rainsometimes | Entries tagged with angst

I lured

chaotically_rem to making a Dreamwidth account and was rewarded with these three ficlets of angst, all centred on Gintoki. They're all a little spoilery but not the same way.

Angst prompts: Love

(spoilery for the end of the manga)

Angst prompts: Sickness

(spoilery for the second Gintama movie)

Angst prompts: Betrayal

(spoilery for backstory first revealed in the Shogun Assassination Arc)

Look no further if you want brief but intense helpings of Gintoki angst!

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/270443.html

Fic title: There's No Together, There's No Apart, There's Only Impossible Longing
Chapter: 2/5 (plus prologue)
Chapter title: It Shouldn't Be This Damn Difficult To Put One And One And One Together
Word Count: 4626
Fandom: Gintama
Fic status: in progress
Pairing: Gintoki/Katsura/Takasugi: Gintoki/Katsura, Katsura/Takasugi, Takasugi/Gintoki
Rating: PG-13 (or maybe PG-15)
Spoilers/Setting: Starts before canon, ends after it. Final chapter will contain post-manga scenes and be very spoilery for the manga ending.
Flavour: Angsty, but hopefully with a relatively happy ending (that's the plan at least)
Summary: A story about Gintoki, Katsura and Takasugi told through various scenes and fragments.

Author's Notes and disclaimer in the prologue post

Continued from Chapter 1

( we started in the same place, how did we grow so far apart? )

Continues in Chapter 3

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/261877.html

Fic title: There's No Together, There's No Apart, There's Only Impossible Longing
Chapter: 1/3 5 (plus prologue)
Chapter title: Raging Fire, Clear Water, And Pure White
Word Count: 3156 in this chapter
Fandom: Gintama
Fic status: in progress
Pairing: Gintoki/Katsura/Takasugi: Gintoki/Katsura, Katsura/Takasugi, Takasugi/Gintoki
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers/Setting: Starts before canon, ends after it. Final chapter will contain post-manga scenes and be very spoilery for the manga ending.
Flavour: Angsty, but hopefully with a relatively happy ending (that's the plan at least)
Summary: A story about Gintoki, Katsura and Takasugi told through various scenes and fragments.

Author's Notes and disclaimer in the prologue post

( the flame and the flower, the oak and the beast: a bond between survivors, turned darker by guilt )

Continues in Chapter 2

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/261474.html

Wanted to put this on Dreamwidth as well, even if fic comments here are very rare these days.

Fic title: There's No Together, There's No Apart, There's Only Impossible Longing
Chapter title: Prologue: Back then
Word Count: 988 words
Fandom: Gintama
Fic status: in progress
Pairing: Gintoki/Katsura/Takasugi: Gintoki/Katsura, Katsura/Takasugi, Takasugi/Gintoki
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers/Setting: Starts before canon, ends after it. Final chapter will contain post-manga scenes and be very spoilery for the manga ending.
Flavour: Angsty, but hopefully with a relatively happy ending (that's the plan at least)
Summary: A story about Gintoki, Katsura and Takasugi told through various scenes and fragments.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:
This work is about the Gintoki/Katsura/Takasugi trio as one ship and also as GinTaka, GinZura and TakaZura. It's told through various scenes, some pretty fragmentary, that start from before canon starts and ends several years later. Not all scenes are in strict chronological order.

Projected as three chapters and a prologue but if the final chapter turns out too long it may be split up.

The posted chapters have been betaed by Plipdragon (syl_pli on Twitter/eclipseofshadows on Tumblr, who does great Gintama meta). I am very grateful to them for all their work and heartening encouragement. ♥ ♥♥ Any remaining errors are my responsibility alone. Constructive criticism is very welcome, nitpicks included! As is feedback in general. I'd love to hear how readers find the fic so far!

I also want to thank everyone who's seen various snippets of this fic and have encouraged me to keep writing!! ♥

DISCLAIMER etc: The characters of Gintama are created and owned by Hideaki Sorachi. They're used here without permission for entertainment purposes only. This fic may not be used for profit in any way, and should not be reposted elsewhere without the writer's approval, especially not to any sites using ad revenue.

