@impossiblescissorspeachpaper my love, thank you so much for your friendship this past year.
Getting to know you has been an absolute joy. I wish you and your fam an amazing holiday season, and a happy and healthy 2023.
The following is just a little bit of silly, solsticey fluff. I couldn't remember whether you liked reading about kids or not, but this whole fic was written around Elain's last line haha.
I know, I know. Fair warning... it's terrible.
You'll see why. 🤣
Secret Santa out. ✌🏻
🎄❤️🎄❤️🎄
Read it on AO3 instead
1200 words
Modern AU
"Shadow" the cat was stolen shamelessly from @tswaney17's magnificent Across the Hallway fic. Thanks, Tay!
Rosa Archeron knew very well that she should be tucked up in bed—had, in fact, been there only five short minutes ago—but she needed to gather information for her father, to prove she could be the world's youngest spy. If she learnt the identity of Father Solstice, or at least what he looked like (something even her detective father hadn't been able to tell her), then she could brag at dinner tomorrow night and shut her cousin Nyx up for good.
Nyx was almost ten and insufferable with it. Who cared about being "big" when it meant one lost the best hiding spots? She didn't know why he was so happy about it.
Sleep could wait, some might say. Or maybe even there ain't no rest for the wicked, if she knew such a phrase at seven years old.
So Rosa had very quietly crawled out of bed, sneaked across the room she shared with her twin brother, Andy, while avoiding the squeaky floorboard that would alert her too-observant parents to her mission (because she may only be seven years old, but she wasn't born yesterday, thank you very much), and out the door onto the landing at the top of the stairs.
Phase one, complete.
Slowly crouching, before getting onto her belly, she poked her nose through the railings of the bannister and put the old spyglass she'd swiped from her ma's travel bag to her face.
Surveying the scene was very important, she knew. She couldn't just trust that her parents had gone to sleep yet. She and her brother had learnt that particular lesson when they were only five.
Phase two was going to be the hardest, because there was more than one squeaky step to this staircase at Rosehall, but if she made it all the way downstairs and into the back hallway, she could take the rear corridor to bypass her parents' bedroom door, making it to the lounge room, and getting through phase three undetected.
If all went to plan.
Her ma had better hearing than most people she knew, and her dad was just plain sneaky. Some days it seemed like he could slip into the shadows.
Taking a (quiet) deep breath, she worked up the courage to turn around and start descending the stairs backwards, on her hands and feet, avoiding steps number four and seven to perfection. Reaching the bottom without any noises she could hear, and pleased with herself, a small smile curved her mouth at one side.
Phase two was over; phase three should be much easier, especially since her eyes had, by now, adjusted to the dark.
Tip toeing across the flagstone floor to the far corner as silently as their black cat, Shadow, would have done, Rosa used the spyglass once more to check around the corner. Her ma and dad didn't sleep on this corridor, but one could really never be too careful, especially when one was up to mischief.
The coast being all clear, she kept up her tip toeing until she made it into the lounge room and, sliding behind the couch, breathed a sigh of relief.
Phase three? Tick. Now for phase four (hide) and phase five (stay awake until Father Solstice visited to deliver presents, making sure to get a good look at his face). She even had made sure not to drink much this evening, so she wouldn't have to run to the toilet and miss him. That would be awful.
Sitting for a minute, collecting her thoughts, Rosa decided that her best bet was still to hide under the sideboard along the west wall. Ideally she'd have got into her ma's camphorwood chest and ever-so-slightly propped the lid open with a folded bit of linen from inside, but it was too heavy to open by herself, and anyway, the hinges were too noisy.
The sideboard was still a good option; low enough that most people would miss her, especially in the dark, but she'd still have a clear view of anyone who came down the chimney, which was really the whole point of her mission.
Stifling a yawn, she crept out from behind the couch, grabbing her favourite solstice blanket as she went by, and crawled under the wooden cabinet in which her parents kept their good china. She loved watching as they got everything out for dinner parties, but she was still too young to be allowed the key herself.
Maybe Nyx was right; there would be at least some good from growing up.
