#I know this was a victorian trope you can stop typing

[chris-continues]

Okiiii

Only one bed in the booked hotel room trope? 👀 (not nsfw obv) I read something similar to this but it was Vash so maybe a Nai version?

Star wars convention with Vash? (If u do dis one and if u need any help feel free to ask me anything cuz im a huge star wars nerd)

Vampire Vash and/or Nai?

CARNIVAL!!!! I wonder if the brothers would compete to see who can win the most prizes, also watching the fireworks on the ferris wheel would b cute

Beach episode? 👀👀

Sorry if it's alot-

(I love your au's so much oml, you write all the characters beautifully ♡)

AAA TYSM I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT imma screenshot this message/ask and use it a few times probably but the one that caught my eye most is vampire au PLS SEND SO MANY ASKS ABT VAMP AU I need to write more stuff on it

Ngl I’m most willing to write suggestive stuff for vampire au bc bro… 0///0

Lonely nights lead to delectable frights <3

In which two vampires with extreme charm have you wrapped around your finger (when in reality it’s them wrapped around your finger). (To be added on to, I wanted to expand on this more later lol)

WARNINGS/TAGS: mentions of depression/loneliness (reader runs into the woods to be alone but also craving companionship), gender neutral reader

Vampire Vash and Vampire Knives meeting reader! I’ll add onto this in separate pieces but I haven’t set a definitive timeline yet!! So any drabbles written may deviate from the last piece

I was debating on writing this in Victorian era type beat or modern au (because I’ve written vampire Nai modern au) but I asked my fav vamp lover @coffinbeananteiku and her word is final 🫡 (I needed to ask someone to decide for me I’m very indecisive sometimes)

Tags: @lune010 @vashfantasy

The dusk of a new night greets you as you run. Far, far away. You had nowhere to go, your feet leading you wherever the wind took you. Nothing truly important lay back in town, perhaps a few less than noteworthy friends in society who’d given an artificial smile and obligatory wave.

Nothing to go back to.

So of course you’d been an idiot to run into the woods. You have one horrible day, and rather than wallowing at home like usual you make the horrid decision to run when others keep berating you for it, fine attire catching on brambles you’d almost tripped over as the haphazard movements of yours fell to a halt. How far had you run? How far did your stress carry you?

Alone. Just as you wished and terrified. Only the moss at your feet and rather barren branches accompanied you, horrors of the night awaiting your person.

Wonderful. Wonderful.

You breathed in shakily, only to exhale into a sob. God, you were tired, so so very tired.

You eventually lifted your head to observe your surroundings. Eerie; yet a welcome sight compared to the bustling cobblestone streets of town, quiet, perhaps too quiet. The wind whistles past your ears in its reverie, encompassing you fully into the charm of the night.

This could be good, you attempt to reassure yourself. That thought is fleeting as you attempt to appreciate the short lived tranquility and struggle to backtrack. It’s futile.

You have no way back. So what must you do? Trudge forward. The next town could be for miles, you have no money and certainly no mode of transportation besides your already exhausted two feet.

You trek forward.

Not long after, your loneliness returns. The peaceful night soon digs into your heels once again, dragging your already worried mind into further disquietude. Your arms wrap around yourself in poor manner to shield yourself from the further night’s chill, vision hazy from the little light and paranoia suffocating you.

But nevertheless, you persist. You were stubborn in that way, never knowing quite when to stop despite the fear you’d be too much. Even now, when you’d done too much, by leaving town entirely to the welcoming yet terrifying arms of the woods did you remain stubborn. In a will to survive? In the pursuit of curiosity? The need for more? To deserve more?

You’d never quite place it, you’re sure. Perhaps all of the above.

Such thoughts plague you as you unknowingly stare down at your feet, eventually reaching a cobblestone pathway.

Your neck snaps up to see- ruins? No, it’s far too neatly kept for that. A castle, complete with gates and stone pathways; warm torches lit at the sides if you squinted from the faraway grounds of the gates. Cool moonlight acted as your light as you traversed forward, feet picking up. Perhaps you could try to see if it was abandoned, fashion yourself a place for the night! Hopefully no dangers resided here, in such a domestic place. Well, perhaps it wasn’t the most welcoming of homes but it certainly was a new sight amongst what surrounded you. Ah, yes, dead trees, dead trees, and.. woah! More dead trees!

..so, quite the refreshing sight.

The pats of your feet are the only noise you truly process, the gates creaking with movement as you walk closer to the manor.

Large metal rings the size of your head hung heavily at the double doors. Should you knock? They appeared to be in usable condition.. so you supposed, lifting one knocker with your dominant hand.

A heavy boom resounded as you dropped it. You’d never really used one- just accustomed to the usual rapping of knuckles on doors, or a verbal call whilst entering a room.

“You appear unfamiliar.” A voice suddenly husks behind you, making you nearly jump out of your skin.

You whipped around quickly, “Holy shit!-“ for someone in the Victorian era, your modern slang (profanity) was rather proficient. Standing before you was someone cold and cunning, towering over you intensely. His presence demanded attention, the need to stand straight and not let him out of your sight in fear of what he could do.

The wind whistled in your ears once more. Like a taunt that it could run far away from here, unlike you. His domineering white- no, almost white, pale blue eyes stared down at you. He seemed inhuman.

Your mind seemed scrambled in a feeble attempt to explain yourself, “Sorry I uh, was walking and needed someplace to stay for the night..”

His eyebrow arches in amusement. “So you decided to reside here?”

The crunching of leaves is what alerts you to a new presence behind the.. man who’d confronted you, wisps of blonde hair peeking from over his shoulder until he stood next to him. “Aw, that’s no way to treat a visitor!” He gave a sweet, yet strangely tight lipped smile. “I’m Vash, this is Nai. It’s wonderful to meet you.” A partially gloved hand adorned in lace outstretches towards yours in a pleasant handshake, small tears in the fabric from overuse. It’s a paradoxical feeling of ‘rough lace’, yet it suits him rather well.

You hesitantly greet yourself, voice meek with unfamiliarity and worry. An introduction slips past your lips albeit shaky voice, he remains ever so friendly and opens the door for you, the.. Nai guy taking care to briskly zoom past and ignore your very presence.

How kind. He’s taken a liking to you.

Vash merely brushes it off as usual banter, perhaps it’s nothing personal, you assume. He seemed unbothered overall and didn’t really acknowledge anything, that much you could observe just from his behaviors so far.

It’s not of importance, not in your mind at least. What truly caught your attention? The ornate structures in the main hall- carvings of angels in rich marble and stone, hell, even the floors had carvings!

Out of curiosity you dipped your toe into the slight crevices in the ground, feeling the divots of some.. geometric swirls and markings that decorated the beauty of the castle.

“Hey, you coming?” Vash peeked over his shoulder towards you- you’d lost yourself in the beauty of the room. He gave a knowing smile at your wonderment, entrancing chuckle reverberating throughout the tall ceilings. “I was the same way when I first came here, it’s definitely a sight to take in!” He jolts his head to beckon you forward,

“You can stay the night. If you wish.”

What other choice did you really have?

[quill-of-thoth]

Letters from Watson: The Naval Treaty

Part 4: the Fun bits

I don't think we've had too many examples so far in the timeline of short stories only using Watson to escort a client out of the way - though technically according to Baring Gould, The Hound of the Baskervilles has already happened (sixish months ago, in september 1888) and that's the largest instance of "send Watson to babysit a client" that I can think of.

Watson finds it difficult to comfort his old school friend, having no actual joint interests given that Phelps hasn't been keeping up with the news while he's been ill.

Curried chicken: it appears that some type of curry was circulating in the middle class cooking regime. Not a huge surprise to me but I thought I'd mention it since it's a nice contrast to all the aspics.

Holmes. Holmes. I know you were a drama kid but you do not need to do stage magic for the guy who's recovering from a mental breakdown.

Yes, even if the point is to impress Watson's old school buddy, and therefore Watson. The man has done VERY LITTLE other than sing your praises while you were gone. Watson is already suitably impressed and his friend's opinion is not going to make a huge difference

I know I keep comparing this to The Second Stain, but the comparison to The Speckled Band that Holmes makes here is turning this into the story of constant name-dropping.

Speaking of The Second Stain, we have once again a floor cubby with carpet over it. I can see why this is such a common trope in other mysteries, all the way down to classic era Nancy Drew, if the floors of a victorian household really did have plumber holes regularly.

Joseph has "lost heavily dabbling in stocks" so if you must seek a modern day analogue for him, imagine that he's a Reddit Stock Tips Bro and he was just a little late on his Game Stop purchases and sales

Especially since his crime has the same amount of foresight (Read: none)

[yallemagne]

What’s funny about Jonathan’s magical girl transformation with the stark white hair is that it’s just impossible. Like, yes, we all know it is, but I hadn’t been focussing on that until now.

I was like “yeah, stress can cause early greying bc you’re no longer producing the melanin in your hair--” and then I realized like “wait, why would that change the colour of the already-grown strands as if they were fucking dead coral?” Because it’s not like if you pulled out a strand of your own hair, the colour would fade and go white.

Jonathan’s hair is alive? Dead now, alive before? Jonathan’s out here being Rapunzel from Tangled and everyone surrounding him is like “seems aight”.

[brotherslayer]

I was going through the manhwa and it hit me that unlike Athy and Jennette's dresses, we never see anyone dissecting the meaning behind Claude or Anastacius's costume, even though they have much underlying symbolism to offer with all their varying colours and motifs. And these are the two most rich characters in terms of backstory and human relationships. Ur detailed dissection on Jennette's costumes are so good that I'm scarily tempted to tempt u to do this one. Will u do this one analysis🥺???

I don't know anything about the medals or the flowers on Claude's clothings since I'm don’t know flower language... But I can give my thoughts on some of his clothings.

Claude wears three types of clothings throughout the manhwa: 1. royal military uniforms 2. togas 3. victorian children clothings of the upper/middle class (play suits + sailor suits).

What is striking is that all three types of clothings he wore can be associated with freedom and oppression equally (1. military 2. ancient romans 3. royal navy).

Let's start with the first outfit he wore as a child: The sailor suit.

In 1846, the four-year-old Albert Edward, Prince of Wales was given a scaled-down version of an enlisted man’s sailor suit. It was almost certainly a carefully chosen decision calculated to make the public associate the monarchy which had declined in popularity with the most popular institution in Britain -The Royal Navy.

What do we know about the royal navy? Besides it’s role in British colonialism and the suppression of many Asian and African peoples, it helped to defeat a series of opponents for the most part countries goverened by authoritarian or dictatorial rulers (Philip II, Louis XIV, Napoleon, Kaiser Wilhelm II), in other words: tyrants.

Sailor suits which are associated with childishness and innocence stand in juxtaposition to it’s militaristic origin . It’s a reminder how young Claude was still pure and innocent, yet without being fully aware of it he was thrown into a battle for succession at such a young age, and expected to survive or die trying.

We could also dvelve into color theory a little bit: Brown is mostly associated with humility, plainness and poverty. It could be a reminder of his commoner origin. Perhaps it tells us that his mother didn’t have much money back then and Claude had to get dressed in clothes that didn’t gave away easily how often they got mended or got dirty, because his mother could only afford a few sets of clothing. This is only a speculation: perhaps the money meant for Claude was mostly used for the treatment of his mother’s sickness. (I can’t see the Emperor paying the treatment of a chronically ill lover. Unless he actually loved her).

We could also assume that Claude intentionally picked out plain brown clothing that would allow him to blend well with the environment. The flashback in chapter 73 shows us little Claude hiding behind the bushes from the palace guards. Considering his state of increased alertness, he seemed to be used to sense danger approaching and find ways to hide quickly and efficiently.

Ah before I forget too much brown can also create feelings of sadness, isolation and loneliness...alright, you get what I mean, I stop here. 

Now to Anastacius. While Claude’s attire is more lowkey about it’s violent origin: Anastacius’ is more upfront. He’s already aware of the situation he is in. He knows his little brother is more talented than him and feels threatened enough to consider the words of Caracks who tried to lure him away. Anastacius wears something resembling a mix of military uniform and a victorian play suit in blue and red.

Blue was also considered the most prestigious colour, and was granted to “royal” regiments.

I think Anastacius and Claude’s outfits were meant to show that they were at a crossroad in life. When Ana was still friendly with Claude he started out wearing play outfits and then as his relationship with Anastacius deteriorated, gradually started to wear normal suits and uniforms until he was wearing his ceremonial military uniform at the day he killed Ana.

The Obelia brother’s wearing a military uniform signifies that they are at war with someone. They are ready to spill blood. You can see it in The Lovely Princess, where when Athy meets Claude for the first time, instead of a toga he is wearing a military uniform and continues to do so almost until his death. We know that Diana was the one who introduced him to Siodonna’s fashion. With the memories of her gone, so was the peaceful presence in his life and he became a misanthrope. The memory spell had taken full affect and he was incapable to love or care for Athy in any way. Athy became his biggest torment, his enemy. Similarly our! Claude is only wearing a military uniform at official occations like Athy’s debutante ball, where he had to face the nobles which he resented so much. And even now, in the latest chapters he bothered to change his clothes with magic from a toga into a uniform when he reunited with his elder brother.

Whenever Anastacius and Claude are wearing a military uniform they are meeting someone hated (LP verse Claude met Athy, birthday baquet! Claude met the nobles (Roger), and now in chapter 109 he met his brother who had tried to kill him), they either want to demonstrate strenght (the uniform at Athy’s birthday baquet was more show) or they are ready to attack (the uniform in the recent chapters was more practical to move in).

However they are also stress on the fact that they belong to the royal family and are ought to be respected.

Ana wore almost constantly military uniforms, because he felt the need to show that he was the heir. Not only by birthright, but also in appearance. Only when he went undercover he switched his wardrobe to suits (still, in purple in the color of royality) and puffy shirts. You can see it when Anastacius entered the palace with Jennette. When Ana is fighting against Claude he is either wearing a royal blue (past) or a combination of red and black (present).

