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hello, and thank you for reading! this is a story that has been sitting in my head for a while, and it’s finally time to put it into the world! kudos and comments keep me going and motivate me to keep writing, so please feel free to leave a comment! they’re always greatly appreciated <3 i hope you take a moment to read through this author’s note, and please enjoy the story beginning in the next chapter!
this fic was written partially as a catharsis for healing from my own previous trauma. it deals with themes of abuse and ptsd, but also themes of healing and finding a gentle love, a healthy relationship, and being able to grow and change past what happened and what hurt in the past. this is also partially a love letter to my own relationship i’m in, the healing and love and comfort i’ve had the privilege to receive as a result, and the ability to become more than what someone tried to force you to be, or the idea of who they thought you should be. it’s a reminder that you can be somebody without them, and that you don’t have to dim your light for others. it’s also a love letter to my home state, to the northwoods of wisconsin, and the quiet moments and the little things that matter. it’s about becoming who you never thought you could be, against the odds, and finding peace, comfort, and a gentle love. it’s about finding home, even where you might least expect it.
each chapter will correlate to a song from this playlist. each chapter name will be the name of the song, and there will be a link to the song at the top of the chapter.
also please consider joining my discord server, i made it as a little hub to discuss my fics and to make a lovely little place where we can chat and have a little community!
⋆˙⟡ schedule — ⋆.˙✧ i don’t have one at this time :)
⟢ i do not have a promised schedule, though that may change in the future! i’m hoping to post a chapter at least once a week, and already have a good handful of chapters sketched out. that being said, i can’t promise to upload every friday at 9 pm (for example), and i simply ask that you understand that updates will be on a whim and somewhat random :) think of it as a random little gift showing up in your inbox! <3
⟢ if you want more updates on where i am on a current chapter, please consider joining my discord server! i have a channel dedicated to fic updates there, as well as a section where we can discuss chapters and i’ll occasionally post sneak peeks! plus we can all obsess over these silly gooses together <3
⋆˙⟡ dead dove content — ⋆.˙✧ trigger warnings, elaboration on the ages of these characters, nsfw content, and a chapter index of when these occur
⟢ this fic deals with some topics that may be triggering for some people. if you haven’t already, please take a moment to read through the tags! there is a scene here in the first chapter containing domestic violence, and there are going to be mentions of past abuse, rape, trauma, and violence. one of the aspects of this fic is going to focus on healing from abuse, and i understand that that’s not for everybody and reading about it may bring up some uncomfortable feelings! if it makes you uncomfortable, please do not feel like you have to keep reading! that being said, there will be a trigger warning at the top of each chapter that deals with or mentions abuse, rape, violence, etc. in any explicit manner.
⟢ this is an age gap fic, however, both characters are over the age of eighteen. grayson is forty-four, and Maeve is twenty. i understand age gap fics aren’t for everybody, but it’s only weird if you make it weird. don’t like, don’t read :)
⟢ this fic contains nsfw content. yes, it is a slow burn, but there will be smut, and there will be sexually explicit scenes! please take that into consideration; if you’re just here for the slow burn, just be aware of the eventual smut! if you’re going to complain or make it weird, then you don’t have to read it!
⟢ there will be a list that will be updated with the chapters that contain any explicit mentions or descriptions of abuse or violence. the abuse will not occur between our two main characters; however, it is a key part of the story and will be explored through our characters’ healing processes. please refer to this list!
all chapters containing explicit descriptions or mentions of abuse are below:
— chapter one: brief but graphic descriptions of physical abuse, mentions of past physical abuse, verbal abuse
⋆˙⟡ bonus — ⋆.˙✧ discord server, pinterest board, accompanying playlist, similar works
⟢ here is a link to my discord server ! there are roles for you to choose from, places to chat, a whole section dedicated to writing and resources that contains sneak peeks and musings and headcanons, and more <3 please check it out if you’re interested!
⟢ here is a link to my pinterest board ! there are multiple little sections i’ve put together for the vibes and inspiration and aesthetic of this fic, i hope you take a moment to look through it all!
⟢ here is a link to the accompanying playlist! each chapter correlates to a song, and i personally think the whole playlist is worth a listen for the ✨vibes✨
⟢ here are some works that inspired me to write this fic, and that you may also enjoy:
anchor stitch , lost in your laurels , symmetry
⋆˙⟡ disclaimer — ⋆.˙✧ an explanation, and a gentle reminder
⟢ all content that i create, write, and publish is for fictional purposes only. while i weave snippets of myself and my life experiences into my tales, nothing is meant to reference something or somebody directly (aka it’s not about you). none of it is meant to be taken too seriously–my fics are a way to write out what i’m feeling or going through as a catharsis, or are inspired by a song or film or story.
i focus heavily on prose and emotions and little details about writing, and some chapters may be longer while others are shorter. i strive for quality more than quantity, and would much rather write a chapter i feel really good about that just happens to be shorter, than force myself to write a long chapter that doesn’t feel like my best work.
i also upload at random, and will likely never be able to hold myself to an upload schedule (trust me, i’ve tried), so please don’t badger me for when the next chapter will be. i promise it’s coming eventually! i just ask you to have patience and remember that i am a human with my own life and responsibilities and i am not perfect :)
i am open to criticism; however, please be decent about it. any unnecessarily rude, hateful, vitriolic, or cruel comments will be deleted. i am a person too, and i won’t put up with being treated poorly!