#I think I've had that book for like 3 years and never even cracked it open...

[freyascoffee]

You always come to the party

College!Ellie Williams x reader

Summary: 3 months after your breakup, you and Ellie have been seeing each other around more recently. Do you think she deserves a second chance to prove her love?

Author's note: this is my first time writing one of these so bare with me :) Also posting this late because I've been meaning to write this for ages now

December 12th

The silence of entering your dormitory after boring lectures was probably the worst part of your day. You and Ellie broke up to 'focus on yourselves' yet it was hard to focus at all when the polaroid pictures of the two of you hang upon the golden fairylights above your desk. That stupid dinosaur keyring she won for you during your date at the arcade jingled every time you grabbed your keys. The guitar pick she accidentally left on your window sill collected dust; nonetheless, it was left untouched, as if waiting to be picked up again.

Everything reminded you of her. You procrastinated the decision of putting yourself out there because you didn't want anyone else. A distraction would be useful- hell- it was a need. The need to forget about that internal conflict and question what you did to deserve the sudden cold shoulder from Ellie. She was in the wrong. She chose to be dismissive of your feelings the few weeks before your breakup. It was nothing like the Ellie you knew, but you had to put yourself first.

Repetitive and monotonous cycles of talking stages chased you throughout the next 3 months. 'What's your favourite colour?' 'What's your favourite food?' The questions were so vague, only reminding you of the silly conspiracies you and Ellie made up during your smoking sessions, or when you gazed at the stars from a grassy hill close to the campus. The philosophical questions you'd debate just for shits and giggles overlapped the strangers' voices when they asked the generic 'what superpower would you want to have?'.

You only wondered if Ellie felt some sense of remorse for her neglect in the end, or if she was too busy hanging out with Dina, who seemed to cut contact with you after the breakup, and Jesse, who still reached out to you every couple weeks.

"Earth to Yn!" Jesse waved his hand in front of your face.

"Sorry, you were saying?" You asked, tilting your head to face him reluctantly.

"..The party" Jesse raised an eyebrow, implying that you should catch on what he was talking about, if you were listening.

"Absolutely not" You mirrored his raised eyebrow in a 'Are you serious' way.

"Come on, you'll meet some new people. Show yourself off a little, maybe make certain individuals jealous. " he nudged your elbow at the last word. He was completely aware of what happened between you and Ellie, having most definitely hearing both sides of the story.

A narrow glare from you, shot up at him before averting to your textbook, which looked brand new, despite owning it since the beginning of the school year. The spine wasn't even cracked, knowing Ellie, she would've begged you to let her crack it for you. "...I'll think about it"

"Don't give me that," he insisted, leaning forward as he covered the pages of your textbook with his hands. "How long has it been since you got a little drunk? A little cray-cray?"

"Euh, never say that again" you groaned, dropping your head into the palms of your sweating hands. "I might just never go to a party again out of spite"

"I'm just saying, you should go. I'll take you there and we'll will leave any time you feel like it" he pursed his lips into a thin line, mocking your dad's convincing expression.

"Is she gonna there?" You mumbled, gently pushing his hands away from the book and flicking through to the next page, a soft crackling sound cutting through the short silence between the two of you.

"Who?..ohh- nah, she said she'd rather stay in and judge people's instagram pics from the party" Jesse shrugged. "Dina will probably stay with her"

"Right" you rubbed your temples in circular motions, easing the aching sensation of your head.

"Do you want her to go?" He smirked, grabbing his phone from his brown leather jacket, a loud zip of his pocket cutting through the quiet library. "Because I can get that sort-"

"Shut up- I was just asking" you hushed, looking around awkwardly to ensure nobody was giving the judgemental look of disapproval.

"And I was just offering" Jesse was annoyingly quick with comebacks, and you were often reminded of that. "So, the partys December 18th, Margaret's beach house, there's gonna be food, drinks, music, you know, basic party stuff..and a pool"

"Anyone willing to swim in a pool in December?" You winced "..whatever- and what if the cops come because of complaints?" You added. A criminal record was not on your Christmas wishlist whatsoever.

"you were on the track team for a reason" he laughed, looking back up at you from his phone. "If anyone knows how to run away from problems, it's you"

"Was that seriously a secret diss? That's low, Jesse." You scoffed with a goofy smile, propping one leg up on your chair and fiddling with the chain of your locket.

December 16th

The party was only two days away and you had no idea what to wear, you thought as you stood in front of your wardrobe full of clothes. Point was, none of it was essentially party-worthy, basic tees and jeans were all you had since your sister decided she wanted her clothes back. In that case, she should consider that her Christmas gift.

You mindlessly walked through stores, looking for a simple dress, but a lot of the racks were stuffed with outfits that were rave-appropriate at most. You eventually left the mall, and decided to go to your favourite store, TJ Maxx, it had all anyone ever needed.

The glass doors slid open, and the faint echo of a 2010s pop song rang through the building. You made your way towards the dress section and you only found silver sequen dresses which went down to your ankles, so that's a no. You pulled your phone out from your pocket and opened Pinterest, typing 'Christmas party outfit simple'.

You scrolled for a moment before finding a cute top and skirt combination. TJ Maxx definitely had this. It was a skirt and a fitted sparkly long-sleeved top along with tights with patterns. After a couple laps through the aisles, you found everything you needed and made your way to the checkout.

As you exited the store, you were notified of 2 missed calls. Jesse. You audibly sighed and clicked the green telephone icon. It rung once before the other line immediately picked up. "Listen, oh my gosh, okay, so come to my dorm right now, we're trying to build a gingerbread house and I thought, who'd be better to help than Yn? Get your ass here right now"

You heard Ellie's voice in the background, talking, you weren't sure whether it was to Jesse or someone else but you weren't sure if you were ready to see her again. "Uhh..who's with you?" You asked, knowing the answer, but just seeking confirmation to emotionally prepare yourself.

"Ellie and Dina" his voice cut of between syllables. Probably just your data running low again, why did your renewal always have to be at the end of the month?

"Oh I'll try and-" you spoke, before the call ended. Shit. Now you're gonna have to go because it seems like you agreed. You weren't opposed to the idea of building gingerbread houses, but you were definitely against the inevitable tension you'd face when you got there.

After reaching your room, you dropped your shopping bag onto the bed and checked yourself out in the mirror. Fixing your eyebrows and reapplying vaseline onto your lips, winter dryness was the worst. You looked yourself up and down one more time before slipping on your sliders and taking the stairs of the flat down to Jesse's dorm.

You knock quietly, a swift and recognisable pattern you always made against the door of room 47. You heard Christmas music from the other side of the wall and chuckling as the sound of footsteps drew nearer. You twirl a lock of your hair awkwardly whilst waiting for someone to answer.

Oh.

"..hey" the freckled auburn mumbles between the cookie she looks like she just stuffed in her mouth.

"..hi" you smile awkwardly, not moving any closer towards the room, as if hesitating to even enter. You were already regretting coming at all, the sound of Dina's voice further in the room intimidated you.

"You coming in, or are you stopping by to sing Christmas carols?" Jesse called out from his seated position on the floor. "You're letting the warm air out"

"Right- sorry" you nodded once, slipping under Ellie's arm which was propped against the door frame. "So what did you need help with exactly? This looks fine"

"We needed a fourth contestant to make a poll on instagram, you know, see who's gingerbread house looks the best and all" he grinned "come on, it'll be fun"

You scratch the back of your neck awkwardly, realising Ellie already shut the door and sat beside Dina. "Okay okay" you reluctantly sit beside Jesse, crossing your legs and scanning the ingredients. "Shit, where'd you get all this?"

"My mom got it for us, she wanted us to keep the Christmas tradition while I'm away" Dina admitted. Her tone was calm and neutral, maybe that secret amnesty you thought she felt towards you was just overthinking. You nod slightly, a loud silence growing in the dorm. Only the music from Jesse's phone brang a sense of ease to the group of you.

"Let's get started, I'm starving" Ellie groans. "I like the outfit, by the way" she nods in acknowledgement in your direction.

What was supposed to be a subtle smile unfortunately turned into a wide grin, you quickly mask it with a light chuckle. "Thanks" you meet her gaze, it felt more genuine and nostalgic since the last time your eyes locked..months ago. You knew better than that, though.

The day was filled with laughter and 'remember when' stories. You and Ellie spoke frequently within the group, yet direct interactions between the two of you were strictly Ellie asking for you to pass the icing...and also a significant number of exchanged glances, and catching each other looking longingly at the other.

"..kay, mines done" Jesse announced, his country accent slipping slightly. "When are you losers gonna finish?"

You suppress a laugh, avoiding eyecontact with him. The house looked like a five year old made it. The icing was dripping on the sides, the windows were crumbling off, and the roof was asymmetrical. "Is that it?" Your voice trembles. He looks up at you with a confused expression, gesturing his hands at it. He picks it up, as if to pretend he's going to drop it on purpose.

