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10trueloves: Trust

AO3 Link | To Heal With Trust (200 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Birds of Prey, Outsiders
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Roy Harper & Dinah Lance
Characters: Roy Harper, Dinah Lance
Additional Tags: Double Drabble, +Modern Age (1986-Present), Post-Crisis
Summary:

Dinah came to manage his recovery from the gunshots.

To Heal With Trust

"Slow and easy, yes, just like that. I have your head, just let your body float," Dinah said, confident and reassuring all in one.

Roy closed his eyes, his body already feeling less sore as he followed her instructions. When she'd shown up, thrown Ollie out, and told him to stay clear, Roy hadn't known what to expect. Now, living with her, Lian occupied by Oracle and Dinah's teammates, he knew he was in the best possible hands to recover.

The hot tub was set just warm enough to pull his muscles loose, salt-tanged for buoyancy, and she had him. She'd never let him fall under, while his body just floated, easing the stress of his physical therapy away. She pushed when they did it, but not so hard as to build injuries, and then… she always took care of him after.

He wasn't going to fail her, or his baby girl, by wallowing in the fear of the near-fatal shots. He would trust her, as he always had, letting her guide him. When he went back out there, he'd be as strong as he'd ever been.

It was just like when she put him back together from the drugs.

Entry tags:

rl: writing

Link

Hope and Courage, a poem about the USA I wrote in 2003.

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Translation!

На крыльях соблазна (154 words) by WTF Furry Anthro and Xeno 2026
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Gargoyles (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Goliath/Elisa Maza
Characters: Goliath (Gargoyles), Elisa Maza
Additional Tags: Translation, Перевод на русский | Translation in Russian, Fandom Kombat, Winter Temporary Fandom Kombat 2026, Don’t copy to another site, Slice of Life, This Work Is Stolen If Not On AO3, Работа Украдена Если Не На АО3
Summary:

Элиза пользуется тем, что Голиаф слишком много думает.

Entry tags:

rl: projects: writing

WiP / Plot Bunny Corral

~ Dreams of Her Own - https://archiveofourown.org/works/71432751 - Sequel prompts from

ukiacatdragon - Eilistraee, the shroud of Lolth, Corellon, Arvandor's overwhleming goodness, plotting to nullify Lolth's plots via Sharr, the raid being brought up, Tall Ones finding Ellifain early, closure for drow and elf child, quest - 1,027 words

~ HLH shortcuts sequel - https://archiveofourown.org/works/74116516 - Joe and Rachel meet in Seacouver - 0 words

~

10trueloves - 3/10 written

~

genprompt_bingo 0/5 written (Line Only)

Random Plot Bunnies to Hold Over

GenPrompt Fills:

~ A Moment of Understanding / Clarity - Commander Appo comes face to face with Atin (includes a horrific flashback to Ashla's death from Appo's POV)

~ Teenagers - Continue https://archiveofourown.org/works/12124011 - Rex and Ahsoka with Hera and Chopper

~ Telepathy - Long Distance Phone Calls in the Force: "You left me/He wanted me dead/I would have protected you/But could you really" / "It hurts/You always hurt, couldn't he get you better healing/There wasn't much of me left/He all but owns a master cloning world and you're stuck like that? Your benefits package sucks"

~ Freestyle Crossovers - Jurassic Park/X-Men crossover (late request for More Joy Day)

~ A Test of Worthiness - OPEN

~ Ahsoka the Daughter whispering guidance through time in Anakin's head. Starting in ~~AotC~~ TPM. Includes:
Okay no wonder some said I was just like you (her reaction to the reckless deal in TPM)
Hey Skykid, what's a guy with all the power thinking to make a point of having time for you? (Comics of the Padawan years)
Oh kriff he's so young (first meeting of Anakin and Rex)
I am SO shiny (Ahsoka arriving)

~ Fulcrum and Rex time travel to before Anakin runs to Mace.
~ Fulcrum accidentally pulls Anakin to Malachor in That Fight.

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10trueloves: Surprise

AO3 Link | Shelter in Danger (500 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: DC Comics (General), Marvel Comics (General)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Dinah Lance/Erik Lensherr
Characters: Dinah Lance, Erik Lehnsherr
Additional Tags: Crossover, +Modern Age (1986-Present)
Summary:

While trapped in a different universe, Dinah falls for another older man

Shelter in Danger

When Dinah Lance found herself catapulted into another dimension, it wasn't all that shocking. She's been tossed through time, sent to other worlds, and even touched alternate versions of her own world. To wake up in a world that was completely unlike her own as far as people and problems went, but still an Earth wasn't that hard to come to terms with.

