#I have... like... 1-3 stories that I might remember that I'd like to reread since they are the ones that gave me the most feelings

[tapakah0]

Okay... it's... It's already in January huh... So I DID miss a war, a warning for war if to be more precise The comic, as how it feels for me, takes a more calmer pace of story since everyone is saved now and *chuckles* who the heck can harm these huge retired mutants pfff? and there feels like not so much of a plots to explain and show So... I try not to expect anything and enjoy because it feels like a finish line for me and I really am intrigued what you're planning for 12th

Cass do you

Do you have something special planned for the 12th of January? Since its the special day ever yknow?

I do actually, yes. But I feel..you all gonna have very mixed feelings about that

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

10 Jikook Fanfictions Part 1

I said I'd make a list before the end of the year and I kept my promise. Now, it's difficult to choose, especially when I have more than 300 bookmarks and unfortunately I also started doing that some year and a half ago. Safe to say, there's probably plenty of good fics I read that are now lost. Anyway, enough with the boring chit chat, here's 10 random jikook fics in no particular order and most likely, several other parts will follow, probably next year 😉

1. Dead in the Water

It's been a couple of years since I read this and honestly, I barely remember much, but what I do know it's that it had an impact on me. Usually fics that have death as a central theme end up resonating with me, but perhaps it's because I've always been attracted to more darker fiction. This one is gritty and there's a lot of pain and I must have cried a lot (those tend to stick in my head)

2. we're holding hands beneath the silver screen

I think this story is taking place in the 90s (you'll see that a lot of the fics I recommend are taking place in the past). I think I ended up reading everything ChimneyCricket wrote, but this one remained a favorite. Coming of age during a summer in Jeju in the 90s. Apart from the theme, it's the writing that made me stick with it.

I'm not the biggest fan of young adult stories. Or better yet, it's not something that I'd go to as a preference. When I do, it's more of an indulgence and thankfully, I found some writers (like this one) who can do a really good job with the genre.

3. Stockwell

Another writer that I've become a big fan of after reading one fic of theirs. And I think it might have been Stockwell that did it for me. I like that it's fanfiction with adult themes for an adult audience. And I also resonate with a lot of the cultural references and themes. I will also admit that this fic leaning into the enemies to lovers trope was a selling point because I'm a sucker for it. I can't help myself.

4. Burn for You

This is a complete self indulgence for me and I embrace it. Just like watching Bridgerton is a guilty pleasure for which I don't actually feel guilty (and the inspo for this fic). This story has everything and I must say the combination of lust, fear of revealing feelings, rumors, proper behavior and hidden romance is a lethal combination!

5. Light of a century

I might have recommended this story before, but it being inspired by Up on Poppy Hill is not just due to the plot, but the writing is able to evoke that studio Ghibli mood. This fic is to be read on a hot weekend afternoon.

6. Map of the Soul

This might be one of the most complex fanfictions I read due to the amount of research needed, but also in the depiction of political contexts and identity politics. Most of all, I like it because as much as relationships are a vital part of the story, there is an entire world surrounding the main characters. Events and other people that have also room to develop and not just remain props that advance the story.

7. Proceed with Caution

I don't know what snatchim did with this fic, but it's the only one I ever reread multiple times and I'll probably do it again in the future. I don't even reread books from my library, let alone fanfics. But Proceed with Caution did it for me. Perhaps it's because of the process of Jungkook inevitably falling for Jimin and even though it's a bad thing considering the context, it's so good. Maybe it's the image of Jimin with a bellybutton ring or maybe because the picture of hot Californian days in the 70s is so vivid, it feels like a nostalgic Paul Thomas Anderson movie.

8. Dishwater World They Said Was Lemonade

The description does not do this story justice because it's so much more than that. It's a canon compliant thriller with really complicated and complex characters and once again, a story meant for adults who understand that it's fiction. Unfortunately, judging by the comment section, a lot of people cannot distinguish betweem real people and characters. For those of you who might be fans of Korean thrillers, this story might be the one for you. It's also one of my favorite jikook fics as well.

9. souvlaki

Need I say more, considering the description? This is a self indulgence as well, but of a different kind. If I happily read tropey fics, I also like the ones that can sound like a uni course. Set during the 1997 FMI crisis in SK, any reader will get familiar with a socioeconomic and political perspective of that time through the eyes of the main characters. If you're only looking for romance, this one is not for you.

10. you wouldn't remember

I think littleflumes might be currently my favorite writer of canon compliant jikook. I think the author really captured their dynamic in its essence and the room left for fiction perfectly fills in the holes left in the last 2 years and up until the present. But what did it for me, not only with this story, but the others in the series as well, is that it's concentrated almost entirely on the two main characters, almost living in a bubble of their own in which their relationship can be explored.

[jade-of-mourning]

sooooo I’ve recently stopped being dead to the world

I had to backtrack and reread down to your answer to my last ask (which,,, thoughts,, when you manage to beat them into submission pls pls pls pls share everything) because I haven’t touched tumblr in a hot second but then I saw your post about lok s1 (and specifically s1 korra) and,,,

okay so this is me and my dumb hyperfixation talking but how do you think the rest of tlok would’ve gone if makorra wasn’t ruined. like just in general, what do you think would’ve changed?? if anything??

keeping this short but like. brain worms are munching. cuz the way their characters developed and how they each influenced each other. how would that have ended like. romantically. like what if korra burned bright and bright and bright and offered her soul and her strength and every one of her fingernails in love and mako bit his lip hard enough to offer blood in a kiss. what if they were a little bit insane by the end of everything.

sorry that doesn’t make any sense!

love

🐌

hey snailon!!! i've missed you <3 i've been hella busy myself (cough i have four ap tests in a row next week) but it's always lovely to see you around haha

hmm there are definitely a fair share of really well written meta regarding a not-slanderized makorra, but i don't really have any specific links on me rn. i'll just give you my sparknotes version of what i'd imagine, which might end up combined with stuff i've read from other people that i don't remember reading

i'd probably postpone them more than the series did — which, granted, they did write it with one season in mind, so i'll give them that. (i would argue that it's still a valid explanation for certain writing choices, because even though the books were commissioned before the release of their predecessors, it's not like the writers get to just rewrite the ending spontaneously bc episodes aren't constructed chronologically lol) okay ignoring that tangent

i'm okay with the love triangle in season 1 as it is because even though it's insane, it also checks out on all parts for korra, asami, and mako in terms of backstory and personality at this point in the story. korra is socially unaware because she never interacted with people her age or really Society, asami is desperately lonely and values good intent above all else, and mako is also impressively socially stunted and has the pressure of financial concerns as well. (if it were up to me, i would either just commit to korrasami or makorra from the start and add in the third if going in the throuple direction. i'm going off on a tangent again)

i have conflicting feelings about endgame. on one hand, makorra is so full circle by concluding the way they do here — mako's first encounter with korra he treats her like he doesn't give a shit that she's the avatar, the first person to ever do so; yet, by the end when korra's absolutely devastated and believes her only value was as the avatar, mako tells her straight up that he doesn't care if she's the avatar or not, as he has all along. it's genuinely so cute and i could honestly write so many more words about it than i did. but at the same time, i just would like to think that after the shitshow love triangle, they would put off getting together, perhaps as an overcompensation upon recognizing how they hurt asami.