"N-no it's nice..oh..it's so nice" your voice shook with hidden laughs. You look at Dina, who's covering her mouth with her hand, giving you a thousand yard stare. Ellie bursts out into laughter. "Isn't your dad an architect?" You ask, trying to distract yourself.

"What about it?" He frowned, also seemingly holding back a smile. He placed the gingerbread house down on the floor again, the sweet roof collapsed inwards as he did. "..yeah okay."

"It's fantastic, babe" Dina mumbled, tears swelling in her eyes from laughter. "..so beautiful I could cry.." a muffled chuckle escapes from her lips.

"Oh okay I see how it is" Jesse rolls his eyes, taking a piece of the roof and shoving it into his mouth. It made his mouth look rectangular which only brought another round of giggles.

December 18th

Red Solo cups were scattered across the wooden crates and sands. The flickering of strobe lights painted the trees and fences of the backyard with splashes of color. You lost Jesse in the large groups of people and chose to make the most of it. You were drunk, you didn't know anyone, nor did you have to, just make the most of it.

Strangers you danced with flashed into fragments of a familiar girl's face, the fast rhythm of the bass guiding your heart to race along with it. The ginger girl you laughed with as you jumped to the music momentarily twitched into an image of a short-haired auburn, before morphing back into her usual state. The rays of lights illuminated a plaid pattern on her jacket, imitating a recognizable flannel.

"Cannon ball!" A guy, pretty sure his name was Tyler, jumped into the freezing pool. A group of students around you cheered and pushed past you, causing you to accidentally tug along with them before finding your balance. Dropping cans and sliding their shoves off, they sprinted into the water, are they stupid? You slowly made your way to sit on a nearby decorative rock, and watched them in their pre-hypothermic states.

Your gaze shifted to the group of girls singing along to a Shakira song by the campfire. They swayed their hips and lifted their green bottles of booze, followed by a loud cheer for a girl taking chugs from her drink. She then threw the bottle to the side and squealed, good for her.

A cold sensation splashed against your face. You looked up, alarmed, only to see some jock shaking his wet hair like a dog, that was completely unnecessary. Although, it had minimally sobered you up, you stood up and instinctively reached to adjust your locket, it was a habit of yours to awkwardly play with your necklace.

...Where was your necklace? That familiar weight of your golden locket was missing. Your fingers fumbled at the fabric of your jacket, to your hair, to your shoes. It had felt like time slowed down, just for a split second. Your gaze flickered around the rock you were sitting on. The locket was something precious to you. You couldn't lose it, not like this.

You heart raced as panic set in. You had to find Jesse. You frantically pushed through the crowd, trying to stay calm, you were always a collected person but this was unknown. You didn't know where to begin looking, he could be anywhere, the lake was packed. People blended together like blurry smears, faces lost in your clouded vision of alcohol.

"Woah there, you okay?" Your breath hitched, looking up at the familiar voice. It was Ellie. This was a bad time. You were too panicked to let her see you like this. Her and that dark green winter coat. You weren't ready to talk to her.

"Have you seen Jesse anywhere?" You said, just loud enough for Ellie to understand your words above the booming sounds from the speakers. "Is he still here?"

"What wrong?" She asked softly. She gently placed her subtly calloused hands on your forearms to stop you from anxiously fidgeting. You averted your gaze to Dina, who was sipping juice from a silly straw.

"Nothing- I just need to find him, okay?" You hissed. Flickering your gaze back to her, a pleading glimmer in your eyes.

She nodded at Dina before guiding you inside the building. The music was muffled, or at least less painful to listen to. She occasionally looked back at you to ensure you were still following her in the busy hallway.

Jesse was sat on the sofa, laughing with a group of unfamiliar faces. As soon as he noticed the two of you, he stood up and approached you. "You alright?"

"No you are all left" a guy from behind you chuckled, placing hands on yours and Ellies shoulders and peeking between your heads.

"Dude, get outta here" Jesse sighed, pushing him away by his forehead. "You okay?"

"This is really inconvenient, I know, but I-I lost my locket and I can't find it, can you help me? Please?" You bit your bottom lip anxiously, awaiting a response.

"Okay..take a deep breath" he inhaled deeply, gesturing you to mirror him "..and out..is this the locket you always wear? The little gold heart, right?" He smiled reassuringly. You nodded quickly.

"Listen, it's nice n chill in here, look, you can stay right here until I'm back, and I promise we'll find it. You don't leave until I come back because we both know how that's gonna end. If you feel sick, just go to the sink, it's right behind you, alright?" He patted your back. Your gaze followed him until he reached a pair of girls, fuck drunk vision.

It felt like ages had passed, your dizziness had thankfully faded, but the pit in your stomach suggested you weren't going to find that locket. Ellie and Dina walked past you, giving small sympathetic smiles as they went down the hallway and to the front porch. Ellie's clothes were drenched and a scent of chlorine followed behind her.

You closed your eyes for a moment, fiddling with the hem of your top, praying that Jesse would return soon. Your locket dangled in front of your dazed expression. You looked up at the raven-haired male. "Thank you so much." You stood up and hugged him tightly. You pulled away and took hold of the locket, clipping it back around your neck. The locket was cold, and droplets of water trickled along your collarbone from the chain.

"Come on, let's get you back" Jesse mumbled, wrapping an arm around your shoulder to support your swaying legs. He guided you to his jeep.

December 19th

You extended your legs as far as you could in the comfort of your warm, morning mattress. Memories from last night flashing through your mind, remembering how pretty Ellie looked. The freezing feeling of the locket around you. The slight shivering of Ellie's lips when she smiled at you last night. Dots slowly connected in your exhausted brain and a sudden realisation hit you like a brick.

Ellie was the one that found your locket. The moment you saw Jesse speak to two girls, was the imaginary picture comparison of the colours they were wearing. Although you couldn't depict their faces, one was wearing all black, and the other was wearing dark green and dark blue; this matched Dina and Ellie' outfits from your previous interaction.

Ellie's hair and jeans were drenched from what you could remember when she was leaving. Her coat was dry, she must have taken it off, implying she looked in the pool. Plus, the necklace was wet when Jesse gave it back to you. Stop it, you're spiralling and overthinking it. You could only ask Ellie to find out the truth.

So there you were, standing in front of room 51, with a warm smile and handful of questions, knowing your signature pattern. Why were you doing this? You and Ellie were over. She stopped caring in the end. It was too late to turn back when the door had creaked open, revealing a pale Ellie with a weighted blanket draped over her shoulders.

"...this looks like a bad time. I can come back la-" you reassured awkwardly, stammering over your words as your gaze struggled to hold hers. She just stood there, intently watching you.

"Shut up, it's fine, come in" she cut you off. She opened the door wider, exposing the messy dormitory, and softly lit salt lamp which brightened the dark room. "Make yourself comfortable"

How was she being so casual right now? Was it casual? Were the feelings one-sided now? Stop analysing, just talk. "..hey..so..I figured maybe.. we could talk?...if I knew you were sick, I wouldn'tve bothered you"

"What do you wanna talk about?" She dropped onto the bed, resting her head against the bedframe to face you. "This isn't about the gingerbread house dm right? Because that was Dina, she took my phone when I was in the bathroom"

"I didn't see it..I came to ask about.. everything that happened..before.. and stuff " you pursed your lips to the side, twisting the golden chain which rested on your neck.

"..right right.." she nodded "I've been meaning to reach out and all, I was gonna talk to you last night" she scratched her lip "then I saw you super panicked and drunk so I..didn't"

"And between the 3 months of not talking either?" You raised an eyebrow, provoking her to continue.

"Listen, ever since we got together, you were so kind..and funny and cool. It made me so..afraid of losing that. It was selfish, I know. I just didn't want you to go, not like everyone else in my life, not you" she admitted "..that day..when we argued, like- for real argued- I hated every second of it. I hated facing the consequences of my own actions. I still hate that I was stupid enough to leave you like that"

Your eyes were wide in surprise. "...and you didn't think to try and tell me?" You were being reasonably confused, communication is key to a relationship.

"I felt too guilty, I didn't want to make you feel obliged to stay with me out of pity" her hand trembled subtly as it lay on her lap. She leaned her head on your shoulder.

"It still made me feel guilty" you murmur, resting your head on hers.

"I know, and I'm so sorry for that. Uhh...I- I'll do whatever you ask me to, just to prove my remorse. I'll post something really embarrassing if you really want me to." She muttered, lifting her head from your shoulder to look at you. "I'd do anything"

"..are you sick?" You asked, scanning her face. You noticed the darker circles under her eyes, and the box of painkillers on her bedside table. "Did you go in the pool, you idiot?"

"Hey-hey now- I was actually in the pool for you, idiot" she mocked your insult. "Your locket was at the bottom for whatever reason...so..yeah"

"What did you get fucking hypothermia looking for my stupid necklace? Are you serious?" Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but the smile on your face couldn't be restrained. "You're kidding"

"Does the medicine receipt on my desk look like a joke to you?" She grinned "it was no big deal, it was whatever"

"Not to me it wasn't. You found my locket. How'd you even know it would be there?" You let out a half-laugh.

