#(technically? not sure if i should put this in my art tag)

[ghastimart]

"Prototype-X01, or "Rebel", is reportedly the only Cyberfly model fully completed; in a recent press release, Machrame Industries announced an interest to collaborate with any companies undergoing extreme-condition projects to stress test their android before proceeding with a commercial release."

[galactic-feelins]

So I dunno if anyone following me would remember but a couple years back I was having ideas for a Zelda crossover comic thing, but then I didn’t really make anything I was confident in showing and eventually just lost steam due to other life events.

Now that I’ve been playing Tears Of The Kingdom, those ideas I had for a comic have been reinvigorated! I had some concepts I wanted to play around with but wasn’t sure how to tie into pre-established lore, and despite how many twists and turns I was experiencing while playing TotK and trying to piece together it’s place on the timeline, somehow it actually helps ground and solidify some of those concepts.

Now the question is if I’ll actually be able to draw and piece things together for any of that. Also wether or not I want to actually draw some of my gameplay experiences, seeing as I wouldn’t want to spoil people too much but also I’m still pretty early in the game? I dunno, I just have a lot of thoughts about characters and everything right now!

[lopsidedtreetrunks]

I made hetalia OCs for the channel islands (Jersey, Guernsey, and the Isle of Man) back in, I wanna say around 2015 or 16? And I redrew them recently. I wanted to add more girlies to the Hetalia cast 🥲

I was planning on doing a proper piece for these three (that's why the date I drew them was like 2 weeks ago lol) but I still haven't gotten around to it so I'm posting the pen sketch 😅

Here's my originals with my lil basic research notes:

[cure-stars]

felt extraordinarily silly :]

HI EVERYONE I LOVE IMAGES !!! I LOVE PICTURES I LOVE PIXELS !!!

If someone could draw my hair onto him we would be so back ^_^

[fluffytriceratops]

𝐀𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐫 - 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐨 [𝐛𝐚𝐲𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞]

notes: not a request even tho i have loads of those that i need to be working on lmao. this is self indulgent as yesterday was my bday and i love mikey hehe. he's so underrated askifeigvgh- but thats okay, cuz that means i don't have to share him~ ^3^ too tired to edit so pls ignore any and all mistakes. thankies. <33 and that gif-- fjssksjdjgu so hot. O//.//O too tired for spam tonight, but have this imagine to make up for it!

warnings: mature langauge/swearing. tooth rotting fluff.

tags: @thelaundrybitch @rheawritesforfun @digitl-art-monstr @leosgirl82 @turtle-babe83 @mysticboombox @drowninghell @squirrelfurs @lec743 @post-apocalyptic-daydream @bibiz82 @raphslovemuffin80 @raphielover @tmntspidergirl

(If you would like to be tagged in my future TMNT realted posts (let me know if you want just reader insert stuff or if you want OC related content included) feel free to lemme know and I'll happily add you!)

Thank you for reading! Have a lovely day/night! Stay safe and make sure to take care of yourselves! I'm sending all the virtual hugs to you~! <3

─

"Happy bir-" Michelangelo sputtered as a pillow was launched in his face, cutting off his singing. He pursed his lips in a pout as he gazed down towards a very grumpy and tired looking Y/n.

"It's 4:30 in the morning." She hissed.

"Told you she'd be pissed." Raph grumbled from behind Mikey, arms crossed over his muscular chest. Leo and Donnie were there too, and didn't seem surprised by this at all. "Technically," Donnie added, pushing up his glasses with a finger. "We all did."

"Awe, c'mon Angelcakes. It's your special day!" Mikey plopped down on her bed, making the mattress squeak and bounce under his weight. Y/n glowered, turning away from him and onto her side.

"It's 4:30 in the fucking morning." she repeated, as if that answered everything.

Mikey huffed, "Y/n," he drawled out her name, poking her side teasingly. "We have the whole day planned. And there'll be cake and presents~"

Y/n sat up, hair a mess and looking like she was about to murder somebody. "Mikey," she grabbed her alarm clock next to her bed and shoved it into his face. He snorted and shoved it away. "Y/n." he mimicked her tone, a smirk practically plastered to his pretty green face.

Y/n's shoulders sagged in annoyance. "Can't this wait till tomorrow?"

"Technically-" Her glare shut Donnie up and he flashed a sheepish and slightly apologetic smile.

"No. It can't. C'mon, don't be a party pooper. It'll be fun." Mikey tucked a few strands of her wild hair behind her ear and Y/n's cheeks warmed at the action.

"You know what will be fun?"

"Hmm?"

Y/n flopped back down and pulled her covers over her head. "Going the fuck to sleep."

Mikey rolled his eyes and let out a comically long sigh. "I guess you leave me no choice." Y/n shrieked as the blanket was pulled off of her, eveloping her in cold and causing a chill to run through her bones. Before she could so much as blink, Mikey grabbed her and hoisted her into his arms. "Leo, grab her something nice to wear. Raph and Donnie, to the batmobile!"

"Mikey I swear to- Leo you better not- put me down! Guys this isn't funny! I'm only wearing a t-shirt and undies!" Y/n slapped Mike's shell a few times but he didn't seem to care.

"Nothing we haven't seen before babes. Well, at least I haven't." Mikey teased, reaching up with his free hand and patting her bum. Y/n's face blossomed in heat and she covered it with her hands in embarrasment.

"I'm disowning all of you." She grumbled and Leo's lips lifted into a tiny smirk. "We're not related so you can't disown us."

"Unfortunetly, Fearless is right. You couldn't get rid of us even if you tried, Tiny." Y/n removed her hands from her face to glare at Raph who was clearly amused by this whole ordeal. She stuck her tongue out towards him and he mocked her by doing the same.

"Assholes. All of you are assholes."

"If it helps, I said we should just wait till 7 at the earliest." Donnie spoke up, "I know how much you like to sleep."

"And that's why you're my favourite."

Mikey slapped her ass causing the h/c haired female to yelp in surprise. "Mikey! What the hell?!"

"As your boyfriend, I should be your favouite." He stated with a huff. Though if she could see his face, she could see the amusement dancing in his eyes. Y/n once again slapped his shell, as it was the only thing she could reach being thrown over his shoulders like she was.

"You dink!"

─

When they finally got back to the lair, Y/n was surpised to see the entire place decked out. There were balloons and streamers. Fairylights, lanterns and candles. A playlist made up of her favourite songs seeping out of some speakers. They even had a disco ball creating soft sparkles of light. And snacks galore.

Y/n's eyes began to water and she reached up to cover her mouth with her hands. "You guys.." Her voiced wavered and she turned to look up at all of them with a happy tears pricking the corners of her eyes. "Thank you. You didn't have to do all of this."

"Don't thank us, it was Mikey's idea." Leo hummed, smiling down towards his friend.

"We did most of the work tho-" Raph was elbowed by the leader and he shot him a look.

Mikey all but beamed down towards his girlfriend. And even though she was in nothing but an oversized shirt and underwear, with her hair a frazzled mess and tear streaks on her face. He swore she had never looked more beautiful. Y/n didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around him, which he gratefully accepted. Scooping her up in his arms and giving her a good squeeze. She cupped his face in her hands and peppered the entire thing with kisses. Earning a happy chortle and a cute churr from the mutant.

"Thank you, Mikey baby. I love you." She mumbled, resting her forehead against his own.

"Not as much as I love you." He cooed and Raph groaned in annoyance. Faking a gag.

Y/n rolled her eyes as Mikey set her down and then she went to hug all three brothers. "Thank you guys."

"You're welcome." Donnie and Leo said in unison. But Raph could only smirk, "What, no kiss?" he teased and this time it was Y/n who elbowed him.

Y/n went to the bathroom to get changed into what Leo grabbed for her as well as get ready for the rest of the day. While she did that, the four brothers went into the kitchen to prepare her birthday breakfast.

Michelangelo made the pancake batter and worked on crisping up some turkey bacon.

Donatello started on making coffee, tea, and pink lemonade for the group.

Leonardo washed and cut up some fresh fruit.

And Raphael set up the table.

It didn't take long for Y/n to come back, wearing a cute sun dress and hair no longer a mess. She even had a bit of makeup on. Her eyes lit with amusement as she watched them all do their own thing. Raph, who had finished with the table a good while ago, was now sneaking fruit from Leo who looked like he was about to murder him. Donnie was munching on a pop tart, holding a cup of coffee in one hand as he watched Leo and Raph bicker. And Mikey was singing along to whatever song was playing, completely distracted with trying not to burn the food.

Y/n walked up to her mutant boyfriend and pecked him on the cheek in greeting, stealing a blueberry from a bowl that was sitting next to him.

