#round 20

Like all the founders, Cliffords are very wealthy, and their old home wasn't reflecting that. I thought an ultra-modern style would suit them.

Reminder: Only the overall poll winner will be put back in the tournament.

It's been a while, folks, but don't worry--just like autocratic governments with brutal yearly sacrifice demands, you can't get rid of us that easy.

For those of you who aren't raising your eyebrows or frowning with the memory the Writeblr Hunger Games, allow me to introduce the concept: you write stories with characters whom you want to put through the wringer, and we're here to help. In the WHG, writeblrs throw their characters into a simulator of the Hunger Games, a last-one-standing-wins gladiatorial/survival contest with the lens of a cutthroat TV show.

Set your character(s) to compete against other writers' characters, watch who wins, and use the randomly generated results and artisanally crafted prompts as writing inspiration if you'd like. The Games are what you make of them, from a casual social event to an intense AU-writing scheme!

If people are interested, the basic format for the WHG is that writers submit their original characters as potential candidates. Then I put them in the Brant Steele Hunger Games Simulator and share the results.

For this round specifically, to kick off the summer and celebrate the 20th round, the theme will be an ultimate redemption round! Writers who have participated before are especially encouraged to submit characters who have been in the Games before and lost. For newcomers, share your downtrodden, your short-changed, your loser and dropouts raring for a second chance!

Thank you for celebrating National Poetry Month with Lights on Park Ave! Here are the works for Round 20.

If you missed out on participating, remember that you can always submit something for a round that already ended. You can find out more information about that in the guidelines.

You can see all of the prompts for Round 20 here. In addition to looking at this master list, you can search for works by rounds, creators, work types, ratings, and universes on this page and peruse the Lights on Park Ave AO3 collection.

Round 21 has now begun and will run until May 31. The theme is longing, and all the prompts can be found here.

ART

Any

A Polaroid photograph of Steve and Tony embracing being burned away - @jarvisuanddumetoo

FIC

Marvel’s Avengers

What is it? A creations challenge (which includes fics, art, vidding, giffing, and any other form of art used for fan creations) just for the Rare Ships (“rare” is anything that isn’t the two main ships). So come and show your love for the ships that never get enough!

What is this month’s theme? This month’s theme is "Fun in the Sun” You can expect prompts that are favorite summertime activities and treats. As always, you’re welcome to interpret the prompts as you see fit.

How do we sign up?

- Sign ups are open until June 30th. - Please reblog this post. - Please make sure your ‘submit’ page is turned on or we will not be able to send the prompt. - Send an ask to the page telling us your choice for ship. (We are allowing you to sign up for up to 3 ships, however this will give you 3 sets of prompts, so please be sure you can complete all of them if you choose to sign up for more than one!) - You can follow the page, but it’s not required.

What happens when we sign up? - Around July 5th we will be sending you a submission with your prompt and your partner. - Remember this is not a collaboration challenge - the partners are simply to get a few different takes on the same prompt! - You have until August 1st to create your art piece based on this prompt. - When you post it, be sure to tag #spnrareshipcc, your partner’s url, and your ship in the first five tags, or we won’t see it! (Please tag NSFW if you have any nsfw material). - Please also make sure to list any warnings and tags using something similar to the suggested format on the blog page. - We will reblog your creation to the challenge page for everyone to enjoy!

SPN Rare Ship CC: Round 19 | @tobiasreallylikeschicken vs. @samsbeecharmer

Prompt: State Fair

Ship: Sam Winchester x Jessica Moore

Word Count: 742

Tags/Warnings: Fluff, drinking, marijuana

Summary: Sam wants to get drunk but the only thing in the bunker is tequila, which comes with a flood of memories.

AO3 Link

The bottle of tequila on the bar cart had never been opened. It was the only liquor in the bunker, as Bobby had polished off the last of their bourbon the night before, and Sam couldn’t bring himself to open it. So he stared at it, picking at the label with his thumb.

She had insisted on taking a road trip and how could he say no to her? It didn’t matter that he had travelled the entire country by car a million times with his dad and brother, she made it all brand new. And every look he stole at her made him more certain he wanted to be with her forever. Her bare feet hung out the open window as she sang along to old country. It was somewhere around Colorado that they stopped. Jess had seen a billboard advertising the state fair and begged, prodded and pleaded until he agreed to pull off at the exit.

