#Baz and his Oxford’s

[j-nipper-95]

I really need to sort a non-ASR banner for non-ASR related stuff. A future problem for a future Jess.

Thank you so much for the tags the last couple of weeks everyone! I have been writing, I just haven’t got around to responding and sharing 🙈 in fact, I was telling Ashton this week, the El Dorado AU fic has surpassed 56k already … we’re going for an Epic on this one, folks. An hour and a half film for inspiration? Psh, try a book that could be verging into Samantha Shannon levels of thickness, that’s the level of detail and chaos we’re dealing with with this fic. Please God don’t let this become a ‘Roots of Chaos’ length fic. I’m not sure I have the capacity to write an Epic that long 🥲

That being said, have some words. (Simon POV)

The gun shot echoes throughout the entire gallery.

“Go,” I whisper harshly, shoving Baz away from the office towards the entrance to the gallery.

We head back towards the marble stairs we walked up a few minutes ago, and start creeping down them as quietly as we can. The soles of my shoes are softened through wear, but of course Baz has his Oxford’s on, so his heels are clicking with every single step.

“You and your fucking shoes,” I hiss.

“Now’s not the time, Snow.”

“Now’s the perfect fucking time. I swear to God, if we get caught because they fucking hear you—”

The office door slams against the wall upstairs and for a split second I’m torn between just stopping and waiting quietly, to see if they come our way, or just making a break for it.

Baz chooses the second option.

He tucks the map beneath his shirt, and slips the ring onto his little finger, before he grabs my hand and pulls me along.

For the second time in a month, we’re running away from the Now Next.

I am absolutely loving writing this fic. It’s been such a process from start to where we’re at currently (lord knows we’re nowhere near the finish with this one), and it’s really testing my writing skills. I’m such a combo planner/pantser, more leaning to the planner side of things usually. But this fic has just taken me by the throat and gone ‘we’re going this way’ and I’ve just had to follow the inspiration wherever it takes me!

Currently I’m in a bit of a writer’s block phase, but here’s hoping that won’t last too long.

Tagging (and I know some of you have already shared today, but I just love everything you’re working on right now, so sharing the love!): @artsyunderstudy @aroace-genderfluid-sheep @aristocratic-otter @bazzybelle @blackberrysummerblog @bookish-bogwitch @cattocavo @chen-chen-chen-again-chen @cutestkilla @dragoneggos @erzbethluna @ebbpettier @fatalfangirl @frjsti @henreyettah @hushed-chorus @ileadacharmedlife @ivelovedhimthroughworse @krisrix @larkral @letraspal @martsonmars @nightimedreamersworld @orange-peony @prettylightsbigcity @palimpsessed @phoxphyre @raenestee @skeedelvee @stardustasincocaine @subparselkie @theearlgreymage @you-remind-me-of-the-babe

[skeedelvee]

Carry On Countdown Day 15 - Sweets

For this year's COC I've decided to put together daily fic rec lists! Let me know if you find any new favorite reads from these <3

For todays prompt I've gone with fics that prominently feature sweets/baking

The Boy Next Door by @monbons

Rated M, 46,862 words

Simon is a disaster. An utter disappointment. (Or at least, he feels that way.) Looking for a fresh start and some direction, he moves in with his Gran, who happens to live next door to the most mysterious boy Simon has ever met. A boy who never leaves his home. A boy no one ever visits. Determined to befriend his lonely neighbour, Simon ends up changing both of their lives in the process.

Camomile Sea by @sillyunicorn

Rated T, 6,274 words

Baz is content with life. He's got a cuddly cat, supportive friends and family, and plenty of GBBO to watch. What happens when he matches with someone with a sweet smile and puppy dog eyes on a dating app?

At the speed of light by @orange-peony

Rated E, 26,330 words

The bell goes ding, and I close my eyes. I hear the scraping sound of the chair in front of me. I inhale deeply as I try to mentally prepare for another five-minute-slot of pure agony as another imbecile tries and fails to seduce me. “I’m an arsonist,” I declare, my well-rehearsed opening line to discourage the next loser. “Nah, I reckon you’re just an arse,” the stranger in front of me replies. I finally open my eyes, and my vision is filled with a mass of bronze curls, freckles and moles. He’s sitting there with his legs spread wide, jutting his chin out and waiting for me to say something, a dare in his blue eyes. I try to ignore the fact that he’s a fucking wet dream come true and raise my left eyebrow at him. He’s not even wearing a pin to signal who he might be interested in. And he just called me an arse.

The Bother about Brownies by @aristocratic-otter and @hgari

Rated T, 4,845 words

Baz is tasked with creating a dessert for the triplets' school cake sale. Brownies are such an easy recipe. What could go wrong? Everything.

Large Black Coffee by @basic-banshee

Rated G, 19,280 words

“I glance at the cup before I raise it to my lips, and one eyebrow goes up when I see what ridiculous insult he’s written on the cup today.” Every day Baz comes in to get coffee, and every day he finds a new insult on his cup.

Pancakes and... CPR? by Takitalks

Rated M, 1,219 words

Baz wakes up to the sounds of Simon dancing around the kitchen, cooking pancakes with headphones on. But what exactly is he listening to?

Without Complexities or Pride by @mandilorian

Rated E, 15,463 words

Baz and Simon are heading to a garden party organised by Daphne in Oxford. Baz's parents are trying, so what's the harm in showing up and spending the night. Nothing interesting ever happens at a country house party, right? (So many things can happen at a party, it turns out.)

If you have any recs that fit the prompt that I've missed, feel free to leave them in the comments! There's plenty of gaps in my reading so there's a good chance I may not have read it

Also I've had a hard time finding if some people are here on Tumblr, so if you know someone who hasn't been tagged, feel free to leave that in the comments as well <3

@carryon-countdown

[blackberrysummerblog]

Wow, it feels like FOREVER since I posted anything. Thanks so much for the tags today @roomwithanopenfire, @meanjeansjeans, @monbons, @orange-peony, @nausikaaa, and @forabeatofadrum. And thank you so much to everyone else who’s been tagging me! I really do appreciate you all <3 It’s nice to see so many people creating! I’ve been feeling supremely UNcreative the past few weeks, but these things come and go, especially when life gets busy.