"Hey, whatcha making?"

"Blueberry pancakes, your favourite." He mused, bending down to capture her mouth in a saccharine kiss. She hummed against his lips, whisking herself away to make herself a cup of coffee.

"You have good taste, Lee." She mused, leaning against the counter next to Donnie and stealing a nibble of his pop tart. He didn't seem to mind.

Leo smiled, glad she had liked what he picked out for her. "It is your dress, so I didn't do much."

Y/n shrugged, "Still. You picked well."

They chatted for a bit among themselves before Leo left to get Splinter and they all sat down at the table to munch on a very early breakfast. And despite still being tired, Y/n had to admit, she was having a great time and was glad they pulled her out of bed.

After breakfast, they all helped clean up before playing a bunch of board and card games. This included monopoly, uno, the game of life, gin rummy, and poker. Of course, Mikey wanted to play strip poker- but it was clear it was only to see Y/n in her birthday suit.

After playing for a few hours, April, Casey and Vern came down to the lair. Bringing lunch which consisted of burgers and french fries.

They talked and laughed for a while as they ate. Y/n had her legs splayed across Mike's lap and he rest his hands on them. Giving them a soft squeeze every now and then.

Eventually, half way during the conversastion, Y/n grew quiet. Simply staring at Mikey with a small and content smile on her soft pink lips. Mikey, feeling her gaze, turning his baby blues onto her with a grin. "What's up?" He hummed, squeezing her leg again.

"You're beautiful." She mumbled, smile only growing.

Mikey's face heated with a blush and she swore he shone as bright as the sun. "Aren't I supposed to say that to you?"

Y/n shrugged. "I guess I beat you to it."

Mikey let out a small laugh. "I guess you did. C'mere." He reached for her hand and pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her from behind and planting a few tender kisses to the exposed skin of her shoulder. Y/n bit her lip to contain her giggles, hardley being able to stop from grinning as he rest his chin on her shoulder and continued talking to the group as if this little interaction had never happened.

After lunch, they piled into the living room to play some video games and watch one of Y/n's favourite tv series with her. She chose Gossip Girl, and she wasn't surprised when they all got into it.

Even Raph who tended to claim he didn't like to watch "girl shows". Everyone always knew he was bullshitting.

"He's so hot." April hummed, leaning back in her seat and missing the offended look on Casey's face.

"I know." Y/n hummed, "Chuck Bass is the best."

"I thought I was the best." Mikey teased from next to her, biting her cheek softly.

"True. But he's.."

"Chuck Bass." April chimed and Y/n giggled at the reference. "Also true."

"I don't get it, why aren't Blair and Chuck together when it's so clear they wanna be with each other?" Raphael grumbled, gesturing towards the two on the television.

"Because he's afraid to feel." Casey piped up, making it sound so obvious.

"Maybe he doesn't want to corrupt her?" Donnie added, sipping a juice box contendedly.

"I think it's because he just wants to have sex with multiple girls. He's not the settling type." Vern said, popping a chip into his mouth. "In other words, a man whore."

April and Y/n shared a look. "I think he's talking about himself here."

"Yes, he must be." They jested and Vern rolled his eyes. His phone beeped and he was quick to pull it out to check the notification.

"That's work. I gotta cut this party short, I'm afraid." He stood up, handing the chip bag to Raph before approaching Y/n and planting a quick kiss to her temple. "Happy birthday, kiddo."

Y/n smiled, accepting the small box he handed to her. She opened it up, revealing a gold necklace with a single gold daisy pendant. "Awe, Vern, it's beautiful. Thank you." She pried Mikey's arm off of her and stood to give him a quick hug. Vern seemed rather pleased with himself that she liked his gift. (He actually called April for tips to make sure he got her something she liked-)

"You're welcome, Y/n. I'll see you later." He said his goodbyes to the rest of the group before leaving.

Mikey helped Y/n put her necklace on and then they continued watching a few more episodes of Gossip Girl before deciding to order dinner, which was chinese. April and Casey decided to pick it up but they had a while before it was ready so they played some COD Black Ops 2 zombies to pass the time.

Y/n lay comfortably against Mikey as he played with Casey, Raph and Leo. Donnie elected to sit on the sidelines and watch. He, April and Y/n were currently betting on who would kill the most zombies.

Casey was in last place, as predicted. But Raph actually won by three more kills than Mikey.

Y/n groaned as she slapped a five dollar bill in Donnie's exposed hand. She had bet on Mikey, of course. While April bet on Leo. Casey seemed mildly offended by that, which she found amusing.

After enjoying a delicious dinner, which Y/n couldn't even finish since there was so much of it. Thankfully, Mikey was more than willing to eat her leftovers. They went back into the living area for Y/n to open her gifts.

Casey was first, he had gotten her a lovely new hoodie in her favourite color. With a pair of socks with turtles on them. Which she found utterly fantastic.

April was next, she got Y/n her favourite body spray, lotion, and a pack of scrunchies. Paired with a bottle of wine and a gift card to one of her favourite shops.

Leo followed, he got her some new teas to try and two adorable mugs for her growing collection.

Raph went next, giving her a massive blanket which he had knit himself. This was paired with a few plushies as he knew she loved them. One of them was even a turtle.

Donnie went after Raph, as Mikey insisted on being last. He got her a gift card to her favourite coffee shop/cafe as well as three new books she had be itching to get her hands on.

Master Splinter followed Donnie. He had gotten Y/n some new potted plants he had picked out just for her. One which included her favourite kind of flowers. He also gave her a scrap book he made with pictures of his sons when they were younger. They all groaned and complained at that, but there was no way in hell she wasn't seeing and keeping those photos.

Finally, it was Mikey's turn.

He had gotten her some fancy pens and a new journal because he knew she was an aspiring writer and loved to write. He also gave her some handmade jewlery he had made specially for her. She adored the turtle charm hanging from one of the bracelets. This followed by an acrylic painting of the city. Yes, he painted it himself. And then a small leather book that looked quite worn.

Y/n's eyebrows furrowed and she glanced up at him in question. But Mikey could only smile down at her, clearly excited, and even a tad nervous, for her to see what was inside.

When she opened the book, Y/n's eyes widened in shock. She was so gobsmacked, she didn't know what to say.

The entire thing was filled with his drawings. And they weren't drawings of just anything, they were all of her.

Tears pooled in those big e/c orbs of hers as she flipped through the sketch book. Pencil, charcol, pen, colored pencil- you name it. He used it all. And that wasn't the only thing. Each drawing had a date scribbled in his writing. And it started long before they had even started dating.

"Oh my god.. Mikey.." Her voice wavered and lip trembled as she continued to look at the drawings.

She remembered some of them, too. As some were drawn during specific moments. Like one where she was reading a book while leaning against her bedroom window as it rained. One where she was flower picking out in the country on a trip they took one time. Another where she was hunched over her desk, writing away in one of her many journals.

Turning to face her beloved boyfriend, Y/n couldn't help but cry as she embraced him. Throwing her arms around his neck and nuzzling her face into him. Mikey could only laugh, shoulders shaking lightly as he wrapped his arms around her, pressing his face into her shoulder and taking a large inhale.

The other's sent them looks, clearly confused on why she was crying and what was in the book. Donnie reached over and grabbed it gently, clicking his tongue once he saw what was inside.

"Do you like it?" Mikey mumbled, and Y/n pulled away a bit so she could look at him in astonishment. "Do I like it? Mikey, I love it. This is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you." He cupped her face with his much larger hands and swiped away her still falling tears.

"Of course, anything for my Angelcakes." He hummed, pressing a kiss to her cute nose. "I love you."

Y/n's heart swelled, she didn't think she could ever feel more happy. "I love you more."

"I love you most." Michel quipped, quoting Tangled and making Y/n roll her eyes playfully. "Impossible." She hummed, pressing a firm but tender kiss to his lips.

"Wow, Mike, you really went all out huh?" Casey mused, after chancing a peak inside the sketchbook.

Mikey beamed, "Like I said, anything for her."

"You just had to out do us, ya little shit." Raph teased, smirking towards his younger brother.

"But of course."

─

After chatting for a while they put in some of Y/n's favourite movies. Eventually, April and Casey had to leave and wished everyone a goodnight and Y/n one final happy birthday before leaving together.

One by one the mutant turtles left, until it was just Michelangelo and Y/n left.

A movie still played in the background and they were laying on the couch, all cuddled up under Y/n's new blanket together.

Mikey's hand rubbed her back, slowly moving up and down while she rest her cheek against his chest. Legs tangled together and hearts beating as one.

