War becomes unappetizing after a cataclysm. Andy and Quᝳnh know this, having lived long enough to trace the patterns in themselves and the world that won't let them die. Andy still remembers the first kill she ever regretted, some thug looting the ruins after a disastrous earthquake. She can't recall the man's name or face, but she'll never forget the way she felt when she threw his body into the mass grave with the others. What a waste, to take a life in the midst of such senseless death, to insist on violence when the survivors were crying out for tenderness and care. Years later, when she finally meets the woman haunting her dreams, she learns that Quᝳnh feels similarly. Together they fall into a pattern: every few centuries, when they grow weary of the never-ending parade of disaster and destruction, they find somewhere quiet and settle down for a while. Andromache looks forward to these interludes when they can nurture and rebuild instead of killing and destroying.
The great pestilence that begins in 1346 is particularly bleak, even for immortals who have lived through millennia of wars and plagues. It spreads quickly and indiscriminately, wiping out families in days and entire villages in weeks. Andy and her companions spend years helping to bury the dead and enforcing quarantines by whatever means necessary. Occasionally, the immortals fight for a liege lord who is willing to help his subjects, rather than punishing them or profiting from their misfortunes. Such men are few and far between, for it is easy to do dark deeds during dark times.
Then the scourge returns in 1361 to taunt the feeble, dispirited dregs of humanity. Quᝳnh and Andromache are expecting this; the plague was already an old nemesis of theirs when it struck Constantinople eight centuries ago. It recedes and returns like the tide, like so many inevitable and inexorable things on this cursed earth. Andy and Quᝳnh understand, without having to say a word, that the time has come for another period of pax lesbiana. They happen to be in England at the time, so they scout the shires for a soft nest to land in.
Eventually they find a cottage in Kent, a day's riding distance from their contacts and caches in London. The house is nestled between a small village and a patchwork of disused fields, indistinguishable apart from the occasional abandoned farmhouse or crumbling barn. The world has shrunk in so many ways recently, contracted at the edges. Roads that predate the Romans are now overgrown from disuse and the wolves have become bolder.
Quáťłnh and Andromache soon learn that their choice of home is less than fortuitous. Out of the hundreds of pestilence-emptied cottages and hovels, they have chosen the one that belonged to the village cunning woman. An aura of suspicion still lingers around her memory and her house alike. Andy is sure that despite their scorn, the townspeople did not hesitate to seek out the woman's poultices and charms. She reckons the crone probably undertook the thankless task of nursing the plague victims as well, only to be called a witch for her efforts. Andy has lived many lifetimes in many worlds, and in most of them competent women are considered a threat, especially during a crisis.
No matter. Andy and Quᝳnh have been called witch, demon, jiangshi, lamia, a veritable bestiary of abominations. They are hardly expecting a warm welcome as two strange women with ambiguously foreign accents, one with a decidedly foreign complexion. Trust comes slowly, and they know exactly the right pace of ingratiating themselves in order to coax it along. Even a decade since the plague last flared in these lands, there is a shortage of able-bodied laborers. The serfs know it would be foolish to spurn two spare sets of strong arms in the fields, and Andy and Quᝳnh know it too. They go out of their way to help with thatching roofs, lambing, and digging a new well. And although they aren't so open about it, their new neighbors cannot fail to notice that wolves and bandits have mysteriously disappeared from the forest and roads ever since the new witches moved into the old cottage.
One late May morning, Yusuf and Nicolò come to call and are baffled to find their friends stooped in the kitchen garden, wearing aprons instead of armor, the sweat on their brows mixed with soil instead of blood. Even more strange is the gaggle of children surrounding them, helping to pick herbs and plunging greedy hands into the women's pockets in search of treats. Andy and Quᝳnh both have an affection for children which they rarely have the opportunity to indulge in their mercenary existence. These youngsters prove easier to charm than their parents and grandparents, for they are not saddled with the anguish of remembering. They only know that before the pestilence, the world was very different in a way they cannot imagine. It is the elders who are slow to trust, who see danger around every corner, who view the new world as merely a shadow of the old, perhaps a waking nightmare or Hell itself.
The sight of newcomers astride warhorses and armed with swords marks a rapid end to the idyll in the garden. As Joe and Nicky dismount and tether their mounts, the children cower behind Quáťłnh and Andromache.
"Are they tax collectors?" asks a little girl name Merild with a quivering lip. King Richard, in his infinite adolescent wisdom, has recently levied yet another poll tax for every soul over the age of fifteen in order to fund the interminable war with France.
The lovers swap a glance over the children's heads and have a conversation conducted solely through raised eyebrows and tilted heads. Their friends have not paid them the courtesy of sending a messenger ahead of them, so they have not had a chance to concoct a story explaining the arrival of the newcomers.
"My father says if we see the tax men, we must hide because we cannot afford to pay. And if they catch us they will brand us!" says an older boy called Wulfstan. This, of course, plunges Merild into fits of sobs.
"Hush, child, calm yourself." Andromache kneels in front of Merild. "Do they look like tax collectors? They travel lightly and do not carry any chests or documents or the king's seal."
"Perhaps they are knights on pilgrimage to Canterbury!" cries Wulfstan's brother Ortwin.
Knights and tax collectors: these are unusual, portentous things, and anything out of the ordinary breeds rumor. Although it has been millennia since she was a child herself, Andy knows that little ones talk twice as much as they listen. The news of the visitors will spread rapidly now, irrevocably linked with her and Quáťłnh. It is too risky, they decide mutually with a minuscule shake of the head, to claim the strangers as their friends.
"We owe strangers our hospitality, no matter who they are. And I will not ask our guests to break bread with the likes of you, gluttonous and with terrible table manners!" Quáťłnh chides with her habitual barbed humor.
"Indeed! You have already eaten us out of house and home today. Run along now, before you're missed in the fields," says Andy as she ruffles Merild's hair.
"I have never known you to be so domestic! It is quite charming," Nicolò declares when they were safely inside with bowls of pottage and flagons of ale.