since the latter route is the au i've decided to follow, so be it. in endgame, korra and mako still have their full circle moment and spinny-hug, but instead of kissing in front of naga they just longingly pine into one another's eyes. excessively so the viewers know. okay cut

season 2 they are rekindling their friendships with asami and asami is tired of watching them dance around their feelings for one another and also maybe pining just a little bit for korra but huh what. i would actually have to rewrite the entirety of lok to shift s2 into a readable mess. korra is still amazing as always and saves the world as always. oh also throw in some korrasami with the family betrayal theme. yeah i don't want to think too hard about this

see the struggle is that i love krew!friendship in season 3 so much but at the same time i feel like end of season 2 is the perfect time for a makorra get-together instead of a makorra breakup, seeing that korra has literally changed the entire world all by herself because she is so amazing. so alas, we'll go with end of season 2. mako no longer lives under his desk to hide from korrasami and in the two weeks between s2 and s3 they are done with their honeymoon phase so they'll just be as they are through s3 tbh. honestly there was so much makorra shipteasing throughout canon s3 that i don't really think there'd need to be too much rewriting. they're still the level-head/kick-the-door-down-subtlety duo within the krew dynamics and they're still clearly very important to each other specifically. the makorra hug before korra goes up to face zaheer might be drawn out even more and maybe something sweet couples say idk. (i have so much rizz i know wht i'm saying)

korra gets even more trauma for a lifetime (again), and three years pass. korra writes to asami once as in canon because by the time she feels human enough to pick up a pen, she doesn't even know how to talk to mako, let alone try to address the guilt of ignoring the guy who devoted himself to her so thoroughly. asami understands what it is to lose. mako (& bolin) has lost more than anyone else once perhaps but i think that the trauma repression means that that was never processed and he would be terrible to talk to about any of this. he's been there, but he doesn't understand it, if that makes sense.

okay so korra comes back, makorrasami dinner (ig the shitling that canon wu is is there also), makorrasami train fight, then we have remembrances and beyond the wilds — y'know, the korrasami/makorra episodes respectively. korra is now experiencing feelings for both of them Oh Fuck. by default i would say that masami has been hooking up through these three years but since makorra was a thing through s3 then i retract that; however, their friendship has rekindled very deeply as the only two members of the krew left in the city. and mako & korra have not discussed what they were or what they want to be at all, just been adamantly dancing around the subject.

blah blah kuvira blah blah city blows up then the wedding then bam!!!! mako's love confession to korra is actually a love confession to korra (wdym "i'll follow you into battle no matter how crazy things get; i've got your back and i always will" ISN'T a confession of love). korra is joined by both mako and asami after tenzin leaves, asami grieves, and the three of them have a moment together that has very heavy implications for throuple-ism. then bolin pulls up very devastated that he has missed the final krew party. cue the laughter, cue korra's final delivery of "i'll always try to restore balance" bc it should've been here instead as the three of them stare at the changed city before them, and cut.

(yes krew should've had the final scene together. i've said it before that i don't think korrasami was particularly well written, but i still like them and the ending is still very sweet. however, i hate that they completely disregarded the rest of the cast for the final episode instead of giving them a scene together, even if not the very last one, bc of how that translated over into the entire fandom… i mean what. and the spirit world vacation is a sweet sentiment but also i feel that korra would never immediately go leave on a vacation immediately after everything that just happened and her declarations of duty. i don't think i articulated that very well. but yes.)

[autumnleopard]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Thanks for the tag @amidnight--dreary!

1. How many works do you have on ao3?

Currently 46. No doubt there will be more to come, once I manage to actually finish any of my WIPs.

2. What’s your total ao3 word count?

234.084. I'm a little disappointed in myself right now.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

The bulk of my AO3 fics are for the MCU but I have moved on from that and I'm mostly writing for Peaky Blinders right now (and possibly in the future as well). I have two unfinished MCU fics that I will eventually finish, I swear. There's also a few fics written for other fandoms but it's usually single fics.

4. Top five fics by kudos

In order: The King Is Dead, Long Live The King, Winter Butterfly, A Simple Act, Early Bird, and Sleepy Head.

5. Do you respond to comments?

Yes. Though I'm sure I have missed some...

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

Oh, hm. I think it would be Dead Boy's Poem, which in my not so humble opinion is a great story, it's just that it ends very badly.

7. What is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I'm sure there's a few that qualify... At the top of my head I'd pick there goes my mind racing, just because it's a story that's very dear to me and one I actually love to reread. But honestly, there's probably a few fics that qualify, A Simple Act would be one of them for example. Winter Butterfly might fall in that category once it's actually finished...

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I think I remember getting some way back when but I can't remember what it was about, not that it even matters. I do recall having a brief argument with the person, I just deleted the comment thread. Nothing since then I think... I hope it remains that way.

9. Do you write smut?

Ah, well, not really. I have tried my hand at it but it wasn't anything explicit, basically everything but, so right leading up to the steamy stuff. I felt a bit awkward writing that, so I probably stick to hinting at stuff etc. But who knows, perhaps in the future...

10. Craziest crossover?

Well, I don't think I've written crossovers. As far as crazy stories go though, it's definitely the two stories involving the Avengers and resurrected dinosaurs. (Don't ask.)

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don't think so, which is good. Hopefully it won't ever happen.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Sadly not. I have translated my own shit though. Well, one. I wrote it in my native language and later translated it to English to post it. That's also one of the first fics I ever posted on AO3, way back in 2019.

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

Yes! Winter Butterfly is a project of the wonderful @worstloki and me, which we really have to finish at some point... I recall that we talked about it at the end of last year, and I forgot to check on the fic since then... Sorry.

14. All time favorite ship?

Ah damn. I have to say that it's probably Tofie (Tommy and Alfie from Peaky Blinders). It's the ship I write mostly for now and also the ship that kind of has stolen my heart, so to speak. I just love bisexual disaster gangsters. It used to be Frostiron. It's the one I've written most for and it still is dear to me but unfortunately it has been dethroned.

15. What’s a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Oh. At the top of my head it's a fic called "When Dragons Cry", which I haven't posted and it just sits in my docs and judges me. It's Frostiron and Loki is a dragon and his egg has been stolen. There's convoluted lore to it as well.

But also a fic/series called "here I am alone between the heavens and the embers" which is about Tommy from Peaky and ghosts. Do ask me about that. Maybe if I talk about it, I will actually fucking work on it. It's so ambitious in my opinion, and I don't know if I am confident enough in my abilities to actually write it. I mean, I have started it and I do like what I've written, but damn...

There's probably more... Now I feel awful for all the abandoned projects... Anyway!

16. What are your writing strengths?

I cannot answer this because I don't know. Even if I think longer about it, I probably won't be able to come up with a satisfactory answer. It's probably something others are more capable of answering for me.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Honestly, same answer as 16. Though I guess I could say smut because it's just something I haven't practiced as much.

18. Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

I think it's good. Though my language knowledge is very limited. I have used some in the past but it's usually very simple phrases that even a translator cannot fuck up.