I do have some things to share! Here’s a snippet from one:

“We can send it to Oxford if you don’t want it in the flat, love,” Baz tells me as I sit on the bed and stare at the floor. He sits beside me and nudges my shoulder with his. “I can hide it away so well that you never have to lay eyes on it again.”

I let my head flop over so that it rests beneath his jaw. “Yeah, maybe.” A little snort escapes me as I grab hold of that thought. “Your dad’ll lose his rag if he finds out it’s there, imagine.”

And another:

Simon is cute, I suppose, in an apple-cheeked hero-who-saves-the-day sort of way. He’s gotten taller this year, although we’re still about the same height. You can see he was made to be broad, and he’s put on a lot of muscle. His skin and hair are nearly the same colour—a literal golden boy. Simon looks like what everyone expects for me. My magic isn’t particularly exceptional, and neither are my grades, but I’m pleasant to look at and refined—I have better manners than to be wearing shoes on the bed and letting my skirt ride up over my knickers, like Philippa is doing right now. I’m the sort of girl people expect to see on Simon’s arm. The sort of girl who will raise his perfect children.

A different one:

“Please,” I whimper. It sounds pathetic, but his smile is like the sun bursting out from behind a cloud. We kiss for what feels like hours; I’ve learned that he likes to treat making out like a mission, one whose mysteries he has to unlock and pry loose to succeed. He likes when I tell him what to do, and when I praise him for getting it right. The day I found out what ‘good boy’ could do for him was a very, very interesting one indeed. And most of all, his name. I’ll never tell him that I deliberately hold back calling him Simon lest it lose its power. “Simon,” I whisper now, with his hands on my waist, his mouth latched on my throat. “Good boy, Simon.”

And finally:

Dev’s makeup is more dramatic than mine, but I have to admit that bright colours suit him. His searing red lipstick is somewhat unfortunately applied however, having been slicked on well after getting in his cups. He still looks brilliant, full of life. A deep, abiding warmth settles into my gut as I watch my little family—it feels good to be together like this again. Dev’s free spirit is catching, and I move behind the kitchen door to pull the silver dress on, much to Fiona and Ebb’s delight.

I hope everyone has a great week, and if you’re planning to celebrate Thanksgiving, have safe travels and good times with friends and family <3

No pressure tags: @rimeswithpurple @valeffelees @best--dress @stardustasincocaine @bookish-bogwitch @facewithoutheart @c0nsumemy5oul @jasonfunderberkerthefrogexists @tender-ministrations @basiltonbutliketheherb @ghostpepperworld @larkral @artsyunderstudy @letraspal @cows4247 @fiend-for-culture @palimpsessed @thewholelemon @hushed-chorus @shrekgogurt @raenestee @cutestkilla @mooncello @imagineacoolusername @youarenevertooold @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @iamamythologicalcreature @beastmonstertitan @ic3-que3n @supercutedinosaurs @stitchy-queerista @alexalexinii @asocialpessimist @shutup-andletme-go @prettygoododds @ivelovedhimthroughworse @j-nipper-95 @wellbelesbian

[cutestkilla]

Happy time-has-lost-all-meaning-because-my-kids-are-somehow-still-on-summer-vacation Sunday, and thanks for the tags today @blackberrysummerblog @rimeswithpurple @roomwithanopenfire @shrekgogurt @bookish-bogwitch and

@ivelovedhimthroughworse, I'm excited to read your shares! And also to everyone who keeps tagging me in week after week even though I haven't shared in months.

I've been working on Ch 6 of Hiding Out in the Open for a not insignificant chunk of time, but I've either been too busy doing that or just feeling like it's too rough to share. Until today. (So convenient that I feel like it’s ready to share since I’m posting it tomorrow for my dearest @artsyunderstudy's birthday ❤️😂.)

Please join me for our irregularly scheduled Baz spiral which I think might(?) technically be six sentences:

Snow’s kissing my neck now, working his way along my throat in a way that turns my insides to jelly. So naturally, it’s the perfect time for Father’s voice to join the cursed chorus of doubts in my head. Even though he seemed resigned when I called last week to break the news that actually I would be abandoning the hallowed halls of Oxford for the unwashed masses of the LSE in the autumn—thank you for that Daphne—he still managed to forward one brand new objection I can’t seem to completely set aside. “Your aunt tells me you’ve been…seeing someone” —(faithless hag)—“and while I certainly hope you have better judgement than to do this because of a”—he’d pointedly cleared his throat at this point—“romantic entanglement, it remains my duty as your father to warn you. You cannot pin your hopes and dreams on the fickle affections of a twenty-year-old boy”—(yes, ambiguously referring to a twenty-year-old boy who could also be me is the closest my father has ever come to acknowledging my sexuality)—“because while it may feel like it’s forever right now, believe me when I tell you that young love very rarely lasts. Basil—please don’t throw it all away over some silly summer fling that’ll be over before Samhain.”

Tags and hellos for all under the cut, and since Sunday is basically over please consider this a tag in for Wednesday when I may also miraculously share something (or not because I'm taking my kids to a fair).

