After some time on Twitter and a long absence, Sweet & Spicy Multifandom Bingo has moved to Tumblr for another seasonal event. Welcome & welcome back to past & future participants!
'Sweet & Spicy' is meant to convey the idea that wholesome vibes and not-so-wholesome vibes can coexist in fandom, whether in separate works or combined into one. Prompts may have positive or negative connotations, but you’re free to use them however you’d like!
Signups for our Winter Edition are open until December 10th, but there's no deadline on submissions.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Title: Shelter
Fandom: Twisted Wonderland
Character/Pairing: Leona Kingscholar/Silver, Leona Kingscholar, Silver, Lilia Vanrouge
Rating: E
Word Count: 10,350
Summary: They're an unlikely pair, their starting point a whim, an accident, a kindness without thought. But sometimes, that's all it really takes to find your safe harbour.
Tags: Post-Book 7, Canon Divergence AU, Feelings Realization, Porn with Feelings, Anal Sex, Friends to Lovers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Non-Linear Narrative
Submitted For:
@julybreakbingo
- July Break Bingo 2024 - Sharing Clothes or Using Someone As a Pillow | Bleeding Through Bandages or Arm in a Sling | Having and/or developing feelings for someone while they’re being carried by them | Craving company/attention after a long and/or stressful day
- Post-July Break Bingo 2024 - Seeing bandages under the collar of their shirt | Collapsing from Exhaustion | Confessing feelings to someone they think is asleep
@badthingshappenbingo
- Bad Things Happen Bingo [Card 2] - Power Fatigue
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Fandom: Gangsta
Pairing: Alex Benedetto/Nicolas Brown
Rating: Mature
Summary: A scary dog, a sudden downpour, and a cup of coffee. Or: The one where Nicolas runs some errands with Alex.
Notes: Written for @sweetspicybingo (Winter Edition) - coffee. Continuing my longstanding tradition of signing up for a bingo card and filling exactly one (1) square during the posting period. ✌🏽
I’m Not Going To Say Goodbye So I Don’t Have To Go
My first 911: lone star fic, for @911bingo’s prompt — “I don’t care where we are. I just care that we’re together, you’re my home.”. I’ve been binge-watching it this last week and finally found the inspiration to write something! 🌟
Fandom: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Pairing: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Tags: Post s02e12 The Big Heat, Missing Scene, Caretaking, Angst and Feels, Cuddling & Snuggling
Summary: After their night gets ruined by a home in flames, Carlos and TK go to the Strand’s house.
Wordcount: 2k
Created for: @fandom-free-bingo, Wild Edition — Leaning into the other Person / @multifandom-flash, r2 card #2005 — Leave the Two Lovebirds Alone + fear flash card — Astraphonia, Fear of thunder and lighting + New Year’s Resolutions (gen) — Try Something New / @fnafbingo — “Uh, that restaurant should be the safest place on earth.” / @seasonaldelightsbingo, winter wonderland — Covered in blankets + Playing with their hair + Peppering kisses all over their face / @sweetspicybingo — Warm hands
Excerpt:
Her mom cupped his face when they got apart. “Are you okay?” Carlos was glad she didn’t comment anything on his face, that by looking at TK’s he guessed was full of soot too.
“We got cleared, mum. I’m fine.” His answer was drier than he would have wanted it to be, but he was too tired to care anymore.
Carlos missed how, when he moved into the kitchen, his mom looked at TK and said “that’s not what I asked.” TK nodded in understanding, and they joined everyone in the kitchen. “I couldn’t prepare anything, but maybe Mr Strand has some cocoa? I can make a hot drink to help you sleep better.”
“I’m not hungry, mum. But thank you,” he replied.
“Yeah.” TK made a funny face. “And I highly doubt my dad has any chocolate around.”
“Chocolate?” Captain Strand joined the conversation. “Who do you think I am?” TK threw him a deadly stare, and then he kept going. “But I think I kept some coffee that Gwyn left somewhere. Why don’t I prepare something and we let the boys get settled in?”