"Charming, but not exactly stimulating. You said you wanted to live humbly, but thisâŚ" Yusuf's gesture encompasses the entire one-room cottage, from the straw rushes on the floor to the small pallet bed and the pen where the livestock sleep.
Quᝳnh bristles. Andromache rests a placating hand on her arm: calm yourself; we knew this might happen. "It is a quiet life, but busy in its own way."
"How, pray tell, do you occupy yourselves?" Nicky inquires. He has the audacity to look concerned, as if he is counseling parishioners who have wandered astray.
"Apart from working the land and tending the animals and helping the serfs? We practice our languages, cook, garden. Quáťłnh plays her SĂĄo flute. I like to carve toys for the children." Andy keeps her tone light. She doesn't expect them to understand, these boys who wear their years so gracefully. The world they were born into still exists, ruled over by the same gods and mostly the same dynasties. They can return to their homes and recognize the languages, buildings, food, and music, even with the changes wrought by three hundred years. They do not know what it is to carry whole worlds inside their own fallible memories, to gradually forget their mother tongue and the lullabies that soothed them in the cradle. They do not yet realize that when you are as old as Andromache and Quáťłnh, sometimes you need to stop and grieve the worlds that have withered away around you.
"And you hunt wolves, evidently." Joe smiles and nods towards several teetering stacks of pelts in the corner. Andy has kept them with the thought of turning them into blankets and warm clothing for the children but such a grisly gift might sour or intimidate the villagers. Their standing in the community rests on a knife's edge, so they cannot afford to take risks.
"We patrol the perimeter. There are more wolves than outlaws these days, but it keeps our fighting skills sharp regardless."
"That is good to hear, very good indeed," Nicky leans forward and moves his hands as he speaks. "Because we have come to enlist those very skills."
"Ah, now we finally get to the heart of the matter! And here I thought you had barged in unannounced just to insult our home." Quáťłnh has a way of smiling that makes her teeth look like fangs.
"Ah, mi scusi," Nicky's hands spread out, a white flag of truce unfurling. "Dear friends, we did not mean to insult you, quite the opposite. You are wasting yourselves here and it is painful to witness. But we have found a worthy cause. An honorable banner that we can unite under once more!"
"Is there such a thing as an honorable banner anymore? Only territorial squabbles and petty feuds." Andromache observes.
"No, this is quite a different matter entirely." Nicky turns to Joe and they both scan the hovel conspiratorially, as if the sheep and pigs might be listening.
"The serfs are planning a revolt," Joe whispers. "They demand an end to serfdom, the right to work for the employer of their choice, and a reprieve from the king's exorbitant taxes."
"Entirely reasonable demands. I wish them well," Quáťłnh says. This is clearly not the response the men were expecting or hoping for.
"But it is a just cause! Listen to this: a tiler in Dartford, name of Walter, his daughter was viciously assaulted by a tax collector, so he slew the man on the spot with his work hammer." Yusuf turns to Andy entreatingly, knowing her tenderness for women who suffer violence. Andy concedes the point with an incline of her chin. It isn't a bad reason to start a revolt.
"People are finally standing up, refusing to pay, and fighting back. Do not we always try to fight on the side of justice?" he continues. Andy has to restrain herself from clucking her tongue in condescension. Joe and Nicky are so young. She and Quáťłnh know firsthand that uprisings are difficult to start and even more difficult to win. The world has an inertia to it that even that even immortals cannot dispel.
"Yes, we do, but we cannot fight for every just cause. And justice does not always come at the end of a sword." Andromache endeavors to keep her tone gentle, but her friends cannot be placated. They view Andy and Quᝳnh's refusal as condemnation of their choice to participate in the uprising. She remembers that Nicolò and Yusuf have never fought without Quᝳnh and Andromache, at least not since the Crusade when they met and fell in love.
"This is not some disgruntled rabble rioting in the streets," Nicky declares. Andy suspects he is deliberately misunderstanding the reason for their refusal in his determination to convince them. "The serfs are organized, with leaders like Wat Tyler and even a priest, John Ball. He is a true man of God. I heard him preach and it was glorious."
Quáťłnh and Andy roll their eyes. They have little patience for Nicky's piety. To them, it is akin to an adolescent phase they know he will soon grow out of. Immortals do not believe in gods; if they begin as zealots they do not long remain so. How can they when they have witnessed dozens of one true faiths rise, fall, and disintegrate to ashes?
Nicky ignores them and begins reciting from memory with his eyes closed in ecstasy. "When Adam tilled and Eve wove, who was then a gentleman? From the beginning all men by nature were created alike, and our bondage or servitude came in by the unjust oppression of evil men. For if God would have had any bondmen from the beginning, He would have appointed who should be bond, and who free. And therefore I exhort you to consider that now the time is come, appointed to us by God, in which ye may, if ye will, cast off the yoke of bondage, and recover liberty!"
Andromache can sense Quáťłnh's frustration, so rushes to head off her partner's harsh tongue.
"It is very moving and of course we sympathize with the plight of the serfs. We do everything we can to help them, as you have seen. We told you when we went into retirement we would cease fighting, and we take that vow seriously. No exceptions. It is very important for us to have these periods of rest."
"And what of honor? Chivalry? Justice!" Nicky cries.
"Words, just like your Bible is only words!"shouts Quáťłnh. "A life cannot be sustained on words alone. We need soil and grit and life among real people, to remind us ofâŚ" she falters. It is a feeling that cannot be put into words, because she and Andromache have never had to discuss it.
"Perhaps you will understand some day, depending on how long you are cursed to live this life," she finally spits.
Read the rest on AO3 here! (And do mind the tags).
