WordsOfASarcast/HandleWithCare

Sarc (22) // PJO Writer and Artist Pinned post links my fics x // Profile art is mine she/they ☀️ Cabin 7 Sarcast [noun]; This noun, in print since the 1600s, would not be useful at all today, since it refers to a sarcastic writer. Sarcasm is harder to find on the Internet than kittens.

[wordsofasarcast]

cliche little about me...

Putting this here for anyone who stumbles across my page.

hi, my readers call me Sarc, and I am a sarcastic little shit so it fits, thanks for stopping by! I use she/they pronouns and I write pjo fics (and draw when I've got the time).

My discord here!

My asks are always open, please please please say hi, I will usually entertain prompts, fic requests & questions so ask away!

Here's the masterlist of my pjo works:

AU Fics (HandleWithCare pseud)

Dolce Dissonance // Sweet Dissonance: Solangelo, rivals to lovers, popstar!nico & popstar!Will, secret identity, modern au - no powers. (COMPLETE - 101K) ice blue, trippin' over you: Solangelo, one-shot, ice-skating au (COMPLETE - 7K words) paper hearts (we're burning matches): Solangelo, one-shot, author!Nico, Med-student!Will (COMPLETE - 5.5K words) Please Hold…: Solangelo, Nico is a sarcastic shit in customer service, Will is a Swiftie, modern au - no powers. (COMPLETE - 9.3K) I will try to stay on my side of the couch. : Solangelo, one-shot, Nico falls first, Oblivious! Will, childhood friends-to-lovers, modern au - no powers, (COMPLETE - 6.7K) the skeletons in your closet: Solangelo, one-shot, Solangelo Week 2025 prompt 'Cabin Inspection', Petty Nico (COMPLETE - 4.3K ) you're running 'cause I'm coming (gonna eat you alive): Solangelo, one-shot, Solangelo AUctober 2025 prompt 'Vampire'. (COMPLETE - 5K) the descent into hell is easy: Solangelo, one-shot, Solangelo Auctober 2025 prompt 'Boarding School' (COMPLETE - 6.6K) Series: too late to turn you out of my heart (part of you lives here): 3 part series, Solangelo exes-to-lovers AU, doctor!Nico. Part 1 (and all my devotion turns violent) is complete. Interlude (merry christmas, please don't call) is complete stars, hide your fires.: Solangelo & Percabeth, Maze Runner AU with demigod powers. (STILL UPDATING) Series: Seventeen Syllables (i'll bite my tongue again): 2 part series, Pollen (Apollo/Darren Knowles), modern au. Part 1 - 'I still wake up with things to tell you (this is what the poems are for)' is complete don't tune me out: Solangelo, true crime podcast au. (STILL UPDATING)

Canon Universe Fics (WordsofASarcast pseud):

Misery Loves Company: Solangelo ex-lovers to lovers, 5 years after BoO, soulmate au. the tags say angst for a reason. Three Part fic:

PART ONE: These Four Walls - mostly from Nico and Will's povs. also contains bonus pov of Percy, Annabeth and Hazel. (COMPLETE) PART TWO: The Sea, The Forge, The Wise, The Sun. - swaps pov between Nico, Will and Percy. also contains bonus Leo povs. (ON HIATUS) PART 3: ??? - to be revealed. -> ON HIATUS

Tumblr Excerpts/Snippets

even in death: pre-Solangelo, cannon-divergent Ghost!Will, GhostKing!Nico (800words) I was pulled right out of the sea (and the salt, never left my body): don't tune me out outtake. Gift for @/hyperfixationvibes A 'Sweet' Treat: a Dolce Dissonance // Sweet Dissonance super short oneshot. Gift for @/sunxkissed-sophie

Anyway, i hope you enjoy your stay <3

with much love,

Sarcast x

[the-camp-half-blood-library]

Any rec for Solangelo fics where Nico or Will somehow end up transformed into an animal/creature?

Hey there! I only found a few, but here they are...

Unlucky... Right? by Anonymous

In which Nico is turned into a cat, Lou Ellen decides Will should be his catsitter, Will is oblivious, and the Aphrodite cabin places bets. Solangelo cuteness.