"Are you still mad that I woke you up so early?" Michel asked, glancing away from the screen and towards his beloved.

Y/n moved her head so she was looking up at him. She couldn't help but smile. "No. This was quite possibly the best birthday I've ever had. Thank you." She leaned up and brushed her lips against his own and Mikey hummed in delight.

"I'm glad. That's all I wanted... But y'know.. there is one gift I haven't given you yet."

Y/n arched a brow in confusion before she noticed the massive smirk crawling onto his face. "Mikey, we can't do it here-" she was cut off as once again Mikey delivered a swift smack to her ass. Y/n squealed and Mikey took this chance to flip the two of them so she was on the bottom.

Then he peppered her entire body with kisses. ;)

[serenaoffaerun]

WIP Wednesday

Thanks for the tag, @alpydk!! While I'm technically on hiatus until I finish this art commission I'm working on (1-2-3 weeks?), I DO have the beginning chapter 4 of "Confessions" to show off. I decided to name it "Possibilities" - it continues the one-word theme of the other chapters but doesn't give away the ending.

*DISCLAIMER* - this may not be its final form, and hasn't been really edited.

Setup TL:DR - GalexTav. Tav 'sleeps with' Mizora in act 3, Gale breaks up with her. Nasty fighting w/spell-slinging and arrows flying ensues, including cattiness through the end of the game and even in the epilogue. End of the epilogue, they bang over a picnic table and decide to 'talk it out' via letter writing, which goes through chapter 3. Chapters 2 and 3 also includes both of their journeys recovering from massive mental health declines. Now? They're back to themselves more or less and are about to meet in Waterdeep for a week of dates. "Courting," if you will.

This is the morning of the day they'll be reunited.

CURRENT word count: 1,750 (it's gonna be a long boi like chapter 3)

No smut or anything tag/trigger worthy...yet...

Chapter 1 by @alpydk: "Consequences"

Chapter 2 by me: "Acquiescence"

Chapter 3 by me: "Tenacity"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On Sunday morning, Tav crawled out of her tent, blinking rapidly in the brightness of the dawn. As her eyes focused, she gasped as she noticed a familiar set of wings attached to a small, furry body.

"Tara?" she asked, voice echoing the mix of surprise and confusion in her brain.

In the span of about 2 seconds, her mind raced through a dozen scenarios and her anxiety spiked. Was Gale ok? Did something happen? Did he change his mind? Is Tara here to give her a (well-deserved) tongue lashing and tell her to stay away?

She didn't know what feeling was stronger: her fear, or her overwhelming respect for this very large creature in a very small body who has looked after Gale her whole life, no matter the challenges, disappointments, or perils. Never walking away, always a sage guide and friend. Whichever feeling it was, it rendered her silent.

"Good morning, Miss Taviela. I trust you slept well?"

She blinked a few more times before stammering, "Y-yes, I believe I did. I'm, ah, still getting my thoughts together... I'm pleasantly surprised to see you here, is everything alright?"

"Hmm...yes. I would think you'd be surprised to see me." Tara sat up straight and stared at Tav, as if she expected the sleepy woman before her to have the wherewithal to continue this most unexpected conversation.

After a few awkward seconds, Tav continued, "How was your, er, flight? The weather seems beautiful this morning..."

Silence.

"Is...Gale alright? Did something happen?" Tav asked hesitantly.

Tara simply blinked and replied in an even tone, "Mister Dekarios is quite well. He is very much looking forward to...reuniting with you this evening."

The graceful tressym with the intimidating presence was simply observing Tav. Looking for any signs that would give her reason to question her intentions. Any indignation, a hint of a lie, something that would put her dearest, life-long wizard friend back in danger of getting his heart trampled on again.

More silence.

Tav shifted so she now sat cross-legged in front of her tent, looking down at her fidgeting hands. "Tara..., listen, I know I-"

Tara interrupted, finally putting Tav out of her misery. "No, you listen, Miss Taviela. It should be no surprise that I'm very wary of this entire situation." She was firm, but also gentle. Tav had looked up in shock, but now quickly closed her mouth, took a shaky breath while looking back to her hands, and nodded her head solemnly.

Tara continued, "My poor Gale has had his heart broken and re-broken and re-broken more times than I care to count. I cannot bear to see it shattered into dust. I'm not sure what your intentions are, Miss Taviela, but I can promise you that I will not sit idly by and allow him to have what little remains of his self-worth taken from him and tossed to the winds."

It sounded like there was more to this early-morning lecture, but Tara paused when she heard Tav sniffling. She tilted her head slightly as she watched the first of the day's sunbeams shine rainbows through the fat tears that fell from the woman's downcast eyes.

Finally, taking a shuddering breath, Tav looked up and sobbed, "You will never know the depth of my grief and sadness over the pain I caused him. I've berated and chastised myself every single day since that horrible night with Mizora. I was a different person then, still struggling with my identity after severing my attachment with Bhaal. Not to mention still being tadpoled; so many voices in my head of everyone's thoughts. We were getting so close to that third stone and the Netherbrain and all Gale was going on about was that godsdamned crown..." She paused, looked at the ground in shame, and shook her head. "All that aside, there's no excuse for what I did that night or anything that happened after."

She paused again for a deep breath. Looking back up at Tara pleadingly, she sobbed all the harder, "I know you have no reason to trust me. Hells, I wouldn't trust me. But I can promise you that I have no ill will towards Gale and the last thing I want to do is cause him even a second more of pain. I still can't forgive myself, even though he has, and I don't understand how he could possibly still see any good in me, but he does."

She took a couple breaths to compose herself, the tressym gingerly walking closer and sitting within arm's reach. Her glare had softened into concern.

Tav shakily continued, "I owe you an apology too, Tara. I know I said several harsh comments to you as well. Not to mention the affect Gale's misery has had on your life. I know you care for him and look out for him in more ways than I will ever understand. I'm so sorry for letting my childish and petty actions and lapse of judgment permeate your life. I regret everything I said and did to cause you both so much pain, and I always will."

Tara had laid down next to her knee by this point, listening and discerning the tone of her voice and the genuineness of her emotions.

Tav kept going, "I am absolutely gobsmacked that Gale still has any desire to see or talk to me, let alone that he still harbors any kind of love for me. I don't feel worthy of any of it, yet he still believes in me. And the only fault on his part was wanting to overreach in an attempt to provide the best possible future for us. How can I stay angry over that?"

She sighed and looked back down at the ground. Tears welling up once more. "Anything he said to me in anger, the spells he used against me, was very deserved, and I don't fault him one bit." Her voice breaking, she couldn't bear to say anymore. She tucked her knees up against her body, held them close, put her head down, and let the torrent of sadness and regret wash over her.

Having no lap to lay in, Tara curled up next to Tav's hip. Her heart broke for this poor woman. She had to remind herself that Tav was still shedding a life of murder and lies under the thumb of Bhaal. Anyone clawing their way towards a better life from that mess should be commended. Her motives seemed genuine, her repentance real. Tara was still skeptical, of course. But she'd be suspicious of anyone who had captured the heart of her dear wizard friend, and they would be subject to her scrutiny.

Tara sat up, turned to face Tav, and put one paw out on her thigh, the smallest olive branch, encased in white and orange and brown fur. In a soft, motherly voice, the tressym finally spoke.

"There there, dear. Gale knows your heart. He still believes that you genuinely love him and want to press forward." Tav cried harder when she heard this. She still couldn't believe the love of her life was willing to be so forgiving and dedicated to her. It was truly overwhelming.

Tara continued, "Here, he asked me to come find you and pass along this note." With a flick of her tail, a purple orb of mist appeared in front of Tav's face. A tan envelope materialized with a doodle on the front: an eternity symbol wrapped around two hearts; one with a G, and one with a T. Their sign. Tav smiled and let out a little chuckle, gently plucking the envelope out of the air and clutching it to her chest with both hands.

Breathing a deep sigh of relief, she realized how much tension she'd been holding in her body. She let her shoulders relax, closed her eyes and tried to get her trembling hands to steady themselves.

Tara took this moment to continue, "Mister Dekarios also felt it prudent that you and I attempt to clear the air before you visit the tower, which is primarily why I'm here. Now, I hear your apology, and I believe it to be sincere. I know how much you mean to him and I know it wouldn't be possible for me to come between you two even if I wanted to."

She stopped and pulled back her paw, licking at it before sitting up straight. "But if I've learned anything during my time with Gale, it's that anyone can come back from the biggest of mistakes. You both know what it's like to commit severe lapses in judgment, and you both have had to deal with the consequences of your actions."

