#I guess it's angsty mixed with funny day

[toms-cherry-trees]

Congrats on 1.5k, Mars!! 🥳

Here's my gif submission for you - maybe something fluffy here with our love, Tommy? 💙

Thank you so much!

I am SO sorry this took so long! Life moves too fast and I do too slow :( I hope this fluff meets the expectations because I went out of my comfort zone to write pure fluff with no dash of angst for angsty Tommy

Mars 1.5K Celebration

The One || Tommy Shelby x Reader

Warnings: None really, just Tommy being possessive but in a funny/romantic way and a bit cheeky

Everything is a haze. The autumnal wind pricking your cheeks like fine pins, the rustle of the dried autumn leaves swirling around your feet. Church bells echo far away in the distance, or so it seems, for you cannot hear anything above the thumping in your ears. An unpleasant heat crawls up your spine and settles inside your head, your face blazing as the wooden doors swing open and the gazes of a hundred people or more turn in your direction. All eyes, all attention on you, the quiet noises of the hall come to an abrupt halt upon your arrival. The smiles are on every face; they had all been waiting for you.

After all, you are the bride.

The church is packed; you can only guess who half the guests are. Your entire extended family only makes up a quarter of those seated inside, and the groom’s family is no more than a handful of people sitting in the first rows. Even adding friends and acquaintances, you still can only wonder why there are so many people inside. But everyone smiles at you like they have known you your entire life. You try to smile back, despite your face being barely visible under the exquisite embroiders of the long veil. 

Suddenly, you swing from not being able to feel anything to feeling it all in an overpowering wave. The diadem you wear is too heavy, burdening down the crown of your head and promising a most marvellous headache for later in the evening. Your feet keep catching on the hem of the gown; your grip around your father’s arm tightens, terrified of the meagre possibility of tripping and faceplating in the aisle. You are positive one of your earrings is ready to fall, despite feeling the tight bite of the clasp secured on your earlobe. 

However, it all fades into nothingness the moment you focus your gaze upon the altar. Tommy stands there, dashing in his suit with a corsage of lilies of the valley pinned upon his breast, matching the dainty white flowers from your bouquet, mixed with softly coloured carnations. Arthur stands at his side as best man, a cheeky smirk upon his lips as he leans closer to Tommy to whisper something in his ear, both sets of blue eyes locked on you. 

And then the groom smiles.

He actually smiles, an event so rare one ought to write the date down to never forget such an occurrence. He actually seems to be attempting to hold back, biting his lower lip tight to avoid his mouth from breaking into a full grin. But the closer you come, the harder it becomes for him to hold it back. He stares at your approaching figure like he has just won the biggest prize in the lottery and is just waiting for it to be delivered to his eager hands. 

The moment you are by his side, he lifts your veil and throws it back. Tommy has half a mind to tell Jeremiah to skip the paraphernalia and just go straight to the pivotal moment. Not even bother to ask if anyone opposes the union; that person would find themselves filled with lead in an alley before the end of the day. 

“I am glad to see you came, Mrs Shelby” His warm breath caresses your ear, and even though your eyes are fixed on the priest, you know he is smirking.

“I am not yet Mrs. Shelby sir. I still have time to change my mind. That is why I have the car with engine running around the corner”

Your cheekiness is met with a playful tap of his shoe against your heel “I’d love to see you try to get away from me, love” While the ceremony progresses, he keeps his arm around you, not caring that it is not proper. After all, Tommy had never been one to care for appropriateness and he is not going to start now, now with his little wife so close to being his forever. When Jeremiah asks the crowd if anyone opposes the union, Arthur takes a step forward and points his finger at the masses, as if daring a soul to open their mouth. But no such trouble arises and at last, comes the moment your heart has been in somersaults for.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride”

~

People dance and glide across the dancefloor, glasses of champagne and whiskey coming and going at a dizzying pace. The most formal instances of the celebration had been left behind and the guests are now letting loose. Arthur has his tie around his head and it's being spun in place by John and Finn, just like little children playing ‘pin the tail’, although this seems more of a ‘plunk the drunk’. Ada is engaged deep in conversation with two other women, and whatever it is she is saying, the listeners seem to agree wholeheartedly with her. Polly is dancing with one of your uncles, and you presume by the look in her eyes that their night might end upstairs. 

You sit next to Tommy, his arm lazily thrown over your shoulders while you feed him bites of cake. For you he endured all the silly things, like cutting the cake together, drinking champagne with your arms linked, and he held your hand tight during the speeches to keep himself from tossing a piece of bread at John’s head. He let himself be paraded like a prop for your happiness, and now he relishes on one of those sweet moments where there are only you two and everything else is just background noise. 

“I am glad to see you did not run away, Mrs Shelby” He brushes his thumb down the line of your jaw, tickling your skin in a most marvellous way. The smile makes it to your lips without you noticing; you’ve smiled so often that evening you are positive your cheeks will be numb tomorrow.

“Hm, well yes. I decided that I wanted to try out what you had to offer” Your hand cups his cheek, delicate touch of your fingertips against his sharp cheekbone making him lean into your touch instinctively, his head tilted in the right angle to press his forehead to yours “Besides, the getaway car ran out of petrol”

“If it had not, I would have sent John out to put nails in the tires” His index lifts your chin, the gentle yet firm gesture ensuring you do not shy away from his gaze “You see, once something is mine, I never let it go, even if it tries to escape me” He leans in for a kiss, but you stop it with a gentle touch of your fingertip on his lips

“You see, I am yours now. But that does not mean you get to slack” Your hooded gaze fixates on his lips, still parted and ready for that kiss “You have to do a very good job to keep your wife…fulfilled. Isn’t that what they say? Happy wife, happy life?”

His strong arm falls from your shoulders to your waist, pulling you close so abruptly that even your chair drags across the floor. “Well Mrs Shelby, how about we go upstairs so I can show you how much of a good job I can do to keep you full and filled?”

[kbrick]

Peak Drarry: Celebrating Incredible Writers - aibidil

Peak Drarry is a series of posts celebrating the absolute treasure trove of talented writers in this fandom, and a reminder of how lucky we are to have them here with us. I’m kicking it off with one of my all-time faves, @aibidil​. 

✨AIBIDIL✨

I’m guessing there are very few people involved in the Drarry fandom who haven’t heard of aibidil. Aibidil has been showering us with quality fic since 2017 and has over sixty offerings on AO3. Her works were some of the first I consumed when I fell headfirst into Drarry during covid, and had a lot to do with my desire to write my own. I still distinctly remember being blown away by A Hag, a Hex, a Tale of Redemption, by how aibidil had managed to create such a compelling, funny, and heartfelt fuck-or-die fic, one that stood out from the rest. So, why should you read aibidil’s fic? Here are a few reasons:

They are creative and get you thinking

Sometimes there’s a trope or two thrown into the mix, but even then, the trope is merely a jump-off point into something much bigger. Trope: Ginny and Harry break up and Harry finds solace in and then love with Draco. Aibidil comes along and says, okay, fine, but make the problem Ginny’s unwanted pregnancy, have Harry experience emotional turmoil over that fact (not that Harry-Abandonment-Issues-Should-Be-My-Middle-Name-Potter identifies with an unwanted fetus, no, of course not), have him spend the rest of the story sorting through his complicated feelings, and make the whole thing a testament to reproductive choice (this fic is called (Un)wanted, by the way. It’s incredible). Trope: Malfoy wears a skirt and Harry goes feral. Aibidil’s take? Malfoy wears the skirt because he and Hermione are leading a protest against the gendered, outdated Ministry dress codes (Beards, Booty Shorts, and Binaries).

Abidil’s stories don’t always skew political (although I love when they do), but they always have something to say. In A Hag, a Hex, a Tale of Redemption, Draco must come to terms with what it means to love someone, and how consent plays into that (does a lie negate consent?). Truth and love also play a role in When Times Are Dire, when Harry and Draco must pretend to marry to save the world. But is it pretend when they really are joining their lives and families together?

Beyond the deeper moral and ethical questions present in these stories, aibidil’s fic always manages to be creative and interesting. Abidil comes up with some of the most inventive sorts of magic (you really have to read her latest, Always Already, for one of the most thoughtful depictions of magical time travel I’ve ever read). Her premises can be angsty, like what if Astoria tells Scorpius—on her death bed no less—that he is actually Draco’s child with Harry (when by now and tree by leaf)? They can also be downright silly, like what if Draco can’t stop hiccoughing for days (Upside Down, Holding One’s Breath)? But one thing of which you can be certain: they’re never, ever boring.

They’re a master class in characterization

So, aibidil can dream up interesting, different, thought-provoking storylines, yes. But she also gets it right when it comes to characterization. Her Harry and Draco are always recognizable to me, no matter how evolved and changed they’ve become. There is something essential there, something true to the characters we know and love, that is ever present. And I think that’s because aibidil truly empathizes with and cares about her characters. This knack for getting in a character’s headspace means that aibidil is able to create some of the most fully formed, well rounded and realistically portrayed versions of Harry and Draco I’ve read. Whether it’s Harry in When Times are Dire enjoying the way his children sort of take his love for granted (because Harry wants that for them so badly, wants to be a constant, unquestioned source of support in their lives) or Draco in Always Already shoving down his snark in order to be as inoffensive as possible as a sort of penance for the war, you both recognize and feel for these characters. They’re flawed and imperfect, but they’re trying, and you love them for it.

There are moments in aibidil’s fic that leave me breathless because of how well they nail down the essence of a character in just a few words, or a single exchange or situation. For instance, in When Times Are Dire, Draco and Harry take a trip to the zoo and Draco buys Harry an absurdly enormous ice cream sundae after Harry recalls a time his aunt and uncle bought one for Dudley but not him. “Harry found himself at a loss for words,” aibidil writes. “He thought he’d worked through his childhood zoo issues. He’d been here so many times as an adult, without the abuse of the Dursleys. He had so many wonderful memories here, so many trips with his kids. But no one had ever bought Harry an ice cream before [emphasis mine].” The way Draco understands Harry, and the way he helps Harry to understand something about himself in such an everyday sort of scene is beautiful.

In Pure Imagination, Harry and Draco, experiencing depression after the war, are given a potion that allows them to tap into their imaginations completely, the way a child would. They have an excellent time on the potion together, imagining all sorts of things, including taking a trip to a Muggle skate park (together), which they agree to do at a later date. But afterward, Harry retreats and doesn’t go to the skate park (a decision that gives us incredible insight into the Harry of this story, come to think of it). In their joint trip to the counselor’s office later, Draco tells the counselor that imagination is dangerous because it opens people up to disappointment. “It’s smart that I don’t allow myself delusions like thinking I can somehow have a fulfilling career, even given my past,” he says. “It’s smart that I don’t allow myself the delusion of thinking Potter might want to spend time with me when he’s not high on a fucking imagination potion.”