@hushed-chorus @whatevertheweather @emeryhall @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @aristocratic-otter

@bookish-bogwitch @facewithoutheart @skeedelvee @thewholelemon @monbons

@fatalfangirl @whogaveyoupermission @captain-aralias @j-nipper-95 @iamamythologicalcreature

@raenestee @ileadacharmedlife @onepintobean @martsonmars @brilla-brilla-estrellita

@angelsfalling16 @best--dress @run-for-chamo-miles @chen-chen-chen-again-chen @ic3-que3n

@larkral @letraspal @messofthejess @moodandmist @mooncello

@nightimedreamersworld @orange-peony @palimpsessed @prettygoododds @noblecorgi

@stitchyqueer @technetiumai @that-disabled-princess @theearlgreymage @urban-sith

@valeffelees @youarenevertooold @cosmicalart @wellbelesbian @alexalexinii

@forabeatofadrum @supercutedinosaurs @theimpossibledemon

[bookish-bogwitch]

Hello! Thank you for the tags, @blackberrysummerblog @mooncello @monbons @artsyunderstudy @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @thehoneyedhufflepuff @nausikaaaand and @alexalexinii. You are wonderful!

Today I'm sharing an anxious plea for reassurance + a snippet of chapter 9 of Basil Pitch's Diary, posting June 7. Below the cut for spoilers and anxiety.

<ANXIETY> I'm working on chapter 10 now and friends, it's slow going. I still love this fic with all my heart, but chapters 1-9 I had mapped out more or less scene by scene months before I started posting, and before writing most of them. Writing them was like novelizing a movie I'd watched in my head a countless times.

For the rest of the fic, though--Ch 10-13--I had only broad strokes figured out. I knew the very ending, and a handful of key emotional beats along the way, but the connective tissue was basically "Collect Underpants ... ? ... Profit."

I've now plotted the rest out in reasonable detail, with help from the extremely kind and insightful @facewithoutheart and @thewholelemon. But I am a plotter to the core and it feels much scarier to be writing a story I just made / am still making up than one that's been living in my head for years.

Also, you guys: Chapter 9 is really fucking good. I'm really proud of it and excited to share it. And also scared that the rest of the fic won't live up to the promise of all I've set up. This fic is my baby and I just really want to nail it.

Intellectually I know I'm just swinging on the creative-confidence pendulum, and that future me will be able to write as well as past me. These doubts are just intrusive thoughts, skittering around my head like the mice that live in my walls. Harmless, but such a nuisance. </ANXIETY>

Anyway! Here are some sentences of Chapter 9, which, did I mention, is really good. Baz is finally going dancing with DeNiall.

“So, cousin. What’s your strategy?” I just raised an eyebrow and gestured at myself. My shirt was a perfectly cut navy so sheer that it read as cobalt over my pale skin. Climbing my chest were embroidered red and pink roses, between which you could clearly see my nipples. I’d changed out of Oxford cloth at Fiona’s. (I didn’t tell her I’d stopped in Blackfriars to drop off my grandmother’s furs and my grandfather’s Dickens.) Through my sleeve you could also see my mother’s wand holster, which my father now insists I wear whenever I leave the house. He’s also looking for a second dog. Something more territorial than Rusty, whose lick is worse than his bite. After the numpties he spent a week teaching me defensive spells. His skill surprised me, though it shouldn’t have. Once, when I was small, someone tried to mug him as we were leaving a theatre. My father didn’t panic or capitulate, just calmly kneecapped the man with a vicious Why me, why now. 

Tagging @angelsfalling16 @brilla-brilla-estrellita @palimpsessed @cutestkilla 

@comesitintheclover @confused-bi-queer @carryonsimoncarryonbaz @drowninginships @dragoneggos

@emeryhall @ebbpettier @aristocratic-otter @hushed-chorus @youarenevertooold 

@ic3-que3n @shrekgogurt @ileadacharmedlife @ivelovedhimthroughworse @j-nipper-95

@katatsumuli @valeffelees @martsonmars @whogaveyoupermission @whatevertheweather 

@messofthejess @nightimedreamersworld @alleycat0306 @raenestee @wetheformidables 

@onepintobean @run-for-chamo-miles @skeedelvee @alleycat0306 @iamamythologicalcreature

@twokisses @shrekgogurt

[leiflitter]

Felix calling Oliver's office with an "emergency" and he was just lonely and needed to talk to him.

Whenever the desk phone rang, Oliver jumped. Stupid, really, that he even had a phone on his desk- they were in the digital age, everything was done on his laptop- but old habits died hard, and Oxford was built on old.

It probably wasn't anything important, anyway. Maybe he had some post to collect from a porter in another building, or some ancient acquaintance from a conference was calling to discuss something he'd published. Oliver was in two minds as to actually answering, but he ought to take a break soon. Go grab a coffee, text Felix, then text Felix again to say no, he wasn’t going to take any slutty pictures in his office.

Then he'd probably end up taking a selfie or two. Just to keep Felix happy, which meant when he got home...

He'd lifted the phone without thinking, giving his head a little shake before clearing his throat. "Associate Professor Oliver Quick, English-"

"Hi, Oliver." June's reedy voice always made Oliver feel like he should call his mother. She reminded him of Paula in far too many ways; he wasn't sure how long she'd been one of the reception staff, but if she retired the whole place would definitely crumble. "I have your fiancé on the other line- he says it's an emergency?"

"Fuck- sorry, sorry, June, did he say what it was, or... No, don't worry, just put him through?" Oliver trapped the phone between his shoulder and ear, hurriedly slamming his laptop closed and wondering how quickly he could be ready to go. The phone wasn't considerate enough to be wireless, and he didn't think he could reach his coat, but... June said something before there was a click, and Oliver tried to drag his laptop bag out from under the desk with one foot. "Felix? What's happened, June said it was an emergency, are you- or the kids- or Basil?"

"Oh."

Oliver's blood ran cold.

"Actually, Ollie-love, it... You weren't texting back, so I was a bit worried and I might have decided to make sure you were alright. I'd have emailed but I'd have to make a new one, seeing as my actual email's blocked, so... Calling it was."