Tav nodded her head, tears having subsided and sniffles becoming more infrequent.

"But I've also seen you both rise to some of life's most terrifying challenges. Defeating The Dead Three while having an ilithid parasite swimming around in your brain, wondering if each day, each second would be your last, only to go on to defeat a Netherbrain and save Faerûn from ruin and destruction... I'd say you two are capable of conquering anything. Even each others' follies."

Tav smiled and let out a small chuckle. "I suppose you're right," she said as she sighed. With a smile and a wink, Tav continued, "And gods know we're both stubborn enough, to boot."

"Oh, don't remind me." Tara said rolling her eyes, backing up in preparation for her departure. "I can't tell you how many days I told him to stop trying to compose letters to you in those first few months. But he'd just keep writing and writing and sighing and crumpling up paper and even lighting it on fire while it dissolved into ash in the air."

Unfurling her beautiful wings in the morning light, Tara lifted up a few feet in the air in front of Tav, looking her directly in the eye.

"Chin up, my dear, and dry those tears. You have a wizard who loves you meeting you for dinner tonight. Best start getting yourself together." Tav smiled again and held up her hand, allowing Tara to give it a little 'bonk' with her forehead.

As the tressym flew off, Tav took a long deep breath, closed her eyes, and let it out, allowing her exhale to take the weight of the world with it.

She had a wizard who loves her.

And he was meeting her for dinner tonight.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I cannot WAIT to finish this story!! Just hang in there while I get some things sorted, and I'll be able to give this realm of fanfic my 100%. 💜 Remember - Gale loves you, and you should never, NEVER doubt that. 💜

[malecius]

tagged by @xalatath!!!

putting this under a read more because it's a little long haha

1. named after anyone?

i *was* going to be named after someone, but i don't really remember whom. the names my mom had chosen ended up being too similar to some of my cousins, so in the end i was named something else.

my normie name is gabriel, so i'm technically named after a biblical angel lol

2. last time I cried?

several times yesterday over: my family; epic the musical; the game sea of stars

3. kids?

the idea is wonderful given how much i miss my daughter, but realistically i'm aware i wouldn't enjoy pregnancy in the slightest, and i'm not in a place to be able to raise a child without fucking them up.

my partner and i haven't talked about children, so i don't know what their stance on having them would be (though i'm pretty sure they wouldn't want to get pregnant either, which is fine by me) so that'll be an ongoing conversation should our feelings change

4. sports?

never played a sport long enough to care for it. i used to run and i biked way more than i do now, and i was rowing for a while too, but none of it *really* stuck

5. sarcasm?

i try not to be sarcastic because i'm unsure how my tone comes across from being autistic. i don't like sounding or being mean. i'll only be sarcastic if i can make it abundantly clear that i'm being sarcastic haha

6. first thing i notice about something?

is this meant to say "someone"? because if it is, then, in person, i usually notice people's body language. i like figuring out what makes people comfortable and tear down a wall or two

online, i notice how people talk and how they express their excitement. i am not very well-educated in the slightest but i love language and how people use it so much!!!

7. eye color?

dark brown, almost black :}

8. scary movies / happy endings?

alas i cannot do scary movies if i want to preserve my sanity as i am psychotic and can easily acquire delusions that i'm being watched. i do love a sappy good ending

9. talents?

i learned to walk by walking on the tips of my toes, so i've always been good at walking in heels haha

in terms of skills though? i've been drawing for as long as i've held a pencil. i would share more of my art but ah, the majority of it is against tumblr's TOS now

10. place of birth?

a tiny town in michoacán, méxico :}

11. hobbies?

primarily drawing! but i love a good indie video game and crocheting when i'm in the mood. sometimes i dabble in writing short stories

12. pets?

*technically* we don't have one since he's my neighbor's, but she did an awful job keeping him indoors so we take care of him now. my little idiot of a black cat, chimuelo! (named after toothless but in spanish)

13. height?

5'2 (157.48cm) if you round up. it's very important to me that you round up

14. fav school subject?

i've always liked english and history, but the advanced spanish classes i took in community college were some of the best learning environments i've ever been in

15. dream job?

i'm pretty lost in life right now haha so i have no idea. just being able to stay afloat is a pretty wonderful idea right now

----------

not tagging anyone, but if you haven't done this yet and see this, then you're tagged!!! :}

[darkprincerunaway]

After the fight

Happy birthday to Bucky Barnes! Here is my AU Stucky story based on this wonderful art: https://www.tumblr.com/reblog/kaciart/85484606903/YhKPirqc Thanks to my ever-beloved collaborator Yuliya Katsnelson who did the translation.

***

The day was just the pits. Honestly, the pits of hell.

There was no choice whether to fight or not. Nor was there any time to prepare, collect intelligence, put together a plan, inform the team and wait for backup – hell, even to get enough fire power! – not a minute to spare. Without any warning, a ghostly maw of a portal into some clearly hostile reality gaped open – and the only option was to jump into it, even at the risk of a one-way trip. Jump, stand fast, and fight to the death against whatever was trying to invade our good old Earth.

Standing to the death – just the two of us – because there was no one else. The planet had had really good luck (although for them it was possibly the opposite) that right next to the portal, completely by accident, happened to be two super soldiers.

How tired they were! How hesitant initially, before they forced the portal to close; before they traversed the tunnel to the end and ripped the heads off the dirtbags that had opened the portal in the first place; before they made it back, not really knowing how.

The place from which they had left and to which they returned was nice; quiet; peaceful. Green grass, sunny skies. The training course was empty, thankfully; they had come to “play tag”, just the two of them; they booked this time slot so they wouldn’t be distracted by anyone. Those who didn’t get that time slot were truly lucky. The maw-portal would have gobbled up anyone who happened to be nearby. That is, anyone but the two of them. They proved to be too big a bite for it.

Which didn’t stop it from giving it its best shot.

“To the doctors?” lying on his back, arms stretched out wide, staring at the fluffy small clouds asked Steve. He wasn’t worried about himself, although his left cheek was lacerated below the helmet, and his wrist was dislocated: his shield got stuck in the spine of one of the monsters, and he had to knock out the other that got too close with his bare fist.

“The hell with them,” said Bucky, lying next to him. “The hell with the docs. I wanna go home.”

“But Buck…”

“Go… home,” Buck repeated distinctly, his tone implacable.

Grunting like two crotchety old men (who they were, technically), they sat up on the ground. Steve did his best to wipe the slime off his shield with handfuls of grass, while Bucky tied off his bleeding thigh with an equipment belt.

“Home,” Barnes repeated when, holding onto each other, they limped towards the vehicle outside the testing course, like a wounded quadruped. “You drive.” And he closed his eyes, slumping over the front passenger seat like a black-and-red blob.

***

Ouch, it hurt.

“Give me your hand, dammit!” Bucky cursed hoarsely, leaning against the corridor wall. “My stuff is drying up, relax. You go first.”

With joint effort, they managed to pull the jacket sleeve off Rogers’ wrist before taking off the rest of his protective suit. Then they got rid of Bucky’s armor in the same fashion.

“To the shower,” Steve asked, biting his lips.

“Sure. As long as you don’t hit on me,” Barns joked darkly, leaning back against the wall. All holes in their hides should have closed up by now, after all the time that’d passed, but no. Devil knew whether the teeth of the damned monsters sank too deep as they were tearing protective suits to shreds, or the saliva that got into the wounds slowed the effect of the serum. The leg and shoulder began bleeding again, as soon as the tourniquets were removed.

Warm water running over the pair’s head and shoulders, washing away grime and fatigue, and relieving the muscle stiffness just a little. Bucky closed his eyes and leaned his head back on to Steve’s shoulder who, with his inactive hand tucked between his side and Bucky’s bionics, awkwardly moved the sponge over his chest, belly, and battered and bruised ribcage. Barnes also had to wash Steve with one arm: on the other, the monster’s fangs had torn a decent chunk of fresh out of the bicep.

They make their way to the bedroom still supporting one another and use two out of their four hands to get dressed. An overstatement, really: Steve manages to pull on sweats and a T-shirt, while Bucky, mindful of the assortment of dressings we’d need, only puts on his boxer shorts. Stupid all of it, just stupid: as if they are embarrassed of each other; as if they’ve never seen each other naked and just out of the shower and in general… It’s as though they are still out of it after the skirmish and want some illusion of bodily protection.

