#au questionnaire

[shannie-writes]

Congratulations on hitting 300! 🎉 I can't believe I’m only discovering your writing now... Can I ask for the arranged marriage prompt? That's the kind of story I like to read 😁

Thank you so so much! ;w; And so sorry for the delay. I hope that you enjoy this little AU of mine.

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AU: Arranged Marriage

Pairing(s): Zero/MC

Setting: Fantasy, Medieval

The Basics: MC is the third daughter of a royal family. Due to her being the youngest of seven, there isn’t much left for her other than to be married off to another noble family for connections. Though she has yet to meet him, she knows that her future husband is the fifth son of a neighboring country’s royal family. When she comes of age, she is sent off with a maid and a guard to be delivered to her new residence.

Zero is the adopted fifth son to a royal family. While some of his siblings may accept him as royal, most in the kingdom do not. Proving himself as more than a title, he’s fought his way to be captain of the royal guard, showing that birthright and destiny don’t always walk hand-in-hand.

Meeting her betrothed, MC quickly realizes that she is in over her head, surrounded by deceit, threats, long-held secrets, and a feeling that they may truly be meant for each other as the day of their wedding looms ever closer.

Snippet:

The great hall was lavish, the extent of which Alice had never seen before. The hall at her home was just as large and open, but the decor couldn’t be any different. There were beautiful white vases with gold and red patterns, filled with beautiful floral arrangements. The floor was marble tile, echoing each footstep of her entourage as they approached the dais, led by the royal guard who had met her at the castle gate. Up on the throne sat the king, his hair shimmering gold in the bright room.

“King Lancelot,” Alice said, dipping into a curtsey.

Lancelot was the eldest of the family, having taken over the throne at his father’s unexpected death the year previous. And though she had heard Lancelot was a cold and cruel ruler, she didn’t sense anything from him to confirm the gossip, the king looking down at her with a small smile.

“Princess Alice. I am happy to see you have arrived safely. Have you already sent a messenger to inform your family you have successfully arrived?”

“I have not yet, my king.”

“I will send one right away.” He looked to his left and caught the attention of one of the attendants who stood on the far side of the room. With a gesture of a hand, the attendant quickly left, following the king’s silent order. “Now,” he turned back to look at her and she did her best to keep standing tall against the weight of his gaze. “Zero.” The guard who had led her through the palace stepped forward, waiting for the king’s instruction. “Please show your betrothed to her room.”

Alice jolted at this piece of revelation, turning to look at the guard–the prince?–once more. She had admired him for a moment when he had helped her alight from her carriage on arrival, the memory of his hand warm in hers coming back to her. He was muscular and dark-skinned and, now that she let herself think of him as her future husband, she admitted to herself that he was truly beautiful.

“Yes, King Lancelot.” He turned to face her, a serious expression on his face, but his deep blue eyes warm, seeming to enjoy her blush she surely was sporting by now. Holding out his arm, he whispered, “Please, follow me. I’ll show you to your room.”

[shannie-writes]

Congrats on your wonderful milestone, Chief! I would follow you 100x more if I could! ❣⃛(❛ั◡˜๑) Let's go with the Fairy Tale AU!

Thank you so much, Irene! You are too sweet to me ;w;

I am really happy you picked the Fairy Tales AU. This is actually a collection of smaller AUs that fit into the one category: fairy tales. I currently have three of them set up: Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel, and Little Red Riding Hood. I have put the snippet for the last one under a cut as it includes erotic content. I hope you enjoy!

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AU: Fairy Tales

Pairing(s): Ray/MC

Setting: Fantasy, Sleeping Beauty

The Basics: The son of the king was born and the fairies were invited to the palace to gift him with their magic. Lancelot and Harr both gave him their blessings, but before Sirius could do the same, the evil fairy Amon cursed baby Ray to fall into a deep sleep for eternity if he were ever to be scratched by a feline’s claw. In an attempt to remove the curse, Sirius used all of his magic, leaving him null, and was only able to adjust the curse to be allowed to be broken by a kiss from a maiden pure of heart–a natural form of magic.

The king and queen would have had all cats banished from the kingdom completely, but they were advised not to as they were needed as ratters across the country. Ray then was unable to leave the castle and no cats were allowed in its walls. Sirius took it upon himself to take care of the young prince, as even if he had no magic left in him, he would still take as many responsibilities over him as possible to protect him.

However, a curse is still a curse and a cat made it into the castle, scratching Ray and leaving him to his cursed sleep. Lancelot and Harr combined their magic to create a barrier around the castle to keep all those inside protected while they waited for the one to arrive who could break Ray’s ceaseless sleep.

Snippet:

“She’s coming.”

“Only a few leagues away.”

“I can go to her and lead her this way–”

“Don’t be an idiot, that’s how you scared the last one off.”

Sirius sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers. “You both realize we need to bring down the barrier so they can get to the castle in the first place, right?”