19. First fandom you wrote in?

I've had that question recently and my answer is still not any more definite. It's probably Naruto, NCIS or Warriors. Though the more I think about it, the more I believe it was Warriors. But can't remember honestly.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

There's a bunch but if I have to pick, I'm gonna pick Lest We Forget again because it's a fic I'm very, very proud of and which deserves more attention in my not so humble opinion.

Tagging some writers, hope you don't mind, also no pressure obviously... @poormeowmeowcollector @justhallucinating @rabentochter @whentommymetalfie @justrainandcoffee @andtherewerefireworks

[snowbellewells]

1-6, 22, 42&43, and finally 50 for the Fanfic Authors Game. Thank you, ma’am!!

Oh Krystal @kmomof4 this took me a minute, but I'm so glad you sent asks - I haven't done any ask games for a while, and I always find them fun. Thanks for your interest (and I'll be sending some back your way! ;p)

1- What was your first fic and could you stand to reread it today?

My first fic was probably a PaceyxJoey revamp/divergence of the Dawson's Creek Season 1 finale. I had only recently even discovered that fanfiction existed, and everyone else I knew was convinced that I was crazy for thinking Pacey and Joey had the romantic chemistry rather than Dawson and Joey. Anyway, the fic was largely a way for me to vent my frustration and play out my vision of things. I'm not even sure there is still an existing copy of it today there, whether I would want to read it or not!

2 - What's your most recent fic and how far do you think you've come?

My most recent fic is my second entry for the @cssns24 event "For All Life and For All Time" (a Dracula AU). I'd really like to think that I've come a fair way in dramatic and atmospheric writing, as well as just writing a cute little love story for smiles. Though there is nothing wrong with fluff, I've been labeled as sweet for quite some time, so trying to add a bit more edge or danger and darkness to my works is a continual growing process, and one that I hope shows in this newest one as I go along.

3 - In your opinion, what's your best fic?

Goodness, I feel like that is a really hard question, K! I don't tend to feel like I really have a "best of" the way some of my favorite writers do. (For some reason it feels presumptuous when speaking of my own work) I do have ones I am more attached to or was more emotionally invested in writing, but I don't know if that makes them the "best" or not. I guess I might say "Tasting Forever" if pressed. It had such an incredible response when I first posted it - so far beyond what I had expected, and I am pretty proud of it when I look back at it.

4 - In your opinion and without looking at any numbers, what's your most popular fic?

Without looking to make sure, I would say probably "Tasting Forever" (see above) is one of the most popular, if not the most. It was at one time, at any rate. Before that one was written/posted, it was probably the two part "Under the Weather" which I wrote around the season three timeframe in the show, and was basically an excuse to have Emma take care of a sick Killian and hurry up and admit her feelings as well. The only other contender would be my first true CS/OuaT MC "I'd Know You Anywhere" which had Emma as a witness to a murder and Killian and Ruby as FBI agent partners assigned to protect her and Henry.

5 - Is there any fic that makes you super happy to reread and remember you wrote that?

I realize that this fic is incredibly niche and not many will ever read it, because it is not strictly CS (though they are supporting characters) and it's not even about a popular side pairing, but my BellexLiam short MC "Looking for a Heart (that's not Walking Away)" is one that I still read and smile about. I had a lot of fun imagining how I should characterize both Belle and Liam more fully and with the storyline itself. I am still really pleased with how it turned out and it's close to my heart, and the ending makes me grin happily whenever I reread it. I love it even more since @hollyethecurious created cover art for it as well.

I also feel that way about "A Year in the Court of Misthaven" (especially the first chapter with the Yule Ball) It just makes me grin imagining it. :)

6 - Is there any fic that makes you super embarrassed to reread and remember you wrote that?

Weirdly, since it's one of my more popular fics with other people, I have some embarrassment over "I'd Know You Anywhere". There are parts of it that I like and feel as though they turned out quite well, but there are also parts that seem rushed to me in hindsight, or plot holes, anomalies, and deadends that don't make sense. Maybe I'm being overly self-critical, but I feel like I could do a better job of it now than I did then.

22- Has there ever been anyone who's made you freak out because they read your work and followed/favorited/reviewed?

Oh yes, for sure! I won't try to list too many specific names, because I feel like I'd be bound to leave someone out, and I wouldn't want anyone to feel like their kind words and love weren't appreciated. Every single reblog, like, or comment is such a boost and huge compliment to me!! I will say though, that whenever someone 2who I regularly read and whose writing I admire takes the time to read something of mine, I am incredibly gratified and flattered.

And I doubt anyone who has received them would deny that your (yes, you, K!) real-time flails as you read are some of the best mood lifters and ego boosters in the world!!

42- How many views has your most popular fic gotten?

I'm going to guess this means on AO3? Are "Hits" the same thing as "Views"? Since that seems the most likely, that's what I'm going with here - Hits on AO3, in which case the one with the most is "A Cottage by the Sea" with 1,767 hits.

43 - Your least popular?

That would be my Ruby-centric OuaT one shot "Always Running" with just 46 hits (or views?)

50 - Has writing fanfic had a significant impact on your life? Would you say it's entirely positive?

Other than the amount of stress I put on myself when I can't update as quickly as I like or fear people may not like my newest post or addition, yes, I would say fanfic has been almost an entirely positive experience.

It's had a huge impact on me: it's kept me writing even as I've become an adult and had to get a "real job" to pay the bills. It's kept alive a show I adored, even though it's been off the air for someone six or seven years. Most of all, it has brought me some of the best friends in fellow fic writers that I have ever had! That last one in itself is one of the most incredible blessings I could imagine!!

[sebadztian]

Hello. My condolences to you, author. I understand how hard it is to lose a loved one, especially a grandfather and/or grandmother.1. Do you have any favorite headcanons about SebaCiel? If so, what are they?2. In your opinion, how will the manga/anime end? I would like it to have a happy ending.3. What do you think about the possibility of our Ciel becoming a demon in the finale of the manga/anime and leaving England with Sebastian? How do you feel about that? Would you want such an ending? Honestly, I would love for our Ciel to be happy with someone (Sebastian) he trusts and who would never betray him.4. Do you think Yana has left any hints in the manga suggesting that our Ciel might become a demon? For example, the real Ciel's outfit resembles/is identical to the outfit of Demon Ciel from Season 2.

Hello, anon!

First of all, thank you very much!

And now, let's answer your questions...

1. Yes! I have many HCs. Here are some of them:

> Demons cannot truly sleep unless they feel safe. So, Sebastian can only fall asleep when he's with Ciel and when he knows that they're both safe. I even wrote a short story about this.

> Since Sebas is a demon who doesn't eat, dinner dates are out of the question. So, they like to play chess, go stargazing (on top of a skyscraper or going to a planetarium), or cozy up together in front of the fireplace and Sebas would read to Ciel.

> Some demons are fated to have a soulmate and Sebastian found his when he met Ciel. And demons can only fall in love once in their life, and only with their soulmate.

2. I too would like a happy ending, although it looks like the manga would end in a tragedy. Sebastian would take Ciel's soul and then he'd be a lonely demon, somehing that he'd never felt in his long life because in three short years, Ciel has managed to make this demon more human.