"Guessed" she shrugged with a stoic tone, but the glimmer in her eyes said otherwise. "Well I guess I kinda saw it glowing under the lights in the pool. This is gonna sound corny as hell, but that locket kinda made me realise how much I needed to fix...so I I'll say it again, I'm really sorry."

"I forgive you, I do, just please promise that if you ever have a problem like that again, you talk to me. You're my best friend and I don't want to lose that." You stutter "you have a lot to make up for, you know" you smile softly.

"Can I start my redemption now?" Her smirk deepens, those green eyes meeting yours again. "Just a small head start?" You let out a deep breath and nod, eyes flickering down to her lips before returning to her eyes.

You adjusted slightly to face her. She leaned closer. Her lips brushed against yours, ghosting a soft kiss. She pulled away slightly, your stupid smiles mirroring each other's. "Chat is this rizz?" You mumbled shyly, a pink hue tinting your cheeks.

[afniel]

Going into The Fight (trying to sleep without jumpscaring myself awake over nothing (in which 'nothing' is spiders, hornets, or most recently a creepy closet door that opens, I guess? that's what got me last night. twice)) wish me luck

[a-ikuoliver]

w/c: 2.4k tw/s: f!reader, alcohol, underage drinking, characters 17/18 (high school grad age lmao), emotionally neglectful parents notes: so incredibly selfship coded sorrynotsorry i need him in ways i cannot describe, thank u my loves @t-tomuras & @heartsyougave for always helping me i will love u in every life mwah + archive link if you prefer <3

you were a good baby. your mother had gone on and on about it when speaking to your family, their sweet coos of how adorable you were was always followed by how easy you were. no colic, hardly ever sick (your mothers favourite fact that you'd started sleeping through the night before any of the other kids in her mama & me group), the happiest, giddiest baby if the photos decorating the house were anything to go by; pictures of you giggling in the sink for a bath, babbling while you crawled through the house, squealing with two tiny teeth poking out of your gums when you'd play with your animal blocks.

you were a good child. your parents bragging to their friends about you constantly; not clingy, not whiny, so independent. every report card was a testament to your friendliness, your teachers gushing about how well you played, well-behaved, quiet, how they always trusted you to stay attentive as the rowdier kids tugged at your belongings.

you were a good teenager. quiet. reserved. smart.

relaxed. easy. unbothered.

the kind your parents friends adored.

the kind of teenager that didn't kick up a fuss when they'd forget to pick you up after school, or when your hobbies were brushed aside, or even when they told you they'd booked a trip, only two weeks long they assured you, promising you'd be okay without them. you were a good teenager, you'd be able to take care of yourself.

in return, you reassure them, too, you'll be okay. you'll be good. you'll make smart decisions.

you don't kick up a fuss, don't even mention your graduation date, right in the centre of their trip, when your parents will be preoccupied with sunshine and drinks and dancing.

you're a good kid. you don't cling. you don't whine. you don't cry. not the kind of kid your parents have to worry, or think, about.

"i've never done this," you think your voice wavers, either with excitement, apprehension, you don't quite know.

"never snuck around? i know, i've been trying to get you to come party with me since my fifteenth." the tension around you melts, even as you glare at your best friend, your shoulders sagging with every ounce of stress slowly abandoning your body staring up at him, your lips even tugging a little at the corner.

"this is far different than sneaking over to your house, oliver."

"well, duh, we're stealing alcohol this time," stretching the final inch to the cabinet above the fridge, he grasps two bottles from the tall cupboard, inspecting the labels with a firm grip around the necks of the bottles, "vodka okay?"

you shrug, you didn't know what vodka tasted like, only knew that this was expensive. this is your long-awaited teen rebellion, isn't it even better if it's not okay? if your parents return home, aghast at a house full of empty bottles and broken glasses? (you know they won't. you know you'll wake up tomorrow and tidy your mess, you'll be the good kid you are.)

pressing your back into the cold steel of the fridge, you stare up at oliver, reaching for one of the clear bottles, inspecting it like he had, the percentage on the front of the label meaning nearly nothing to you, "i've never had it before."

"you've never had anything," oliver teases, odd eyes glinting impishly when you crack a tiny grin at him. in all your years of friendship, he had never failed to make you smile, always drawing out a bubbly person, the you oliver knew like the back of his hand.

you'd been upset since your parents left, even more so this morning since you got to school, your dim eyes meeting his shining with energy, blue and green radiant, eager for the end of this chapter; he'd seen the dejected look in your eye, the small line of tears gathering in your waterline when you asked him to come over after the ceremony.

if oliver had asked you, he's certain you'd flash a smile at him, say you were fine, you were good, assure him not to worry. he knew you better than that.

"i have so!" immaturely, you snatch the second bottle from his arms, something about his teasing always riling you up easily, always having you act like a stubborn child even as you played at being an adult for the night. setting the bottles down, you debate getting martini glasses down, somehow using plastic cups feels too immature for your newfound rebellion, your sprouting adulthood.

"name one thing," the lid cracks easily in oliver's hands, his lips splitting into a grin when you stutter over your answer, "tell you what, let's play a game instead."

placing two plastic tumblers on the counter (deciding against the glass, deciding they're too grown up for a teen rebellion) letting oliver fill them with the alcohol and juice until they're nearly overflowing.

"name one thing you haven't done, and if i've done it, i'll drink it."

"… you mean never have i ever." you stare blankly at him, leaning a hip on the counter.

"i guess you can call it that."

"quit acting like you invented the game," again, his eyes sparkle when your lip curves even more at his stupid jokes, finally seeing a flash of your teeth.

"i mean, can you really prove i didn't?"

"let me see if i understand this brand new game," holding the bottle in one hand, and your glass in the other, you wander from the kitchen to the living room, sitting cross-legged on the floor, waiting for oliver to follow suit before continuing, "never have i ever: invented a drinking game that was already invented before."

you give him a pointed look, your first giggle of the night breaking through the air as he rolls his eyes and takes a sip of the drink, grimacing a little at the flavour, the cups poured with far too much vodka.

"my turn."

"good luck, is there anything you haven't done?" you repeat in the same tone he'd used on you in the kitchen, playfully jabbing at your best friend.

he was a horrible influence truly, almost completely opposite to you; rolling his eyes at you from across the maths classroom, knowing you'd offer to help him later, winking at you from across the soccer field whenever he scored while you studied on the sidelines, revving his car beside you whenever he caught you walking along the street, his list of athletic achievements at graduation was longer than anyone else, while your name had only a few listed after, oliver earning cheers and screams from his teammates and every fan he'd earned in the school, you on the other hand had only heard him calling, whistling and cheering your name from the crowd, whooping still when you walked back down the stairs from the stage with hot cheeks.

with a playful glare, he speaks, "never have i ever: stolen my parents vodka."

"that's cheating, you've stolen plenty of their drinks."

"never vodka before. and, as the creator of this game, i declare you must drink."

rolling your eyes, you take a mouthful of the drink, grimacing like oliver had at the awful taste, the liquid dancing from your tongue down to your stomach, already making your fingers tingle at the exhilaration.

"you like it?"

with your face still scrunched up, you shake your head, trying to think of any universe where people would choose to drink this, oblivious to his gaze washing over you, both of you still in your uniforms, your mascara smudged at your waterline, your fist clenched on your thigh, willing yourself to like the abhorrent drink he'd made.

"you get used to it," oliver laughs, taking another short sip of the drink in his own glass, the taste not as polarising after the first drink of it.

"i don't believe you," you tease, following his suit, taking another small sip, hoping to force your taste buds to adapt to the taste quickly, pausing your drinking only to continue the game, "never have i ever rejected the person i fawned over for a literal year just because she asked me out first."

he pouts before taking a sip, mumbling under his breath like a petulant child.

"what was that, huh?" your cheeks are warm, the tips of your fingers already tingling with each mouthful more, already nearing the bottom of your glass, oliver's now empty after this drink.

"i wasn't fawning over her." he mumbles like a brat again, leaning over you to reach for the bottle, topping up your glass then his own, making no comment to the fact his crush had all but vanished the moment she'd approached him beside your locker after school had ended, ren leaning between the two of you to flirt with your best friend, the glimmer in his eyes dimming the more she spoke, seemingly only bright when he'd glance at you over her shoulder.

"never have i ever fallen asleep during one of my matches." he nearly tips your glass all over you, pushing it closer with a very pointed look, the memory from your first year of friendship always fresh in your mind, only ten falling asleep beside the soccer field, staying up all night the day before after your first sleepover of many at the aiku house, oliver had too much energy for a child, and you still stand by that now.

"how many times are you going to make me apologise for that?" dramatically, you sigh and roll your eyes, having a mouthful of the drink he shoved towards you.

raising the drink to your lips, you swig your losing drink.