They put a fresh bandage on Bucky’s shoulder; Bucky sets Steve’s wrist, then puts a Band-Aid over his cheekbone; Rogers gets down on one knee and begins to put a wide dressing on Barnes’ thigh. And that’s where one of Rogers’ quirks kicks in. In a fight, he is cool-headed, decisive, and sharp – but afterwards, when it’s all over, it comes over him. Images of everything that could have happened but didn’t pierce him like dozens of fléchettes, making him shake and tremble from the backlash of the past and avoided danger. And here he goes again, reliving everything they’d been through. As Bucky, sparing with their limited ammo, again and again engages the monsters in close combat; as he, a sniper – more used to providing Steve fire cover from a distance! – attacks the filth advancing on the Captain from the flanks and the back. That’s how he came by the injuries Steve was just dressing…

And, no longer able to hold it in, to restrain himself, Rogers presses his forehead, his cheek – his very self – against Bucky’s hip, and then, still kneeling before him, kisses the dumbfounded Barnes practically into the wound under the dressing.

***

Bucky stares down at Steve.

What is he to do with him like this, huh?

The right thing to do is to let him get it all out of his system, catch his breath; bury his fingers in Steve’s short golden locks at the top of his head and stroke the sculp until he calms down.

The former, long-ago Bucky from Brooklyn would have done something like that.

That former, long-ago Bucky, who was no more, had generally been a man who did the right thing.

The post-Winter Barnes, as he is now, has a far more complex relationship with what is right. And with many other things, too.

And this – what he is feeling now, what flows through his veins and pulsates in his temples and in the back of his head – is one of those things.

James Buchanan Barnes remembers being Winter Soldier. He remembers the fighting and the missions. The tension, the adrenaline in his blood boiled during fighting then as it does now: they hadn’t completely succeeded in making him into a machine, after all. But as for the targets of those missions, he didn’t care at all. When necessary, he would interact with agents or fighters, with those he was supposed to protect or cover, but they held no interest to him as individual; never – neither during missions, nor afterwards – did he care about what happened to them then or later.

But now, it wasn’t like that.

When it is Steve he covers, James feels fire in his belly. Oh yes, of course, Captain America is no less of a super soldier he is, even more perfect than him. Of course, Steven Grant Rogers is good at and is used to fighting; of course, these wounds are mere scratches to this huge war machine, they will heal in a matter of hours. Sometimes, what matters most is what they are fighting for: just like today, no price for stopping the enemy would have been too high to pay.

James Buchanan Barnes understands all this – and he accepts, like he always has, Rogers’ right and duty to go into battle. But “this isn’t a back alley fight, Steve, it’s war!” – and the former Winter Soldier knows everything about war. Sometimes people get killed, even on the verge of victory. And this knowledge drives James berserk. Oh, how he has wished he had one hundred arms, like the Giant Briareus, every one of them holding a weapon or, like Zeus, turn into a lightning cloud and envelop Steve safely inside!

But no, he can only do what he can do.

And therefore, he, too, is overcome after the battle. Not like Steve, with trembling from the backlash. He is overtaken by a powerful need to feel that both of them are alright. That they made it out alive and would live. Right now, in this very moment. And he needs to feel it all, not just know it.

He can keep himself in check, hold the burning need inside, hide it. And it would not be all that difficult: he is so very tired. He is battered, his ribs, shoulders, and legs bruised, his thigh aching, the wound above his elbow throbbing like an impacted tooth. To crawl under the blanket, to close his eyes, and he’d be out like a light…

Bucky falls backwards on the bed, dragging Steve over himself, presses him close, one arm around him. Chest to chest, cheek to cheek, skin to skin. Hearing Steve’s breathing with his ears, his even warmth, his unbroken pulse with his fingers.

And their life – with all of himself.

[sableraven]

some issues I have with the proshipping community as someone sorta align with it.

This ain’t for antishippers so go away.

To preface this, I do align myself with the dead dove do not eat community and write what you want. I know technically it would make me a proshipper, but I do have a lot of issues with how proshippers handle race related stuff in fandoms and how some ignorance make spaces unwelcoming for people of color.

While I don’t think proshippers are anywhere near comparable to antishippers and their behaviors, I do think proshippers have the potential of creating their own echo chambers and being extreme in an “Us vs Them” they critique antishippers of doing.

One example is anyone have a discomfort to certain ships, tropes, or trigger warnings, which is FINE. Not everyone is comfortable with dead dove and I understand that. I understand that my works aren’t for everyone and I do my best to tag triggers and warn people before reading my works. I also have my own squicks when it comes to fiction, but I don’t harass anyone over it. For the extreme proshippers, some act if you have any discomfort and simply voice is (not everyone attacking anyone and looking down on others who enjoy it) you are labeled an anti. Or if you state not liking it, all of sudden, you should keep your opinions to yourself despite wanting people to have the freedom of how they can enjoy media.

This also goes into seeing anyone who have those discomforts as “sensitive” and not practicing basic decency of tagging your works as dead dove. A lot of proshippers equate any criticism of fiction as anti rhetoric even though criticism of fiction will always exist. If you put out art, you will be criticized. Sure, some criticism are hated disguised in it, but in terms of general discussion of published media and problematic issues in it, that has ALWAYS existed. Media studies, feminism media studies, etc. have existed longer than the stupid antiship vs proship discourse in fandoms. Someone pointing out problematic things in a media isn’t immediately anti rhetoric because published media hold a different responsibility to their audience than fanfic writers. Fanfiction is no where near as far reaching as published media that has the potential of reaching millions of people. That’s why when antis bring up “fictional can affect reality,” I don’t believe fanfiction can do that because its a very niche thing that most people interacting with it knows better. Published media has a different responsibility, thats why ratings exists, and the FTC is a thing in the US.  

And criticism isn’t bad! I get a lot of proshippers are hyper vigilant due to harassment in the past, but some of you go extreme on this opinion that any criticism is bad and that it doesn’t belong in fandoms. You’re not oppressed or being censored if your fanworks are being criticized. It’s still posted on AO3 and it will only be taken down if you wish it too. It’s like celebrities crying about cancel culture when it’s just online backlash that has no effect on the real world whatsoever. Some of y’all sound like anti woke cancel culture right winger when you complain about supposed “internet warriors” taking your right to create away. They’re not! Let’s not act like antishippers have any power to ever bring censorship laws, only politicians who don’t even know fanfiction exists.

Now this moves on the topic of racism in fandoms. This is where the problematic term of “fandom policing” comes up when half of the time its people of color, queer people, or women discussing how bigotry is rampant in fanbases. Look at the Star Wars fandom, any time a white character is race bent, video games, that exists. Which makes it frustrating that some proshippers treat these discussion as fandom policing or anti rhetoric. It’s not. I have had instances of proshippers trying to excuse racism that happens in fanbases as if I am misinterpreting it or its not racist because the fans have other reasons why they’re ranting about this media. I was also told by one proshipper because they, who is white, that they never encountered racism in the Star Wars fandom even though that shit had started with the first teaser trailer of the Force Awakens. Or they try to make it seems that the angry Star Wars fans who are mad about a black stormtropper existing is NOT racism, but because of established lore not being held up by Disney. (Which, none of the movies have explicitly said stormtroopers are white and ugh).

It’s also ridiculous how white proshipers are allowed the space to vent about being accused of racism by fandom members. I can agree that some accusations are ridiculous, especially ones made by antishippers, but half of it is because white proshippers insert themselves in discussion of racism started by fans of colors and whitesplain to them that it’s not racism and do the same excusal shit that I was met with. I get trying to defend your favorite media, but let people vent. Fans of colors aren’t given the luxury. For some reason, if you complain about racism perpetrated by fans or how the media they like have issues with bigotry, all of sudden its “you bringing politics in fandom spaces” and white proshippers are only using fandoms to “escape reality.” So are fans of color? I would love to use fiction to escape reality, but its hard when racism is rampant in your fandom circles or seeing characters of color being treated poorly in canon. Like cmon. Stop with the double standards. 

It’s annoying how much care that both proshippers and antishippers have when it comes to fiction and fictional characters, but not towards people in real life. Or that racial experiences committed by either side are ignored. Both sides act like they’re oppressed over the most chronically online shit ever. Or that anyone with a differing opinion is immediately label the other side. While proshippers don’t do harassment campaigns or force themselves into anti spaces for the purpose of doxxing, it doesn’t make them automatically safe for everyone, especially for people of color.

And please stop with the ageism towards younger people. Not every anti are “puriteens,” I seen a lot of antishippers within the 20-30 age range.

