I never did mention what I received for Chocolate Box! I got two stories, sweet and warm and caring, both of which do that thing I love, of implying context and worldbuilding without having to use many words. Both Guardian, both by theleakypen--one Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng, one Chu Shuzhi/Ye Huo (possibly also including Changcheng). I love these little glimpses of post-series life, and how these characters are looking after each other:

We'll Hold Each Other (1369 words) by theleakypen
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng
Characters: Chu Shuzhi, Guo Changcheng, Original Characters
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Established Relationship, Guo Changcheng's Canonical Powers, (and the death that implies), this isn't a case fic but there is a case, mutual care, Kissing, They're both having a lot of feelings
Series: Part 1 of Rebuilding in Dragon City
Summary:

"What did you see, Guo-qianbei?" the new SID hire ventured, darting concerned looks between them and the body.

"Give him a minute," Chu Shuzhi snapped. "He's just had to live this man's entire life."

A Dixingren dies in Chu Shuzhi's arms. Guo Changcheng has to use his powers. They both have a lot of feelings about it.


melt into a new life (617 words) by theleakypen
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 镇魂 | Guardian (TV 2018)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Chu Shuzhi/Ye Huo
Characters: Chu Shuzhi, Ye Huo (Guardian)
Additional Tags: Post-Canon, Established Relationship, Martial Arts Gym, Kissing, mentioned Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng, or possibly Chu Shuzhi/Guo Changcheng/Ye Huo, you could read it multiple ways
Series: Part 2 of Rebuilding in Dragon City
Summary:

"How does it feel to be a legitimate business owner?" Chu Shuzhi asked.

"Odd," Ye Huo admitted. "Not having to hide is going to be strange."

Chu Shuzhi nodded. That he could understand. The SID now operated in the public eye; regular civilians knew about Dixingren. It was a different world.

Chu Shuzhi visits Ye Huo at his new gym.

For chocolateboxcomm this year, I was assigned the Aubrey-Maturin books, which itself was a gift right back to me--Jack/Stephen (book, movie, or both) is one of my bulletproof comfort pairings. ♥

I chewed on my recipient's signup and letter for a while, and bounced thoughts off some friends. And then, mollyamory just up and handed me a premise. Handed it right over! It was just what I was looking for! (I highly recommend this as a writing process, btw, getting mollyamory to give you things.)

So I gleefully submerged myself in Jack/Stephen world, and brought along Killick and also a bird (based on the Long-Billed Corella), and wrote this:

Most Musical, Most Melancholy (8514 words) by Dorinda
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Aubrey-Maturin Series - Patrick O'Brian, Master and Commander - All Media Types
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Jack Aubrey/Stephen Maturin
Characters: Jack Aubrey, Stephen Maturin, Preserved Killick
Additional Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Pining, Birds, Injury, Worry
Summary:

Would he die? Was he in fact dying right at this moment? And Jack not there?

Jack forcibly steadied himself. He thought of Stephen's heart beating beneath his hand. Rapid, straining, like a—

—like a trapped bird. He looked up. At once he saw, tangled in a line, a pale and blotched little bundle, feebly thrashing.

(Chocolate Box is a low-pressure multifandom gift exchange with small minimum wordcount/art size, signups are open until January 7! Check out chocolateboxcomm )

Dear Chocolatier,

Thank you so much for making me something! I know my letter explanations are ficcish sometimes, but I would also love some art, whichever you're offering.

( Some of my general preferences: )

( Some of the tropes and approaches I enjoy: )

Thoughts on my specific fandom requests, alphabetically:

( The Exorcist (TV) )

( Hap and Leonard (TV) )

( Person of Interest )

( The Sting (1973) )

Have fun with it, and thanks again!

(ETA: reflectedeve rightly points out that some of the pinch hit requests are open to fanart as well! The minimum for that is "a nice sketch not on lined paper that is at least 500x500 pixels".)

If you feel like writing a story of at least 300 words by Tuesday, consider pinch hitting for Chocolate Box! It's a relationship-based challenge (/ or &), so keep that in mind when reading the requests.

The easiest way to browse the pinch-hits is by just looking at the comm, chocolateboxcomm; they're up in two recent posts, "pinch hits 28-50" and "pinch hits 51-73". That way you can just skim the fandom names.

But if you'd like direct links to the full posts: one and two.