No, the thing that shocked her was finding an older white-haired man with a harder sense of justice than she usually took for herself that stirred her emotions so strongly. Similarities to another man of her own world may have set the stage for growing closer, but it was Erik's ability to debate with her, to see her as a capable fighter in her own right, and his old-fashioned manners that sealed her doom.

There was just something irresistible in a man that opened doors for her but didn't think she needed to be in the kitchen for Dinah Lance.

She'd given her word that she would help defend this small island refuge. She wanted no part of his retaliatory strikes, but the people who were just trying to live their lives were under her protection. As Erik — Magneto currently — was deflecting the heavy artillery back into the attackers, Black Canary was ably working defense against the ground assault with his other combatants.

She had no idea how many amphibious vehicles she grounded permanently, how many people in deep-water gear were shoved back off the beach, but eventually Magneto gathered up all of the remaining debris from the assault and threw it out to join the artificial reef off his coastline. While he did that, she acquired one of her protein-gels, slaking a need for energy and liquid at once before seeing if she needed to help with injured.

Magneto landed beside her moments later, his hand going to the small of her back. She wasn't thinking about the likely human cost of the assault; mutants were feared and hunted here, and that force had come with the intent to kill or enslave from all she had managed to dig up.

"Your voice, my dear, is devastating. And yet you espouse more peaceful notions than I," he said with grim satisfaction over the results she'd gotten.

"I learned to modulate it over the years, so I get the effect I want," she said, shifting just slightly closer, her voice dipping into flirting tones.

"Hmm, and what effect do you wish now?" he asked, matching her tone, as that strong hand on her lower back shifted more to her hip and upper ass.

"The ability to be somewhere private and less clothed, of course," she told him.

He laughed, deep and throaty. "Oh, I like that direct approach." He guided her toward his own room, leaving the aftermath to his lieutenants. Dinah was more than happy with that choice, hoping if she distracted him long enough, he'd choose some other way than direct assault on the attacking nation.

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meta: self

The weather, by layers

50-65 F? - One layer with a jacket.
35-50 F? - Double pants, jacket, hat and gloves.
20-35 g? - Double layers, jacket, hat, gloves, winter boots.
Below 20 F? - Double layers, jacket, hat, DOUBLE GLOVES, Utility Work Suit, winter boots.

And yes, I will wear that at any temp below 20, into the negatives, as witnessed by previous winters. And, since the wind USUALLY dies at night, it's actually not so bad to walk late, unless there's slippery ice on the road.

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PODFIC!!!!

Their Holidays [Podfic] (44 words) by blackglass
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Leverage (US TV 2008)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer
Characters: Eliot Spencer (Leverage), Parker (Leverage), Alec Hardison
Additional Tags: Drabble, Podfic, Podfic Length: 0-10 Minutes, Audio Format: MP3, Audio Format: Streaming
Summary:

A podfic of Their Holidays by Merfilly.

"They each have their own."

Family for Parker [Podfic] (44 words) by blackglass
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Leverage
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Alec Hardison/Parker/Eliot Spencer
Characters: Parker (Leverage)
Additional Tags: Introspection, Triple Drabble, Podfic, Podfic Length: 0-10 Minutes, Audio Format: MP3, Audio Format: Streaming
Summary:

A podfic of Family for Parker by Merfilly.

In the Tides of Their Thoughts [Podfic] (44 words) by blackglass
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: CC-5052 | Bly/Kit Fisto/Aayla Secura
Characters: Aayla Secura, Kit Fisto
Additional Tags: bly is not appearing, but he's talked about, stable threesome, Double Drabble, Podfic, Podfic Length: 0-10 Minutes, Audio Format: MP3, Audio Format: Streaming
Summary:

A podfic of In the Tides of Their Thoughts by Merfilly.

"Bly is away, but not far from their hearts at all."

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rl: books

Wednesday Reading

Hey I am actually reading.

After 1177 B.C.: The Survival of Civilizations by Eric H. Cline, part of the Turning Points in Ancient History series, is currently 27% read. Given I began it last night... not bad.

I will probably check out the other books; the collapse of the Bronze Age has long been of interest to me. My largest concern is too much leaning into the Bible, referring to the Tanakh as "the Hebrew Bible", and I got weirded by calling a Jewish archaeologist as having been "ordained" as a Rabbi. I did not think that was the word.

Coolest factoid so far? The resurgent Assyrian Empire of the era had a Pony Express, with mule riders.