[justmwahstruly]

another little art post! two consecutive ones! weeee!

ranting below! Read if you like! (and the tag lol)

i wanted to actually make myself a proper puppetsona, but i doubt im ever going to draw him… which is kind of a shame! because i kind of think she’s pretty! but meh, their design… complex…. bah,,,,

and my cousin’s very own puppetsona! i didn’t know what to draw, so she said i should make her one! So that’s what i did! curly hair, unfortunately, is NOT my strong suit… wavy is just so much easier… cjhxjnc,,, so! I think her puppetsonas name will be Avery! Avery.. Melancholy! Oh yea. i am making her into a melancholy because molly was technically my sona for a while (hence the side ponytail lol, it was kind of my signature style for a while)

third one is a gift for my friend @imaginatorofthings ! heheheheheh Whynn my beloved/p (to respect the likely aspec-ness of them hehe)

AND RIDA THE RASPBERRY BUSH HRHJSAHGXCJ YAYAYAY i am still in love with everything you made for Molly, Ima! Truly flattering! In all honesty, that piece was meant to be slightly animated to have the song in the background, but i put so much detail into it I’m not sure I can redo all of it (or if I have the patience to….)

i think I’m getting better with rendering! And line art! I’m pretty happy with how I’ve improved visibly since I first came to this site! Yippee!

anyways thanks for coming to my ted talk

[polizwrites]

Somewhere to Turn

This is a fill for today's @flashfictionfridayofficial prompt [FFF215 Mall at Night] as well as my @bingowinteriron FREE square

Fandom: MCU/Marvel Pairing: Bucky Barnes & Tony Stark Rating: General Tags: No Powers AU, young Tony Stark, runaway, friendship Word Count: 845

Bucky was definitely beginning to regret watching Dawn of the Dead with Clint before starting his first shift as a night watchman at the mall. It was all too easy to look down a darkened hallway and imagine that there were zombies shambling towards him out of the shadows, inexorable in their hunger for human flesh. That and the winter wind howling across the parking lot sounded positively eerie. But a job was a job, and Bucky would be damned if he was quitting before he even started.

Ms. Hill had informed him that he needed to walk the entire building at least three times during his shift, checking in through a series of QR codes, posted on the wall at the end of each wing. At least he’d be getting some exercise, he supposed.

Bucky realized he actually missed the background music that played through the speakers overhead during the day, and wondered briefly if he had the ability to turn it back on. Sure, it was all instrumental cover versions of songs that were at least as old as he was, but at least then he wouldn’t hear the echoes of his own footsteps.

As Bucky turned the corner to enter the food court, a flash of movement caught his eye. There was something - or someone - behind the counter of Luca’s Pizza, trying to open the door to the kitchen area.

“Hey!” Bucky fumbled his flashlight from its holster and turned it on; realizing belatedly that if the intruder had been armed, he’d made quite a target of himself.

But instead, the figure froze, put its hands up and turned around. “Don’t shoot! Please!”

Bucky approached cautiously - even though part of him knew he should be calling the police, the voice had sounded young and scared.

“What are you doing here?” he called out instead, making his way over through the cluster of tables in the middle of the room. “How’d you get in?”

“I hid in the bathroom when the mall closed. You know, like in that book? Admittedly this isn’t the Metropolitan Museum of Art, but…” The guy - no, more of a kid, probably somewhere in his late teens, if Bucky had to guess – shrugged.

He was dressed in a dark long sleeved shirt with a band tee over it, jeans and sneakers - just like any other teen that had walked through the doors earlier in the day. But he was wearing a facemask and the backpack on his shoulder was nearly bursting at the seams.

“Okay,” Bucky replied, not ready to let down his guard quite yet, “but I still want to know what you’re doing here.”

The guy met Bucky’s gaze, the bags under his whiskey brown eyes proof of lost sleep and sorrow. “For what it’s worth, I was going to leave money on the counter to cover the cost of the repairs, and the food. I just needed somewhere warm to stay tonight.”

Bucky’s heart went out to him; yes, he was technically trespassing, and had been in the process of breaking and entering, but Bucky knew a little something about being forced to be on your own too young. “Listen, if you’re homeless, there’s a shelter about a half a mile from here.”

The guy shook his head. “I can’t. They’d turn me in.”

“What do you mean?”

The guy sighed and took his mask off. “I’m Tony Stark.”

“Well, shit.” The disappearance of the heir to the Stark fortune had been all over the news; with the death of his parents the month before, rumors were flying about a potential kidnapping and ransom scenario. “So, you’re, what? A runaway?”

“Something like that, I guess.” He shrugged again, a haunted look briefly flashing across his face. “I know what you’re thinking, ‘Poor little rich kid. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Never had to work a day in his life - what in the hell could he be running from?” He spat the words out bitterly.

“No, no, I wasn’t.” Bucky replied, making a decision that would probably bite him in the ass at some point. “Listen - how about you come hang out with me in the security office til the end of my shift?” he offered. “I’ve got leftovers stashed in the fridge - enough to split. I’ll call my roommate and let him know someone needs to use our couch for awhile. He’ll be cool with it.”

“Huh? What… why would you do all that for someone you don’t even know?” The mix of confusion and wariness on Tony’s face made Bucky’s heart go out to him.

“Because my step dad kicked me out of the house when I was sixteen because he found out I was gay,” Bucky explained. “I don’t know what you’re dealing with, but I figure it’s got to be pretty serious if you’re scrounging for mall pizza.”

Tony huffed out a soft laugh. “You may have a point there.” He lifted his eyes again, and this time Bucky saw a bit of hope shining there.

[kitnita]

Talk Hockey To Me

(tag game)

tagged by @eliooliver83 @oetter & @txstars!! mwah thank you!!!

1. The thing that got you hooked on hockey

i am a lifelong member of the 'being insane about sports' club in that i still have a poster of my baseball team's 2005 roster hanging over my bed & used to get SO pissed in middle school when boys in my class had incorrect college basketball opinions. but hockey was just? never on my radar?? due to the south texas of it all. then i went to college for broadcast in new york state & made friends with some guys majoring in sports broadcast and was like wait ....... there's a sport they talk about that i can't talk about (i loved knowing more about sports than boys so this was a serious blow) (football doesnt count i decided when i was a kid that i didn't care about football therefore its not real) & a friend of mine with whom i watched the world series was like no i've got you i can get you into hockey. i realize now she just wanted an excuse to proselytize about the new york islanders.

but anyway yeah!! i stuck with being fond of them because of her & then added the stars because as a Texan i had to root for them & also tyler seguin hooked me. i was a casual fan until there were absolutely No Sports in 2020 & i accidentally stumbled upon hockeyblr just in time to get hyper mega insane about hockey before the bubble playoffs.

2. Your first ever fandom friend

like any normal well adjusted person i feel weird calling someone my friend even if we're friendly because what if they don't actually like me (again this is normal & well adjusted behavior) that said tanya txstars was the first hashtag mutual i had in starsblr whomst i feel like i talked to via the tags!!

3. The jersey you would most like to own

wait have i ever mentioned that i own a mooterus jersey. it was like eighty dollars off depop because its a) womens cut & b) a size small which means that while it does technically fit, my tits stop it from looking like, you know, a jersey should look on the human body. so i'd love one that i can wear without feeling ridiculous!! through logan stankoven all things are possible!!! i'm generally a jersey thrifter so i do love the $16 tyler jersey i found but im sure one day ill bite the bullet and buy a non-secondhand otter jersey.

4. YOUR player (you only get ONE so choose wisely)

unfortunately goalies are inherently endearing & then on top of that he's also insane in the most confounding way possible so jake oettinger is My Guy whether he likes it or not

5. A pairing that deserves more fic

as someone who has written just over half of the robotter fic out there in the world: please put more robotter fic out there in the world. also i think robo & otter both deserve to fuck otter's goalie partner. also also it's not technically a pairing but i think we as a people need to embrace delly's clear & evident love for throuples and start sticking him in other peoples relationships. it's what he would want <3

6. Your favourite on-ice moment

jason robertson laying flat on his back on the ice after finishing his first career hat trick lives in my head rent free btw. if you even care. it just plays on a fucking loop up there. also the the dellymiro delly's first goal celly. also also that time those flames fans tried to actually curse jake midgame. like on the one hand what the fuck but on the other hand i actually admire that kind of dedication yk

THEN

link someone else's art/fic/etc that you love & think everyone should check out

i'm still foaming at the mouth over @txstars's rule 63 robotter fic!! also i think it's clear what robo ship i've dedicated myself to but everyone in the roboroope trenches is soooo impressive to me. i see the vision. @winningmachine's stats guy robo fic is a foundational text. thank you @starscelly for also giffing insane random things during games. there's so many other fun people in starsblr specifically & hockeyblr generally but see above re: being normal and well adjusted so You Know Who You Are & also I Love Your Work

AND

link something you made & are proud of & want people to see

my magnum opus ............ the robotter primer. linking anything else feels weird BUT please enjoy my unhinged labor of love. i saw someone mentioned it to that gay hockey tournament blog but didnt want to link it?? please link it places. put how unhinged i was/am about them on blast.

tagging @coffeehound91 @moregraceful @hintzy!!! & also idk who has and hasn't been tagged so if you see this & would like to do it please do & feel free to tag me as the person who tagged you because i am a certified nosy bitch & love seeing other people talk about themselves <3

[noforkingclue]

By Any Means Chapter 13 (Malcolm Bright x reader)

Warnings: descriptions of violence

Prodigal Son tag list: @queenoffandom08, @imwithyoutiltheendofthelinebucky

Everything tag list: @greenrevolutionary, @byebyebreezywrites, @spngingerbread21, @layazul, @lov3vivian, @simonsbluee

You put your head in your hands and let out a groan. You had never seen so much blood in all your life. You rubbed your eyes and pinched the bridge of your nose. You jumped when you realised that someone had sat down beside you.