( is it called Shoka Sonjuku because they're so good at pining? )

Continued in Chapter 1

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/261334.html

Title: Human Beings Are Simple Creatures
Chapters: 4/5
Rating: G (maybe T/PG13 for language)
Word Count: Around 4100 in this part
Characters/Pairing: Gintoki/Katsura; with some GinTakaZura vibes and some Katsura->Ikumatsu, but only Gin and Zura are featured in the fic (of those four characters)
Spoilers/Setting: See more in the post for Chapter 1. This chapter spoils the Courtesan of a Nation arc and the Homeless arc.
Summary: See Chapter 1.

Continued from Chapter 3.

( Chapter 4: Moth And Ramen )

Concluded in Chapter 5

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/214857.html

It occurred to me to wonder what might have happened if Gintoki had happened to run into Takasugi back in the Amnesia Arc, when he had lost his memory, was disgusted about what he heard of himself, and left Odd Jobs to become a factory worker. And he'd also forgotten how to fight (or at least, he forgot the fact that he is a very strong fighter).

This is what I came up with. It turned out shippy, but not in any happy way.

Title: Even Model Employees Make Unwise Decisions
Word Count: nearly 700
Characters/pairing: Gintoki/Takasugi
Flavour & tropes: Angst, memory loss
Spoilers/setting: While this will resonate more for those who have watched or read up through episode 305/chapter 519, there are no direct spoilers beyond the Amnesia arc (episode 31 & 32).
Concrit/other feedback: Yes, please!

Disclaimer: Hideaki Sorachi owns the characters of Gintama. They are used here without permission for entertainment purposes only.

( Does it count as foeyay if only one party knows they're foes? )

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/201987.html

New fic for Gintama! Also up on AO3.

This is set shortly after the end of the war and has plenty of backstory spoilers. You probably shouldn't read it if you haven't watched up to episode 305 or read up to manga chapter 519. There's also violence and angst, hence the PG rating.

Possibly I might change the title if I find one I like better.

Constructive criticism very welcome. I'm particularly interested in comments about Sakamoto's dialogue. It's my first time writing him, and I don't think my own "generic rural bumpkin" attempt for his way of talking sounds all that great. Opinions on how to improve it, or if you think I should drop it entirely and go for standard English in spite of his canon dialect, are much appreciated.

Many thanks to Plipdragon who did the beta for this fic and helped me out in discussing details, finding background facts on bathing at the time, and encouraging me. Any remaining errors are my responsibility alone.

Katsura finding refuge among monks after the war is a detail I took from Naye's great fic They also serve who only stand and wait, and I've found it resonates among several other Gintama fans as well. It's part of my headcanon now.

Title: Bathing In A Time Of Peace
Rating: PG
Word Count: currently 4779, liable to change a little in case of edits of course
Characters: Katsura, Gintoki, Takasugi, Sakamoto, Mutsu
Spoilers/setting: see above
Warning: Angst, violence, suicidal thoughts
Summary: A character study in four parts. The first hot bath after the war for Katsura, Gintoki, and Takasugi, plus Sakamoto's first bath together with the Kaientai including Mutsu.

( Sometimes a bath is just a bath and sometimes it means something more )

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/200876.html

Forward-dated to avoid f-list clogging. This chapter is relatively short, but the next one will make up for it by being frigging huge. Betaed by the indefatigable

tonko_ni, but any remaining mistakes are my fault alone.

Title: Absence, chapter 12
Previous chapters: Chapter One here, fic tag here; the whole fic on AO3 here
Rating: PG for language and dark themes
Warning For major angst and sadness
Summary: Usopp has been killed in battle. The crew tries their best to cope with it.
Characters: Strawhats
Spoilers/setting: Despite being a divergent AU, spoilers up to and including chapter 598 (for everything that's not divergent)

( Second Council )
To be continued in chapter 13 part 1

Current Music: "You Keep Looking Up", Tanya Stephens
Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/228344.html

Well. So.

I finished the fic "Absence" and am now ready to post the remaining chapters, not without trepidation.