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OMG mail call

sweettartheart your gift arrived on Yena's birthday and we are both so excited! Thank you!

Entry tags:

Poetry Fiction: Touching History as We Go

AO3 Link | Touching History as We Go (1014 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Forgotten Realms, The Legend of Drizzt Series - R. A. Salvatore
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Drizzt Do'Urden/Alustriel Silverhand
Characters: Alustriel Silverhand, Drizzt Do'Urden
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Disguises, Grief/Mourning, Inspired by Poetry
Series: Part 9 of Legacy of the Silver Marches
Summary:

Drizzt and Alustriel, in their guises as Gavren and Brielle, on their trek to Silverymoon pass where Methri fell.

From Twilight Calm - Christina Rossetti

But evening now is done
As much as if the sun
Day-giving had arisen in the East:
For night has come; and the great calm has ceased,
The quiet sands have run.

Touching History as We Go

Death comes to all in turn, they say. I have seen it swiftly, I have seen it come slow. Never do I touch its presence without some emotion. Relief, in cases of enemies that would not turn from their path. Sorrow, for the ones it takes by choking off the time ahead of them. Shock, when it braces a young one in their prime.

But I can see it is a needful thing. Not merely for the natural order of things, but for cleansing the way to new thought, new deeds, new ways. Something in age clogs many minds from adapting, changing as thoughts lead in new directions. I find peace in the idea that, when my life is at an end, there will be those who knew of me, of my Companions, who tell the tales we made.

I but hope that they remember not only the daring deeds, but the cautionary mishaps as well.

— Drizzt Do'Urden

The travelers kept their hoods low, even as they knew it would take a powerful magic user to discern their identities. The tavern was quiet and only half-full, but a bard had taken the stage and begun a quiet ballad.

"Someone knows history," the woman said after listening to the first bars.

"As told," the man said with a sigh. "They'll leave out how close it was for him at the end."

"Hmm, likely. But in this day and age, from all we've seen so far, they need to know of heroes, have them to look up to and be inspired by."

He looked at her, his eyes dancing with mirth. "I'll remember that when you protest the ballads composed of your sacrifices and leadership."

"Oh, I've had plenty of time to grow accustomed to such. But you, my dear ranger… what will you do when you hear of your own deeds sung with lusty bardic vigor?"

"Make a nuisance of myself trying to inject truth in the matter," he said, smiling before he applied spoon to bowl, rather than focus on the tale of a wizard he'd known during the Gods' War.

Brielle pulled up short, making Gavren turn back to her. Her face spoke of anguish, and he sucked in a deep breath. The lingering magical traces in this land spoke of past battles, but for her… it had to have been personal.

"What is it, my star?"

"The staff of Silverymoon." She gave up pretense of being able to move from this spot, dropping down on her knees, hands going into the barren soil. Her eyes scanned out, taking note of the vague hillocks and depressions, signs of things buried in haste and rotted away after.

Gavren came and knelt in front of her, drawing her head to his shoulder. With a mere thought, he called to their dear astral friend and Guenhwyvar appeared, no longer constrained by the figure of wondrous power. She took up guard over them in this desolate place, letting him hold his beloved as she mourned.

"Silverymoon's last defense to the west," he murmured. "Your son being impossibly strong-willed and ending the fight that occurred, but at such cost." He stroked down her hair, letting her cry it out. There would be moments like this, over and over, as they wandered the realms in their new guises. Both had been too embroiled in the Gods' War, had known too many of the major players in the pitched battles and back-room scheming.

"Methri made so many mistakes, and yet… he did believe in the people and ideas of Silverymoon and the Silver Marches." She settled back on her heels, reaching up to wipe at her face with a cloth pulled out of her cloak's pocket.

"He did, on both accounts. But we all did, the mistakes making. And for many of us, it was the belief in our people, in each other, that gave us the strength to push through what the gods did to us all in their own madnesses." Gavren stroked her face, then tucked a braid back behind her ear. "It is hardest, in some ways, for you about Methri. Because he was your heir, following in your footsteps."

She sniffled, then nodded. "Once the Refuge took Tyresia from him, he threw himself into everything of Silverymoon I would allow. And he won the position by the vote, when Taern died, so it was on his own merit. I just never saw how deeply his caution could cut across the allies we'd made."

"You cannot second-guess him from this point of history," Gavren told her, placing a kiss on her brow. "All either of us can do is try to help the rebuilding we see, give aid to those who still have the vision of a future that holds knowledge and compassion in the highest regard."