"I told you I wasn't coming back for lunch today, Felix. You scared the shit out of me." Oliver collapsed back into his chair, gingerly reopening his laptop. Relief washed over him when he saw the screen was intact, and he crossed one arm over his chest, holding the phone with the other hand. "I thought... I don’t know. Someone had died, or something. You've got to find something to do, Felix."

"I have something to do, Oliver." Felix almost sounded indignant, before his voice dropped to a purr. "You. Except you're not here, so..."

"Felix, you're awful." Oliver pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. If he gave in, then he'd be reenforcing this behaviour, and it'd happen again and again and again... "Give me a minute. I'll call you back on my mobile?"

"Video call?" Felix was outrageously hopeful.

"Video call. Just... Felix?" There was a moment before a nonchalant hum down the line meant Felix hadn't hung up. "Give Baz his licky mat in the living room before you get your cock out? I've got about fifteen minutes, and if he interrupts- that's it, til I get home. Got it?"

"Aye aye, captain."

Oliver hung up.

[philaet0s]

Celebrity/Social Media AU - Part 23

Previous Part: Part 22

Simon

The bell at the door rings as I’m counting the cash drawer. Dammit. This is going to make me lose count. Can’t people read a ‘closed’ sign anymore?

“Sorry, we’re closed,” I say as I look up.

And I freeze.

“I know. I thought I might still come in. Or should I wait for you outside? It’s raining, I’d rather not,” he says. His voice sounds tired. He always sounds tired when he comes home. He shouldn’t come home if it exhausts him more than his tour…

I’m so glad he came home.

I put the stack of banknotes in my hand down and jump up. He’s standing still –he’s an idiot, he should know he can come to me. It doesn’t matter I come to him instead. I want to hug him but the front of the shop is all windows. So instead I take his hand. No, not his hand. I loop my pinky around his. It feels more intimate, somehow.

He smiles at me. God, my kingdom for that smile.

“Hi, love.”

“Hi. Why’d you come back?” I ask, a knot already forming in my throat.

Because I know why.

I wasn’t alright. Missing him was becoming painful, and he knew it. I told him.

So he came home.

But he doesn’t say that. He never would. He’s gentle on my heart, he knows I wouldn’t like him admitting he traveled all the way home because I was feeling down. (I do need to talk about my struggle with being vulnerable to my therapist, the bastard’s right about that)

“I missed Mordelia’s birthday, I thought I’d make up for it somehow. Would you be okay heading for Oxford tonight? I can’t stay in the UK for very long…”

I try to ignore those last few words and the weight that fell on my stomach upon hearing them. He only just arrived. I have no reason to think about when he’ll leave again yet.

“Yeah, that’s fine. I just need to head home and get a few things. How long do you want to stay there?”

“Pack enough for three nights, okay?”

I nod.

“Good. Now, do you want help closing?”

…

I settle comfortably in the passenger seat, smiling as Baz sits behind the wheel. I love it when he drives, though I always do it if he’s not feeling up to it. He almost crashed his car once because his leg decided to act up while he was driving. He’s been very careful ever since. Everyone around him –me included, if I’m honest– advised him to rely on a driver more often, but none of us argued for very long. He loves driving too much. I didn’t know him then, but he had to give up on a lot of things after he injured his leg. It feels cruel asking him to give up on one more.

Though he could be a little more careful…

“Where’s your cane?”

He tenses.

I almost take back my question, but I don’t. It’s something that’s been bugging me for a while. Since Las Vegas. He used his cane the whole time he was home before the beginning of his US tour, but when I saw him in the US, and then again in France, he wasn’t using it.

I kept quiet about it until now, but seeing him drive is pushing that concern at the front of my mind.

“I try not to use it when I’m on tour.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. That’s when you need it the most. You’re doing more physical effort than usual.”

He sighs. He takes a turn and drives a few seconds in silence, so I think he’s decided to sulk, but then he says; “Are you wearing your contacts today?”

“Uh, yeah? What does that have to do with anything?”

“Say you hadn’t put them on this morning, and had just gone about your day without them. Would you have the impression of seeing better than if you took them off right now and finished your day without them after having them on for hours?”

…I see where this is going.

“Yes, but that’s completely different! I don’t even need my contacts all that much. My eyes are decent.”

“My leg isn’t so bad. I can walk fine without the cane. I can drive, I can exercise.”

“But it causes you pain. Don’t try and tell me it doesn’t because I know it does.”

“You get headaches if you read too much without your contacts,” he argues.

“Baz, that’s not the same thing. It really isn’t. And I… I didn’t mean to upset when I brought up your cane, it’s just, well, I want you to feel good. As best as you can. I’m not sure than going about your day every day without your cane when you do several shows a week is something that makes you feel good.”

“Well, I’ve been alright so far, haven’t I? I suppose I’m not as crippled as you think.”

“Baz, I never said that, and you shouldn’t say that either. You’re not… You’re disabled.”

I shouldn’t have talked about the damn cane. We’ve had this argument so many times. How many more times will we have it? It feels useless…

“I’m also the one who’s living in my body. So I know how I’m feeling. And how I’m feeling is fine. I’m not fucking stupid, alright? Besides, I have a doctor checking in on me. You know, someone with actual proficiency in the medical field. If she says I can go on as I am, then I can go on as I am,” he answers in a cold, biting voice.

I throw my hands up in the air. “Well, sorry for worrying about you! Really, how dare I care about your health!”

“You’re my boyfriend not my mum. I don’t need you… fussing over me like I’m a stupid kid who needs an adult to take care of him.”

“Fuck off, Baz. Seriously. You’re being a dick for no reason.”

“I’m just so fucking sick of you treating me like a fragile little thing because of that damn leg! I’m not incapable!”

“I don’t… Oh, you know what, I don’t even want to argue anymore. It’s useless,” I say, shaking my head.

Then, in a very mature gesture, I turn to the side to have my back on him, my eyes staring out the window stubbornly.

He turns on the radio. That means no more talking.

