monbons

[monbons]

Sunday Something

Y'all. I spent practically two weeks sick and also had to go back to work, so I accomplished very little in terms of writing and nothing in terms of stitches since the last update. BUT! I have some good news:

1) @rimeswithpurple continues to be the best and will be illustrating for Smile Like You Mean It! I'm so excited for all the Crop Top Simon in our future.

2) 📣📣📣Posting day is now August 15!!! 📣📣📣

I've previewed too much from Chapter 1, so why not a process post? I love those. Many pictures and musings below the cut if you're into it.

First of all, Smile Like You Mean It did not start out as a fic concept. When I first became intrigued by the idea of a Watford Cheer AU, it was actually an art concept. Last year for CORB, I was debating between two potential submissions: Ballet Baz and Cheer Simon. Below are my oh-so-detailed original brainstorming mock-ups before I settled on a direction and drew *real* plans to submit for CORB.

COC rolled around and I still couldn't get Cheer Simon out of my brain, so I decided to just make him for Day 3: AU. While I'm sure you've all seen the final post, here's a behind-the-scenes photo. (Please enjoy Agatha surrounded by her dismembered squad.)

At some point in January, I decided I was ready to commit to another long fic and Cheer Simon was still haunting me, so I brainstormed possible entry points into his story. As with most things I write, my original concept was very Baz-centric. (Don't worry, there are no spoilers below since I went in an entirely different direction.)

I drafted a scene or two in this version before I realized it wasn't right. I didn't want queerness to be "the problem," I didn't want to surmount the hurdle of the boys getting to know each other from scratch, and most importantly, this set up made Simon a plot device, not the main character.

For the next attempt, I latched onto my description of Simon above, and I started asking questions. "Why are Simon and Lucy alone?", "Why is Simon so flamboyant?" and "Why cheer, specifically?" These turned out to be fruitful directions, and I unearthed my plot in the process. By then it was March, and I was so excited to just get started that I drafted 30k words before I got stuck and realized I wasn't actually done planning. With the very helpful organizer below (courtesy of @mooncello), I went back to the drawing board, completing each row for both Baz and Simon.

By the time I was done planning (my outline is 11 pages long!), it was May, and to my utter dismay, I realized I would have to trash at least 15k of my story and significantly rewrite another ~5k. After nearly eight months of obsessing over him, I had fallen in love with Cheer Simon (as I'm sure you will too), so the sacrifice of scrapping ALL THOSE WORDS to get him his happy ending seemed worth it.

All the planning on the front end paid off. Once school let out, I treated writing like a summer job and cranked out most of what you see here in just over three months.

And now here we are, nearly a year from when Simon and his poms first popped into my brain. If you're still here, I can't believe it, but also, thank you. I've never worked so hard on something. I hope when I start posting, it shows.

Cheers to you, and tag---you're it.

@alexalexinii, @argumentativeantitheticalg, @aristocratic-otter, @arthurkko, @artsyunderstudy, @bachusekart, @best--dress, @blackberrysummerblog, @brilla-brilla-estrellita, @bookish-bogwitch, @confused-bi-queer, @cutestkilla, @drowninginships, @emeryhall, @facewithoutheart, @harrie-leithillustration, @hushed-chorus, @iamamythologicalcreature, @ic3que3n, @ileadacharmedlife, @katatsumuli, @larkral, @letraspal, @nausikaaa, @noblecorgi, @orange-peony, @pato-roldnart, @prettygoododds, @raeny-day, @rbkzz, @roomwithanopenfire, @run-for-chamo-miles, @shrekgogurt, @skeedelvee, @stitchyqueer, @supercutedinosaurs, @talentpiper11, @the-beard-of-edward-teach, @theimpossibledemon, @thewholelemon, @whatevertheweather, @you-remind-me-of-the-babe, @youarenevertooold, @jyae23, @j-trow-95, @meanjeansjeans, @martsonmars

(P.S. As always, once I start posting, all WIPSday posts will always include previews of upcoming chapters. If you'd like to be added to my tag list to stay in the loop, let me know. If you'd like to come off---for any reason---let me know that too. No hurt feelings at all!)

[monbons]

Palaces fallen to ruin, grass grown over the fields where armies fought, a world with all its wonders gone, except for fragments, glimmers that left you breathless.

He was beautiful.

I just wanted to draw them happy, or something like it idk

yes I am skewering the quote to fit my own needs lmao

[monbons]

Latest fics + First Lines + Fic Nostalgia

Latest Fics + First Lines Rules: post the beginning lines of your most recent 10 published fanfics (or chapters, if you don't have 10 fics), then attempt to tag 10 people!