"And use what we knew as truth to provide the bitter stories of how even goodly traits can lead to the wrong choices?" Brielle questioned, before sighing. "Yes, even that will be needed, especially with what we've learned so far of the rising powers in the lands."

"Any trait may be a strength or a weakness," Gavren told her. "You and I can press that point as it is needed. But. For now… we're not so far from the Silverwood, and we can be inside the city by nightfall?"

She considered, then shook her head. "Unless the traces are bothering you, let us stay here, so I can meditate, and be certain he has not become a weave ghost tied to this place?"

"Of course, my star." He pushed back to his feet, a look at Guen bringing her closer. The panther pushed into the moon-elf's space, prompting a small laugh and much petting, while Gavren saw to setting camp. They would tend to the needful matters, and move on to the city where at least one of their children was building anew.

Perhaps, in putting her own sense of Methri to rest, it would help Brielle be ready for the fresh start they had promised one another in truth.

Entry tags:

rl: correspondence

Mail Call

jenab, thank you for the card. It got here a few days back but I kept forgetting to post.

Entry tags:

Fic: One Two THREE Force Born?!

AO3 Link | One Two THREE Force Born?! (1609 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Padmé Amidala, Anakin Skywalker, Mace Windu, Sheev Palpatine | Emperor Palpatine | Darth Sidious
Additional Tags: Crack Treated Seriously, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Kriffing Sith Plans
Summary:

It's Padmé with the nightmares, and a plan to head it all off.

One Two THREE Force Born?!

Padmé Amidala was a woman on a mission. Anakin might be completely in a panic over the pregnancy but she was going to head this off. It was just too convenient that she was now being plagued with dreams of her own death, the very night after an unavoidable dinner with the man she had a growing distaste for.

And, deep where she would never tell her husband, she had a nasty suspicion he was trying to shove Anakin off a cliff of irredeemable violence. The Chancellor might not have commented on her state, but his eyes were not as easily fooled by their shared heritage of concealing fashion.

Today, she was going to go enlist the aid of the Jedi, while Anakin was tied up being the poster boy of the GAR. She had all of her diplomatic shields in place, and had the perfect cover story to do this with.

After all, with Jedi having lost so many, surely the Force would be interested in adding a few more children to the future.

Vokara Che was every bit as imposing in her domain as Anakin had said. However, her status as a long time ally had convinced Master Fisto to bring her down to the Healer's Wing. She had pleaded with him, and the healer, that there could not be a father, not when she was a mature woman who knew how to guard against such!

"You were correct that the pregnancy is heavily Force-influenced," Vokara said after several minutes of making Padmé wonder if the healer was going to break her constructed version of events. "You are carrying two very healthy, very Force-active fetuses."

Two. TWO?!

She was not going to faint like the damsel of a holo-drama. "Thank you, Master Che. Given my precarious positioning within the advocates for peace, and past attempts, I could not, in all honesty, acquire medical aid in the typical fashion. Given how my dreams are affected, and having such strange hunches of late, I turned to your Temple in hope."

"A wise choice." For a long moment, Vokara held her eyes, and Padmé knew that the healer was not actually buying the spontaneous pregnancy. A twitch of the lekku, however, indicated the secret was safe. "These hunches, I believe that Master Windu should possibly help sort them out with you."

Oh. Well, that might be the right way to go as well.

Kit, even before the appointment in medical had ended, had gone to find his age-mate. He did so in one of the botanical rooms. "Master Windu," he began. "And Master Yoda," he added to be polite, despite the ancient peering at one of the plants intently.

"Hmm," came over top of Mace's cautious "Master Fisto", and Kit grinned a little that his creche-mate had already detected the mild mischief Kit was feeling.

They all needed a little bit of amusement.

"Senator Amidala has come, and is being tended to by Master Che," Kit began, and both men looked sharply at him. "I do wonder about that old prophecy that was discussed when Master Jinn found a boy on a desert world with no father… as she is here to see about a Force-induced pregnancy as well."

Yoda's ears went flat, Mace's eyes narrowed, and Kit merely smiled.

Mace looked at the woman who had been a solid ally, and the subject of not a small part of gossip. He did not, for a moment, believe the story of no father, but in her political setting, it was for the best to go along with it.

"Master Che said you have been plagued by hunches of late, ones that play out true."

He set a mild tisane in front of her, and took a second one for himself.