And doesn’t this cut right to the heart of Draco? Whether he’s being cruel the way he was in canon, or being cool and indifferent, the way he is at the beginning of Pure Imagination, he is someone who struggles to believe in his own self-worth, and has found an entire arsenal’s worth of methods to hide this fact, even, sometimes, from himself. 

They’re just so damn funny

And finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one of the absolute best things about aibidil’s stories. Because on top of incredible storylines and beautiful character work, aibidil is fucking hilarious. I don’t think I’ve ever read through anything of hers without laughing out loud. Oftentimes, the humor is situational, like in When Times Are Dire when Harry and Draco tell their children that they’re in a relationship (when they’re actually not) and proceed to have one of the most awkward exchanges of all time with them, which leads to Harry clarifying that they are together ‘sexually’ (He says that. To his children.). Or in Auld Acquaintance, when Harry comes through the floo looking like a teenager and Draco finds himself torn between the ghost of attraction his own teenaged self had for this version of Harry and the fact that to his mature, grandfatherly eye, Harry looks “doughy…like an underbaked infant.” Or in Starve Your Distractions, Feed Your Focus, when a coupled-up Harry and Draco have to work out with a very sexy Neville, who is wearing joggers that leave little to the imagination.

Sometimes, though, the hilarity is in the form of amazing dialogue (her Harry and Draco banter is always top-tier) or of others’ observations of the Drarry dynamic, like when Neville says (in Always Already) this about Harry and Draco’s teasing of one another: “Don't mind them. It's like their little traumatised child-warrior foreplay or something.” Aibidil is always aware of the story she’s telling, and of the Drarry-ness of it all. These are not simple men, and theirs is never a typical, simple relationship, and you know what? That can be funny. As Harry says in When Times are Dire: "Ah yes. I'm a cheap date. All it takes to get me in bed is to almost kill each other, survive a war together, work together over decades, have children who fall in love and get married, get married for political reasons, pretend to be in love for two years to all friends and relatives, become grandparents together, and take a controlled substance to open up enough to tell each other the truth. That's all."

See? Easy.

Finally, I shouldn’t leave out the fact that aibidil’s acronyms are the best of all time (her most recent fic’s C.O.C.K. is my new favorite, but there are oodles of excellent ones).

Recommended For…

Everyone. Listen, if you enjoy laughing, or exciting and original storylines, or fic that makes you think, or fic that reveals the beating hearts of our favorite characters, aibidil’s catalog of work is for you. There is angst in places, there is smut in places, but that’s not really the point of her fic. The point is the journey, the character development, and the ridiculous amount of joy and energy contained in all of these stories. Here are a few you might want to check out, but honestly, you can’t go wrong with anything she’s written.

Top 3 Fics Over 25,000 Words (by kudos)

Dating for Dads in Denial (25k) - In which one wizard designs and another reluctantly patronises a magical matchmaking service, amidst the chaos of children and parenting.

when by now and tree by leaf (46k) - When Scorpius Malfoy is saying goodbye to his dying mother, he doesn't expect to hear her confess, "Your father slept with another man and became pregnant with you." 

Moldova’s Magical Tea (32k) - Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, and—to everyone’s surprise—Draco Malfoy are opening a magical tea shop to revive wizarding tea culture. Harry, who is unemployed and trying to find his way in post-war society, wants to help his friends with their new business—but that means spending a lot of time around Malfoy. 

Top 3 Fics Under 25,000 Words (by kudos)

Back to You (8k) - The eighth years make Harry and Malfoy go head to head and back to back in a question-and-answer drinking game. The worst that can happen is they end up drunk, right?

The Usual (9k) - Harry finally tries the new magical coffee shop on Diagon Alley. A story in which Draco is Up To Something™ and Harry is going to get to the bottom of it, and to the bottom of that sixteen ounce to-go cup.

Beards, Booty Shorts, and Binaries (9k) - Harry was hoping for a quiet day at the office, but Hermione and Draco are waging a war on discrimination with beards and skirts.

Kbrick’s Picks (in order of obsession)

When Times Are Dire (130k) - Magical Britain is screwed, and it's once again up to Harry to save it. This time, by marrying Draco Malfoy.

Always Already (170k) -  It's 2004: Harry teaches primary school and loves his job and friends; It's 1980: Harry has to fight Voldemort, again; It's 2004: Draco is a trainee Healer and reformed member of society; It's 1980: Draco has to face his father's cruelty; It's 2004: Harry and Draco definitely aren't lonely or depressed or traumatised; It's 1980: Harry and Draco listen to Kate Bush and watch Dallas and drive a 1979 Ford Cortina; It's 2004, it's 1980, it's...

Pure Imagination (15k) - An eighth-year tale of depressed happiness, reluctant imagination, and conflicted hope. And skateboarding.

.

[farm-witches-fic-recs]

Friends of Farm Witches Fic Recs

We made it! The coven is pleased to wrap up another year of friends and fics here on the farm. We're grateful to share this fandom with all of you and we look forward to continuing our work in the new year.

May you find peace and quiet in which to read, tasty foods for snacking, and abundant joy in everything you do.

Be well, farm witch friends, and enjoy this last community rec list of 2023. Leave the authors some love and kind words to cap off this year's creative journeys.

============

All the Fellas That I Haven’t Kissed (@apothecarypants, @five678patty )“David is Sexy Santa. Patrick is Completely Smitten. That’s all you really need to know.”

Apricity (@demora00) “Hygge vibes, coffee shop, colleagues to lovers, relationship of convenience, hanukkah, solstice, along with a spa visit and an aurora borealis - what's not to like?”

Going Down (@concannonfodder) “This one is long and gets angsty around chapter 15 but the first 14 are a sweet and sexy way to spend New Years. Gallery Owner!David and Tourist!Patrick get stuck in a midtown NYC elevator on New Years Eve. After a few trapped hours of lively banter, vulnerable exchanges, and delicious sexual tension, they decide to spend the next few days together. Excellent writing.”

Hopes As High As  A Kite (hudders-and-hiddles/ @wild-aloof-rebel) “It’s so beautifully written with all the Hallmark Christmas movie vibes. It’s one of my go-to holiday reads. Curl up with a hot cuppa and let this make you feel like you’re being wrapped up in the coziest blanket.”

How Do We Get Back (@unfolded73) “An AU testing the "in-every-universe" principle: will David and Patrick find each other, even when stuck in a particularly angst-ridden timeline? (Spoiler: they *will*!) Funny and fast-moving, with excellent cameos by Twyla and Gwen and some shocking (but temporary) bad news, this story is a great way to spend a cozy afternoon.”

How the reindeer loved him (yourbuttervoicedbeau/@kiwiana-writes) “A masterclass in 'this concept shouldn't work as well as it does' tbh - the entire premise is RIDICULOUS but it’s stuffed full of feelings and knocks it out of the park.”

Making Spirits Bright (roseapothecary/@indestructibleheart)  “It’s “A Christmas Carol” for Patrick! You know Patrick’s story, and you can guess what the ghosts might show him. But I promise this fic gives us scenes that are fresh and new. There’s a lot of humor mixed in with the painful realizations, and, overall, it’s a strong, well-written, and satisfying fic.”

Now you see me (@grapehyasynth) “Stevie sets David and Patrick up on a blind date and though there isn't a lot of plot, the banter is SO sharp and the characterization is SO perfect that the piece just shimmers. This is a deep-cut one-shot first-meeting/first-date AU from 2019.”

[meetinginsamarra]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

I've been tagged by @totallysilvergirl and @calaisreno TYSM!!

1. How many works do you have on A03?

51 in total

12 "real" fics and 21 ficlets and 18 covers (I didn't know how to embed on AO3 back then)

2. What's your total A03 word count?

271.977

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Sherlock BBC

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Mutual Attraction , Learn My Scars, The toe that didn´t belong, The embers still glow when I´m sober , Gravity is missing from everything

The last three are in fact a series called Here I Am

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Of course! Always and quickly. I love comments, they make my day and fill me with happiness for hours. Not kidding!

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

None of my fics end angsty. Some of my ficlets might, possibly Time

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

They all end happily.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

There had been a few very weird comments on "Mutual Attraction" that were rude or offensive. Some had been deleted by the cowards who posted them later.

9. Do you write smut?

Yes, I have written porn and enjoyed it. I also write gen and everything in between. Depends on the story.

10. Do you write crossovers?

No, because I define "crossover" as a mix of two existing universes, like Sherlock x Star Trek for example. I have written several AUs though. Alternate Universes with the same characters of my show but placed somewhere else.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I have been offered three times but declined because I personally am not comfortable with it.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No.

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

Johnlock

15. What's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have this fairy tale AU sitting in my drafts for literal years. 20k written and several attempts to take it up again, it is mostly plotted but just resists being finished. *sigh*

16. What are your writing strengths?

Learning by doing, I guess? I think of myself that I am versatile. Maybe writing movie-like action scenes. I remember that's been said in comments.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I honestly do not know. (Which is not me saying I can do everything perfectly!! I just try whatever I want.) Finishing the above mentioned fic possibly.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

If it fits the story, why not? I write in English which is not my native language, so I could do German and some French and Italian, too.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Sherlock BBC.

I've actually never written anything before I started with Sherlock fanfic. I got this idea and it grew and I began to write it down just for me so that I would not forget it. Then I thought, why not write it into a fic? I've been reading a lot fanfic already. Over the course of two years (writing on and off) the idea had turned into a 94k fic. I only started posting "Mutual Attraction" when it was completed on AO3.

I still think it's funny because just imagine this. Never wrote a word of fiction before, not even in my native language. Then, first thing I produced is a novel-length fic written directly in English. Still seems surreal to me.

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

I love all of my babies and will not choose a fave one. There are only faves in categories.

"Mutual Attraction" was my first and longest fic.

"Wretched and Divine" was the one that made me find my dear friend and beta @peageetibbs

Technically, I am most proud of pulling off "Learn My Scars" because it is 38k written under a huge amount of pressure due to daily posting for Whumptober 2022. Five weeks of intense writing madness but very rewarding, too.

AU and plot-twist wise it would be "The 13th Book ".

---------

So many people have done this but I think @shiplocks-of-love @shelleysprometheus @cumbercurlygirl have not been tagged yet. And anybody else who wants to share, please.

[lewisthot]

hate III

summary: you start freaking out but ‘putting the genie back in the bottle’ is a lot harder than you realise. rating: 18+ words: 5.8k characters: lewis hamilton x fem!reader a/n: this is a long one, a little dialogue heavy, a little angsty and a touch of fluff and smut. feel free to let me know how shitty it is read the previous part here

summer break officially over you knew you weren’t going to see lewis for weeks, it’d only been a week and you were missing him not that you’d admit it to yourself - you weren’t missing him, you were missing the sex. lewis was scrolling through insta watching all of their mutual friend’s stories just for a peak of you - how pathetic he thought, your insta was private and he couldn’t send a follow request for two reasons - one he didn’t follow anyone and secondly, you’d laugh at him.

he thought about texting you now that you both said you’d stop hating each other but just because you said that it didn’t mean you really wanted to be friends. looking at himself in the mirror every day, the scattering of marks you’d left as revenge made it impossible not to think about you though.

you made dinner plans with one of your best friends, someone that wasn't a mutual friend of you and lewis. you had barely sat down with y/f/n when immediately started with the questions, she knew something was up.