SPN Rare Ship CC: Round 20 | truthfulnomad vs. rodiniaorzetalthepenquin

Prompt: Stargazing

Ship: Castiel/Hannah

Word Count: 3311

Tags/Warnings: No warnings

Summary: Castiel and Hannah explore their senses under a night sky.

AO3 Link: optional/if applicable

                          Under the Prairie Moon

“Emotions, feelings… they are dangerous temptations.” Those words played over in Castiel’s head as he moved through the hallway of the Winchester’s bunker towards the kitchen where he thought he heard chatter. As he came into the doorway, he found Hannah talking to Sam standing over the coffee machine. The aroma of the coffee filled the air. They were both talking to one another, their attention on the coffee maker neither had noticed him yet. Castiel observed the scene before feeling a presence beside him. Glancing sideways, he saw Dean standing there dressed in his bathrobe, watching the scene as well. “Dean you should be resting,” Castiel pointed out, casting a look of concern Dean’s way. Dean hadn’t been human again for very long. Castiel and Hannah had arrived just in time to help cure him of being a demon. Tension still hung in the air, Dean still had the mark, and Castiel’s grace, though replenished by Adina, was still fading. But for now, for right now, they could all take a deep breath. “You and her have been traveling together all this time?” Dean asked, ignoring Castiel’s insistence on further rest as they watched Hannah and Sam interact. “How’s that been?” “Good,” Castiel replied. “We’ve been hunting rogue angels who have refused to return to heaven after the fall. They got a taste of freedom and are unwilling to give it up.” “Can’t say I blame them,” Dean said with a shrug. He studied the angel for a minute as Castiel kept his gaze on Hannah. A pause passed between them. “Cas… are you two… you know.” Castiel whirled quickly to meet Dean’s green eyes, startled at that blunt statement. “No,” he said quickly. Though, as he thought on it, he’d recalled the few moments between them. How she’d grabbed his arm, the despair in her eyes over his impending death. How he’d felt when Adina threatened Hannah’s life. “I told her that the mission was too important,” he said after a while. “That emotions are dangerous temptations. But… when I saw Adina holding a blade to Hannah’s neck… I felt…” “Yeah…” Dean sighed. He understood. “Look, man, I know you angels don’t really… get things sometimes. And I know there are a lot of things on all of our plates right now. But… and I don’t mean to go all Hallmark on you, I’d hate to see you overlook a good thing.” Castiel cocked his head, looking at Dean. He wasn’t sure he understood. Dean sighed and continued. “Look you two have been hanging around the bunker for a few days now. Sam and I have both noticed.” “Noticed what?” Castiel asked. He had an idea he knew what Dean meant, even if he tried not to see it himself. “Dude, you must be blind,” Dean replied. “Haven’t you noticed the way she looks at you? And it’s not just that crazy cultish way from before. And yeah, I know you know about as much as some 15-year-old prom date when it comes to this sort of thing, but I think you should take it seriously. Because you two could have something important here.” “How are feelings important?” Castiel asked. “I’m an angel, Dean.” “Yeah, I got that,” Dean shook his head. “Look, man, I gotta say I’m a little envious. You two have something going on that Sam and I have had very little of. And we’re human. I’m not even talking about a chance to get laid either, I’m talking about the real deal. Those kind of feelings are about as common as winning the lottery and you’d be a fool to pass that up.” Castiel sighed. He couldn’t deny that the experience over the past few days had been enjoyable. Maybe even more than enjoyable. The hours he’d spent talking to Hannah about humanity as they drove had meant more to him than he had realized. And it was all too clear to him how she felt. Though she had tried to deny it, she’d demonstrated multiple times how she felt. Pleading with him over his grace, even willing to go as far as to let Metatron out of prison. He never would have imagined that someone, another angel no less, would make that kind of effort for him. “How… do I proceed?” He asked after a time. Dean shrugged. “Leave that to me and Sammy,” Dean said, somewhat cryptically. With that, he strode into the kitchen, finally gaining the attention of its two occupants, who both looked in their direction. “Hey Sammy!” he said. “Get dressed, we need to go into town.” “Town?” Sam looked confused. “What for?” “Some things,” Dean said simply, grabbing Sam by the arm and hauling him away. Castiel approached Hannah who held a mug of coffee in both her hands. Her blue eyes scanned him as he came to stand in