“ Black and red. In western culture, these are the two most sinister colors, as red typically conveys the meaning of blood or anger, and black is that of darkness or death. Being a very visually striking combination, they can also convey a sense of power. Together, they additionally give the impression of burning coal or wood, i.e. "fire and destruction".”

(TV Tropes: Red and Black and Evil All Over)

In his previous life he bought fire and destruction upon Obelia...like in Athy’s nightmare remember? So it’s is kind of a bad omen as well.

Anastacius uniform in black and red forms a strong contrast to Claude’s uniform, which is dyed in colors of purple and pure white. “The color purple is often associated with royalty, nobility, luxury, power, and ambition. Purple also represents meanings of wealth, extravagance, creativity, wisdom, dignity, grandeur, devotion, peace, pride, mystery, independence, and magic.”

My point is that Ana’s appearance reflect his state of mind. Being all the time at war with his brother. The paranoia to get overthrown.  The fear not to be enought. He insisted on wearing the ceremonial royal uniform, the crown and the coat, in royal colors, because he felt inferior towards Claude and it made him feel safer. If he thought his own skills as heir were lacking he sought to compensate with the way he presented himself in public (his inferiority complex might have contributed to his lavish livestyle and tendency to waste money). 

The only exception where Ana is not wearing a uniform is a scene during the time of Ana and Claude’s falling out. But he still emphasizes that he belongs to the Imperial family in another way: The brooch on his vest, has the same blue shade as the color of his eyes, which are a trademark sign that only the Imperial family possesses. In chapter 109, Claude and Athy chose to wear a similary colored brooch to show that they are the “true” heirs.

[actiniumwrites]

Hii! I saw you had free slots left so i decided to sent in a request. I'm female, she/her pronouns. I honestly don't mind any gender I'm fine with anyone. You can call me mari

My mbti is intj 5w4 548; my horoscope is Sun:leo Moon: libra, Rising: Capricorn.

I'm ambivert,I'm very laid back and prefer to go with the flow of life but sometimes come off as ego-centric and domineering. I have to admit I’m a lazy person who prefers having a leisure more than anything else. But once i find my motivation I'm actually pretty hardworking, I won't stop or take breaks until i completely finish what I started. I mostly spends my time as a stoic and a calm person and i might even come off as apathetic towards the world around me [even tho I’m not]. I’m usually perceived as being insensitive because i generally prefer to deal with emotions in my own head rather than openly [and somehow I'm still well liked?!] tbh I often think I’m above others, yet I am always willing to acknowledge that I’m a total piece of shit [very rarely tho] Sometimes i have fantasies and ideals that I want to start creating or becoming but i give myself a reality check and let the dream fade away. I’m very innovative but still choose the practical route a lot. It’s easy for me to create goals and envision the end results but it’s ridiculously hard for me to remain committed to the process. I have a very big ego but one word alone is enough to destroy it. i Will never admit my wrong, unless internally. I'm playful around people i like [friends, family, classmates] and if I believe I'm right I'll passive agressivly fight you to prove my point [even if I'm wrong]. Like i said i have hard time committing to something i loose interest, motivation and get bored rather easily. If I'm stressed about something i bottle everything up and worry about it alone. Not because I don't want to burden other or anything simply because my pride and ego is getting in my way. I'm not really a jealous person and even if i get jealous i keep it to myself and try my best to hide it. I care about what others think of me [more like what others think of my parents] so towards strangers and people that know my parents I'm very polite.

My kins are: Quanxi [chainsaw man], rosaria[genshin impact] mona[genshin impact] suna [haikyuu] mello [death note]

I like horror genre [movies, books, analogue horror and etc], watching movies, listening to true crime, reading books and listening to music. I love indie and alternative rock, gothic novels, Victorian and vampire goth aesthetic, grunge aesthetic. Researching and learning more about myself. I love reading greek mythology and Japanese urban legends, I'm interested in psychology. I wouldn't really consider this as a hobby cause i do it once or twice a year but i also play volleyball and piano. I also really love spicy food.

I dislike heat and sweat. I also can't stand smell of mushrooms. I can't say i hate them but i really can't bring myself to like dogs and sweet food. I dislike math, i admit math is fun when you know what you're doing and you understand the subject but i stopped understanding it in middle school. I also dislike snow, really loud or really quiet places.

I value honesty and loyalty, I'm more attracted [romantically or platonically] to people who are confident in themselves and their abilities. I also value partner/friend that isn't overprotective and allows me my independence and let's me do things my way. I don't think i have a specific type i just want my partner to keep me entertained as i tend to get bored rather easily.

My ideal date would be going to movie cinema/drive in, watching theater play or going to theme park

I MATCH YOU WITH . . .

KAZUHA!

TROPE: STRANGERS TO LOVERS

you were sitting against a maple tree when kazuha first met you. it was fairly quiet aside from the slight rattle of the trees or the very faint sounds coming from the main city a few miles away

“what book is that?”

your eyes snapped up to the voice that pierced through the calming quietness of the day, only to meet a pair of the most comforting eyes you had ever seen

normally, you would’ve told him to leave you alone or ignore him all together, but this guy was different. he had a warm and gentle aura to him, and so, you allowed him to stay

for hours upon hours, you talked about anything and everything with the stranger

he learned about your interest in mythology and books, the way you seemed to be so relaxed, and about your love for learning

you learned he loved to travel, learn about the past (and ponder the future), and most of all his love for people and the world

by the end of the day, it was as though a new found feeling of love had bloomed within both your heart and mind. unknowingly, the stranger felt the same

if love at first sight was truly a real thing, this was undeniably it

“kaedehara kazuha, that’s my name…but you can just call me kazuha.”

[leslie-lyman]

Okay. Okay. So I’ve sat with this for a bit and am now gonna attempt to process all my thoughts because Kelly this is so amazing and I am so. Fucking. Honored. that you wrote this????? This fic is so beautiful and it captures Pero and Tessa SO WELL and the idea that you would write fanfic of my fanfic makes my heart grow like eight sizes. I love this. I love YOU. Thank you, thank you, thank you. ❤️❤️❤️

I just LOVE the idea of Pero and Tessa as soulmates. Honestly I’ve always thought of them as soulmates, just without any sort of magical confirmation. These two were just meant to be together and there will never be anyone else for either of them. And I love the red string of fate soulmate trope, and the way you use it here is so freaking clever!! That Tessa’s string disappears through the Gate?? And her and Pero’s string is threaded through with gold to represent magic and the choice they have to make???? Perfection.

Teagan’s home/studio/shop sounds amazing (especially that it’s an old Victorian, SWOON) and I would like to live there pls. And she paints romance novel covers!! I love that so much. We need more Elaine Duillos in this world.

I cannot tell you how freaking perfect it is that Teagan first sees Pero and Tessa together and their string connecting them while at a grocery store. I literally read that part and said “oh my god yes” out loud.

he was tall and imposing but when she wasn’t looking he watched her with the softest expressions

MMHMM MMHMM YES YES YOU GET IT THIS IS EXACTLY HIM.

Oddly enough it was at the first mention of Thom that I started getting emotional??? Because I was not expecting you to include THE ENTIRE WALSH FAMILY in this but oh my god there they are!!!! All of my babies!!! 🥹🥹🥹🥹 And I’ve always envisioned the store at the farm being stocked with all sorts of goods and crafts from local artists and businesses EXACTLY like Teagan’s.

“Pero and Tessa aren’t dating, not yet at least.”

“Oh, I just- I thought that they were. They love each other so-”

“I knew we weren’t the only ones to see it! Tessa is being stubborn about it, even the kids know..”

YES IT IS SO OBVIOUS TO LITERALLY EVERYONE. IT’S-NOT-UNREQUITED-THEY’RE-JUST-IDIOTS MY BELOVED.

Pero and Tessa were kissing and the glow of red and gold around them was radiant, in a way that made Teagan’s eyes water, it was a love that was so beautiful but there was something sad about it too. She hadn’t really ever felt the emotions that came from a string, not until she touched it, but their love was so strong that even from so far away she could feel it like a summer bonfire.

MA’AM?!?!? This description of their first kiss is just EXQUISITE. I think I stopped breathing until I was done reading this paragraph.

God Henry is such a real one. I love that he figures out she can see the strings and reaches out to make her feel less alone.

“Pero!”

His string was red, pure glittering red and pulsing like a heartbeat, radiating joy and happiness and serenity at long last.

YES YES YES THIS IS EVERYTHING THIS MAN DESERVES. 🥹

His face fell when he saw the price tag and Teagan knew that he wouldn’t just take a handout, he didn’t seem like the type.

Oof this is so true. Stubborn, prideful man. He’s gotta work on that.

“You remind me of someone I knew, a bastard of an Irishman.”

“Oh, well, my grandmother immigrated over here from Ireland. It’s why my parents named me Teagan, to honor her.”

NO ONE TALK TO ME I’M HAVING AN EMOTIONAL BREAKDOWN. Teagan is 100% a descendant of William and I will not be told otherwise.

“I wasn’t going to let him walk here without it, it’s beautiful… how much you love one another.”

Tessa’s face gained some color but she smiled so softly, so affectionately, that Teagan felt peace knowing that whatever choice had kept them tumbling was finally made and it was very clear they’d made the right one.

The way Tessa’s string gleamed and glittered was proof enough that their love truly was magic.

This is all SAMG canon now. And Teagan starts coming over to all the Walsh’s homes for dinners and Tessa drops off leftovers for her all the time and her and Pero become good friends. The Walshes are basically gonna adopt this woman. She’s one of them now.

Love and Red

Summary: Teagan had always seen the little red strings, never her own for some reason, but always everyone else's.

Rating: General Audiences (Dedication Fanfic is Explicit)

Notes: This is a fanfiction of a fanfiction, which I feel is becoming my thing to be honest. This is dedicated to the lovely @leslie-lyman and Stranger at my Gate. Glimpses of Pero and Tessa's story through the eyes of an outsider. This is posted with her permission!

Please check out her stories (if you're over 18, minors are not allowed) and send her some love!

Teagan had always seen the little red strings, never her own for some reason, but always everyone else’s. Connecting pinkies with little red bows, sometimes they went on for miles and miles with no end in sight and sometimes they were right beside each other. A husband and wife, a pair of brothers, grandparent and grandchild. In the past it was said to be the red string of fate that bound lovers’ souls, but now she knew that it wasn’t just romantic love that the strings would show.

Platonic love between two best friends, familial love between old and new generations, all of it was love and all of it was beautiful. But romantic love when reciprocated glowed like Christmas lights, glittering like something precious, and sometimes Teagan would just watch the people in town who found their string mate. 

Wonder why she didn’t have one, or if she did why she couldn’t see it.

This made growing up difficult in a different way than just small-town popularity contests, seeing her classmates with their strings and people around town with theirs; she’d always been called absent-minded or stupid because of the distractions with the colorful shades of red that invaded her life. But there was one girl who had a string that was dull, present but so very faint, and Teagan had thought it unfair that someone as kind as Tessa Walsh had a string that she couldn’t see the end of.

Most people had strings that traveled miles across rooms, across streets and lakes and oceans, whenever theirs wasn’t close by; but Tessa’s string looked like it led to the woods but it never moved to indicate there was someone on the other end. Teagan had tried following it once when her parents had been busy at work and left her on her own, back in middle school, but the string vanished in the middle of the woods near the strangest trees she’d ever seen.

Teagan had no explanation, not that she even knew how she saw the strings to begin with, and after that she could only hope that one day Tessa’s string mate would appear. Taking advantage of the fact that she was as good as invisible to everyone, hiding her eyes -such a pale blue, are we sure she isn’t blind, her mother had once remarked- behind the long strands of mousy brown hair that she allowed to fall over her face when she turned her head down to do her work in school was how she managed to get through her youth.

Learning and observing more and more about the strings while her father taught her all manner of hobbies, it had been his attempt to encourage something to keep her wandering attention and to a degree it had worked, she was sort of an all-around artist. Pottery, ceramics, blown glass, painting… it was things she had done with her dad and things that she did when the loneliness was a little too loud.

University had been the largest factor that stopped her from focusing on the strings as hard as she usually did, there were too many and her schoolwork was so much more challenging, but that behavior carried over even after she graduated. Even as she watched people pair off, meet their string mates, as she watched some strings thin out as friendships faded or break when loved ones were lost.

Teagan’s career practically stumbled into her, if she were being honest, she’d always sold things she made as a small side hustle. Blown glass charm bracelets, beads, and figurines; wooden figurines or beads carved and painted as well as pottery and small paintings. All custom made, all handcrafted, and all of them well loved by the recipients.

One such recipient had been writing a romance novel, had plans to try and sell it, but wanted the cover art style that was practically gone now. Instead of Canva style images she’d wanted an oil painting picture, the classic look, and paid two other students to be the models for it while Teagan had painted it.

Never had she imagined becoming the next Elaine Duillo but it had happened after Time Lost hit the shelves and novelists began blowing up her professional email for requests to paint covers for their books too.

Moving back to her childhood home was done quietly, her parents retired and moved South so she’d bought their place from them since she had no siblings, and the entire ground floor was turned into a storefront and studio. Being as busy as she was with getting her new store situated, her painting studio ready, had meant that she hadn’t been paying attention until one day she went to go shopping and saw something she thought impossible.

Tessa Walsh was walking beside a man at the grocery store, he was tall and imposing but when she wasn’t looking he watched her with the softest expressions, and between their hands the red string was vibrant with the faintest of a glow. Romantic love, not yet requited, but there; Teagan felt like an idiot standing in the produce section with a head of cabbage in her hand gaping but it was beautiful.

The glow of it was red with the faintest glimmers of gold, something she’d never seen before really, and Teagan abruptly snapped her mouth closed to turn around. Unaware that Tessa’s new companion had actually noticed her, more because of her sudden movement than anything, she returned to grabbing her groceries and thanking whatever powers that be for Tessa’s good fortune.