‘so are we going to talk about it?’

‘what?’

‘girl, the hickeys! you haven’t told me about anyone new, so who was it!?’

‘no one you know’

‘you’re a terrible liar and you’re never secretive when you get laid! it is someone i know but you don’t want me to know…’

‘ugh, it was a one off!’

‘no it wasn’t, you had hickeys after the party y/f/n threw and you have a hickey again after the dinner…omg! it’s definitely someone i know!’

‘okay so it was a two time thing but it’s not happening again so i’m not going to tell you who it was’

‘oh come on! i can keep a secret and besides don’t you wanna talk about it?’

‘no i wanna forget it ever happened’

‘wait did you hook up at the party?’

you scrunched your face letting out a groan, god you wanted this conversation to end. you were a terrible liar but y/f/n wasn’t mutual friends with lewis, she was your friend you could tell her everything and it wouldn’t be such a big deal.

‘yes’

your friend let out a gasp. ‘omg now you have to tell me!’

you knew your friend she was incessant and you did need to discuss it and your mixed emotions that you were trying to ignore.

‘okay but you can’t be weird about it or judge me’

‘omg just tell me! who was it? wait let me guess, lewis’ she giggled laughing at her little joke which only made you sigh. i mean the thought of you and lewis was funny, you both hated each other and she especially knew that since you knew you could complain about him to her.

‘it was lewis’

‘oh come on tell me the truth’

‘i’m not lying, i was horny and drunk you know that’s not a good combo for me! and he was there, it just happened! and then the other night at dinner when everyone left, it happened again’

it all rushed out but you were sure to leave out the part about him fucking you in his bathroom with them all downstairs, the party was bad enough but alcohol was a great excuse - the dinner on the other hand you had no excuse for.

‘wtf!? lewis!? you hate lewis! he hates you! and you weren’t that drunk at the party!’ you rolled your eyes thinking back to lewis stating the same thing, maybe you were more horny than drunk…you weren’t going to admit that. ‘and what do mean it happened again, you just fell on his dick the second time!?’

‘i’m sensing judgement…’

‘i’m not judging, i’m confused do you hate each other or not? are you guys fuck buddies now? i said you guys just need to fuck it out! i was right!’

‘when did you say that!?’

‘i mean i didn’t say it to you just thought to myself whenever you’d tell me about something he’d said or done to annoy you, you guys bicker like a married couple. clearly, it was just a matter of when’

‘whatever’

‘so what does this mean?’

‘nothing! clearly we both hadn’t gotten laid in awhile and we let our hormones get the better of us, it’s not happening again’

‘it happened twice though’

‘and that’s why i’ve downloaded hinge again, i need to get back out into the dating scene again’

‘so what are you guys going back to hating each other?’

you thought back to the conversation you and lewis had on the couch, maybe you could be friends but maybe you should just stay hating him maybe it’d be easier to be around him.

‘we never stopped’

‘well in couple weeks he’s gonna be back in town so we’ll see’

‘there no we’ll see’

‘okay whatever i want the details, was he any good? is he big?’

you rolled your eyes laughing. ‘well i wouldn’t have hooked up with him twice if he wasn’t and no comment’

‘boo, you’re no fun. do i need to get you drunk? let’s order a couple shots of tequila’

you drank way too much at dinner but it was a nice distraction from obsessively thinking about lewis till you got home that is. laying bed you thought about the fact you had another week before you’d see him again, you were anxious. what if it was awkward? how could it not be awkward? your mind was racing with different scenarios maybe lewis hadn’t even spared you thought, why would he? he had a championship to worry about. it was just a random hook up and nothing more - you don’t know how many times you were gonna repeat that to yourself before you believed it.

you scrolled through hinge bored after only a few minutes, looking at the time it was late but you didn’t care you decided to call lewis - giving into your impulses, you could always blame it on the alcohol.

‘hello’

you almost dropped your phone, a little surprised lewis had picked up your call.

‘heeeey’

‘y/n? why are you calling me at this time?’

you didn’t like the way he answered, the tone of his voice. you were probably reading into it way too much but you had a habit of doing so, i mean you were drunk who didn’t act little ridiculous when drunk.

‘am i interrupting something?’

‘i was about to go to sleep’

‘idk why you’d pick up then’ you rolled your eyes, sighing. ‘byeee’

‘wait, you didn’t answer my question’

‘doesn’t matter you’re going to bed’

‘just tell me why you called’

‘no, you’ve ruined my mood’

‘i didn’t do anything!’

‘your energy is not a vibe’

‘i’m sorry’

‘you don’t even know why you’re apologising’

‘i’m apologising for ruining your mood, even if you won’t tell me how…’

‘okay bye!’

you shut off the phone not giving lewis a chance to reply, you groaned burying your face into your pillow embarrassed at that stupid call. what were you thinking!? why did it go so sideways!? what was the point!? you didn’t know what to expect but that wasn’t it and now it would definitely be more awkward. you sighed, telling your brain to shut up and stop over thinking the situation you closed your eyes willing yourself to sleep but before you could your phone rang - fuck it was lewis. you wanted to ignore it but you knew dealing with this sober would be far more agonising.

‘what?’

‘uhh why did you lock off like that?’

‘why are you calling me back?’

‘you’re annoyed with me and i didn’t even do anything!’

‘i’m drunk, let’s just forget the phone call happened’

he chuckled, of course you were drunk why else would you be calling him at this time you seemed to have a habit of being reckless when fuelled by alcohol.

‘figured, you’re so sensitive when you’re drunk’

‘fuck off’

it was meant as a joke but he could sense you were still angry and upset with him, he hated it and even more so he hated that he hated it. it’s never bothered him before so why now did it bother him especially when he didn’t even do anything to piss you off and yet he was apologising.

‘are you gonna tell me why you called?’

‘the moment’s passed, i was just bored’

‘and you thought of me?’

you could hear the smirk in his voice, you hated it. ‘shut up’

‘come on, did you just drunk dial me to argue?’

‘yeah, i didn’t want to wait another week to fight with you. i miss it’

you chewed on your lips as the words escaped your mouth, you didn’t say you miss him but even letting him know you missed him on any level made you queasy. he smiled hearing those words, sure you didn’t say you missed him but you still missed him, he was going to ignore the context and clear sarcasm in your tone.

‘i missed you too’

‘eww’

he laughed, he should be offended but he wasn’t surprised by your answer you weren’t affectionate to your friends so absolutely wouldn’t be with him.

‘what’s funny?’

‘you’re so predictable’

he didn’t seem bothered by your response which you didn’t know how to take, you did miss him though but he clearly didn’t mean when he said it but there was something in the way he said it…you just want there to be something you thought.

‘if i was so predictable you’d know why i called you’

‘you said it yourself you were bored so you decided to harass me because you gain a sick pleasure from annoying me’

‘it really turns me on’

‘no wonder you fucked me that night’

‘i guess that makes you a masochist, do you like being my little bitch?’

‘i think you’re forgetting who’s the brat and who did the brat taming’

‘i think the next time you see me you’ll be begging for me’

‘i thought there wasn’t going to be a next time?’

‘i didn’t say there was going to be one just that you’ll be begging for one, for me’

‘you wish’

‘you know i called you because i was horny, you could’ve been hearing me moan your name as i touch myself but instead you’re your annoying self’

he groaned unsure of what to say you’d thrown him threw a loop, you were so confusing he couldn’t stand it but before he had a chance to reply you let out a yawn.

‘but now i’m tired and i’m going to bed, night lewis’

you kicked off again without even waiting for his goodbye and he knew this time to not bother calling back, your tone was finite you were done with the conversation, done with him. he sighed as he thought back to the sounds of your moans and the way you sounded when his name fell from your lips. he ran his hands over his face annoyed at the way his cock twitched at the thought, at the way you teased him and left him hanging, this is why you guys didn’t get along you were infuriating.

you laid in bed smiling at leaving that conversation with the upper hand, it was childish of you and you knew deep down he hadn’t meant to piss you off but you didn’t care, you were pissed off so you were gonna piss him off you only wished you could’ve seen the look on his face. you might’ve not been able to stand lewis but the way you used you felt so good and yes he used you that’s all this was, you were both using each other to get off and the hate was part of it, you were going back on your offer of being nice to him. whatever fleeting thoughts you had were just that - fleeting thoughts and if you were honest pissing lewis off was so much more fun than being nice to him.

as the week dredged on you scrolled through the dating apps determined to find a date asap, you weren’t in any real rush to be in a relationship but you needed a distraction, a palette cleanser after lewis and especially before lewis came back and you were in luck. they were the total opposite of lewis from looks to personality, they had taken you to a bar for drink which you thought was a little cheap and questionable for a first date but you couldn’t be picky with the time constraint. before your date you had gone to dinner with the mutual friends you had with lewis and now you were being really petty and a little pathetic but you were dolled up so you made sure to take lots of selfies with your girls for their insta stories in hopes lewis would see it. 

your friends made a fuss over your sexy number, taking lots of pics they made sure to caption it ‘her date tonight is so lucky 🥵’ you loved the way your friends hyped you up you’d forgotten why you were doing all this, you were just having a fun night. your date went as expected, mediocre and when he kissed you, sure it was pleasant but lewis popped into your mind. you went home annoyed the whole purpose a flop, you needed to go back to hating lewis.

race weekend over lewis had a two week break. he knew what he wanted to do and that was see you, after the phone call and then the insta stories he saw he couldn’t stop thinking about you which you clearly didn’t feel the same way. he wanted to know every detail of that date, he just hoped someone would ask about it tonight. their friends had planned another gathering so he knew he’d be seeing you, it felt nervous it’d been awhile since the last time and with certain events he wasn’t sure what it’d be like seeing you again or how to behave around you.

you were the last to arrive, you spent way too much time thinking about your outfit setting on a mini dress that was both cute and sexy. greeting everyone you ignored lewis as usual but he had other plans, he sat next to you and involved himself in as many conversations you had. you were growing tired of it but you couldn’t exactly snap at him for it so you tried to ice him out or poke at him but he didn’t bite it was like he almost found it amusing. when he managed to get you alone he brought it up.

‘i thought we were going to try and be friends?’

‘did i say that? i don’t remember agreeing to that?’

‘really? you don’t remember me eating you out and making you cum twice on my tongue? as a reward’

‘reward?’ you rolled your eyes. ‘whatever, pissing you off is only fun if you actually get pissed off’

‘what can i say, i find your bratty attitude hot’

‘pathetic’

‘doesn’t mean i won’t put you in your place’

‘you can try’ you walked away unable to think of a better retort. joining your friends again.