NOTE: Subsequent parts will be forward-dated to avoid spamming of f-lists. I'll probably go with one fictitious day between each part. However, all the chapters are available on my journal as well as on ffnet (or will be in a few minutes, as I write this), and I shall also post to AO3 (= Archive Of Our Own) soonish.

I doubt this would ever have been concluded if not for the truly invaluable help of my wonderful beta

tonko. She is much to be praised and credited. Remaining errors are my own responsibility, however! Constructive criticism is as always welcome: while I may not rewrite the fic now except for minor corrections, good criticism can be kept in mind for future stories.

Title: Absence, chapter 10, part 1 (of 2)
Previous chapters: Chapter One here, fic tag here; the whole fic on AO3 here
Rating: PG for language and dark themes
Warning For major angst and sadness
Summary: Usopp has been killed in battle. The crew tries their best to cope with it.
Characters: Strawhats

( The Truth. Part 1 )

Continues in Chapter 10, part 2

Current Music: "Unfinished Symphony", Franz Schubert, 1st movement
Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/229084.html

Title: Absence, chapter 9. Part two.
Continued from Chapter 9, part 1. For disclaimer, warning and more info, see that part.

( 9.2 - the wall crumbles )
- To be continued in Chapter 10: The Truth

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/229635.html

Here's chapter 9 of my ever-so-slow-going-but-certainly-not-abandoned WIP Absence. Assuming my plan holds, there is now only two chapters and a possible epilogue to go.

This is now a divergence AU and has been so since February last year when manga chapter 574 came out. Here, events at Marineford happened differently (for details, see chapter 7, part 1 with spoilers for the real events), which in turn makes this Luffy a somewhat different person than he is in canon now – maybe not quite as mature under the surface (though events at Sabaody were still the same).

Concrit is, as always, very welcome.

Very big thanks go to

tonko, who's gone way over and above normal beta duties for this one - besides all her usual tireless edits, she was firm and clear when pointing out where I'd gotten quite a bit off-track for one scene. Then she patiently helped me through my subsequent block and confusion with excellent suggestions that I was happy to pick up and use when rewriting the scene. ♥♥♥

Title: Absence, chapter 9, part 1/2
Previous chapters: Chapter One here, fic tag here; the whole fic on AO3 here
Rating: PG for language and dark themes; part 2 PG-13 for even coarser language
Warning For major angst and sadness
Summary: The crew copes with loss. Luffy doesn’t take it well (for more, see the ‘What has gone before’ section right behind the cut).
Characters: Strawhats

( What has gone before )

( chapter 9.1: Arrival )

On to Part Two

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/229926.html

Title: Absence, chapter 8. Part two.
Continued from Chapter 8, part 1. For disclaimer, warning and more info, see that part.

( 8.2: nothing to cling to )

--To be Continued in Chapter Nine

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/230500.html

Chapter 8 of my longest (and slowest, and saddest) fic is finished now. Here's the first part of two.

As noted when chapter 7 was posted, this is now a Divergence AU. Events happened differently at Marineford (for details see chapter 7, part 1, with spoilers for the real Marineford arc).

This chapter has been betaed by

tonko, to whom I am very much obliged for her much-needed efforts. Any remaining errors are my responsibility alone. Nitpicks and other forms of concrit are much appreciated! ♥

I believe I'm finally ready to crosspost this fic to

one_piece. While I still haven't ironed out all the wrinkles in the plot yet, now it feels as if the ending is at least in sight, if still a few chapters away. I know... famous last words... *knocks on wood*

Title: Absence, chapter 8, part 1
Previous chapters: Chapter One here, fic tag here; the whole fic on AO3 here
Rating: PG for language and dark themes
Warning For major angst and sadness
Summary: The crew copes with loss. Luffy doesn’t take it well (for more, see the ‘What has gone before’ section right behind the cut).
Characters: Strawhats

( What has gone before )

( 8.1: the last few days of sailing )
Chapter continues in Part 2

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/230845.html

Title: Absence, chapter 7. Part two
Disclaimer, warning and more info: See Chapter 7, part one. (Beware of spoiler for Marineford arc behind the cut in that entry).

