#paloma writes

[pouroverpaloma]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

To quote a certain wizard: ✨behold✨

My contribution for @rolaninto2026! Prompt is Day 1 NSFW: "we shouldn't be doing this," with a small side of "wizard hands." Both of which, I now confess, were my suggestions. You can imagine how pleased with myself I am.

I hope you enjoy! Thanks so, so much to Darcy and Kimber for putting on this event, I ended up having so much fun with this.

[pouroverpaloma]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

The girls graduate. Daphne throws a party. Gale gets another email (and commits some light agricultural crime. But mostly the email thing).

[pouroverpaloma]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[ENORMOUS AIR HORN FINALE]

In which the author finally releases these two from the torment nexus and lets them actually take that vacation. Also, importantly, Gale wears an unbuttoned white linen shirt for the very brief amount of on-page time he spends clothed

[pouroverpaloma]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Happy Valentine's Day. Remember that crackfic I wrote for Schlocktober? Yeah haha me neither. It hasn't gripped me by the throat and demanded a sequel since the moment I hit publish on it three months ago. Anyway what's new with you how's your weekend going

[pouroverpaloma]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Maru finally gets to crack that man's back like a bowl of walnuts, but not before going through the dark night of the soul first. And getting disastrously turned on by calm, authoritative explanations of minor medical procedures. Mostly the dark night of the soul thing though

[pouroverpaloma]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

I heard y’all wanted to see Mystra get fucking obliterated, right?

[pouroverpaloma]

The second half of my man on a horse is here is 1) under review and 2) eleven thousand goddamn words long

[pouroverpaloma]

Valentine's Cheese

The brief: Share the most cheesily romantic line you've ever written, or the most over-the-top VP you've done, or anything that suits your fancy (as long as it's earnestly and unabashedly cornball)

Thanks for the tag, @lemonsrosesandlavender!! It's hard to pick the most self-indulgent moment from my oeuvre of purely self-indulgence, but Gale's enormous fuckoff Grand Romantic Gesture from this beauty that pleases too well is probably it. Get you a man who will join a covert white-collar crime investigation, upend his entire academic field, and break through his most ironclad hangup just to say he's sorry.

“Were you—Gale, did you mean that?” she asked unsteadily. 

“Yes. Yes. ” He clasped her hand between both of his, fingertips curling around her wrist. “Every word. And immediately after I said it, I dashed here to tell you in person. You must know—here. Place your hand over my heart. Let me show you.”

Immediately after? He came straight from a fucking police raid? How? She eyed his rumpled clothes and unkempt hair with a new, awestruck appreciation. He’d never been more captivating. 

Her mind spinning, she let him plant her open palm over his tattoo. The thrill of his bare skin against hers again, unmistakably warm and solid, punched the breath from her. Gale. Her Gale. Here, with her.

“Show me what?” she whispered.

“As I said. My heart,” he smiled, the crinkles bracketing his mouth and eyes deepening in his Robert Redford way. “Four chambers, a finely tuned engine of muscle and blood. Saved from turning to stone by the miracle of your care, beloved.”

Her pulse roared in her ears. Gale shifted on his knees, inching closer to her. 

“Every moment in your presence alters me. I knew as much before I even knew your name. The undimmable light of your spirit warms me to the very marrow; it innervates a part of myself I’d long presumed dead.” He pressed her hand harder to his chest, and the vital thump of his heartbeat vibrated up her arm. “To think, my life could amount to more than lonely, bitter disappointment. To think, you could find me in a vast, improbable universe and remind me what living can feel like. Really living, just as I am.”

Daphne almost didn’t dare breathe. Every nerve stretched tight and fraying, sparks crackling in her chest.

“I love you,” he said, voice cracking, and goosebumps rose on Daphne’s arms. It felt less like a declaration and more like an oath, a promise he’d die before he broke. “As long as I live, I will only love you more. As long as you wish to let me stay, I will devote myself to proving it. Please.”

She opened and closed her mouth wordlessly, the dam she’d so carefully built in her chest over the last month finally crumbling against the overwhelming tide of her joy. She’d never stopped loving him, but now? When he’d not only pulled himself back from doing the wrong thing, but taken on the risk of doing the right thing, even when it could cost him his life’s work? 

They had to get out of here. She had to kiss him. If they could just make it to her car, she could do 90 the whole way home—

She shot to her feet and grabbed for her bag where she’d let it fall to the floor, digging for her keys. Gale was in front of her moments later, his tie dangling loose around the open neck of his shirt.

“If this is a no,” he stammered, his ears burning red, “I assure you, you don’t have to make an escape.”

She cocked her head at him, confused.

“Oh! Uh, yes, sorry, I love you,” she stumbled, realizing belatedly how bolting out of her seat at the end of his speech must have looked from his perspective. He reeled back half a step. “I love you so fucking much, we can talk about all of it later, and there is a lot to talk about, but I’m going to kiss you and I can’t do that here. Yours or mine?”

His eyes blew wide. Her lump of keys still bristled in her fist, halfway to grabbing her car remote, as she waited. His gaze roamed her face for a brief moment as something inside him seemed to hesitate, then resolve.

She furrowed her eyebrows. “Gale?”

“Sod it,” he breathed. 

He whipped off his glasses, seized Daphne by the shoulders, and slammed his lips to hers.

I think most people have already done this, but tagging @toads-treasures @little-paperboat @12thhouse-sun and @thespellsparkler just in case!