Teagan was hard at work, with Thanksgiving around the corner the ornaments and handcrafted figurines were all selling out so fast, her pottery wheel felt like a slave driver and sleep was hard to manage with the stress of keeping everything on the shelves. Just like last year she’d known this time of the year was going to be a warzone on her sanity, a lonely Thanksgiving coupled with a lonely Christmas had led to her spending more and more time in her studio or in the store for the span of the last three months of the year.

The backlog of book covers to paint was growing, even though they weren’t actually due for at least a few months -as she specifically told people that October through December were dates she would not be painting covers- but they were still there. Thom stopped by to pick up the bulk order of ornaments that they sold at the tree farm for her, after he’d stumbled in looking for a gift for Amie the first year Teagan had her studio open she’d offered to sell them to the Walshes at production cost in exchange for word of mouth advertisement, and he ended up staying long enough to help clear the room out when he saw how frazzled she was. 

“You could come to ours for Thanksgiving, you know, not a single Walsh would turn you away. We’ll also cut your tree before the official opening, since your ornaments always do well.”

“I could never impose, Thom, but thank you. Tell the others I said Happy Thanksgiving. I’ll be around for my tree after the farm opens. It’s crazy busy this time of the year, you know?”

He left while reminding her that if she came by she wouldn’t be turned away if she changed her mind, making her grin slightly, and Teagan took the brief respite of an empty shop to restock what she could on the actual shelves before working to paint some of the dried pottery pieces waiting to be finished.

What she hadn’t counted on was Henry making an appearance a few days later, also extending an invitation to Thanksgiving at the Walsh residence, and Teagan laughed at the man before sending him on his way with a painting he’d commissioned of a whimsical forest scene at night with fairies hidden in the shadows of fireflies and a sleeping family of foxes just barely visible in their den.

Teagan spent Thanksgiving with a microwave meal and her pottery wheel, her paintings didn’t sell as fast as the other things she sold so those were fine, and she had a surplus of pre-made pieces that would last at least four days. Which meant that the Saturday after Thanksgiving she could join the others in town and watch the lighting of the tree, spotting Amie and Thom and the other Walshes watching proudly.

But Teagan was drawn to the golden glow that had nearly engulfed all the red in Tessa’s string connecting her to Pero, it was new and strange for her. It made her think of hope and fear and change, like Pero and Tessa were on the precipice of something and unsure of what they were going to do.

“Hey Teagan, didn’t see you for Thanksgiving?”

Henry and Martin’s greeting made her jump nearly out of her boots.

“Oh, uh, I was trying to catch up on stock. It’s uh, I wasn’t expecting so many people to come actually find my studio. Figured they’d just buy what they needed from the tree farm since its all in one place, you know?”

Martin pulled her into a tight hug.

“Hey, don’t you dare downplay your work. People love what you make, Amie and Thom said they give out your business cards to nearly everyone that comes to pay for their tree because they ask about what else you make. You thinking about hiring anyone to help?”

“I mean, I should but right now I just need to find my footing first. So, uh, Tessa’s… boyfriend? He from Chicago too?”

Henry and Martin both chuckled and you peered around them to see Tessa leading Pero away down toward the rest of town.

“Pero and Tessa aren’t dating, not yet at least.”

“Oh, I just- I thought that they were. They love each other so-”

“I knew we weren’t the only ones to see it! Tessa is being stubborn about it, even the kids know..”

“Their string is so bright, it’s obvious.”

“String?”

Panic seized Teagan momentarily, a reminder why she didn’t really go out of her way to converse with too many people on the topic of love, she’d never really been good at stopping herself.

“Red string of fate, you know? They love each other so much that anyone can see it.”

Henry’s eyes narrowed only a little but Martin laughed softly, accepting it as a playful sort of answer, and Teagan could have kissed Miss Moira when she called for Henry and Martin. Sneaking away so they wouldn’t find her, cowardly as it was, led to Teagan nearly stumbling on a lightshow that only she could see.

Pero and Tessa were kissing and the glow of red and gold around them was radiant, in a way that made Teagan’s eyes water, it was a love that was so beautiful but there was something sad about it too. She hadn’t really ever felt the emotions that came from a string, not until she touched it, but their love was so strong that even from so far away she could feel it like a summer bonfire.

They didn’t see her when they left, thankfully, but as Teagan watched them leave she was struck with the realization that the string had lost the golden tint now that they’d evidently figured it out. But that didn’t explain why they had gold in theirs to begin with and she was suddenly wondering who, or what, Pero Tovar was.

Henry cornered her in her own store not long before the Solstice, Teagan suspected he’d put aside time after work before going home for the day, and she gave up the fight and instead let him stay as she flipped the closed sign over and let him sit down in one of the wooden rocking chairs that she’d inherited with the house. He cast a major judging expression over her microwavable dinner that was half-eaten and cold, hidden behind the counter, but she could care less about that.

“What is it, Henry?”

“You weren’t lying or joking, were you, about seeing the red strings of fate.”

“No, and I promise you I’m not crazy-”

He stopped her before she could work herself up, the shaking in her hands as she sat on her counter turned register table stopped as he held them still, and tapped her nose gently.

“Teagan, I come from a family of magic too. Can you tell me about Pero and Tessa’s string?”

“Well… it’s different. I mean, it’s a romantic love so it glitters like red Christmas lights now that it’s reciprocated but there’s gold in it and I’ve never seen it before. It’s also kind of… sad? Like it feels like the two of them have a powerful choice to make and they’re both hesitating.”

“You’re not wrong about that, is the string thing why you don’t really branch out and come to anything smaller than a town size event?”

Teagan felt her throat tighten.

“I just get overwhelmed-”

“Can you see your own string?”

The fact that he figured her out so quickly should have felt painful, it should have made her angry, but instead she felt defeated.

“No, I can’t. I can see all of it, the romantic strings and familial strings and platonic ones but I can’t see my own.”

Henry was quiet for a long moment before he wrapped her into a tight hug.

“If you feel alone you should stop running from us, I won’t tell anyone else about this except Martin -he is my husband- but I promise you that everyone in my family would understand.”

“Thank you, Henry.”

“You should really eat some actual food and not… those.”

“The last time I tried to cook I nearly blew up the oven, so if I do have a soulmate out there they better be able to cook.”

Henry stared at her for a long time before he shook his head and left, the insanity of the solstice had almost made her forget about her Christmas tree but Teagan remembered when she walked into the upstairs living room and stared at the empty corner of the room. Tomorrow she’d have to venture over to the farm, before the shop got busy, and Teagan nearly jumped down the stairs when she remembered she’d left the half eaten microwave meal down there.

Maybe Henry was right to be worried but she was fine.

What Teagan hadn’t realized was that she’d meet Pero the next day, pulling up to see the tree farm busy as ever, and after choosing a small tree -one that was easier to heft up the stairs- she nearly stumbled into the taller man before he caught her so she didn’t fall backward into someone else. 

“I’m so sorry-!”

“Apologies, did you need something?”

“Oh uh, I was going to find Thom so I could get my tree-”

“I can assist you, I am Pero Tovar, which tree?”

He looked at the tree that was only a little taller than she was with a faint smile and Teagan couldn’t help but let her hand brush through the golden and red string, it was back to being gold with only flashes of red for some reason, but the overwhelming sense of hope and pleading cut through her like lightning.

They had a big choice to make indeed but she didn’t know what it could be or why it was gold other than magic being the answer. When in doubt just blame magic, after all, since she had nothing else to go on.

“If you are anything like Tessa with her decorations this will be buried in lights and baubles.”

“Oh, uh, I only really put lights on my tree. I sell ornaments, I made all the wood and glass ones that Thom brought back before Thanksgiving-”

“You are Teagan? That is very fine, delicate, work. Very impressive.”

“Thank you.”

“What else is it that you make?”

“Paintings, pottery, ceramics, bracelet charms, jewelry, wooden figures… just about anything really.”

Pero hummed as he carried her tree to be wrapped up, the size of it and his strength making it easy to carry, and Teagan noticed the abrupt way the string seemed to begin moving and imagined Tessa had her own things to handle this season.

“I will have to come by your store then, to find a present for Tessa.”

“Of course, and I make things custom as well so if you don’t see something you like then just let me know. It’ll take a little longer to make if its brand new to me but it shouldn’t be that long of a wait.”

Pero tucked her tree into the bed of her pick up and after she paid for her purchase, along with a light scolding from Amie about missing Thanksgiving, Teagan was on her way home and asking the fates again to be kind to Tessa. They weren’t exactly friends but Tessa had always been kind and Teagan still believed that if anyone deserved a powerful love like what she had with Pero that it was Tessa.

It was sometime after Christmas that she found herself at peace, finally, the shop was less hectic and things were quiet. Teagan had her easel out in the storefront today and was working on the first of many backlog book covers, the likelihood of anyone actually coming in was basically slim except she heard the cheerful bell and looked up to see Pero looking around curiously.

“Pero!”

His string was red, pure glittering red and pulsing like a heartbeat, radiating joy and happiness and serenity at long last.

“This is far more than I expected. Where is it you live if this is your store?”

“Oh, uh, upstairs. I remodeled the downstairs into a large open concept store and studio, so upstairs I took down non-support walls to make a living room area since I live alone and don’t really need all the extra bedrooms.”

The house was an old Victorian anyway, three floors with a basement, though the interior had long-since been remodeled to something much more modern; she still had a lot of space she wasn’t exactly using here.

“Practical.”

He was perusing the pottery and ceramics, the plates and serving trays and bowls, the sets of brightly colored and patterned pieces were always eye-catching. He looked at each plate, each small serving bowl, and each little part of one of the more vibrant tapas sets she’d put together after seeing a few online that she really liked.

“Is this sold as a set?”

“Yep!”

“Tessa does love to cook, this would look good when she hosts dinners.” His face fell when he saw the price tag and Teagan knew that he wouldn’t just take a handout, he didn’t seem like the type.

“I don’t make a lot of pottery because I can’t really afford to keep buying the firewood for the kiln unless I have large batch orders, and I’m not anywhere near strong enough to chop my own.” He perked up, instantly, and Teagan was relieved.

She wanted him to be able to give Tessa the lovely tapas set, the vibrant colors and patterns deserved to be used for lively parties, but she hadn’t really had any other way to justify giving him a discount of any kind.

“I could chop your firewood, if you would allow me to purchase this set.”

“How about I draw up an agreement, I’ll put a sold tag on the set, and once you’ve signed it then we can get it wrapped up?”

“This is acceptable, Teagan.”

The whole set was over $600 but included a lot of pieces. Two jugs in 1 liter volume, one butter dish, two spoon rests, three oil dispensers, 40 shallow plates ranging from a two inch diameter up to a 10 inch diameter, 24 bowls ranging from a 4 inch diameter up to a 16 inch diameter, and three utensil holders to match.

It had taken weeks to get everything made, painted, and glazed but the colorful end result had been well worth it. Nobody wanted to buy individual pieces but the price tag deterred even the most longing of potential customers.

One short call to Amie, so that she knew Pero was going to be doing contracted labor and work out a price for his time, and Pero signed the agreement before helping Teagan box the set up to take home to Tessa.

“You will allow me to take these before I work?”

“I trust you Pero. I hope Tessa likes it.”

When he stared at her for a long, quiet, moment she wondered just what he was thinking until he hummed thoughtfully.

“You remind me of someone I knew, a bastard of an Irishman.”

“Oh, well, my grandmother immigrated over here from Ireland. It’s why my parents named me Teagan, to honor her.”

Pero made a soft sound, not affectionate so much as it was understanding, and she realized belatedly he’d come here with Thom and the kids. The other Walsh let her give him hell for staying in the car, it now made sense why Amie was so confused about her call, but she didn’t keep them long after that.

It was a few days later that Tessa showed up with Pero for his first shift chopping wood, thanking her profusely for the tapas set, and Teagan couldn’t help but grin as Tessa looked at all of the other items she had on display.

“I wasn’t going to let him walk here without it, it’s beautiful… how much you love one another.”

Tessa’s face gained some color but she smiled so softly, so affectionately, that Teagan felt peace knowing that whatever choice had kept them tumbling was finally made and it was very clear they’d made the right one.

The way Tessa’s string gleamed and glittered was proof enough that their love truly was magic.

All Fics Taglist: @haylzcyon @wordsnwhiskey @pagannightwitch @radiowallet @tauralmie @amneris21 @trickstersp8 @practicalghost @rominaszh @alwaysdjarin @alexxavicry @all-the-way-down-here

[thrill-seeker-vn]

I have a couple of questions. Sorry that I haven't come up with a cute nickname. I mean I can call u Greg or Gregory if u want, maybe even ✨Bobby✨ if you want a little extra uniqueness but that's as far as my creativeness goes. /lh

1. What other genres/tropes/themes would you love to explore in future projects?

2. Who is your favourite main character in any media form and who is your favourite antagonist?

3. Are there any future writing projects you could give us a hint at perhaps? (only if you're comfortable of course. 👀

4. What are some of your least favorite tropes and why?

5. How do you assign your characters a name? Do you go by meaning, a vibe etc?

6. What would you say it's your favorite historical setting that you wish more stories would take place in?

7. And most important of all if the characters existed in real life who would like anime, who would like kpop and who would like IF?👀

Thank you for the wonderful questions, Anon! And I much prefer Bobby over little meow meow, so thank you!

In order:

What other genres/tropes/themes would you love to explore in future projects?

I really want to try sci fi. I love science and I especially want to explore themes of futuristic technologies and coexisting with Aliens, like Valerian. I also want to try fantasy + time pieces, like Victorian era.

Who is your favourite main character in any media form and who is your favourite antagonist?

My favorite main character is Misaka Ayuzawa, we have the same personality type and we even look pretty similar. I know that I've even acted like her in many cases and so I just love watching maid sama because it's pretty relatable for me. My favorite antagonist... Plankton from Spongebob Squarepants, easily.