( A familiar stranger )
-- Continues in Chapter 8, part one

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/231255.html

Uh. So. Those of you who may remember my ongoing grief-fic might reasonably have wondered if I’ve abandoned it. It’s been... *counts on fingers* er... *cough* ...let’s just say way, way too many months since Chapter 6 was posted. Especially since I claimed back then Chapter 7 probably wouldn’t take so long. >_< I could go on explaining/apologising/excusing myself (there were birthdays and Christmas and other stories to write but chiefly there was that ~~magnificent~~ bastard Oda with his canon angst completely throwing me off ) but there’s little use in it. Anyway. Chapter 7 is finally here.

Some things of note: I’ve changed the name of the story from the working title “Fine” to “Absence”.

I’ve also definitely decided this is a Divergence Fic. Without spoiling anything, this takes place in an AU version where everything up through the end of Impel Down happened the same way, but the Marineford arc ended differently (more details behind the cut – avoid if you’re not up-to-date on the manga).

Also, there was a reference to Blackbeard in the flashback in Chapter 1 which I’ve removed due to power level differences.

This chapter has been betaed by the priceless and indefatigable

tonko and

wendytigges, to which loads and loads of my gratitude go. Any remaining errors are my responsibility alone. Concrit much welcome and encouraged.

Title: Absence, chapter 7, part 1 (part 2 to be posted now as well)
Previous chapters: Chapter One here, fic tag here; the whole fic on AO3 here.
Chapter 6, the previous chapter, started here, but it’s in three parts.
See the fic's tag for more chapters, like this: https://rainsometimes.dreamwidth.org/tag/fic:+absence
Rating: PG for language and dark themes
Warning For major angst and sadness
Summary: The crew copes with loss. Luffy doesn’t take it well (for more, see the ‘What has gone before’ section right behind the cut).
Characters: Strawhats
Pairing: None

( Luffy vs Nami )
(Continued in Chapter 7, part 2)

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/231425.html

So, uh. I haven't actually read the last One Piece chapter yet and to be honest I'm not looking forward to it but spoilers affected me so much I had to do something. A rough sketch was the result. You probably shouldn't click on it unless you know the chapter's content already.

( This wouldn't be enough, might not even help much, but it might help a little )

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/257844.html

Concludes chapter six of ~~"Fine"~~ "Absence" from here. First part of Chapter 6 is here, where you can find more information about this angsty deathfic.

( negotiation )
To be continued in Chapter 7, part one

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/236889.html

Continues from the first part of Chapter Six: see this entry for more information about the story. Warning for major angst and character death.

( not feeling anything )
Continued here with the end of Chapter 6.

Current Music: "Arjeplog", hello saferide
Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/237255.html

After months and months since the last chapter, I’ve finally managed to complete another one of ~~“Fine”~~ "Absence". Hopefully not everyone has forgotten it by now. Constructive criticism is very welcome, as always (but don’t expect me to change the way I spell Zoro’s family name). This one turned out rather long, so I’ll split it up into three posts (it also divides itself like that naturally with POV shifts).

Many many thanks to

tonko - thrice over! - and

wendytigges for their splendid beta. Any remaining faults are my fault alone.

Working Title: ~~“Fine”, chapter six – I am increasingly unhappy with this too-ironic title, and I’ve been wracking my brain to come up with a better one, but no luck so far~~ "Absence", chapter six (title change in Feb. 2010)
Previous chapters: Chapter One here, fic tag here; the whole fic on AO3 here
Here’s Chapter Five, which also links to all former chapters.
Rating: PG here; PG-13 in Chapter One. (All for violence, mentions of death etc: no sex here)
Pairing: None
Characters: All the Strawhats
Spoilers/setting: I think of this as taking place some time in the future, after the current arc (Impel Down) and other unknown future events.
Genre: Serious angst; deathfic
Summary/what has gone before: Originates from a request on the anonfic thread

op_fanforall, asking for angstfic in which Luffy has to deal with Usopp being dead. He's not dealing with it very well, so far - in fact he's taken to a selective amnesia, forgetting Usopp ever existed. The rest of the crew feel they can't take this anymore and have decided to turn the ship around and go back to the island where it happened, without Luffy's knowledge.