Extra credit: Fic nostalgia! Rules: Share the fic you posted as close to exactly one year ago as possible. You can just post a link if you like, but feel free to talk about it too! How did you feel about this fic then, how do you feel now? Do you love it, hate it, has your writing changed at all? Anything you’d do differently in hindsight? Go nuts!

Both games below the cut!

1) “BATMAN SAVES ENTIRE FAMILY, WORSEGER BEHIND BARS” When that Light Hits the Sky for @carry-on-au-fest (in progress)

2) “To the creative team of Tool Time, Watford Tool has received the executed copy of the sponsorship agreement and looks forward to the coming partnership with your channel.” It’ s Tool Time, an email + art fic for @raeny-day, written with @facewithoutheart with art by @pato-roldnart

3) “Dev: Ready?” The Reason for the Season, a text fic for @mooncello, written with @monbons + deniall dolls by Monica! Deniall pranks by both of us.

4) “I shouldn't message Baz.” Felt Cute, Might Delete Later for @monbons (bonus—I was messing around with texting skins on Ao3 and rewrote half of this fic recently)

5) “‘Hi, Papa,’ Lucy smiles at me from the tiny FaceTime window in front of me.” Infinity in a Teacup, my @carryon-reverse-bang kidfic-over-twenty-years collab with @rimeswithpurple

6) “‘Babe, did Malcolm used to have a moustache?’” Your Love Writ Large Across Your Face for @facewithoutheart with art by @cutestkilla, aka the fic (ok the art) that sold me on mustaches

7) “This isn’t how I would have chosen to introduce the sole heir to the House of Pitch, if it were up to me.” Just Remember Me When, my Veronica-Mars-inspired @carry-on-big-bang (2024) collab with @cattocavo

**Fic Nostalgia: This was my fic published closest to one year ago. It’s not abandoned! I’m hoping to return to it after When that Light is finished. I have no idea how this is going to go. It’s a plotty fic, which I don’t normally write, but after Batman, it feels like it could be easier to navigate a complicated teen-detective-style murder mystery than digging Simon out of couch-depression. Not the least because we all know who did the murder. When I left off on this fic, I had a very clear idea about where I thought the next chapter would go, and then the rest was pretty amorphous. I knew how I wanted the characters to feel but not what they’d have to do to feel that way. I’d like to pick this back up and see what steps I can take to get them to the end—simplify where I can, and instead focus on that Veronica Mars voice, because that was the fun part to me.

8) “Penny leads the way down the pavement.” Second Hand, vintage shop boy!Baz and future primary teacher!Simon being adorable and getting together, and there’s art by @katatsumuli too

9) “I open my eyes. I know that’s what it’s called, even though I’ve never done it before.” Where he was, there was Eden (yes that’s two sentences, I’m allowed to play favorites), a Bible/garden of Eden AU

10) “Dev: (image: baby face generator app. Simon + Baz together make Bat Boy).” ‘Twas the Text Before Christmas (you’re just going to have to go to the fic to see the picture of that one, I could only paste the image HUGE and I didn’t want to do that to you.) my 31-day-text fic for @carryon-countdown 2023(!!!)

This exercise made me think that I don’t pay that much attention to first lines as a hook, which was kind of surprising to me, but I guess I’m counting on whatever got you to click the title in the first place will keep you going.

I’m also so happy that so many of these are gift fics or collabs. The friendships I’ve gotten to make due to this fandom are really special to me, and I love seeing several of them reflected here.

Thank you for tagging me in this game @monbons @artsyunderstudy @roomwithanopenfire! And @run-for-chamo-miles on so many fun things, including the fic nostalgia one. If any of you have done one of these tag games and not the other (since I combined two here), please feel tagged on the one you haven’t done.

I’d like to tag for either fics or chapters of fics: @facewithoutheart @mooncello @hushed-chorus @best--dress @orange-peony @whatevertheweather @cutestkilla @rimeswithpurple @blackberrysummerblog @emeryhall

[monbons]

WIP WEDNESDAY

I know it’s barely Wednesday anymore but here’s a WIP. My babies. 🩷 For Monsters.

