex
Spoilers: through episode 73 ("The Coming Storm")
Notes: Written for the 2016 round of Winter's Crest gifts, to a request for a story about the complex relationship between the de Rolo siblings, especially in light of the revelations in episode 73. Set in a slight AU of Episode 74 (giving Vox Machina an extra day in Whitestone).

Summary: Percival and Cassandra sometimes have different ideas about how much information she needs to have to properly rule Whitestone. A conversation, a fight, a reconciliation.

On AO3

Title: Those Who Wait
Fandom: Critical Role
Rating: G
Wordcount: 4317
Characters: Mostly OCs. Brief appearances by Kerrek and Vax.
Spoilers: Through Episode 56 ("Hope"). Set during Ep 54 through 56.
Notes: Written for the 2016 reverse big bang sponsored by critrolebang, and based on this artwork by cool-porygon. The art is also embedded at the end of the story.

Summary: A young woman of Westruun contemplates whether to flee the site of a terrible disaster, or stay and help rebuild her home.

On AO3

Back in July, I took 15 Characters prompts on Tumblr, and wrote three stories, which I am just now getting around to cross-posting. Enjoy the wackiness; I know I did.

Title: Strange Bedfellow
Characters: Cassandra Pentaghast (Dragon Age)/Peggy Carter (MCU)
Prompt: "Fifteen and three discover a cat in their bed. Is it their cat? Did one of them bring home a cat? Is it a strange cat? you decide."
Notes: Bet you never thought of this pairing before. Bet you can't stop thinking about it now.

On Tumblr / On Ao3

---

Title: Gather Ye Lords and Ladies Fair
Characters: Cassandra, Bethany Hawke, Paine (FFX-2)
Prompt: 3, 13, and 7 at a Renaissance faire
Notes: Modern AU, of course. Title is a lyric from a Blackmore's Night song.

On Tumblr / On Ao3

---

Title: Insubordination
Characters: Peggy Carter, Natasha Romanoff, Carver Hawke
Prompt: Five and Fifteen are fighting viciously. Twelve steps in to break it up with a stunning revelation.
Notes: Set in the MCU, although don't think too hard about what timeframe. Let's call it an AU, since we're crossing it over with Dragon Age anyway.

On Tumblr / On Ao3

Title: Another Round
Fandom: Mass Effect/Final Fantasy XII
Rating: Teen
Wordcount: 1142
Characters: Garrus/Balthier
Spoilers: Implied, for Garrus's recruitment mission in ME2
Notes: Written for the 2016 Final Fantasy Kiss Battle, to a prompt by lassarina. This is justira's fault, entirely. My first time writing any sort of ME fic at all, so be gentle.

Also on AO3.

---

Garrus flipped a credit chit at the bartender. "Another," he said.

The asari shot him a hard glare. "Haven't you had enough already?" In answer, Garrus glared back, and the asari picked up the chit with a heavy sigh. "Fine." She tapped the chit to the reader, then frowned. "Huh."

"What?" Garrus drained the dregs of his drink and pushed the glass to the side. "Something wrong?"

"It's been declined," the bartender said.

Garrus clicked his mandibles in irritation. "That can't be right," he said. "Try it again."

The bartender crossed her arms. "It won't work," she snapped. "Besides, like I said, you've had enough."

"Fine," Garrus rumbled. "I'm sure another bar on Omega would be happy to take my money."

"Be my guest." The bartender tossed the chit at his face, but before it could hit him, a hand snatched it neatly out of the air.

Garrus turned; the hand belonged to the human man sitting next to him at the bar. The man studied the chit, pushed it toward Garrus, and then pulled another out of his vest pocket. "Let me cover it," he said.

The asari looked at him, glanced at Garrus, then turned back to the man. "You sure?"

The man shrugged. "Why not? I hate to see a good fellow go begging for a drink. And I'll take another of these" -- he tilted his own empty glass in her direction -- "as long as you're at it."

"He's not exactly begging," the bartender grumbled, but she took the proffered chit and verified it before pouring the two drinks and handing them over. Then she slid around to the other side of the bar, as though to avoid any further conversation, not giving them another look.

( Garrus turned toward his seatmate, who he thought might provide better company. )

Title: Grown
Fandom: Dragon Age
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 1278
Characters: Leliana/Bethany Hawke
Spoilers: Minor, for all three games
Notes: Written for the Tumblr giveaway I ran last year, as a gift for defira85. She requested Leliana/Bethany for Femslash February, in the context of Bethany joining the Inquisition as the leader of a group of mages, and having an old crush on Leliana from their days in Lothering. This is a lovely idea, which I adopted as headcanon for my Marian Hawke's universe from the moment I got the prompt. :) Defira, I hope you enjoy it!