“Sorry,” said Malcolm, “That was a lot for you to take in.”

“I think I should be the one apologising,” you said, “Threw up on your crime scene.”

“Technically it was outside it.”

“Can’t imagine Gil was too happy about that.”

“He was more understanding than you think. Besides,” Malcom sighed, “At least this shows that you’re still human.”

You raised your head a looked at Malcolm. He gave you a pitying look and put a hand on your shoulder. He gave it a comforting grip and you realised that you were still wearing his jacket. You made a move to take it off and Malcolm put his hand over yours.

“I think you need that more than me.” He said

“I always give back what I take.”

“You didn’t take this. I gave it to you.”

“Right,” you felt your cheek get hot again and your hands curled in the lapels of the jacket. You’d never admit it to him, but Malcolm’s jacket did give you a certain level of comfort. You could still smell his aftershave and you resisted the urge to snuggle into it. You looked up sharply and said,

“John the Baptist.”

“Huh?” Malcolm frowned, “What does he have to do with this?”

“Y’know, beheaded and his head on a silver platter? Several artists have done paintings of it. Caravaggio was always my favourite though.

“Of course,” Malcolm jumped to his feet, “Why didn’t I see that earlier?”

“Because the decapitated head was a bit of a distraction.”

“No, well, yes but I’ve seen worse.”

“That’s reassuring.”

“How?”

“I was being sarcastic,” you said, “So many creative homicidal maniacs running about New York. Who goes round beheading people? Surely there are easier ways to kill people that doesn’t involve you getting splattered in blood?”

Malcolm froze. He looked over at you and stood up slowly.

“What did you say?” he said

“Surely there are easier ways to kill people.”

“No, no, no,” Malcolm shook his head, “Before that.”

“Who goes round beheading people?”

“Exactly,” Malcolm started pacing, “what do both of these things have in common.”

“Murder.”

“Besides from that.”

“Both are based on paintings.”

“Which are of.”

Realisation dawned and you stood up. You ran your hands over the back of your head and said,

“Beheadings.”

“No.”

“No?”

“Well, yes,” Malcolm waved a hand, “but executions.”

“These people are being executed for having fakes.” You said with an amused smiled and raised eyebrows

“I’ve had weirder reasons for people killing others.”

“Such as?”

“No reason at all.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Doesn’t it?” Malcolm slowly approached, “Killing just for the sake of killing? No reason at all other than the sheer joy of it.”

“But then there is a reason, isn’t there?”

“Oh?”

“Pleasure,” by now Malcolm was directly in front of you, “For the sheer joy of it.”

“And you think that’s why these crimes are committed?”

“You tell me. You’re the profiler.”

“They believe what they’re doing is a necessity,” Malcolm said, “that they need to rid the world of this… this…”

“Evil?”

“A little melodramatic.” Said Malcolm with a smirk

“And we’re dealing with a serial killer who beheads people.”

“Technically he’s not a serial killer yet.”

“Key word- yet.”

“Although,” a frown crossed Malcolm’s face and he became suddenly serious, “That raises a very important point.”

“Which is?”

“If this person views these people as evil, how would he view the people providing the art?”

“Being a little melodramatic don’t you think?”

[dandylovesturtles]

Hey, as a newbie to writing fic and to sharing things online/engaging in fandom spaces, I was wondering if you could share some insight regarding the best ways to make friends and get your work seen? There’s so much good content in the Rise fandom I can totally understand why things would get buried. So what’s the best way to make connections and to (I hate this word but idk what else to call it) promote your stuff? Thank you in advance! Hope things are well and I cannot wait to read your further updates/works. <3

Hi! Thanks for the well wishes!! And welcome to the world of fic writing!

So I'm going to start here by saying that I'm answering this question from the angle of trying to get your work seen and making friends more than getting popular, because getting popular is honestly a lot of luck and unless you want to be really cynical about it and game the system it's pretty much impossible to force it. BUT wanting people to read your fic is a normal and good thing to want; most of us want the things we create to be enjoyed by others, after all!

First things first, the easiest way to be part of a community is to participate in it! In fandom this means leaving comments on fanfic, reblogging art and fic and leaving tags or comments here on tumblr, etc. There are people in the fandom who have become familiar faces to me just because they're always commenting on my fics or tagging posts and they show up in my notifs all the time. Also, I can't speak for everyone here, but when people leave me nice comments on my fics, pretty often I'll click into their profile to see if they've written anything that I might like to read. I've found great fanfics that way!

I know some people are more social than others (I'm on the low end of the social spectrum), but even if direct messaging people is intimidating, just being an enthusiastic presence in the less direct ways I've suggested can go a long way towards making yourself known in the fandom, and you can gain friends over time that way!

Another way you can get some eyes on your work is through fandom events. I've mentioned on this blog that I'm participating in the Grab A Slice bang event (which is posting this month), which has been a fun way to meet other writers and artists in the TMNT fandom at large. There's other stuff like this happening all the time, like I know last month there was an April art challenge here on tumblr that had prompts for each day. And I wouldn't be surprised if we get some secret santa events happening around Christmas. Obviously not everyone has time for this kind of stuff, but if you do, participating is basically a free way to both get promotion of your work and be introduced to other creators in the fandom.

Finally, this is more technical advice that I have, but I assume since you're asking me you're posting work to AO3 or plan to, so I want to say that tagging your work appropriately is really important for getting it seen! Be sure you're tagging your major characters, any major relationships (as a side note, & tags on AO3 mean platonic relationships while / tags mean romantic ones), and any major tropes or themes that people might be hunting for (you should also put trigger warnings in the tags). Usually when I'm on AO3 I'm not just going through the Rise tag unfiltered, I'm searching up "Donatello (TMNT) & Leonardo (TMNT), hurt/comfort" or "Raphael (TMNT), angst" so if someone is leaving tags like that off their work I won't see it even if it's something I would devour in one sitting. Tags are super important on tumblr too but they are also... more of a mystery to me... definitely tag your main characters and the fandom though.

Also, don't be discouraged! Not everything is going to be a hit right away. I've had my ups and downs for sure; my least kudos'd fic has 3 kudos (not counting the ones I ported over from FFN because those had different post dates - my actual least kudos'd fic has no kudos). Remember that writing fic is ultimately for fun, and really as long as you write something you yourself have fun reading then I think that's a success!

I hope that this made sense and was not just useless rambling lol. Thanks for the ask!

[gokupowers]

If you don’t mind it would be super cool if you could show which pieces could get u accepted to RISD (like u said in ur tags :3) also, ur art is really freaking good

Yeah ofc, heres what I submitted (acceptance for class of 2025)!!! This isn't everything, but Tumblr has an image maximum lol.

Tips for if you're applying to RISD (or any art school rly, I got into a couple other schools with w good scholarship options), it wasn't just portfolio that led to an acceptance. I had a 4.5 GPA in highschool + I linked to my portfolio website & had extracurriculars & solid LORs. A portfolio should be strong, but usually a good track record as a student/good academics tip them over (so if you're not absolutely sure about your portfolio, your academics might push your app over the edge. Conversely, if you have struggled/haven't scored high academically, you still have the portfolio so put your efforts in there!). they do require a description of your artwork so I'd recommend you think about what you want to do conceptually (why did you draw this, what do you want viewers to come away with? Any big concepts?). You'll want to show off technical skill and conceptual ability; colleges love someone who can critically think (even if it's just the appearance of it, lol). A good portion of my works were social realism/focused on social justice. I submitted a landscape or two too (typically versatility is a good idea). I also think that my sketchbook was probably a deciding factor, I'll reblog w some of it later. Generally tho if you're applying to art schools good luck!!!! Don't worry too hard-- the college you first go to isn't the beginning of end of the world. Have fun with your art :)

[spaceumbredoggos]

So much for stardust Chapter Thirteen

Kenz’s POV:

The sound of Dipper’s coughing woke me up. I noticed that Ford wasn’t in the room. I looked at the couch and saw a brand new phone right beside me. It wasn’t an android or IPhone, but a new phone that’s Ford’s unique invention. I immediately started setting it up with my old contacts, as well as the new contacts.