Lancelot and Harr stilled and glared at each other before turning to the castle. Beneath the barrier formed with fairy magic was the castle, time frozen when prince Ray had been scratched by the cat all those years ago. The barrier had been split in two parts when it first had been erected by the two of them, but over time it had mixed, their two magics spilling into each other and creating a difficult thing to undo.

“That could take forever. Why didn’t you maintain your side better?”

“I could ask you the same.”

“Please,” Sirius said, walking down the hill toward the travelers in the far distance. “Just start working on it and I’ll take care of the rest.”

——

AU: Fairy Tales

Pairing(s): N/A

Setting: Fantasy, Hansel and Gretel

The Basics: MC and Oliver are children to a poor father and selfish stepmother. They are abandoned in the woods where they find a strange cottage. Inside is a woman who takes care of them at first, but eventually locks them up. She feeds Oliver a strange potion every day and it’s not long before MC notices that her brother is growing older, faster. After only two weeks he looks to have aged ten years and they overhear the witch’s plan to force him to partner with her because she claims to be lonely in the woods by herself. Her obvious disdain for MC has them both nervous on what she plans to do with her and Oliver uses his newfound adult strength to kill the witch and run away with MC.

Snippet:

“Sister, you are such an idiot,” Oliver sighed, sitting down under a tree. “Did you really think your plan through?”

She sniffled, watching as the last of the little songbirds flew away, turning her breadcrumb trail into a dead end. “It was all I had to use, brother.”

Oliver looked away, his face pinching in worry. “I know, I know. But now we’ve completely lost the trail. You should have just listened to me when I said I knew which way to go.”

“I’m sorry, Oliver.”

He looked up into the sky as it turned a rich orange. “It’s almost night and we won’t be able to see anything soon anyway. Let’s just rest and try to find our way in the morning.”

She nodded, wiping away the last of her tears and walking over to sit by his side. Leaning into him, she took a final shuddering breath.

Oliver wrapped his arm around her, knowing he would have to stay awake to keep an eye out for any wolves or other predators that came out at night. They would be able to find something tomorrow, he was sure. One day at a time.

——

AU: Fairy Tales

Pairing(s): Edgar/MC

Setting: Fantasy, Little Red Riding Hood

The Basics: Edgar is a wolf, roaming the forest and talking to women who smell like sweets. He comes off like a gentleman, but there’s something about him that make most people he talks with unnerved. He meets MC and when he tries some of her cookies and cakes that she sells in her small stall in the center of town, he knows that he needs her for more than her talent with sweets.

Zero is a huntsman and lives along the edge of the forest. He thinks of himself as a guard to the town, getting rid of strange animals and people who may endanger the town and people of the place he calls home. He often bumps into Edgar in the woods, and though he doesn’t like him and finds him rather annoying, he hasn’t done anything to warrant him harm–yet.

MC lives by herself in the wooded town and finds her income through selling baked goods. It makes her happy to see people smile when they eat them and it’s a simple life that she enjoys immensely. She has been warned against interacting with “the wolf” Edgar, but surely he can’t be as bad as they say, not when he looks so happy enjoying her food and company. Right?

Snippet:

She lay back on her large cape, spread across the soft baby grass of the small clearing he had led her to. The smell of moist dirt and pine filled her lungs as she attempted to keep her breathing even, watching the man who kneeled over her.

His hair looked silvery in the rays of the moon and his jade eyes glinted with a light that set her heart racing. They trailed along every inch of her skin, bare and naked under him as though an offering to the gods. He reached a hand out to stroke along her side, his gaze flicking back up to hers as she sighed.

His eyes were so bright, and it was no different from any of their previous trysts. There was always something about them that made him look hungry, wanting for her, even if his wide smile was impossible to read.

“Your smile is always so big,” she whispered.

His smile morphed into a toothed grin and he inched backward, moving his hands under her thighs, lifting her backside into the air and her legs around his shoulders.The angle made it so his eyes were clearly trained on hers down her body even as his words were spoken into her damp folds.

“The better to eat you with, my dear.”

[shannie-writes]

And the last of your requests, @emeraldtawny! Noir Detective AU. The one that when I eventually post it will be testing my skills as a detective novelist haha. Please enjoy!

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AU: Noir Detective

Pairing(s): Ray/MC, Seth/MC2

Setting: 1950s

The Basics: Sirius is a private detective in Cradle City, taking as many cases as he can. He wants to use his abilities and connections to make the world a safer place, even if it’s just one person at a time. One day, his friend Seth comes to his office, begging him to help him. Which is a curious thing, as Seth has one foot in the light and the other in the dark dealings of the city. One of his most interesting cases yet, he pairs with Seth to dive to the bottom of this mystery.

Lancelot: A lawyer for the Kingsley Attorney & Law. Has some contact with Sirius, but he continues to remind Sirius to not trust him.

Jonah: Lancelot’s secretary. Has great disdain for the detective that sneaks into the office under his nose.

Edgar: A private investigator. Often leaves little tidbits for Sirius when he’s stuck on a case, but he won’t solve it for him.

