Lily is a laidback slacker with a phobia for commitment...who happens to owe the devil her (nonexistent) firstborn. When the ruler of Hell comes knocking, what choice does she have but to let the devil play matchmaker? *** Lily has never been good at relationships, not that it matters to her. That is until Eve, a seductive woman claiming to be the devil's apprentice, shows up to collect a debt Lily doesn't remember owing: her firstborn child. Without a firstborn to give, and with the threat of eternal damnation at her heels, Lily finds herself on a chaotic matchmaking quest with the devil herself. Eve swears she's only playing matchmaker to collect the debt owed to her, but with each failed set-up, Lily suspects there may be something more to the devil's plan. [[word count: 60,000 - 70,000]] Cover designed by Joe Resch [[Wattys 2020 Winner]] Content warning: this story includes dark humour, mature themes, and scenes of violence and gore

Anxious. Alone. Afraid. Aiden Griffin never asked to be any of these things, but they define his existence, shaping every moment, ruining any chance for connections, and carving deeper into him with every passing day. His life is a quiet battle, one fought in solitude-lost in the woods, wandering through forgotten cemeteries, and navigating the decaying corners of an uncaring city. He's far from the world that's hurt him, but the words still haunt, sharp and unforgiving. Isolated by the cruelty of those around him, Aiden often feels like an outsider, his mind swirling with thoughts that others can't understand. His autism makes it harder to connect, leaving him drifting in the shadows, struggling to navigate a world that feels overwhelming and unkind. His parents are distant, and no one at school seems to notice that the golden boy everyone admires is the one person Aiden fears most. Then comes Ryder McCallum-charismatic, wild, and fearless. With a smile that could charm anyone and a penchant for adventure and bold risks, Ryder steps into Aiden's life like a whirlwind, challenging everything he's ever known. Ryder dares Aiden to step beyond the cage of his own fears, to be something more than the walls he's built around himself. But Aiden is wary, his heart too tethered to its darkness to trust the light Ryder brings. With every reckless adventure they embark on, Aiden starts to wonder if maybe, just maybe, he's meant for something more. As their friendship evolves into something more profound than either of them anticipated, Aiden finds himself drawn to Ryder, a boy as unpredictable as he is magnetic-a boy who slips away just as quickly as he arrives, leaving Aiden to question if he's chasing a dream. But no matter how elusive Ryder becomes, one thing remains undeniable: for the first time, Aiden feels alive with a love that makes him believe in something greater than himself, and he'll do whatever it takes to hold on.

I shouldn't have been walking around alone at night. I shouldn't have stopped and watch the obviously crazy man set the building on fire. And I sure of hell shouldn't have accidentally caught his attention. Then maybe, just maybe I wouldn't have been kidnapped by the world's most evil super villain. And then hopefully right now I wouldn't be wishing that he wasn't completely crazy, and wanted to kill every super hero in the world, and that he would, I don't know, take me to the movies, hold my hand as we walked together, or maybe take me to dinner one night. You know normal, cute couple stuff. Instead he likes to kick puppies when no ones watching, dropping me from high buildings, and throwing people into traffic, annoyingly. Maybe if I had just minded my own business and kept walking, maybe I wouldn't have been taken by someone who's whole mission in life is to watch every super die, and cackle evilly while he thinks of it. Maybe if I had just minded my own business and kept walking, maybe I wouldn't start feeling bad for this super villain. Maybe I wouldn't be questioning everything I've ever learned about him. And God forbid, I wouldn't be loving a villain.

After Arthur's death, Merlin is caught alone with out him for centuries. He has lost count of how long it's been. After all, Merlin is nothing without magic, but turns out he is nothing without Arthur. Kilgharrah said Arthur will rise again once Albions need is greatest, but what if it's when merlins need is greatest?