"never have i ever kissed someone."

glancing at him over the rim, you think you can almost see two of him, something that would once terrify you, two olivers? you can't imagine living in a world like that. now, it makes you feel a little warm, a fuzziness flowering over your spine that you hope is because of the alcohol. you hope it's just because he's the one in front of you right now and for no other reason. not when you knew oliver's dreams, his plans, and your own ambitions. both of you planning to abandon the town you grew up together in for bigger, better things.

"that's cheating." both blurry oliver's glare at you, slurring his words ever-so-slightly.

"no, it's not!" you're quick to defend yourself, nearly tipping backwards onto the floor, batting away his hand trying to pass you the bottle as punishment for lying, goading you into doing a penalty shot.

"is too! what about that guy you dated?" oliver knows his name, hadn't forgotten it since you told him you had a boyfriend a year ago.

"sota? we hardly dated for a fortnight."

"you never kissed him?"

giggling, you shake your head, your eyes sluggish to meet his again when you take another sip.

"did you want to?"

"kiss sota? not now." you make a disgusted face at him, similar to the one you'd made after your very first drink, sticking your tongue out dramatically, "at the time, i don't know, his lips didn't look soft like yours do, though."

"you look at my lips?" your face is hot, from the alcohol, from your loose lips.

"what? no." fuck, you said that way too fast, the lie making your body hotter when you glanced at his smiling lips now, flashing his teeth laughing at you, a large hand clutching his stomach, your embarrassment more hilarious than normal with the vodka running through his veins.

"it's okay if you do, i think about kissing you, too."

you freeze, mid-stretch toward your glass, stuck between wanting to clear your dry throat with the alcohol, something to keep your hands busy and to remain frozen like a deer in headlights, as if your movement is what you'd heard instead of his words. to keep you from staring at his eyes. when had you two gotten so close?

despite your proximity, oliver leans closer, leaning his forearm on the table beside you to inch further into your space, his hair tickling your forehead.

"you want to kiss me?" it's all but a whisper into the room, loud enough for him to hear, but not enough to disturb the atmosphere around you both.

"do you want to kiss me?"

you don't move, you don't want to disrupt the air as you both lean forward into the other, losing yourself in his gravity.

your lips are barely an inch away from his, your eyes stuck on his soft pink smile, you think you've been staring at his lips since he cheered for you walking across the stage at 10am, his beaming smile at the forefront of your mind.

"yes." you don't remember saying the words as soon as your lips move, too preoccupied by the sensation of his mouth on yours, of his hair between your fingertips, of his hands on your jaw, your saliva becoming his and his oxygen becoming your own. your head feels weightless, his hands steadfast on you all that's keeping you from floating away.

you don't know if you're too intoxicated by the alcohol or him but it feels so different from how your friends had described their adventures in kissing, how strange and alien it felt to taste someone else, to breathe (you keep forgetting to inhale, oliver's touch on your warm skin stealing the oxygen from your lungs each time you think to suck in some air), where to put your hands, how to use your tongue.

all of their stories felt nothing like this. nothing they described could live up to this.

you sigh against his lips, melting into his body, a million thoughts racing through your mind and somehow not a single thing floating to the forefront except the feeling of his touch on your mind. a deep want panging in your gut when his lips part, his tall frame crowding closer to you, your head tilting back almost until you're laid beneath him on the floor.

you almost think this is too much for a friend to just help a friend learn how to kiss, almost pull away to break the connection between your bodies, almost remember his plans to leave here. to move on.

you break the kiss after what feels like hours, certain your eyes are crossed and glazed when you stare up at him, his hands still cradling your jaw, yours slipping from his hair down to his shoulders, averting your eyes thinking of him moving on, forgetting this kiss while it would haunt you for your life.

© all works belong to @a-ikuoliver, @gwen0m, and dlirious on archive of our own, do not plagiarise, translate, repost, feed my works into ai or recommend my work on other platforms, or bind my fanworks for sale.

[fanficsformyfaves]

Reunion

Shaggy Rogers x Daphne Blake's Sister!Reader

WARNING: Nothing but Fluff <3, Mutual Pining, Reader is a Black Belt in Karate

PREFACE: When the gang first split up, of course Shaggy was devasted, but he was more upset that he would never get to see Reader again. That was until they all reunite in the airport for a mystery they were invited to solve two years later

A/N: Flashbacks in Italics!

There aren't any stories about my husband and I am deeply appalled!

SHAGGY'S P.O.V.

"Come on, Scoob. Like, we're gonna be late for the flight", I say,

Packing up our Scooby snacks for the trip, while he dealt with our clothes.

"Oooh, Rooby Snacks"

He says, trynna grab a piece, to which I bat his hand away.

"These are for the trip, man!", I scold,

As he huffed, zipping up our bags. We hail a cab, toss our luggage in the trunk and hop in.

It's been a while since we had a totally rad mystery to solve. Like, as terrifying as those creeps were, I miss getting to work on cracking the case...and getting to hang with (Y/N).

She was like, the most perfect girl in the world. Like, imagine all the best things in one person. Even all the hotdogs, sundae ice creams and rollercoasters couldn't come close to how beautiful she was. She never failed to make my heart do summersaults inside my chest.

But I never had the guts to tell her that. I mean, she was super cute and I was the goofball of Mystery Inc.

So, I knew I had no chance.

"Raggy!", Scoob snaps me out of my thoughts,

Nudging me with his elbow and letting me know that we made it to the airport. While grabbing our bags, I look over at the large tree by the entrance and my heart drops like a sack of potatoes.

There she was in all her glory. With her pretty hair and eyes that shined like gumdrops. She was just as pretty as I remembered. I could already feel the goofy grin settling on my face.

YOUR P.O.V.

"Want anything from the gift shop, while I'm in there?", Daphne questioned,

"I'm good- oh! Maybe food from the McDonald's next door?", I request,

Looking up from the book I bought prior to getting here. I watch as my sister gives me an unimpressed look, placing a hand on her hip.

"What? I missed breakfast!", I retort at her reaction,

"And who's fault is that?"

"Um, yours? If you hadn't hogged the bathroom all morning to do your hair, I would've had enough time to make some food"

"Well, excuse me for caring about my appearance. You think all this takes five minutes?", she says,

Gesturing to herself. Once she realized there was no getting through to me, she accepts defeat by sighing to herself and rolling her eyes.

"Fine, but just this once. That stuff will kill you"

"Not fast enough, apparently", I answer,

Getting back to my reading. She shakes her head, before walking off.

"Be back soon, ciao"

"Ciao", I replied,

Without averting my gaze from the pages.

As I was waited for her to get back, I decided to grab the water bottle I had in my backpack. Just then, my journal falls out from one of the compartments

Jeez, it must've been a while since I've cleaned this out.

I flip through the pages and come across one that was covered in hearts with arrows shot through them. The letters (Your First Initial) and S added together on the insides.

I've always had a thing for Shaggy. He was always such a sweetheart. I remembered how he would always give me the cherries off his sundaes, regardless of how much he wanted them.

"Shaggy, you don't have to keep giving me the cherries, if you want them", I say,

"Like, I know you want them, so...let me be a gentleman", he says,

Picking one off the vanilla ice cream and handing it over to me. For the first time ever, I decided to rid myself of the familiar shyness I was always plagued with and take it from him with my teeth, causing a bright red hue to brush against his cheeks.

"Like, wow", he giggled shyly.

Not to mention, how incredibly cute he was. I couldn't help but sigh at the memories of those pretty blue eyes staring back at me.

I knew I should've said something before we all split up, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it and besides, he probably didn't feel the same way.

As I was strolling down memory lane, I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"HiYAH!", I yell,

Hitting whoever it was in the shin, before pinning them to the tree by their throats. Once I realized who it was, I gasp.

"Like, wow", he grinned,

I couldn't help but feel a weird sense of Deja Vu when he said that.

"Shaggy! I am sorry!", I apologize,

Pulling away and fixing his shirt.

"Just as strong as I remember", he says,

Rocking back and forth on his heels, with the same old laugh I remember falling for. I chuckled and bent down to pick up my stuff.

"Oh, let me help you with that", he says,

Getting down and accidentally butting me in the head with his, causing us both to fall backwards, exclaiming in pain.

"Owie!", he whines,

Grabbing his forehead, as I laugh doing the same.

"Good to see you again, Shagster", I say,

"(Y/N)", I hear a familiar sound coming from behind me,

I turn around and see the best boy in the world.

"Scooby!", I yelp in excitement,

As he ran over, barking and greeted me with a lick to the face.

"Hiya, boy!", I scratch at the back of his head,

Whilst his tail wagged and foot tapped softly on the grass.

"Like, he really missed you!", Shaggy says,

Making me turn to face him.

"We both did", he admitted shyly,

My heart skipping a beat listening to his words.

"I missed you too, you screwball", I kid,

Getting back on my feet and finally embracing him. At first I felt his body stiffen against my touch, but he eventually melted into me and his arms go around the small of my waist.

We pull away and our lips were merely inches apart. It felt like time stopped and everything else disappeared around us. In that moment, we were the only people to exist.