Kyle: A mortician. Keeps his business and personal life separate, but will look at photos for Sirius after a few rounds of drinks.

Zero: Edgar’s partner. Takes everything a bit too seriously and gets after Edgar when he cracks dark jokes.

Ray: Chief of Cradle City Police. Freely gives Sirius the information he comes asking for, so long as it’s public in nature.

Sirius: A private detective. Named his agency North Star Investigations. Has crippling insomnia and is often found at his office during most hours of the day and night, when he’s not actively working on a case.

Luka: An officer on the police force. Usually mans the front desk at the police station.

Seth: A bar owner. The bar houses both regular citizens and the information dealings he holds  with the dark underground of the city.

Fenrir: Is part of the police force. Works as an undercover detective with a good rate of success.

Harr: Sirius’ informant of the seedy parts of Cradle City. Is very knowledgeable with black market dealings.

Loki: Can be found all over the city. Usually has more information than he lets on, but can be a reliable resource if you feed him in exchange.

Blanc: A photographer for The Cradle Central. Has been the photographer there for as long as anybody can remember. You can find some rather intriguing photos in his developing room at home.

Oliver: A reporter for The Cradle Central. His blunt nature while interviewing makes the interviewees nervous and give more info than meant to. Is always looking for a story to report.

MC(Alice): Secretary for Sirius. Helps keep him in check if he has been awake for days on end and speeds through paperwork like nobody else he’s worked with. Started dating Ray after becoming his secretary, which annoys Sirius when he comes to visit her in his office.

MC2(Nancy): A jeweler at an antique jewelry store. Is the best in the business when it comes to spotting fake gems. Is in a relationship with Seth, though she doesn’t know about his dark dealings in the background.

Snippet:

Sirius eyed the snow-filled planters in front of his office as he walked up to his door. It shouldn’t be long before it melted away and the bulbs he planted there would pop up. He much preferred their friendly faces to the ones he saw most days. Turning the doorknob, he peeked through the frosted window, eyeing his secretary who sat just inside.

She jumped to her feet when he entered the room. “Mr. Oswald, welcome back.” She came up to him and took his scarf and coat as he stripped of them. “Would you like some tea?”

“Yes, thank you, Alice,” he said, striding to his desk and sitting down. He picked up his pen and a pad, about to write down his thoughts from his long visit with Harr, but something felt off. Setting the pen down again, he took another look around the office, a much closer one this time.

His framed photo of Chutney was slightly turned too far, not aligned with his usual angle for viewing it. His pens lined up on the side of his desk were in a different order than when he had left that morning. There were a few clods of dirt by the door, but the shape of them didn’t match his own boots.

Smoothing his expression, he looked at his secretary. Her pencil skirt was rather wrinkled, and not in the usual places it did from sitting in her chair. Her shirt was tucked rather haphazardly compared to her normally prim appearance. And even from the side view he had of her as she waited for the kettle to heat up over the small stove, her cheeks were far too pink to be due to the heat.

He sighed, adjusted the picture frame and his pens, and began to write. When she came to his desk, carefully setting the teacup on a saucer next to him, he looked up at her.

“Little lady.”

She froze, turning to him with wide eyes. “Yes, Mr. Oswald?”

“I take it the chief of police came by while I was out?”

Her face flushed red up to the roots of her hair. “Oh. Yes. I have the papers he dropped off right over here, let me get those for you.” She turned on her heel and went to her desk, shuffling for the papers amongst the pile of paperwork she had laid on top of it. “Here we are.” She came back and handed a thin file to him.

“And please, Alice, do keep in mind that my desk is not a plaything.”

What tone her face had managed to lighten from his first comment was gone once again, this time turning an even darker shade of crimson. “Yes, Mr. Oswald.”

[shannie-writes]

So here I finally am and watch me be greedy! By popular demand let’s have some mafia, high school and noir detective! Bless you and your au heart. We need to make more, my friend!

Thank you so much for sending these in, Tash! (and obliging me with the Mafia AU hhhh). I will be posting the Mafia AU first!

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AU: Mafia

Pairing(s): Jonah/Lancelot, Sirius/MC/Ray, Seth/MC2/Luka

Setting: Fictional Mid-1900s

The Basics: The Disciple Group is an underhanded drug cartel, slowly taking over the city through a drug they call “magic crystals.” They have made an agreement with Kingsley Casino to be one of their handlers, dealing the crystals out for exchange of safety from their group.

Kingsley Casino is also home to the Kingsley Group, a mafia that has been around dealing with politicians and other high-society for decades. Their uniforms are white suits with red silk lining.

The other side of town is territory for the Blackwell Group, a mafia that is trying to destroy the Disciple Group for the damage made by the crystals. They create deals with businessmen and smaller parties, as they are relatively new to the scene, despite the size of territory they run.Their uniforms are black pinstripe suits.

Lancelot: The owner to Kingsley Casino and the head of Kingsley Group. Runs the backside of things and communicates with the head of Disciple Group, overseeing the packages of crystals that arrive to be distributed among his territory.