‘so y/n how was your date?’ now this was a conversation you didn’t mind having.

‘it was nice, he was cute and sweet’

‘did you guys hook up?’

‘maybe…’ your friends laughed at your coyness, you were one to never divulge too much.

‘you gonna see him again?’

‘i think so’

‘think so? if he hasn’t already asked you out he’s not’ lewis couldn’t stand hearing about this guy, so he butted in with his own opinion’s.

‘you don’t know jack shit'

‘i know you were dressed like a slut so if you fucked him and he got what he wanted there’s no reason for a second date’

‘slut shaming? how original’

your friends were taken aback by lewis’s outbursts, one giving him a punch in the arm you walked away trying to hold back your smirk, he was behaving exactly like expected. lewis found you upstairs in a bedroom, of course probably here to apologise.

‘i don’t wanna hear it, jealousy doesn’t suit you’

‘i wasn’t jealous, you know you’re forgetting you opened your legs pretty easily for me’

‘fuck you’

‘i think it’s pretty normal i didn’t wanna hear about you fucking other men!’

‘i don’t care about what you wanna here, you’re not my boyfriend’

‘thank fuck, i still don’t wanna hear about the pussy i’m fucking getting fucked’

‘the pussy!? i have a fucking name’

‘i didn’t mean it like that’

‘oh please, you meant it’

‘i’m not jealous’

‘so you just genuinely think i’m a slut’

‘you call me a slut all the time’

‘as a joke but you did it to hurt me’

‘i’m sorry’

‘fuck off’

‘please, i’m sorry y/n’

‘i don’t want to look at you right now’ you tried to walk out but lewis grabbed your wrist.

‘just fuck off’

you stormed out, lewis sighing he really fucked it up. he let his emotions get the best of him, he didn’t know what to do. after you cooled off you and lewis didn’t acknowledge each other’s presence at all and the evening ran smoothly, lying to your friends that lewis had apologised and all was forgiven. you still had a good night refusing to let him get to you, at first you weren’t pissed off but the private conversation? he really got under your skin. he knew better than to approach you after his shitty comments but he couldn’t stop looking at you all night, desperate to fix things. as the night drew to a close everyone started ordering uber’s and lewis decided to take a chance following you as you went to the kitchen for a quick drink.

‘let me give you a ride home y/n, your place is along the way’

you narrowed your eyes at him. ‘no, i can call an uber’

‘please i just want to talk’

‘fine’

he gave you this pleading look which you couldn’t say no to, you were already over him calling you a slut it had just been the perfect opportunity to create a rift between you two again but then he looked at you like that and now you were giving him another chance to apologise. your friends weren’t surprised at the fact you were accepting a ride in fact they were happy, if only they knew you thought. goodbyes said you followed lewis to his waiting chauffeured car. opening the door for you, you mumbled a thanks. the car ride was awfully quiet but you had no desire to fill the silence but he said he wanted to talk so you knew it was a matter of time.

‘i’m sorry for what i said, it was out of line. you can sleep with whoever you want. it’s none of my business and i had no right to judge. please forgive me?’

he looked at you with his stupid pleading eyes but you ignored him, shifting your body away from you looked out the car window. he didn’t push it, he didn’t know what else to say. the rest of the car journey was quiet till you pulled up to your flat.

‘well this is me, bye’

‘let me walk you to your door’

‘no’

‘please’

you were too tired argue, you nodded and let him follow you into the building. it was obviously a poor excuse to come upstairs and you weren’t too mad about it, when you reached your door though you opened it just enough to let yourself in turning to him.

‘well you’ve walked me to my door’

‘you really not going to invite me in?’

‘you didn’t say you wanted to come in’

‘i just really want to make it up to you’

‘you have a car waiting downstairs’

‘not anymore’

‘you think a simple apology and you get what you want’

‘don’t do this’

‘do what?’

‘go back to hating me’

‘you make it really easy’

‘you think i don’t know what you’re trying to do, i know you don’t care that i called you a slut you just wanted a reason to hate me again’

‘that’s not true’

‘you’re a terrible liar’ he sighed, rubbing his forehead annoyed and unable to think of a comeback. ‘ugh i just wanna—fuck!’

he grabbed your face leaning down his nose pressed against yours, you leaned forward closing the gap you gave you to decide if you wanted this. his kiss was hard and angry, his hand grabbing your butt you jumped into his arms wrapping your legs around him he stepped in pushing you against the wall as he kicked your front door shut. he bit down on your lip tugging as he trailed kisses down your neck, sucking and nipping.

‘lewis!’ his name came out in a moan more than as a warning you intended it to be.

‘no more hickeys…’

he whined against your neck, pressing kisses along your shoulders as he pushed your strap down his hands running down your front, he grabbed your breasts pushing your top further down. you moaned as he took your breasts into his mouth, his tongue swirling around your nipples you thought about how good his mouth felt against your skin but he was being too gentle, you didn’t want any hickeys but actually if they weren’t anywhere visible what did it matter the way he attacked your body with his mouth wasn’t something you wanted to give up.

‘i don’t want hickeys anywhere visible’

he looked up at you smirking at the implication, he takes your breast back into his mouth. you arch your back your legs around him tightening as you whimpered. he squeezed your ass, his mouth tracing back up your chest.

‘bedroom?’

‘straight ahead’

when he threw you on your bed, you sat up on your knees pulling off your own dress left in nothing but your panties. you crawled up to the edge, lewis pulling off his own clothes you helped with the trousers as his cock sprung free you were about to drop to your knees, your mouth salivating at the sight of his hard cock but it must’ve been obvious to lewis because he grabbed your chin to look up to him.

‘lay back’

with that tone of voice you knew it wasn’t up for debate, doing as he commanded he leaned forward pulling your underwear down he opened your legs wide as he went down on his knees - eye level with your glistening pussy.

‘you’re soaking wet…’ he didn’t waste any time, diving into your folds he lapped up your juice, sucked on your clit. ‘your date make you feel this good?’ he looked up at you but you refused to make eye contact but he wasn’t letting you off. he slapped your pussy, plunging two fingers into your waiting hole you arched your back biting your bottom lip trying to hold back your moans.

‘answer me’

‘no’

‘that’s right, no one will ever make you feel this good’

he was relentless, his mouth his tongue his fingers, he devoured your pussy and whenever you squirmed his arms were back around yours thighs holding you wide open. all that filled the room were the sounds of your choked sobs and lewis’s encouraging words as you neared your climax.

‘fuck lewis i’m gonna come!’

he swirled his tongue around your clit sucking on it just right, your toes curled as your gripped the bed sheets the waves of your orgasms crashing over you. of course lewis didn’t let up lapping up your juices pinning you down as you tried to break free from his grip. your pussy clenching around nothing it was aching to be filled, you needed lewis inside of you.

‘ahh fuck, lewis fuck me’

he climbed on top of you lacing his fingers with yours he held your arms overhead as he kissed you deeply, tasting yourself on his tongue drove you insane, you were desperate for more.

you bit his bottom lip tugging gently. ‘lewis..’ his name came out in a breathy moan, you didn’t need to say anymore he knew what you needed. he pulled away only to watch as his cock stretched you out sliding into your aching hole with ease. his thrusts were slow but deep, sinking all the way before pulling out till only the tip was inside of you - the stretch felt so good. you knew he wanted you to beg for him but you weren’t going to submit anymore than you already had. you leaned up wrapping your arms around his neck, your nose grazed against his.

‘you think your cock’s special? you think i won’t find someone to fuck me just how i like?‘

he growled ‘god i fucking hate you’ kissing you roughly he pushed you back down, slamming his cock into you like you wanted. you hissed as you yanked on his ponytail of braids you’d be playing with which only egged on lewis. pressing soft kisses along your jawline, his hand danced along your neck.

‘put your hand around my throat, don’t squeeze baby’ he groaned wrapping around his hands your neck, you clenched around him and when he felt the effect he had on you he smirked slamming into you harder.

‘you filthy whore’

he was rough, his pace brutal and you loved every minute of it as he railed you your nails dug into his back with every slam digging into dipper, you were sure you’d broken skin. having cummed already your second orgasm wasn’t trailing far behind and your clit already sensitive didn’t need to be touched, the angle in which your bodies met was enough.

‘look at me, watch me use you’

trying to keep your eyes open felt impossible, you just wanted to get lost in the pleasure. you watched as lewis face twisted, his nose scrunching his eyebrows furrowing, his own climax nearing. you kissed him or at least tried, it was sloppy all teeth as you both moaned into each other’s mouth so overcome with pleasure.

‘fuck!’

‘you greedy slut’

it hit you so suddenly as quick as your body tense it went limp, the waves washing over you your body shuddered. lewis continued fuck you through your orgasm, groaning as your pussy walls fluttered around his cock himself on the edge.

‘fill me up!’

his thrusts become disjointed as he reached his climax, muttering a string of incoherent words you wrapped your legs around him holding him against you as you milked his cock. he groaned trying not to collapse on top of you, he caged you in with his arms on either side of you kissing you passionately as spent as he was he would go another round if he could. your legs falling to the sides lewis pulled out hissing as you clenched around him.

‘baby…’

you whined at the loss of fullness, quickly replaced with a moan as you felt his cum dripping out of you. lewis enjoyed watching his seed spill out but he enjoyed it even more when he realised his much you liked it, dragging his cum through your folds he smirked as you moaned.

‘god, you’re dirty slut aren’t you?’ he plunged his fingers in, finger fucking his cum back inside you created the filthiest sounds along with your choked sobs. you were sure you were too sensitive for another orgasm but you were too tired to fight against lewis, your limbs like jelly your brain short circuiting trying not to become overwhelmed by lewis’s fingers. it proved to be an impossible task, your back arched, your mouth open with a moan stuck in your throat your third orgasm hit you. your body convulsing, you snapped your legs shut against lewis’s hand. he chuckled slipping out, he towered over you as he shoved his fingers in your mouth which you cleaned off without hesitation.

‘good girl’

your breath hitched at the words, sucking on his fingers harder giving away your praise kink lewis smirked making a note for next time. you laid in bed absolutely shattered as lewis cleaned you both up.

you laid in bed as lewis walked back in grabbing his boxers.

‘i’m gonna leave now’

you leaned up watching him grab his clothes you crawled to the edge of the bed and grabbed his wrists.

‘it’s late, you should stay’

‘i don’t wanna inconvenience you’

letting him sleep over was probably a bad idea when you kept trying to put this wall up between you and lewis.

‘you’re not, i want you to stay’

you wrapped your arms around his neck as you kissed him softly, lewis dropping his clothes grabbed your waist kissing you back gently. you pulled back from his lips raising your eyebrows and biting your bottom lip waiting for an answer.

‘okay i’ll stay’

the way you looked at him made it impossible for him to say no to you. god you confused him, swinging from animosity to kindness. was it the haze of sex clouding your judgement? he didn’t want to think about it right now. you got ready for bed, brushing your teeth and doing your skincare you gave lewis a spare toothbrush head for your electric toothbrush which you wondered was that weird, you never do that for anyone except your best friend. finally in bed you tossed and turned trying to get comfortable, lewis sliding in.