Wreck This Ship by @beauregardance

Will re-enacted the entire scene in his head again, this time from an uninterested Nico’s point of view. He could almost see his own too-eager smile and sweaty hands. Nico’s revulsion was clear as day as he tried to think of a way to let Will down easy. Uh, sorry dude. I’m not gay. Oh gods, didn’t Nico originally live in the 1940’s? Will was pretty sure it was illegal to be having any homosexual feelings back then.

you're running 'cause I'm coming (gonna eat you alive) by @wordsofasarcast

Contrary to what the people of Half-Blood Hill would have you believe, Will Solace is not delusional. He knows vampires are real. He knows one is lurking in the shadows of the town, waiting for their next chance to strike, even if no one will believe him. He just has to prove it. And Will has to stop them before they take their next victim. /OR/ For Solangelo AUctober Day 8: Vampire

My Nocturnal Boyfriend by @sarcasmandships

Will’s always known Nico could be a little batty. He just didn’t expect it to be literal.

Morse Code by sunshine_deathboy

Will Solace wake up to find that his boyfriend has been transformed into a Stygian Iron dragon.

We hope you enjoy! Leave kudos, leave a comment, and happy reading!

-Mod 2

[obsessive-procrastinator]

Since it's Valentine's Day I'm posting some of my favorite Solangelo fics!

Give Me a Reason to Connect, Be Near by Escapism_Part_2 (Trial_and_Error) - this fic isn't completed, but it holds a special place in my heart as the fic that truly got me into Solangelo. I think about it almost daily. Link

Will Solace and The Socialites of Olympus University by @sarcasmandships - this is one of my favorite fics of all time, and I reread it so much. The smut outtakes are also some of the best I've ever read. Link

august by @cordeliaandthecocoapuffs - you can't mention Solangelo fanfics without mentioning august, and it's definitely one of my favorite fics. The writing is absolutely phenomenal. (Also, august (will's version) updated today which is also super exciting) Link

Healing Takes Two by rabbit_soup - this series is one of my favourites, especially considering it has some excellent disabled representation. I just finished another reread of it and it's still that good. Link

Poetica Crescente byDJBeatz - this fic is so so so fluffy and super funny too. It also contains shenanigans from the rest of the seven. Link

Wildest Dreams by @rosyredlipstick - this fic lives in my thoughts. It's part of an amazing series of different Solangelo AUs, all of which are good, but this one takes the cake for me. I read it during an all nighter where I managed to read over 1 million words of fanfiction in one day. It's vaguely creepy, and it's stuck with me ever since I finished it. My bookmark even contains the words "emotionally changing" in it. Link

what if there were two (side by side in orbit) by @2nd2ndalto - this fic is by one of my amazing mutuals, and I actually have previously made a whole separate post about how good this fic is. It's an X-files AU, and is unfinished at the moment, but is extremely good. Everyone needs to read it. Link

the things that i lost here, the people i knew by @imminentchaos - also by one of my amazing mutuals, and this was his first Solangelo fic. He actually wrote it for me because I asked him, and that's why it's so special to me. Link

Hands Cupping Sparklers by @rosyredlipstick - Another one by the same author, but this fic also mentally changed me, and introduced me into a new rare pair that I ship (Mitchell/Connor Stoll). Link

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!!

[obsessive-procrastinator]

Reblogging this because I have more recs

Dolce Dissonance // "Sweet Dissonance" by @wordsofasarcast - this fic is so so so good. I'm a sucker for a good band AU, and the writing in this one is immaculate. I reread it so often whenever I'm bored or don't know what to read. Link

its the end of the world (and i love you, darling) by @waningg-star - this is a really good zombie apocalypse AU, and even though it's incomplete at the moment, it's still super super good. However please mind the tags. Link

I'm waiting for it, that green light, I want it by Bagelswlove - probably one of the funniest fics I've ever read. I reread it probably once or twice a month. Link

Raspberries and Black Coffee by @all-the-gays-are-d3ad - such a good fic. It's not finished yet, but that doesn't take away from how amazing it is. It's so so so fluffy too, with a good amount of angst mixed in there as well. Link

Chances are I'll add more later but who knows

[wordsofasarcast]

aww, thank you for the rec! I'm really feeling the love today <3

So many fics that I love on this list, and a few I'll definitely be adding to my tbr!