Jonah: Oversees the front of Kingsley Casino for Lancelot. He knows about the mafia, but not about the connection with Disciple Group and the selling of crystals.

Edgar: The main crystal dealer for the Kingsley Group. He is out on the streets at night and strategically chooses where and with whom he sells to. Has his fingers in many pies, as he also is the one who goes off to punish those who rebel against the agreed upon contracts with Kingsley Group.

Kyle: Is working closely with Lancelot to try to find a cure for the crystal’s effect in secret. He may act aloof and carefree, but he knows just how delicate his research is, as it could have terrible consequences if Disciple Group were to find out what they were doing.

Zero: A bouncer for Kingsley casino. He had been forced into the Disciple Group before he escaped, finding rescue under Kingsley Group in exchange for any information he had. Covers up the tattoo on his wrist, the proof of his history with Disciple Group.

Ray: Head of Blackwell Group. A leader who isn’t afraid to do what has to be done to get the information he needs. Has an animosity towards Disciple Group that not many know the reasons behind. Works his stress off on/with Sirius in his bedroom.

Sirius: The Blackwell Group ghost. Second-in-command and gathers intel for Ray, though most of the other mafia members don’t realize his significance in the group. Is the treasurer and communicates directly with Nancy. Has suspicions about Seth, but keeps them to himself until Seth gives reason to be looked into.

Luka: A member of Blackwell Group. Wields a studded metal bat he made himself. Has snakebite piercings. Falls in love with the sweet dry cleaning lady. Is working with Sirius to attempt to create a cure for the brain-addling effects of the crystals.

Seth: Blackwell Group member. Was sent by Disciple Group to investigate Blackwell Group to gather information. Only Sirius has suspicions about him. Finds out the dry cleaner may know more than she lets on and accidentally falls in love with her while attempting to pull info from her.

Fenrir: Blackwell Group member. Master gunman. Goes by the dry cleaners less often than everyone else because he hates getting chewed out by Oliver for all the holes in his suits and from Sirius for how much it costs them.

Harr: An underground contact of Sirius’ and often goes out to get info where Sirius cannot. Fights an old addition to the crystals and can be found being taken care of by Sirius if he slips up and partakes.

Loki: Nobody is really sure where Loki’s loyalty lies. He moves between Blackwell and Kingsley territories and can be found after spats between the two picking the pockets of the unconscious mafia members left on the streets.

Oliver: Gay. Works under Nancy at the dry cleaners. Roommates with Blanc. Helps repair suits for Blackwell mafia members when they come in with holes and tears.

Blanc: Bisexual. Roommates with Oliver. Works a normal day job and has no clue about the mafia ongoings.

MC(Alice): Daughter to a well-protected family in Blackwell territory. Her parents had a security issue and sent her to live under the care of Ray while they investigate the reasons behind the attack.

MC2(Nancy): Owner of a dry cleaners in Blackwell territory. Coworkers with Oliver. Blackwell mafia members go to her dry cleaners exclusively and she has made agreements with Ray in trade for her silence and protection.

Snippet:

Seth sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at Nancy and Luka, who were tucked into the sheets, arms draped around each other. He wasn’t sure how long he had been staring at them, only that his eyes were starting to ache, nearly as much as his heart.

It was ridiculous, he told himself. It was only a mission. Get into Blackwell Group, get them to trust him, bring those who had information into Disciple Group. She was the one he had been tasked to bring in next. It wasn’t the first time he had to use his body for a mission. But none of his targets before had been like Nancy.

She was fierce, feisty, beautiful, loved with all of her heart. He didn’t know what to do with himself around her. She was the first to break through his walls without him allowing it. It was too emotional, learning about her and how to get close to her, using all of his knowledge of her to get into her bed. For the mission.

He hadn’t meant to allow Luka to get to her too, but really, how could he say no to her? It didn’t take a smart man to realize the way that she looked at Luka was more than as a friend. It would take a dead man to not read it on Luka’s face whenever he was in her presence. He cared about Luka too, after all. They had protected each other’s life out in the streets and there was no one else he would trust more to take care of her.

Seth wished he could be the pillar of dependability she thought he was. He would protect her life if it ever was in danger, but he knew the control that Amon had over him was undeniable and her life was at risk, regardless of what he did.

Nancy shifted in her sleep, distracting Seth from his dark thoughts. He traced the features of her face with his gaze, trying to memorize it. He loved her. He had for some time now. He knew it would be his ruin, but he still continued to fall for her with each smile she gave him. Each whispered affection in his ears as they coupled. Each time she examined his suits for cuts that he wouldn’t dare tell her the cause of because he knew it worried her.

His love was poison, spoiled in the sun. Could he really call this love when all he could think about was how he had played her to earn it? He knew it would be better to leave her here, to leave her with Luka, one he knew had pure intentions for her, whose love for her was true.

“Seth?”