‘thanks for the toothbrush and face wash’

‘you’re welcome’

‘good night’

‘night’

you both laid on opposite ends of the bed, it felt awkward and you couldn't stop you tossing and turning.

‘are you okay?’

‘sorry, sometimes i just get a little restless before bed. can’t get comfortable’

‘come here’

he shifted closer to you and you to him, pulling you into his arms he held you tightly from behind. his hands finding yours he squeezed them his thumb stroking the back of your hand you found it soothing, relaxing into his touch you soon found sleep.

lewis woke up before you did, he watched you as you slept, not quite in his grasp anymore but still close enough to play with your hair and stroke your head. he contemplated on what to do, he thought it was a little creepy watching you sleep. he grabbed his phone to check the time, it was early somehow he was awake before his alarm. he remembered he had a workout with angela this morning, he thought about just sneaking out if not for the fact he didn’t know what to expect from you, would you be sweet or mean but it didn’t matter your own phone started buzzing, your alarm going off. you groaned as you reached out for your phone quickly shutting off your alarm, you yawned and stretched twisting around to find lewis awake.

‘i didn’t wake you did i?’

‘morning to you too, no i just woke up a minute ago’

‘morning’

your eyes were still closed not quite ready to be awake, you pulled the covers over your head groaning. lewis chuckled pulling the covers down.

‘stop!’

‘what are you doing?’

‘that alarm was my going for a run alarm, i am not going for a run anymore so i’m going to sleep some more’

‘if it’s because of me…’

‘no, i just can’t be bothered. you wanna have breakfast?’

‘i can’t i’ve actually got to go’

he quickly jumped out of bed, you rose up confused watching him get dressed, there was an awkward tension now. what had just happened? was he still mad over last night?

‘you sure you don’t want a cup of tea?’

‘i’ve put you out enough’

‘i mean after a couple orgasms breakfast is a fair offer’

‘i really gotta go, i meant to be working out with angela soon’

‘well then breakfast makes even more sense, you need to fuel before a workout’

‘stop y/n’

‘what?’

‘if you’re gonna go back to hating me don’t offer me breakfast the next day’

‘do you have to be so dramatic’

he sighed as he watched kneeling on the bed, visibly dejected. he felt bad but he knew this is what you really wanted, the friendship thing was his idea and you were just forcing it. he wrapped his arms around you giving you a hug and a quick peck on the forehead.

‘i’ve really got to go, bye’

heading to your front door you followed after him.

‘seriously!?’

you didn’t even have a chance to say anything, he just turned to you and gave you a quick kiss on the lips before leaving which threw you off, you just stood there for a few moments trying to process that whole thing - you needed to call your best friend to vent.

‘y/f/n i fucked up!’

‘what happened?’

‘lewis happened, he stayed over last night after we hooked up but that’s not the issue. i know i said we still hated each other after the last time but we said we’d be nice, except i was horrible to him and now i’m pretty sure he really hates me’

‘why is that a problem?’

‘because the look on his face, it was bad and he’s not gonna want to fuck me again’

‘well, wasn’t that the whole point of downloading hinge?’

‘yeah, but he’s so good in bed’

‘then apologise and be friends with benefits instead of trying to be enemies with benefits’

‘ugh’

‘since when have you ever even cared about his feelings? maybe the real issue here is that you want to be friends with benefits’

‘ugh shut up!’

‘i’m right! you can’t deny lewis is a sweetheart and now that he isn’t actively trying to piss you off you’re finally seeing it’

‘he’s still an asshole, in fact we got into it last night because he was jealous over my date.’

‘don’t you think it’s a little interesting he was jealous…’

‘don’t even go there, his exact words were ‘i don’t like to share’ he’s just possessive’

‘look y/n you’re overthinking the whole thing, just go with the flow. i know both things are hard for you to do but try and enjoy the multiple orgasms and don’t think any deeper than that. unless there’s something else?’

this was your opportunity to say what the issue really was, that maybe there was something deeper between you and lewis you couldn't stop thinking about him but you weren’t ready to acknowledge those feelings yet.

‘there’s nothing else’

‘so apologise and let yourself become friends, if anything it’ll make the situation better not worse and i’m sure everyone will appreciate it’

‘you’re right’

‘i’m always right!’

you felt lighter after the phone call but what were you going to do about lewis? he did a complete 180 this morning, maybe you could text him to come over? would that seem needy? you got back into bed sighing, not overthinking was impossible.

read part 4 here

[jebewonmorelike]

Welcome, Player...

⁺⋆✰ Steal Your Heart; An OT9 + Reader Insert AU Interactive Fanfiction Game

TLDR; In this new ZeroBaseOne interactive AU fanfiction game, the reader plays as the 10th member of a K-Pop group mistreated by their company and on a downward spiral. One day, there's a glitch in the matrix-- causing our reader to enter the "Metaverse", where they receive special superpowers through the birth of their true self in the form of a Persona. What if the members of ZeroBaseOne can band together as the Phantom Thieves to take down their company and save themselves from their fate?

An interactive game featuring hand-edited media, polls, and a points-system that gives the reader their own specially-tailored ending (will determine which love interest they end up with). Will be just as funny as it is angsty, I promise.

⁺⋆✰ Game Score Sheet

⁺⋆✰ Masterlist

⁺⋆✰ Part One Available Now!!

Warnings: PG-13+ Themes, Angst, Drinking, Mistreatment by Company, Slight Suggestiveness, Crime, Mild Violence (Specific Warnings Listed On Each Chapter)

All are welcome to read/play: our reader insert will not be referred to by ANY pronouns (including they/them) -- so that all readers can feel immersed! Reader is the 10th member of ZeroBaseOne, but the group will be referred to as an idol group, not a boy group or a mixed-gender group. It's just fiction, so use your imagination to make it however you like!!

Part One Coming Very Soon (Character Profiles, Reader's Persona Awakening, and the explosive start to our game!!)

Please continue to the introduction below...

Would you like to start a new game?

Excellent! The story in question features the nine members of ZeroBaseOne (well, 10 actually; including you, dear Player!) and their journey both in the real world and the Metaverse to defeat a company that has taken advantage of them for years. But before we get too far into the plot, let me introduce myself. I'm Kara, aka jebewonmorelike and I'll be your Game Master. I'll check in with you at the beginning of every chapter to give you reminders, content warnings, and any miscellaneous info you might need.

Get it, got it, good, Player?

Perfect! I think we're gonna get along just fine.

I'm sure by now you've realized that this is no ordinary work of fanfiction. No, no. It's something a bit different. A bit special, even.

If you choose to continue reading, there's a few things you should know...

You're about to play a game -- a game that's story and ending depends on the choices you make along the way.

Sounds cool, right?

I know! I can't take all the credit, though. This fanfiction game is heavily-inspired by the JRPG game Persona 5. What is Persona 5 about? The great part is that, honestly, it doesn't really matter whether you've had experience with the game or not in order to play the game I've designed for you today...

Don't sweat it! I'm gonna explain everything you need to know right now and it's nothing you should find too complicated. How does that sound, Player?

Wonderful! I had a good feeling about you right from the very beginning, Player.

Our story is, of course, about a group called ZeroBaseOne... Or, well... To be more precise, it's a story about a group that used to be called ZeroBaseOne. A little over a year ago, some sh*t went down and turned their whole world upside down forever.

While all ages and genders are welcome to play this game (our OC is pronoun-free!), there might be some mature themes in this game. Nothing too crazy-- swearing, mild violence, angst, drinking, crime, some suggestive themes, and, above all, bringing justice to a company that mistreats its talent...

Are you okay with a PG-13+ rated game, Player?

Great! And, don't worry: there will be plenty of comedy, too. Comedy, to me, is essential to any plot. I think you're gonna really like this game! I hope. *Sigh*

Aw... Thank you, Player. I appreciate the reassurance. I've been second-guessing my writing for months now and--... Oh, sorry, back to the description of the game!

Like I was saying, ZeroBaseOne doesn't really look much like the one we know in real life. Instead, the members are a bit older, a bit more worn out and, honestly, having a pretty rough go of it at this point. And whose to blame for that?

You're so smart, Player! Of course it's their company. I'd like to just state quickly that this game is just that-- a game. Fictional; a story! No agencies or people in this game are representative of real life things. Especially not their fictional company. *Bombastic side-eye*.

So why did I decide to make this game? Well, we all love reading fanfiction. But wouldn't it be even more fun if the reader had a say in the story? If the reader's choices led to the creation of their own specially-crafted fanfiction just for them?

Maybe, by now, you're wondering just what exactly are you playing this game to win? Well it's what almost everybody wants a shot at in life... Love. Throughout this game, you will make decisions that will give you points towards different group members. Keep track of your score and, at the end of the game, the member who you've earned the most points for will determine your ending (and your love interest).

All game resources will be listed in the description of each chapter, at the top and bottom of this introductory post, and on the Steal Your Heart masterlist. There will be many opportunities to interact with this game and it will include a lot of hand-edited graphics to look at it! I hope you enjoy them, as I've planned them quite tediously.

I wish I could accept the compliment, but alas... I am no angel. I'm just your Game Master. Feeding you the story, presenting you with choices...

It's up to you, Player, to make the story that you want.

Alright-- enough small talk! I think you're more than ready to get started with our game.

So, what do you say, Player?

Are you ready to begin a game where, as a member of ZeroBaseOne, you lead your group members to gain back their inner strength, develop magical powers and defeat the company that has ruined your lives for far too long-- and find love along the way?

Then by all means, Player...

Please Select From The Chapter Menu Below:

Part One ☾⋆⁺₊✧ The Fool ✩₊˚.⋆ The Beginning

Part Two ✩₊˚.⋆ Chariot ☾⋆⁺₊✧ Kim Gyuvin

Part Three ☾⋆⁺₊✧ The Lovers ✩₊˚.⋆ Kim Jiwoong

Part Four ✩₊˚.⋆ The Magician ☾⋆⁺₊✧ Han Yujin

Part Five ☾⋆⁺₊✧ The Emperor ✩₊˚.⋆ Shen Ricky

Part Six ✩₊˚.⋆ Justice ☾⋆⁺₊✧ Seok Matthew

Part Seven ☾⋆⁺₊✧ Faith ✩₊˚.⋆ Kim Taerae

Part Eight ✩₊˚.⋆ The Hermit ☾⋆⁺₊✧ Park Gunwook

Part Nine ☾⋆⁺₊✧ The Empress ✩₊˚.⋆ Sung Hanbin

Part Ten ✩₊˚.⋆ The Priestess ☾⋆⁺₊✧ Zhang Hao

Part Eleven ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ The Finale

Steal Your Heart Masterlist Steal Your Heart Game Score Sheet

[monikafilefan]

20 Questions for Fanfic Writers

Tagged by @slippinmickeys <3

1. How many works do you have on A03?

75 (maybe one day I’ll reach 100?)