"(Y/N)?"

"Shaggy?", I whisper,

Feeling the magnetic current pulling me closer towards him. Just as we were about to close the space between us, we were interrupted.

"Oh my god", Daphne says,

Carrying my food in her hands, watching us leap out off each other's arms.

"Shaggy?", she calls out,

"Oh, like, Hi, Daph!", he says,

"What are you doing here?", she chuckles,

Walking closer towards us and handing my the paper bag and drinks.

"Well, Scoob and I got this super creepy invitation to solve a mystery on-."

"Spooky Island", they both say in unison,

"Like, how groovy, man!"

My head snaps in his direction.

"Wait, you got invited too?", I ask,

"Well, yeah! Didn't you hear about the all-you-can-eat buffet they're hosting?", he questions,

Making me laugh to myself. Of course, he would go for the food.

"Well, let's hope we're the only ones who got the invite", Daphne says,

Walking into the airport. We take a moment to look back at each other, before shrugging and picking up my belongings. We trail behind her and made our way through the bustling crowd. I take a bite of my burger, before looking over and finding Shaggy ogling at it.

"Hm?", I hum,

Offering him a bite.

"Oh no, I couldn't possibly-"

"The plane won't be serving food till three", I interrupt,

"Who am I to deny such a gracious offer?", he jokes,

Making me chuckle to myself.

"Wanna go halfsies?", he asks,

"Sure", I agreed,

Watching him split the burger in half and handing me the bigger piece.

"Thank you", I say,

Continuing to enjoy my share, along with the fries I was already sharing with Scoob. I throw a fry in the air and laugh as the pooch jumps up to catch it.

While walking, Scooby grabs the dufflebag Shaggy was holding and made his way to the bathroom.

"Where's he going?", washing down the last bite down with my drink,

"Oh, you'll see", he replies,

It takes us a while, but we finally get to the check-in, where Daphne proceeded to argue with the man behind the desk.

"What do you mean I can't have seven carry-on bags?! That is so economy!", she complains,

"Yeesh", Shaggy muttered to me,

"Oh, that's just her makeup. You should see the suitcases full of costume changes and hair products", I say,

Making the tall geek laugh at my joke. I look around and my eyes fall on two very familiar faces.

"Daph?", Fred called out,

Catching my sister's attention.

"Crap", Velma muttered to herself,

"Oh, no. I'm not talking to you guys", she snapped,

Pretending to zip her lips shut and throwing away the key, but alas, she could not control her anger.

"What the heck are you doing here?", she questioned,

Watching the pair make their way over to us. That's when Fred eventually notices me and Shaggy.

"Oh, hey, you two", he greets,

We couldn't do anything but wave awkwardly.

"Isn't it obvious? We all received the same letter from one Emile Mondevarious...the reclusive owner of Spooky Island", Velma explained,

"It's not fair! I was gonna solve the mystery all by myself for the first time ever", Daphne argued,

As Fred scoffed. Oh no.

"How are you gonna save yourself when you get caught?", he poked fun at Daphne's past of always being the damsel in distress,

"I'm a black belt now. I've transformed my body into a dangerous weapon", she answered,

As him and Velma laughed at her response.

"It's true!"

"Far out! I guess we're, like, all going to Spooky Island, man!"

Daphne rolls her eyes and returns her attention to the check-in employee.

"Hey, where's Scooby?", she asks Shaggy,

Just then, the Great Dane, or should I say, Great Dame, emerges from the crowd. All dressed up in an long-sleeved dress, cheetah print reading glasses and a straw hat.

"Hello, sorry", he says,

Navigating his was through the fellow airport patrons.

"They don't allow big dogs on the plane", Shaggy explained nonchalantly,

As I let out a shocked laugh.

"You've got to be kidding", Velma protested the ridiculous disguise,

"No one is stupid enough to believe that", she added,

"Who's the ugly old broad?", Fred asks,

Leaning over to Shaggy. Velma shakes her head at Fred's naiveness and folds her arms over her chest.

"Say hello to Grandma", Shaggy announced,

"Attention. Flight 3774 to Spooky Island is now boarding", the announcer alerts through the telecom,

Everyone, besides Shaggy and I, groan before heading towards our terminal.

SHAGGY'S P.O.V

"Shall we?", I move over and gesture for her to step in front of me,

"My my my, what a gentleman. Just like I remember", she smiles,

Walking ahead.

"Nailed it", I sing to Scoob,

Before following behind her. We arrive inside the plane and take our seats. A moment passes and Scoob nudges me, before holding up the neck pillow we brought.

"Aaah"

I quickly picked up what he was putting down.

"Say, (Y/N)", I call out,

She turns back to me.

"Could I interest you in some in-flight comfort?", I ask,

Offering it to her. She grins to herself, before taking it.

"Why, thank you, Shagwell", she says,

Putting it on. I turn to Scoob and he raises his eyebrows at me.

"Butt out, Scoob", I scold in a whisper,

Before looking back at her. I swear heaven was missing an angel. Like, how could someone be this perfect? I could feel the blood rush up to my cheeks every time she spoke. It always felt like that one time with the cherries. Oh, man, did it make my heart go all squirrely.

I was never man enough to tell her how I really felt back then, but those two years without her was pure torture, man. It made me realize that I couldn't put myself through that again.

So, I take a deep breath and finally plucked the courage up the guts to come clean.

"(Y/N)?"

"Yes?"

"If we ever make it out of this, you know, with our head still attached to our necks"

Making her laugh. Gosh, were her little giggles music to my ears. Focus, Shaggy, Focus! I shake myself out of my distracting thoughts.

"Would you maybe wanna...I don't know...like...go out with me?", I ask,

Cringing in anticipation for the let-down of a lifetime.

YOUR P.O.V.

Was I hallucinating? There was no way on God's green earth was the man I'd been crushing on for literal years now actually reciprocating how I felt.

I pinch at my arm and hiss at the pain that brought me to the realization this wasn't just a scenario I dreamt up.

"Ow!"

"Like, what was that?", he yelped concernedly,

"Uh, nothing, it's just...", my sentence trails off into an awkward silence,

"I would love to!"

"Really?", his eyes widen,

"Really?", Scooby repeats,

"Really! I mean, I don't know if you've ever noticed, Shaggy, but, I've always liked you", I admit,

"...Get outta here, like, me too!", he responds,

"Wait, what?! Why didn't you say anything?!", I questioned,

"Well, I mean...look at you", he blushes,

Making the heat rush to me cheeks too, as I pout in awe.

"You're so pretty and smart and nice...and you share your food with me! I mean, that takes a whole lotta moxie!", he explained,

Gosh, was he freaking adorable.

"That totally puts you out of my league!"

"Oh, Shaggy", I sigh,

Taking his scruffy face in my hands.

"You're the best guy I know", I reassure,

"Which is why I'm gonna do what I should've done a long time ago", I say,

Closing the gap that wedge us apart for years by pressing my lips against his.

[unluckilyimnot]

wait ok what if there was one with “I’m still into you”, blue lock but the reader liked the guy when they used to go to school together and late they run into each other when they’re older and reconnect? Like he’s not a famous soccer/football player? Idk if that’s hard or confusing. For characters maybe at least rin and isagi?

15 “i’m still into you” with rin, isagi

m.list | rules | from this

note: hii thank you sm <3 it was just fine don’t worry, I hope you liked it ! Please be sure to mention the characters you want, it’s not like what I usually do

At first, you thought your eyes were playing a trick on you when you saw his tall and lean figure waiting when you entered your favorite coffee shop. Rin wasn't supposed to be in town anymore, he left after high school to study abroad and yet everything in the posture reminded you of him.

You couldn't help but tap the man's shoulder, it was just disturbing to see someone looking like him, in your two favorite coffee shops after all those years. So you weren't exactly surprised to catch his teal eyes at first looking down on you, instead a huge smile lit up your face.

“Rin, you're back in town !” your voice was loud since you couldn't contain your enthusiasm. “You should've texted me !”

“I didn't know how…” He confessed, now looking away with a small blush on his cheeks. Old habits die hard so maybe he secretly hoped to see you there again one day.

His name was called for him to get his very needed coffee and before he left your side, you told him to wait for you. You wanted to stay inside but since he took his to take out, you'll do the same. You were dying to know how it was, his study abroad.

It was still a bit cold for April but since it was to catch up with him, it suddenly seemed alright. He was still kinda reserved, even more after all those years, but you were happy to see that it didn't change your friendship – or him.

You used to have a huge crush on him back in high school, but never mentioned it to him. He wasn't the type to bother with friends so being around him was enough. University has been hard for both of you it seems, but you never really moved on from him sadly.

You felt kinda nostalgic at the feeling. You've never counted how many times you two meet up for a coffee then walk around the streets like this. You used to cherish this moment with him a lot so it felt weird to be back to it, almost five years later.