[sophi-aah]

happy fic rec day here’s some of my all time favorite fics!! (Doing this in honor of solangeloficawards taking a gap year) :D

august by CordeliaRose (@cordeliaandthecocoapuffs here) [solangelo getting toghether between hoo and toa, expanded three days in the infirmary baisically]

Will Solace and the Socialites of Olympus University by @sarcasmandships [college au but hades is a billionaire, themes of class differences funny at first but oh boy watch out it escalates]

The Anonymous Thief of Idlerise (and the entire series) by funlildude( @theballadofthesunandthestars here) [cowboy au, fun southern stuff until it gets not so fun lol beware the impending angst]

Dolce Dissonance // “Sweet Dissonance” by @wordsofasarcast [singer au, rivals to lovers, miscommunication]

Wings by @the-sunniest-angels [angel/human au, lots of suffering but happy ending I promise]

All I Need Is Your Hand To Drag Me Out Again by @sionnaach [time loop au, inspired by Russian Doll]

Kitchen Nightmares by @ theroyalsavage [cooking au, Nico owns fancy restaurant and Will owns food truck, rivals to lovers]

Will Solace’s Guide to Ruining Hell’s Reputation (ft. One Angel and Zero Shame) by sleepy_angel ( @bug-hearted here) [demon/angel au]

Checkmate, I couldn’t lose by @wrongcaitlyn [Acedemic rivals to lovers twoshot]

I will try to stay on my side of the couch. by @wordsofasarcast [yearninggggg so much yearning and also mortal au ig]

Glide and Prejudice by @sarcasmandships [figure skating au sort of rivals to lovers]

Take Me There by spinadirousulas [hasn’t updated in a long time but erasing memories au]

Binary Stars by @onetiny-inkdropuniverse [canon divergence from the end of boo, hasn’t updated in a long time too 😭]

ok that’s about it until I remember more! Some of these authors also write a lot more fics that I also really liked but if it put it on here it would be like wayyyyy too long so if you like their work make sure to check out more ! Yeah mad respect to fic writers idk how they do it man :D

[wordsofasarcast]

ahh, thank you so much for the recs!!!

Honestly, top-tier recommendations right here. So many incredible works mentioned...don't mind me fangirling that my works are listed right there with so many talented authors. Definitely go read!!! And while you're at it, check out Sophia's art - they are SOOOO unbelievably talented <3 <3 <3

[wordsofasarcast]

also, just a thought i had while reading dolce, but i feel like this song fits a lot :) especially during the whole texting-through-songs era and when will first confessed if you ask me

hi again!

omg if Dolce had a trailer, it would 100% feature this song. This fits so well. Like:

"Can't help it, I'm lost in the art Ooh, wanna give you everything, everything But all I have's a melody, a melody I'm no good at love Just good at writing love songs (Hm-mm-mm-mm)"

Perfection! I had no idea this song existed so thank you for introducing me to it <3

~ Sarcast

[wordsofasarcast]

hi!!!!!

i may or may not be the person who threatened to kill eros in the comments of your fic yesterday

so uhm. i just read dolce dissonance. the whole 101k words. in a day and a half. which is impressive because usually my attention span is realty awful

iloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveitiloveit

you made my heart bleed :33 had me crying at midnight last night lol

you have amazing music taste btw 🥹

ALSO. i called it. I FUCKING CALLED IT. I KNEW IT. SINCE THE BEGINNING

i loved the fic idk how you managed to write that in a year ONLY?!? but that's extremely impressive, i take like 3 months to upload TWO chapters 😭😭

thank you so much for writing ittttttt i luv it AAAAHHHHHHHHH <33333333 i hope your pillows are cold forever

⚠️Dolce Dissonance Spoilers Ahead!!!

Hi hiii!!!

