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ghastlymint.bsky.social
ghost(ie)
@ghastlymint.bsky.social
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ghastlymint.bsky.social
“Alive.” Mr. Progress says the word like a threat, candlelight gleaming with violence in his eyes. “Safe and alive. If you hurt him, the deal’s off.”
Judging by that scary look, there would be more to those consequences than just a deal gone wrong. Fate assesses all this as his working theory starts to evolve into a plan. If this Mr. Progress is who he thinks he is, and the man he’s looking for is who he thinks he is, then maybe this job won’t be such a waste of time after all. It might even end up being the payout of a lifetime. But first, he’ll start with a little honesty for once. “To tell you the truth, I believe I may already know the man you’re looking for. But,” he adds when his client starts to look too hopeful, “if that is indeed the case, it’d be in your best interests to let this one go. Your man belongs to someone with far more power than money is worth. If your goal is to get him out from under that thumb, you’d sooner find him and yourself becomin’ fish food down at the slaughter docks.” His warning doesn’t rattle Progress in the slightest; if anything, his resolve hardens. “If you know where he is, just tell me. I can decide for myself what is worth the risk.” “Now, now, Mr. Progress, I know trouble when I see it. Something tells me the minute I send you after him, all hell’ll break loose. And once they get rid of you and start asking questions, I’ll be the one to blame for pointing you in the right direction.” The chair squeaks with the force of Progress standing abruptly. “If you aren’t going to help me, I’ll find someone who will.” “Good luck with that,” Twisted Fate laughs easily. “I guarantee there’s not a single person in town who’d do what you’re asking of me for all the gold you got.” “Then what would it take?” Progress demands, which is just a half-step away from Fate’s favorite phrase in the world. Fate gives another little shrug. “Depends on what you have to offer.” And then, finally, absolute music to his ears, the words that precipitate gold, jewels, and all the world that money can buy: “I’ll do anything.”
March 15, 2025 at 5:57 PM
ghastlymint.bsky.social
#jayvik final chapter is up: archiveofourown.org/works/631830... excerpt down below!
TRADE OFFER: i receive: my partner back you receive: literally anything *jayce barely holding it together*
March 15, 2025 at 5:57 PM
ghastlymint.bsky.social
#jayvik chickens fic is up archiveofourown.org/works/638339...
Viktor nods. “You can take the bed.” He eyes the single lounge chair in the far corner of the room, probably estimating how he can settle in it comfortably. Jayce blinks. “What do you mean? There’s…” He gets to his feet and checks. Great. Of course there’s only one bed. He sighs. “Sorry, I didn’t know. But there’s no way I can let you do that. The guilt would keep me up all night anyway.” “Why would you feel guilty?” Viktor looks up at him from where he’s kneeling by the fireplace. In the old days, seeing Viktor in that position would mean that something went wrong; he slipped, or his cane gave out, and he would have issues getting up. It’s a little weird to see it now. Good weird, probably. Maybe. “Why wouldn’t I? You deserve to sleep in a real bed, too.” Jayce glances at the bed again, studying its width. “We could both fit in there,” he decides. Viktor joins him in the doorway to examine it. “Yes… I suppose we could.” Jayce looks at him, trying to gauge his reaction - he’s deep in thought again. So it’s fine. That’s what they’re doing then. It’s fine and it’s what they’re doing and it’s, oh, it’s what they’re going to keep doing until they can afford another bed. Jayce nods firmly to himself. It’s fine, this is fine. “Alright. Mind if I take the bath first? Pretty sure I saw a tub around here somewhere.” "Look at all these chickens" meme in which the chickens are labeled "Jayvik UST"
March 14, 2025 at 3:24 AM
ghastlymint.bsky.social
new jayvik fic update, now featuring jinx: archiveofourown.org/works/631830...