Being stuck in a time loop is the loneliest thing in the world. Effie keeps it to herself the first couple times she goes to sleep on the ninth day of Quiet only to wake up on the ninth day of Quiet. At first she wonders if she's just gotten her days mixed up, since life in Vertumna is so freaking monotonous: go to class, help Auntie Tammy in the creche, hang out with Ary and her friends, work a shift at her dad's bar. Her daily routine has only gotten more boring since her older sibling Gren left for their expeditions apprenticeship. She wishes she could tell Gren about this weird time loop thing, but families are only supposed to use official channels to contact apprentices, and even then only in case of emergencies. Apparently this is so apprentices can get used to long stretches of isolation and self-sufficiency in the Vertumnan wilds.
Effie understands the reason for the rule, but she doesn't have to like it. Nothing that happens in her life feels real until she tells Gren about it. When Effie got her first period in the middle of a sportsball match, she ran crying to Gren for comfort and an emergency wad of napkins. After her first kiss, she told Gren before she wrote about it in her diary. Gren is the prism through which Effie views the world, and now they're gone. The time loop is real, though, even though she hasn't told Gren about it. And it doesn't seem to be spontaneously fixing itself.
The first person she tells is her girlfriend Ary. They're lab partners in science class, so Effie relates the strange tale in a furious whisper when they're supposed to be setting up their table. Ary laughs at first, so Effie has to convince her it's not a joke. Then she has to convince Ary she's not started smoking stardust with the delinquents who hang out behind Geoponics, where the perennially herbaceous aroma masks the smell.
"That's wild, babe. What are you going to do? What does your mom say?"
"I dunno what I should do. And I haven't told her yet," Effie admits with a furtive glance towards her mom writing on the board at the front of the classroom.
"Okay, so there's your first step."
"What could she even do? It's not like she's a time travel expert."
"Uh, Effie, she's literally a research scientist. It's her job to study weird shit. She could probably help you design a bunch of experiments to figure out why it's happening and how to stop it."
"I wish Gren was here," Effie mutters. Ary reaches across the table and squeezes her hand. "I know, my love."
"Effervescent and Estuary, I see a lot of talking and not a lot of science happening at your table," Solana calls, loud enough for the entire class to hear. Effie blushes and sinks lower in her seat as the other kids chortle. Her mom doesn't want to show favoritism, so she's extra strict with Effie on days when she's teaching. It's like the opposite of being the teacher's pet, except worse because the teacher grills you at home, too.
"Girls? Do I need to split you up?" she prods.
"No, Professor Solana," Effie and Ary chime in whiny adolescent unison.
"And you wonder why I don't want to tell her," Effie hisses as they make a show of assembling the materials and reading the lab assignment. At least they make quick work of the project, as Effie's already done the experiment five or six times by now.
The second person Effie tells is her dad. She's always found it easier to talk to him compared with her mom; Rex is all warmth and understanding where Solana is coldness and questions. Effie knows her mom loves her, of course she does. But there's always a distance that feels almost clinical, like Solana is a thousand miles away and Effie is just one of millions of specimens in her lab. Besides, there's hardly any competition when one of your parents is part-dog and literally the embodiment of those old Earth golden retriever memes.
Rex and Effie are cleaning up the bar after yet another slow, mellow shift on the ninth day of Quiet. She broaches the topic tentatively, expecting more doubts and accusations of drug use like she got from Ary. But Rex doesn't seem surprised at all. He just hums thoughtfully, plops down on a bar stool, and motions for her to sit next to him.
"That sounds really scary, kiddo. Have you told your mom yet?"
"Why is everyone asking me that!?" Effie cries. "Just because Mom's a scientist and I'm a freak of nature doesn't mean she'll be able to help me withâŚwhatever this is."
"It's not just because she's a scientist. And you're not a freak of nature. We didn't want to scare you in case it didn't happen to you, but your mom and Grenadine have had similar incidents. Time slips, Mom calls them. You likely inherited it from her."
"Mom and Gren? Why didn't they tell me?" Effie's using the singular they â completely unsurprised that her mother would hide something like this from her, utterly dumbfounded that Gren is even capable of it. They tell each other everything, or so Effie thought.
"It's not exactly an easy thing to talk about," Rex says gently. "How many Quiet ninths have you had before you told me?"
Effie doesn't like the answer to that question, so she ignores it.
"Well, do they know what causes it? Can they make it stop?"
"It can't be stopped completely, but Mom has found ways to manage it. You should really talk to her about it. She knows much more than I do."
Effie doesn't like that answer either. "I guess I don't have a choice with Gren gone."
Rex reaches out to ruffle her hair, and Effie leans into the touch. "Look, kiddo. I know Mom can be a bit prickly, but you don't exactly make it easy for her. You two are more alike than you think."
"She doesn't make it easy for me!" Effie insists. "She's ten times harder on me than anyone else in class, and she makes me call her Professor Solana even though Professor Larkspur doesn't make Celi do that when he teaches. And I worked really hard on that poem I wrote for Vertumnalia, but all she said was well done. That's it! It's like she thinks nothing matters but hard science."
"It can be hard to be tender with the people we love the most," her dad says simply. "She loved that poem, you know. She just didn't know how to tell you. "
"That doesn't make any sense," Effie grumbles.
"Just talk to her. Or you can keep trying to solve it yourself, since that seems to be going well for you so far."
"Dad!" Effie slaps him lightly on the arm, half in despair and half in jest. He ruffles her hair again, stands up, and starts making her favorite mocktail.
Puberty and its attendant hormones hit you and your friends like a Faceless during Glow. Everyone starts pairing up, making out, settling down. There's a new tension between you and Cal, an awareness of the closeness of your bodies as you work together in Geoponics. You become absurdly attuned to his every move, his muscles rippling under his shirt, the gentleness and steadiness of his calloused hands. Best of all, you can sense his hungry gaze on you, too.
One day Cal invites you over to his place, and Auntie Tirah leaves the two of you alone with the dregs of a bottle of wine. You confess your feelings in a surge of tipsiness and coziness and the warmth of Cal's smile. The next thing you know, he's smiling into your kiss and running his hands through your hair. You pull away to catch your breath and giggle into the soft crease of his neck.