Haha you certainly aren’t the first person to threaten a certain character from Dolce and those comments never fail to make me smile.

A day and a half is crazy impressive, wow! I’m so sooo glad you loved the story (and the music!), it makes my heart so full. And you did call the ending, you simply must be an oracle 🤯

My writing pace has certainly slowed down since then, or at least my chapter lengths have gotten far longer. I definitely miss the days when I was uploading so frequently.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for commenting and for this lovely ask!!! It means the world to me <3

~ Sarcast

[sophi-aah]

The Winter Olympics are here and in Italy you know what that means (oh figure skater Nico au how I love thee)

[sarcasmandships]

Ahhhh this is so beautiful!!! Omg Sophia you get it perfect every single time, like all of the details omg I love it so much!!! Big shout out to the figure skater Nico fic that inspires us all @wordsofasarcast

[wordsofasarcast]

FIGURE SKATER NICO, MY BELOVED!!!! <3

Sophia you have outdone yourself. Oh my goodness, this is ✨GORGEOUS✨

[the-camp-half-blood-library]

HI I was wondering if you had any Solangelo fic recommendations :)))

We have many! Heed the warnings as always, but enjoy! Make sure to leave a kudos/comment too!

august by @cordeliaandthecocoapuffs

Somehow, Nico's life only gets more confusing after he defeats a primordial Goddess. Will Solace accounts for about 90% of that confusion. (A journey through August, and all its ups and downs.)

what if there were two (side by side in orbit) by @2nd2ndalto

Reyna drops a file on Nico’s desk. “Are you familiar with Agent William Solace?” Nico blinks. “Doesn’t ring any bells.” :: It's an X-Files au!

Dolce Dissonance // "Sweet Dissonance" by @wordsofasarcast

Nico di Angelo, is a busy man. Don't get him wrong, he loves his job, he's good at it. He loves to write, he loves to sell his songs and hear them come to life with so many talented musicians. And now he has ANGEL, he can release his own music without any of the nepotism allegations. Because the last thing his father would do is give him extra attention - but if he keeps winning awards, maybe he just might get his attention. That's what he used to tell himself, and then he won a literal Grammy and his father still didn't care. But by that point, Nico had worked himself up the DOA Records ladder first as a musician and then becoming an award winning artist and he loved it enough he could forget his father's opinion (or lack thereof). Nico wasn't blind. He could admit that Will Solace was easy on the eyes (read: super fucking hot) but they were both young artists competing for the same awards and Nico didn't have the luxury of supportive, knowledgeable parents to help him out. So sue him, if he doesn't love Will Solace who seems to be trying separate himself from everything Nico ever wanted...

always gonna be an uphill battle by langatism

"Do you wanna ditch the party?" Nico asked him, not sure where the confidence came from. "I don't have a car." "We'll walk." If he was happy to spend more time with Will —and he was—, his voice didn't betray it. Will Solace's life has just taken a 180-degree turn: new city, new school, new friends and new fears mingle in his mind as he reduces his hopes to passing 11th grade, fitting in and getting along with his father's side of the family. Nico di Angelo is bored of the monotonous pace he lives in, constantly going from home to school and from school to work as he waits for something that makes him feel alive again or helps him guide his future. Whether it will be his little sister encouraging his passion for art or the blonde basketball player his friend Leo keeps bringing up, he can't tell, but Nico can't shake off the feeling that something about this year will be special.

Dear reader by @wrongcaitlyn

“Keep telling yourself that,” Will says quietly, because even though the door is closed, speaking any louder would seem wrong. “You’re too harsh on yourself. If you wrote songs or something, you’d easily get on the Billboard Hot 100. Dad would help you. I would, too.” “Promote it to your seven followers?” “Yes!” Nico laughs, and then Will is joining him, and they’re closer than before, but it’s nothing unusual. It’s been this way since before stupid feelings and stupid crushes, and Nico would be damned if he let it change just because of that. or a celebrity au ft. childhood friends to lovers, a bit of trauma, and a famous friend group (plus leo).

healing takes two by rabbit_soup

“You’ve got micro-pieces of glass in your skin, and I can’t in my right mind let that stuff just fester in there.” “Glass…? Where—?” He racked his brain, slowly glancing up at Will. He didn’t remember breaking any glass on the quest. “Strangest thing,” Will said, pulling an orange container out of the box. On its side, it read Arm and Hammer, Baking Soda in thick white lettering. “Both Annabeth and Percy swung by a few minutes ago, talking about the exact same thing—glass in their hands! The both of ‘em! Isn’t that interesting?” The glass beaches in Tartarus...Nico thought.