Warning: Not only is this very heavy on angst, but it’s also very much a WIP – I’m not yet sure where the story will end up. I’m striving for something hopeful, but I cannot honestly promise I will be able to deliver it. Guilt over this is why I haven’t crossposted about this story to

one_piece.

Also warning for author's stubborn use of alternative (Swedish) spelling of Zoro’s surname (Lolonoa) when it comes up.

( An unforeseen encounter )
Chapter Six continues here with Part 2 (of three).

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/237439.html

Title: ~~Fine~~ Absence, Chapter 5
Rating: PG
Pairing: None
Characters: All the Strawhats
Spoilers/setting: I think of this as taking place some time in the future, after the current arc (Impel Down) and other unknown future events.
Genre: Serious angst; deathfic
Summary/what has gone before: This fic comes from a prompt on

op_fanforall asking for angstfic in which Luffy has to deal with Usopp being dead. He's not dealing with it very well, so far, in fact he's got a selective amnesia, forgetting Usopp ever existed. The rest of the crew feel they can't take this any more and have decided to turn the ship around and go back to the island where it happened, without Luffy's knowledge.

edit in Feb. 2010: Title change.

Previous parts: Chapter One, Chapter Two, Chapter Three,
Chapter Four.
Fic tag on Dreamwidth.
Note: Betaed by

tonko and

wendytigges, who are wonderful and severely cool. Any remaining errors are my fault alone. Constructive criticism and other feedback is highly encouraged.

( In which Franky suspects something, and Sanji tries a new tack )

edit: The story continues in Chapter Six.

Crossposts: https://printfogey.livejournal.com/233129.html

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More Gintama shortfic recs!
Fic post: Gintama fic, Gintoki/Katsura/Takasugi, Chapter 2
Fic post: Gintama fic, Gintoki/Katsura/Takasugi, Chapter 1
Fic post: Gintama fic, Gintoki/Katsura/Takasugi, prologue
Fic post: Human Beings Are Simple Creatures, chapter 4/5 (Gintama, Gintoki/Katsura)
Fic post: angsty Gintama shortfic
Fic post: Bathing In A Time Of Peace (Gintama, gen)
Absence, chapter 12
Fic post: Absence, chapter 10, part 1
Absence chapter 9, part 2
Absence, chapter 9, part 1
Fic post: Absence, chapter 8, part 2
Fic post: Absence, chapter 8 (part one)
Fic post: Absence, chapter 7, part two
Fic post: Absence, chapter 7, part one
art, reaction to spoilers
Fic post: Absence, chapter 6, 3/3
Fic post: Absence, chapter 6, 2/3
Fic post: Overdue angst (Absence, chapter 6, 1/3)
Absence, part 5 (prev. 'Fine')

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More Gintama shortfic recs!

Fic post: Gintama fic, Gintoki/Katsura/Takasugi, Chapter 2

Fic post: Gintama fic, Gintoki/Katsura/Takasugi, Chapter 1

Fic post: Gintama fic, Gintoki/Katsura/Takasugi, prologue

Fic post: Human Beings Are Simple Creatures, chapter 4/5 (Gintama, Gintoki/Katsura)

Fic post: angsty Gintama shortfic

Fic post: Bathing In A Time Of Peace (Gintama, gen)

Absence, chapter 12

Fic post: Absence, chapter 10, part 1

Absence chapter 9, part 2

Absence, chapter 9, part 1

Fic post: Absence, chapter 8, part 2

Fic post: Absence, chapter 8 (part one)

Fic post: Absence, chapter 7, part two

Fic post: Absence, chapter 7, part one

art, reaction to spoilers

Fic post: Absence, chapter 6, 3/3

Fic post: Absence, chapter 6, 2/3

Fic post: Overdue angst (Absence, chapter 6, 1/3)

Absence, part 5 (prev. 'Fine')