Are there any future writing projects you could give us a hint at perhaps? (only if you're comfortable of course. 👀)

I have a WIP im working on right now, which is called Sinking. It actually is a fantasy story based in Victorian times, with pirates that can use magic. I intend to make it into a series. Let me know if you want more hints on that one!

What are some of your least favorite tropes and why?

I HATE the 'we might be family-- but we might not be!' I couldn't even get through that damn Shadowhunters series. In my opinion, they shouldn't have been so hung up on it, they only knew each other for a couple of days, the siblings thing should have stopped them. I also don't like love at first sight-- it's too superficial, and of course you fell in love, you both are jaw dropping gorgeous, 'clumsy' girl! Also, I hate when a very very old vampire falls for a high schooler. I don't care if you 'died at that age'. It doesn't matter. Stop preying on kids. (im looking at you, twilight!)

How do you assign your characters a name? Do you go by meaning, a vibe etc?

I usually use meaning. Hanyoung, though, I used the starting phonetic of Han, so that they would match with Hannie, so in her case I used a vibe.

What would you say it's your favorite historical setting that you wish more stories would take place in?

The future. I NEVER get sick of future based pieces. I love seeing people's interpretations, because although you have to be more accurate for period pieces, you don't have any boundaries for future pieces.

And most important of all if the characters existed in real life who would like anime, who would like kpop and who would like IF?👀

Hannie would like IF, I think. N would enjoy both kpop and anime. Oli would have ot be introduced to them, and I don't think they would be super interested in any of it, hehe.

I hope this answered well!! Have an excellent day, Anon!!

[gameofdrarry]

Wizards Hearts Recs: Tooth Rotting Fluff

Wizards Hearts was a four-month-long Drarry reading fest. Players were given a playing deck of 52 tropes, and were asked to find 52 different fics to read and comment on to fill their decks. To prevent the same few fics from being read, fics were restricted to only being used for the game three times before being considered ineligible for further points. The tropes and submissions list can be found here.

Check out the masterlist of fics for this trope below the cut!

📜 Dial Tone by firenxe Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  34699 Tags: Texting, text fic, Drarry, non-magic au, AU Summary:  Harry Potter decides to text the number on his arm. Draco Malfoy finds himself woken up by messages. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Say the words / then stay around by teatrolley Rated:  Not Rated Words:  5703 Tags: Established Relationship, Fluff, Not That Much Angst Really, a lot of love, and two very confused people, Auror Harry Potter, Office Romance, Ministry Work Summary:  They’ve been together for a while when Harry decides that he wants to try the Auror Office again. What he doesn’t consider is the effects the work might have on the two of them. But, then again, maybe those effects don’t have to be all bad? Or: A few months of the start of the relationship between the fumbling, blind-leading-the-blind and in-love Harry and Draco. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 With A Bite and A Hiss (and Some Curry On Top) by ZandraGorin Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  4779 Tags: Alternate Universe - Post-War, Parseltongue, Pets, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Injured Pets/ Animals, Kissing, Fluff, Parselmouth Harry Potter, HP Fluff Fest 2020 Summary:  Draco keeps bringing animals home and keeps cooking curry for Harry. Harry is of the opinion that it has got to stop. Well, not the cooking curry part. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 the 1 by Darlinxx Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  5913 Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Fluff and Humor, Awkward Romance, Domestic Fluff, Pansy attempts at matchmaking, is this meet cute? idk, Harry sucks at flirting, Draco doesn’t know how to deal with his feelings, Harry is the perfect gentleman, Draco acts like a bitch but is actually a softie, Draco wears earrings on this one, and Harry takes it in stride, if that weirds you out then you can fuck off, haha just kidding I’m not mean Summary:  "You're not terrible. I mean, maybe not everyone's type, exactly, but…you're just a little –" "Insane?" Draco supplies. Harry looks at him. "Intense," he says. "That's not always a bad thing." ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Love You More by hedwig4evr Rated:  Explicit Words:  37185 Tags: Love, and marriage, Sickeningly In Love, Engagement, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Sex Toys, bubble baths, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Frotting, Hand Jobs, Shower Sex, Bottoming from the Top, Switching, Top Harry Potter, Bottom Draco Malfoy, Top Draco Malfoy, Bottom Harry Potter, 25 Days of Draco and Harry 2018, sex in the bath, Lots of love and sex, Early Bird prompt, lots of fluff, Tooth-achingly fluffy Summary:  After years together, Harry decides to propose to Draco. Once it's revealed to their families and friends, though, they start to question whether this is what they really want. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Aggressive use of Florists by Mountainwolf Rated:  General Words:  53521 Tags: Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Harry Potter Raises Teddy Lupin, Auror Harry Potter, Ministry of Magic Employee Draco Malfoy, Floriography, Snark, Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Florist Harry, Pureblood Culture (Harry Potter), Ministry of Magic Employee Hermione Granger, Pining, Post-Hogwarts, Canon Divergence - Post-Hogwarts, Dick Jokes, Hermione Granger & Draco Malfoy Friendship, Oblivious Harry, Slow Burn, Hurt/Comfort, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Eventual Smut, Eventual Romance, lots of magical flowers, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, POV Draco Malfoy, POV Harry Potter, Godfather Draco Malfoy, Heartbroken Harry Potter, Soft Harry, Caring Draco Malfoy, Drama, Family Drama, A little bit of angst, Reformed Draco Malfoy Summary:  Harry is being lovesick in Neville’s flowershop after having been dumped, and Draco is very aggressively winning over ministry members by sending them fuck-you flowers. Harry is absolutely no help but learns a lot about floriography, stupid purebloods, and Draco. OR; Harry struggles raising Teddy alone, longing for a partner and a family. His future dreams for domestic bliss have been crushed by his ex, who left him for a better looking, more ambitious, less 'damaged' model. A lot of people try to support Harry, but he is, as ever, hiding how truly bad things are going. Then, Hermione -and a few others, set Draco on him and things start developing in a direction neither really expected. Everyone sees how good Draco and Harry could be together, and with some political maneuvering from unexpected sources-and a lot of flower deliveries, they start to see it too. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Cracking The Code by orpheous87 Rated:  General Words:  12218 Tags: Advent Calendar, Christmas Fluff, Established Relationship, Romantic Fluff, Marriage Proposal, Auror Harry Potter, Ministry of Magic Employee Draco Malfoy Summary:  Harry makes an advent calendar for Draco. What we see are snippets of their mornings throughout December. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 This Summer by Saras_Girl Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  39256 Tags: N/A Summary:  This is a summery romantic comedy featuring my favourite ensemble cast, in which Harry is confused, Draco is Draco, and Hermione attempts to eat all the things. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Something Good (The Second Time Around) by Ravenclaw626 Rated:  Explicit Words:  99382 Tags: Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, POV Harry Potter, Stay-At-Home Parent Harry Potter, Potioneer Draco Malfoy, Research, Mpreg, Mpreg Harry, Pregnant Harry, Medical Procedures, Childbirth, labor pains, Harry Potter is a Good Parent, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Implied/Referenced Underage Sex, Implied/Referenced Dubious Consent, Non-Canonical Character Death, Homophobia, Marriage Proposal, Weddings, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Pregnant Sex, Pregnancy Kink, Unplanned Pregnancy, Single Parents, Single Parent Harry Potter, Single Parent Draco Malfoy, Top Draco Malfoy, Bottom Harry Potter, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Blow Jobs, Sex Toys, Rimming, natural birth Summary:  After putting his youngest on the Hogwarts Express, Harry feels a little lost and without direction in life. There’s someone on the platform who notices, though, who also knows how it feels to come back to an empty home. Can this someone help Harry find his way? After years of contentment, acceptance, and ‘good enough’ — he never could have imagined that a whirlwind romance with his former childhood nemesis would become his something good after a lifetime of trials. A story about love, happiness, and second chances. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Realisations by orpheous87 Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  15486 Tags: Post-Second War with Voldemort, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Fluff and Humor, Fluff, Humor, Mild Peril, Happy Ending, H/D Erised 2020, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, POV Alternating Summary:  When they return to Hogwarts for their final year, the students are surprised to learn that they will take part in 'team-building' activities instead of contributing to the House Cup. Paired up by Professor McGonagall, they need to work together to complete the challenge. Of course, new friendships and relationships are built along the way. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Bloom by tsauergrass Rated:  General Words:  1473 Tags: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Like you're in for a toothache, Language of Flowers, Harry Potter is an oblivious idiot Summary:  Harry ruffles through the buckets of flowers in the cooler. “What are you looking for?” “Something special. It is a note.” Harry pauses. For days Draco has visited his flower shop, but not once has he ordered anything with a message. Harry Potter has fallen in love. Naturally, the only way to do so is to pine Victorian-fashion, his secret hidden behind blooming flowers. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 These Tender Moments by theartfulldodger Rated:  General Words:  1380 Tags: Christmas Fluff, Fluff, SERIOUSLY ALL THE FLUFF, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Kid Fic, Sickly sweet medicine for all your despair, A warm hug, Domestic Fluff, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE Summary:  A Christmas Eve filled with overindulgence, a sleeping toddler, creatively altered expressions and slow dancing in the kitchen. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 That Christmas by Janieohio Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  18729 Tags: Christmas, Fluff, Romance, Family, Humor, 25 Days of Harry and Draco 2020 Early Bird, Kid Fic, POV Alternating, Implied Sexual Content, Pets, Married Life, Toddlers, Pining, Hurt/Comfort, Parenthood, Protective Siblings, Gay Pride, Referenced Death, Adoption, Surrogacy, Christmas Cookies, Precocious Child, Перевод на русский | Translation in Russian, See Notes for Translation Link Summary:  25 years of Christmases in the life of Harry, Draco, and their friends and family. 25 drabbles, one year per chapter, set in my That's Life Together universe. Read on AO3

📜 Blind Hope by cami_soul Rated:  Teen and Up Words:  1051 Tags: Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Established Relationship, Short & Sweet, Fluff and Mush, Did I Mention Fluff Summary:  Harry is working up the courage to ask Draco to move in with him. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Fill a Tent with Love (and Wrap it with a Bow) by riddleme_this Rated:  General Words:  1604 Tags: Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Quidditch, Setting up tent, Draco and Harry are best friends, Love Confessions, Bad Flirting, so much fluff ahh Summary:  Harry is determined to confess his crush on Draco. Enter a Quidditch Match, setting up a tent, some bad flirting, and things might just actually work out. ❤️ Read on AO3

[best-enemies]

for the pairing questions: braxmana and 5, 7, 9?

heheheheh

5: Favorite canon moment of them?

I think I could say Reborn as a whole is my favorite. The dream scene (aka the real ending of the Gallifrey series) for example. Oh and Brax and alt!Romana I flirting non-stop was the best thing ever and makes us think of the many ways their relationship could’ve played out if they were in different positions in their lives. 

Also, whenever I re-listen to Lies (or Pandora? Not sure) and Romana and Brax discussing the Chancellor nomination I feel soft. I don’t know, maybe it’s the way Romana talks to him when they’re alone in a sweet tone, and I can picture them being close, and when Romana says that she appreciates his friendship and that moment when he says “My president flatters me” UGH I love them

WAIT I was about to forget Zagreus. How could I? “Madam, are you writing a book?” like, I hadn’t even started Gallifrey when I listened to it but I’m pretty sure they won me over right there.

7: Favorite headcanon trope/idea? (Your own or someone else’s)

I’ve got some here on this ask, but I’ll give you another one: Romana has a little crush on Brax, but it’s a secret. She has never said a word about it outloud, nor she plans to. She hates even to think about it, but one day they were standing in the High Council, and he was on her side a little behind her. And she knew it. But then he leaned down a little to whisper something to her - not unusual, he whispered her a lot of things during council sessions -, and she didn’t notice, and turned her head to his side and he was so close. Like, really close. She had no idea how close he stood to her when he whispered. His eye caught hers for a glimpse of a moment, but she turned away fast, blushing in an embarassing amount for a president. She could hear the smirk on his lips, but avoided thinking about it because, well, it’s her cardinal’s lips, it’s inappropriated. 

Still, since then, she catches herself glancing at him from the corner of her eye. She tells herself it is to make sure he’s at a safe distance, but a part of her expects him to lean close to her again. When she’s careless, she takes advantage when he isn’t looking at her to glance at his face, which now she notices, is quite attractive. Even that moustache isn’t so bad. And he’s tall, really tall. And he smells incredible. And his voice sounds so good. But then she rememebers what they are, the positions they’re in, and brushes these thoughts aside. They come back sometimes, though, when she’s bored or in her dreams, no matter how much she tries to push those ideas into a corner of her mind.

Okay I love doing this, so another one, a bit more self indulgent and because I find it funny: things were rough in the government, Darkel was being even more of a pain in the ass than usual, so one day Romana took out some alcohol and they drunk it in her office after work. However, they drunk a bit too much, got very tipsy aaaand they made out. Romana woke up cuddling Brax in her office’s couch with a terrible hangover. They agreed to never speak of it again. Brax has suggested a few times they go out and drink, or invited her to his place and offered wine, but she suspects he just wants to cuddle up with her again.

Don’t ask her how nice the cuddling was. She’ll never admit it.

9: Favorite aspect of them/their relationship dynamics?

They’re hot and I’m bi

Jk (but not really). I wrote a whole essay here but then erased because I knew I wouldn’t be able to explain it. If you asked me to define Thoschei five years ago I wouldn’t give you a coherent answer, so all I can say is that I’m still taking time to think about all the aspects of Braxmana. So I’ll just say the first thing that comes to my mind: 

I’m a sucker for yearning

Seriously you can feel it while listening and it’s agonizingly good. Like some victorian era romance type of shit. I’ve mentioned here more than once that there should be a Pride and Prejudice!AU because they’d be perfect for it. It’s clear they’re the kind of ship where one yearns for another and every touch is a gift to their day. The fact that Brax believes that Romana is the best of Gallifrey, for Gallifrey, and that he genuinely cares about her enough to make a sacrifice and exile himself, then risk being hated by her in order to save her presidency even though it had been jeopardized already... the way he talks to her when they’re alone. The way she talks to him when they’re alone. Now I’m drifting off into the realm of headcanons, but I like to consider the first headcanon I mentioned in question 7. I mean, I like to consider that maybe Romana did think about Brax in some other way, even if she brushed it off her thoughts because she was the president and had a planet to run and stuff. I like to think that their relationship sometimes lies in the details, things that aren’t spoken, even if they do confront each other about things sometimes and argue a lot. 