2. What’s your total A03 word count?

589,435

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Basically just txf fandom but I have dabbled in GoT, The Fall, and Sex Ed.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Five Years and a Lifetime

Only One Choice

All Eyes Lead to the Truth co-written

Together

Language of Love: Prompts of Angst and Romance

5. Do you respond to comments?

I absolutely do, just not every one of them. Unfortunately A03 counts author responses as comments and that bugs me, but I wholly appreciate any and all feedback!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Oh damn. Probably a chapter in my prompts collection called That Night in 2014 when Scully left, and one called Bone Deep set post Tithonus are angsty enough. I love writing angst, but prefer to leave my fic on less of a dreary note.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Ha it turns out I write a lot of fic with happier endings, but I guess Brother Bill ended very happily considering it was during the cancer arc. There’s plenty more I could’ve chosen though.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not that I know of.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what?

Yes, I mix it up. Lots of soft, sensual sex, but also some downright dirty smut too. Depends on the tone of the story.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I wrote one where Mulder and Scully go see Jean Milburn from Sex Education and have a therapy session. Coming Undone. It’s ridiculous and funny and was way too fun to write haha!

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of but I hope not.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes but I can’t remember which one 🫣

13. Have you ever co-written before?

YES many times and I love it. I’ve written with several amazing writers @cultureisdarkbeer @admiralty-xfd @fridaysat9 @gaycrouton @slippinmickeys one several different fics.

14. What’s your all time fave ship?

MSR ofc! I do also love Jamie/Claire and Stella/Reed.

15. What WIP you want to finish?

I have this Unruhe fic that isn’t even that long but I cannot seem to fucking finish it for the life of me. I will eventually though.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Details? Creating a scene and capturing the characters as close to THEM as I possibly can comes easier to me than other things.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Probably dialogue and writing longer novel length fics.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I want to dive into the Outlander fandom very badly but I’m too scared to try Gaelic/accents and be happy with the outcome. Maybe one day.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

X-Files! I was just a wee 15yr old on my dialup desktop trying to write a post FTF fic on the original XF storyboards. I never did finish it past the second chapter.

20. Fave fics you’ve written?

I have a few I really love, but I am kind of hard on myself as a writer. I enjoy writing but can’t seem to reread my own stuff and come away beaming about it. The ones off the top of my head I’m proud and have not mentioned above of are A Life to Remember - an AU were Mulder and Scully are doctors and meet under interesting circumstances. Lots of UST, angst and family fluff as they flashback to their past on how they met.The Things They Say in the Dark is another one I love. It has angst, lots of hurt/comfort (not to mention Scully washing Mulder’s hair post Amor Fati) and serious yearning! Honestly love these two so feel free to check them out if you haven’t, I’d be blessed if you loved them too!

Tagging @today-in-fic and anyone else who wants to join in. This was fun!

[hairstevington]

20 Questions for Writers!

I was tagged by @marvel-ous-m thank you so much my dear ily <3 <3 <3

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

I currently have 32 works...Yowza!

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

Hahahaha ok ok ok I'm scared to look but I will. I have 696,369 words on Ao3. That is...so many. And there are way more unpublished!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

So far, I have only written for Stranger Things, other than my one teaser chapter for a Buffy x Stranger Things crossover I really do hope to return to one day.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

songs that voices never share (aka deaf!Steve part 1)

Stranger Therapy (which has recently made a resurgance - and a sort of part 2 is on the way!)

i wanna cut to the feeling

i can't tune you out

Freaky Friday (Steddie's Version) - honestly this one is still my baby

5. Do you respond to comments?

Always always always!! Even if people just write a heart or something, I write back. When I get a notification that someone commented, it literally makes my day and I re-read them often as a pick-me-up.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Honestly I don't write angsty endings!! I much prefer the happy ones. Closest I've got to angsty I guess is I'm counting the days to the rapture, depending on whose ending you focus on lol

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Oh GOSH. Almost all of them end on a sugary sweet note, but I'll link flowers and ink because that whole thing is just fluff fluff fluffy fluff

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not really? And I'm super grateful for that because on the few times I've gotten semi rude feedback, it has totally plagued my brain hahaha. I'm thankful that so far nothing too bad. (Please nobody change that!)

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I mean, I have, but I don't have anything 18+ on this account very intentionally.

10. Do you write crossovers?

I would, but I haven't really gotten it to stick! One chapter of my Buffy crossover is out, and I have a TLOU crossover idea in my drafts, and there's of course my nearly completed WIP Eddie Munson vs the World, but that's more of an inspired by and less of a crossover. By the way, everyone read that one because it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever written.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I sure hope not! But it's possible, I suppose.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but AHHH that would be very cool.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes!! I co-wrote a Carrie AU with another fandom friend where Eddie was Carrie and Steve/Chrissy care for him and save him after the prom fiasco. It's on my friend's account, because it's got violence and other explicit content, but it really launched me into taking more risks in my writing!

I also started collabing with my bestie @steviesbicrisis on another fic, but then both of us got super busy. Sorry about that!

Me and @withacapitalp also came up with a banger idea for a collab last night so...we shall see!

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

Oh gosh, all time???? Oh, man. Steddie makes me feral to write, obviously, but to shake things up I'll add Spuffy and Literati (Rory and Jess from Gilmore Girls) into the mix.

15. What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you will?

This is so tough because I have thing this where, if I publish a chapter, I HAVE to finish it. But!! There are many things in my WIP folder I don't think I will ever get to, including my Buffy crossover and the one where Dustin and Erica has a time-traveling daughter.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Just like my friend who tagged me, i think characterization and dialogue are my strong suits. It's what I get positive feedback on the most. I also think I'm funny though! At least, in the fics that are more silly lol.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Probablyyyy ummm descriptions? Yeah, that. I've gotten A LOT better about it, but I usually end up writing a lot of dialogue with minimal action because it's easier for me lol

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

Okay, so I've done it, and it's TOUGH. It was for deaf Steve (tagged above, it's my most popular fic). ASL was especially challenging because it can't really be written down, so I had to get creative.

In one fic, any time a character spoke Russian, I just italicized it and made a note at the beginning that mean it wasn't in English canonically. I am not fluent in Russian, so I didn't want to risk relying on Google Translate! Plus, I'd have to write the English part anyway for readers.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

I think. Technically. It was...ha ha, nope. I don't even wanna say it.

20. Favorite fic you've written?

This is so hard, they are all my babies and I put so much care into them! I'm gonna give a shoutout to Back to the Future (Hawkins Edition), as I always do. Now that it's been done over a year I can see the flaws in it and what I would have done different, but the amount of planning and thought and research I put in that thing deserves recognition lol. I think my current long project, we can be heroes (aka part 2 of deaf steve!), could take over as the biggest undertaking, though. But so far it's probably about equal lol.

The besties I have tagged above are welcome to do this. I also wanna nominate @tartarusknight and @imfinereallyybut no pressure!

[piratefalls]

20 questions for fic writers

tagged by @ninzied! thank you friend!

How many works do you have on ao3?

40!

What's your total ao3 word count?

169,903, which is a shock to me because it really doesn't feel like that much.

What fandoms do you write for?

previously teen wolf/sterek and hawaii five-0/mcdanno, currently taking my first stab at rwrb/firstprince

Top five fics by kudos:

(Waiting) Until the Sky Falls Down on Me (sterek)

Today and Every Day (sterek)

I'm Gonna Give All My Secrets Away (stanny)

Man, Interrupted (sterek)

it's my (pants) party and i'll cry if i want to (sterek)

Do you respond to comments?

i do my best! sometimes i'm terrible at it, but i try!

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I don't really do angsty endings! I'm a HEA kinda girl.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

probably either Today and Every Day or it's like taking a guess when the only answer is yes because they both end in proposals lol

Do you get hate on fics?

never hate, but i've had a comment here and there that wasn't necessarily appreciated

Do you write smut?

not really anymore. i got myself to do it because it felt like the only thing that got traction and maybe if that was good enough it'd be a gateway to the stuff i enjoyed writing (and, frankly, stuff i spent far more time on). and i don't think i'm particularly good at smut anyway lol. but if given the choice between smut or funny/introspective i'm gonna go with the latter every time.

Craziest crossover:

I haven't done a crossover!

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

so idk who remembers this but a while ago there were people who would post people's fics to Goodreads and one of mine wound up there and those reviews hurt my feelings enough that i quit writing for a while after.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

not to my knowledge!

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

haven't, but i think it could be fun with the right partner!

All time favorite ship?

this is an impossible question and i can't choose. i love them all equally, just for different reasons.

What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

good lord my person of interest post-canon fic. will anyone read it? very unlikely. is it the principle of the thing? yes.

What are your writing strengths?

i genuinely have no idea. i've never given it any real thought. i mean, the build of what i write is some form of introspection mixed with humor, so probably those things.

What are your writing weaknesses?

plot and world building. i'm useless at it, for the most part. and like i said above, i don't think i'm great at smut. it's passable at best.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

i love it. though i do miss the days when people regularly utilized that hover function that would show the translation if you left your mouse over the phrase for a few seconds. way better than having to scroll down to the notes for the translation.

First fandom you wrote in?

teen wolf. much simpler times.

Favorite fic you've written?

I don't have a single favorite so I'm gonna go with a few for different reasons

humor: Got Your Body On My Mind (I Want it Bad) - mcdanno & co get sent to a sexual harassment training seminar. chaos ensues.

character analysis: Written in the Scars on Our Hearts - steve mcgarrett and all the ways a person can be touched and the

most cathartic: & lift him back up again - working through my own grief by making a character sad

crack, my beloved: it's my (pants) party and i'll cry if i want to - every time stiles orgasms his dick sounds like a party horn. there's glitter come. i might have been hammered.

tagging @wellhalesbells @priincebutt + i feel like doing an open tag for anyone who wants to share what they love about their work!

[lovelylotusf1]

Got tagged by two lovely people @borntogayz and @wisteria-wisteria!

star sign: Sagittarius! Born in December so I have to wait veeery long to celebrate stuff but then I can have two celebrations almost back to back with christmas coming up.

favorite holiday: German/Austrian carnival/Fasching! It's the time before the last 40 days before Easter holidays. There are several comedy shows to watch both live and on TV, everyone dresses up and it's generally a time to joke around!

last meal: made by my awesome grandma: spinach with potatoes, fried eggs and sausages.

current favorite musician: I like to listen to comedy music a lot and it's pretty much the only thing I listen to (that's not video game music). So I'd have to go with Tom Cardy.

last song listened to: "Wigglytuffs Guild" from the Pokemon Mystery Dungeon - Explorers of Sky soundtrack! It's my alarm :D

last movie watched: Frozen 2 lol. It played on TV before Christmas.

last tv show watched: Honestly don't know, I haven't really watched any shows recently. Either Good Omens season 2 when it came out or The Dragon Prince.

last book/fic finished:

Book: Scum Villain's Self Saving System Volume 4. I was deep into the danmei trenches before f1.