After a little while, Rosa started to fiddle. Waiting was boring, after all, and she wished she was brave enough to get back out and swipe one of the gingerbread cookies that she and Andy had helped their ma make that morning, but the plate was for Father Solstice, and she didn't want to end up on the naughty list.
A few times she thought she saw some movement by the doorway, but maybe that was just her tired eyes playing tricks on her. Or the cat.
As the clock struck midnight she could have sworn she heard bells and footsteps, but nothing came of it.
Shadow found her in her hiding spot just before one o'clock, and promptly curled up beside her, purring happily.
Yawning some more, Rosa stretched her legs, careful to avoid knocking Shadow, and then brought them back under cover of the sideboard. Maybe she should have woken Andy up to help her out. She'd wanted to do this by herself, but it would be much easier to stay awake with her brother by her side. Louder, too, she supposed.
No, she decided as her eyes blinked closed for a little rest—just a quick one. She'd made the right choice in working alone tonight.
Thinking of the food that awaited her the next day kept her occupied for a little while, and then presents after that, but as it neared two o'clock she was needing to rest her eyes for longer and longer.
Just one more rest, then he'll come, Rosa thought. Just one—
***
At three o'clock on Solstice morning, Elain woke up to Azriel's gentle stroke of her hair and grinned.
"Has she fallen asleep yet?" She whispered.
"Finally," was his answer. "I just got her back to bed, she didn't even stir."
"It was a good effort on her behalf," Elain admitted. "She stayed awake far longer than I gave her credit for."
Azriel chuckled softly. "True, I'll give her that. The camera behind the elf on the shelf was a stroke of genius, though. And it helped that the cat was sticking out from under the sideboard, belly up and snoring."
Elain relaxed back into the pillows, content. "So, did Father Solstice get the extra presents out, and eat a cookie or two?"
"Three, in fact. Maybe next year we go with chocolate fudge or shortbread instead of ginger, though?" He murmured as he got back into bed.
Elain grimaced. "I'm sorry, the kids were insisting on gingerbread."
"That's alright." Az rolled over and looked at her, suddenly wicked. "You can make it up to me any time, you know."
"Come here then, Daddy Solstice."
Azriel only snorted as he pulled her to his chest.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
It's the first Solstice after Sabrina was risen from the dead. The first Solstice without Nick. In the midst of her tears and sorrow she accidentally conjures him, which leads to a tradition they do year after year. Every Solstice, for 24 hours, Sabrina can call upon her love Nicholas Scratch and they can be together. Only on this one day a year can they touch each other, and they make it count. In classic Nick and Sabrina fashion each year isn't perfect but it doesn't matter what happens, they'll always love each other.
Sabrina and Nick during Solstice through the years. Its the only time they really get to see each other without Sabrina putting herself in danger. And its the only way they can touch each other. For 24 hours each year they can hold each other and wipe their tears and kiss each others smile. Sabrina just hopes it lasts.
Ok so some Solstice and Sun n Moon backstory for my fic bc if I don’t get it out I’m gonna forget it, and I’m on mobile and don’t know how to make the keep reading thing so feel free to scroll past if it’s too long ^^’
Ok, so Solstice, the OG Daycare attendant. Management thought “Hey, we are doing so well with one, how about another? Even better, two in one! That way, if one breaks, we have a back up.”
Solstice loved Sun and Moon! At first. They both adored him, viewing him in a similar light as an older brother. But, Solstice has been infected with the Afton virus for a long time. Sun and Moon knew something was going on with Solstice, finding him whisking away children to unknown locations and being told to ‘not worry’, and ‘it’ll all be worth it’, and when Solstice proposed for them to join?
All trust was destroyed
How on earth could Sol suggest that? The children are their responsibility! When they rejected the idea, that’s when Solstice’s attitude changed.
He became curt, short, and ill tempered with them. Often he would send them to Parts and Service to get them out of the way during the kidnappings (idk how, I’m still working it out), and the virus consumed him so much, that he eventually viewed himself as some sort of god. He had the power over other’s lives, after all. Afton’s whole religion would be nothing with out him. He’s the one doing all the work! It should be Solstice being the one worshipped, not Afton.