Pairing: None
Length: 1483 Words
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Family Dinners, Family Drama, Past Character Death, Resurrection, Implied/Referenced Murder, Past Murder, Denial, Bàba Zero & Mama Zero are both in heavy denial, Bad things happened to Kuai Liang, No one in this is coping in a healthy way
@sweetspicybingo: Family Dinner
Sweet & Spicy Bingo Masterlist
Notes: Today on Summer is mean to Kuai Liang… Altho tbf I’m more torturing his family via him in this one so… :)
Tomas poked at his dumpling with his chopsticks. It looked delicious, as Mother’s food always did, but his appetite was none existent. Every time he looked up, he saw the rest of his family, happily taking portions from the various dishes in the centre of the table. Well, everyone except Kuai Liang, who was blankly staring at the wall opposite him. No one seemed bothered, Mother just occasionally placed some food on Kuai’s plate, only for him to not eat any of it.
How was he the only person unnerved by all this?
“So… Are we all just supposed to pretend nothing happened?” He finally asked, trying not to slam his chopsticks down on the table in frustration.
Mother turned to him and gave him an uneasy smile. “What do you mean?”
He ground his teeth together, eyes landing on Kuai Liang again. There was still no reaction, and the food Mother was placing on his plate just kept piling up. He looked to Father and Bi-Han. Father sat with his hands clasped together, looking at Tomas expectantly. Meanwhile Bi-Han had his head low, scowl on his face like he was trying to avoid all of them.
“I mean-“ He stopped himself, taking a deep breath. He lowered his voice as he said “I mean what happened with Kuai Liang.”
It was like that sentence somehow paused time itself. No one moved, and certainly no one spoke. It was like everyone stopped breathing. Mother and Father shared a glance, it looked like they were having a silent conversation. Bi-Han pointedly looked away from everyone, while Kuai’s empty stare never wavered. Tomas swallowed, trying to hold back tears.
“He died,” Tomas stressed when no one answered him. “He died and we watched him die.”
Granted, his memories of that day were blurred at best. He remembered Lin Kuei running around the temple, before Father had come to collect Bi-Han and him, telling them something had happened to Kuai Liang. Tomas believed nothing could ever come close to what he witnessed the day his birth mother and sister died, but what waited for them in that hospital room was definitely up there. Kuai’s battered and brutalised body, so many wires attached to him trying in vain to keep him alive. The second Tomas walked into that room, he knew there was no coming back.
He would forever be haunted by the sound of Mother screaming for her baby as Kuai Liang flatlined.
Yet here Kuai Liang was. Sat at the dinner table. Alive.
“The Doctor’s just got it wrong, that’s all,” Mother tried to excuse, voice strained and tears in her eyes.
Father sighed softly, reaching over the table to take her hand as he whispered “Yawen.”
Mother blinked, tears rolling down her cheeks as she looked at Father. She hiccuped slightly, before violently jerking her hand from him. Father looked hurt, but did nothing to stop her. Gut twisted further, Tomas suddenly got the feeling Father had something to do with this.
That unfortunately clicked into place far too well.
After all, who else would have been able to access Kuai Liang’s body for it to have gone missing?
“What did you do?” Mother was addressing Father but looking at Kuai Liang instead. She gently placed a hand on her youngest son’s cheek. For the first time since he’d come back, Kuai actually reacted, even if it was just a small flinch at the contact. “I’m grateful he is back, but what did you do to him?”
“What I had to,” Father replied simply. Tomas didn’t understand what that meant.
And if he knew a way to bring someone back from the dead, how come he never brought my Mama or Tamara back to me?
Although, given the state Kuai Liang was currently in, maybe it was a blessing in disguise that they were never subjected to all of this.
“He’s been through something traumatic,” Father continued, refusing to elaborate on what exactly he’d done. Tomas bit his lip, resisting the urge to question if Lord Liu Kang knew of this turn of events. “He just needs time to adjust. We just need to be patient with him.”
“So… You really do expect us to just pretend like nothing happened?” Bi-Han hissed, and the glare he was giving his Father was deadly. Tomas had been on the receiving end of Bi-Han’s anger far too often, and even he’d never seen this amount of hatred in his brother’s eyes. “We’re all just supposed to retreat into a fucking fantasy where some bastard didn’t murder him in cold blood?”
Father’s face tightened and he reached a hand up to rub his temples. “When he’s recovered, then we can focus on what happened to him, and seek vengeance against those who did this.” He placed both hands on the table, looking around at everyone one by one. “Until then, we need to reduce any stress for him. Putting too much on him, too soon, will be catastrophic.”
Tomas bowed his head slightly. What on Earth did you do, Father? He loved his family, truly he did, they took him in when they really had no obligation to. He would never say a bad word about any of them. But by the Elder God’s, he had doubts that what Father had done in this instance was a good thing.