Seth jumped, bringing his eyes up to meet Nancy’s. She looked concerned. It only made his guilt sink deeper. Did she know he doubted himself, his feelings for her?

“Yes, pudding?”

The silly nickname brought a smile to her lips, sending Seth’s heartbeat racing. He really hated it, knowing full well that he was making it harder on himself when he said such things.

“Aren’t you cold? Come in bed with me.” She turned away from Luka and opened the blankets on her other side.

Seth took a deep breath. He knew he couldn’t resist her invitation. He stood from the foot of the bed and carefully slipped inside the blankets that she offered him. He didn’t realize that he had been so cold, the ice setting into his soul, until she moved her arms around his torso, wrapping a leg over his hip. She was warm, so warm that he felt about to cry, like she would melt this ice that pierced his heart.

“Seth,” she whispered, pressing a soft kiss to his neck. He felt heat bloom from her touch. “I love you.”

With a breaking heart, he lifted a hand to raise her head, pressing a series of kisses to her lips until she gave a satisfied sigh. She settled in to him, falling asleep in his arms this time.

Maybe someday he would say it back. But for now, this was all he could do to stay afloat.

[shannie-writes]

Part 2 of @kashimalin‘s AU request: the Royalty AU!

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AU: Royalty

Pairing(s): Jonah/Lancelot, Sirius/MC/Ray, Zero/MC2

Setting: Fantasy Medieval

The Basics: What used to be one large kingdom has been split into two parts, separated by a tall mountain range with only one path carved through it for travelers to go between them. As they had come from the same original royal and political line, both kingdoms still practice the old custom of the selected Queen. The title of King is always passed along through lineage. The title of Queen is given to someone selected by the King. A Queen may be selected for love, experience, or social esteem. If the King marries someone other than the Queen, their spouse is referred to as Prince/Princess. If no heir is provided by the King, or the Queen, then the next heir for King would come from the line of the High Advisor. If there are still no heirs through this path, the King would select an heir.

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Lancelot: King of the Red kingdom. Chose his Queen for his high social status, but in the end, he knew it was out of adoration. A strict yet gentle king.

Jonah: A high-born, blue blood son to a political figure in the Red kingdom. Was planning to follow in his father’s footsteps when he was called to become Queen. He accepted and eventually fell in love with the King.

Edgar: High Advisor to the Red King. Looks over most of the complaints and requests given by the people and quickly and efficiently gets them completed every day.

Kyle: An apothecary in the Red kingdom. Takes money or mead as payment for his services.

Zero: Captain of the Red Guard. Worked hard for the position and to be knighted by the King. His only known weakness is his wife, who he loves with all his heart.

Ray: King of the Black kingdom. Chose his Queen due to his knowledge as a tactician and other skills. Is married, giving his wife the Princess title. A stoic yet teasing king.

Sirius: Was chosen as Black Queen. His skill and handling ability of the position brings a whole new standard for the position for future generations. Along the line, he found himself added into the relationship of the King and Princess.

Luka: High Advisor to the Black King. Very quiet, but gets his duties done with no complaints from any party.

Seth: A poet. Lives in the Black kingdom. You can find him in fields of flowers or drunkenly singing his own poems outside pubs.

Fenrir: Captain of the Black Guard. Good friend of the King’s, as they grew up together.

Harr: Lives in a lakeside cabin in the mountains with Loki. Takes care of hunters, thieves, and other miscreants who hide out along the mountain path. Leaves them trussed up at either end of the path to be taken care of by the royal guards.

Loki: Lives with Harr in his lakeside cabin in the mountains. Loves to team up with Harr to take down rogues who prey on unsuspecting travelers. He has explored most of the mountains and regularly visits the towns of either kingdom.

Blanc: The mediator for the two kingdoms. Drafts up treaties and the formal trade documents between the two kingdoms.

Oliver: A merchant who travels between the two kingdoms. Is good friends with Blanc and keeps him updated on the gossip he hears on the streets.

MC(Alice): The Black Princess. Will sometimes take care of business in the King and Queen’s stead for less important political meetings in the Red Kingdom.

MC2(Nancy): Wife to the Red Guard captain. Is always doing things for him, doting on him even when he’s on duty, much to his chagrin and his soldiers’ entertainment.

Snippet:

It didn’t take much to know when something was on Ray’s mind. His walk was brisker than usual and there was a tenseness in his jaw that seemed to darken his entire aura. Normally, it would fade as he lost himself in his daily duties, but today it was persisting far longer than anticipated.

“Ray,” Alice murmured as she approached him where he sat, slipping a hand over his shoulders, lightly kneading on the spots where he carried his stress. “Will you tell me what’s on your mind?”

Ray was silent for a moment before he set down his quill, looking up at her. The jeweled green of his eyes was typically crystal clear, but now were clouded with worry. “Am I still the first in your heart?”

Her eyes widened and she blinked a few times, her hand stilling on his back. What had made him doubt--?