Dating Cal is the most natural thing in the world; your love blooms out of the rich soil of your lifelong friendship. He's so attentive and delights in spoiling you with bouquets of exofauna, your favorite snacks, and trinkets from the command store. You don't feel at home in your gangly adolescent body, but to Cal you're a marvel. With his perfectly-balanced body temperature, he's constantly worried that you're too hot or too cold. One day in bed, when you mention that you feel self-conscious about getting sweat on him during your delightful romps, he kisses the perspiration from your skin.
"Mm, delicious. I love smelling like you. It's kinda hot," he declares. How could you ever deserve such a perfect partner? How is it possible to feel this happy when the world is quite literally crumbling around you? You're grateful for your idyll with Cal but don't trust it. You can sense disaster looming on the horizon, because life on this planet is nothing but one damn disaster after another.
Exo Week 2026 prompts are here! đ
Join creative fans of I Was A Teenage Exocolonist from Jan. 4-10 as we share fanworks of all types and celebrate our love for the game.
Whether you draw, write, sew, mod, sculpt, or anything else you can think of, you're invited to participate in this first annual fandom event. There are only two requirements: 1. that your fanwork be related to IWATEX in some way, and 2. that you make it.
Start on your creations as early as you want and make as many as you want. Combine the prompts or ditch them entirely. Just remember to wait until Exo Week to share your works publicly, and use the tag #exoweek2026 if you'd like your posts to be reblogged here!
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Art/graphic by periwin.
Dahlia is an idealistic, kind young woman with a love for the natural world, crafting, and all things cottagecore. She became disillusioned with university once she realized the things she wants to learn most can't be taught in a classroom. Even though they know the life they have planned for Dahlia isn't fulfilling to her, her parents disowned her for dropping out.
Young Adult
Dahlia arrives in Brindleton Bay with little more than a sleeping bag and a few seeds in her pocket. Her first few weeks in the neighborhood are challenging. She's sleeping rough, growing her own food to save money, and relying on public bathroom facilities, all on top of working full-time as a writerâs assistant.
Dahlia receives a frosty reception in Brindleton Bay. Most people are polite on the surface, but they aren't exactly thrilled about a homeless college dropout squatting in the empty lot at the edge of town.
Her neighbor Catarina Lynx is the only person who makes a real effort to welcome Dahlia. They're around the same age, both unsure about what they want to do with their lives, and bond over their love of cats and nature.Â
When Catarina and Dahlia don't have plans on Love Day, they decide to go on a date. They have a good time, but there's not really a romantic spark. Dahlia and Cat agree they're better off as friends and they quickly become besties.
Dahlia is an idealistic, kind young woman with a love for the natural world, crafting, and all things cottagecore. She became disillusioned with university once she realized the things she wants to learn most can't be taught in a classroom. Even though they know the life they have planned for Dahlia isn't fulfilling to her, her parents disowned her for dropping out.
Now she's starting over in Brindleton Bay, which seemed the sort of place she could imagine herself living. But Dahlia's hobbyist camping experience hasn't prepared her for the truth of living rough on an empty lot at the edge of town.
She's found a day job as a writer's assistant and plans to turn some of her hobbies, like gardening and fishing, into side hustles. Can Dahlia support herself without burning out? And after her parents' rejection, will she be able to make true friends and escape the shadow of her dropout past?
â¨Succession Rulesâ¨
Equality: The Founder may be of either gender. Both boys and girls are eligible for the title of heir.
Traditional: Children who are naturally born (or a Science baby) from the previous generation are eligible to be named heir. Adopted children are ineligible to be named heir unless there are no naturally born or science baby children that can trace their lineage to the founder, at which point they become eligible for that generation.
Merit: The child with the most fully completed aspirations will be named heir. If there is a tie, the child with the highest level in a single skill will become heir from among the children who are tied.
Tolerant: The species of the child has no impact on their eligibility for heir status
â¨Challenge Miscellanyâ¨
I'll also be keeping a family scrapbook on Google docs here. Just a heads up that this will be pretty constantly under construction, but it will likely have more detail than what I post here.
I'm following the Legacy Challenge Lite rules as outlined here.
We have 40 wonderful double drabbles gifted as part of the exchange!! All works are 200 words exactly. More treats coming soon!
Read all drabbles on AO3
đ´
1. Girls' Night Out for beeprescott [Hermione/Tonks, T]
Tonks helps Hermione with her makeup in preparation for a night of post-divorce clubbing.
2. With you, awake in slumber for Elvira_Kamgut [Narcissa/Mrs Zabini, M]
Living a picture perfect life, Narcissa only truly awakens in her dreams
3. in bloom for @herochicklyrrie007 [Luna/Pansy, G]
a sliver of a fairytale AU featuring Pansy and Luna
4. the best laid plans for @sortofshea [Pansy/Ginny, G]
Ginny and Pansy plot, scheme, and fall in love along the way.
5. A Rap on the Knuckles for @lumosatnight [Pomona/Dolores, M]
Dolores can be a terrible bully to the Hufflepuff girls. Professor Sprout believes in traditional punishment. Or, The Many Uses of Skele-Gro.
6. lifeline for @storyof-eden [Hermione/Narcissa, T]
Narcissa finds her at her worst.
7. Acceptance for dykevader [Hermione/Pansy, E]
After two years of radio silence since Pansy came out as trans, her mother invites her, and long time girlfriend, Hermione, to tea.
8. The Tangles for meggowaffle [Luna/Pansy, G]
Luna's been working non-stop, and Pansy is sick of it.
9. The Pianist!? for @snarkygranger1-blog [Bellatrix/Narcissa, M]
Bellatrix and Narcissa Black, fresh faced and in their early 20s, go to a concert where a wixen band is headlining. The synth player? None other than Lucius Malfoy.