- Mod 3

[nicothespy]

the concept of Hazel helping to make a grave stone (behind cabin 13) for Bianca despite the fact she never actually got to meet her 🚬🚬

this was for today’s @nicodiangeloappreciationweek prompt; mourning!

i let my baby niece draw on this same canvas (a different layer) so i had to rush to finish it in the end. i’d like to think she helped in a way though

[wordsofasarcast]

Just want to say how much I love your fic Dolce, I’ve read it like 4 times and am genuinely in love with it. Your writing is so good and the plot is awesome and I love the way you characterize will and nico.

Thank you so soooo much! AND FOUR TIMES!!! That's crazy /pos

Your support and love for this story really does mean the world to me. I'm so glad you enjoyed Dolce, it was a genuine pleasure to write.

Thank you for the ask <3 <3 <3

~ Sarcast

[wordsofasarcast]

returning to ask about another fic for question 18! i couldn't pick just one part so here's two from "the skeletons in your closet" (which is such a fun fic)

first:

She sends him a look at how miserable he sounds before reaching over and plucking a yogurt pouch from Will's pile of breakfast—the tray brought over by Lou this morning, who has a fascination with necromancy and thanked him profusely for pissing Nico off enough for him to exercise his powers over the dead (at least someone is happy in all of this). Kayla pops the cap and begins slurping obnoxiously, but Will pays her no mind. She doesn't get it, not the way he craves to run his hair through Nico's curls, to have his knuckles caught in the tangles and gently comb them through. Not the way that Nico would tuck Will into his side, knowing from just a single glance that his thoughts had grown too loud.

and second:

"You're cute when you're vengeful." Will leans in, chin propped up on his fist and admiring the flush that climbs its way up the side of Nico's neck and sprawls across his cheeks.

He scoffs, "And you're sweet when you're sleep-deprived and desperate."

Nico pushes Will away gently, his fingers splayed across Will's chest but Will traps them there with his own hand, pressing down so that Nico can feel the drum of his beating heart.

"I missed you," Will says.

"Like I said: desperate. "

Ooh good pick! I had so much fun writing this fic. Sorry this took so long to reply to, but I got there in the end.

First:

“She sends him a look at how miserable he sounds before reaching over and plucking a yogurt pouch from Will's pile of breakfast "

This fic was written for the Solangelo Week prompt: Breakfast / Cabin Inspection, so this part was just in-keeping with the breakfast theme.

“Lou this morning, who has a fascination with necromancy and thanked him profusely for pissing Nico off enough for him to exercise his powers over the dead (at least someone is happy in all of this).”

I love the concept of Lou Ellen being interested in the Underworld and associated magic since they are also a chthonic demigod. And the idea that they’re having the time of their life watching Will get chased off by skeletons entertains me greatly.

“Kayla pops the cap and begins slurping obnoxiously, but Will pays her no mind.”

Sibling things™️

“She doesn't get it, not the way he craves to run his hair through Nico's curls, to have his knuckles caught in the tangles and gently comb them through. Not the way that Nico would tuck Will into his side, knowing from just a single glance that his thoughts had grown too loud.”

Just one of a million instances of Will pining over Nico in this fic. Also, Nico’s hair is a bird’s nest, constantly tangled at all times, he does not own a comb.

Second:

“"You're cute when you're vengeful." Will leans in, chin propped up on his fist and admiring the flush that climbs its way up the side of Nico's neck and sprawls across his cheeks.”

Seriously, Will is so down bad for his boyfriend. What do you meannn you pine for him more when he looks ready to murder?!