“It's good to go back to some olds habits, no ?” You suddenly asked, trying to fill the silence. “I used to think of those times together as dates, you know.” You joked but deep down knew it was true. It made you crack a resigned smile.

“Even after all those years, I think I'm still into you,” you mumble since he didn't answer anything. You thought it was stupid not that you've said it – he just got back, it was certainly too much for him.

And there was a heavy silence again. Neither of you looked at each other, well at least you didn't ; missing the way his eyes widened at your words.

“I've missed you, back there,” he confessed, stopping in his tracks but you couldn’t believe he just said that. It felt unreal and it was like a cat got your tongue for a second ; you had no idea how to answer.

“Can I take a sip ?” he asked, tilting his head at your coffee after making his way to your side. You just nodded, tossing it to him and waiting for his reaction. Without any surprises, it was too sweet for him but his disgusted face made you laugh.

Maybe you didn’t answer it after all. Maybe it was just a way to tell you that he used to like you as well, and that with time, you two might get even closer than before.

Isagi never expected to see you there but it seemed like neither did you. He almost didn’t recognize you, your hair was way longer and now you’ve got glasses – but that wasn’t so surprising since he hasn’t seen you since high school. It looks like both of you had the same address when it comes to choosing where to buy your new books. It was funny running into you here, he doesn’t remember you as a big fan of literature yet you now got one of his favorite books in hand.

“It’s been a while ! Are you free for, I don’t know, a drink ? A coffee ? You know, to catch up…” he hesitated a little, maybe you didn’t even want to talk with him but now we're kinda forced to. Yet a big smile appeared on your face as you nodded and Isagi suddenly remembered why he was obsessed with you during your last year.

He never really was popular, even if he was in the football team, yet you were always down to do projects with him, always saying that you two work well together. That’s probably where his crush started, and because you had the most beautiful smile he ever saw.

“You’re a teacher ?! No way !” He almost yelled while sitting at the front of a café, with a hot chocolate despite the hot weather of september. You giggled at his reaction.

“Yes, I’m teaching English, that’s why I’m reading this.” You showed him the book again and he nodded happily, ready to add something before you speak. “I remember it being one of your favorite books so I thought it was good to use it in class. I’ll use it for the next semester.” you explained and if you looked up a second earlier, you would’ve caught the blush on his cheeks.

“I never thought you’ll remember that…” he answered shyly, scratching his cheek and he thought to himself that it was bad.

His heart was racing in his ribcage even if it’s been years. He couldn’t tell if it was his old feelings coming back like a racing car or if he just found you pretty, and that fate was on his side to let him run into you again.

“What are you talking about ! I loved listening to you back in the day, it fed my fantasies ; my friends were tired of hearing about you,” you said it to sound like a joke, but to him it was shocking news.

You used to like him back ? He looked at you with shocked eyes, a million things going on in his little brain it made you worried. As you asked if he was ok, you seemed scared you'd said too much but instead he composed himself quickly, looking away from you.

“Sorry Isagi, it's just weird said like that,” it was your turn to act all awkward, you never expected him to react like this. You assumed he would laugh, to be honest.

“No I– it's weird too, but I think I'm still into you” He said with a blush but his eyes were looking at you with a confidence you rarely saw in him. “So maybe we can start again…?”

Let's be honest, he looked way too cute to say no.

[kikuism]

the best books i read in 2024!

this year was all right in terms of reading. there were many duds, but the books i did enjoy i truly enjoyed, and really stuck out to me in a sea of mediocrity. there's a difference between a book i think is good and a book i think is great, and that's when it changes my brain chemistry in a way that inspires me as a writer <3 all of these just had a little kick to them. i really wanted to emulate some of what these books did in my own work.

intermezzo: i'd never picked up a sally rooney book before because i wasn't interested in them being primarily romance oriented, but the brothers being the main characters here intrigued me so i picked it up and the rest is history <3 this was so tender. it's about the importance of community and how the small kindnesses of the people around you are what will save you and how people need people. it was so lovely. and i was completely enamored with her writing style, the way she used two completely different styles for ivan and peter, it was so effective. and i love when a man is in intense emotional pain, so ivan's chapters were like crack to me. i don't care if this didn't really have a plot, or that it was, as one review said, ‘just sad people doing sad things’, it scratched such an itch in my brain and made me realize i do actually quite like contemporary if it's written like this. introspective, meandering, somber, thoughtful 💙 my favorite book of the year!

in memoriam: historical fiction my beloved <3 so i've already spoken at length how i adore english novels that take place in the english countryside around the ww2 era (or any era of turmoil/at the cusp of change) so it was a given i was going to love this, and i did. i still can't believe this is a debut....the character work was astonishing, the newspaper clippings made my heart drop every time, the meditations on england, the futility of war and the clarity it brings, the way the wool was pulled from their eyes all made for such an immersive, emotional experience. it was so unbelievably good. again, i'm in shock this is a debut.....i can't wait for what else alice winn does.

pink heart jam: my only manga! this was completely unexpected. i loved this one so much. bl is full of tropes i couldn't care less for so i was shockingly pleased how normal this was. like, the two main characters were even the same height (!!!!), their conversations felt so realistic and honest, there was a tenderness and maturity to it all that i absolutely didn't expect (the bar is in hell). is it perfect? well, no <3 but the older i get, the less time i have for nonsensical garbage, especially in the bl genre (why is it so hard to find a tender, raw story that isn't just gratuitous sex and unsavoury tropes and which also has a lovely art style.....), so this was literally a diamond in the rough—i'd honestly given up finding anything worthwhile. i'm so disappointed that part 2 was cancelled....i know i won't find anything else like this for a long time.

poor things: shockingly funny! i think it's really hard to do the 'new human learns about civilization' type of story in a way that's both engaging and entertaining but poor things manages it and more. a scathing critique on capitalism and patriarchy. what struck me really is how pathetic all of these men are, whining and flapping about in the name of some supposed goodness they are working toward. the use of language, especially hyperbolic language made for a book that i did not expect to be so funny, and bella’s dialogue was such a treat. two different narrations of the same events by two unreliable narrators makes for a reading experience that has you questioning everything you've just read while reaffirming the core themes of the text. it's genius.

the library at mount char: i don't want to say too much about this one, but there's a genre of book i like to call simply fucked up. just outlandish in the best way possible. what a wild ride.....everyone should read this one!

now for my two honorable mentions—

the goldfinch: this is no surprise.....i'll read anything donna tartt writes. like what else is there to even say about her. she's a master at the craft, and i loved sitting back and relishing in that fact and knowing i was in such capable hands. i loved the experience of reading this. she created such a world and such a colorful cast of characters and i loved being along for the ride, especially as someone who's enamored with art and art history. i'd been meaning to read this one for years and i'm so glad i finally did! when's the next book donna!!!!

prophet song: really harrowing, really prevalent story that absolutely moved me to my core with some devastating imagery that's going to stay with me. a family torn apart, a mother's ironclad will in ensuring the survival of herself and her children. it was hard to read. all throughout there was a permeable tension pulsing just underneath the surface which made for an unputdownable experience. it's really important. everyone should read this one!

[kaledya]

Hi !

And I wonder how I will handle Constantine and Addolorata too. I have an idea of course, I already have the name of the ship (I had fun to make up ship names) and I think RoyalSnare or SlowBurn (it was a coincidence!)

The thing is Lolicia's character development need to be widely open like a cracked egg for their relationship to start for real. I think... I THINK their relationship will be a based on a FromSoftware 3 phases boss 🤣

Also, you will not believe it but I have something for Serenity too, because you said she is scared of the sea and the dark and its kinda Lolicia things and I wanted to help her deal with her phobias ? And it would be an interesting short healing trauma/cute/deep relationship but it is very difference from a full romance with Constantine.

And Constantine deep friendship with Serenity could be healing to her fear of abandonment or being alone. Because even if she loves her dad, she would take time to open her heart again because she is afraid to lose Alastor abruptly again (logically)

I don't know, what do you think ? It could be interesting to work with. I'm sorry I like complexity to things ahah.

_

I'm glad you like Sherlock and Irene too ! And you are very true about you said of their relationship and what Irene character represent. In serie/media/books.

I love it when she is about to die and then she heard the phone moan notification and look at the side. And then she saw Sherlock like "Girl, I'm saving you". So brave. Mycroft really said "she's dead forget it" and Sherlock took immediately a plane ticket to save her.

I like her in the movies too. I mean he let her do things he never will with others but I'm not even sure he realised it. Mycroft did realised that Irene has a full diamond room in Sherlock mind palace ahah

_

Glad you like that meme script ! Don't ask me if you could draw it, I will say "yes. Obviously. Whenever you want." I'm not a neutral person to ask 🌸

And I love the words Constantine said at the end. I can see it in my mind. "You look *very* confortable" Lolicia : "I already enjoy your attention to details, your highness" (Little laugh)

_

The storyboards you make are my base line to keep focus on the plot so thanks to YOU ! Really. It give an atmosphere, an idea, you know ? A smell about how the chapter must look like. And then I just go on a ride ahah

-

Congratulations for the 200 hours ! I don't play myself but I've consume enough playtroughs, videos, concept reading that its like i did it.