But let's talk about happy ending! Which leads me to your next question...

3. Yes, if there's a 'happy ending', then this would be it! While I'm not really a fan of S2 (because of Claude & Hannah), I think the ending is great. This way, Ciel gets to live forever. But in my own version of HEA, Sebastian would be the one who turned Ciel into a demon and take him as a mate and they'd leave England and travel and see the world, get married/bonded, and be together forever. You're right in saying that Sebastian would never betray Ciel. And I'd love to see their relationship grows to the point that the demon would never betray Ciel out of his own will, not because of the contract term, if you know what I mean.

4. Hm... This one is a very interesting question! I haven't noticed anything so far, but I'll be sure to keep this question in mind when I do my reread. As far as I can remember, there's no such thing. But then again, I've never really looked at the manga from this particular angle.

Thank you again for your ask and your kind words about my grandfather. I really appreciate it!

[bitchwhoyoukiddin]

Ascendance of a Bookworm: Reread.

A person that I lent the first three books to returned them last week. I figured that it had been a couple years since I read the series (up to the point I paused to wait for the final publication), and maybe it was time for a full re-read. So, here are my thoughts and impressions!

Part 1, Volume 1-3

First thing out the gate, Urano is autistic. Period. That level of hyperfixation combined with actual emotional pain from being held back from said hyperfixation is vanishingly uncommon in people not diagnosed with autism. Yes, there are some conditions with comorbidities, but FUCK. Add in the inability to pick up on or parse social queues unless motivated by a.) danger or b.) hyperfixation?

That said, I kind of love how the arc of the first part (literally part 1, volumes 1-3) is basically getting Urano as Myne to understand how she doesn't actually have the option of Not Dealing With Shit. Urano/Myne (because in p1v1, she still IS Urano - the whole identity thing is a trip in the rest of the series) doesn't have the option to prioritize and run her life in an entitled way in this world. Hell, Urano notes contrasts between her new life and old one constantly for the first volume. And that's part of the arc!

I think something we don't really get enough of later in the series (or that isn't as emphasized, the author just expects us to remember) is how frail Myne's body actually is. Urano makes the point several times that something she wouldn't even think about doing (physically) in her original body is well beyond her reach in Myne. And she also points out that she wasn't really in all that great a physical shape as Urano (disinterested in exercise versus actual chronic illness).

Anywhoozle, I am glad I started this reread because there were definitely bits I missed. The Shumils being intro'd so early, how absolutely spoiled and entitled Urano is when she arrives, then how long it takes for Myne to even get to a place of baseline physical health, and how hard a time Urano/Myne has with accepting how out of left field her new world is in comparison of the old.

I think one of this series' strengths is how much thought is put into the world Myne journeys into. It is vastly different in culture, cultural mores and standards, and fundamental geographic basics than Earth/Japan.

It works really well to have the first three parts building the platform that the main plot explodes off of, and I'm really enjoying the revisit.

That said, there's definitely some Japanese/Western language and concept conflicts that have been tripping me up. Myne's repeated use of "clenches fist for resolve" and how absolutely fucked up she was in her initial wake up/being taken care of physically by her family. Yeah, a bit of that is that she is an adult in a child's body, but her crying for days when someone else physically takes care of her needs? Like. Girl. Come on.

I will also own that I get really frustrated with how one-track mind she's written. It's the correct character choice! Urano/Myne IS that way! It's important to the story and a (frustrating) driving force in the future storytelling. But Christ on a llama, girl, you fucked yourself by losing your goddamn mind about even the hint of a library. You might be in the body of a child, but you are a 23yo woman, get a grip.

I'll also note that I'd forgotten how honestly kind (in retrospect?) Ferdinand is to Myne when they meet. And sure, a good chunk of how he treats her later is strangely predicated on the amount of respect for her capability and potential that he sees in her. He knows she can do shit, but has weird priorities, and doesn't mollycoddle her. Hell, she doesn't deserve it. Because, and I stress this, she is a goddamn adult. An inexperienced, naive, and out-of-her-depth one, but still. Like, the framework of parts 1-3 is basically forcing a coming-of-age montage on Urano/Myne, and having re-read this part, I'm reminded why.

[divorceblogger]

Mid-Year Book Freakout 2023

Thank you for the tag @kazz-brekker! 🌻

1. Best book you’ve read so far this year

This is a hard one but I'm going to rule out the various re-reads I did this year (three!) and pick Rebecca.

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far this year

It's easily Dune Messiah - I don't think it's perfect, but I think I discovered lots of nuances in the series after re-reading the first book and dissecting Dune Messiah in that context has been really fun. The sequel also picks up the thread of the gothic atmosphere the first book was cultivating and continues to delve into that with greater detail which is probably why I grew fond it very quickly. Also Frank Herbert really got his shit together for it and committed to the criticism of empire that he was only really hinting at in the first book without forgetting to care for the characters and sympathise with them which I think really did something for me.

The series has a very TLT-esque balance of narrating the story, now that I think of it, in the sense that there are larger events happening in the universe around the characters while the narrative chooses to zero in on the personal tragedies of a select cast of characters in order to effectively convey the themes that it’s dealing with.

3. New release you haven’t read yet

I haven't really been keeping track of new releases much since I didn't care for a lot of the queer fiction Tor was marketing lately - but Our Wives Under the Sea has been on my radar for a while and it's the latest release I can think of at the moment because the rest of my tbr fully dips into books published pre-2000. I did read A Day of Fallen Night recently though, and it was published in Feb 2023, iirc.

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

I'm going to cheat and say Alecto the Ninth although Tamsyn Muir said that release was probably going to be delayed. The only other release I'm looking forward to is The Bone Season #5 coming out next year-ish? (probably 2025 tbh).

5. Biggest disappointment

Books #2 and #3 in the Southern Reach trilogy were rather poorly done. I don't think Jeff Vandermeer is a very good storyteller, but instead has a lot to say about sci-fi and horror as genres - and those things are interesting but I'm not certain they can act as stand-ins for the actual act of storytelling.

I did still enjoy my reread of Annihilation though, but it was probably just nostalgia.

6. Biggest surprise

Wuthering Heights, although I'm not quite certain why. I think I didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did.

7. Favorite new author (debut or new to you)

Daphne du Maurier - I'd tried to read and finish Rebecca before, but I really got around to finishing the book this year and it was very, very good. I enjoyed Rebecca so much that I kind of wanted to started My Cousin Rachel immediately; but I might have to put that off for a while because my tbr is very long at the moment.

8. Newest fictional crush/newest favorite character

I'm in Alia Atreides hell currently and I'm uncertain that there's any cure for it.

9. Book that made you cry

Harrow the Ninth! Books rarely make me cry and this was a reread but I still felt plenty emotional.

10. Book that made you happy

Solaris :) I distinctly remember smiling very broadly while I was reading the last couple paragraphs of the book. I think more people should read Solaris and also watch the film that Andrei Tarkovsky made based off of the book. It falls roughly under a category that I like to refer to as sci-fi horror, but it's also very Nona-esque, in the sense that it discusses the human condition of love with brutal honesty (I think basically all the sci-fi books I’ve read this year have dealt with very similar themes, especially with respect to their criticisms of imperial hegemony and environmentalism).

uhh tagging @phantomxblood @jaqobis @jelli-ace @wishesofeternity @honey-and-hibiscus-kingdom @iliyanaofcasimir and anybody else who might be interested in doing the game!