“Nico pushes Will away gently, his fingers splayed across Will's chest but Will traps them there with his own hand, pressing down so that Nico can feel the drum of his beating heart.”

I have no real explanation for this. This gesture, with Will trapping Nico’s hand against his chest, just popped into my head one day and refused to leave.

This passage is very much acting to wrap the story up in a way that is (hopefully) satisfying for the readers. No painting or poetry inspirations for this one, just good ol’ daydreaming and the constant stream of “AHHHH SOLANGELO” that infects my thoughts constantly.

Not sure how exciting those insights are but hopefully they were interesting enough. Thank you so much for the ask, I really do love answering these (even if it takes me a while).

~ Sarc

[fic linked here!]

[wordsofasarcast]

2025 Year in Review

I'm back with my end of year ramblings! 2025 was my second year of posting my writing online and I'm still sooo thankful that I took the plunge and started sharing in 2024. And that's all thanks to you guys commenting and engaging with my stories.

It's so cool to see so many familiar usernames in my kudos/comment section, still reading my stories two years later.

As for my '2025 Ao3 Wrapped', I shared 10 works with you all (7 new, 3 continued from 2024). It wasn't my biggest writing year comparatively, but I'm pretty proud of 140,937 published words when in the same year, I also graduated with my Bachelors and two Diplomas (not to mention just having to work). (So yeah, good job me!)

Anyway, here's the list of 2025 fics:

I will try to stay on my side of the couch.

I still wake up with things to tell you (this is what the poems are for)

the skeletons in your closet

don’t tune me out (still ongoing!)

the descent into hell is easy 

you're running 'cause I'm coming (gonna eat you alive) 

merry christmas, please don't call

AND

Continued Misery Loves Company (currently on hiatus)

🎉Completed Dolce Dissonance // "Sweet Dissonance"

Continued stars, hide your fires.

I also worked on a heap of works-in-progress which I hope to share with you in the new year!

[wordsofasarcast]

2026 Coming Soon

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Of course, we also have to look ahead to what is to come.

Definitely expect more of stars, hide your fires. and don’t tune me out - these two are admittedly my priority fics for 2026, they are where my inspiration lies for the foreseeable future. I have a few other long fics in the works, but only time will tell if I'll reveal them this year (who knows, maybe 2026 will be the year for wip!Honey)

Oneshots! Of course, I'll keep trying to participate in the fandom themed weeks (Solangelo Week, Auctober, etc) if and when they occur. Which means more oneshots!!

Ideally I'll finally give you too late to turn you out of my heart (part of you lives here) PART 2 (everyone pray to the writer gods to send me inspiration for this one)

And more that I won't spoil yet (but I'll probs ramble about on my Discord, so if you want all the secrets, head over there)

Now, 2026 Update Schedule:

Here's where I tell you something you probably don't want to hear...2026 is kind of a big year for me, no more university so I'm proper in the trenches of what I like to call 'real-world-shit'. And more excitingly (for me, anyway), I've decided to dedicate some time to writing my original novel - I put it on the backburner last year but I really am excited about this story.

I will still be writing fics, I just can't offer you regular updates. Expect pretty similar to last year.

A lot (and I mean A LOT) of people asked me for regular updates throughout last year - I can't give you guys that, I really wish I could. So, I'm asking for your patience (and some encouragement too, if I may) - and am giving you the warning that updates are going to continue to be pretty sporadic.

More stories to come (I hope you'll stick around for them!),

Sarcast

[wordsofasarcast]

2025 Year in Review

I'm back with my end of year ramblings! 2025 was my second year of posting my writing online and I'm still sooo thankful that I took the plunge and started sharing in 2024. And that's all thanks to you guys commenting and engaging with my stories.

It's so cool to see so many familiar usernames in my kudos/comment section, still reading my stories two years later.

As for my '2025 Ao3 Wrapped', I shared 10 works with you all (7 new, 3 continued from 2024). It wasn't my biggest writing year comparatively, but I'm pretty proud of 140,937 published words when in the same year, I also graduated with my Bachelors and two Diplomas (not to mention just having to work). (So yeah, good job me!)