front of her. “Castiel,” she greeted as she inhaled the steam rising up from the coffee. “Sam Winchester was showing me how this device works. Coffee contains caffeine and I thought perhaps it would help you get your energy back.” Castiel had to smile at the subtle ways Hannah tried to care for him. He doubted that something as simple as caffeine would cure his fading grace, but he took the mug from her hands and took a sip, feeling touched. “Hannah,” he began, seriously, as he motioned for her to follow him as he moved to sit down at the table. She focused her attention on him as she sat down across the table, watching eagerly as he took another sip of coffee. “We should be heading out soon. Now that Dean is on the mend, we have to turn our attention to gathering all the rogue angels.” “I understand,” she said, her eyes never moving away from him. He locked eyes with hers, those large blue eyes of hers conveyed something he hadn’t considered before. Not just emotion- which for an angel was unique enough- but passion. Depth. “I’d like to know something before we go,” he continued. “What do you want?” She cocked her head in confusion. “Want?” she repeated as if he’d asked a very difficult question. And he knew he had. “I don’t understand. What do my wants have to do with this mission?” “Everything,” Castiel said quickly, then, leaning forward, “I appreciate your effort on this mission. I couldn’t have come this far without you. But I’m afraid I’ve neglected your wishes, so I’d like to know what they are.” She looked stunned. She blinked, glancing down at her hands as she seemed unsure of what she should say. “I want what you want,” she replied. Castiel sighed. How could he make her understand? It’s not as if he could blame her for her confusion. She was an angel, angels were hardwired to obey. The idea of having their own choices was foreign. He recalled how hard it was for him to learn how to think for himself when he first met Sam and Dean. He got up from his chair and moved around the table to sit down beside her. She swiveled in her seat to gaze up at him before he sat down and shifted to be eye level with her. “Hannah,” he began. “There are certain things to being on Earth that you should understand. Down here, it’s important to be able to think for yourself. Develop your own interests, tastes, and desires. Make your own choices. You don’t need me to tell you what to do.” “But we are angels, Castiel,” she pointed out. “Freedom is what breeds rogues like Daniel and Adina. I don’t want to be like them. I want to be an angel.” “I want to be an angel too,” Castiel agreed. “But I’ve learned that there is some flexibility, a common ground between their way and our way. Sometimes you have to understand that not everything is so clear-cut, especially down here on Earth. Not everything is about law and order. Sometimes we have to learn to make our own decisions. It was something I had to learn once.” “And how did you learn?” Hannah asked curiously. “How do I decide what I want? What if I decide wrong?” “I’m still learning,” Castiel responded. “And I agree it is a risk. My choices have cost me dearly in the past and I’ve made some mistakes that have hurt myself and those around me. But I think I’ve gained a lot as well. My friendship with Sam and Dean, I wouldn’t have had that if I didn’t learn to think for myself. I’m offering you the same thing.” He could almost see her mulling this over in her mind. He worried that he wouldn’t be able to get through to her. Maybe Dean was wrong about all of this, maybe there was no emotion at work here, maybe she was just an angel following another angel. But when she glanced back at him, she wore a pensive look on her face. Hesitantly, she reached her hand over and placed it over his on the table. He responded by taking her hand and placing it in between both of his. “I want you to live, Castiel,” she said. “You said emotions were dangerous, so I’ve tried to avoid them. But when I think of you’re fading grace, about how I might be forced to watch you deteriorate again and there is nothing I can do to stop it…” she suddenly turned her eyes away from him, glancing in the opposite direction so he couldn’t see her face. “We will cross that bridge when we come to it,” he offered. He knew the subject of his death had been a sensitive one between them and he hadn’t realized till then how he’d continued to ignore and brush off her feelings over it every time she brought it up. He felt a twinge of guilt over he hadn’t stopped to consider her in this at all before. “For now, I want to focus on you, Hannah.” “How do I do that?” she asked. She pressed the palm of her hand against her torso as if indicated something inside of her. “I have felt… things. Curiosities.” “I’ll show you,” Castiel offered. “But you have to be open to exploring new experiences. Can you?” She nodded. Castiel took in a breath, feeling somewhat satisfied. He’d taken the first step. Retracted what he’d said before and given her the permission she needed to explore herself. They would take the rest of the steps together. 