Once_and_future_tavern
Fandoms
- Merlin (TV) (7)
- Iron Lung (2026) (4)
- Project Hail Mary (2026) (3)
- The Fall Guy (2024) (1)
Recent works
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Project Echo by Once_and_future_tavern
Fandoms: Iron Lung (2026), Project Hail Mary (2026)
31 Jul 2026
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Summary
ECHO
noun | ech·o | \ˈe-(ˌ)kō\
1. The repetition of a sound caused by the reflection of sound waves.
2. A lingering trace, remnant, or memory of something that is no longer present.The majority of people desire the benefits of being important—the caring, the power, even.
However, most people fail to understand how risky it is to be important to someone. Or, worse, important for something bigger.
"Doctor Fischer, we are aware of the risks of the mission. But we are also aware of the ticking of the clock." Ava's voice was firm, as if to hide her own helplessness. "The world needs you. Project Echo needs you."
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Too close to your sun by Once_and_future_tavern
Fandoms: Project Hail Mary (2026), Iron Lung (2026), The Fall Guy (2024)
06 Jul 2026
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Summary
Ryland Grace is having the WORST week of his life — academically speaking.
His twin brother is a disaster; his parasitology exam got postponed again because of "Mothman sightings", and the only coffee shop with the only good caramel syrup, the one that doesn't taste like medicine, has been closed because of the shitty Mothman too.
So he does what any reasonable caffeine-starved mad scientist would do: he goes and hunts the Mothman himself.
(Or: The Mothman has been messing with Ryland's life, so he decides to fix it. And apparently the only way to fix it is with his dick.)
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Hunger by Once_and_future_tavern for Dllhouse
Fandoms: Iron Lung (2026), Project Hail Mary (2026)
27 Jun 2026
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Summary
Simon was hungry.
He was hungry for survival.
He was hungry for Ryland.
Hungry for forgiveness.Simon doesn't know how to want something without destroying it.
He's hungry.
Hungry to be seen.
And so he does. Even if he'll beg for forgiveness later.Series
- Part 2 of On and on (Until you bleed)
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But Simon has always been good at surviving things he shouldn't.
But he's going to live.
No matter what.
Or: Simon experiences the Iron Lung, filtered through my headcanons and stuffed into a fanfic-shaped box. This isn't a crossover (though there's a tiny Halo reference tucked in there); it's more of a rewrite of Iron Lung's ending.
Can be read as a standalone!
Series
- Part 1 of On and on (Until you bleed)
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Summary
Merlin is tired of sharing.
Arthur is tired of pretending.
And the crown of Camelot looks surprisingly good lying in the mud.
Or: Merlin leaves. Arthur follows because he will always choose his warlock, no matter what.
Recent series
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On and on (Until you bleed) by Once_and_future_tavern
Fandom Iron Lung (2026), Project Hail Mary (2026)
27 Jun 2026
Summary
This is a juncture of my theories about what really happened on Iron Lung.
A Motherless Child is a sort of canon divergence/fix-it. It's mostly a character study of Simon and a new ending where Simon lives for the sake of the plot. Can be read as a standalone, since it's just what happened to Simon before his universe collided with the Hail Mary.
Hunger is basically Simon's journey of self-acceptance and a close-up on how fucked his mind is after the horrors + he undertanding how to love Ryland.
Both works can be read separately. However, if you plan on reading Hunger, reading A Motherless Child can deepen Simon's character greatly.
The title is taken from "In on It" by Superheaven.
Check my BloodyMary playlist for the vibe Visit here
- Words:
- 33,826
- Works:
- 2
- Bookmarks:
- 6
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- Words:
- 38,550
- Works:
- 1
- Bookmarks:
- 3
Recent bookmarks
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Summary
It must be the oxygen deprivation getting to him, but for a moment, he sees the situation unfolding from outside of his body. He sees himself pressed into the wall, trying to explain himself. He sees Richard, all torn up about Lisa Mills of all people—or, well, he supposes that Richard’s actually all torn up about Justin, getting in his face to find out where he’s been, what he did, and with who. In Justin’s anoxic haze, he gets the absurd idea that Richard would almost look like his jealous lover to an outside observer. The thought would make him laugh if he could spare the air, but the black spots dancing in his vision hiss at him to press the point.
Justin ordinarily prides himself on his ability to keep Richard happy and relatively compliant, but there’s a deeper part of him that loves to push the other boy’s buttons, and Justin can’t even breathe, let alone hold that part of himself back right now.
“We kissed,” he says. Then, “What does that have to do with us?”
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Fellas is it gay to have sex with your friend so he doesn't have sex with a girl
Series
- Part 1 of in the room where you sleep :)
Bookmarked by Once_and_future_tavern
28 Jul 2026
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Summary
As a supportive boyfriend playing squire on Arthur's big day at the Renaissance Faire tourney, Merlin comes up with his own ingenious idea of motivating Arthur before his final match — namely, servicing Arthur with his tongue and fingers while in his armour.
He's got to keep his knight's best interests in mind, though, which is why he isn't letting Arthur come.
Unless he wins the tourney.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 6,302
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 2
- Comments:
- 32
- Kudos:
- 1,202
- Bookmarks:
- 223
- Hits:
- 27,171
Bookmarked by Once_and_future_tavern
03 Mar 2026
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Summary
Arthur has always loved Merlin, the kindly old court physician. As he grows and begins to leave childhood behind, his feelings mature with him and it doesn’t take him long to realize that Merlin is changing too, affected by a spell that puts the two of them on a collision course with fate itself.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 118,975
- Chapters:
- 18/18
- Comments:
- 268
- Kudos:
- 1,303
- Bookmarks:
- 331
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- 27,281
Bookmarked by Once_and_future_tavern
19 Dec 2025
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Summary
Where there is grief, there are things to be said. Sometimes there's no one to say them to. Sometimes they go unsaid, but the silence doesn't mean that they aren't waiting.
Bookmarked by Once_and_future_tavern
13 Nov 2025
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Summary
After ten years, Arthur thinks he has Merlin all figured out. But as he watches Merlin, he finds out that he has more questions than answers. The longer he thinks about it, the more uneasy he feels. So he pushes it aside. Except, he can no longer ignore the questions he has about Merlin.
Not your everyday reveal!fic.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 21,680
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Comments:
- 453
- Kudos:
- 22,394
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- 4,192
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- 258,764
Bookmarked by Once_and_future_tavern
15 Oct 2025