The images of the events that transpired a few nights prior flooded through her thoughts. They had invited Sirius to their room again. It was the first time that her husband had given her the choice on who would take her first and she had chosen the Queen. He had seemed perfectly fine at the time, even urging her on, but maybe that wasn’t the case?

“Is this about the other night?” she asked. Her answer came as a flash in his eyes she caught before he turned back to the parchment in front of him. “Darling, look at me.” She moved her other hand to cup his cheek to turn to face her again. “Do you want to know why I made that decision?” She moved her hand from his back to play with the locks of hair on the back of his neck. He finally met her gaze, waiting for her to go on. She smiled, leaning forward to press her forehead to his. “It’s because I wanted to end the night with you. To finish with your arms around me and stay like that forever.”

Ray’s held breath was soft and warm as it washed over her lips. She was happy to see his mouth form the ghost of a smile..

“I love you, too. My princess.”

[shannie-writes]

*throws confetti* CONGRATS ON 300 CHIEF!! you deserve it and so much more! ԅ( ˘ω˘ԅ) i honestly had a hard time deciding on this because your AUs are always so good;; so i decided to go with the one that quite literally stole my breath away this last time: the caravan AU!!

Oh my gosh Avril, your request made me so so so sooo happy! ;A; I hope you enjoy the super pared down AU description and way too long snippet below!

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AU: Caravan

Pairing(s): Jonah/Lancelot, Sirius/MC/Ray, Seth/MC2

Setting: Fantasy, Desert Biome

The Basics: A large oasis city in the middle of the desert, Cradle, houses the majority of life–named as such as it is the birthplace of the growing commerce of the country. Here was where the current royal family used their magic to help the oasis grow and thrive into what it is today. Many people come here as a gathering place for events, trade, and witnessing the magic of the king.

Several caravans travel between Cradle to the other, smaller cities to trade. Some caravans are constantly traveling, never settling, and have become masters of the desert.

It is said that there are more magicians who live out in the desert, forced to keep their powers a secret lest the royal family snuff them out. Nothing is more dangerous than a magician who cannot control his magic and they aren’t going to let any become a danger to the city they have worked so hard to build–and rule.

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Lancelot: The King of Cradle, comes from a line of magicians. Had some friends from the city when he grew up, but they have since left to face the dangers of the desert. Will put on magical parades every few months for the people of the city and visitors.

Jonah: A dancer in Cradle, one of the most renowned and talented. Caught the King’s eye and through time, became both his personal dancer and lover.

Edgar: Is a night guard in Cradle. He knows the surrounding deserts like the back of his hand and isn’t afraid to investigate if something looks wrong.

Kyle: A healer in Cradle. Is an expert with any heat-induced ailments and is well known across the country for his quick work and his love for spirits.

Zero: Is a day guard in Cradle. Knows every street in the city and is happy to give directions to those who ask him. One of the most approachable guards but has no qualms taking misconducting citizens and traders to the pits for a time.

Ray: The leader of the Black caravan. Is a wild magician, and though untrained, uses his magic in the desert for utilitarian purposes.

Sirius: Essentially the second leader to the Black caravan. Is the navigator and keeps an eye on the stock to plan where they travel to next. Has a mysterious history with King Lancelot, who he checks in with each time they go to Cradle.

Luka: Didn’t want to become a dancer like his parents and older brother pushed him to be. Ran away with Ray’s caravan and learned to play the oud, which he uses to perform and help gain coin for the caravan when they drop by cities.

Seth: The master negotiator for Black caravan. Haggles for both selling and buying supplies and trinkets made by the caravan members and tends to get the most money out of it.

Fenrir: A hunter for Black caravan. Is able to go out into the desert and come back to the caravan with something to eat, even if they haven’t seen anything but sand all day.

Harr: A snake charmer. Lives out in the desert with his apprentice Loki. Teaches Loki how to use his magic in positive ways.

Loki: Harr’s apprentice. He has learned to charm desert animals and is slowly gaining control over his wild magic.

Blanc: A Cradle official. Oversees the political meetings for the town and makes sure to keep all records of items brought up, making sure to follow through with all the changes that were suggested during them.

Oliver: A Cradle official. Oversees a lot of the trading street and is in charge of the city coffers.

MC(Alice): A seamstress in the Black caravan. Makes clothing for both the caravan members and for sale. Is a lover to both Ray and Sirius.

MC2(Nancy): Had originally joined the Black caravan as a cook, but fell in love with dancing when she saw Jonah perform during one of their visits. Convinced Jonah to teach her to dance and now she uses it to perform in other cities, paired with Luka’s oud playing to gain coin for the caravan.

Snippet:

The smells and sights of the trading center in Cradle was always something to behold. Colorful fabric separated the temporary and static stalls. The shouts of traders selling their wares and general chatter was almost overwhelming if you weren’t used to it. The scent of freshly baked bread and spices were enough to make you drool, tempting you to try a bite.