[gerardwayissexah]

Fic writer asks

See below the cut for my answers! :) Also, I did away with the numbering because formatting numbered lists is a pain in the butt.

How old were you when you started writing fic?

I was 12-13 when I first started typing them out and posting them online. When I discovered the world of fanfiction, something just...clicked for me. I've liked imagining scenarios for my favorite characters and worlds since I can remember having conscious thoughts. So, I was like: wow, there's an actual word for that imagination thing I do! And I'm not the only one who does it!

Where did you first post your fics?

Fanfiction.net.

What was your first fandom?

The Hunger Games.

What fandoms have you written for?

A bunch that I can't immediately recall, but here's an abbreviated list: Naruto, Harry Potter, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Attack on Titan, Percy Jackson, Kung Fu Panda, Kane Chronicles, The Hunger Games

Romantic or gen?

I enjoy writing romance more, and that's what I tend to gravitate toward as a reader of fics. But I can still appreciate an emotional family drama or a worldbuilding-centric fic. I'd say around 1/3 of my fics are gen.

Fluff or angst?

Angst with a fluff chaser. Otherwise, the fluff feels unearned. Without any fluffiness, the angst gets too heavy.

A fic of yours you think is underrated?

I totally understand why the audience for this fic is limited, but I'd submit my Hiashi Hyuga x Kurenai fic for consideration here. If that makes you curious, here's a link: Wildflowers for Hinata

What's the best summary you've come up with?

Hm, I have trouble deciding on one. I do like the summary I ultimately settled on for Bird in a Gilded Cage, after I went through a few iterations. Naruto was full of lies. Yet Neji wanted to believe him. And for years, he did. Desperate to marry Ten-ten, Neji discovers one bar in his cage will never bend - Hyuga only marry their own. Forced into loveless marriage with a stranger, he fights to free himself from the clan's gilded cage. But Neji learns people remain caged for a reason - because the price of freedom is often too high to pay.

What's the best title you've come up with?

Neji needs glasses - it's concise, and direct. The fic is about...Neji needing glasses but being a stubborn asshole who won't admit it.

Do you read your own fics for fun?

For sure! I've gotten so attached to some of my characters that I can't help revisiting their stories again and again. I think one mark of my improvement as a writer is that I willingly reread my work again and again, rather than avoiding it out of fear that I'll cringe.

What's an idea for a fic you've had that you'll probably never write?

Sasuke Uchiha and Arya Stark helping one another on their quests for vengeance and power. The parallels between these characters is so interesting to me, and calls out for exploration. Not by me, though. I don't have enough confidence in my Song of Ice and Fire knowledge to flesh this one out.

Post a sentence from your current WIP

This one's from the final chapter of Freefall:

The edge in Neji’s voice didn’t appear to faze Tenten, who rolled her brown eyes sidelong. Brown eyes that were the color of chocolate and just as intoxicating, bittersweet and forbidden. Strange – he’d never noticed that similarity before.

Do you post WIPs or wait until you're finished writing to post?

I lean toward waiting until I'm almost finished - around 80% through a first draft if it's a longer multichapter fic. I value having completed stories for my personal satisfaction, and for the sake of any readers who might get invested in one of my fics.

One-shots or chaptered fic?

Both! I've written both, and think each one offers its own rewards. I do have more oneshots posted, though - just because they're faster to write and complete.

What are some of your favorite tropes to write?

Forbidden love, arranged marriage, dysfunctional family, love triangles, infidelity, accidental baby acquisition, secret lovechild

What are you favorite characters to write?

Neji, Tenten, Rock Lee, Chiyo, my OCs - Risa Hyuga (branch Hyuga) and Jiro Sato (Neji/Tenten's child)

Have you ever or would you ever write a fic in first person POV?

I think it's odd that first person gets a bad rap in fanfic circles when so much original fiction is in first person. I enjoy reading first person and third person about equally, and I've written first person in fics. Second person, too, because the source material was written in second person.

Is there some headcanon you've included in more than one fic?

More than I can write out here, that's for sure! A short list: Hyuga clan only marries the extended family in most cases, Tenten hates radish pickles, Tenten's parents own a grocery store, Suna has cisterns carved in the cliffs to store water, the average branch Hyuga is loyal not only out of fear - but out of sincere conviction or love of family

What's the longest fic you've written?

Bird in a Gilded Cage - A Neji x Branch Hyuga OC fanfic with a Neji x Tenten vs. Neji x OC love triangle. Clocked in at 167k words including the three epilogue chapters.

What's the shortest fic you've written?

Hm, probably my first one, about Foxface from the Hunger Games reflecting on her death. I thought it was a novel at the time, when the entire thing was less than 300 words.

Do you have an abandoned WIP?

I have a bunch of fics in the graveyard on my Fanfiction.net profile. Younger me was terrible about following through on all the awesome fics I wanted to write, and most of my old multichapter fics never made it past a few chapters if that.

Pick out a random line from a fic you're really proud of

From Bird in a Gilded Cage:

A promise passed between them. Amaya would live with her head unbowed, free of the gilded bars that bound generations of Hyugas. So would her long-suffering mother and father.

What's the most personal fic you've ever written?

Tough question. I'd say Your Heart Beats On, because of the subject matter and emotional intensity.

What's the cringiest (affectionate) fic you've ever written?

My first fic, honestly. I was so proud of that thing, too.

What's your most popular fic?

Depends on how you define popularity. Bird in a Gilded Cage has the greatest number of kudos, views, comments and bookmarks. But it's also 50+ chapters, and is twice as long as my next longest fic. I think looking at raw numbers hardly offers a fair comparison to my other fics. My most viewed oneshot is Rising Waters - a Hunger Games smut fic written years after I'd last been active in the fandom as a teenager. Last I checked, my most kudosed oneshot was Walk You Home, a genin-era SasuSaku fic.

What fic are you proudest of?

Definitely Bird in a Gilded Cage. It was my first completed longfic, and the most challenging fic I've managed to finish.

Fic writer asks

How old were you when you started writing fic?

Where did you first post your fics?

What was your first fandom?

What fandoms have you written for?

Romantic or gen?

Fluff or angst?

A fic of yours you think is underrated?

What's the best summary you've come up with?

What's the best title you've come up with?

Do you read your own fics for fun?

What's an idea for a fic you've had that you'll probably never write?

Post a sentence from your current WIP

Do you post WIPs or wait until you're finished writing to post?

One-shots or chaptered fic?

What are some of your favorite tropes to write?

What are you favorite characters to write?

Have you ever or would you ever write a fic in first person POV?

Is there some headcanon you've included in more than one fic?

What's the longest fic you've written?

What's the shortest fic you've written?

Do you have an abandoned WIP?

Pick out a random line from a fic you're really proud of

What's the most personal fic you've ever written?

What's the cringiest (affectionate) fic you've ever written?

What's your most popular fic?

What fic are you proudest of?