And IM DEAD. That gif is a gift. Its perfect and accurate. Never seen a hamster looking that much of Astarion. *save it in my gallery*

Oh yes ! Harleep the Incubus. I don't know what Gale said but the armor is surely bondage-like related. I mean Harleep is here to feed Raphael's simps so good for the armor (and them) !

_

Also, thank you to always complimenting my writing and take the time the give comments everytime, it make me very happy ! *take back my hamster-Astarion* 🌸

_

Chaggie is adorable ! I'm glad you like it 🌸 i think their duet song later will be great !

Lolicia and Alastor duet was a work but I'm so happy with it! I'm very happy you like too !

Don't worry for Lolicia it will come, I will feed you ! And yes her human appearance, I will draw it soon, I was searching 1939 fashion because that is the year she died.

And I'm not forgetting a drawing of Constantine !

Yes the conversation one the phone, I laugh. " - I'm the princess... Silence.   - What ? (Internally screaming)"

OH. I'm. so. glad. you liked the cameo of Constantine. I was all over the place while writing it. At one point I was just like... "I need the best of the best" *take the concept art of Elden Ring and other Dark Souls and Bloodborne* "perfect." Ahah 🌸

And I made him blow his workshop because you said somewhere he did blow his workshop multiple times! But I suppose he can pull it back together with sorcery too !

Thanks to have made him ! *let my hamster go. Take my glasses.* Let's get back to writing ! 🌸🌸🌸🌸

I can't wait to see it already and ROYAL SNARE AND SLOWBURN ARE GREAT SHIP NAMES!

I'm so glad to hear this and the three phase boss fight??? God, this is going to be a great read.Although three-stage boss battles are always a long and tiring road, the feeling of satisfaction when you defeat the boss is excellent!

--

And this looks like a great idea! Serenity is afraid of that feeling of unknown, helplessness and darkness in the sea. Lolicia is seriously a character who can help her get through this It would be very interesting to see the interaction of the two.I think they will have a nice dynamic!

-

And yes, Serenity never wanted to talk about what she went through after he died.Alastor doesn't know much about her and their lives were different.Serenity's experiences here are a bit similar to Constantine's, so a friendship would normally develop between the two. After all, they are both rare people who can understand each other. I think the plan you came up with is really creative! But it can be difficult to write all of that so don't work yourself too hard❤️

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Yes, it was very nice that Sherlock didn't care about Mycroft and said, Nope, such a person is rare, I'm going to save her. (He fights alone, sword to sword, with a few soldiers.)

And definitely in the movies, Irene actually had a special room for herself in Sherlock's mind palace.

---

And lmao seriously, it's fun to write interactions like this between characters.And I have already made a sketch of that scene and I plan to finish it as soon as possible.Drawing Lolicia is always a pleasure😌

---

And thank you, but I don't think I've done too much. You're seriously writing amazing . I think you're very creative writer and a great planner! 🛐

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I definitely recommend playing it yourself if you have the opportunity.Seriously great RPG For example, I was a bard character and I beat almost every boss in ACT2 by talking.(It was so much fun being a sweet-talking snake)

And certainly Harlepp was probably like a gift for those who loved Raphael.

And I don't remember Gale's dialogue exactly, but I'll try to find it on the internet and put it here;

And I'm so glad you like the meme, it's one of my favorite memes too!

--

And always, it's really great to read the fanfic you write.I'm honored that a talented writer like you writes fanfic with this AU.And I really love your writing, you are so creative.And you are EXTREMELY FAST, you update almost every day! But please take care to rest You started in a very short time and you have already written almost 50k I seriously refresh ao3 several times a day to see if there are any updates! Seriously, thank you for blessing me with your fanfic and its characters. I wish I could attract more people! I have exams soon, but when they are over, I will draw and publish the scenes in the fanfic and I hope more people will come and read your fanfic!You seriously deserve attention!

--

And seriously, Lolica and Alastor's duet was a masterpiece, how could I not like it!

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I'll wait for good meal chef (⁠◡⁠ ⁠ω⁠ ⁠◡⁠)

And lolicia's human form is truly amazing ı Love the outfit and color palette I also think the bunny hair ties are so cute!

And your drawings were really great! 10/10🤌

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And you really did wonders! Seriously, your concept choice was very clever.And yes, Constantine often blew up his workshop while experimenting. But what's the point of broken things when you have a repair spell! And a few shield spells of course!In the end, everything is worth it for victory

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I wish you good writing in advance!

---

First of all, I read all the chapters you wrote. And they were AMAZING! Thank you for blessing my eyes! 🛐

It was nice to read where the people in the hotel were preparing for the show.The parts where Charlie convinced the team were great!

And seriously, you would make a great songwriter. I wish there were people who decided to bring your songs to life!

First of all, I want to talk about the narrator.HE'S AWESOME. I loved his design, his personality, his dialoges, all of them! I seriously think he is a very creative character! Draw him at the first opportunity

Also, it's really cool that the weapon he uses is inspired by the Turks! I think you made a very creative choice I LOVE IT.

-

Now let's get to the songs.Husk and Angel's duet was simply amazing! I loved the dialogues, the descriptions of the characters were very nice and it was a really cute and well thought out scene, in one word, it was wonderful!

Seriously, it was great to read the song and witness the thoughts of the characters.

-

Apart from that, I also loved the conversations of Lolicia and Al backstage!It's a really cute detail that Vittori and Alastor's shadow are constantly having little cat and dog fights with each other.

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And Alastor and Charlie's duet.It was seriously perfect The characters finish each other's words, literally fight with words, and on the other hand, Charlie does not fall under Alastor and shows herself with determination, and finally makes Alastor say what she wants.

It was perfect!The movements of the characters while singing the dialogues were described really well.And I was seriously smiling while reading it, it was a truly magnificent scene.I would even pay money to see this scene in animated form!

And seriously the way you describe the scene is Alastor's movements On the other hand, it was great how the scene changed color as Charlie stepped forward.At the end, when Charlie makes Alastor say that he trusts her.Alastor's reaction was also very nice!

And in the final part, it was great to see Charlie stretching her chest and talking to the crowd, and Precious supporting him as a friend!You are truly an amazing writer!

I seriously want to draw this scene so much rn (l hate that damn exams)

Niffty and Al on's duet was really cute too The song was written really well.And it was so nice to have our little gremlin taking the spotlight!

Finally, SERENITY CAMEO I SERIOUSLY DON'T KNOW HOW YOU PRESENT A CHARACTER THAT WELL! Seriously, the scene came to life in front of me. You described it perfectly. It's so beautiful when Serenity appears with Olcayto and then takes her coat and leaves.And I love the way you described her appearance.And it was perfect that you refer to her with the lolicia saying "may luck be with you"!

--

Meanwhile, Lucia is also an overlord . Will they go to overlord meeting in the later part of the series?

--

In short, I seriously think you are a great writer, I am blessed every time I read your work and I am so excited about how the story will progress!❤️❤️❤️

[cyberdragoninfinity]

Hello! I hope you have a great day, and that I'm not bothering you! But, I was wondering, How would Lyman Banner fit into the college AU? And In general, What do you think of him?

Aw, thanks!!! I hope you have a good day too :^) It's never a bother to chatter about my many AUs, hehehehe

Professor Banner is a bit of a weird case in College AU (i guess to be fair he's a weird case in canon too lol); he WAS Jaden's academic advisor for his freshman and sophomore year, and they had a sort of odd friendship; Jaden even got to catsit Pharaoh a couple times (based off my true life experience of my old roommate who once dogsat our art history professor's shelties.) But then like midway into Jaden's junior year Banner fucking DIED unexpectedly, and now the effects of his presence still linger around Jaden like a ghost. Her and ended up leaving Jay a bunch of academic books on alchemy and art that are still sitting somewhere in his bedroom (Yubel likes thumbing through them.) He also got the cat :) (Though Jaden's been a bit dodgy about whether or not he was Ieft Pharaoh in some sort of will along with the books, of if he just stole Pharaoh so he wouldn't get surrendered to the pound. Either way!)

Lyman Banner is like.... for me he's one of those yugioh characters that for whatever reason doesn't quite scratch my brain the way most others do, but I DO think he's got some fun stuff going on with him. Amnael is cool, I like his design elements more in that state, and in general Banner's just such an Absolute Fucking Bonkers Character i have to respect it. Like you get hit the Yugioh Homunculus lore and then you just keep getting kicked in the head with more insane details about him. He talks like a catboy. He really straight up died and his cat ate his ghost and now he haunts a teenager and that's just part of Jaden's life now I guess??!??!?! I wish he didnt Sound Like That in the dub. "Lyman" is one of the most yugioh dub name choices of all time. He needs to lose his teaching license real real bad.