“Bi-Han,” Father directed, clearly trying to defuse his eldest son’s anger. “I promise, we will find out who did this, and we will make them pay.” Father looked towards Kuai Liang, where Mother was gently stroking his cheek with the back of her hand. “But you need to have patience.”
Bi-Han glared at him, before his own gaze landed on Kuai. He was still shaking with rage, but took a deep breath and bit out a bitter, “fine.”
Silence settled once again, and while Tomas was sure no one was feeling it anymore, they all returned to their meals. The dumpling he placed in his mouth was delicious even if not as hot as he’d have liked it to be.
When Tomas saw Kuai move from the corner of his eye, his head shot up. Slowly, Kuai was lifting his hands, while lowering his head slightly to stare at them. His face was still blank, but his brow ever so slightly scrunched up like he was confused.
“Kuai Liang?” Mother whispered hopefully. She reached for Kuai’s face again. This time he didn’t flinch, but slowly turned his head towards her.
“Mama?” His voice croaked, small and pretty much devoid of life. Tomas' heart broke, none of them had referred to Mother as Mama in years. It was too embarrassing in front of the other recruits, who’d often make fun of them for it.
“Yes. Yes, it’s me, my little flame,” she whispered, cradling his face in his hands. “It’s okay, I’ve got you.”
Kuai blinked a few times, “D-Don’t… Understand.”
“I know.” Mother laughed slightly, tears rolling down her cheeks as she blinked. “But you’ll be okay, Mama’s here.”
Kuai still looked blank, but his eyes were more focused now, and even from afar, Tomas could see how wet his eyes were getting. It was like he was completely lost, searching for an answer to a question he couldn’t even ask.
“Why don’t we go for a walk,” she suggested, and as she stood she took Kuai’s hands in her own. He let Mother guide him to his feet. “That’s it, come with me.”
Tomas didn’t say anything, neither did Bi-Han or Father. All three just watched as Kuai awkwardly followed after his Mother, legs stiff and not bending properly like he’d forgotten how to actually walk. All the time, she gently coaxed him to keep following with words of praise.
Once the pair were gone, Father, Bi-Han and Tomas continued their silence. Even though Tomas’ mind was screaming at him to say something, anything, he just couldn’t seem to conjure any words. All he could do was bite his lip, and look down at his plate. His dumpling’s had long since cooled.
He placed his chopsticks down on his plate, pushing it back onto the table. He hadn’t been hungry in the first place, but now he felt downright sick. Neither Father nor Bi-Han attempted to stop him as he also stood up and walked out of the room.
His footsteps echoed throughout the halls, in the distance he could hear Mother still talking to Kuai, occasionally he heard his voice, although short and sharp. When he heard a high pitched whine, and Mother cooing softly, he decided that it may be for the best to allow her to deal with whatever was going on.
He turned the corner in the opposite direction to where their voices were coming from.
“It’s okay, Kuai Liang, it’s all going to be okay,” Mother assured him.
Second entry for @sweetspicybingo - Fairy Lights
Narutoverse | KisaKonan | G | ~800 words
They avoid the road that goes through Fire Country. Konoha-nin patrols are too aggressive. Even though Kisame brushes this off as an insignificant obstacle ("I can handle Konoha, Konan-san." He says, reflexively shouldering Samehada.), Konan knows a premature encounter would be unwise. ("Pein doesn't want to reveal our existence yet.") Instead, they take the long way– through Grass, Waterfall, and Rice Country, crossing the border into Hot Water Country. Konan recalls old Akatsuki scouting reports that Hot Water military is only concerned with tourists, so they stick to the coastline. Admittedly, it's a longer journey. They sleep in shifts during the afternoons and travel under a waning moon cycle. The coastline turns to sandy beaches, flanked to the south by forest.
In the pre-dawn hours, they crest a hillside. And the strangest vision reveals itself to them; a sea with glowing, blue waves. Konan slows to a halt. Kisame, following, anticipates a command. She is, after all, higher ranking. The ocean roars to his left, covering up the muffled words that Konan says under her breath. All he catches is 'of the sea'.
"What's that?" He asks, looking beyond her to notice the blue phenomena himself.
Konan turns back to him, mouth hidden underneath her high collar. She doesn't wear a hitai-ate.
"Ghost lights of the sea." She repeats. "It's a children's story– a warning about following ghost lights into the water. They say the lights are the souls of drowned fishermen."