…oops

[justalilguyoops]

What made you think about writing LAWS in the reverse perspective? Felix being obsessive and Ollie being....less

omg.....this is such a good question!!!! hello anon and thank you for this hehehe

okay so I'm pretty sure i had a eureka, light bulb over the head moment but I don't remember what or when exactly it was

BUT! there were a few things that led up to it! I wasn't originally planning on doing another fic and definitely not a long fic, but idk i think i was possessed probably

one of the things that made me go "huh. interesting idea" was reading a post on tumblr about how Felix probably thinks he's in a romcom, how his party outfit is reminiscent of Baz Luhrmann's Juliet in R&J. So that got me thinking about the film from Felix's perspective.

Another thing that also caught my attention is how much this fandom (and me) eats up an obsessive/possessive/jealous lil bitch Felix. I also think there's proof in the film that Felix IS possessive over Oliver.

Barry Keoghan's rizz was also another factor. I can't remember what video or what really triggered it, but I thinkkkk maybe his Hot Ones interview? But I think there was another video way before that too that gave me the initial idea, since I think LAWS originally sprouted in my brain like....20 chapters before WIPIP ended.

I was just like "wow....his power...." and I do think Oliver had like a bit of his charisma, but...what if....i dialed it up to Barry Keoghan's innate level? what if oliver had that goin awn?

I also came up with the line in chapter 7, where Oliver asks if Vee is pretty and when Felix gets defensive and asks why, oliver just responds with "Figured. Y’know, because you are."

i wanted....to use that....so badly once my brain produced it

Oxford days of the film also particularly captivated me, mainly the moments of the montage. The guitar scene was a HUGE contributing factor for me wanting to write LAWS in Oxford days.

why did I do LAWS in modern day?

Primarily because I wanted Felix to vape. truly. that was like the main reason.

Along with just a generally more accepting culture of LGBTQIA+, cellphones, and social media. I wanted to make all of them even worse by giving them access to tiktok <3

So, more or less, I did want to write LAWS as a college romcom, something much lighter and totally different from WIPIP.

I wanted to do it from Felix's POV because WIPIP was more predominantly Oliver (despite switching POV each chapter; it was still very much Oliver's story and we all tended to view the story as a whole from his POV).

The reversal of role was motivated by Felix being the possessive one first!!! This was a SUPER long answer and I'm going to include a bit more beneath this, but warning: It contains spoilers for PART ONE of LAWS!

DON'T READ BELOW IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED LAWS PART ONE!

------

I was also just really interested in exploring the Quick family. In the film, we view them as kind people who care about their son, which y'know, makes oliver look terrible for his lies.

HOWEVER! There has to be a reason that Oliver is what he is. Obviously, people develop individuality on their own and not everything is a product of nurture vs. nature, but I do believe that there's something to that. Parts of us can be a product of our environment.

Also, if you've read my past writing, you know I really enjoy religious themes, specifically Christianity.

Fun fact, but I am and have been atheist my whole life, my whole family is. I've never attended a church service.

BUT i am extremely fascinated by it (which def reflects in my writing lol) and enjoy exploring all the ideas, stories, and culture. I did notice in the film that Paula wears a cross necklace, which kinda indicates that they are religious in some variation.

What if the Quicks always knew that Oliver was bisexual? What if they never spoke of it? Oliver, always on his own at school. Never had any friends. Why were his parents OKAY with that?

Personally, if my parents noticed something like that they'd want to have a conversation with me or my school: was I being bullied? were there any issues on the playground? why did I not have any friends?

Instead, Paula uses excuses of him being "so clever", kind of brushing off her son's loneliness? idk, they very clearly love their son, but there are some little indications that Oliver struggled in his youth and his parents never really addressed it? (obviously all of this is just a theory and think i've kinda come up with)

SOOOOO i wanted to investigate that in modern day. The kind of outdated and conservative ideals of a religious family and their bisexual son. (of course still happens all over the world, but in my personal life I feel like I don't hear about this experience as often. I live on the west coast of the USA which I think is a contributing factor)

AND I WANT TO SAY I hope that my stories and references to religion are never harmful to those that are religious. I try hard to be respectful and honest with information.

I find religions to be super interesting and never intend to be insensitive! I try to do a lot of research, but obviously as someone kinda standing outside and looking in, I may get things wrong.

I don't intend for LAWS to be disrespectful towards Christianity; I'm merely trying to write a story about what has and is happening to many LGBTQIA+ youths in strict religious households. I know of many religious families that unequivocally love their queer children, but there's always the other side of the coin.

anyways!!! longest answer ever!!! sorry for this word vomit!!! and thank you again for such a wonderful question hehe

[chen-chen-chen-again-chen]

Things about AWTWB that I forgot about or just noticed for the first time, upon a recent re-listen:

Lady Ruth as an unreliable narrator: “I’m not one to hold grudges” but next page “I would dance on his grave and throw a fiesta and then resurrect him so I could kill him again” (My poor paraphrase) 

Baz, about vampires: “They’re less like murderers - more like sexy bedbugs” 

Baz, about Petra and Sophie: “I thought twins were supposed to be best friends, but all they do is eat jam and butter sandwiches and throw things at each other" (Me, adding to my Jelly Babies notes folder: “Yup, that tracks”)  

Simon (about Baz): “I mean, have a look at him. He’s the most fuckable person alive. Or otherwise” (#facts)

Dev is a PITCH cousin, not a GRIMM fuck me why did I think he was a Grimm sljk;dskljdskjldsaljks

The door knocker for Salisbury House is shaped like a SMILING CYCLOPS (adding to my Rosethorn girl notes folder) 

Simon, to Baz: “I’m not letting you fuck with my face. Although I’m starting to get the feeling you really want to.” Oh-okay, horny boi 

Simon notes like three times in three pages that Smith Smith-Richards is fit like hmmmmmm-kay

Every time Smith Smith-Richards mentions Simon: "I'm not jealous okay I'm a little jealous how is he so hot" they're a li'l mutual admiration club

Simon, to Baz: “I can get one of those poles” (clothes racks) but because of Yuri on Ice!!, my brain went “pole-dancing Simon Snow??” 