Hello darlings 🩷🩷🩷@stitchy-queerista @rimeswithpurple @imagineacoolusername @ileadacharmedlife @aristocratic-otter @letraspal @whatevertheweather @carryonsimoncarryonbaz @raeny-day @shrekgogurt @prettygoododds @brilla-brilla-estrellita @ivelovedhimthroughworse @martsonmars @c0nsumemy5oul @facewithoutheart @alexalexinii @iamamythologicalcreature @supercutedinosaurs @best--dress @messofthejess @mooncello @orange-peony @bookish-bogwitch @confused-bi-queer @youarenevertooold @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @blackberrysummerblog @nausikaaa @cutestkilla @thewholelemon @emeryhall @hushed-chorus @forabeatofadrum @roomwithanopenfire @noblecorgi @monbons @run-for-chamo-miles @skeedelvee @valeffelees @drowninginships @talentpiper11 @fiend-for-culture @leithillustration @j-trow-95 @bookishbroadwayandblind @the-beard-of-edward-teach @larkral @bachusekart @angelsfalling16

[monbons]

Latest Fics + First Lines

Thanks for the tag @monbons!! I don't think I had ten whole fics either last time this tag game went around, so I'm excited to redo it! I think i had 8 last time, and now i have 37 (holy shit).

Rules: post the beginning lines of your most recent 10 published fanfics (or chapters, if you don't have 10 fics), then attempt to tag 10 people!

Here it goes!

Davy looked down at the baby.

From A Pitch With Wings and a Bloodthirsty Chosen One, my newly posted snowbaz fic for COBB 2025 fic. (I literally forgot to add this beginning bit when i first posted the first chapter since i had it hidden in a different google docs tab :sob:)

“Come on in,” Simon says, pushing open the door to his flat.

From The Way We Are, my snowbz fic for COBB 2024 fic. (Not recently published, but recently updated. I figured it'd be easist to just go down my ao3 list.)

The camera shows Nancy standing in front of a closet holding up two shirts, one a light blue and the other pink. 

From Wear Blue, my stranger things ronance alt format social media AU. This fic is kinda a weird format so the first line is kind of strange.

Fiona shoves the card back into the envelope and holds it at arm's length from her body as if it’s diseased.

From Be Mine, my Ebb/Fiona getting together fic! I think this fic is underappreciated. You should read it!

"And now Robin Buckley with the weather," Nancy says.

From Sunny With a Chance of Romance, another stranger things ronance fic! This one was just kinda silly.

“And there,” Chrissy says, and she caps her lipstick with a flourish.

From magnetic magical everything, my stranger things robin/chrissy fic! I wrote this for a stranger things femslash fic exchange and I had a lot of fun with the dynamic. Still obessed with my sexual tension "let me do your makeup" scene.

Marcille took a deep breath, letting her lungs fill with mana.

From i can be the cat, baby, you can be the mouse, my dunmeshi farcille smut fic. baby's first smut and i jumped right into the deep end. i love this fic sm tho.

“There’s a government transporter ship about three hundred meters to the right,” Trixie says, interrupting Baz and I’s card game.

From What to Bring to An Abandoned Planet, my carry on fic for the Secret Snowflake Exchange 2024! This is a very different genre when what i usually write and I had a lot of fun with it!

“It’s stuck,” Trixie says finally, giving up and letting go of the handle.

From Agatha and the Six Sigils, one of my many Carry On Countdown fics. This one is the Agatha Saves the Day fic that i've always wanted to write!

“That’s a lot to put on a little boy.”

From Some Bright Morning, another countdown fic. This one is a Lucy pov fic that shows her struggling with her relationship with Davy. I'm actually really proud of this, i think more people should read it.

Sorry if anyone's done this before, now tagging: @facewithoutheart @run-for-chamo-miles @fiend-for-culture @sweetronancer @artsyunderstudy @shrekgogurt @thewholelemon @cutestkilla @orange-peony @drowninginships

[monbons]

Latest Fics + First Lines 💕

Thank you for the tags @monbons and @run-for-chamo-miles for the tag! This should be fine. Love a first line here we go.

Rules: post the beginning lines of your most recent 10 published fanfics (or chapters, if you don't have 10 fics), then attempt to tag 10 people!

There are Monsters in the Wood 

There’s no moon in the sky to light Simon’s path. 

A Mild Case of Madness 

I’m sure it’s a plot. 

Episode 6: Après la Pluie, le Beau Temps

“QI'yaH. What was that?”

Your Fragile Bones Are Mine 

When the doors of the hall fly open, it’s almost like I’m making it happen. 

The Art of Letting Go

Baz’s grey eyes are defiant at the start.

One December Night 

They used to cast spells at Watford on Christmas. 

Someone Wicked 

I knew the moment he walked in that he’d be a problem.

Every One With You 

I’ve always been wary of beginnings. 