Also they’re hot as individuals and together I cannot stress enough how attracted I am to them and to all members of the OT4 like what the fuck

[pixelgrotto]

Remixing a tomb plus a highway to hell

Last month I finished DMing Tomb of Annihilation for one of my D&D groups. It’s a campaign that sees heroes adventuring to the land of Chult to stop big bad lich Acererak, who’s made a device known as the Soulmonger that’s emanating a Death Curse and screwing up the world’s resurrection magic. It’s also a spiritual successor to Tomb of Horrors, one of the classic deathtrap dungeons of tabletop RPG history that came about because D&D creator Gary Gygax wanted to screw his players over for opening doors wrong. In short, it’s certainly one of the more memorable adventures for D&D 5e, but the version of Tomb of Annihilation that I ran for my players was actually extremely remixed and hacked apart, as is the case with every official Wizards of the Coast module that I run. 

There were a few reasons for this - my players were coming into this campaign fresh out of Curse of Strahd, and everyone was level 8. One of the players had died early on in Curse of Strahd - in the very first session we played, hilariously enough - and was temporarily sustained by the mists of the Shadowfell only to collapse upon returning to the material plane. With this in mind, I felt that it would be a great twist to have the party venture on a quest of resurrection only to learn that resurrection magic throughout the world had stopped working due to Acererak’s nefarious plans.

Additionally, I wanted to give my players the chance to try out alternate characters if they so desired. In the name of grand ambition, I decided to have my players create two sets of characters, and wove a homebrew story, dubbed “Fiends in Waterdeep,” that would run analogous to and eventually intertwine with Tomb of Annihilation. The first set of characters - consisting of some of the veterans who had survived Curse of Strahd - would investigate the streets of Waterdeep, which was suffering from an invasion of devils and demons that seemed unconnected to Acererark’s dark doings. The second set, consisting of new level 8s, would venture to Chult, the vaguely African-inspired landmass in the south of the Forgotten Realms, to track down the source of the Death Curse. After progressing through seemingly unconnected storylines, at the end of the campaign the disparate plot threads would mesh. The Waterdeep explorers would travel to the Nine Hells only to learn that the fiend invasion was caused by the abduction of the Queen of Hell’s newly born infant - a soul-devouring mass of flesh that could open portals into other worlds with its burps and farts - while the Chult expedition would delve into the jungle to find Acererark, smash the Soulmonger and free the aforementioned child. 

In short, I basically made a complicated D&D adventure even more complicated by layering my own story on top of it and running two campaigns at once. I think I was looking for a challenge, and oh boy, I got one. I probably won’t be undertaking something like this ever again, because it required a lot of planning hurdles on my part. For instance, my players and I usually gamed for about 5-6 hours at most, which meant devoting 2 and a half or 3 hours to both sets of characters. If one battle lasted too long or a social interaction went south, I’d have to adjust this timeframe accordingly, and every DM knows that players will always defy your expectations in one way or another, so there was a lot of improv on the fly to make sure that our sessions stayed well-paced. 

In the name of pacing, I also stripped much of the fat out of Tomb of Annihilation, which is largely composed of a really long hexcrawl. D&D 5e’s hexcrawl exploration and survival rules have never been particularly good, in my opinion, and the rules in the book expect you to roll LOTS of random encounters and deal with stuff like inclement weather, mosquito attacks, hunting, getting lost, etc. I incorporated some of this stuff (the hunting, since we had two rangers in the party), but I pre-rolled all of the random encounters and potential locations the party could go ahead of time, getting rid of some of the ones I didn’t like, and largely handwaved stuff like getting hopelessly lost. Reddit explorations have revealed that by far and large, everyone running this campaign does the same thing - particularly for higher level players trying to get through the jungle without feeling like they’re wasting time. (And from my firsthand experience with Out of the Abyss, there’s nothing worse than going through multiple D&D sessions and feeling like you haven’t accomplished much.)

My approach to streamlining Acererak’s deathtrap lair at the end of the campaign was similar. I skimmed through the entire dungeon with all of its bajillion floors (which could take an average group months to get through) in favor of using the 10 rooms that I liked the most, which was more than enough. Tomb of Annihilation, while probably fairer than Gary Gygax’s Tomb of Horrors, is still in my opinion full of wacky stuff in the final dungeon that just isn’t my cup of tea for D&D, including one trap that can get characters stuck in real-world Victorian London. (Okay, that’s cool on paper, but to actually run it as a DM, especially when your players are in the final hours of their adventure? I’ll pass.)

Additionally, I made Ras Nsi - the warlord-turned-yuan-ti - into more of a developed NPC who was actually willing to help the players slay Acererak. In the book, he’s very much a Darth Maul-type bad guy who looks cool but has a minimum of characterization. This is because Tomb of Annihilation leans into the stereotype that Ras Nsi and the rest of the yuan-ti are all merciless bastards with inscrutable plans, and while this may be fine if you’re familiar with the Conan the Barbarian serpentfolk tropes that inspired the yuan-ti, it’s not great if you’re trying to build a believable world with compelling characters. Much has been written about how Chult stumbles at portraying a fantasy Africa - largely by depicting the characters as foreign saviors and the Chultans as relatively helpless - and while some of this was alleviated in my game by the fact that one player’s character actually was Chultan, I still felt it was necessary to give some of the indigenous races a chance to help undo the curse that, after all, was first and foremost affecting their land.

Switching gears, when it came to the accompanying Fiends in Waterdeep homebrew story, I recycled some material from Waterdeep: Dragon Heist, which I’d previously run for two different groups, and also took inspiration from the Wizards of the Coast module Descent into Avernus. At the time of planning, Descent Into Avernus was the most recent D&D hardcover, and all the reviews I’d read painted it as cool in concept but a major pain in the butt to run in reality. So, I decided to use only the nifty bits - a journey into the first layer of the Nine Hells via Mad Max-style tanks powered by souls - and mixed it with my own tale that was influenced by a profile of Fury, the dragon queen of hell, that I’d read in the third-party 5e supplement Legendary Dragons. It turned into a mildly amusing story about Fury warring against her ex-husband Asmodeus, and the players ended up serving as therapists in what amounted to an interplanar lover’s spat. I’d recently started therapy when I came up with the campaign concept, so this is probably one of those unique instances where real life truly influenced art. And hey, the unpredictable whims of all-powerful, world-shaping deities make for great adventure hooks, and judging by how Greek mythology seems to have re-entered the modern zeitgeist these days (I’m thinking about Hades, one of the most popular indie rougelikes out there, as well as that Netflix series Blood of Zeus) it seems like I was on the nose!

In the end, this two-tiered campaign lasted roughly 70 hours and climaxed with all sets of characters reaching level 10. Acererark’s Soulmonger was smashed, the feud between Fury and Asmodeus smoothed over, and after enduring the eerie mists of the Shadowfell, the hot temperatures of Chult and the flames of Avernus, the story of these motley players - who’d started questing with me back in 2018, and endured a move to online games in the era of COVID - came to a gentle end. I’m a believer in the reality that campaigns don’t necessarily need to last forever, and with real life throwing some of my players (and myself) a few recent curveballs, this seemed like a solid finale point. A consistent campaign running over two years is in many ways a dream for a lot of D&D players and DMs, and I’m glad I got the chance to make it happen.

[hjertetssunnegalskap1]

HOW TO PLAY WITH TROPES AND CLICHÉ CHARACTERS/ STEREOTYPES

One of the ways I get ideas to write, is that I take some characters I love and mix them with a trope I want to try out. Tropes are common expected plot devices. Some typical fanfic examples are Friends To Lovers, Fake Dating, Bed Sharing, Enemies to Lovers, Aliens Made Them Do It, Fuck or Die, sex pollen, etc. Tropes don’t always have to be cliched like these examples. But that’s how the term is used most often, I believe.

Trope inversion occurs when an existing trope is used in a story, but flipped on its head, defying the audience's expectations. Trope subversion is when the elements of the original trope might all still be present, but deconstructed. I haven’t really subverted or inverted many of tropes , and I would love to know more about how to do that. So I have picked up some tips and tricks. To be honest, I will probably mix the terms here. 

Now, I’m going to rant a bit about different terms, attempts at definitions and examples, so jump to my pretty awesome list of tips below if you don’t want to read all of this. 

Tropes are often based in archetypes - very broad, typical examples of a certain person or thing. Can be found in all cultures. Western descriptions of archetypes are King, Queen, Witch, Wise man, Joker, Hero/ Prince etc. More general descriptions are Sage, Innocent, Explorer, Ruler, Creator, Caregiver, Magician, Hero, Outlaw, Lover, Jester, and Regular Person. I have also seen the term used to describe elements/ roles in the hero’s journey. We have a Hero, a Mentor, an Ally, a Herald, a Trickster, Shapeshifter, Guardian and Shadow. I suspect that the suggestion that we only have 7 types of stories to tell, like Overcoming the Monster, Rags to Riches, The Quest, Voyage and Return, Rebirth, Comedy  and Tragedy, implies that these story types also are archetypical. We all use them, all the time.

Tropes often end up as stereotypes, that are very typical oversimplified ideas of a particular type of character/ thing. Clichés, basically. So when I talk about tropes I suppose I mostly talk about stereotypical tropes. Since the term tropes often are used to describe typical plots and storylines, I’ll sometimes talk about stereotypes when I describe commonly expected or cliched characters. Like The Chosen One, Damsel in distress, Manic Pixie Dream Girl. All of these things are basically tropes. Hell, I will probably throw around these terms and mix them horribly. Sorry about that.

Example: The Geek meets the Manic Pixie Dream, falls hard, and grows to appreciate more in life

Let’s say you have a character who is based in the Thinker/Scholar archetype, a person who is constantly in search of knowledge, who meets a Creator, a person who wants to make things. 

The thinker can easily become a Geek, and that’s a typical western trope. And we have stereotypes about the Geek having poor social skills, being serious and wise etc. and these ideas can become cliched, boring and overdone. Just like the Creator stereotype often can become the Manic Pixie Dream Girl. The stereotypical trope would be that the Geek meets the Manic Pixie Dream Girl, falls for this person against his best intentions and grows to see more to life than facts. 

Example: Isak and Even from Skam

You can write Isak from Skam as this Geek meeting this brighter than life Even, falling for him against his will and growing from that. In a way, Skam starts out a bit like that. Isak has expressed prejudices as “hipster wannabe movie makers” like Even before, but then he sees this gorgeous Even and falls hard. However, in Skam, Isak was never written as a pure Geek role. He was more a Geek/Hero/Jester with internalised toxic masculinity, forced independence and abandonment issues based in his Christian upbringing, friend group, being left by his father etc etc. 

While Even appeared at first glance as a Lover/Creator/ Hero or Manic Pixie Dream Girl, he gradually showed more and more cracks in the facade, tricking the viewers to think he was more a Shadow/Trickster character, or a possible Fuckboy, until it was revealed that he  was a more rounded character with a troubling background, mental health issues, fears and insecurities. To be fair, Skam did follow a trope of Isak growing as a person because he met Even. They got their romantic happy ending and the viewers got what they wanted. 

It was everything but boring, though.

When trope subversions or inversions don’t work

There’s a price to pay if you subvert a trope, especially if you do it at all costs - like when they they subverted 5 years of character building in the last season of Game of Thrones. The first season has an example of excellent trope subversion (Stark). However, to pull out the rug at the end like they did in the last season, and disappoint the viewers’ trust, is probably not the best way to do this. 

Twists and turns can fail if they seem to come out of the blue. It can be smart to add some small hints of novelty from early on in the story, especially if you’re writing tropes that people find a bit boring. You won’t lose bored readers and you will prepare them that something is going on. Also, it can be good to do the subversion early enough in the story to be able to make interesting changes. 

If you choose to subvert a trope it can sometimes be wise to show why you do something differently. Like, if you write a female character who turns out to not fit the norm in the Victorian era, for instance, it could be smart to explain how this character has become who she is. If she’s this badass character fighting for equality, where do these ideas come from? Or if you have this character surviving traumas, abuse and lack of love, how does he turn into an empathic, more or less likable hero?

A lot of disappointment with trope subversions, like in Avengers Endgame or the last season of GoT, feel worse because the the characters act out of character. If you try to write something true, with characters that seem real, consistent and believable, that helps.  

If you play with a trope it helps if you manage not to make it too pretentious. I can’t think of any examples right now, but I know I have experienced it. Trope subversions often have a hint of nod to the trope itself, and humour can help making the subversion work. Like if the villain comments on how villains typically loses, before actually killing the hero. Or kissing the hero, lol, but that’s another trope.

A lot of build up that fizzles out can be disappointing. If our Victorian badass character has, say, superpowers, she also should have a reason (a way to use them). The readers expect that. So if you play with that and she fails using them, they probably should end up important in the story in some other, surprising way. Same goes with a romance where there’s a lot of pining, tension, heartache and misunderstandings and these are not addressed. If you choose to subvert this trope, it’s probably smart to address these things in a new way. 

All in all, when you subvert a trope you often will have to tread carefully to balance between meeting the readers’ expectations and not meeting them. Remember that the story always needs a satisfying conclusion.  

Then again, some say even trope subversions are becoming new tropes, and that there’s no reason to subvert them. Could be.

No matter what, I like to play with stuff like this. So. Here are some ways you can play with tropes and archetypes and maybe get some story ideas. 