Shepherd holds the secret key to being magic even when you don’t speak magic: “The world is magic, and I’m a part of the world.” 

THE GRIMM KIDS HAVE A DOG: “a Tibetan mastiff that they bought when they moved to Oxford.” (In my head canon this dog is named Amblewise, or another name from this list of medieval dog names, THANK YOU GOOD NIGHT)

I continue to have Complicated Feelings about Malcolm Grimm but he is So Soft for Daphne: “He treats her with as much polite tenderness as ever. He dotes on her, in his way. Caters to her every whim without making a show of it.” 

JAMIE knew about the Goats of Watford when none of the folks who actually went to Watford did, besides Niamh, like JKASDJKLDSAJKLSADKLJADSKLADSKLJADSKJL UNCLE JAMBY FOR THE WIN

Penelope Bunce is a Fucking Queen: “Being comforting isn’t one of my core competencies. Breaking people out of towers is.” 

Pippa Stainton is a Goddamn Empress: “I don’t forgive you. I never want to see you again. Tell Simon I say thank you.” 

Simon and Jamie get fucking KFC in a stolen van after the hullabaloo with Smith-Richards and if that’s not nephew-uncle bonding at its finest, I don’t what is 

Miss Christie, the school nurse, is the only person (I think) who basically says to Simon, “I’m sorry for your loss” instead of “The Mage was a flaming sack of shit” 

I’m not crazy… Penny really is a year younger than the rest of them (thought I was mixing this up with Hermione)

LUCY also started Watford a year early fsalkjsadsjlkfsdljkdfs (now I have to go back and fix my timelines for Rosethorn girl, FUCK) 

Just like Lady Ruth, Mitali hoped that Lucy would come out of hiding after the Mage died (just stab me harder in the heart, Rainbow)

I DO really want a fic of bisexual Martin Bunce making bread; I feel like our core competencies overlap in many ways

There are magical swans in Oxford. I bet they r gay

Simon cries when Baz plays the violin 

They're all good dogs, Bront. 16/10 will listen to this audiobook again for like..... the sixth time

[cosmicalart]

🎶 simon snow + 🎶 penny bunce

Simon: The Driver by Maneskin When Simon gets his first car he starts driving Baz everywhere, Uni, his family in Oxford, grocery shopping, or just around for the sake of it cause he enjoys the freedom and having Baz next to him in the passenger seat (even if Baz sometimes has to remind him to keep his eyes on the road) Penny: Neglect by Mr.Kitty Shepard helps open Penny's eyes to a lot of wrongdoing and prejudices the WOM has towards those who aren't mages (Normals included) and she starts learning about them, between Uni and stuff she goes on road trips with him to meet and befriend different creatures

Bonus: I definitely headcanon that Shepard eventually ends up working for the coven for inter-species communications

[you-remind-me-of-the-babe]

Hmm…I have a green banner on my iPad and a purple one on my phone. Why there are different images saved on tumblr on different devices is beyond me, but we’re going with this one so I don’t have to go find my phone.

I am off work this week and HOPING that means I get some words down. I did get a good chunk of a scene for Depth of Reason written on Monday (let’s hope third times the charm for getting this next chapter up and running!) so here’s a little something from that:

“Ok, one, I most certainly was not a teacher’s pet,” he says with so much defensiveness I bark out a laugh at how ridiculous he is. “Two,” he goes on, ignoring my outburst, “Not everyone was a fan of my mother and her policies—”

“And I’m sure you know exactly who loved working with her. So don’t go acting like it’s some big obstacle,” I say, cutting him off.

“And three,” he plows on, “I was only top of our class because Bunce wasn’t there to claim the crown.”

There’s no crown. Only a stuffy old sash the top student wears while giving their speech that they don’t actually get to keep. And a plaque that they do. (I’ve seen it, casually displayed on a bookcase in Baz’s living room, close to where his certificate from Oxford hangs on a wall. The prat.)

Is certificate the word for it? Instead of diploma? Is my American-ness showing? 😅

I’m heading to a cafe later today to write more. Same place I banged out the bulk of the first chapter last summer. Wish me luck the good writing juju is still there!

Thank you for the early tag today @ic3-que3n! Tagging @fatalfangirl @cutestkilla @captain-aralias @artsyunderstudy @aristocratic-otter @facewithoutheart @raenestee @thewholelemon @yellobb @theearlgreymage @blackberrysummerblog @ebbpettier @johnwgrey @ivelovedhimthroughworse @ileadacharmedlife @palimpsessed @larkral @hushed-chorus @whogaveyoupermission @chen-chen-chen-again-chen @toonysart @forabeatofadrum and anyone else who sees this and wants to share 💛

[skeedelvee]

Carry On Countdown Day 13 - Lyrics

For this year's COC I've decided to put together daily fic rec lists! Let me know if you find any new favorite reads from these <3

For todays prompt I've gone with fics that prominently feature music and lyrics

All I Ever Wanted was the World by @facewithoutheart

Rated E, 30,152 words

Simon finds himself at the Wank of England, Vauxhall’s infamous gay pub. Ruled by drag queen Baz Pitch aka Tyra Fangs, and staffed by lovable queer misfits, many lost souls have found themselves within its dark walls. But Simon’s not just another lost soul, and Baz is more than the sparkling gowns he wears as armour, and together they may build something better than a place to grab a pint.