Seth finished buying a heavy scoop of salt, humming happily to himself as he carefully eased it into an empty jar and placed it in his sack. Pleased with his deal, he turned around to look for Nancy. With a frown, he twisted his head back and forth. She had been just behind him, looking at fruit only a minute before. Worrying, he walked down the row of stalls, weaving between people until he spotted another familiar head that rose up from the crowds.

“Sirius! Oh, and Alice!” He spotted the seamstress behind her tall companion as he came up to them at a fabric stall. Alice paused in her rummaging of raw silks to look at him with a smile.  Sirius watched him, a protective hand on Alice’s lower back to keep her safe from the other shoppers that wove around them. “Have you seen Nancy anywhere?”

“I’m afraid I haven’t seen her since we arrived,” Alice said, turning to look around the streams of people for her.

“Do you want us to help you find her?” Sirius asked.

“No, I’ll keep looking. Thanks!”

With a nod to Sirius and a wave to Alice, Seth continued down the pathway, keeping eyes and ears on everything he could to try to find her. He had almost gone full circle around the square when he finally heard it, the unmistakable sound of the bells she kept around her ankles.

seshseshseshsesh

Turning the corner of the stalls, he found her. She was looking around for him as well, her head peeping up and down as she walked. Grinning, Seth quickened his pace to walk behind her.

“You ran off on me.”

“Seth!” She turned and gave him a smile that had him immediately forgiving her for any of the stress caused by her disappearance. Her eyes were bright and she reached out for his hand to tug him to the side, in a calm spot between stalls. “Look what I got!”

Seth adjusted his hand to link his fingers in hers. He peeked at the kabobs she had in hand and smiled. “Those look delicious. Though I must punish you for running off on me. Getting lost around here is no joke.”

She wore a light blush, smile growing wider despite the threat. “And what is my punishment?”

“You’ll have to feed me.” He didn’t move as she lifted a kabob, offering him the small chunk of meat on the end. “By mouth.”

“O-Oh!” Her eyes widened and her blush intensified. He wasn’t sure if she was too embarrassed to do it, but when she tentatively nipped a corner of the first piece and slipped it off the stick, he felt his heart thrum with both excitement and arousal. She stepped closer, lightly tugging at his hand as she moved onto her toes, bringing the meat to his waiting mouth, her tongue brushing the tip of his as she pushed it past his lips.

He melted as easily as the meat on his tongue, tender and spiced to perfection. And as she prepped the next piece, he planned all the ways he would reward her that night for following through on his silly punishment.

[shannie-writes]

Part 2 of your request, @razzmatash! This one is pretty small, so doesn’t have a large description, but I hope you enjoy it anyway!

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AU: High School

Pairing(s): Seth/MC, Jonah/MC

Setting: Modern

The Basics: Seth and MC are childhood friends who grew up as neighbors. They have a very close relationship all through growing up and regularly pop over at each other’s homes and are essentially considered family by their parents.

By the time they’re in high school, Seth has an unrequited crush for MC (and MC for Seth), but they don’t say anything to each other in fear of ruining their friendship. Events happen, Seth is on the cheer squad, and MC acts out in the belief that Seth has a girlfriend by dating the student body vice president, Jonah Clemence, on the down low. Things come to a climax when Seth confronts her and they realize their feelings for each other and Jonah’s a bit sad but moves on.

Snippet:

“Wow, what kind of fashion tornado came through here?” Seth gaped as he walked into Alice’s room, carefully maneuvering around piles of shirts and bottoms that littered the carpet.

Alice turned to him where she was stepping out of her closet, removing handfuls clothes on hangers. She huffed, attempting to move her bangs out of her eyes as she threw them onto her bed. “Ha ha. I’m going through all my things and getting rid of stuff I never wear. Spring cleaning and all that jazz.”

“I’m amazed you were able to fit all of this in your closet in the first place!” He helped grab another armful of clothes from the bar and tossed them onto the bed next to the other. “Oh, this one. Think your mother would approve?” He grinned as he held a strappy crop up to his chest and felt warm as she burst into laughter.

“Seth, please. You know she would make me wear a garbage bag before she’d ever let me wear that to school. I can’t even remember why I got that.”

“I helped you pick it out for that band concert we saw last summer.”

“Oh, that’s right! That was a blast.” She took the hanger from him and held it up to herself as well. “Think I should keep it?”

Seth paused for a moment, remembering that night. She had looked utterly delicious in the top, black shorts and combat boots. And he hadn’t been the only one who noticed. All those eyes that watched her. He couldn’t stand the way those other guys looked at her, young and beautiful and perfect. “Nah. If we go to another concert, I’ll find you something cuter. And mother friendly.”

“Yeah, that’s probably for the best.” She smiled and took the shirt off the hanger, tossing it into one of the piles.

Seth eyed the clothes around her floor, easily figuring out now which were staying and which were going. He felt flattered to find so many things in her keep pile that were picked by himself when they had gone shopping together. He recognized each one and remembered the special times that he had shared with her. All but one unfamiliar top.