"I think the Force has concerns about the path we are on, despite recent developments. After all, if the Count has been neutralized, and Master Kenobi is on the trail of their general… who will keep the momentum up to line pockets with war money, and build such sizable powers through war-time legislation?" Amidala asked, meeting the man's eyes squarely. "I am all but certain you and your peers have had the same intuitions."

Was she — had she —

Maybe Skywalker had been more circumspect than Mace had believed. For all that Amidala was firmly an adherent of a peaceful resolution, her physical and vocal cues were running in tandem with the Council's own suspicions.

"Perhaps we are looking in that same direction," he said.

"If the other Sith, the one Dooku spoke of on our side, is out there, I am certain he would try to harm those touched so firmly by the Light Side as ones fathered by the Force," Amidala told him. "I shudder to think of what such a being might have done had they had access to your Knight Skywalker for all the years of this phantom menace over us."

That, Mace decided, was both accusation and… an invitation to look more closely at how the cards were laid out.

And he had to admit she had a point.

"Anakin!"

"Chancellor."

"I do hope the scandal hasn't harmed your friendship with the Senator."

"What scandal?"

The exchange, handled in the hearing of several itinerant reporters, brought their elder statesman up short, until someone added the right question.

"That she's pregnant with no father in sight," the reporter with blood money in his pockets called out.

"You really think Senator Amidala would stoop to such petty, low-brow nonsense?" Anakin asked them, in his best 'are you kidding me' voice, and he caught the frown on his old 'friend'. He was so glad Saesse Tiin had been able and willing to explore the past several years in his head. "She's having children as the will of the Force, and we Jedi take that kind of thing very seriously."

He then kept walking, leaving the Chancellor stewing, the reporters trying to digest how to spin this, and a feeling that he could not have handled it that way without the Council all suddenly intent on supporting him. He didn't know what had changed there, but he couldn't wait to tell Obi-Wan all about it.

And the Force Twins, because he had to admit, he really hadn't had a lot of time, and they both used precautions.

Chancellor Sheev Palpatine was in a fury. He had primed the well perfectly, and somehow… somehow every insinuation and control he'd put in place had been cut off in the Chosen One. All because of some insane story concocted by the woman that had long since outlived her usefulness.

Any day now, that wretched Kenobi would be returning, and Sheev would have to find a different way to acquire everything he wanted… unless he acted now? He went to his desk to find the comm unit. He needed to provoke the right circumstance, to make it clear he was saving them from the Jedi, but what would it take?

The comm lit up in his hand.

What?

With the Force, he flipped the hood of his cape up, securing it to conceal his features, and turned it on.

"What do you know, that frequency is picked up, Commander," came the very annoying, should-be-dead voice of the Togruta menace. He hastily turned it off, throwing it into the back of the locked drawers.

The knocking at the door that came next, including a call of 'Coruscant Security' sent chills down his back.

He wondered idly if his own Master had felt this the night Sheev had gleefully murdered him.

Mace pinched the bridge of his nose, then looked over at the newest Master of the Council who was pretending he didn't want to hurry out and see a certain Senator. He then looked at Kenobi, who was waiting to be briefed on how and why the Chancellor had been killed in the midst of being served with detention papers.

"A tip from an ally told us to double check Skywalker for undue influence," Kit said, looking entirely too merry in the telling.

"Padmé," Anakin offered cheerfully. "She's having Force twins."

Mace did not groan. It really did sound like Skywalker believed that.

"Removing that," Saesee said, "let us more clearly see the shape of a possible end game, orchestrated to cast us all as traitors."

"Meanwhile, Skywalker's commander had been working on another angle of the endgame," Agen said.

"Leading him and Tano to turning up a plan to make the man expose himself, using the very tools meant to kill us all," Kit said, "by triggering a comm device he should not have had while we were keeping him very securely under comm surveillance with Naboo's and CorSec's cooperation."

"How did you get CorSec to agree to such?" Kenobi asked.

"Amidala implied that she had noticed a malevolent presence while dining with the man, and could they please keep it under wraps that there could be such a threat near the center of government?" Shaak Ti said, eyes dancing with mirth.

"A very tidy end, I suppose." Kenobi then looked at Mace with a deadpan face. "So, how are those prophecies handling the idea of three Force-fathered children?"

Mace did not, as he wanted to, flip the man's hood over his head with the Force.

Padmé smiled, despite fatigue, as she held her daughter, and Anakin held her son. Eventually, they might admit the farce.

Then again, listening to Anakin telling Luke all about the wonders of what the Force could do…

… maybe it was better to leave it at this. What really mattered was that they were all saved from the Sith.