https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk4EQ2lAPfy/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=k9ml46sqk7it

Hey guys, it's cal.
Wow. It's done. It's over. It's finished. That's... a lot. I have worked on this fic since (I believe) February 15th. That's nearly 6 months. Half a year. It's amazing what's happened in this half-year. All the friends I've made through this fic, all the comments that have made me laugh, smile, reach out to. Every vote counts in my heart. You guys truly don't know how much you mean to me.

When I began this, I had no idea where it was going. I had almost no plot planned, and the stuff I did have planned was changed a lot. And you know what else changed a lot? First off, my confidence. I published a Get to Know Me book with a face-reveal. I published a Tips book for writers who came to me for advice. I made friends and started conversations. This fic has given me so many opportunities, and I hope I've grown from it.

Ps did anyone notice that the song is from the very first chapter?

First, I'd like to give you guys a few scenes that I wrote that never made it to the final chapters. Kinda like deleted scenes. I wrote them early on to help with writers block and some of them never made it out of the notes section. I'm pretty sure I wrote the first kiss scene when I was having trouble with the third chapter haha. So here you are, deleted scenes:

1) "Thace, Ulaz, thank Alfor you're here. Where's mom and dad though?"

Thace looked over Lance. Of course he immediately noticed Keith in his arms, the bubble of air over his head.

"Lance. Long time no see. They're out with the twins for a recital. We were just dropping off some supplies. Who's this? Does Alfor know he's here?"

Lance smiled sheepishly. "That's the thing. I need to go see him. But I can't bring Keith with me. Can you guys take care of him? I promise, it'll be 10 minutes tops."

"Of course, Lance. Take as long as you need," Ulaz said, picking Keith from Lance's arms. The husbands' tails were shark-like, the result of generations of hybrids in their own community. They could easily beat Lance with their intense speed, and were incredible fighters. Lance had always wanted to go visit their community, but his mother had said that it was dangerous there because of so many hybrids. Lance's tail, pure mer, would be envied and ridiculed at the same time.

"Thank you thank you thank you! I'll pay you back asap!"

"No problem, Lance. See you!"

Lance glanced over his shoulder as he swam away, smiling to himself as he saw Keith cradled in Ulaz's giant biceps. Keith was safe from Alfor's laws, Lance however was about to face them head on.

2) Keith tried not to cry as he leaned over Lance's body, cradling his head in his lap. Lance smiled dizzily at Keith, but he couldn't keep his eyes from closing.

"Lance! Lance, no, come on, stay with me!" Keith cried out as the waves of the ocean pushed and pulled at him in the shallow water. Keith gathered Lance to his chest, frantically pushing the brunette's hair off his bloodied forehead.

"You stay with me!" Keith choked, shaking Lance carefully, "You stay with me until Allura gets back, you hear? You hear me, Lance?"

Lance didn't move. His breath was barely there. Keith kept his hand at Lance's neck, to his pulse, and rocked over him, tears landing on Lance's perfect skin.

"Oh, Anna Sun~" he whispered, quoting from their favorite song, "We're gonna rattle this ghost town."

Lance's pulse dropped away.

Oh, Anna Sun.

3) Allura was upright, pacing, clutching something delicately in her hands. She looked nervous. Stressed out.

Turning, she noticed Lance in the doorway, and swam forward, greeting him with a flash of the markings on her cheeks. He replied with the same gesture, then followed her to the sitting room, which had several rock stools and stone tablets with writing etched into them. Tables were old-fashioned, everyone had pretty much converted to laminated paper, but they were historical and nostalgic.

Inviting Lance to sit, Allura sighed heavily. She didn't sit down next to him. "Lance, there's a few things I need to tell you about."

Lance's mind immediately jumped to Keith, but he shoved the thought down just as quickly. He couldn't make conclusions like that so fast.

"First of all, I need to tell you about yourself."

4) this was an alternate ending of Lance's response that I wrote a few chapters ago, but I rewrote it with the same general gist

"I chose you, Keith," Lance said fiercely, "I chose you over the ocean, over my tail, over my legacy. I don't doubt soulmates. I don't doubt how I feel about you. Yeah, that probably makes me stupid, but I chose you over everything else because I believe in us."

..

I also had a big folder on instagram that had all of the fanart that I used in chapters in, but i just went through it and resaved any fanart I didn't use in the fic for the next klance fic. I already have so many ideas.

And that brings me to my next subject. My new fic.

Drumrolllllllllllll

...
...
...
...
...

Excited?

Devil Keith. Angel Lance. You like?

I'm going in blind. No real plot. No real planning. It's gonna be epic.

It'll be in production for a while as I tweak and work on the first chapter, making sure it's going in the general direction I want it to. I really hope you guys like it.

Anyways.

Now's the time for questions.

What in SWM? (Or beat drop) did you like that you want to see in Halo 'n Horns? What did you not like that you don't want to see in HnH?

Did I end Swm right? I don't wanna disappoint you guys,,

Is there anything else you want to know? I'll answer you in the comments.

Special thanks to Ayjan, Abi, Julieta, Kimberly, Molly, Jordyn, Mercy, Dean, Haley, and everyone else who's stuck with me and stayed by my side.

And to all my readers in general- I hope you've enjoyed this. You're the reason I write. You make my heart happy.

I love you <3

Over and out.