Pursing his lips, he stepped toward the pile, picking up the shirt. Holding it up, he racked his brain, trying to remember if he had ever seen it on her before. It wasn’t really his style, or hers really. It was a pale pink silk, tight in the bodice before flaring out at the waist. “Where’d this one come from?”

“Hmm?” She turned and froze when she saw the one he was holding, a small flush spreading on her cheeks. “Oh...that’s a new one. I haven’t worn it yet.”

Seth watched her expression closely, something twisting in his gut. He could sense the wall again, the one that kept popping up between them more and more lately. Before he could stop himself, he said, “I don’t feel this suits you. Pink’s not your color, we’ve talked about this before, haven’t we?”

Her face fell as she turned to face her bed again. She traced the plaid patterns of the skirt in front of her, voice quiet as she replied. “I like it.” She hesitated before turning back to him, a fake smile on her lips. “I can take care of the rest myself. I’ll get back with you later today? You’re having dinner with us, right?”

Feeling somewhat ashamed of his dig at her, Seth nodded, dropping the top back to the pile. “Yeah. I’ll see you later.” He shut the door behind him as he left and tried to ignore the nagging feeling that there was something he was missing.

[shannie-writes]

The last of @kashimalin‘s requests, Ice Cream Shop AU! This one is abolutely near and dear to me and completely self-indulgent. I hope you enjoy!

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AU: Ice Cream Shop

Pairing(s): Edgar/MC/Zero

Setting: Modern, Slice of Life

The Basics: Edgar, Zero, and MC own an ice cream shop together. Edgar works as an insurance salesman as his day job somewhere else in town, but he manages over the stock and the business side of the ice cream shop. Zero and MC work together in the ice cream shop. During his lunch hour, Edgar will come by the shop to have lunch and a scoop of ice cream in the back room with one of them, while the other stays up front to serve customers.

The shop is named Light & Bright. It has a classic parlor aesthetic with red and white striped umbrellas on the outdoor tables, red and white checked flooring and counters indoors, and cute knick-knacks and photos on the walls. The uniforms are black shirt and pants, with a red apron sporting the shop’s logo in white. Every month, Edgar will create a special ice cream, with his own special blend of mix-ins. They are always popular and some customers will ask for the special blend by name months after the have been removed.

Their favorite flavors are playdough for Edgar, cherry chocolate for MC, and vanilla bean for Zero.

Snippet:

“Here you are,” Alice said, placing the small bowl in front of Edgar where he sat in the back room. Reading off the sticky note in hand, she continued, “One scoop chocolate swirl, one spoon marshmallow, one spoon chopped walnut, two spoons sandwich cookie crumbs, three gummy worms, and a pump of hot fudge.” She examined the ice cream, nodding in satisfaction.

“Well done, my dear,” Edgar said, giving her a smile as he picked up the plastic spoon. Carefully scooping out a bite that had most of the mix-ins, he held it up to her mouth. “Say ‘ahh!’”

She flushed, but opened her mouth obediently, unable to resist the sweet smile he gave her as he slipped the spoon from between her lips. “It’s good,” she said, muffled around the dessert. “Play on the worms in mud thing?”

“I’m thinking of calling it ‘Graveyard Soil.’”

She covered her mouth, scared she would spit out the ice cream with her laugh. “Edgar, no!”

His grin was bright as he put the spoon back in the bowl, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her sideways onto his lap. “It’s the perfect Halloween flavor.”

“It’s terrible.” But she couldn’t help from smiling just as wide as he was.

“Here, let me have a taste.”

She reached for the spoon, but he caught her hand in his. Turning her head up to look at him, he tilted his to match, pressing a kiss to her lips. A lap and suck on her bottom lip had her mouth parting as though he had spoken a secret passage, his tongue gliding across hers and up along her teeth before pulling away. She felt hot and needy and it had only been the one kiss.

“Perfection.”

“The ice cream?”

His eyes softened as he leaned to press another soft kiss to her teasing smile. “Both.”

“Hey.”

Alice jumped, looking at the doorway where Zero was standing. His arms were crossed and his brow was furrowed, but she didn’t sense any disgruntlement. “Yes?”

“Yes, Zero. What is it?” Edgar kept his eyes on Zero as he nuzzled into her neck.

Zero sighed. “Save it for when we get home. You have six minutes before you have to head back to work. Don’t want to be late.”

“But Zero, you get so much time with her.” Edgar slipped a hand under her shirt by her hip, sending her squirming at the cold touch of his fingers on her skin.

“Yeah, working. Behave yourself and eat your ice cream. You have five minutes.” Zero stepped out from the doorway, the bell at the front door chiming as a customer came in.

“He’s no fun.”

She giggled and grabbed the cup and spoon. He had warmed up already, his thumb stroking her skin along her waistband. “Either way, let’s eat quick before he yells at us again.”

“A reasonable decision.” He slipped his hand out to brace her hip instead. “Though, I will have to take him up on the offer of continuing this at home.”

“Sounds like a good plan to me,” she said, fluttering her eyes at him. “Now, say ‘ahh!’”