MY PRETTY AWESOME LIST OF HOW TO PLAY WITH TROPES

1 Subvert clichéd characters

You can keep some parts of the wise man archetype, for instance, and change other parts of it. Instead of writing a “wise old wizard” (like Merlin, Gandalf or Dumbledore) you can make the old wizard into a cowardly old idiot. Instead of writing the love interest as a hot hero-type, you can make him more of a charming dork who is impulsive but also smart, intuitive, caring and with insecurities (Even from Skam). Another typical example from fanworks is to subvert typical gender norm characterisation or typical top/bottom or dom/sub characterisation.   

2 Parody the clichéd character

Write the typical “Hero/Warrior” character and take it almost too far - like with Thor in the Avengers, or even better, Thor in the Sandman series. In Skam, several characters are taken almost too far like this - up until a certain point. Eskild is written as the “funny gay” until he gives Isak some serious advice, Magnus is basically written as a typical horny idiot until he tells Isak some truths about bipolar disorder. Vilde becomes a parody at times, as well, as several of the other characters. 

3 Deconstruct the cliché/ stereotype

Why is the villain a villain? Why is the comic relief a comic relief? Identify the attributes of a character type - say, the likable and frivolous Comic Relief character. For instance Chris Berg in Skam. Explain her in a surprising way - perhaps she’s not just a clown or a funny sidekick, but uses humor as a coping mechanism. Reveal something deeper and true about the character (Chris wants to be a good friend but doesn’t know how to do this because of reasons, clowns are often sad behind the joker mask, etc). Make readers wonder if they’ve misjudged the stereotype. This can sometimes work with typical fandom clichés as well. 

4 Lampshading a character or a trope

“Hanging a lampshade” is the technique of countering your reader’s disbelief in a character’s ‘reality’ by acknowledging how blatantly they fit a cliché. The would-be victim in a horror story trips while running away (as they always seem to do) but the would-be killer stops and comments it. Perhaps they say, “Oh, you’re going to trip and make this boring?” Another typical one is when the villain has captured the hero and the hero finds a way to escape while the villain has his big speech. I love subversions of that trope, like in Black Orchid where the villain comments it and shoots the hero without a speech (if I remember correctly). In a way, season 3 in Skam does something similar to lampshading. The season is written as an epic love story, but the characters comment this in different ways, talking about epic love stories, movie references etc. 

5 Turn the plot trope upside down

You can hint about a trope, than turn things around. Sometimes this is called baiting, or showing that the expectation was a red herring. For example, you can write a story where you set up a typical hero story but the hero befriends the dragon instead of killing it. Or maybe the dragon wins. Bed sharing and it leads to nothing. Fake dating where they stop lying.  A setup for a possessive jealous partner who doesn’t get possessive at all. Soulmate story where the heroes aren’t soulmates. An ugly duckling story where the makeover doesn’t really change anything. 

6 Parody the plot trope

Write the plot trope but amp it up and make it extreme. Fake dating going too far (whatever that means), or soulmate story where all the brutal implications are clear. Ending in disaster, most likely. I can’t think of good examples here but I suppose crack fics are a bit like this. Oh, and parodic horror movies. Parodic movies in general, probably.

7 Deconstruct the trope

Somehow make it believable that the story builds as it does, based in the background of this world, or the characters. If I use Skam as an example again, the plot in season 3 is a quite typical boy meets boy trope, strangers to lovers, and it includes tropes like personal growth, miscommunication to communication, but it doesn’t feel forced because the characters feel true and real and their actions make sense based on their backgrounds. We get the feeling that there’s something deep and true behind it all. Isak’s difficulties makes sense, and so do Even’s and it also makes sense that they get each other.  

8 Changing the point of view

This is a neat trick. You can pick any fairytale and make something new if you write it in the pov of the villain, or the jealous hindrance character, or one of the helpers. You can write fake dating viewed from the outside. Or a coffee shop story where you’re the guy washing the dishes, or perhaps the owner of the coffee shop, getting annoyed at the baristas flirting with the guests? Or a cute meeting where you’re a bystander watching someone crash into each other, and you almost piss yourself laughing. 

9 Switch a story element

You can put the whole trope into a new location, like a new time or place, and make a new type of story. For instance, a love story in space can give an interesting twist. You can write a fairytale set in modern time. Most AUs are switched story elements like these. The trope is still being as it is, so this isn’t really a subversion, but the trope is dressed up in a way that's unique.

10 Averting the trope

This isn’t really playing with the trope at all, since it’s just avoiding it. Like, writing an action movie with cars but without a car chase (oh puhlease that’s like a dream, I hate car chases). It is when you would very much expect the trope but despite there being plenty of opportunity for it, it is never used.  

That’s it. I probably mixed a lot of terms and ideas. I still hope you found some interesting ways to play with characters and plots. There are so many more ways to do this, but these are my tips, I sure had a lot of fun writing this. 

[fyrapartnersearch]

Why can't I hold all these cool stories?

CURRENT CRAVINGS: Please see this GDoc, because I have some plots I’d like to try! I’m primarily interested in original plots and characters; setting them in original worlds or fandom worlds is fine. I am not interested in playing canons other than as side characters/world filler as of right now.

DISCORD: KYLO REN AT CHILI’S#8808

  PERSONAL PREFERENCES

I’m over eighteen, and would prefer my partners are, too. This doesn’t mean I’m interested in NSFW-heavy plots; I do not write smut. It just means I’m more comfortable writing and interacting with other adults.

I consider myself to be lit-adv. I tend to enjoy partners in the lit+ category, but as long as you’re an enthusiastic and engaging partner, I don’t care about perfect grammar. I would rather write with someone just as involved and excited as I am, than I would with someone who isn't very engaging but knows exactly what to do with obscure punctuation.

I’m not interested in playing only one type of character or playing against only one type of character. I typically don’t enjoy writing with people who are only interested in playing one type of relationship dynamic or one kind of character (such as only m/f, playing the female, or m/m, playing the “bottom”). I have no problem with these dynamics or characters at all, nor do I have an issue playing against them. I just prefer more variety, compromise, and opportunity.

 OOC chatter is really important to me. I can’t write with someone that I don’t feel like I can get to know. I’m looking for friends, not a faceless reply robot. I won’t communicate over any medium but Discord. I've tried Kik, Hangouts, etc.; they just don't stick for me. If you would prefer first contact be through email, you can shoot me a quick message and your handle to jordrps@gmail.com.

I’m fine with threading in a GDoc or a server, but I will not thread over DMs. It’s difficult to have OOC chatter and the thread over the top of each other.

If you're looking for a partner that writes a reply a day without fail, that's not me. I prefer that we don't have "posting schedules” or set posting times, because I find that it turns writing into a chore. It's great if you reply immediately, and it's totally okay if you need a week to figure something out! You’re absolutely free to poke me. I’m not always the most mindful. However, I’m not going to reply every day. Three to four times a week is my frequency.

  PLOT PREFERENCES

I’m interested in both fandom and original settings, and I’m down for playing both canon characters and OCs. I don’t necessarily prefer one or the other. 

I definitely prefer canon doubling from my partners in fandom plots; I mesh better with people who do a little give-and-take when it comes to that. If you only play one canon character or only play OCs against canons and won’t play canons, I don’t think we’ll work.

I can play as many characters as needed, whether it's just one or it's six. Whatever our story calls for, I can manage that. In fact, I would love to play multiple “main” pairings so we can both get what we want, versus a single main pairing (unless it’s a pairing/dynamic we both like equally well). I find more than one facet to a plot really interesting, and multiple characters helps flesh out a story’s dimensions.

I’m absolutely interested in joining groups, so please don’t be shy about asking me to participate in plots with more than two players. So long as they don’t involve me writing sexual NSFW, we’re Gucci; everyone else writing NSFW isn’t a deal breaker for me.

Multiple threads and plots at the same time are no issue for me. In fact, I love the idea that we click so well that we just can't stop coming up with good ideas! So definitely don't be afraid to pitch something new to me, whether it's because you want to switch gears (and drop a thread for another), or want to do everything at once.

Romance is a must for me! I prefer slow and agonizing journeys to get there, but my attention is best held by romantic chemistry between characters.

I can provide writing samples upon request, though I never require them from my partner. Additionally, I have some plots written out if you're interested in that sort of thing. Otherwise, we can brainstorm together!

  FANDOMS

I’m very much a fandom player. I’m always down for AUs, or inserting our own characters into the plots of fandoms! This is in no way a complete list; never be afraid to ask if I’m into something! I’ve probably forgotten a hundred things I love. 

Most of my fandoms will have favorite canon characters listed with them, both who I like playing and playing against; you’re always welcome to ask about others not listed.* There’s a good chance I’m pretty good with them!

*I will play OCs in every fandom, but I might not play canons in every fandom.

  ALWAYS

The Bartimaeus Trilogy (Nathaniel, Kitty Jones, and Bartimaeus), DC (any Titan, Jinx, Arthur Curry, Steve Trevor, Circe, and Diana Prince), Elder Scrolls (player canons and/or OCs preferred, but feel free to ask about canons), Fallout: New Vegas and 4 (Arcade Gannon, Paladin Danse, R.J. MacCready, Arthur Maxson, Veronica Santangelo, Cait, Rose of Sharon Cassidy, and player canons), Game of Thrones (Sansa Stark, Robb Stark, Jon Snow, Cersei Lannister, Jaime Lannister, Ramsay Bolton, and Willas Tyrell), His Dark Materials (OCs preferred), Hunger Games (OCs preferred), Inception (Arthur, and Eames, but OCs preferred), Marvel (Peter Parker, Scott Lang, Bucky Barnes, Miles Morales, Loki Laufeyson, Thor Odinson, Gwen Stacy, Jean Grey, Ororo Munroe, Kitty Pryde, and Megan Gwynn), Miraculous Ladybug (Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste), The Mortal Instruments (Simon Lewis, Raphael Santiago, and Alec Lightwood), Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo, Annabeth Chase, Will Solace, Piper McLean, and Leo Valdez), Star Trek (Jim Kirk, Leonard McCoy, S'chn T'gai Spock, and Pavel Chekov), Star Wars (Obi Wan Kenobi, Jacen Solo, Jaina Solo, Jagged Fel, Mara Jade Skywalker, Rey Skywalker, Poe Dameron, Luke Skywalker, Boba Fett, Sintas Vel, and Ahsoka Tano), The Walking Dead (Glenn Rhee, and Negan), Warriors (Firestar, Squirrelflight, Jayfeather, and Hawkfrost)

  SOMETIMES

Boku no Hero Academia (Bakugo Katsuki, Midoriya Izuku, Shinsou Hitoshi, Kaminari Denki, Kirishima Eijiro, Todoroki Shoto, and Uraraka Ochaco), Bungou Stray Dogs (OCs preferred, but feel free to ask about canons), Digimon (OCs preferred), Dragon Age (Fenris, Cullen Rutherford, Cassandra Pentaghast, and Dorian Pavus), Final Fantasy VII (Cloud Strife, Zack Fair, Reno, and Sephiroth), Harry Potter (Narcissa Malfoy, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter, Regulus Black, Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, and Luna Lovegood; play my favorite ship with me, and I'll do whatever you want, literally.), Mystic Messenger (Choi Saeyoung, Han Jumin, Kang Jaehee, and Choi Saeran), Naruto (Hatake Kakashi, Umino Iruka, Gaara, Hyuuga Hinata, and Uchiha Sasuke), Ouran High School Host Club (Ootori Kyouya, Hitachiin Hikaru, and Hitachiin Kaoru), Pokémon (Red, Blue, N, Guzma, and player canons)

  NOT SURE, BUT WILLING TO EXPLORE

Avatar: the Last Airbender (particularly Zutara), Eragon, Howl's Moving Castle, Kiznaiver, The Legend of Zelda, Soul Eater, Steven Universe, Tokyo Ghoul, Twilight, Yuri!!! on Ice

  GENRES

For the most part, I’ll genuinely play most any genre! Of course, everyone says that, but then they shoot down all your suggestions because everyone has stuff they don’t like doing. I’ll try to make this as brief as I can, and know that if something isn’t listed, but you’re pretty sure (based on everything else) that I’m into it, then definitely let me know what you’re thinking!

SETTINGS

A/B/O (I will not play only alphas for only omegas, nor will I play overly trope-y, non-con, “boys love”/"yaoi" plots.), Age of Sail, alien worlds/alien invasions, celebrity, fairytales and mythology (including “inspired by” retellings), fantasy (including medieval, urban, and high fantasy), alt-historical and modern royalty, mutants/gifted, organized crime, science fiction (especially including aliens), some historical (excluding medieval, colonial, and the Roaring Twenties/Great Depression), supernatural, Victorian (especially the London ton), post-apocalyptic

PAIRING DYNAMICS

arranged marriage (I’m always down for slinging our characters together, whether or not they want to. It’s always a bonus if their families hate each other.), enemies to lovers (I love conflict of any sort, especially romantic!), human x not-human (The not-human must be sentient.), bad guy x good guy, intellectual x emotional, captive x captured (especially when the captured is willful, annoying, and full of fight), step-siblings (I don’t play step-parents x step-kids, so please don’t ask!), status/power imbalances (such as characters being from different socioeconomic strata or different ranks/positions in an organization), celebrity x bodyguard (I’m okay with the celebrity being the son/daughter/offspring of someone famous!), famous x not famous, rivals of any sort, unwilling traveling companions, unwilling soulmates

  If any of this interests you, please feel free to reach out to me however! I'm really looking forward to hearing from you!

[rp-dreamland]

Why can't I hold all these cool stories?

CURRENT CRAVINGS: Please see this GDoc, because I have some plots I’d like to try! I’m primarily interested in original plots and characters; setting them in original worlds or fandom worlds is fine. I am not interested in playing canons other than as side characters/world filler as of right now.