Meet Me Under the Mistletoe

The first time it happened was a surprise.

What We Crave 

I’ve never understood the saying ‘silence is deafening’.

Tagging @noblecorgi @cutestkilla @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @prettygoododds @mooncello @thewholelemon @best--dress @fiend-for-culture @martsonmars @blackberrysummerblog @angelsfalling16

[monbons]

Latest Fics + First Lines 💕

Thanks for the tag @run-for-chamo-miles! I could not resist because I FINALLY have enough fics for this. (The last time this went around I didn't even have 10 chapters!!!)

Rules: post the beginning lines of your most recent 10 published fanfics (or chapters, if you don't have 10 fics), then attempt to tag 10 people!

This fic has a very untraditional first line (it starts with a recipe), so have the first line of story instead:

It had been Baz’s idea. - "Better Than This"

Baby's first smut:

From the first moment he laid eyes on them, fanning out from Simon’s back like a shield against the chaos of death all around them, Baz had loved the wings. - "Beautiful Things"

A text fic collab with @thewholelemon:

Dev: Ready? - "Reason for the Season"

My most popular fic:

No one ever sets out to be a disappointment. - "The Boy Next Door"

Another fic that starts with such an atypical first line (a museum plaque) that I had to go in search of the first line of story! Also, just my two cents: This fic is CRIMINALLY underrated.

The boy with the silky black hair is running—crashing—into the woods. - "The Eternal Life of Baz Pitch"

The most ridiculous thing I have ever written 😂

“The fuck?" "Knock Your Socks Off"

My very first fic!

Baz is lying on his bed, just staring at the ceiling … again. "Kill Em With Kindness"

I technically have 15 fics, but 8 of them are micro fics in The Boy Next Door universe, so have the first line of my two favorites below...

When I asked Baz to bite me, I didn’t realise it might leave a mark. "Scars" Simon once asked Shepard if vampires live forever. "Roommates"

PLUS, as a special treat, the first line of my forthcoming fic, Smile Like You Mean It! Guess whose POV we're in? 😂

My fingers are covered in orange cheese dust.

Tagging: @thewholelemon, @mooncello, @prettygoododds, @roomwithanopenfire, @artsyunderstudy, @best--dress

[monbons]

‘I kiss him back, and back, and back …’

[monbons]

Six Sentence Sunday

I'm traveling today so scheduling this in advance. Sorry if you tagged me and I haven't replied yet!

aNYway, oh hey! just fuckin around trying to find out about When That Light Hits the Sky, like I do. This week has not been productive; I've been in the middle of our annual audit at work, and I completely underestimated how much that kind of thing would ruin my brain for anything else. It's a very good reminder that making your brain work is making your brain work, whether it's for fun things or not, whether it's boring or engaging, and you have to build in rest time or you'll break yourself.

I did start reading The Original Daughter, which is really...I'm struggling to describe it. Not gripping, although it is, kind of. Not gorgeous, although it's that too, kind of. Unflinching in its self-reflection, I think is the right word. It's so unflinching that it hurts to read, somehow; it feels raw. But it's great. It's one of those books that starts at the end and you have to figure out how these two sisters who are so intertwined end up completely estranged. (You find this out in the first chapter; it's not a spoiler.)

I also started Kings Rising! finally! remember I read so much my eyes stopped working? Then I wandered away, but now I'm back. I'm going to be on vacation this week so I'm really excited to get some quality time with it.

Below the cut, tags and a snippet from the next chapter of WTLHTS. Fun fact, I definitely went through a phase where I watched a ton of TOWIE and now...I cannot remember when in my life it was, or why. It's as if all the surrounding brain cells were killed off by exposure to fake tan. I enjoyed it, though, so like most ridiculous things in my life, I gave this phase to Penny and Simon.

Simon decides they’ve had enough telly at least. He begs for board games, playing up the “I’m an orphan, no one ever played with me” card that he rarely uses around Penny, because he doesn’t think another rerun of The Only Way is Essex is doing anyone any good. He thinks he’s even starting to pick up the accent; he’s never even been to Essex. (On the job, his region was strictly London proper, and it’s not like he took vacation leave.) He even goes to the shops and gets every kind of candy available; he skips the cider, because Penny hates it and he feels like if they’re going to make it to midnight without sobbing or injury, he needs to keep his wits about him.  This strategy works, although Simon learns immediately that he is not a prodigy at Carcassonne like he thought, nor is he good at literally any game. Evidently Penny has been going easy on him for years, but now her Micah-rage has been redirected toward beating him viciously at every game they own, even the ones where previously he thought they were relatively evenly matched. He thinks this is probably a good thing, although it doesn’t always feel good. (She even trounces him at Hungry Hippos, which he thought he was guaranteed to win.)