Fic: don't take too much (off of me) by the amazing @wisteria-wisteria! Highly recommend, it's short, funny and a perfect mix of angsty pining and fluff.

last book/fic abandoned:

Book: Probably a Warrior Cats book. Two years ago I had a sudden spike in interest in reliving this part of my childhood, bought a lot of the books I had missing and stopped reading in the middle of... season 3 I think?

Fic: "Entirely out of spite" by bgtea. I loved it but I fell out of the Genshin Impact fandom a while ago.

currently reading: Too many things open in my tabs to say exactly.

last thing researched for writing/art/hyperfixation: Lots of things for my planned Lestappen AU. You can probably guess what it is based on the google history:

Dutch sweets

Ontbijtkoek recipe

Daily schedule of a baker

When do shops open in monaco

Rent prices in Monaco

favorite online fandom memory: I've only been active in fandom since I started writing for f1! The amazing people I met through F1blr and got to chat with will be my most treasured fandom memory for sure!!

favorite old fandom you wish would drag you back in/have a resurgence: I'm content with being where I am right now.

favorite thing you enjoy that never had an active or big fandom, but you wish it did: The Pokemon Mystery Dungeon series have a pretty active fandom but not a very big one (I think). It's my favourite game series of all time so I think it deserves a big fandom.

tempting project you don't have time for: Sooo many AU ideas. I have sunk my teeth into two, one interesting one and a rather niche one, which I will both finish someday, but the poor rest will probably end up abandoned :(

don't really know who has already done this, so feel free to ignore the tag!

I'm tagging @laura1633 @ravenrage27 and @charlclerc ! <3

[tloubraininfection]

Okay, so funny story. When I was finally done with my first fic I was SO SURE I would never-ever write anything ever again and then the very next day my head was exploding with ideas for a new story. Initially it was supposed to be a short one about Joel and Ellie settling in Jackson, but after almost 200 barely legible notes and countless hours of writing I ended up with a long saga about love, loss, trauma, family and recovery. I guess before the second season comes to tear it all apart I wanted to give Joel and Ellie some healing and some good times. Also it turned out I`m not as angsty as I thought I was and I might`ve overindulged on sweetness a few times. They just refuse to not care about one another and who am I to stop them? So they care, a lot!

As a sidenote I would like to say that Neil and Crag are both monsters for adding Maria`s pregnancy storyline into the mix! I spent a ridiculous amount of time debating over the sex of that baby and I honestly feel there is no good choice here. Ultimately I`ve decided it would be a boy and I named him Oliver (after a really cool baby Olly I`m lucky to hang out with from time to time), because I just couldn’t torture Joel with a babygirl that would most likely look just like Sarah, I just couldn’t. So, sorry Maria, you`ll have to deal!

The title for this one comes from The National`s “Light Years” (yes, Im fully in yet another one of my the National phases). It’s not a theme for the whole story, though it is a song for one particular part of it and I consider it Joel and Sarah`s song. But as a title I treat it a little more literary, its less about distance and more about actual lightness as those might be their best years.

Trigger warnings: nightmares, trauma, PTSD, minor depictions of violence, bad puns and overindulgent sweetness.

I hope you`ll enjoy!

[xellandria]

Oc Ask Meme!!

7,26 and B for Alexander

(https://www.tumblr.com/xellandria/725141210645315584/uncommon-questions-for-ocs-and-their-creators for ease of access)

oh no this post is going to contain art from twenty years ago, run for the hills! Also this got long lmao whoops

7. What triggers nostalgia for them, most often? Do they enjoy that feeling? For a long time, Alex had a heart-shaped pendant necklace that belonged to his first love. They were in that "this person can do no wrong" puppy-love stage of infatuation that a lot of early relationships (especially between young people) get when she was murdered and he was forced to flee because he was accused of killing both Mephala (framed) and the town's sheriff/top law enforcement guy (valid, sort of). It was the only possession of hers he had to remind him of her, and the memories associated with it were intensely mixed (a: her, but also b: murder), and after Mephala's fridging he carried it with him for a long time (somewhere between 20-200 years, depending on how my timeline for other events that aren't set in stone yet end up shaking out).

Do you know that thing that you do sometimes when you're really depressed and feeling self-flagellating where you already feel bad, so you intentionally start thinking about a Bad Thing that happened so your life can suck extra hard? And how obviously thinking about it makes you feel worse, but there's a weird undercurrent of pleasure and satisfaction at the ability to hurt yourself like that? It's weird to think of him like this because in the "present day" he's a very happy-go-lucky kinda guy like 97% of the time, but there was definitely a period in his past where he was that kind of angsty, moody teen.

And then, fourteen pages into the comic, the doofus accidentally left it behind on a bar countertop while escaping from some bounty hunters :V

28. What is their preferred mode of transportation? Alex is a big fan of the persistence predator's famous "walk 'em to death" strategy! So are a lot of my characters, I'm realizing (because other methods of transport like wagons and cars and bicycles and scooters and such suck to draw I guess, lmao). I think Alex would be an indifferent equestrian; competent enough to stay on the horse (once he learned, which I'm not sure when he would have done), but very much a sack in the saddle. While he can fly, he prefers not to because he haaaaaaaaaates his wings; there ARE humanoid creatures with wings on Meir, but a lot of them don't interface well with most of society and have a bit of a Reputation, so there's a bit of a stigma there, and people tend to stare. Alex doesn't mind being the center of attention, but he definitely prefers it to be for the things he's doing, not the thing he is.

At some point recently I said (probably on twitter) that I'd only drawn him with his wings three times: once for a "sexy" wallpaper, once for a NaNoMangO pregame meme, and once just recently for the ref sheet I posted a couple weeks ago. While I was going through First Target again for this ask just now I realized it's actually been four: his wings came out when he was fighting Viktor (which, now that I've remembered, made me go "oh yeah, that was important cos people witnessed that he wasn't human which made them go after him extra hard," it's funny the kind of details you forget after twenty years, rofl)

Edit: FIVE times, actually: I forgot I did one of those "what's your god tier" memes in the height of my Homestuckdom and he got Thief of Life.

B) What inspired you to create them? In seventh and eighth grade, in the late 90s, my friends and I were all role playing on various portions of Yahoo!'s social outlets, both in their chatrooms (Aenye, aka Ayenee aka A&E aka the Arts & Entertainment section) and on their groups (okay in fairness that was mostly just me, I don't think my RL friends indulged in that bit). I "GMed" a lot of stuff for my friends in the chats, and we had a fairly expansive storyline going, but a lot of it was pulled from things we were invested in at the time and a lot of characters were straight up just whichever media characters we were crushing on at the time, sometimes with the barcodes sanded off and sometimes not. One of the characters I "mained" at the time, both in RP with my RL friends and in various RP groups (which were mostly mixed-anime isekai-style things or directly based in the world of the anime/manga Slayers), was Xellandria Butadientium.

Xellandria Butadientium, Xella for short, was heavily, heavily, heavily based on Xelloss Metallium from Slayers, a smiling "trickster priest" with a deliciously malicious side and very obscure motivations. She was in competition with every other Mary Sue OC in those groups for Xelloss' attentions, though even at the time I (and she) was less interested in romance and sex than in just Being There and I dipped out of several groups once whoever was playing Xelloss there indicated their interest in eRPing (I was like, fourteenish and assumed I would care less/more when I got older. That, uh, never happened :Y)

When we moved on from Yahoo onto our own private forums I started redesigning some characters to be less obviously derivative and wholesale replacing others, and Xella was one of the ones hit with a redesign. She kept some of the things that had become "iconic" to her by then, but I tried to move away from the rest.

The problem here was that there were five main characters in The Bloodraven Chronicles, and only three of us bay area girls RPing; I was responsible for three of the five. One was Xella, one was James (another character who started his life being based off Xelloss, at least visually), and the other was straight up just Xelloss. That wouldn't do if we were making this an original story, which we all* had it in our heads at the time to do (because that was Just What You Did, we were formulating Aslua Studios who were going to Make It Big doing Things related to this story!). So, as Xella was originally a genderbent version of Xelloss who eventually evolved into her own thing, I figured I would just do it again, but in reverse!

Thus, alleX, who evolved over the next couple months into Alex, and whose design was finalized in September of 2001, just in time for me to be noodling around with the idea of starting a webcomic, which I would start posting to KeenSpace in November of that year.

Alex's personality takes a lot of inspiration from those old Xelloss roleplayers, though it leans into the more "human" versions, where he was less inscrutable and more just kind of silly. Nowadays he's pretty happy-go-lucky, which you would not know from anything in this long-ass post, l m a o

Anyway to cap it off, have a bonus visual chart of all this, from one of those "1 like = 1 answer" things on twitter about his D&D AU version:

(* I am reasonably sure, in retrospect, that my friends were just going along with my own desire to Make It Big (With Art) and that they had no real stake in it. In fairness, this was the correct decision/response on their part, but you know.)

[drawthething]

Happy New Year's! What's your favorite episode of BB? Favorite character? Favorite dynamic?

Ahh hi ❤️! Happy new year to you too :D

Favorite episode

Hmm it's so hard trying to just pick one fav ep so maybe top 3 :D? (I'm just gonna apologize if this turns into the longest most annoying post ever)

• Runaway Club: i rewatched this one so so many times it's not funny. The flashback scene, that breakfast club opening parody, the belchers kiddos & cool kids group on their shenanigans, mr frond, mr branca, ms schnur. Just so good all around

• The oeder games: arguably one of bb strongest finales. So many fun characters, Mr Fischoeder being the absolute lovable awful human being, Bob's character shines so much in this (i wish he get to have more focus eps like he used to :/), the classic funny scene between tina, zeke & j-ju, "boy shields" (did i just hear that tiny begrudging "i love you" coming from pesto sr's mouth 👀). The ending is super lovely too

• Ex mach tina: such a good episode? This is one of the rare eps where we get to see more of Jimmy Jr's character outside of his roller coaster of relationship with Tina (affectionate) and it's glorious. His musoems? Fricking masterpieces. The whole ep is hilarious tbh (i mean come on, robot tina, banjo bob? also antibot zeke pffft). Lots of t/jj moments too (yesss), with how similar tina & j-ju kind of are (two walking teenage disasters amirite?) and even though a selfish side of j-ju was shown (a very likely angsty teenage boy's selfishness), i think in the end it's shown that no matter how awkward their relationship can get, they can always have that little underlying friendship to back them on. And the kiss is so cute!

Favourite character

I suppose y'all are pretty familiar with my obnoxious love and adoration for my boy jimmy jr at this point, pffft. He's such a fun and complex character and deserves much more appreciation and exploration than just being part of shipping debate. Sometimes he's angsty, other times he's happy and absolutely living his life. Sometimes he's a jerk, other times he's a sweetpea. Sometimes he's an idiot, other times he's still an idiot. There're these realistic ugly flaws mixed with unique comical traits that makes me super invested in him pffft.

