Artist note: Welcome to my incredibly self-indulgent expansion of my skatepunk AU 'verse to now include Clegan! Think Romeo & Juliet, except they're in warring gangs, and they still get to live HEA.
Word count: 2837
AO3 link
“You’re late,” John accuses, stepping close enough to smell the stale beer and expensive leather on Gale.
“Had to shake a tail,” Gale murmurs. He drops his board, the crack echoing off the walls, and reaches out.
His hand wraps around John’s throat.
It’s not violent - not yet - but it’s heavy. Possessive. The thumb presses against John’s pulse point, feeling the frantic rabbit-kick of his heart. John’s breath hitches, his eyes fluttering shut as he leans into the touch, his own hands coming up to grip Gale’s wrist, grounding himself.
“Did you?” John whispers, his voice already sounding wrecked in his own ears.
“Yeah.” Gale’s thumb strokes the hollow of his throat, a soothing rhythm that belies the danger of their position. “Brought supplies.”
He nods toward the duffel bag slung over his shoulder. It clinks - the distinct, hollow rattle of aerosol cans.
John laughs, a breathless, broken sound. “You romantic son of a bitch.”
'cause I look for scarlet and you look for ultraviolet
and we are exhausted by all this pretending
we just can't resist the violence
and you need a melody
i only need the silence
but each time we battle
the blood and the fury takes us a little higher
The voice is low, a gravelly rumble that vibrates in John’s chest before he even turns his head. He grins, sharp and dangerous, and looks down.
Gale stands in the alley below, a silhouette cut from the darkness. He’s holding his board by the trucks, his other hand shoved deep into the pocket of a leather jacket that’s seen more pavement than a highway. Even in the dark, John knows the expression on his face - that stoic, unbothered mask that makes John want to crack him open just to see the colour of his blood.
“If I wanted to live forever,” John calls down, his voice rough with smoke, “I wouldn’t be dating a Cleven, that’s for sure.”
Bingos filled by multiple anonymous participants, @freedomforthewin and @quynndestructable 🎉
STALAG -> Bent, not broken by @moghraidhs: The aftermath of the fight in the yard. Angst, Hurt/comfort, Teen and up.
POSTED SEPT 2024 -> Fanart by @magneticghouls, rec by anonymous: Other AU, No romantic relationship, Gen.
Amazing Bucky fanart! It shows the artist's talent that they managed to capture Bucky's face so well and that they managed to do that on paper. Great job!
MADE ME SMILE -> Can't Get a Handle by @darkimpala1897: Buck, Bucky, and Douglass help Hambone get control of his powers. Bucky’s powers are too funny😆Other AU, Fluff, Gen.
CROSSOVER -> Theseus and His Troublemaker Siblings by @freedomforthewin, rec by anonymous: Bartender: How exactly is this pulls out the toy unicorn that was in the box and shows it to Theseus supposed to be a replacement? Theseus stares at the toy unicorn, dumbfounded. Theseus: Sir, I don’t know what happened. All I know is that something happened, and he said that what was in the box would…make up…for it. No romantic relationship, Crossover, Gen.
POSTED PRE-SHOW -> Fanart by @rubinecorvus, rec by anonymous: Steve Bosser fanart (inspired by the actor's bts shenanigans). Canon, Other AU, No romantic relationship, Gen.
I have just discovered this fanart from before the start of the show, and I really like it. It's so dynamic and cool, and the idea was really creative. I also love that it portrays a minor character.
COMMENT ON A FIC WITH LESS THAN 1K WORDS -> Commented on Heavy Petting by Stellascoot on AO3, rec by anonymous: Dog coded Bucky is rewarded by Buck after getting with the programme at Stalag Luft III. Canon, Smut/ PWP, Explicit.
This was a short and sweet (and hot) dog-coded/praise kink Bucky fic set in the canon timeline in the Stalag. I especially loved Bucky being jealous of Meatball for getting a slow dance with Buck before he could.
GORGEOUS -> Fanart by @swifty-fox (art can be found at the end of chapter 20), rec by anonymous: Post-war, Getting together, Smut/ PWP, Angst, Hurt/ comfort, Art: Gen, Fic: Explicit.
Primarily reccing the absolutely stunning, gorgeous artwork for this fic, but also the beautiful fic it was created for as well, "my kingdom for a kiss upon your shoulder" (both by Swifty). I just love the colors, the expression, the details - so beautiful!
MISCHIEF -> a little party never hurt no one by @oopsiedaisiesbaby, rec by anonymous: frat boy au. Modern AU, Fluff, Getting Together, Mature.
A really fun AU with amazing writing that keeps you entertained with every word. I can't wait for the next chapter! I love all the writing and headcanons of this author.
BREAKFAST IN BED, WHITE and BLUE -> born bluer than a butterfly (fic + moodboard) by @quynndestructable: a modern military clegan au. Modern AU, Angst, Explicit.
I was inspired by the song Blue by Billie Eilish, particularly the line 'In the back of my mind, I'm still overseas/A bird in a cage, thought you were made for me'. I imagined a modern military AU where John and Gale have finished their service, having already been engaged in an established relationship during their time overseas. Unfortunately, upon returning to civilian life they find that Gale's childhood trauma (exacerbated by his experiences in the war) begin to creep back in again, ultimately rending them apart. And because I am who I am, naturally I'm already imaging what this would look like as a fully fledged fic and whether they would end up being able to work through it.
FRIENDSHIP -> Do You Want to Build a Snowman? by @freedomforthewin, rec by anonymous: Gale’s ice magic accidentally hurt John, and John almost died. Thankfully, John survived, but he didn’t remember that Gale had powers. Gale became afraid of hurting John and locked himself away, refusing to be around John. The Egan parents didn’t allow anyone to tell John about Gale’s powers, which led to John feeling confused and devastated at Gale’s persistent avoidance of him. Other AU, No romantic relationship, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/comfort, Gen.
PHONE CALLS, BREEDING KINK and OUTLAWS / CRIMINALS -> tell me if you want to hurt (drabble + moodboard) by @quynndestructable: a clegan organized crime au. Modern AU, Smut/PWP, Explicit.
This one is pure, smutty id - the boys are part of an organized crime family, on the down-low with their relationship so that they're allowed to work together. Because it's even hotter, of course. Pairs well with the song 'skins' by The Haunting.
CERTIFIED MUNCH -> eat me, honey by @wayrad, rec by anonymous: A man with no God turns to his wife for prayer. Post-war, Established relationship, Smut/PWP, Fem!Gale, Explicit.
As soon as I saw the word "munch", my thoughts jumped to this fic... I need more fem!Gale x John smut in my life 🥵