hope you're having a nice weekend and allowing yourself some rest! share if you like:

@alexalexinii @alleycat0306 @aristocratic-otter @artsyunderstudy @best--dress

@bachusekart @blackberrysummerblog @bookish-bogwitch @bookishbroadwayandblind @brilla-brilla-estrellita 

@confused-bi-queer @cutestkilla @drowninginships @emeryhall @facewithoutheart

@fiend-for-culture @iamamythologicalcreature @ileadacharmedlife @ivelovedhimthroughworse @j-trow-95

@jyae23 @katatsumuli @larkral @leithillustration @letraspal

@martsonmars @messofthejess @monbons @mooncello @nausikaaa 

@noblecorgi @onepintobean @orange-peony @pato-roldnart @palimpsessed 

@papierhaikuphoto @prettygoododds @raeny-day @rimeswithpurple  @roomwithanopenfire 

@run-for-chamo-miles @shrekgogurt @skeedelvee @talentpiper11  @the-beard-of-edward-teach 

@theimpossibledemon @valeffelees @whatevertheweather @youarenevertooold @you-remind-me-of-the-babe

[monbons]

keepin' you in my back pocket

(my take on the "what's in x's bag)

should i do simon's next??

[monbons]

Happy Way-More-Than-Six-Sentences-Sunday everybody! Thanks @thewholelemon for the tag, and thanks to everyone for tagging in the past week, I'm going to be looking at all your stuff soon!

In case you missed it, I posted my new COBB fic with @lauillu!! Even if you're not in the mood for reading, definitely take a look at fic so you can see the art! It is stunning!!

Also this week, I've switched from Google Docs to Ellispus, which I've been meaning to do for a while with all the things I've seen about Google Docs randomnly deleting documents, and it's been nice! For starters, I only transferred over the WIPS I plan on continuing to work on, which means I only have a crisp 5 documents to look at instead of a gazillion.

And according to my word tracking spreadsheet, I've written over 100k words so far this year!! (this is not net total, many of these words have since been deleted, but still! yayyy!)

Here's a snip of the upcoming 2nd chapter of my new COBB fic! For context, Baz and Simon have swapped magic and Baz has Simon's wings.

Baz makes a face. “I’m not putting holes in my shirts. I’ll just—” Baz’s left wing angles in. “—tuck the wings in.” I watch as Baz’s wings move in and out as he tries to figure out how to do it, but I went most of my life without even knowing I could fold my wings up—it’s not easy to do. I clear my throat. “What?” Baz whips around towards me, and I keep my eyes on his face instead of his chest. His cheeks are red. “You’re not going to want to tuck the wings in. It’s not comfortable.” “Well, I’m not walking around with wings out.” Baz crosses his arms and angles away from me, but his wings still push in and out aimlessly. He reaches behind his back and tries to press a wing down. I take a step towards him. “It’s not the most intuitive thing. Do you want help?”

Below the cut is my other fandom musings, feel free to stop here if you're not interested in either 9-1-1 or my new stupid omegaverse headcanon

I've been writing like a FIEND the past few days on my omega!buck fic. is it perhaps a bad sign that i have over 20k and i'm not even finished yet with section 1 of a tentative NINE sections??? Probably, but this has consumed me. All I know is omega!buck, i have so many thoughts about him.

ALSO!! I made another buddie edit. you don't even WANT to know how long it took, or how many layers that thing has. my mangum opus except i've looked at it for so long that i lowkey hate it.

Here's a snip of Buck and Maddie from omega!buck. Takes place during the season 2 Dosed Episode. nobody's allowed to judge my rough draft writing i've been writing so much so fast i have no brain power left to tell if it's any good yet

Buck calms down somewhere between getting back to the station and Maddie arriving. Chim stole his phone to call her, something he vaugly remembers. Eddie's gone by now too, he was picked up by his aunt. Buck's glad his aunt doesn't live anywhere close to here. His mom's sister, Aunt Patrica, smelled like mothballs and dust, and she doesn't want to see her. "Why are you talking about Aunt Patty?" Maddie says, clueing Buck in to the fact that even though he feels more sober, he's still high enough that his thoughts don't stay in his head. "Just glad I have you." Buck grins up at her from the loft couch. "Eddie didn't have a sister to pick him up." "You're sweet." Her tone is a little tense. "I can't believe you got drugged at work though. Chim says LSD. Inside of brownies?" "Yeah, I had three." "Jesus Christ."

also, 2nd snip to showcase my favorite new stupid omegaverse lore.