Kisame huffs. He could slay a village full of fishermen with his eyes closed. Nothing to worry about there. But Konan's reaction is different. She turns back to the sea, taking a halting step forward; debating whether or not she has time to investigate the curiosity. The look of awe in her eyes is unmistakable, almost child-like. Kisame has been mission-focused his entire life. Sight-seeing is a luxury he's never been awarded. That was in Kiri. Now it's supposed to be different. He trots ahead of Konan, leading them to the beach. Permission is something neither of them are used to giving themselves; but the sight is too enchanting to ignore.
Glittering waves lap at the shoreline; water teeming with scrambling, blue lights. Konan steps lightly, not used to feeling sand beneath her feet. Kisame does so also, but on instinct of training drilled into him until his skull broke. He bends down and scoops up a light; feeling the soft flesh of a squid. It's tiny. Five of them could easily fit in his palm. Konan looks on with caution, thinking of poison and traps and–("don't follow them into the sea"). But Kisame seems unaffected, so she mimics him and scoops one into her hand. The animal is dotted with little blue lights, chaotically blinking at her. A cry for help?
"It must be their spawning season." Kisame guesses, before popping it in his mouth.
Konan's eyes widen in surprise. Eating a ghost-light will surely curse you, right? But the look on his face says otherwise; the opposite in fact. She looks down at her own specimen, wriggling. It slips between her fingers and swims off into the sea, meeting thousands of others.
"You know these creatures?" Konan asks, wary.
He shrugs, mouth still occupied with the morsel. "No, but I had a good guess. They're smaller than the ones in Water Country, but they look the same." Swallows. "Tastes better though."
Konan wouldn't know. Rain Country doesn't have squid. But strangely, she trusts Kisame's intuition and appetite. So she gathers a few handfuls of them, sparkling blue in her hands. To eat such a beautiful thing seems a terrible waste.
As if sensing her hesitation, Kisame enlightens her. "They'll probably die soon anyways."
His words do little to alleviate some harbored guilt within her.
They set up a resting spot at the tree-line, listening to the ocean carry the ghost-light squids to shore. They're too small to spear and roast; and they don't have a konro; so Kisame boils them instead. The sun pierces the horizon. It's as good as any time for breakfast. Konan waits and fishes the squid out of the pot after Kisame takes his share. She eats it whole, examining the textures between her teeth. Kisame watches her, curious to see how she finds the delicacy. It's sweet and rich; briny but not overly so. Like a fat shrimp. If he looked hard enough, he'd see her blushing. For something about to die, it certainly doesn't taste like it.
When they're done, Konan puts out the fire and hides any evidence that they were there. A habit from her younger days with Yahiko and Nagato. The beach turns into rocky coastline, disappearing behind them entirely as they approach the border. Today they make for their allies in Frost Country to resupply. If they're lucky, they'll also get clues for their mission. Konan returns to the memory of the luminescent beach, wishing she could tell Yahiko. She'll have to settle for Tendo Pein instead.
So it appears that for @slumberpartybingo’s self care Sunday drabble challenges, I'm back putting the blorbos through the horrors. This fills the prompt “notice any tightness or tension in your muscles, relax them”, and the @buckybarnesevents’ Build-a-Bucky-Bingo december prompt — Flashbacks ❄️
Summary: Bucky’s flashbacks are triggered by the snow. Bruce and Tony are there to help him get back to his own self.
Wordcount: 500
Also filling: @lyricalescape — “I take on the darkness by myself.” / @sweetspicybingo — Snow day / @bingowinteriron — Bruce Banner / @spies-bingo — “I want to believe [insert], but I don’t know if I can.” / @julybreakbingo — “I thought I lost you.” / @fnafbingo — “I assure you, I am very real.” / @hurtcomfort-bingo — Amnesia / @seasonaldelightsbingo — Pressing Foreheads Together / @multifandom-flash → round 3 card #3001 — Talking the Monster to Death; round 2 — card #2003, “On your left.” + #card 2004, Cheer Them Up with Laughter + #card 2005, Feeling Your Heartbeat
Excerpt:
His mind is on the frozen lands of Siberia. In the freezers they made home to him.
Sinking, Bucky spent more time than he’s able to imagine, only brought back to life to create chaos and desperation.
It’s in these snowy days that the living memory of what he endured takes over him. Flashbacks of the pain, the orders, the blood and the cold.
The remains of his tortuous past, coming back to him to take away his breath as close his fist so hard he can smell blood again.