10. Found Somewhere in Time for sky_watcher_rose [Minerva/Rowena, G]
Time travelling lesbians
11. the escape of a soulmate for Marenke [Astoria/Daphne, T]
âWeâll run away together. Then no one has to marry a stinky boy.â
12. Love Is a Dress That You Made for @sliebman10 [Fleur/Tonks, M]
Fleur and Tonks share a tender moment after a night out.
13. Her New Favorite Subject for @ultramarineorchid [Augusta/Minerva, G]
Or, the real reason Augusta wanted Neville to stick with Transfiguration over Charms.
14. Knew Each Other Perfectly for @picklesonjupiter [Narcissa/Flora, G]
Narcissa and Flora go shopping for engagement rings
15. The Fertility Ritual for @schmem14 [Narcissa/Molly, E]
They have tried, and tried, and tried, but Lucius is yet to bless Narcissa with a child. Desperate, she seeks help to perform the strongest of dark fertility rituals, never considering who might be performing it.
16. come to dinner for @daydreamingfoxglove [Hermione/Luna/Ginny, G]
Ginny ran into Hermione and got a chance to ask her, one more time.
17. Perfection for @nanneramma [Bellatrix/Morgana, Walburga/Morgana, M]
Morgana has been searching for the right vessel for some time now.
18. A Welcome Distraction for Iselilja [Minerva/Poppy, T]
The hospital wing keeps Poppy Polfrey busy. She allows only one person to be a distraction.
19. Friday. Again. for Amazuppai [Hermione/Padma, G]
Of all the people to be stuck in a time loop with, it had to be Hermione Granger.
20. catch your breath for DrPansyParkinson [Astoria/Pansy, M]
Astoriaâs golden hair fanned in the water as she floated idly in the pool.
21. Just Another Late Night Pool Party for @sugareey-makes-stuff [Hermione/Pansy, T]
The party is over, but Hermione and Pansy won't be leaving for a while.
22. Pick Me Up for the_prettiest_w0lf_star [Narcissa/Lily, G]
"pick me up after work pls?"
23. I'd like that for @apricitydays-lazynights [Pansy/Ginny, G]
Pansy runs into her crush while holidaying in Italy. Panic and cuteness ensue.
24. in the red for Silkbuggy [Alice/Narcissa, T]
Alice wants her. She wants her so much.
25. Melt for @lilacsintherain [Daphne/Ginny, T]
She knew Ginny would be here. Sheâs always here when Daphne is.
26. My Dahlia Bathed in Possession for @cntrl15 [Fleur/Bellatrix, M]
Bellatrix pays a visit to her pet.
27. F*ck the World for @nihilisticnomad [Fleur/Hermione, T]
Their Ministry-mandated marriage should feel like a slap in the face, but Fleur and Hermione are determined to make the best of it.
28. Back-Up Plans for lady_in_black_ao3 [Hermione/Astoria, G]
It's the day of Draco and Astoria's wedding, but he loves Harry and she loves Hermione. Who else can fix it but the Golden Girl?
29. Bright for @caitiespersonalhell [Bellatrix/Lily, M]
Bellatrix found a new pet.
30. Soft like a Secret for shewritesmaybe [Hermione/Pansy, M]
What comes after is Hermione's favorite part.
31. Adventurous for @fiestylilmetalbendingqueen [Druella/Minerva, G]
Minerva knows the woman sitting in the ice cream shop, and she wants to see her againâŚbadly enough that she's willing to risk eating bacon flavour ice cream.
32. Biker Bitches for nocturn [Fleur/Tonks, T]
Fleur and Tonks hit the road again after they take care of their latest kill.
33. Devilish Fun for @hermioneclone [Pomona/Eileen/Petunia, E]
Pomona and Eileen accelerated Petunia's love of plants to another level.
34. Rapture for @mugsdontlie [Padma/Parvati, E]
The twins spend an early summer morning in bed.
35. An Astute Observation for @miss-grimwood [Hermione/Bellatrix, Narcissa/Ginny, T]
Bellatrix and Narcissa tease each other for being in relationships with younger women.
36. Sentiment for @hawksquill [Luna/Ginny, T]
Luna receives a special delivery from Ginny.
37. Through Adversity for multiimoments [Mary/Marlene, G]
Friends support each other through adversity, with budding romance emerging.
38. Weddings suck until they don't for el_i [Bellatrix/Narcissa, E]
Narcissa came back to her hometown for her father's fifth wedding.
39. Inexplicably Resolute for @unwoundcorridors [Hermione/Narcissa, G]
Narcissa wants nothing more than for Hermione to leave. Hermione never was particularly good at doing what other people want.
40. Piece for @fantasyborn [Daphne/Romilda, Cho/Romilda, Romilda/Ginny, M]
Everyone loves Romilda; no one ever questions why.
no one else will do by strawhouses [G, Fleur/Astoria]
If Astoria hadnât spent the last few months gazing at her, she wouldn't have been able to tell that Fleur was upset.
i hope you catch me ('cause i'm already falling) by @leftsidedown [G, Luna/Tonks]
Sheâs better off without him, they said. Sheâs young, sheâll find another man soon and move on. Sod that, thought Tonks.
Sneers by @siriusly-sapphic [G, Lavender/Millicent]
Lavender struggles to find her place when she returns to Hogwarts
Making A Refreshing Choice by @hermioneclone [T, Fleur/Astoria]
New Muggle Studies professor Astoria Greengrass needs something that Hogwarts Librarian Fleur Delacour has. Books. Right. Books.
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đ For @lumosatnight đ
I Want to Be the Place You Call Home by @hawksquill [M, Lavender/Millicent]
Lavender wakes up after the Battle of Hogwarts with no memory of what happened to her. Millicent helps her remember.
It Might Be Fate by @mugsdontlie [E, Lavender/Millicent]
Sheâs the last person Millicent wants to see follow her to the other side of the globe.
new found fascination by @picklesonjupiter [E, Petunia/Eileen]
Petunia overhears something she shouldn't have.
Sweet Temptation by @caitiewantstobeavadakedavrad [E, Lavender/Minerva]
Minerva knew her thoughts were wrong, but she couldnât help it. Ms. Brown plagued her thoughts constantly.