Buck sits back in his position and she takes his wrists and breathes in. “Oh my god,” she says. “What?” “You’re citrus.” She sounds very pleased by this. “What?” “I didn’t think you’d be citrus.” “Citrus?” “You smell like oranges.” Ali sniffs again. “And something else too. It’s kind of faint. But still! Citrus! I wonder what that means again.” Ali pulls out her phone and Buck looks over to see her typing citrus scent profile omega. “Oh, come on,” Buck groans, leaning back. But Ali pays him no mind and starts reading out loud. “‘Omegas with the citrus scent profile wear their hearts on their sleeves. Citrus isn’t afraid to feel their feelings and oftentimes can have more intense emotions than other profiles. Citrus creates strong bonds with pack members. They are often viewed as being generous and understanding.’” Ali looks up now. “What do you think, Buck? Are you generous and understanding?”

i think in a world where everyone has distinct scents, people would be grouping them into a categories and giving them little personality profiles like zodiac signs. we did that with fucking blood types even, scents could not escape

tags and hellos

@alexalexinii @aristocratic-otter @argumentativeantitheticalg @artsyunderstudy @arthurkko

@blackberrysummerblog @best--dress @bookish-bogwitch @the-beard-of-edward-teach @confused-bi-queer

@cutestkilla @drowninginships @emeryhall @fiend-for-culture @hushed-chorus

@ileadacharmedlife @theimpossibledemon @larkral @lovelettersto-mars

@monbons @facewithoutheart @prettygoododds @angelsfalling16

@nausikaaa @noblecorgi @orange-peony @raeny-day @rimeswithpurple

@run-for-chamo-miles @rbkzz @shrekgogurt @simonscones @supercutedinosaurs

@sweetronancer @talentpiper11 @valeffelees @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @youarenevertooold

[monbons]

Thank you so much for tagging me @thewholelemon and @roomwithanopenfire!

I haven't had much time to write this week, but I've spent a lot of time planning and taking notes on my phone.

Here's a little snippet:

They lie down so far apart that he shivers under the blankets. It takes him ages to fall asleep, shaken by shudders and startled by every strange sound that comes from outside. He’s not used to this. To animals hooting in the night and branches hitting the windows as the wind makes the thin glass shake. He’s used to the sounds of the city. He thinks he will never manage to fall asleep, not like this. But then he realises that at a certain point during the night, he must have dozed off because he wakes up to the feeling of a hand skimming against the exposed flesh of his stomach. Strong fingers flutter against him, featherlight—like butterfly wings or the shadow of a lover’s touch. He has never been touched like this. He looks down, under the covers, and sees the hand disappear under his shirt, moving up, up, up.

Tags and hellos under the cut:

@pato-roldnart, @bubble-gumhead, @artsyunderstudy, @blackberrysummerblog

@you-remind-me-of-the-babe, @cutestkilla, @emeryhall

@mooncello, @martsonmars, @facewithoutheart, @letraspal, @larkral, @rimeswithpurple

@alexalexinii, @imagineacoolusername,

@hushed-chorus, @skeedelvee, @fatalfangirl

@confused-bi-queer , @meanjeansjeans, @angelsfalling16

@nausikaaa, @leithillustration, @roomwithanopenfire , @monbons

@wellbelesbian, @shrekgogurt, @fiend-for-culture, @best--dress and anyone who would like to share something they've been working on.

[monbons]

New Banner Sunday

Hello friends! I made a banner and I'm so proud of it. I liked it simple. Anyhow... I made a lot of progress for Paper Rings. I'm enjoying writing it so much.

Thank you especially to @fiend-for-culture for helping me so much! My brain was completely dry and you helped center me back.

This fake dating at weddings AU will be longer than I was expecting, but I'm still sticking to the 6 chapters. It will be fun. Although I'm writing the second chapter, it's going to take me a while since I want to write down the entire fic before publishing it.

Here are six new sentences!

“Why?” Baz concluded.

“Why, what?”

“Why did you get invited to a vow-renewal ceremony?”

Simon nodded. “Ah, right. Uhm…”

Simon didn’t want to tell Baz the story.

I keep finding ways of telling the character's back stories without it being too angsty, but still serious, I love it. I can't wait to share this fic with you all. I love writing so much.

Thank you @orange-peony for tagging me.