Only Creatures by @emeryhall

Rated E, 88,073 words

After Simon dumps Baz in the San Diego airport, Baz tries to be normal about it. He finishes up at LSE, gets an MSt in poetry from Oxford, dates a few men, fucks around. Then he gives up and retires to the Scottish Highlands to cultivate his “Rick Rubin beard” and “Unabomber vibe.” Everything is going just bloody brilliant. That is until Fiona shows up with some unexpected news. Oh yeah, and a porno mag featuring his ex wearing nothing but wings and a tail.

Ride 'Em Cowboy by @wolfywordweaver

Rated M, 9,673 words

Before going on a months long trip to the Midwest with his father for business, Baz is dragged to a strip club on a Cowboy Themed night for one last hurrah by his friends Dev and Niall. It just happens that at the club he meets Simon Snow, a stripper that shakes his world and makes him want things that he think he can't have. Except, maybe Simon wants those things too.

Across the Universe by @sillyunicorn

Rated T, 8,815 words

School has started, but where is Baz? And where did this cat come from? Simon searches for his missing roommate, learns to love the Beatles, and finds comfort in his new furry friend. And maybe, just maybe, what he’s been looking for has been here all along.

Take On Me by @basic-banshee

Rated T, 49,589 words

Baz Pitch is an overworked uni student who -- between his heavy course load and his shifts at his aunt's bookstore -- is stressed all the time. There are expectations on him to follow the family footsteps, and he doesn't want to deal with that right now. His aunt Fiona's bookstore is his one oasis in this (except for on poetry slam nights) and he's glad to have her -- even if she does come with her own brand of crazy. But when Simon Snow, a lit student with a short temper who's trying to distance himself from his bad history, starts working at the bookstore, Baz's life gets infinitely more stressful. Amidst bad poetry slams, author signings, getting locked in storerooms and gaining a (unwanted) roommate, Baz comes to realise that Simon Snow is so much more than he's prepared to take on.

✨Gratuitous self rec✨

In Just Seven Days (And Six Long Nights) I Can Make You a Manahhahaan! by me! @skeedelvee

Rated T, 30,109 words

Reccing this one again because I messed up and forgot I was saving it for this day's prompt before

The Popped Cherry shadow cast is in dire need of a Rocky. Simon Snow has a week to prepare for the role. The person enlisted to help bring him up to snuff? None other than the show's star (and Simon's roommate), Baz Pitch.

If you have any recs that fit the prompt that I've missed, feel free to leave them in the comments! There's plenty of gaps in my reading so there's a good chance I may not have read it

Also I've had a hard time finding if some people are here on Tumblr, so if you know someone who hasn't been tagged, feel free to leave that in the comments as well <3

[aristocratic-otter]

It's late, but I knew I had to post tonight, if only to tell you all how brilliant and talented you are! I was so entertained by all of your shares today, you have no idea.

I have some sentences to share, though I'm bummed that the best stuff is all unshareable because it's spoilery. But I'll give you what I can! Snips under the break.

Thank you to @fatalfangirl, @ivelovedhimthroughworse, @hushed-chorus @theearlgreymage, @blackberrysummerblog, @artsyunderstudy @whogaveyoupermission, @facewithoutheart, @confused-bi-queer, @ic3-que3n, @cutestkilla and @larkral for sharing your gifts with me!

Tagging for Wednesday and a tired hello to everyone above, along with:

@annabellelux, @bazzybelle, @basiltonbutliketheherb, @bloodiedpixie, @bookish-bogwitch, @carryonsimoncarryonbaz, @dragoneggos, @erzbethluna, @excalisbury, @frjsti, @fight-surrender, @foolofabookwyrm-activated, @gekkoinapeartree, @ionlydrinkhotwater, @ileadacharmedlife, @johnwgrey, @j-nipper-95, @jbrrring, @jasonfunderberkerthefrogexists, @krisrix, @letraspal, @messofthejess, @moments-au-crayon22, @nightimedreamersghost, @otherworldsivelivedin, @onepintobean, @prettylightsbigcity, @mostlymaudlin, @raenestee, @thehoneyedhufflepuff, @twinkle-twinkle-up-above, @tea-brigade, @technetiumai, @upuntil6am, @unfiltered-alice-liddle, @urban-sith, @yellobb-old, @yeonjunenby

From Westward Son:

Shepard is standing in front of his dun gelding, Kevin. He’s swiping at…something…with a leafy branch he must have just pulled off of a tree. 

The water in front of him roils, and then a long appendage, as wide around as my waist and gray and wrinkled like an elephant’s trunk, shoots out of the water and grabs for Kevin. I guess whatever monster this is, it’s smart enough to realize that the horse has a lot more meat on him than Shepard does. I can’t see the rest of the creature, though from the height of the water mounding up around the base of the appendage, it’s enormous. 

Then the water breaks and cascades to either side of the creature, and I reel back, gagging at the stench that comes with it.

From To Heal A Broken Mind

He’s quiet on the drive home as well, and finally I can’t take it anymore. “Penny for your thoughts?” I ask, with a nervous laugh. 

He eyes me inscrutably from where he’s curled himself into the door on the passenger side. For a moment, I can tell he’s considering whether to lie or prevaricate; I’ve seen that look on too many patients to be fooled by it on the face I know best in the world besides my own. 

Fortunately, he decides on the truth. “I’m worried about having a seizure tonight.”

From Raising Dragons:

“Sorry, Baz,” he whispers. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

I shrug. (Fucking Snow.) (Why are all his bad habits so contagious?) “It’s alright,” I mumble through a yawn. “What’s the matter?”

He eases himself down on the mattress and rolls to face me. For several seconds he seems to struggle for words, but then he just heaves a heavy sigh. “Baz,” he says, “do you ever worry that you won’t be enough?”

From a secret project (I actually have to redact some of it, I couldn't find six sentences in a row that weren't spoilery):

As always, since his [redacted] merged with my own, he keeps his eyes diligently on his [redacted], never betraying himself by even a glance in my direction. And yet, every time I look back at my [redacted], I could swear I feel his eyes, hot and antagonistic, on my back. 