DISCORD: KYLO REN AT CHILI’S#8808

TIMEZONE: CST

PERSONAL PREFERENCES

I’m over eighteen, and would prefer my partners are, too. This doesn’t mean I’m interested in NSFW-heavy plots; I do not write smut. It just means I’m more comfortable writing and interacting with other adults. 

I consider myself to be lit-adv. I tend to enjoy partners in the lit+ category, but as long as you’re an enthusiastic and engaging partner, I don’t care about perfect grammar. I would rather write with someone just as involved and excited as I am, than I would with someone who isn’t very engaging but knows exactly what to do with obscure punctuation.

I’m not interested in playing only one type of character or playing against only one type of character. I typically don’t enjoy writing with people who are only interested in playing one type of relationship dynamic or one kind of character (such as only m/f, playing the female, or m/m, playing the “bottom”). I have no problem with these dynamics or characters at all, nor do I have an issue playing against them. I just prefer more variety, compromise, and opportunity.

 OOC chatter is really important to me. I can’t write with someone that I don’t feel like I can get to know. I’m looking for friends, not a faceless reply robot. I won’t communicate over any medium but Discord. I’ve tried Kik, Hangouts, etc.; they just don’t stick for me. If you would prefer first contact be through email, you can shoot me a quick message and your handle to jordrps@gmail.com.

I’m fine with threading in a GDoc or a server, but I will not thread over DMs. It’s difficult to have OOC chatter and the thread over the top of each other.

If you’re looking for a partner that writes a reply a day without fail, that’s not me. I prefer that we don’t have “posting schedules” or set posting times, because I find that it turns writing into a chore. It’s great if you reply immediately, and it’s totally okay if you need a week to figure something out! You’re absolutely free to poke me. I’m not always the most mindful. However, I’m not going to reply every day. Three to four times a week is my frequency.

PLOT PREFERENCES

I’m interested in both fandom and original settings, and I’m down for playing both canon characters and OCs. I don’t necessarily prefer one or the other. 

I definitely prefer canon doubling from my partners in fandom plots; I mesh better with people who do a little give-and-take when it comes to that. If you only play one canon character or only play OCs against canons and won’t play canons, I don’t think we’ll work.

I can play as many characters as needed, whether it’s just one or it’s six. Whatever our story calls for, I can manage that. In fact, I would love to play multiple “main” pairings so we can both get what we want, versus a single main pairing (unless it’s a pairing/dynamic we both like equally well). I find more than one facet to a plot really interesting, and multiple characters helps flesh out a story’s dimensions.

I’m absolutely interested in joining groups, so please don’t be shy about asking me to participate in plots with more than two players. So long as they don’t involve me writing sexual NSFW, we’re Gucci; everyone else writing NSFW isn’t a deal breaker for me.

Multiple threads and plots at the same time are no issue for me. In fact, I love the idea that we click so well that we just can’t stop coming up with good ideas! So definitely don’t be afraid to pitch something new to me, whether it’s because you want to switch gears (and drop a thread for another), or want to do everything at once.

Romance is a must for me! I prefer slow and agonizing journeys to get there, but my attention is best held by romantic chemistry between characters.

I can provide writing samples upon request, though I never require them from my partner. Additionally, I have some plots written out if you’re interested in that sort of thing. Otherwise, we can brainstorm together!

FANDOMS

I’m very much a fandom player. I’m always down for AUs, or inserting our own characters into the plots of fandoms! This is in no way a complete list; never be afraid to ask if I’m into something! I’ve probably forgotten a hundred things I love. 

Most of my fandoms will have favorite canon characters listed with them, both who I like playing and playing against; you’re always welcome to ask about others not listed.* There’s a good chance I’m pretty good with them!

*I will play OCs in every fandom, but I might not play canons in every fandom.

ALWAYS

The Bartimaeus Trilogy (Nathaniel, Kitty Jones, and Bartimaeus), DC (any Titan, Jinx, Arthur Curry, Steve Trevor, Circe, and Diana Prince), Elder Scrolls (player canons and/or OCs preferred, but feel free to ask about canons), Fallout: New Vegas and 4 (Arcade Gannon, Paladin Danse, R.J. MacCready, Arthur Maxson, Veronica Santangelo, Cait, Rose of Sharon Cassidy, and player canons), Game of Thrones (Sansa Stark, Robb Stark, Jon Snow, Cersei Lannister, Jaime Lannister, Ramsay Bolton, and Willas Tyrell), His Dark Materials (OCs preferred), Hunger Games (OCs preferred), Inception (Arthur, and Eames, but OCs preferred), Marvel (Peter Parker, Scott Lang, Bucky Barnes, Miles Morales, Loki Laufeyson, Thor Odinson, Gwen Stacy, Jean Grey, Ororo Munroe, Kitty Pryde, and Megan Gwynn), Miraculous Ladybug (Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste), The Mortal Instruments (Simon Lewis, Raphael Santiago, and Alec Lightwood), Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Percy Jackson, Nico di Angelo, Annabeth Chase, Will Solace, Piper McLean, and Leo Valdez), Star Trek (Jim Kirk, Leonard McCoy, S'chn T'gai Spock, and Pavel Chekov), Star Wars (Obi Wan Kenobi, Jacen Solo, Jaina Solo, Jagged Fel, Mara Jade Skywalker, Rey Skywalker, Poe Dameron, Luke Skywalker, Boba Fett, Sintas Vel, and Ahsoka Tano), The Walking Dead (Glenn Rhee, and Negan), Warriors (Firestar, Squirrelflight, Jayfeather, and Hawkfrost)

SOMETIMES

Boku no Hero Academia (Bakugo Katsuki, Midoriya Izuku, Shinsou Hitoshi, Kaminari Denki, Kirishima Eijiro, Todoroki Shoto, and Uraraka Ochaco), Bungou Stray Dogs (OCs preferred, but feel free to ask about canons), Digimon (OCs preferred), Dragon Age (Fenris, Cullen Rutherford, Cassandra Pentaghast, and Dorian Pavus), Final Fantasy VII (Cloud Strife, Zack Fair, Reno, and Sephiroth), Harry Potter (Narcissa Malfoy, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter, Regulus Black, Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, and Luna Lovegood; play my favorite ship with me, and I’ll do whatever you want, literally.), Mystic Messenger (Choi Saeyoung, Han Jumin, Kang Jaehee, and Choi Saeran), Naruto (Hatake Kakashi, Umino Iruka, Gaara, Hyuuga Hinata, and Uchiha Sasuke), Ouran High School Host Club (Ootori Kyouya, Hitachiin Hikaru, and Hitachiin Kaoru), Pokémon (Red, Blue, N, Guzma, and player canons)

NOT SURE, BUT WILLING TO EXPLORE

Avatar: the Last Airbender (particularly Zutara), Eragon, Howl’s Moving Castle, Kiznaiver, The Legend of Zelda, Soul Eater, Steven Universe, Tokyo Ghoul, Twilight, Yuri!!! on Ice

GENRES

For the most part, I’ll genuinely play most any genre! Of course, everyone says that, but then they shoot down all your suggestions because everyone has stuff they don’t like doing. I’ll try to make this as brief as I can, and know that if something isn’t listed, but you’re pretty sure (based on everything else) that I’m into it, then definitely let me know what you’re thinking!

SETTINGS

A/B/O (I will not play only alphas for only omegas, nor will I play overly trope-y, non-con, “boys love”/"yaoi” plots.), Age of Sail, alien worlds/alien invasions, celebrity, fairytales and mythology (including “inspired by” retellings), fantasy (including medieval, urban, and high fantasy), alt-historical and modern royalty, mutants/gifted, organized crime, science fiction (especially including aliens), some historical (excluding medieval, colonial, and the Roaring Twenties/Great Depression), Southern gothic, supernatural, Victorian (especially the London ton), post-apocalyptic

PAIRING DYNAMICS

arranged marriage (I’m always down for slinging our characters together, whether or not they want to. It’s always a bonus if their families hate each other.), enemies to lovers (I love conflict of any sort, especially romantic!), human x not-human (The not-human must be sentient.), bad guy x good guy, intellectual x emotional, captive x captured (especially when the captured is willful, annoying, and full of fight), step-siblings (I don’t play step-parents x step-kids, so please don’t ask!), status/power imbalances (such as characters being from different socioeconomic strata or different ranks/positions in an organization), celebrity x bodyguard (I’m okay with the celebrity being the son/daughter/offspring of someone famous!), famous x not famous, rivals of any sort, unwilling traveling companions, unwilling soulmates

If any of this interests you, please feel free to reach out to me however! I’m really looking forward to hearing from you!

[thenightling]

My hopes for Steven Moffat’s Dracula

1.   I know he’s paying some homage to Hammer Horror by filming some of it where Hammer used to film their Dracula movies but Hammer also toned down Dracula’s powers for budgetary reasons.  Most of Hammer’s Dracula films (save for Brides of Dracula) did not allow the vampires to take animal form.   I am hoping that with the considerable budget allotted to the show through Netflix that they allow Dracula to have his traditional powers and weaknesses.

NBC’s Dracula was woefully disappointing partly because of the “nerfing” they had done to Dracula.   I want a version that can walk by day but is weaker during the day (like in the original Stoker novel), and can become mist, wolf, or bat during the night.

2.  If Dracula requires an invitation to enter a home.  Please, please, please have the sense that the requirement for an invitation is only in regard to homes, not places of business, public places, and the like.  Don’t do what “What we do in the Shadows” does in regard to invitations.  What we do in the Shadows is poking fun of vampire role players who often make the mistake of thinking the vampire needs an invitation to enter a tavern or other public establishment.  No.  The rule was only in regard to private dwellings.  For example a vampire can probably enter an apartment building but not an individual apartment / flat that someone resides in, without an invitation.   3.  I am perfectly fine with a female Doctor Van Helsing however please allow her to be like DOCTOR Van Helsing, an older professor type, not a sexy twenty-something in skin-tight leather, belly shirt, teddy / corset or other cliche trappings of the “hawt” vampire slayer.  Don’t try to make her Buffy.  Let her be older, wise, a Peter Cushing type.  Please.  We so rarely get that with female vampire hunters.

In fact it could be a great twist if Van Helsing or Jonathan Harker was the TV and movie trope reincarnation of Dracula’s lost love.   

4.  aesthetic preference:   Let Dracula have his sharp claw-like nails and slightly pointed ears.  It’s okay if he doesn’t but this is a preference of mine.  See Castlevania, or even Gary Oldman’s Dracula’s hands.

 5.  Do NOT let Dracula eat food or drink alcohol. Much like the vampires of What we do in the Shadows Dracula cannot abide food.  In the original novel the “I never drink... wine” was part of a three part line of dialogue. “I do not sup.”  “I never drink wine.”  and “I do not smoke.”  (Parodied in Love at first bite with “I do not smoke... sh--t.”) 6.  His soul. Dracula does have a soul. This isn’t Buffy.  In fact in the novel the heroes believed destroying his physical body, might allow him to ascend to Heaven.  They were even relieved by this implication apparently being confirmed by the look of peace on his face when they destroyed him.  (Yes, it’s indicated that Dracula actually went to Heaven in the novel.  Funny how Victorian readers were willing to accept that but modern audiences seem to go “No!  He needs to burn forever!”  God, we’ve become vindictive as a species...) 

7.   Dracula does have a heartbeat.  This is a petty detail but it annoyed me that the Gary Oldman Dracula does not have one.

8.   The novel Dracula never revealed how he became a vampire. It’s probably best if this is left unexplained or even a mystery to the character himself. 

 Fred Saberhagen’s Dracula book series handled this very well.  In the sixth book of Fred Saberhagen’s Dracula book series he had Dracula describe his original assassination (as Vladislaus Drakulya, later known as Vlad the Impaler)  and how loyalists retrieved his severed head and body and let the Turks claim the head of another man to present to the Sultan.   They prepared him for burial and the candles kept going out, and the head seemed to start to re-attach to his neck. They buried him and he rose from his grave as a vampire.

This made his revival as a vampire all the more mysterious as the vampires in Fred Saberhagen’s books were usually created via a blood exchange between vampire and would-be vampire.

9.  Don’t try to be edgy with a “creative twist” in pretending he was not Vlad the Impaler because “that was added at the last minute” or “There are historical inaccuracies in the novel.”  Of course there are historical inaccuracies!   Most people didn’t know the name in England of 1897.   But in the fictional universe of the novel that IS who he is. 

“He must indeed be the voivode Dracula who won his name against the Turk” - Said by Abraham Van Helsing in the novel.  

Just be respectful.  Let him have lived his life as the rather violent Romanian hero and have the vampirism be posthumous.   (Born 1431, became a vampire 1476 or so).

Also please, please do NOT claim he is Judas or any other Biblical figure.  That’s not clever, it’s just stupid.  Whether you’re claiming he’s Judas, or Abel or “Lucifer’s brother” (I’m looking at you, Penny Dreadful) please stop. 

9 Part B:  For if you use the Vlad the Impaler backstory.  Though I love Castlevania there is one detail that bugs me.  Țepeș,is NOT a surname.  That was a name given posthumously by his enemies.  It’s just Romanian for Impaler.  He signed his name Vladislaus Drakulya. He chose Dracula as his surname because of his and his father’s membership to the Order of the Dragon.  Dracula in modern Romanian might mean Devil but in the fifteenth century it meant son of the Dragon.   Dracul menat Dragon and Dracula meant Son of the Dragon.   So please don’t mistake the posthumous title as his surname.  He never signed his name with the Romanian world for impaler.  

 10.  Don’t mock the old tropes. The deconstruction done in the NBC show of 2014 was bad enough.  We don’t need another whiney “I have an American Southern accent for some reason” powerless Dracula downing scotch and shedding a single tear, while posing shirtless with a torch he shouldn’t need. 

11.  Further note.  I’m perfectly okay with a bisexual Dracula.  Considering other pop culture incarnations such as Marvel comics it does make sense.  I know Steven Moffat is easily tempted to feed shippers, tread carefully but don’t be afraid to tread.  