ANYWAY aside from j-ju, i have soft spots for other funky burgers folks too. My fav belcher have gotta be louise. Look at that kiddo, chaotic child trying voo-doos, almost cutting her brother's ear and calling a biker gang to also almost cut a teenager's ear pffft. And yet she sleeps with plushies, cuddles puppies (soft spot for animals eh?) and is super protective when it comes to her family & friends. She has her vulnerabilities and emotional depths too, which balance out her more fierce and feral sides and make her such a fun unique character (now if only the writers can still maintain that perfect balance with less life lessons stuff in the recent seasons :/)

Favorite character dynamic

For the belchers imma go with Bob & Louise. These two has such a sweet relationship that i really love. That heartwarming hawk & chick scene and louise wanting to take over bob's restaurant (oh imagine the shenanigans that will occur that day) just make my heart melt :]

For the non-belcher one, well can you guess :D? Jimmy Jr & Zeke! They are the caricature of bromance, the ultimate friendship achievement! Zeke's so unconditionally supportive and protective of his best friend it's beautiful. Jimmy Jr, despite his occasional issues, also looks up to and appreciates Zeke just as much. I love that they don't shy away from physical affections or compliments towards each other too, so adorable

[peonierose]

1, 13 & 30 for book asks 🌹🌸🤍

Hii love 😍

Thank you so so much for the questions (you can find the questions here)

It was a lot of fun to answer these questions 💖 Again thank you so much for sending the ask in 💖

1. What are you currently reading?

Uhh. Actually (and please don’t laugh 😅) I’m switching between three books (Though I’ve set my reading challenge on Goodreads for 30 books might have to put in a higher number for books to read this year 😂😅)

Chloe Neil - House Rules (Chicagoland Series)

R.S. Grey - Coldhearted Boss (it’s not as cliché as it sounds it’s actually pretty good)

Ann Dávila Cardinal - Breakup from Hell (though I’ve got to say the synopsis and cover sounded better than the book - I’m 17% into it but I’m not sure if I’m going to like it, I guess we’ll have to see 😅)

13. What books make you happy?

I love books that make me laugh. Just something fun and light. Happy endings too (guess that’s why my characters sound more like rom-com ones but hey I’d take funny and cute over angsty any day 🥰)

I also really love fantasy novels. I’m a huge fan of Nalini Singhs series Psy Changeling - uff that one is so good - if you haven’t given it a try and you like steamy mixed with fantasy? Try them they’re actually really good 😍 (you can check out the synopsis on goodreads or Amazon if you’re curious)

Also those characters who always have something sassy and funny to say? Love it 🥰

30. Favorite book this year?

Hmm. I don’t know if it will change. But I really enjoyed Chloe Neill‘s - Devouring Darkness. It was a lot of fun and I couldn’t stop reading it.

Thank you so so much for your ask 💖(it took me longer to answer it because tumblr kept deleting my answers 😅 So hopefully that won’t happen this time 😂)

Hmm. I don’t know if it will change but I really enjoyed Chloe Neill‘s Devouring Darkness (The Chicagoland Heirs series) - The book really picked up speed and I couldn’t stop reading and was so sad when I was was finished with the book 😱 But thankfully we’ll get one last book in the series.

Also I’m hoping we’ll get to see the third book from Sarah J. Maas crescent city series this year (that one is really good too 😍) It just got interesting at the end of the 2nd book.

Thank you so so much for this ask I loved getting it 💖

[happy-mokka]

Stranger Things happening - or the geeks shall inherit the 🌍...well first they'll save it of course...

From Wikipedia: (looky here)

geek /ɡiːk/

The word geek is a slang term originally used to describe eccentric or non-mainstream people; in current use, the word typically connotes an expert or enthusiast obsessed with a hobby or intellectual pursuit. In the past, it had a generally pejorative meaning of a "peculiar person, especially one who is perceived to be overly intellectual, unfashionable, boring, or socially awkward". In the 21st century, it was reclaimed and used by many people, especially members of some fandoms, as a positive term. Some use the term self-referentially without malice or as a source of pride, often referring simply to "someone who is interested in a subject (usually intellectual or complex) for its own sake".

I guess I can consider myself being a Geek. In fact, I've been living the Geek's life for almost half a century now. That's why I had a good chuckle, when I was reading what Wikipedia had to say about my "condition": "eccentric", "non-mainstream", "obsessed with intellectual pursuit", "overly intellectual", "unfashionable", "boring" and "socially awkward"...

Check, check, check, check, check, check and check.

Funny, especially when being able to witness the changes in perception over the decades to what it is now. Worn with pride, Geeks being the backbone of every fandom and motor of their creativity and imagination.

Sure, still boring for many and socially awkward for others seeing themselves as the crown of mainstream's creation.

To hell with them. Without us geeks, where would the world stand?

No fantasy novels. Karen would never have had the chance to watch Jackson's Lord of the Rings in cinema with her cheerleader friends and football jocks.

No Science Fiction. The captain of the soccer team would never have watched the latest mediocre Star Wars clone on Netflix.

No Computer Games. Eat this, Fifa Soccer FUT addicts and Call-of-Duty wannabe soldiers.

No Disney+, Netflix, Prime, XYZ streams anywhere, fuelled by the fantasy and creativity of Writers, all of them Nerds.

Tumblr would already have sunken into oblivion without the fandoms holding it together. Geeking out here just for the sake of it and to share their love for all sorts of things amongst each other.

What triggered this sudded Geekocalypse of mine?

I just finished a rather extrem binge of Stranger Things Season 1-4 in the course of 7 days (incl. full days at the office).

Loved it. A show so made for me. Don't get me wrong. I still love my ineffable husbands above all else and the Dead Boy Detective agency didn't conquer a special place in my heart for nothing (and is here to stay...hopefully til season 2, 3, ...). But Stranger Things? That mixed group of kids/teenagers? They're basically me. I am an 80s kid. Grew up exactly in that time the things take place in Hawkins Indiana. I was the DnD playing, fantasy loving, booksmart, shy, introverted, wannabe hero in mind, sci-fy loving, angsty yet courageous Geek. I walked small but dreamed big (guess still do...). Blushed when girls even looked in my direction, at least the ones that were not mocking and bullying me (which there weren't many of the latter..almost none tbh). So watching this show triggered quite a lot. Actually this feels like a huge understatement. Letting this bunch stumble into all those strange things (pun intended). The way how the different groups of characters - some completely on opposite sides in the beginning - find together and in the end grow to something bigger...sigh. Even the few grown-ups in leading roles are basically just grown-up geeks (Hopper - David Harbour and Joyce - Winona Ryder).

They save the Earth times over without getting any acknowledgement or thank-you and the bing-bang with season 5 is yet to come...

Anyway. Consider this my shoutout to all you other Geeks out there!

Let's be geeky! Let's be creative! Let's be kind! Let's spread the love! Let's be proud! (It's pride-month afterall 🌈).

In the end, the 🌍 will be ours. First, we'll be saving it of course. No one in their right mind can trust that to those normalos out there, right?!?

(Picture ©️ of Netflix)

[likemesomesalads]

Bleed, molten, and nightmare from the one word prompts?

Tw: blood, tw: gore, tw: body horror, tw: self-harm

Bleed:It took a few minutes for the beeping sound to stop and for his vision to come back, but as Thoernen got more and more to his senses he felt his left arm way too heavy. He looks down and panic rushed through him. He was hit and his arms started to grow branded crystals. He has been branded.He tried to calm down as much as it was possible at this situation. Looked around for some solution. Only saw more brand, no one else around. The crystals grew still, almost taking over his whole forearm. He had to cut it off. He had to amputate his arm. Easier said than done. The Commander looked for his weapon. It was broken, but then remembered the small backup dagger he kept with himself. Took it out and placed it in front of him until he got out the belt of his trousers and tightly secured it around the middle of his upper arm, where he intended to cut his arm. Picked up the knife again, took a deep breath and started to cut in his flesh. It wasn’t good enough, too slow. He started to saw with the dagger in hopes it will go faster. His blood splattering everywhere, in his face, on his body and clothes. He couldn’t see clearly from it and it mixed with the tears flowing down his cheeks. It hurt so much. He wasn’t sure what was more painful, the branding spreading or him mangling down his own arm. His screams echoed between the crystals. At least someone will find him this way. After what he felt like an eternity of suffering, the branded arm fell to the ground, leaving a bleeding, messy Commander wailing in his own blood in agony.

Molten:Lily loved swords, daggers, axes…Anything that was sharp, really. She had a few collected already in her few days since she is awakened. mostly used ones, that the others gave her upon asking, or rather nagging them.  Noticing her enthusiasm in weapons one of the Mentors advised her to visit Occam, the smith. He surely could help her learn about weapons and armors, maybe ever take her as an apprentice if she is interested.So she went to his workshop. Occam agreed to show Saberlily how a sword was made from old weapons and metal pieces. The sapling watched with horror as he put the unused, old and cleared weapons into the melter and started bawling.“Why do you destroy them? They will meeeeeeeelt!” She cried. The smith had no idea how to deal with the crying sapling so he tried to explain to her that it will be a new better weapon, showing her the form to which the melted metal will go. As they processed with making the sword, Occam explained everything to her and walked her through the process of making a sword, since that seemed to be her favorite. In the end, Lily was happy to see the new, better weapon made from the old ones.

Nightmare:Dau sat outside on the stairs of the place they stayed in for the night. It was a chilly one which came in handy to calm his nerves. He preferred to feel the cold ever since he left the jungle. The warmth made him remember those times. He often had nightmares of it still and probably will have forever. Like now. The Commander was still asleep at least when he left the room, his stirring didn’t wake him. Maybe he got used to it. The ex-mordrem took a deep breath of the fresh air and looked up at the starry sky. It was much more visible here than in the Caledon Forest or in the jungle. He loved this view. Suddenly he felt arms wrap around him and turned around with fear in his eyes.“Sorry. I didn’t mean to spook you…Nightmares again?”  Thoernen asked hugging him and resting his head on his shoulder. Dau nodded and sighed deeply.

“I didn’t want to wake you.”

“You didn’t. I just noticed you were gone…But you know you can wake me if you need something.” The Commander looked worried at his lover, kissing his neck softly.

“I do…But I only needed some air.” Dau looked back up at the sky. “I’m afraid…What if I turn mordrem again? What if I hurt you?…What if he isn’t really gone Thoernen?”

Thoernen let go of the hug to cup the other sylvari’s face and turned it to look in his eyes. “He is gone, Dau. He won’t come back. Trahearne gave his life to ensure that. You are safe. You are not a monster. You won’t turn against us or harm anyone. I know it. Mordremoth’s gone. You are free.”

Almost every night Thoernen told these words to him. And foolish it may be, he needed him to say it. To make sure he is indeed free of Mordremoth. To make sure he isn’t a monster.