#neveralarch

This picture is inspired by @neveralarch and @sauntervaguelydown ‘s AU “If You, Among the Armies of Holofernes”.  

Rung is trying to get details re: Aglet’s crush on Deadlock, Pharma is on guard in case enemies turn up. He hasn’t slept in three days. :)

it’s time for @cannibalisticcutie’s TFILF again! already missed a few days, alas. so I’m just gonna rec some good angst AUs, since they’re my jam!

Reprise d'Attaque by @neveralarch

Fencing AU! Because in what other sport would Starscream have a convenient excuse to take a flying leap at someone with a pointy weapon? Reprise is the first fic in the Attaque Composée series, and I don’t know a thing about fencing, but I know some good writing, some delicious Starscream trauma, and some sweet Starscream/Wheeljack when I read it. The translation from canon Autobot/Decepticon wartime interaction to a long-standing space alien robot fencing feud is perfectly done, the Starscream characterization is fucking crisp, Stageflight is best girl who emulates Starscream’s victory screech when she scores points, and in at least one tumblr-only ficlet Wheeljack jokes about getting a mustache. 10/10, would scream again. I need...more...

And I Alone Have Escaped To Tell You by @astolat

With an additional plug here for @shibara‘s absolutely gorgeous fanart for this fic, located here: http://shibara.tumblr.com/post/179461125334/aaaah-it-is-finished-this-piece-is-a-lonnng. It feels almost redundant to rec one of Astolat’s fics when they’re so well known, but the fact is her writing is phenomenal, I’m a sucker for competency porn-style/time travel/fix it fic (especially ones where you get to explore people’s reactions to someone who’s just that good), and I do so enjoy works that do Quintessons right. Cyclonus winds up with a second chance to do things right after losing everything, and by god is he going to be good at it.

You Are Listening To by @zekkass

Nonbinary Soundwave, check. A stunning exploration of some G1 AU worldbuilding, check. Soundwave/Optimus, check. Soundwave is a deeply integrated part of the living comms/datanet, part of the unique kind of community politics and culture that stems from what kind of information and coverage you provide in the network as you move up in the city, and I adore the perspective and tone it gives the narration from Soundwave’s point of view. I recommended it already for last year’s TF literature fest, but I’m doing it again. 

Your Face Becomes The Sun by @spockandawe

I feel so bad because both of those are actually notes about what those fics would be if I wrote them. Which.... I haven’t written either of them at all.

I would share the notes but... the notes i write to myself are only meant for my eyes and thus are written very poorly because it’s literally writing as fast as I can to get all the thoughts out before anything slips away, plus there’s a lot that’s unsaid in the notes because I write just enough to remind myself, because they’re notes for me to remind me of what I’ve already thought about, not to inform someone of what happens.

SO I’ll just talk about the ideas I guess. Starting with the exorcist AU because the starscream gets pampered one is 100% smut so I’ll put that under a read more

The Exorcist AU

The Exorcist AU is actually one I’ve talked about some on my blog before, so you can get the basic idea over here. Since then it’s evolved. After some in between stuff, little exorcisms here and there, there is a Big Bad situation, aka the Exorcism of Megatron.

The basic rundown on that is that Megatron invites Orion to come visit him. they’ve kind of been penpals of a sort in this AU, since Orion is interested in anti-functionalist stuff (despite being part of the Church which... both is and isn’t. They say they are but haven’t ever really done anything to stop functionalism, and there are aspects of their teachings and how it’s run that suggests they actually support functionalism). Shortly after that, Orion receives a message from Soundwave that suggests he also bring his friend Ratchet since.... things are getting suspect.

Megatron has the Decepticon group, but it is much more an organization than an army in this situation. Like a secular church almost?? Anyway, they arrive, and Megatron is definitely off, and eventually they realize he’s possessed, so we’re off to the exorcism races.

But this is a Big Bad demon, y’all. It plays mind games and really, reaaaally gets into Orion’s head when at one point he’s one-on-one with the demon. It tells him it’s Megatronus -- THE Megatronus -- and pulls out all the most secret thoughts Orion has had

Aka Orion thinks, deep down where he dares now actually acknowledge it, that he’s the reincarnation of the thirteenth prime

(which he is, but like, in this AU that’s like someone thinking they might be the messiah or what have you so he’s like in deep denial that he feels that way)

Furthermore, the demon is pushing the fact that because of that, Orion doesn’t think the Primes were infallible, or perfect, etc., and he has a LOT of doubts about how priests are forced to emulate a way of life that the Primes didn’t even hold themselves to

So why shouldn’t he let himself have Ratchet?

That’s when things take a turn for the especially wicked because at that point, the demon makes itself appear to be Ratchet, and speak like Ratchet, getting in close and seductive and convincing Orion it’s ok

And Orion falls hook, line, and sinker, and oops he’s kissing a very possessed Megatron and then oOPS there’s pounding on the door from the real Ratchet who can’t get into the room and Orion is face to face with the demon.

And at that point he’s lifted right off his feet with a hand around his throat.

“Tothink we’ve spent all these millions of years searching for you, Thirteenth. Sohard to find, and yet so very easy tolure right into my trap. Almost a shame how easy it was to kill you.”

Anyway, Ratchet breaks in and Orion does not die but they fight and it’s all a big to do and there’s a lot of talking and confessions and bed sharing and one last almost kiss the next morning before things go full tilt.

Cause oops, Skywarp was being quietly possessed the whole time and now he’s Full Blown Possessed by Cyclonus, who uses the warping power to grab Orion, grab Galvatron (because yep the demon was actually Galvatron the whole time), and get out of there.

And things continue from there. Like. It’s a lot, y’all. I’ve though it out a looooot.

the rest as a tl;dr is that Orion breaks at some point and becomes a “prime” for Unicron, aka Nemesis Prime, and back at base Ratchet is working with Soundwave who it turns out wasn’t possessed but was working with the demons because they have his cassettes hostage, but he’s convinced to turn against the demons to try to rescue those cassettes. Nemesis+Galvatron+Cyclonus head to go kill the robot Pope (Sentinel lmao) and blah blah blah Ratchet attempts exorcising etc etc etc ratchet finally kisses Nemesis and whomp whomp the power of love Orion is back but also he’s gone full 180 to full blown Prime and he’s got some extra Primus juice in him to exorcise Megatron and Skywarp and eventually after all of that there’s priest/prime fucking

Starscream Gets Pampered

I don't have a prompt, but I would be so thrilled to see more Johannes/ Zarenyia in the world!!