Jayce: You got past security at Stillwater? Jinx: What, like it's hard? When he takes too long to decide what to do, a knock comes from inside one of the trunks. He has them stacked side by side on a dolly along with a third smaller trunk for his own things. After pulling back behind the wall and checking his surroundings, he knocks back three times, and Jinx’s shimmer-pink eyes peek out through the gaps in her trunk. “What’s the hold up?” she hisses in a whisper. “I can’t go down now. There’s an enforcer,” Jayce whispers back. “So? He’s an enforcer, you’re an ‘enforcer’--who cares? Just go!” “I told you, I can’t! He was one of the sheriff’s direct reports; he’ll figure out who I am right away.” Viktor’s trunk pops open as he joins the conversation. Despite being locked up in a tight space for the past twenty minutes, he looks the healthiest Jayce has seen him since they returned. Stronger, even; he even helped Jayce load the dolly up before they left, something he would’ve struggled to do even on a good day before. There are still so many questions remaining about this development, but they haven’t had time to ponder on it together. “Perhaps it would be better for us to trade places, Jayce,” Viktor offers, perhaps feeling overconfident in this new body. Jinx snorts. “What? No way. Like anyone would believe you’re an enforcer. Let me do it.” Jayce exchanges a doubtful look with Viktor. “Aren’t you a little short for the role?” says the latter. She gives a little eyeroll. “I’ve done it before, I can do it again.” Another exchange of looks, this time incredulous. Jayce states the obvious: “This city has a serious problem with security.”
March 8, 2025 at 3:27 PM
ghastlymint.bsky.social
something something like comment subscribe new jayvik chapter up archiveofourown.org/works/631830...
fic salesman: *slaps jayce* this bad boy can kiss so many viktors “Jayce.” Viktor says it as a warning. Blink. A high flush creeping up his neck, so pretty layered onto that tan skin. Blink. Pale skin again and a slow shake of his head, somewhere between incredulity and resignation to the inevitable. In both worlds, Jayce stares him down. In both worlds, Viktor recognizes the determination in those eyes, and his own eyes slide shut. In both worlds, Jayce leans down and their lips touch, featherlight, Viktor’s little exhale warm against his face and his hand firm on the back of Jayce’s neck. Blink. What did he do. What did Viktor just do where did he go what did you expect? You’re an inventor in the city of Progress.” Heimerdinger’s assistant swirls his champagne in its flute. He’s young, just about Jayce’s age, but he holds himself with the authority of someone more senior. “The investors look for profit, sure, but they also want to see projects that their inventors are passionate about. Is this what you’re passionate about, Mr. Talis?” The fluorescent lighting here washes him out, makes everything pale and flat where inside it would be bathed in golden light. A decidedly unromantic image, but Jayce finds some reprieve in that. He was getting tired of all the incessant beeping straight white-toothed smiles bright lights the elevator pitches smell of latex disinfectant blood the way their eyes would gloss over whenever he described his project. Out here, in this stairwell, far from the socialites, the professors, the dancing, everything feels a little realer. The floors are a little dirtier; the walls are plain, minimalistic. He feels grounded, stripped out of his golden facade, but also all the more vulnerable because of it.
March 1, 2025 at 4:15 PM
ghastlymint.bsky.social
and bonus comments from my beta:
"ah yes chickens. i say it with love, you must add more chicken lore. i need them to realize they are terrible with chickens." "mhm pretty boy problems. girls just keep tossing themselves at me. how do you ask them out? idk, wait for them to do it." "let me mansplain confirmation bias to you" "being in your 30s trying to organize a hangout core"
February 22, 2025 at 10:33 PM
ghastlymint.bsky.social
new jayvik fic chapter is up here: archiveofourown.org/works/631830...

preview:
“You don’t have to stay, you know,” Viktor tells him. Even just the suggestion is making Jayce yawn again. “I know. I want to be here.” Viktor chuckles. “No you don’t. You want to go to sleep in your own bed.” “Sure, that too. But you’re not in my bed right now; you’re right here, giving yourself a back ache. I mean, you’re a scientist. You know sleep deprivation adles the mind. You should just sleep, Viktor, it’ll be good for you.” He’s rambling now, as if more words could bury the phrase ‘you’re not in my bed right now’ and erase it from Viktor’s mind. It doesn’t help that Viktor has stopped working to grin wryly at Jayce. “In your bed or mine?”
February 22, 2025 at 10:33 PM
ghastlymint.bsky.social
first chapter of my 25k word jayvik fic up now: archiveofourown.org/works/631830...

some highlights from my beta's notes
me: no you have to be MEANER about him corporate! responsibility! clap jayce: you get the chickens viktor: im listening they would be so confused over milking the cow
February 18, 2025 at 2:50 AM
ghastlymint.bsky.social
zoned out for 3 weeks and woke up having written 25k of post-canon jayvik hello hope y'all have been well
February 16, 2025 at 2:58 AM
ghastlymint.bsky.social
yeah that sounds about right
January 25, 2025 at 3:56 AM