I went upstairs and noticed Mabel and Wendy chatting. “So if Pokémon are technically the animals of their universe, does that mean it’s considered bestiality and zoophilic to fuck one? Is the vaporeon copypasta bestiality?”

I choked on my water at Mabel’s abrupt sentence and breathed a sigh of relief that there were no kids in the room. “I’m not a hundred percent sure, I mean, in the Japanese version of the Sinnoh games, a library book said that people used to marry Pokemon.”

Why the fuck are they having this conversation? I immediately left the room, walking into the living room. Dipper was loudly blowing his nose. “Dipper. Can you believe what your sister is talking about?”

“They’ve been having this discussion all morning.” Dipper’s voice was nasally and scratchy. I had to stifle my laugh because it kept cracking like a kindergartener’s. “What brought this up?”

“Someone asked if SpongeBob was a furry, so it escalated from there. It was an interesting morning. Also, we found your stash of—”

“Have you guys been going through my stuff?” I grumbled, suddenly aware that I have been out of commission the entire week and haven’t got a chance to move in. “We may have had to in order to set up your room. We didn’t find anything gross, but we found a lot of cringy OC’s in your art, which were well drawn.”

“Why would I keep anything sus within reach of you hooligans?” Dipper burst out laughing so hard that he started to cough again. “I’m going to make my fucking breakfast. If I hear a single one of you fuckers shout the vaporeon copypasta, I’ll scalp you and hang those scalps to scare the coyotes.”

I went into the kitchen, opening the cupboards to get some cereal, only for a bunch of ping pong balls to fall out. “What the fuck?”

“Oops. That was supposed to be for Soos.” Stan was laughing his ass off. “You know he’s sick with the flu? This is the last thing he needs!!!” I grabbed the cereal and poured it, then the milk, into the bowl. I started eating when Wendy walked in. “Hey.”

“Hey.” I finished my food and washed my bowl in the sink, then sat back down. I sat down on the couch, then noticed Dipper was passed out on the couch. He was hardly breathing and his breaths were raspy and distressed. “Shit.” I put my phone down and felt Dipper’s forehead. “He’s burning up. Someone has to get him some medicine. Where’s Ford when you need him?”

I heard him cough in his room. “Out sick.” Wendy coughed, wiping her nose. “They’re dropping like flies.” I paced back and forth. “Someone should go and get some medicine from CVS.”

“I’ll do it.” Wendy volunteered, but I shook my head. “You look pale. You should head home.”

“But—“

“I’ll cover your shift. Mabel is the only one who hasn’t caught this besides me. I’ll send her to get the medicine. Go home and rest.”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s time I start beating my weight around here.” I put my foot down, heading to the cash register. “Have you even worked retail before?”

“It doesn’t matter. You can’t work sick. You look like you walked out of your own open casket funeral. This is a bad flu, as in, it sucks more than anything. If it can knock out Dipper cold, it’s gonna get you. I’m not letting you take this chance.”

Wendy paused as she realized that I wasn’t backing down. “Fine.” She packed up her things and went home as I put on a name tag and sat at the register. I watched a pair of toddlers sticking their fingers in the gnome cage. I walked up to the toddlers, but before I can react, one of them got bitten and started bawling. I bolted over to the ice chest and grabbed some ice and disinfectant, as well as a first aid kit. I rubbed the toddler’s back and gave him a hug. “It’s okay. That gnome was scary, wasn’t it? Probably not a good idea to stick your hand in there.” I bandaged the toddler’s hand before a woman bolted up to me and swatted me away. “Ouch.”

“What the fuck are you doing to my kid, you pervert!!!!” The woman had a typical Karen haircut and she picked up her child, who started bawling again. “Please refrain from using that type of language in front of your kids, ma’am. He simply stuck his hand in the gnome cage and got bitten. I treated the injury with ice, an antiseptic and anti-gnome serum, then wrapped it with the bandage. But I had to calm him down first.”

“Kenz was really nice. They even gave me a lolly!!!”

“UNACCEPTABLE!!! YOU QUEER FOLK MAKE ME SICK!!! LET ME SPEAK TO YOUR MANAGER TO GET A REFUND OR I WILL SUE YOU FOR GROOMING, YOU PREDATOR!!!”

Suddenly, I could see my father’s ice blue eyes staring back at me. Tears welled up in my face as the woman got out her phone and started filming. Rage bubbled beneath the surface, but I kept my cool and turned around. “Look at me when I’m talking to you, Ma’am!!!”

“I am not a ma’am. I have no gender.”

“You are a Ma’am. God made you a woman, so be one!!!” The Karen slapped me across my face, knocking me down as I stared at her. Does she even know where she is? Gravity Falls has the highest queer population in the entire United States. Possibly the world. It’s the only US town that bans anyone remotely homophobic. How did she get in?

I tried to stand up, but I was smacked down again. “Come on, Timmy and Carter. We’re leaving this freak town. Let me call my lawyer.”

“But mommy, Kenz was—“

“A failure to society who only works retail in this town of freaks. Look at their TikTok and instagram. They’re a furry. I bet they use the litterbox and identify as a cat.”

I couldn’t hold back my rant any longer. “Y’know if you kids did half the research I did, you’d know that most the furry stereotypes are false, and furries with fursuits have enough money to be considered members of congress. A furry is just a fandom, like Star Trek and Pokemon. It’s basically people who like anthro animals, which have been a thing in human society since the dawn of time. I’m sure that as long as humanity has existed, furries have also existed, just in a different form. Now for individuals that NONPHYSICALLY, I repeat, NONPHYSICALLY, identify as animals or other species, that’s therians and other kin, which also has existed as long as there have been humans. People who physically identify as animals and actually use litter boxes actually have clinical zooanthropy and need to seek psychiatric help.”

“That’s something a furry would say—“

“And the whole litterbox thing. That’s a hoax spread by transphobic Tucker Carlsons who advocate for the legal genocide of innocent people who don’t fit the cishetero norm. I can’t believe that as a society we allow rich white geriatric pigs to stay in charge whilst our youth is struggling on the streets. Those pigs brand it as a substance abuse issue when it’s so much fucking more. It’s so fucking easy for anyone who doesn’t have an established wealth in this country to end up homeless, it’s sickening. Especially if you’re a minority.” I stood my ground, but the Karen wasn’t budging at all. “How dare you use Tucker Carlson’s name in that light!!! Shame on you!!! You’ll burn in hell for spreading your queer agenda.”

I kept my cool until the Karen smacked me in the face with her purse so hard that my ears rang and my nose bled. I laid on the floor as the Karen ran away towards the door. Feeling every sense of rationality fade from me, I rushed at the Karen and bit her on the forearm. She swiped me off and pepper sprayed me in the eyes, blinding me as I laid on the floor in a daze. I didn’t even realize that I was on all fours. I also failed to notice that I was a slate grey almost black wolf like creature with electric blue umbreon-like rings on my ears, forehead, tail, and legs, with black draconic like wings with electric blue rings. My wrists and ankles had barbs as well as my tail and wings. The thing that hinted me of the transformation was the Karen’s scream of terror. “FUR FREAK!!!” She immediately started calling 911 as I stood up, seeing my reflection in the mirror. No no no no no.

Everything was going wrong as I bolted outside, fleeing into the woods. I climbed up a tree all the way to the top, trying to force myself to transform back. “No. This is just a dream! A fever dream!! Yeah. I got sick with the flu too! I’m just passed out on the couch and having a fever dream!!!” I bit at my foreleg, and the pain was real. “Pain doesn’t prove anything.” I bit myself again, and this time, I had realized that this was indeed happening.

“No no no. The prophecy can’t be true. I have to turn back!!!” I fell out of the tree and realized that I didn’t break anything. “Fuck!!!” I then realized that a one armed lady with grey hair and one amber and one grey eye wearing a red shirt and black patchy pants holding a staff had broken my fall.

“Hey!!! Watch where you’re going!!” I bolted off before realizing that I had caught my neck in a snare. No no no!!!