The Oakshaft 79 by @hermioneclone [E, Gwenog/Rita]
Rita Skeeter was no stranger to hiding in bushes outside peopleâs homes. Intrepid reporter that she was, nothing would get in her way when it came to a story. This time was different, however. True, Gwenog didnât know she was there, but she wasnât after a scoop. Rita wanted to make sure that Gwenog was enjoying her present.
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đ For @schmem14 đ
delicate, with an extra spin by nocturn [M, Fleur/Molly]
The spin cycle starts, and the rattling machine is enough to drown out the sound of everything except Fleur.
As We Go Down, I'll Be Waiting on the Seabed by @hawksquill [M, Millicent/Pansy]
Millicent and Pansy always knew this day would come. That doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye.
every last drop by @nanneramma [E, Sybil/Dolores]
Sybill pays her dues. Dolores gives back.
Unnatural by @lumosatnight [M, Petunia/Lily]
There was something about Lily â something unnatural.
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Read all double drabbles in the collection on AO3!
help needed??? i've been in fandom for 5 years and i still haven't proper *proper* read a femslash fic???? i'm not counting side relationships and established relationships. shame on me, i know, but i'm here requesting for a guide because i thought i could start anywhere, and then realised i didn't know what i wanted - or who i wanted to watch fall in love. which is.... sort of absurd, like i'm a multishipper, and i have female faves too. anyway! would you be so kind as to rec your fav recs, fics, or metas, or fav ships so i could jump aboard one?
many thanks in advance đ¤
ykw i actually think i get what you mean anon. especially in HP fandom, where so many of the main characters are male and so many of the important relationships are het or between two male characters, you do have to make a special effort, go out of your way almost, to consider female characters. and then in that light femslash seems almost - contrived? forced? and not only is that not fun for a lot of people, thereâs also the side of âam i just rehashing amatonormativity again???!â you just canât win, etc
all of which is to say, if you (more so anyone else reading this) donât feel particularly drawn to femslash, especially in the HP fandom, thatâs okay! maybe think about trying out more original media that centers female characters and relationships between themâiâve recently loved both a league of their own (1940s american girls professional baseball league! so much canon wlw) and house of the dragon (dyke drama with dragons! canon is only het though) for thisâbut, meh, your fannish brain wants what it wants. â¤ď¸
THAT was a really long way of saying: thatâs why i think probably the first fic that really unlocked my femslash brain was this 200k longfic by @hawksquill, Luna Lovegood and the Forgotten Circle. itâs tagged luna/ginny but is really more of a luna centric AU, set parallel to the canon timeline. several canon events happen âin the background,â like the chamber being opened in COS and sirius escaping pre POA, but luna is the main character, with a prophecy centered around her, and the story basically completely diverges from canon by the mid Hogwarts years. the main cast is almost all female characters: luna, her mother, ginny, mrs figg, mcgonagall, gwenog jones - everyone from bellatrix to lavender! really opened my eyes to the potential stories that could be told with the little scraps and tidbits of characterization given to these female characters.
have a little excerpt from chapter 17 that i still think about way too often:
âIf you could have magic, like with a snap of your fingers, would you do it?â
âYou know, Iâve wondered about that for a long time. There will always be a part of me, a large part, that thinks I should say yes in an instant. But there are a lot of scammers trying to prey on us Squibs, and we have to be careful. And we ought to remember that fairy tales teach us to be careful what we wish for, particularly when we are offered something that seems too good to be true,â Mrs. Figg reflected as she added the valerian root and passed some to Luna.
âSo I suppose that if I were to get magic after all this time, I should want to work for it, so I could truly appreciate it, and be sure it was real. Which is why I keep pottering on at the Circle, and why you all think Iâm such a fool.â
âI donât think youâre a fool,â Luna said quickly, but the lie tasted bitter on her tongue, and she was sure Mrs. Figg could sense it too.
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(theres like a million and one things under the read more)
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a couple of shorter femslash recs that hew slightly closer to canon:Â
Two Quaffles Pub by @thistlecatfics: postwar, cho and ginny meet at a bar and get to talking about what they have in common. harry. quidditch. michael corner. definitely not war trauma and definitely not unhealthy coping mechanisms!
tags: sometimes you get drunk and trauma dump on your ex's ex at the gay bar, and then make out in the bathroom. messy trauma recovery, Getting Together, not the healthiest of relationships but c'est la vie
âThe war impacted me too. Just because I donât spill my war stories to random girls in bars, doesnât mean I donât also have my shit.âÂ
âTell me, then,â Ginny dared. She leaned across the table, staring at Cho. âI told you about Tom, the man in my body when I was eleven. What have you got?âÂ
Cho knew she shouldn't let this hot woman - no - hot mess of a woman bait her. Not when she was already feeling the alcohol. Not on a date. Well, this wasnât a date, whatever she had implied earlier. She was not on a date with Harryâs Quidditch star ex who, apparently, had more trauma than anyone knew and a bit of a drinking problem to match.
hermione/ginny: itâs practically canon. they share so much gossip, they share a tent in GOF. here's a sweet untitled vignette series, Ginny is all warmth and strength and movement.
iâm not normally overly one for friends-to-lovers, but i really enjoyed these postwar parvender + werewolf lavender brown fics. again more established relationship than falling in love, but itâs not implausible to imagine given canon basis and thereâs plenty more relationship development story to tell!Â
beautiful enough for the both of us by dirgewithoutmusic
like the careful undressing of love by comosum
Where Roses Bloom by monetstcroix
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some marauders era: first thing that came to mind was alice/narcissa, actually! pre first war canon compliant is a fun space to play around in, because itâs circumscribed to an extent â you know youâre writing a doomed angsty romance, you know youâre reading a doomed angsty romance, you know where this story is headed but until then, until then, there is room to put your own stamp on things, your own interpretation of âhow it might have goneâ
Alice, Look at Me by Rollercoasterwords is probably the definitive marauderstok fic for the ship;
Devil's Snare by endocrine was written in 2015 and has several similar story beats/HCs!