[iviarellereads]

Wheel of Time full series spoiler thoughts on EOTW Prologue through chapter 4

A probably semi-regular weekly bonus to my reread blog, since sometimes you realize things on reread that just make you need to yell in a full spoiler space. (Check out my project explainers here and here)

Gotta say, didn't expect to see the Song allusion in the prologue. This is probably my tenth time reading EOTW, my paperback is so battered, even though a lot of those rereads I quit a few books in. And even now, there's always, always some new detail. I love the story of the Song with the Tuatha'an, and how tragic it is that they're searching for something misinterpreted through several generations of storytelling.

Ishy already using the True Power in the prologue, another thing I never noticed before, or if I did, I'd forgotten since then.

MAT AND THE BADGER! I still can't believe Sanderson (or was it RJ, in the notes?) brought this back in book fucking 13.

The irony of Mat thinking the fade might have been Aginor is not lost on me.

And not just the badger, the ghost hounds! My goodness, the setup starts at page 1 and never stops in these books.

Do we believe that Moiraine was using a little Compulsion to get them to keep their coins? I mean, I know, our fave would NEVER, but… wouldn't she though?

Gotta admit, my line about Perrin's fans in chapter 3 is absolutely a reference to how much you have to love him to make it all the way through to Malden without wanting to throw him in the sea. Faile deserves better than a man with no empathy ethics, but she loves him so he can stay.

The layers, the LAYERS in accusing the Aes Sedai of breaking the world. In one way it's true, all the men were Aes Sedai. And, in some ways, it's absolutely true that the White Tower's meddling and power plays have left the world worse off. Yet in other ways, they were all that stopped it from being worse.

The first of so many "he couldn't talk to women, not like [other guy in the trio]" lines. I saw someone, somewhere, once observe that they drop off after the lads start actually having semi-serious relationships. I wonder if this is something I'll remember to track, or if it's already done been tracked somewhere I just haven't seen yet.

[newsom]

hello!!! i'd like to preemptively state that this might be long and/or largely incoherent but i hope you don't mind that much. darklands has been very close to my heart ever since i first read it, so you can imagine the shriek my inside voice let out when i got the update email. i'd been thinking of rereading the whole thing, so, the first free day i had (today), i lined up four or five records and did exactly that. and man… it still hits so hard!!!!! like fuck. wow. i could go ab it for many many words if you let me, but i'll just focus on the most important stuff:

1) chapter nine!!! cHAPTer NINe!!!! i'm yelling!!! god tier stuff, seriously, by which i mean that it has been in my mind, without fail, at least once per week for the past however months. like, obsession level thoughts. it deserves them. the narrative technique is absolutely fitting/engaging/fucking incredible for the pacing and you executed it flawlessly. it's like, the orgasmic cultivation of a epistolary-based story.

2) your use of music! (nothing more needs to be said, other than the fact that EVERY. SINGLE. TIME i listen to wuthering heights i think of the cat (now lola!) my beloved) (also can't listen to the jesus and mary chain album like a normal person anymore)

2) i think another thing that made me routinely come back to darklands, which i came to understand in this second read, are your descriptions, generally, but most specifically of granada. while i've never been (i really want to!!!) i've grown up and live in the mediterrenean and i have to say, wow! like, i know every place is unique, but i'm talking about a specific essence that, of course, is vastly different than the scottish and welsh countryside or the bustling city of london that you often see described in marauders fics. and it appeared so surprisingly familiar to me that it created an dare i say comfortable atmosphere (what comes to mind now is your description of the terracotta stairs and roofs!! like!!! yes that's it!! or like. the stray cats lol) i also appreciate the fact that you describe different parts of the world (spain, los angeles, now wales) with equal degrees of detail and perfection. my little geography/literature lover brain is getting its serotonin :)

3) your writing generally stayed with me the past months (from your other fics too, that i will definitely reread the following days lol) but this one specific line has superglued itself to the front of my brain, and i have it better memorised than most of the poems i consider beloved: "At nineteen they were overripe with desire and spilling over with more love than they knew how to give or take; they poured each other overflowing goblets of the stuff and drank too deeply. Ecstatic, decadent love, laughing and delirious and always sweet." i also remember, but can't locate right now, a line about how summer was overgenerous one year and its rays had spilled into september and it made remus selfish . ouf.

man i needed to let that out. in short; i absolutely love love love darklands, and am always ready to soak up your words. i'll go listen to the playlist now and think about those lovely idiots. cheers!

🥺😢😭😫💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

I hope it’s ok to publish this, I didn’t want it to be lost forever by answering privately bc this is a dream of a comment and I want to be able to read it over and over LOL. thank you so much for taking the time to write, it means so much 💗 really glad you’re enjoying the story!!!

[ily-rly]

1, 3, 8

1: book you’ve reread the most times? my family has a one-week long beach vacation that we've done every year since i was born and the little condo we rented had like ten books and one of them was james patterson's maximum ride. and every SINGLE year i'd fail to pack any reading and find myself re-reading james patterson's maximum ride AGAIN. i have re-read that book enough times for it to be hazardous to my brain cells. it took me a while to think of an answer to this question and the DESPAIR i felt when i realized it was this story,

3: what is your favourite genre? two-way tie between fantasy and horror, both of which i'm trying to read more of.

8: what is the first book you remember reading yourself? oh wow this is a tough one. i thiiiiiiiiiiiiink it might be the magic pudding by norman lindsay??????? OR half magic by edward eager, which i think is a more advanced book but i do remember really brute forcing my way through it skjdfhkdsjfhk

[spicler-man]

thanks for the tag!!!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

75

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

214,434

3. What fandoms do you write for?

oh jeez. we'll stick to just what ive got posted bc otherwise this list will crash my computer. mcu, obviously, but there's also stranger things, gravity falls, danny phantom, miraculous ladybug, random kids movie called the little vampire that i got obsessed with, atla, my old mcyt fics, mia and me, phineas and ferb, my old sanders sides fics, stardew valley, exactly 1 undertale fic, and mha. i refuse to make pseuds or new profiles if you subscribe to me you WILL see all my works.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

i think they're all irondad? nobody knows like a waterfall System Error: Reboot i’ll always come back mr. dad❤️🔧 yep. all irondad

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

i try to! but i have bad adhd and completely forget most of the time. trust me, i see it and i love it and then i forget to answer it

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

probably The Phantom Menace just because it's short and there's no closure. one of my earliest irondad works, if not my earliest

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

good question!! most of mine are pretty happy or at least hopeful, i'd say mr. dad❤️🔧 just because there's little to no angst throughout the entire thing

8. Do you get hate on fics?

yep! as previously mentioned, i have horrid adhd, so sometimes ill get stuck in a little echo chamber of my own brain, and ideas that make sense in my head, with all the surrounding details i've come up with, the full thing won't make it into the story so it makes little to no sense.

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

i've never written a smut fic, i tried my hand at writing smut (with ocs) when i turned 18 just to see if i could. however i sincerely doubt it'll exit the specially made password-locked document i made for it

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

i don't, not really, so i guess i'll have to say my pnf and irondad crossover, which is less crazy when you remember phineas and ferb already did that.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

nope! no one wants 'em

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

also no

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

i've been a supportive cheerleader on the sidelines for a couple of my friends fics, as well as an idea generator that they've been like "ooh thats good i want to use that" but never a co-writer

14. What’s your all time favourite ship?

i might have to go with my stupid little elf polycule from mia and me. its my all time favorite because if i don't love them, who else will?? and i can never get tired of content from them bc there is none.