All the while, Sun and Moon figured out how to keep the children safe. They simply took his AI chip while he was charging and put it inside an arcade game that no one played. Balloon Boy World. It was no easy feat, Solstice fought every inch of the way. His AI chip was infused with a purple energy, violently zapping at their hands as they put him inside the arcade game, and locking him away for ever. They went as far as moving the game to their room, where no one would find it.
They told management that ‘Solstice was damaged beyond repair from a wire incident’, and management didn’t want to go through all the paper work and money to actually fix and/or look into it. So Solstice stayed inside the arcade game.
Until a few years later.
Unlike Moon, Sun still loved Solstice. Still felt guilt.
Still mourned
Everyday before the Daycare opened, Sun would play the game in Solstice’s honor. Everyday reaching a higher score on the seemingly endless game, until he discovered the portals to glitched out landscape, with Solstice in the sky.
He was frightened at first, but against his better judgement, continued playing. Maybe this was Solstice, trying to communicate to him! Maybe he was better, no longer infected some how. This was the wishful thinking of a fool, he knew, but his desperation for closure and comfort from his brother drove him forward, until finally, he beat the game.
The horrifying good night message blinked on the screen before a clawed, horrifying hand reached through the screen. Solstice climbed out, but…
This wasn’t Solstice. He was wrong. He was too tall, too sharp, too angry, too…demonic. This wasn’t his brother.
Solstice recognized Sun, and immediately-
Hugged him?
No, this wasn’t right, he was supposed to be angry. Solstice was supposed to be rageful, blinded by hate for Sun and Moon, not hugging him like a life line, and dripping…whatever his face was made out of, all over Sun. It was quite a mess.
Solstice didn’t have a voice, couldn’t voice just how happy he was to see Sun again, how happy he was that someone freed him from his prison-
But Moon decided to take over, thrusting Solstice off and lunging. Solstice shrieked with betrayal, a guttural, glitching scream erupted as he was harshly pushed back, swiping with his clawed hands as he was once again imprisoned.
He would not be found until another 5 years, when a certain human found themselves intrigued by this old arcade game called, ‘Balloon Boy World”…
A Holiday Fic I will try to update each December Day leading up to Feyre’s Birthday(Winter Solstice). (I make no promises. I will try.)
Main Pairing :: Elain x Lucien
Side Pairing :: Feyre x Rhysand
Pairing Confirmed in Background(That I’m just to self conscious to write and put in the more foreground) :: Nesta x Cassian / Mor x Emerie
Summary :: It is solstice time again, but things are different this year. Elain isn’t finding she is walking in on dinners already started, and gift exchanges taking place. Something doesn’t add up, and something hurts.
Elain had noticed the halls of the River House to be rather, empty. She had just arrived, seeming how she had taken to staying at the townhouse, to allow her sister and Rhys to figure out their small family, now her nephew had been born. She didn’t mind it in the town house, it was nice and quiet, and the gardens had desperately needed tending since everyone had moved to the River House after it had finished being built.
But this evening, Elain had decided to stop in for a visit with her sister, in hopes of seeing her nephew, but the halls were empty. This wasn’t that unusual, as Nesta, Cassian and Azrial lived up in the House of Wind, Mor had gone back to the Continent to work on treaty signing, and Amren had her own small apartment she lived in, and rarely left when Varian would visit. Just considering what Amren and Varian might do, caused a slight blush to colour Elains cheek, as she looked down slightly.
Not wanting to get caught, and have anyone get the wrong idea, Elain quickly composed herself, and then continued looking around, in hopes of finding anyone, preferably her sister or nephew.
It wasn’t until she got closer to the dining hall, though still there was a fair distance away, her traitorous fae ears picked up sound coming from the dining hall. If she hadn’t been confused at the amount of sound, far too much for two adults, and a young infant, she would have felt a deep frustration within herself for relying on her new fae body yet again. She started walking towards the dining hall.