Flying Lessons by Phantomato is a postwar andromeda/rolanda hooch i raved about recently that does a great job of pulling from canon and delving into some aspects of postwar trauma not often explored.
some other i never really thought about these!! ships iâm personally very fond of/ very intrigued by:Â
myrtle x mcgonagall: their student years at hogwarts overlapped! katie x cho, they were yearmates and both quidditch girls! Â
the (cho/)fleur/angelina/tonks âolder than golden trioâ girls. cho/fleur (delachang) and flonks are the biggest ships (and i have a couple more flonks recs later), but any of these dynamics would be fascinating, imo.
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there is a limited amount of room to play around if you arenât open to softening the lightning gen slytherins (in the way a lot of drarry fandom does, queer lightning gen cuddle puddle) (which i do get, i personally have to be in a specific mood for it) - but if you are, thereâs a ton more fic! on the longer end too, because the character journeys are typically longer.
i say that and here's a <3k sporty feels cho/pansy, HOT AS FUCKÂ
absolutely impeccable pansy/ginny double drabble by @nanneramma
delightful post war luna/pansy day at the beachÂ
if the slytherin x gryffindor dynamic does grab you and youâre okay with that level of âcanon what canon?â - there are a number of longer ginny/pansy, pansy/hermione, millicent/hermione, etc. that are as well crafted, plotted, worldbuilt, etc, as any drarry fic of that length - iâm particularly thinking of the largely 25-50k range written for WLWBB!Â
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some of hp femslashâs best kept secrets, imo: the incredible inventiveness of some of the rarepair fic - particularly those written around maybe the early-mid 2010s, though there are some in every year. examples:Â
Independent Love Song by Writcraft: Millicent Bulstrode is a tailor and Ginny is losing her mind over a woman in a tweed blazer and burgundy brogues.
A swagger, a twinkle, and a fine arse on a broom by Woldy: Tonks lets her eyes linger on Hooch's spiky grey hair, her shining leather boots, and thinks If that woman's straight, then I'm a monkey's uncle.
Stylemagic by Woldy (luna/tonks): Who would have thought that Charing Cross Road was style central?
City Life by holyfant (tonks/ginny): They travel, find each other and themselves.
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& since you mentioned meta, i have to shout out holyfant's essay for @femslashrevolution: Towards A Darker Femslash
I wanted to continue to write smaller pairings and explore female characters, too. And I did, but the point remains that when I look at my story stats now, itâs clear that my f/f stories are shorter in word count and are less varied in their plot and execution than my m/m stories.
All this to show that I am 100% part of what I am about to describe: not a problem, per se, but an observation that I think is useful to be aware of and think about. The fact is that femslash, across fandoms, remains a niche category, and that while there are great amounts of people who read and write almost exclusively m/m this is barely ever the case for f/f.
i also really liked this other one On the personal as normal; on the normal as political:
I think one thing that stands out, from a majority of my interactions on this issue through the years, is the perception that the act of writing relationships among women is inherently political, in a way that the act of writing about relationships among men is not.
The $64,000 question: do I agree with this?
Are electrons particles, or waves?
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going to close this off with one of my self indulgently favorite femslash, both ship and writer: i am in love with the way montparnasse writes second war fleur/tonks and how reminiscent it is of first war wolfstar, the tension of attraction set against the tension of the war. vibe quote included, because either you like her style or itâs not your taste - but if you do, thereâs nothing quite like it!!
Six Penny, Seven Stone: Timing is everything. Tonks's was always just a little bit off-kilter.
Fleur accompanied her to exclusive pureblood parties that summer, posing as a personal assistant or dear live-in friend to Tonksâs erectile dysfunction potion heiress while they listened to one of the Yaxleys moan about the dilution of sanctified old blood and got handsy over hors dâoeuvres. Still Fleur seemed disappointingly unaffected by her spectacular breasts in a vicious push-up bra or the Dietrich-esque raised eyebrow/lit cigarette combo: she made advances and spurned Tonksâs and eventually after reporting to the Powers That Be after nights out ruffling robes in enemy territory they ended up at a neon-sleazy diner or got takeout and ate it at one of their flatsâTonks in Southwark, Fleur in Camdenâuntil they fell asleep at opposite ends of the couch after sharing a joint or chamomile tea and watching X-Files and EastEnders reruns. In theory, they kept to their own sides as well as they could, but in practice, their limbs did often wander.
Obscure Topography: Sometimes, Tonks realizes, coming at each other from awkward angles makes you stick, elbows and all.
Sometimes, when sheâs either very drunk or feeling particularly soppy, she feels like she can slow time itself down to a sluggish, tipsy trickle, where nothing else matters but her own beating heart and the turn of the world, orâhere, nowâFleurâs skin and hips beneath her skin and hips, moving to a rhythm of their own, no time like what your body keeps in its hollows and curves. The brush of a thigh takes hours; the glide of fingers riding over ribs, and she loses track of the day. War and worry and shattered nerves are nothing next to this, meaningless without the strange, humorous patchwork of two hearts beating out of tune, where the radius of the whole world condenses down to the bed and theyâre the only women alive in London for a while.
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OKAY NO VERY LAST ONE
@consistentsquash's:
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Authors are revealed for the HP Saffics Summer Exchange 2023! Check out the 33 fabulous double drabbles on AO3 or below đ. Treat giving starts tomorrow and will continue all week (Jul 21-Jul 28)!
1. wrenches, redheads, and romance, oh my! by @leftsidedown [G, Millicent/Ginny]
Ginny's apartment is in need of a little extra love.
2. Deal with the Devil by @storyof-eden[T, Hermione/Bellatrix, Hermione/Narcissa]
Hermione makes a deal in order to save the one she loves.
3. On Display by @sugareey-makes-stuff [E, Katie/Alicia]
Katie tries to be good and lets Alicia watch her.