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

oh god. ive never finished a multichapter. did you all know that about me?? i've never made it all the way through. the final chapter of silent spidey has been complete since november 2022. but i haven't made it there yet. and now i doubt i ever will.

16. What are your writing strengths?

dialogue. i like to think ive got a good handle on dialogue. also spelling and grammar are fun for me so none of those pesky little errors

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

my willingness to sacrifice important plot points for a joke i found marginally funny. looking at you, stranger things wips.

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

depends!! i'm bilingual, so if it's a language i've got a handle on then yeah, why not? if i gotta translate it, i'll probably include the translation in there somewhere with an html code

19. First fandom you wrote for?

miraculous ladybug, back on wattpad. if you find my old unfinished fic on wattpad with no clues from me ill give you five bucks

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

i really like to be a bit of warmth for you. it was fun to write and i can still reread it without cringing so i count that as a win!

no pressure tags: @creative-girl @multifandomforthemostpart @call-me-coley @ironfidus

(under the read more is the blank questions for everyone)

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

3. What fandoms do you write for?

oh jeez. mcu, obviously, but there's also

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

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

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

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

8. Do you get hate on fics?

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

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

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

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

14. What’s your all time favourite ship?

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

16. What are your writing strengths?

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

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

19. First fandom you wrote for?

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

20 Questions for Fic Writers

thank's for the tag @waitingondaisies

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

- 180

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

- 1,701,826 (Holy Crap!)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

- All of my fics are MCU, predominantly Irondad but there are a few Spiceychell fics mixed in there too.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

- A Parent Apparent (528,718 words, 7,349 kudos) A really freaking long slow burn Irondad co-parenting with May fic.

- So Many Things to Say (82,998 words, 3,914 kudos) A electivly mute, foster child Peter fic. This is the first part of an extended series.

- What I Really Need is You (18,520 words, 3,581 kudos) A fluffy 5+1 of Peter needing things from Tony.

- Distracted by a Dime (56,169 words, 2,476 kudos) A homeless Peter AU- Stony AU. This is the first part of a series.

- Suspended (3,607 words, 2,177 kudos) A One-shot about Pter getting suspended and Tony picking him up from school.

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

I try really hard to reply to every comment!

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

I don't really do angsty endings... So Maybe this one? Breathe, Kid (You're Not Alone) (4,086 words) Ned Dies and Peter feels responsible. Tony is there to help him pick up the pieces. The ending is hopeful and comforting- but there is no instant fix.

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

Oh geez. You want me to pick one??? Uh... Let's go with this one because it has some sweet Christmassy vibes. Secret Sugarplum Spiderling (27,923 words) Peter is a ballet dancer and he doesn't want Tony to know- yet. Lots of super sweet fluff.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Sometimes. Usually, it's someone who has decided that my fictional story filled with fictional characters who have fictional superpowers isn't 'realistic enough.'

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

I have written exactly ONE smut fic- but it has NEVER been posted. 😘

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

One- by request. It was a mini-fic about Pokemon trainer Peter and Pokemon Professor Tony. Rotom Roundup (979 words)

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Nope. My art, despite emailing them several times, is still up on a 'coloring sheets' website though. Which mostly annoys me because what they nagged was a draft. I would have happily sent them the clean line art.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No. I had someone offer once and gave full permission but I don't htink it ever happened.

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

Yes! I have co-written a few fics. And I have one in the works with @waitingondaisies

14. What’s your all time favourite ship?

Most of my fics are platonic relationships. But I often have background relationships in them; usually Stony or Pepperony. Some spideycelle and once, Ned/Peter.

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

I hope I eventually finish all of them! But there is one I found that I am not even sure where it was going. All I have written is 800 words of Kraven the Hunter confronting Peter.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think I am pretty good at dialogue.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I am still learning a lot about POV depth, visceral details, and deep introspection.

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

I don't use it much, if at all. But it doesn't bother me.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Irondad

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

Oh! It's a tie!! So Many Things to Say will always me towards the top of my favorites lit. But my newest fic, The Hoax, is starting to creep into 'favorite fic of all time' territory.

I am going to tag (If they are interested) @spicler-manie @cajun-fangirl @asyouleft @thwip--thwip @justme--emily and @kubabergen

[terrm9]

Ok, Terezka😘 Give me your best💚 1.✨ @starrystarrytrouble✨ bc I simply love and adore everything what that brilliant mind of hers creates😍 2. ✨@utterlyinevitable✨ Dom was the first person I started to follow and the one whose entire masterlist I'd read through even before being part of this community. She and 3.✨ @alwaysmychoices✨ and their works were actually the reason why I decided to join the Tumblr. So I'd like to know your opinion on these exceptionally talented ladies😍 and their work🌻

ohmygod Petra you have chosen masters and I spent a good amount of time picking just one (and as a cheater, I might have added some more)

Send me the names of three (3) fic authors and I’ll share my favorite stories by each them

@starrystarrytrouble ❤❤❤ this was hard af because I regularly go through your masterlist and read everything. I have your fics downloaded in PDF ever since discovering the option on ao3.

My most favourite would be Hideaway, I remember the first time I read about Ethan standing by the window and watching Eve outside and until this day that scene is something I think of more than I should probably. (as a cheater, I also have to mention Fight and New Year's Eve).

@utterlyinevitable another gem❤❤ I think I already stated this once, but Make Believe resonated with me so deeply and I remember how I found it the night before the most important exam and it didn't stop me from reading it. (But also Carnival and Special Edition. Lol who am I kidding, Dom I am sure I would love to read my school papers if they were written by you)

@alwaysmychoices ❤- The Fifth Call. I cried when reading it for the first time and I just cried rereading it now. The emotions pouring from all your works are overwhelming (in the best way possible!) but in this one, it just hit differently. (But like... when I discovered Weekend With Dr. Ramsey & With and Without, all my basic needs were forgotten. I didn't sleep, I didn't eat, I just needed to finish it)

[kasuna-kotonoha]

Since I like to think I'm pretty good at debating/arguing with people on the internet, I've decided to post tips. These are just things I've found that help keep internet arguments civil and constructive.

1. Actively acknowledge the other persons' arguments.

I find that a lot of internet discourse, and even in real life, comes because people don't think their points are being heard. I don't mean you have to agree with them, but actively restating their points before/while you make your own means they'll feel heard, despite the difference in view.

2. Try to avoid making the point of the argument about changing the other's mind as much as possible.

The sad reality is that you likely aren't going to change their mind, no matter how right you feel you are. And that's okay. You have your opinion and they have theirs. And the chances are, the more you try to change their mind, the more likely they are to dig their heels into their opinion.

3. Be willing to concede on certain points.

By this, I don't mean giving into the other person. What I mean is acknowledging when the other party actually has a good point. It's okay to admit you were wrong about a specific point. No one party is going to be right about everything.