Also on AO3.

"Bethany Hawke." Leliana regarded the newcomer with a smile, and an outstretched hand. "I heard you had come to Skyhold, but I wasn't sure whether to believe it."

Bethany returned the smile and shook Leliana's hand with a warm, sure grip. She was dressed in dark blue robes, a sandalwood staff strapped to her back. Leliana almost hadn't recognized her, but the gentle, shy girl that she remembered from the Lothering Chantry shone through the same brown eyes, the same sweet smile. "Believe it or not, here I am."

( Read more... )

Title: Keeping Up Appearances
Fandom: Dragon Age 2
Rating: G/PG
Wordcount: 1516
Characters: Fenris, Isabela, Marissa Hawke. Fenris/f!Hawke.
Spoilers: For the Fenris romance
Notes: Written for areyougame, to the prompt "Fenris, forced merriment". The due date was 12/26, but this is a First Day story, so either I'm almost a week late or right on time, depending on how you count it.

Summary: Fenris attends Hawke's First Day party, somewhat unwillingly. Isabela is determined that he will enjoy himself.

On Are You Game / On AO3

Title: Going Undercover
Fandom: Dragon Age (DA:O/DA:I)
Rating: Gen
Wordcount: ~1700
Characters: Kasia Brosca, Zevran, Leliana, Cullen, Scout Harding (briefly)
Spoilers: Yes, through Here Lies the Abyss
Notes: Inspired by a prompt on the 21_days Dragon Age fest, but finished about a month after deadline. There's an amnesty period coming up, but I didn't want to sit on it that long, so here we are.

Also on AO3.

---

"Goodness." Zevran Arainai stopped at the top of the endless stone stairway and pulled out a handkerchief to mop at his brow, taking a few deep breaths. "Did they really have to build it this high up?"

Kasia Brosca shielded her eyes against the sun and peered up, up, and up some more, her gaze finally falling on Skyhold fortress where it loomed above them, flags snapping in the wind. "Would you want to lay siege to it?"

( 'Point'. )

Have some short fics I haven't crossposted here yet, including my stories for this year's Kiss Battles and some Tumblr memes. All links go to AO3.

Kiss Battles

Title: Learning to Lose
Characters: Lulu, Yuna
Prompt: "They get closer and closer to the end, and Lulu doesn't know if she'll be able to see the thing through when they reach the finish line."

Lulu thought she knew what she was getting into.
---

Title: Five Years and a Hundred More
Characters: Larsa/Penelo
Prompt: She sees he's grown up.

Dancing at the five-year anniversary of Larsa's coronation.
---

Title: Visitor
Characters: Flemeth/Solas
Prompt: The Old Days
Notes: Major, major DA:I spoilers.

Flemeth has an unexpected visitor in the Wilds.
---

Other Flashfic

Title: Minor Acts of Sedition
Characters: Malika Cadash, Sera
Prompt: "I have one word for you: sing-a-long!"
Notes: I haven't completed the quest this story references, so apologies for any missteps with canon. But I think it should be close enough. No real spoilers.

When Maryden the bard sends reports of scandalous songs being sung, Malika Cadash has to hear them for herself.
---

Title: A Different Life
Characters: Blackwall/Malika Cadash
Prompt: n/a
Notes: Written to dive a little deeper into a conversation that Malika and Blackwall never properly had about his past. Major spoilers for Blackwall's personal quest.

A conversation put off too long.
---

Title: Good Company
Characters: Alistair/Sereda Aeducan (pre-ship), Duncan
Prompt: "Are you flirting with me?"

Alistair, Sereda, and a lighthearted moment at Ostagar.

omg fic! I can't even remember the last time I finished and posted a story. Not since before I injured my hand, anyway.

Title: All the Better to See You With
Fandom: FFX
Rating: G
Wordcount: 2,566
Characters: Yuna and cast, including most of the aeons
Spoilers: If you know what you're looking for, which I suppose means no.
Notes: Based on a request in the Chocobo Down database for a Yuna-centric fairy tale AU, and also inspired by the current (about to close) theme for the Chocobo Races: Ladies and Fandom Tropes (AUs). The fairy tale I chose was Little Red Riding Hood. Takes a fair number of liberties with both stories. ;)

Also on AO3

( Once upon a time, there was a young summoner named Yuna. She packed a basket of fresh bread, pulled on her red cloak, and left her home village to visit her grandmother, who lived on the other side of the wood. )