Hello to @nausikaaa @ebbpettier @fiend-for-culture @stitchy-queerista @thewholelemon

@monbons @mooncello @valeffelees @artsyunderstudy @alexalexinii

@headless-angel-writes @ileadacharmedlife @leithillustration @bookish-bogwitch @blackberrysummerblog

[monbons]

thank you @martsonmars @orange-peony @meanjeansjeans @nausikaaa for the tags!

Sometimes I feel like when I'm writing, I'm just running through Green Eggs and Ham. "Baz could meet him on a boat, Baz could meet him in a moat, Baz could meet him here or there, Baz could meet Simon ANYWHERE!" Maybe someday I'll turn this into a series.

All that is to say, I'm in arbitrary decision land with When That Light Hits the Sky, where I know the things I want Penny to say to Simon and Baz and Simon to say to each other, roughly, and I just need to figure out how to get them into situations that yield those conversations naturally. And then I also have to figure out if it's reasonable to think all these conversation can naturally fit into a chapter, and if it's not ending too soon. It might feel soon. But, this is not the rest of their lives; this is a hill Simon had to climb to be able to see possible lives ahead of him, so I'm going to have to let them go sooner than I like, regardless.

below the cut, tags and a freshly baked snippet (so, so fresh) that will spoil you slightly if you haven't read chapter 4 (but, is not much of a spoiler if you have read the trilogy).

“I’m the only reason you’re not living together! You’d already be in America married to Micah if it weren’t for me, and none of this would have happened.”

“Oh god, if I’d already been married to Micah in America, then I’d be going through an American divorce right now instead. That would be a million times worse!”

“What? No—you’d be married and happy! You’d have, like, littluns running around—” he stops short at her horrified face.

“Simon. I don’t want to live in America.”

“I know that’s what you say—”

“Simon. For the love of god, stop patronizing me. I’ve never wanted to live in America. I’ve told you that so many times. It’s getting offensive that you think you’re the only thing restraining me from committing myself body and soul to a land whose main export is cheese product in an aerosol can and toxic masculinity.”

stay gold, friends! and share if you want.

@alexalexinii @alleycat0306 @aristocratic-otter @artsyunderstudy @best--dress

@bachusekart @blackberrysummerblog @bookish-bogwitch @bookishbroadwayandblind @brilla-brilla-estrellita 

@confused-bi-queer @cutestkilla @drowninginships @emeryhall @facewithoutheart

@fiend-for-culture @iamamythologicalcreature @ileadacharmedlife @ivelovedhimthroughworse @j-trow-95

@jyae23 @katatsumuli @larkral @leithillustration @letraspal

@messofthejess @monbons @mooncello

@noblecorgi @onepintobean @pato-roldnart @palimpsessed 

@papierhaikuphoto @prettygoododds @raeny-day @rimeswithpurple  @roomwithanopenfire 

@run-for-chamo-miles @shrekgogurt @talentpiper11  @the-beard-of-edward-teach 

@theimpossibledemon @valeffelees @whatevertheweather @youarenevertooold @you-remind-me-of-the-babe

[monbons]

it's wednesday already so i thought i'd start this off early.

today i'm sharing something i've already shared, but updated:

“You’re still a prick,” he says. He lets go of my tie to put a hand on my waist, the other trailing up my back. “Still a pretentious arsehole.” He cups the nape of my neck, fingers slipping through my hair. “But I'm pretty sure a month ago you took me on a date.”

“It wasn't a date.” My fingers are splayed on his chest. “It was a stakeout.”

and

“Because it's a terrible idea,” I say. Simon keeps looking at me like an excited puppy, as if he wasn't the one who once called my interview style fucking ruthless. “You know it’s gonna end in flames.”

“Good thing I’m fireproof, then, babe,” he grins.

I raise an eyebrow. He's killing all my composure, all my self-respect. “Babe?”

“Shut up,” he says.

i wanted to keep the dynamic they have in the fic secret but i worked on this for days and i deserve to ruin the surprise 🤣

@facewithoutheart @sillyunicorn @onepintobean @shrekgogurt @wellbelesbian @palimpsessed @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @forabeatofadrum @fatalfangirl @cutestkilla @ileadacharmedlife @bookish-bogwitch @artsyunderstudy @orange-peony @larkral @raeny-day @stitchyqueer @hushed-chorus @technetiumai @brilla-brilla-estrellita @thewholelemon @theimpossibledemon @imagineacoolusername @blackberrysummerblog @theearlgreymage @rimeswithpurple @messofthejess @alexalexinii @whatevertheweather @jbrrring @prettygoododds @youarenevertooold @best--dress @theotherhufflepuff @monbons @run-for-chamo-miles @aristocratic-otter @noblecorgi @j-trow-95 @bookishbroadwayandblind @letraspal @ic3-que3n @bachusekart @talentpiper11

[monbons]

Six Sentence Sunday

Hey everyone! Thanks for the tags, @tailsbeth-writes, @monbons, @onthewaytosomewhere, @cutestkilla, 

@artsyunderstudy, @thewholelemon, @martsonmars, and @suseagull5914!