4. Refrain from all caps and swearing.

I'm mostly talking about all caps here, because that comes off as extremely aggressive, which only aggravates the situation. It's akin to screaming. I'd avoid swearing too, since it can seem kind of unprofessional, and can make people a little less inclined to take you seriously.

5. Remain calm

Remember that this is the internet. You can step away for an hour or two and no one will think anything of it. This allows you to form more coherent and less emotionally charged responses. Take a breather, get something to eat/drink, and come back when you aren't as likely to say something you'll regret.

6. Take the time to carefully structure your response

Like in tip six, remember that this is the internet. You don't need to respond immediately. You have the ability to reread both your own response and review the points the other party has made. This means you can make sure your ideas and points get across as clearly as possible,

7. Be willing to elaborate or explain

The thing with internet, unfortunately, is that a lot of tone and meaning can get lost. If asked, or you think it didn't come across clearly enough, be prepared to further explain your viewpoint. And sometimes, no matter how hard you try, it can still be difficult sometimes to get a point across. That's okay.

8. Remember that the other party probably thinks they're just as right as you think you're right

We're the heroes/protagonists of our own stories. The other party has the same perspective as you, that being "I'm right and they're wrong." This is the mindset that causes most arguments, I think, whether it's philosophical, political, or something else.

9. Sources/Research

I say this mostly because it makes you more look more credible. It's always a good thing when you have other sources backing you up. Of course, this also means doing research on the topic you're debating on. You want to be well informed, and not just rehashing things you read somewhere, from a source that might not even be credible.

10. Know when to walk away

I'd almost say this is the most important tip I can give you. Knowing when to cut off a debate is key. If it feels like you're getting nowhere, making the same points over and over, or you feel the other person simply isn't listening, cut it off. You can either just stop engaging, or make one final comment/post/whatever making your final statements before ending with the fact that you will no longer be engaging in debate with the other party.

And that's that. At the end of the day, we're all human, with unique experiences that shape our opinions and thought processes, and we need to remember that. Respect is something that needs to be present in all online activities. That being said, I hope these tips can help you engage in constructive debates both online and in the real world

-Kasuna_Kotonoha

[aqvarius]

Yes I meant rank as in from your favourite to least favourite and I don't mind if you don't rank all of them. Just the ones you read is okay. I'd like to know who did you like the most.

oooh okay! this took me a day to write bc i have so much to say i couldn’t just rank them without writing extra comments lmao sorry

pirates in love: 

1. eduardo/shin

so my second EVER voltage guy in a single purchase game was eduardo (first was yamato from mfw like 90% of all voltage players lol) - back when he was still eduardo with the short haired sprite. i replayed his route in love 365 last year and he gave me a different impression as shin? but anyway eduardo was the OG kaga and i love and miss him so much. at one point he was my ultimate voltage husband!! also his story was so enthralling. if you love kaga, you will definitely love eduardo. if you look through my eduardo tag/search on my blog, you’ll see i once called him my love, my one true love, my fav voltage guy, my husband, etc. i miss him...

2. nathan/nagi

what a SWEETHEART? he’s a little tsun but damn he falls hard. he’s so awkwardly caring and i love it when he gets angry. also he’s 190cm with a weirdly high bounty on his head for some reason iirc. he was the fandom’s favourite tsundere before we had ever even heard of takuto. 

3. christopher/soshi

it might sound odd because we all know i have a tendency to go for enigmatic characters and/or cold/aloof characters BUT i also love a fair share of sweet guys (haruki from ddiwt, lute aka the love of my life) especially because i love the feeling of not knowing if they’re just being kind or if they’re actually in love with you. they’re also usually ridiculously popular with women but oblivious about it and i love the drama there. it’s been so long since i last played him but i have his routes on PIL:CC on love 365 so i think it’s time for a reread...

i think those are all the PIL routes i’ve played but special shoutout to my girl fuzzy - #1 best friend 

my sweet bodyguard:

1. mizuki fujisaki 

my lovely, gorgeous, airheaded, wonderful bodyguard. he’s so underrated but so lovely. i just adore him. for the last 8 years since meeting him, i have just conveniently chosen to suspend my disbelief at the idea that a pop idol/celebrity could just quit and become a bodyguard. imagine if kyohei just peaced out of revance and became a bodyguard and everyone was chill with it. anyway i’m realising increasingly that i like enigmatic love interests lol and mizuki is just so hard to figure out? which makes it all the more delicious when he gets serious. i also love that he can literally talk to animals. i love how chill he is and how good he is at diffusing tension. i love everything about him. i actually don’t have any of his routes with me (i last played him when i still used an iphone so don’t have him on my love 365 on android ;~;) but i’m genuinely considering repurchasing all his routes lol

2. kyoya hayase

we got off to a rough start but then i fell fast and hard. hayase is someone that i’m afraid to rave about too much because i want to be the only person who knows about him so he can be mine and mine alone. has the cutest smile, the cutest blush and the lowest alcohol tolerance. he’s also totally my Type bc i love cold/serious standoffish characters who only open up to the person they love (i.e. me). the climax of his FLA route had my heart pounding but i was starry-eyed at his calm confidence. i trust him with my life. 

3. daichi katsuragi

ah my beloved dorky captain aka KEVIN. i learned my love for household appliances from him. mature, serious, chivalrous, loyal, but with an easily flustered cute side… basically the modern day gaia from akd. i FREAKED OUT when i saw him in ayumu’s route. voltage WHERE is my msb x hlitf crossover?!?!?! i love katsuragi’s calm yet authoritative leadership skills and the way he just commands respect from everyone. 

4. subaru ichiyanagi

the gap moe is so real with subaru. honestly i love subaru, he was my first ever bodyguard back when i played my sweet bodyguard for GREE. the number of guards i had to complete just to get enough points to pick good options in his route was ridiculous, i spent so much time on it!! also the amount of ender i had to earn to get nice clothes lmao. he only ranks 4th because i actually ship him with kosugi… their chemistry is unreal lol. also with goto, for obvious reasons. i wanna see more subaru in hlitf... subaru route? yes? 

5. toru kurosawa

msb kurosawa is so much sweeter than hlitf kurosawa, even when he fucks off for 2 chapters while you spend days looking for him. msb kurosawa will distance himself from you to sort out his issues so he can be a better man for you. hlitf kurosawa will drag you kicking and screaming into his problems (although this may be because hlitf mc clings on like the snapping turtle she is). msb kurosawa is complex and interesting and won’t guilt you into sleeping with him and then leave you the next day. 

6. kaiji akizuki

i started kaiji’s route in GREE about 8 years ago and don’t think i ever finished it? but as far as i remember, it was really cute. kaiji is so easy to be around and i love osananajimi characters who have loved you since you were kids together. also his sisters are crazy lol.

7. seiji goto

goto ranks 7th because the route started off on a really weird note (like hayase’s) with too much pre-route exposition (i still have no idea where to find the info that helps to ease into his route). also because he made me actually want to be with subaru instead in his route and his way to win me back was to whisk me away from a date with subaru and take me straight to kazuki’s grave. that being said, his GREE route was way better so...

*i haven’t played ishigami, sora, makabe, koda or eiji (but recently bought eiji's set) but sora ranks last because of a long running gag with @hikarunohana about hating on sora