4. What Would It Take by @herochicklyrrie007 [G, Cho/Luna]
Luna's tired of no one believing she and Cho are more than friends, maybe it's time to do something to show the world how they feel about each other?
5. House Points by @bee-prescott [T, Hermione/Minerva]
A vignette of Minerva and Hermione's life together
6. Chocolate-Stained Fingertips by @slythercrux [G, Hermione/Luna]
After the war, Hermione slowly learns to find beauty in the slow rhythm of her everyday life. (And Luna finds her voice again without needing to utter a single word.)
7. Harpy by @hermioneclone [M, Narcissa/Ginny]
The new owner of the Holyhead Harpies is getting under Ginny's skin.
8. Spare you the pain by @an-organism [G, Millicent/Astoria]
Three days into a stay at St. Mungo's, Astoria wakes to an all-too-familiar face. Millicent wishes the both of them could be anywhere else.
9. the lady of the lake by @nanneramma [M, Giant Squid/Lily]
During a swim, Lily comes into her own.
10. She wouldâve made such a lovely bride (what a shame sheâs a lesbian) by @caitiewantstobeavadakedavrad [M, Narcissa/Marlene]
Nice dress, princess. Those three simple words destroy Narcissaâs wedding
11. Wrapped in Love by @mugsdontlie [M, Minerva/Pomona]
Itâs a cosy late afternoon and Minerva helps Pomona take care of their plants in the greenhouse.
12. toss me, turn me by nocturn [T, Millicent/Pansy]
Waking is always the worst.
13. Never Again by LesbianKJ [M, Narcissa/Lily]
Narcissa's holding out hope for a hopeless situation.
14. Trophy by @byrainchance [M, Katie/Angelina]
Katie and Angelina share a post-game celebration.
15. Divination by @leftsidedown [G, Bellatrix/Sybil]
Bellatrix is pregnant, and that means cravings. Good thing her wife's psychic?
16. Interchange by @padaminpadam [T, Fleur/Angelina]
Fleurâs dress was the colour of a ghost, like a hunter wearing the skin of her prey.
17. Work can wait, my love by @cottagewhore [G, Hermione/Narcissa]
Hermione gets sick, luckily Narcissa is there to take care of her
18. Sweat it Out by strawhouses [M, Pansy/Ginny]
Pansyâs a hell of a Keeper, actually; itâs just that Ginny is in a constant state of wanting to mess her up.
19. Words Are All We'll Have by @rhiaflamesong [M, Lavender/Millicent]
Her boldness to act on her feelings was too little, came too late.
20. Beyond The Veil by @miss-grimwood [T, Bellatrix/Lily]
Bellatrix never meant for them to hurt Lily, she just wanted her all for herself.
21. Daffodils Swaying With Pansies by @hadesvampire [T, Narcissa/Pansy]
Narcissa has watched Pansy matured, always spending some time during summer breaks at Malfoy Manor. But she was never caught watching Pansy until this moment.
22. A Most Suitable Suitor by mouldy_voldy [G, Astoria/Pansy]
Astoria has brought home a prospective suitor from a respectable family. Mrs Greengrass has thoughts.
23. Going Beyond by @bleepbloopbotz [T, Hermione/Bellatrix]
Using a time-turner, Bellatrix arrives in the future of Hogwarts and meets a remarkable witch.
24. desperately mine by @fantasyborn [M, Astoria/Daphne]
Her sister may be set to marry Draco Malfoy but Astoria will always belong to Daphne.
25. Whispered Secrets by @digthewriter [T, Tonks/Ginny]
Whispered secrets turn to forbidden love. She holds your hand and you don't want to let go.
26. Flawless by @schmem14 [T, Hermione/Marietta]
Hermione has to work with an old enemy. It doesn't help that she's attracted to the one person who could ruin her career forever.
27. skin so soft by @mrsprobie [G, Hermione/Pansy]
Hermione is on a work trip with Pansy and they have to share a hotel room. The problem? There's only one bed.
28. She Got There First by @sliebman10 [T, Alice/Narcissa]
When Narcissa finds out Voldemort's plans for Alice and Frank, she has to protect her former girlfriend from that fate.
29. comfort in the absence of light by @picklesonjupiter [M, Marlene/Dorcas, Narcissa/Lily]
An attempt at normalcy after the war.
30. the air and lingers (resilience) by @blue--dreaming [T, Astoria/Ginny]
Ginny is curious, and Astoria finds her confidence.
31. I Will Stay If You Dare by @hawksquill [M, Hermione/Tonks]
Sometimes Hermione's friends with benefits arrangement with Tonks feels like the only simple thing in her life. But that's about to change.
32. leaning over the edge by @iamsiriuslyriddikulus [E, Pansy/Ginny]
Back at Hogwarts months after the war, Ginny is haunted by memories and nightmares. Only Pansy can offer relief.
33. dinner on saturday by @silv3reyedstranger [T, Pansy/Ginny]
they've certainly come a long way from being enemies, and things are different now. maybe, just maybe, they're ready for the next step.
Read all double drabbles in the collection on AO3!
First, I want to thank all of our amazing creators this year! You all created 16 incredible fan works! Queer Fest is one of my favorite things to run and you make it all the better.
mostly for my own records â but also wholeheartedly rec everything here, fantastic stuff
cutting for LENGTH, but sneak peek - categories: longfics (4), hp rareships (3), not-HP (3), mentor!remus-centric (2), and wolfstar (too many to count)
also: everything in @remuslupinfest /Â remus lupin fest (posting complete), @blackcestfest /Â blackcest fest (into week 2 of posting), and @hptransfestâ /Â hp trans fest (first week of posting)! [links to AO3 collections]
oh the farmboys wrapped you in newspaper and dumped you at a museum? that sucks dude. when the farmboys found me they draped me in fine silks and fed freshly peeled grapes to both of my mouths. idk maybe my heads are just more symmetric and shapely than yoursÂ