12.  If he cries at all, let the tears be blood and let him follow the old unspoken rule that if you make Dracula cry you’re pretty much screwed.   None of this stupid “But that’s from True Blood” or ‘That’s from The Vampire Chronicles.”  Dracula cried blood tears in pop culture it first. 13.   Let him be sympathetic if you like but also let him be powerful and predatory.

Please, Steven, don’t screw this up.   The NBC Dracula series dimmed my obsession for nearly a year. Only re-reading the Fred Saberhagen Dracula books and the Netflix Castlevania series brought it back.

[obeetlebeetle]

Uh you know I'm asking you to do all those asks bro

aight bro u kno there’s gonna b equal exchange tho1. if you were to have Hanahaki disease, what flowers would you cough up?

hm. full disclosure i’ve never read any hanahaki fics. is this supposed to reveal something abt me or the person i love? i guess if it means a flower that symbolizes the type of love, red or pink tea roses

2. if someone were to catch Hanahaki disease for you, what flowers would they cough up?

maybe daffodils?

3. if you were any historic trope, what would you be? (i.e., the knight, the town baker, the witch of the forest, etd.)

either the knight pursuing courtly love or the lazy good-for-nothing scribe jkdshds

4. tell us about your ideal battle outfit.

ok well ideally i could use magic so like. a short, hooded cloak over a comfortable tunic and practical trouser. with sturdy boots. you know, just google erk from fire emblem.

5. what would you be a god/goddess of and what would people sacrifice to you?

i would be the god of just counsel, and people would sacrifice things they made to represent the person they wished to reconcile with to me.

6. name five iconic quotes that make you feel things.

idk how iconic these are but here goes --

"You do this, you do. You take the things you love and tear them apart or you pin them down with your body and pretend they’re yours." 

— Richard Siken

“Because, you see, it is only when one is at the end (of tenderness or of any other force) that one recognizes its inexhaustibleness. The more we give, the more we have left; as soon as we give prodigiously — it flows forth! Let us bleed ourselves—and here we are, a source of life!" 

— Marina Tsvetaeva

“ANTIGONE: And also because - Oh, my darling, my darling, forgive me; I’m going to cause you quite a lot of pain.” 

— Jean Anouilh

But Sophie and Howl were holding one another’s hands and smiling and smiling, quite unable to stop.”

— Diana Wynne Jones

"He has a longing in him: for death by  drowning.And he has a longing in him: not to go down."

— Bertolt Brecht

7. scythe, battle axe, broad sword, spear or trident?

axe babey!!

8. what combination of natural scents would you use as perfume?

hm. the smell of a forest: moss and pine, the ground wet from rain, the smoke from a campfire, the wild roses crawling in vines up the tree-trunks.

9. ancient scrolls or leather-bound books?

books babey!!

10. describe yourself as if you were a storm.

florida summer storms tower on the horizon, tall and purple and moving in fast. the thunder is so loud you can feel in your chest. the rain falls so thick you can’t see down the street, but the lightning is clear in its twisting lines. and it’s over before you know if, just an afternoon of heavy weather leaving sunshine behind.

11. what type of flower (other than a rose) would you offer someone you were trying to court?

this question is oppressing me specifically. probably sunflowers tho

12. honey in milk or cinnamon in tea?

honey in milk babey!!

13. cabin in the woods, apartment in the city or mansion in the suburbs?

cabin in the woods ofc

14. curtains of beads or lace?

lace probably?

15. vocal or instrumental music?

vocal, im a sucker for good lyrics

16. describe your ideal fantasy outfit

...see question #4 jksdfh

17. of all the fantasy races to ever exist, which one would you be?

dwarf!

18. hard candy, fruit preserves or spice cake?

spice cake dude the others Sucks

19. show us an a picture of your ideal crown.

20. tying your hair up using ribbon, yay or nay?

love the idea, never quite got the hang of it. 

21. an evening in the forest with elves, a night in the caves with vampires or a morning in the garden with fae?

bring on the vamps!

22. tell us, in detail, about a curse a witch would put on you.

hm. hmm. she use daffodils and narcissus flowers, falling stars and ashes, and she would harden my heart. i would be cursed to forever seek out love, but the moment it was returned, i would be repulsed.

23. talking with sylphs or singing with nymphs?

im tone deaf, let’s have a chat

24. mint, rosemary, basil or sage?

mint babey!!

25. favorite childhood story? (doesn’t have to be a fairy tale)

o *highkey* stellaluna

26. tell us about an experience you’ve had that seemed unreal or supernatural. (doesn’t have to be scary)

my college campus has a cryptid, ive seen it twice and i swear by it. the first time was april of my second year. i was down by the bay with friends, and i saw it running across the grass between us and college hall. it was about the size of a cat, with an elongated face and no tail, tall on its legs, and it ran weird. that’s what caught my attention. have you ever seen a person try to walk or run on all fours? it ran just like that, shuddering unnatural movements, but it was so fast. the second time i saw it was april of the following year, walking back up the promenade from the bay to the dorms. it darted across the promenade about ten feet in front of me, and it turned its head to look at me but i didnt see eyes or a face.

27. would you rather have poison or healing ointment in your traveling pack?

healing ointment babey!!

28. tell us three sayings that you live by.

done!

29. vials or mason jars?

mason jars are just more useful.

30. describe your ideal masquerade ball outfit (mask included).

a three-piece victorian suit, with coat-tails ofc, all in shades of silver and white. i start the night in a full moon mask that rises above my eyes; throughout the night i subtly mark the passing of hours by changing into a half-moon mask, a crescent that curves across my face, and finally a band of darkness speckled with stars to show a moonless night.

31. splashing around in a river with mermaids or flying through the sky with harpies?

o send me to the waves

32. what would you end up in the dungeon for?

being rude to someone w a lot of power and little patience

33. if you were a fairy, what color would your wings be?

blue or green!

34. if you could have any magical item, what would it be?

a crystal ball that imbued me with powers of true divination

35. what song would the bards sing about you when you passed by?

asdkhkjsdf idiot by sure sure, bardic cover i guess

36. would you rather be a pirate or a king/queen?

a king but like. really a prince who doesn’t have to do anything.

37. would you spend more time in the field of flowers, the tavern, the docks or the marketplace?

um. the tavern. i know me.

38. would you have a painting of yourself?

absolutely not.

39. what skill are you famous for?

diplomacy?

40. if you could live any fairy tale, which one would you?

beauty and the beast but im the beast and beauty just shows up w some scooby snax n it’s very chill

41. stained glass windows or fairy lights?

both are *so* good tho :(

[chaostwofold]

1-41 on the asks? Also gn

1. if you were to have Hanahaki disease, what flowers would you cough up?

Morning glories!! not only are they already my favorite flower, theyre extremely toxic and mean unconditional love! i have a tendency to fall for the wrong people and not realize until after,, BUT thats only half and half!! some people i loved unconditionally and contine to love them and others set me back in the recovery process,,

2. if someone were to catch Hanahaki disease for you, what flowers would they cough up?

Begonias id assume? not only are hanahaki flowers supposed to represent your feelings, they should also represent the person. begonias are known for misfortune, dark/unpleasant thoughts, and caution to new situations. on the flip side, its harmonious communications, understanding, and gratitude.

3. if you were any historic trope, what would you be? (i.e., the knight, the town baker, the witch of the forest, etd.)

hm. well, what about the urchin whos actually a prince? someone who originates from grand places, a great misfortune turns them into something undesirable and possibly bitter, and then when theyre brought back to the light of stability they provide for those who are in the same situation as he was

4. tell us about your ideal battle outfit

im long range magic tactics and healing always bc im too afraid of conflict :pensive: but the closest thing would probably be something flexible but strong, in black and the more sensitive areas like the neck and thighs covered more carefully (read: shadowhunter gear)

5. what would you be a god/goddess of and what would people sacrifice to you?

change on an emotional and mental plane. they would sacrifice those who refuse to change for the better. i determine what is better, and if they choose the wrong person to sacrifice they would pay depending on why they attempted to sacrifice someone who didnt deserve it.

6. name five iconic quotes that make you feel things.

“there is a difference between wisdom and intelligence... a person may have one without the other.” is an all time favorite from my favorite book The Soulforge by Margret Weis!!!!!!!

“plant your trees and watch them grow.” OUGH

 “There is a thin semantic line separating the weird and the beautiful. and that line is covered in jellyfish.” NIGHTVALE

“Ive been good sir / so very very good for what? / and ive given you / every single thing ive got / its feeling strange man / this whole arrangement / is gonna end with / me totally deranged” From Disobedient, from su:tm!!! it slaps man

“ What do you want from me? Why don't you run from me? / What are you wondering? What do you know? / Why aren't you scared of me? Why do you care for me?” Ah. billie eilish ily

7. scythe, battle axe, broad sword, spear or trident?

Scythe! the weapon of fate and peace,, it is used to reap the souls of those deemed to die and its used for harvesting crops!! the end of all thngs, its a graceful and symbolical weapon.

8. what combination of natural scents would you use as perfume?

Vaniila, star anise, and clary sage

9. ancient scrolls or leather-bound books?

leather bound books!!

10. describe yourself as if you were a storm.

a cyclone, probably. something threatening on the outside but extremely calm on the inside.

11. what type of flower (other than a rose) would you offer someone you were trying to court?

amaryllis, which is splendid beauty and worth beyond beauty

12. honey in milk or cinnamon in tea?

cinnamon in tea!!!

13. cabin in the woods, apartment in the city or mansion in the suburbs?

apt in the city

14. curtains of beads or lace?

bead curtains!!! retro AND can be like “hoohoo welcome to my brewery pick your literal poison im a witch”

15. vocal or instrumental music?

yall know i could never pick,, music is too much of an intimate thing too be taken lightly (whch is one of the reasons i have a burning hatred for jokey nursery rhymes like baby shark)

16. describe your ideal fantasy outfit

SOBS okay so. ough it depends man. i rlly like the idea of like. ponchos and shawls n stuff,,, id prolly go for a witch in the woods ngl (the prince REPRESENTS me the best but. witch of the dark woods is my aesthetic) so prolly like a heavy green shawl over a black shirt and jeans and combat boots or smth,,, i WOULD have a flower crown of poisonous flowers, yes

Changeling or shapeshifter definitely!! to be able to constantly change form in super mecore

18. hard candy, fruit preserves or spice cake?

fruit preserves

19. show us an a picture of your ideal crown.

you all knew it was gonna happen ( its a mountain laurel!! poisonous. of course)

20. tying your hair up using ribbon, yay or nay?

my hair is WAY too short for that but i used to do it when i had longer hair and its a definite yay

21. an evening in the forest with elves, a night in the caves with vampires or a morning in the garden with fae?

an evening in the forest with elves or a morning in the garden with fae!! i cant decide man,,, if it had been a night in a victorian castle w vamps i wouldve been tied w that too but caves are a dwarven thing

22. tell us, in detail, about a curse a witch would put on you.

hm. maybe like. a true self thing? where im forced to say what i mean, i cant say sorry for things im not sorry for, i have to say when things make me uncomfy, i just become less timid (the witch who cursed me got pissed off bc i said sorry too much and didnt answer questions properly)

23. talking with sylphs or singing with nymphs?

talking with sylphs prolly??? i dunno man ive always loved sylphs ngl

24. mint, rosemary, basil or sage?

def mint

25. favorite childhood story? (doesn’t have to be a fairy tale)

what childhood lmao (honestly?? i loved reading the grim fairytales just over and over)

26. tell us about an experience you’ve had that seemed unreal or supernatural. (doesn’t have to be scary)

uhhh one time i was accused of witchcraft bc i was “guessing” peoples fav colours at a christian summer camp and our supervisors asked me to stop bc it was freaking them out bc im not christian (i had them close their eyes, think of their colour, and i would see it bc id close my eyes) OH also one time luke spoiled some pl stuff bc he was thinking abt the spoiler too loudly

27. would you rather have poison or healing ointment in your traveling pack?

oh healing def!! i already know a bunch of native poisonous plants so itll b fine

28. tell us three sayings that you live by.

only two chances for everyone, and then i cut them off entirely

cringe culture is dead. the only cringy people are assholes

hurt luke youre dead

29. vials or mason jars?

no. no. you CANNOT make me pick. its illegal

30. describe your ideal masquerade ball outfit (mask included).

uh! moss green, its a onepiece thats baggy and tied with a golden decorative rope at the waist and tightened at the ankles!! its loose at the sleeves and the shoulders are showing whereas the neck is turtled!! there are designs showing black mambas and lilies of the valley (poisonous...). the mask is black and covers my right eye, with subtle smooth scales on it.

31. splashing around in a river with mermaids or flying through the sky with harpies?

BOTH are p mean uh. i said sylphs earlier so ig ill go mermaids??? plus im afraid of heights

32. what would you end up in the dungeon for?

as the royal magician/wizard/witch/alchemist/magic jester? calling the royal family out on their bullshit

33. if you were a fairy, what color would your wings be?

they would be black owls wings!!! (if you meant pixies, like tinkerbell, you shouldve said pixies fam :pensive:)

34. if you could have any magical item, what would it be?

deaths cloak or a truth charm to get people to tell me, you guessed it, the truth

35. what song would the bards sing about you when you passed by?

a song about grim ends ad new beginnings.

36. would you rather be a pirate or a king/queen?

royalty! so i can fuck shit up from the inside

37. would you spend more time in the field of flowers, the tavern, the docks or the marketplace?

field of flowers or marketplace!! seeing the things people create and natural beauty and solitude are both wonderful

38. would you have a painting of yourself?

a modest one with a very dark palette, with my eyes painted a gleaming golden.

39. what skill are you famous for?

i talk rlly fast

40. if you could live any fairy tale, which one would you?

im not sure,, 

41. stained glass windows or fairy lights?

FAIRYLIGHTSFAIRYLIGHTSFAIRYLIGHTS