00000 Dean hadn’t been lying when he said he and Sam had a plan. Later that evening, Castiel found himself hiking out across the prairie that surrounded the bunker, heading for a far-off hill. He carried a boom box, a picnic basket, and a few blankets. He glanced down at his attire. Sam and Dean had thought of everything, though Castiel failed to see the point of changing his clothes. He wore a pair of trousers, a simple white shirt, and a blazer. Glancing over at Hannah, he admired her change of clothing. She wore a long flowing bright blue floral maxi dress and carried a large bouquet of lavender sprays. The way the dress flowed behind her in the wind, along with her dark chestnut hair dancing around her head made her seem almost fantasy like. Castiel had to admire her beauty, her gracefulness. She was like a fairy moving effortlessly through the grass. Of course, being an angel, Castiel could see more of her than just her vessel. He saw the beautiful white creamy wings with golden yellow tips. He’d seen them all along, though they were invisible to humans. They were a sharp contrast to his ebony black wings. “What did they call this?” Hannah asked as she glanced at him. She frowned when she caught his eyes lingering over her form. “Am I wearing this garment wrong?” she asked with concern. “Sam Winchester told me to wear it.” “No,” he assured her, clearing his throat, feeling embarrassed that he’d been caught staring. “I like it. It’s… flattering.” He stumbled over his words, but he hoped he put her mind at ease. Blushing, he turned his attention to the prairie ahead of them. “This is a picnic,” he explained. “It’s a ritual that humans often engage in.” He stopped when he finally made it to the top of the hill. From this vantage, they could see far off in the distance as the prairie seemed to stretch on all around them. Hannah gazed down at the farms and small communities dotting the landscape below. As Castiel spread out a blanket and knelt down to set his items on it, he watched her reaction carefully. She looked astonished by the spectacular sight, though he noted a hint of confusion in her eyes. “Humans alter the landscape,” Hannah commented as Castiel stood and moved to her side. “They put up fences and barriers that block animals from coming and going as they please.” “It’s their nature,” Castiel offered. “Humans like to hoard their possessions, even the land. It’s unfortunate, I agree.” “There’s no need for fences, borders, or walls,” Hannah responded. “If humans allowed one another the freedom to come and go as they pleased, perhaps it would be better for them. Why create countries and kingdoms when they are all just humans in the end?” “That’s a complicated question,” Castiel admitted. “I’m not sure I have a good answer. Humans are driven to hoard resources and compete with one another. There is much I admire about them, but there is much more that is very flawed. Humans can be violent, greedy, bigoted, and many are quite dangerous. But others can be kind, selfless, brave, and valiant. And let's not forget that we angels are not without our flaws.” He motioned for her to sit down on the blanket as he did so as well. He opened the basket and laid out all its contents. A bottle of wine, cheddar cheese, bleu cheese, coppa salami, beef jerky, crackers and vinegar spread, horseradish, olives, smoked salmon, and some brownies. Hannah gazed over the food with fascination. “We are here to explore our senses,” Castiel explained. “Sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Humans can derive great pleasure out of these sensations, and I want you to learn about the things you find appealing.” Hannah surveyed all the food items set out before her while Castiel turned on the boom box which started playing soothing piano music. Castiel watched Hannah’s reaction carefully as she listened. “I like this sound,” she said as she gazed out over the prairie. “And the sounds around us.” Castiel listened up as well. The day’s symphony of birds chirping in the thick grass, of thrushes and pheasants calling to one another across the vast seas of golden yellow, were being replaced by crickets chirping, frogs croaking, and owls hooting. That mixed with the piano music made for a pleasant melody. Castiel turned his attention to the food. He was unfamiliar with much of it and he wanted Hannah to have a good first experience with eating so he had to select something carefully. Making his decision, he grabbed the brownie and handed it to