itainthardtrying
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By any other Name by itainthardtrying
Fandoms: The Last of Us (Video Games), The Last of Us (TV)
13 Jan 2025
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“Apparently, soul marks are a big deal in FEDRA. You’re supposed to keep them always covered, never disclose your Names. They think it could create unnecessary camaraderie between the ranks, alliances they couldn’t control.”
“Fucking fanatics,” Joel mutters, and Tess snorts her agreement.
“Gets worse. That asshole told me it’s even more of a problem when there’s kids involved. FEDRA worries somebody could pick a fight with them, steal away one of their precious free resources. Or that the kids could grow and run – try to find whoever’s on their arms.”
Joel frowns. “So? Tell’em to cover their Names too?”
“Not really,” Tess says, finally turning to look straight at Joel. “With FEDRA kids, they erase them.”Soulmate AU. Everyone is born with their soulmates’ Names written on their skin. Joel meets his third when he’s fifty-six, and he’s tasked to smuggle her outside Boston’s QZ. This can’t possibly end well.
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Where you last placed your heart by itainthardtrying
Fandoms: The Last of Us (TV), The Last of Us (Video Games)
01 May 2024
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Now that Ellie’s alone, she just sits on her bed and looks at her book. She can’t call it reading anymore – by now she has read the thing front to back so many times that she could quote some paragraphs word for word.
That’s why it’s weird that it took her so long to notice the message written on the front page.
There, nestled just below the title, there’s one line of writing addressed to her. It doesn’t mention any names, but it is for her. It can’t be otherwise.
It’s not Tommy’s handwriting, nor Maria's, nor Riley's.But it’s somebody’s. Somebody who knew she’d like to read about Moon landing, spaceships, and astronauts. Somebody who cared enough to take this book, fix the hardcover with some scotch tape, and give it to her. Somebody who wrote those words on the front page knowing that they would make her smile.
Somebody who loved her.
It’s late spring 2024 when Ellie wakes up in Jackson. She has a backpack full of books, a burn on her arm, and no memory of how she went from Boston QZ to Wyoming.
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It’s probably because of the after sex haze that Nicky’s words slip out of his mouth before he can think about it.
“I want to marry you.”
Joe stops his whatever he was saying about the weather. “What?”
Nicolò opens his eyes. “Uh…” He had been thinking about it for a few days already, and apparently his brain was done holding it back from Joe. “I want to marry you, Yusuf."Or: How Nicky poses as a priest to infiltrate the Council of Trento and ends up getting married. Again.
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“Come again?” Yuuri asks, a little taken aback.
“I asked you how does your anxiety feel like.”
Anxiety, in Yuuri’s mind, works like a river.
Like a huge river held up by a dam. And whenever he does a mistake in his program, the giant concrete wall of the dam begins to break open, a web of fissures appearing on its surface. Then, suddenly, the wall crumbles and the river crashes down on his shoulders, and he can’t bear it, he can’t, he can’t breathe or resurface as he’s pushed down and down and down.
That’s what he thinks.
What he actually says is: “It’s like, umm… like a dam.”
Victor just looks at him, his brow furrowed. “A dam,” he repeats, the word sounding unfamiliar in his mouth.
Fuck, Yuuri thinks. That’s it. I’m totally useless at words.Or: Poodle plushie tissue box origin story.
Series
- Part 1 of Rivers and roads
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Ghost Repeater by Bumblepony for renegade_knight
Fandoms: The Last of Us (Video Games), The Last of Us (TV)
24 Jul 2025
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“So, what are the rules about radio usage in town?” Joel takes a swig from his thermos, the almost too hot coffee tingling on his tongue.
“As long as it’s here in Jackson, ain’t got any rules. Other than we keep a pretty regular check on frequencies at the main guard station, so any conversation you have could be interrupted.”
“Makes sense. The town got a list of call signs?”
“Yeah, but it’s for the patrollers. You lookin’ to find out who this Rosette is?” Tommy peeks at him out of the corner of his eye, and Joel rolls his eyes.
“I told ya it ain’t like that.” Joel wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and plunks the thermos down onto the still snow-covered picnic table. “Just didn't know if there was some protocol I had’ta follow. An’ I ain’t lookin’ to find out who she is. Long as I know it’s someone in Jackson, I’ll be fine. If an’ when she wants to share her real name, she can.”
“Alright, just let me know if anythin’ seems off. Like I said, shouldn’t be able to get outside the town walls, but if someone really wanted to, they might be able to communicate from just outside.”
IE: Joel gets a ham radio while he and Ellie are on the outs. Someone answers his call.
Series
- Part 12 of A Step to the Left
Bookmarked by itainthardtrying
10 Apr 2026
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"Are you going for the course?" Lovegood asked. "You have the NEWTs.”
“What course?” Draco said, then, “No, don’t be ridiculous,” when he realized she meant the notice pinned up on the board he’d been staring at: Applicants To The Introductory Mediwizard Course For The Coming Term Shall Present Themselves In The Chief Mediwizard’s Office By August 24th.
“Oh, I thought you might,” she said. “Well, goodbye.” And off she wandered again in her addled way.
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- Part 12 of Harry Potter works
- Part 3 of Astolat Sampler
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Bookmarked by itainthardtrying
15 Mar 2026
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Draco found the nest down in the Manor’s cellars, while he was clearing them out.
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- Part 7 of Harry Potter works
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Bookmarked by itainthardtrying
12 Mar 2026
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Teaching old dogs new tricks. (Set in mid season 3.)
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Bookmarked by itainthardtrying
09 Mar 2026
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A curse leaves Sam with a very different version of Dean.
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Bookmarked by itainthardtrying
24 Jan 2026