I spent a solid portion of this last week being sick, which was not fun. It was either the flu or a truly evil period (I do think I caught a bug, but at the end of the day, the symptoms just bled together and I was lying on the couch regardless). Thankfully, that’s over now, and I did get some writing in! I’ve made a bit of progress on both my Alex Has OCD Fic and my Feral Simon Fic.

Some of the former:

A fifteen minute walk in the dark brings Alex to his destination. Nora lets him in with a smile on her face, and Alex smiles back as she claps him on the shoulder. “It’s Saturday,” she menaces, poking Alex in the cheek with a citrus-orange manicured nail. “I don’t wanna hear a word from you about poli-sci or midterms.”

And the latter (Baz POV):

“No—you’re wrong, I do need to keep doing this.” He angles his canines, then tears at his toasted sandwich with a vehemence. (And the boy finds fault in my inhuman mealtime habits. The audacity.)

“Because goblins are dark creatures?”

“I guess. I also just can’t…” He stares down at his strawberries. “I need to right the wrong of you getting hurt on my watch.”

“It wasn’t your watch,” I respond. “You’re not a sheepdog.”

Simon grunts. “You just implied that I'm Watford's only defence against evil. So yeah, it was my fucking watch. And I can't let you die on my watch.”

And we’re gonna pretend that adds up to six sentences 😂 Re: the RWRB fic, I’ve been trying to share more or less innocuous snippets, but fair warning that there will be some obsessive trains of thought in the fic. And some spice, if everything goes to plan!

Okay, that’s all, have a wonderful week everyone—I hope you’re all doing well!

@alexalexinii @andromedaskies @anincompletelist @anyroomsrio @anti-homophobia-cheese

@bachusekart @benwvatt @blueeyedgrlwrites @bookish-bogwitch @cccloudsss

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@firenati0n @firstprincefairytale @firstprincehornyramblings @hushed-chorus @ic3que3n

@ileadacharmedlife @imagineacoolusername @kj-bee @larkral @luainthewild

@lovelettersto-mars @made-by-han @meanjeansjeans @miss-minnelli @mooncello

@nausikaaa @noblecorgi @onepintobean @onpurposewrites @palimpsessed

@philaet0s @priincebutt @raenestee @rimeswithpurple @roomwithanopenfire

[monbons]

hello! thanks for the tags today! (i'm tagging everyone back under the cut)

slowly but surely superman au is proceeding. i rewatched the superman trailer several times today and sigh i am going insane. i love this movie so majorly.

here are some sentences from today's editing:

This is how badly the Watford Planet has ruined me. I went from being a well-adjusted journalist with his eyes on a Pulitzer Prize to someone so obsessed with rats’ whereabouts that I forget about more dangerous threats to my life and well-being.

and

(I had to hold Simon back from punching him in the face, but only because I have a folder and a wall covered in pictures and red thread, and I am going to figure out how to Breaking News him out of the way.)

and from the next section to edit:

“The Sword.” “Mr Grimm-Pitch,” he says, leaning forward. It feels strangely like foreplay.

exactly 6 sentences, something that has never happened and will never happen again.

who is simon wanting to punch? mysteries! though you're welcome to guess who the villain of this au is going to be 👀

@facewithoutheart @sillyunicorn @onepintobean @shrekgogurt @wellbelesbian @palimpsessed @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @forabeatofadrum @fatalfangirl @cutestkilla @ileadacharmedlife @bookish-bogwitch @artsyunderstudy @orange-peony @larkral @raeny-day @stitchyqueer @hushed-chorus @technetiumai @brilla-brilla-estrellita @thewholelemon @theimpossibledemon @imagineacoolusername @blackberrysummerblog @theearlgreymage @rimeswithpurple @messofthejess @alexalexinii @whatevertheweather @jbrrring @prettygoododds @youarenevertooold @best--dress @theotherhufflepuff @monbons @run-for-chamo-miles @aristocratic-otter @noblecorgi @j-trow-95 @bookishbroadwayandblind @letraspal @ic3-que3n @bachusekart @talentpiper11