her. “Many humans are fond of sweets and of chocolate in particular,” he explained as she took it from his hand and examined it cautiously. For a moment it looked like she was going to back out, she seemed hesitant, almost disgusted with the prospect of eating. “Try it,” he urged gently. Finally, she took a small bite, chewing thoughtfully, before her eyes lit up in excitement. “I had no idea!” she exclaimed triumphantly, a bright smile crossing her face. Castiel let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, and couldn’t help but smile as well, her excitement was contagious. “Chocolate. It’s so… stimulating!” She eagerly finished the entire brownie, and he frowned a little, realizing he wasn’t going to get any of it. Her eyes scanned the rest of the items spread out before her and one by one, encouraged by the success of the brownie, she and Castiel tried each one. Not all of the food items were successful, the horseradish and the vinegar spread caused a rather violent response, and Castiel frowned as Hannah gagged, spitting them both out into the grass. Castiel turned to the wine. Hannah started a little when he popped the bottle opened and poured each of them a glass. He handed Hannah one as they both leaned back on their sides, beside each other. Hannah sipped her wine and peered across the small space between them, her eyes sparkled in the brilliant orange of the sunset. “What comes next?” she asked. Her mood had lightened considerably, there was a lightheartedness, almost playful way that the wind rustled her hair as the dark trusses danced about her face. “We watch the stars,” he explained. They finished their wine and Castiel, feeling a chilly breeze between them, retrieved the other blanket and draped it over Hannah as she shifted to a laying position in the grass and stared up at the sky. He watched her for a moment, her eyes wide with wonder. Satisfied with what he saw in her eyes, he settled down beside her, his body beside hers, as he focused on the sky. Powdery white clouds passed overhead, illuminated in shades of purples, oranges, and yellows as the sun cast it’s last light on them. The moon took its place, a massive round full moon, glowing at them as the sky darkened and one by one, billions and billions of stars began to fill the sky. “They’re so endless,” Hannah commented from beside him, her voice soft and expressive. “I could never tire of them. They were the one thing that got me through…” Castiel moved his head to glance at her. The faraway look in her eyes told him she was recalling something. But before she could continue, she suddenly let out a gasp. Castiel turned his gaze and saw a meteor shoot across the sky. Then another. Soon, dozens and dozens started raining from the sky. The meteor shower had begun, but it wasn’t having the intended effect. Hannah tensed noticeably beside him as she shot up to a sitting position. “No!” She exclaimed emotionally. “The angels!” She visibly shook, gripping her head in between her hands as if trying to physically push the image out of her mind. “No, it’s not,” Castiel assured her as he sat up to face her, wincing at the fear he saw in her eyes. “They’re just meteors. Pieces of rock. It’s not an angel fall. I-” without warning, she surged forward, her head collided against the top of his chest. Her body quivered and he, surprised by the sudden embrace, pulled her in. “Oh Hannah,” he said, his breath rustling her hair as he pressed his head against the top of her neck, bundling her tightly between himself and the blanket she had wrapped around her. “I’m sorry. I hadn’t realized.” The angel fall, which Hannah had been a victim of, had been very traumatic, and although he hadn’t been part of it, he could only have imagined the terror, the confusion. After a moment of shaking, Hannah composed herself and sat upright, her eyes rising up to meet his, glistening with emotion. “It was terrifying,” she admitted. “To be alone in this strange land. So alone, Castiel. And all I wanted to do was go home.” “I’m sorry,” he offered, feeling that all too familiar twinge of guilt. “For my part in your horror.” Hannah regarded him for a moment, saying nothing, just looking. And Castiel looked right back, searching the depth of emotion in those big, soulful eyes.

Prompt: The above song, Holland by Novo Amor. Thank you @hollyashton and @jessicamckenzie for hosting this week of Choices Creates! Rating: T to be safe, but not really necessary. Warnings: Sad and lots of pining. Fandoms: Endless Summer Characters: Prince Varyyn, Diego Ortiz Soto. Pairings: One sided Varyyn/Diego Ortiz Soto Description: Made for Round 20 of Choices Creates. Varyyn thinks on how he wishes he could have said goodbye to Diego, as they watch Sharktooth Isle grow smaller and smaller as they sail away.