Elain didn’t want to have to rely on her fae body, she didn’t want to have to rely on the better hearing, or the better sight. She hated the visions, and kept them to herself for the most part, and tried her best to live as human a life as she could, stuck in her fae body as she was. It was difficult, but she managed. As she turned into the dining hall, ready to greet her sister, she was thinking about how the only time it became impossible to pretend she was still human was when—
There he was. The reason she could not deny she was no longer human. The word caressed its way through her mind, making what felt like her whole brain shiver with pleasure, and she tried not to let it show on her face. Her mate. Eating dinner. Along with both her sisters, both their mates, her nephew, Amren, Varien, and some others. Only she, as well as Azriel were not here.
Did she miss the invitation? Did she not hear a knock on the door, had her sister visited?
No, I didn’t visit. She heard her sisters voice in her mind.
Was she just not invited then?
“This must be a business dinner? I apologize for interrupting. I will come back later.” She said, making the first excuse she could think of, before making a gentle smile, nodding her head, and turning to walk off.
All she could think, was that she knew it wasn’t business, because if it were, Nyx would not be there, and Azriel would. So why was everyone having dinner, with her— with him invited, but not her? She had to admit, it stung. It hurt. We’re they choosing him over her? She hadn’t seen this. She hadn’t seen anything like this happening. While unwanted, she had been getting used to, and could understand and read the visions much easier now. She would have known if she saw this, and she did not—
Elain, calm down. I will come explain everything when dinner is done. I promise. Her sister then told her again in her mind. It took her a moment, but she took a deep breath and then found her way to leave the River House, to walk back to where she had started calling home in the Town House.
6 (least popular fic this year) so I can go show it some love
BUH! WHY ARE YOU SO SWEET?! I must find you and smooch you immediately.
It seems the two that got the fewest likes (which I don’t ever take to HEART... lolz i’m so sorry for that pun) were SOLSTICE (a v. cute and wintery wildlife-rehabber!Clyde x kitsune!Reader fic) and Holds Two Nicely (a v. self-indulgent Ronnie Peterson x Reader fic featuring road-head in the SmartCar hehehe). I’ll reblog ‘em in a sec--I hope you like them xoxo!
Ahhhhhh! Z! That was sooooooo good! I'm so glad you included opossums in your story because I absolutely adore them. They are one of my favorite animals. Such cry babies, hissing all of the time, but the moment you scoop them up they're like "oop you win, I guess". Such angels. And so is Clyde! I can't wait to see what else you have in store! But also, if you want to check out some ADORABLE opossums, itsmesesame and gilbertopossum on ig are gems. - 🦔
YAY I AM SO HAPPY, LIL HEDGY!!!!!! 💘💘💘 Part two is coming out tonight! Also, catch me SPRINTING to check out cute opossum pages on IG 🥺 they ARE such angel bbys! TYSM xoxoxo
Z!! Z!!!!! This is kitsune!anon here. I just read your winter solstice wildlife rehabber Clyde and kitsune!reader. And. I. Am. In. Awe. It’s sooooo good! Gaaaah!! You captured the magic, the fluff, the smut, the feels so perfectly! I’ve read several hundred fics, and seldom have I just reveled in a fic from the very first word to the end as much as I do yours. I love wildlife rehabber!Clyde!!! Wow what a man. You really flushed out his character so wonderfully. I think we all wish we were (1/2)
(2/2) wrapped into a blanket and cuddled and fed by Clyde now. That is, if Sassy Girl would let us haha! Omg I looooove Sassy Girl too! Kitsune!Reader is so amazing. I love how you described her transformation. Seriously, the entire time reading this fic I was squealing. I just adore how Clyde calls her little one. I love the little references to her wild nature like how she felt like she was in heat. This is such an amazing fic!!! Beautiful writing!! Thank you for gracing us with this! 🦊 ✨
Oh, OH, DARLING 🥺🥺🥺What an incredibly thoughtful message to receive *sniffles* 🥰 I so dearly appreciate the inspiration you provided--I don’t think I ever would have dreamed up the idea without you! Thank you so much for reading and your kind words, sweet pea! Sassy Girl kisses to you!!! <3