Anyway, here's the list of 2025 fics:

I will try to stay on my side of the couch.

I still wake up with things to tell you (this is what the poems are for)

the skeletons in your closet

don’t tune me out (still ongoing!)

the descent into hell is easy 

you're running 'cause I'm coming (gonna eat you alive) 

merry christmas, please don't call

AND

Continued Misery Loves Company (currently on hiatus)

🎉Completed Dolce Dissonance // "Sweet Dissonance"

Continued stars, hide your fires.

I also worked on a heap of works-in-progress which I hope to share with you in the new year!

[wordsofasarcast]

Make the Yuletide GAY!

(For my discord's first 'Draw This In Your Style' Challenge, but please feel free to join in over here)

[wordsofasarcast]

A 'Sweet' Treat

My Christmas gift to @sunxkissed-sophie (one of my beta-readers)

I know you enjoyed Dolce, I thought you (and probably a few other readers too) might like a peek at what our two favourite singers have been up to since the Epilogue…Merry Christmas!

Spoilers for Dolce Dissonance below the break:

Note: linked here is the mash-up referenced, for your listening pleasure.

The backstage crew milled about Nico where he stood in the wings, a dozen or so bodies navigating about the space aided by the soft glow of blue lights and muscle memory. No matter how many times Nico had done this, he still felt distinctly out of place; a feeling wrought by everyone busy around him while Nico was just stood there waiting. But it was especially strange when Nico was not the main artist, and instead was a surprise guest on his boyfriend's tour. He had been exposed to far more of the behind-the-scenes elements that go into a tour; things he wasn't thinking about when he was on stage playing multiple shows a week.

The wait was drawing closer to an end, Nico could hear the next track start playing over the speakers and the crowd—a stadium's worth of people—predictably went wild. Anticipation rose with the sound, the usual excited buzz that came with performing rising to the surface.

Will's voice filtered through the speakers. The volume got lost a little in the labyrinth that is backstage, but Nico could recognise Will's singing from distances far greater—always, it was all he wanted to hear. His favourite sound.

"And if history's clear, someone always ends up in ruins

And what seemed like fate becomes "What the hell was I doin'?"

Since the release of their Retrospect albums a year and a half ago, both Nico and Will had released new music and while a lot of it focused on recent events—as Will would say, 'being head-over-heels, totally in love'—they still occasionally returned to their roots and wrote about the secrets and the fights that nearly tore them apart. 'Us.' was one such song—and an extremely popular one, too, if Will's live vocals being half-swallowed by the noise of the audience was any indicator.

"Do you miss us, us?

I felt it, you held it, do you miss us, us?"

Nico put his in-ear monitors back in and offered an awkward thumbs-up to the stagehand who had arrived to cue him.

And as Will continued to strum and sing—far clearer now that Nico was listening to the audio feed—Nico ascended the stairs and entered the stage.

"Wonder if you regret the secret of us, us

Us (Us), us (Us), us (Us)"

Nico hadn't performed live since his debut tour, excluding a few appearances on talk-shows, but the moment he was on stage it was like he had never left. There was something magical about being up there, with the lights and the smoke and the band, a static electricity as if even the air itself was hanging off his every word.

"Please welcome to the stage, the lovely, ANGEL!" Will announced and when he turned, bright smile splitting his face, Nico had to steel himself lest he trip over his own feet like a lovesick fool. Nico had spent his fair share of Will's shows, admiring the pure light exuding from his boyfriend when he performed. But up close? Will was pure daylight.

Nico lifted the microphone to his mouth, eyes locked with Will as he started to sing.

"Looking at it now

It all seems so simple,"

To say the crowd reacted well would be an understatement. 'Out of the Woods,' was one of Nico's best charting songs but with it being on his latest album, he hadn't had the opportunity to perform it live. When Will had proposed singing a mash-up with it included, Nico had agreed easily.

He certainly didn't regret that decision, not with the pure joy exuding from the crowd.