I’m probably not being fair. He and I did agree to a truce, after all. And it’s been years since I’ve seen him. He’s probably changed a great deal in that time. I know I have. 

From Saving Simon Snow:

Snow looks at me oddly when I cast locking spells on every door and window once we step inside the house. I just shake my head and murmur, “just a precaution.” I can hope Fiona gives my father time to explain that my life is tied to Simon’s, but I can’t be certain of that. More likely, she’ll hear “Baz was married to Simon” and head straight for Oxford like her tail’s on fire. Ready to set him on fire. 

Shit.

Everything new I have from my COBB is too spoilery this week, so I'm skipping that one for now!

[runesylvesterdyatlov]

The Great Gatsby is an Alternate Timeline Where Jack Survived Titanic

I’m sorry, but I think we have to discuss the elephant in the room here.

While Baz Luhrmann’s movie adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel The Great Gatsby looks gorgeous, and probably brings the novel to life in a wonderfully larger-than-life manner, at no point have I seen anyone discussing how Leonardo DiCaprio’s Gatsby is obviously Jack from Titanic. And how the movie is obviously an alternate timeline where he survived the sinking of the ship and went on to build a life for himself in America in an attempt to reunite with Rose.

Not only that, but no one is discussing how this is the sixth Leonardo DiCaprio movie depicting an alternate timeline where Jack survived.

The clues are all there. The sinking of the Titanic was a crucial turning point in history and the character of Jack is right at the center of it. He’s a chaotic figure. A man who was not supposed to be on the boat, who affects change in the lives of many others in a short period of time, and who lives on only in the memory of one woman after his death. He exists as a catalyst in the purest sense.

Jack, if that was even his real name, seemed fated to die on Titanic. But what if he hadn’t? When you look at Leonardo DiCaprio’s 21st century film career, it seems like he’s constantly trying to answer that question. Another movie, a new timeline, and still it seems that Jack never achieves his goal of reuniting with Rose and living happily ever after.

Don’t let go, things are about to get a little creepy. So, what I think is...

What if Jack Dawson and Jay Gatsby were the same person? Both were poor and were played by the same actor.

Gatsby claimed he was an Oxford man, which wouldn't have been that far from Southampton where he boarded the Titanic. ........... Jack Dawson, a penniless artist who wins a ticket onto Titanic in 1912, attends a first class dinner, develops a taste for the finer things in life, pockets the Heart of the Ocean.

Maybe Jack didn't die in the water when the Titanic sank. Maybe he was rescued by someone and worked on the ship like Gatsby did, as Gatsby was a yachtsmen for ten years before he became rich. He pawns the diamond, spends the following ten years building his wealth, he buys a house in West Egg and in 1922 moves there as Jay Gatsby, a millionaire with a shady past and fear of swimming pools.

He also fell for Daisy, whom coincidentally was also named after a flower like Rose, was an upper class woman, and was involved in anabusive relationship.

The romance between the two of them is meant to be brief. They were not truly meant for each other past that point. But perhaps that was the point of the main timeline. Jack as J. Gatsby certainly heeds that advice.

Except then he drowns anyway.

The multiverse is cruel. Weird and cruel.

[becoach-a]

something that's very interesting to me regarding beard's defense of himself versus others is . . . fight vs flight.

whenever we see beard threatened ( first by the boyfriend, then by james ), his first instinct is to run away. that's a huge factor in beard's self preservation, and honestly a reason why he's still alive to this day. he runs away. he tries to extract himself from any danger as best as he can, whether it's to seek the fire escape + subsequent jump from a roof, or to search for an emergency exit. actually, it's something we see in response to his brain as well.

the first time beard hallucinates in beard after hours, his instinct is to leave. to chug his beer, grab his keys, and walk to the pub. he turns away from the pain, even if it's only for a couple hours.

when beard is threatened, he tries to escape. he tries to survive by not engaging.

in contrast . . .

beard throws himself first into protecting his friends.

we see the way beard inserts himself in between jamie and james, physically dragging the abuser away from his victim.

we see beard (even though it wasn't a physical threat) jump right into pretending to be someone else to defend paul, baz, and jeremy from those oxford men.

we see beard become very defensive over henry once he learns there's a possibility he had been bullied, even opting to fly all the way to america to protect him.

beard almost got into a physical fight with jeremy, baz, and paul over their comments regarding ted.

all these moments, beard is quick on the defense, whether it's physical or not. he doesn't even think about it. he protects those he cares about, even if there's a possible chance that something could happen to him in return. he may opt to run away when it's to protect himself, but he doesn't sit down whenever it's someone he cares about.

[leiflitter]

Hi Leif!! Can we get some hcs about times where Harry has *known* felix and oliver have been up to no good please? Congrats on the recent chapter, what an absolute joy to read(:

HELLO FRIEND LET'S GOOOOO

Also ty for hc specificity it gets my brain going brrrrrrrrr

Harry has absolutely forgotten something for Basil when she's taking him out for the afternoon in Oxford and heard... Well. Nothing she wants to hear, thank you, so she closed the front door quietly and just went to the nearest pet shop.

It's fairly obvious when you open a door to a room and find them both in there, at opposite ends of whatever sofa they've obviously been snogging on, red in the face and hair all out of place. Extra eye rolls if Oliver's sitting with his knees to his chest and Felix has a cushion or something. Morons.

If they're going to the field, it's probably best to avoid that area of the grounds? You're safe if you're there first, but if they have dibs... Just don't. It's not worth it.

If you're walking Baz and spot the rover parked up somewhere odd, you walk in the opposite direction very quickly.

Also, Harry is considering banning them from going out clubbing in Oxford. Nothing worse than stumbling out of a club with your friends, then someone goes, "is that your dad?" And he's trying to eat Oliver's face outside a kebab shop like he's a student again. Harry has absolutely hit Felix with her handbag for that.