"Looking at it nowLast December (Last December)We were built to fall apart

Then fall back together (Back together)Oh, your necklace hanging from my neck…"

Nico smiled, the hand that was free of his microphone grasping onto the guitar-pick pendant clasped around his neck. Will's signature set in gold and the little sun charm Hazel had affixed to the leather cord, both glittering under the stage lights.

Walking closer to Will—drawn in like a winter traveller, aching to be warmed by his light—Nico led Will into the chorus.

"…Are we out of the woods yet?, are we out of the woods yet?, are we out of the woods yet?, are we out of the woods?"

And when the bridge arrived, the whole stadium screamed it alongside Nico.

Nico turned to Will, eyes wide at the sheer energy in the air, only to find him looking back with that familiar, sappy expression—gaze soft, lips parted like Will had looked at him now and realised what love is, all over again.

Smile soft, and eyes only for the love of his life, Nico sang:

"When the sun came up you were looking at me"

[wordsofasarcast]

I was pulled right out of the sea (and the salt, never left my body)

This super short snippet is my surprise Christmas gift to @hyperfixationvibes (one of my beta-readers).

You once told me you would read a whole fic of just Jonah, so...

This is an outtake from 'don't tune me out' (chapter 1), and extra scene featuring your favourite fisherman dude, just for you. Enjoy <3

"Uh-huh, sir—"

"That's the funny thing about this 'ere boathouse, it's seen all sorts of things, this 'ere tarp ain't even the tip of the iceberg," The fisherman—Jonah—continues unfazed by Will's attempts to redirect his attention. He waves about a purple tarp, partially folded but coming more undone with each elaborate gesture. "Ol' Macy died fallin' through this very floor, right there."

With a stubby finger, Jonah points down at the planks Will stands directly on, and like it has been given a stage direction, the wood creaks loudly on cue. Given the state of it—dark rot and loose nails—Will isn't certain the floor boards have been replaced since the last collapse. He gulps, shuffling backwards a few feet, slowly in an effort to look casual. This is an immediate failure because he steps back into Cecil, and the two of them nearly tumble to the floor together.

"Careful now," Jonah cautions with a grin that says he rather enjoyed watching Will's arms pinwheel around like a damn Loony Tunes character as he tried to keep his balance. "Wouldn't want ya joinin' him in his watery grave."

He laughs at that, sudden and grating. Mirth makes his shoulders shake, meanwhile Will holds back his grimace behind a thin smile. The man is certainly preformative, the question is whether he is playing it up for the podcast's audience, or if he's simply like this all the time.

Seeing the opportunity to get back on track, Will says, "Would it be possible—"

The rest of his request is buried beneath the sound of another laugh, this one less raucous and more of a chuckle to himself as if Will and Cecil aren't even present. "Now 'ere's a story for 'ya—you lot will want to be writin' this down…or I s'pose ya got those funny recorders goin'—" At his words, Cecil shifts a little closer so that his recorder is extended into the space between them, its red light blinking. "—lil' Timmy was born in this boathouse—"

Jonah points down as if to say, 'Right where you're standin' now,' which is just…ew. Will doesn't want to hear about childbirth, no thank you, that's really not part of his job description. The two boys take a synchronised step further back.

"—He's 'round your age now, I'd say; he does maintenance work on some of the boats. His Ma didn't want to go to the hospital, ya see—my Ma was the same way. Though I ain't born 'ere, rather right on the water by my home town."

Cecil deflates, handheld recorder dropping back to his side as their interviewee proceeds to veer left and into another fucking detour.

"She'll tell ya its good for the soul. A bit of salt in ya blood makes ya interestin', she says."

"…riiiiight," Cecil says, dragging out the syllables as if he's trying to buy himself time to think of a better response.

Will takes his cue. "Jonah, sir, we'd just like to know if we could take that boat cover off your hands," he rushes out before he can be interrupted yet again. Then with a blush and an awkward cough, says more professionally, "For investigation purposes."

"You should 'ave just told me, City Boy," Jonah chides, the permanent down-turn of his brows making him look particularly angry—as if Will had just wasted his time, instead of the other way around. But his tone is friendly enough when his calloused hands press the purple boat tarp into Will's arms. "It's all yours."

END.

[dear-ao3]