I've never actually drawn him before! So this was a nice chance to take a crack at him since now I'm thinkin about him :^) He has what I like to call "Dartz bangs" which is one of my favorite ygo character design traits, so that's a treat to draw <3

[ballinandcantgetup452]

The Last Will and Testament of Lex Luthor, Part 3

It's been about a year since Lex Luthor was last seen. Clark has almost forgotten that Lex was even a thing. Sure, every once and a while, he'd think about Luthor, and maybe he'd even check and see if he's been spotted anywhere if he felt like it. But, at this point, he had just begun to feel nothing in regards to Lex. Not love, not hate, just a neutral feeling.

That is until a Lex-Bot tackled him and kamikazed him while he was flying.

He called Batman and the Atom over and they got to the wreckage as soon as they could. All that they could recover was a hard drive. They found it due to nanites, courtesy of Ray Palmer. It had essentially shot itself out of the Lex-Bot and into the nearest trash can. The nanites helped to find it.

After buying a random laptop because nobody wanted to put the Lex Luthor hard drive into theirs (and having an awkward conversation paying for a laptop completely in cash while in costume at a random Best Buy), they finally put the flash drive in to see what was on it. The only thing on it was coordinates. Coordinates placed a mile under Smallville, Kansas.

Clark immediately booked it out of the Best Buy and flew as fast as he could to the location. All that was running through Clark's mind was what Lex could possibly be doing in Smallville of all places. How does he even know that's significant to him? He began to run through every horrible thing Lex could be doing to his parents. He got faster. He began to think about the horrible things that could be happening to Lois because Lex would leak his secret identity. He got even faster. Clark's anxiety began to rapidly build up. He's never been more nervous in his life. He got to the coordinates and saw a big box made of lead about 300 feet down. Clark figured that Lex made that to make sure that Clark knew he was the one that made it. Clark began to spin down, creating a tunnel. He didn't have time to be subtle about this. Besides, nobody was around for about 20 miles. Which in country terms meant he had at least 20 minutes before somebody drove by on their way to somewhere else. He heated up his eyes in case he needed to go in guns blazing. Once he found lead, he tore it in two and landed right in front of Lex. His eyes glowing red and his game face on. He then calmed down upon seeing him. Seemingly dropping all potential for a fight. Lex looked over at Clark. He wasn't sitting in a desk with his parents in test tubes of Joker toxin. He wasn't in a power suit with a Kryptonite spear in hand, ready to throw down. Lex Luthor was on a hospital bed. An IV was inserted into his arm. Beside his bed was a table with a lead box. There was a monitor projecting his heartrate. Clark used his X-Ray vision to see what was going on with Lex.

Lex had heart cancer, and he was going to die. Soon. Very soon.

Lex coughed,

"You know, the coordinates I gave you would've put you right at the door. You could've simply waltzed right on in here, have Mercy walk you in, have some pretzels," Lex began to cough even more violently, "but instead you choose to punch a hole in this $7,000,000 facility."

Clark looked over at Lex and had nothing but sympathy in his eyes,

"Lex, I'm sorry."

Lex shrugged,

"Eh, figures. I put something in my hometown, you take it as an invitation to be as subtle as a cinder brick since there's no infrastructure around. It teaches me a lesson in the dangers of nostalgia."

Lex signals to the chair beside of him.

"Sit. Alien. I've got some things to tell you before I die."

"You're not going to die, Lex."

"Yes. I am. And there's no way in hell you're saving me."

"...what did you want to tell me?"

Lex's eyes began to fill with hatred and disdain.

"Checkmate."

Clark's look of sympathy turned into confusion,

"What?"

Lex grabbed the tiny lead box on the table beside him and opened it up. As soon as Clark saw the tiniest green shine emanate from the crack of the box Lex barely began to open, he sped over to him to force the box closed. He used his heat vision to seal it shut. Lex rolled his eyes at Clark.

"Relax, Superman, there isn't any Kryptonite in there. Mercy took it away from me months ago. I just wanted to give you a little scare, you looked too comfortable," Lex noticed that Clark began to look around the lead-made building to see if he could maybe spot any Kryptonite, "I know you're trying to spot any Kryptonite. In hindsight, that scare wasn't worth it. To make sure I have your undivided attention, the only pieces of Kryptonite are in the rail gun in Mercy's arm. I really was expecting you to take the door."

Lex continued with his diatribe.

"I win, Superman. I've managed to concoct a plan to get someone you'll never beat." Lex began to violently cough, "Do you know who it is?"

Clark already knew.

Lex continued after finishing his coughing fit,

"Death. You can never beat death. Admittedly, the premise of the idea was an accident. You see, Kryptonite can obviously affect Kryptonians. However, it can also affect humans as well. Especially humans arrogant enough to keep a piece in the breast pocket of their suits for 15 years. At first I thought I'd give you cancer, too. Hijack somebody's rocket ship doing research on the sun and force you to intervene and fly extremely close to the sun, thus causing your cells to become so supercharged they start slowly killing you. But, lucky for you, I found that to be too petty. But then I realized something, I can prove I'm better than you by doing something you could never do."

Clark looked at Lex in utter terror,

"Lex, what have you done?"

"Simple, Superman. I saved the world better than you ever could. I cured cancer."

[artinandwritin]

I thought of some questions from reading the httyd books!! (And some other thoughts)

1. In a previous post you mentioned one of Niv's friends was a bog burglar. In your AU, what's up with the bog's? Led by Camicazi? Bertha? Whats their association with Berk and the rest? Any notes on the rest of the Archipelago?

2. If the bogs are in your AU, are the 0thrt tribes there too? The Meatheads, Hysterics, etc?

3. If the Meatheads are their, do you have anything on them? On Thuggory?

4. Whats your opinion on Norbert the Nutjob? Asking this cause after I read the books he's been a personal fave (the whole hysteric tribe too) along with Thuggory <33

And for fun

5. Gustav's dad is never mentioned in show, but I've been thinking and looking over Screencaps (for drawing), and wanted to know what you think of these two crack theories I came up (if its not rude to ask!!)

5a. Alvin as Gustavs father. I mentioned this once i think?? Idk

5b. Ragnar the Rock as Gustav's father. I noticed in Screencaps that they have almost the same eye color (faded green). This is very much a crack theory lol

OH slay!!! That's so fun, excited to try and answer them!!

Yep!! Olga, one of Nivvie's friends, does indeed originate from the bog burglars. In my au, at the time of Niv, the tribe is lead by Camicazi and they're good allies of Berk and the Haddocks. I imagine they sometimes see each other during big archipelago meetings such as the Thing or big festivals. I can also imagine the different allied tribes getting together for big sports games or coming of age trials, to keep it in the spirit of the books! A while ago, I pondered on the idea of different tribes getting together to organise a big thawfest once every few years, which i think would be a pretty fun addition to the ally-ship the Berkians have gained with different tribes.

I honestly hadn't thought much abt adding in the other book-related tribes! I can imagine they're out there somewhere, tho, developing alongside New Berk and, if they're in good spirits with the Berkians at the time, joining in on their games and mischief. If not, they're probably at the meetings, causing a bit of ruckus there.

Sadly I don't have anything on the meatheads lmao! But I do love Thuggory and I can imagine him being a very fair and good chief to his tribe and being a good chief-friend to Hiccup. They'd probably get together for good talks or good drinks or sit together during chief meetings! Niv doesn't have anything to do with the meatheads, tho, so that's why I'm not as inclined to think abt them and how they'd fit in a post httyd3-the-dragons-stayed world.

OH i think Norbert was such a fun character!! The whole axe thing is terrifying to me lmao and I think it's really interesting how scared he was to mess with "fate", even tho Hiccup put fate in his own hands. Good character!! It's been a bitty since i read the books but guy was scary af to me.

Yeah ofc!! That's not at all rude to ask!! :) I think Alvin being the Guster's dad would be a fun theory!! I do wonder how it lines up timeline-wise, since Alvin got banished quickly after Stoick got made chief and Alvin mentioned he had been holding a grudge for almost 20 years (I had to look this up to make sure it was 20 years LMAO) at the time of RoB-DoB. However!! I do think it would explain some of Gustav's tendencies and would be interesting in a way of history repeating itself, seeing as Gustav would be one of the Berkians most likely to get himself banished as well.

LMAO that's a fun crack theory!! I personally can't really see it as the two characters are very removed from each other in storytelling terms, but it could be a cool behind-the-scenes moment!! Whenever I go "hmmm who is Gustav's dad" I always just think "ah yes Berk related", but I think it's really fun you try to find it outside of Berk! It's really an open for interpretation question, which is really fun.

Ty sm for the questions!! They were really fun to answer!! I'd love to hear your response to my answers lmao, plus some of your reasonings for the crack theories!! I think that could be really interesting!! :D

[ridiculoser06]

Can’t see the stars ~ Good Omens★

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I got a comment on Ao3 and I’ve been crying about it for like 3 hours now. (I don’t get compliments very often.)

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Aziraphale lay looking up at God's magnificent galaxy. All those pretty lights made just for those little humans.

"Aren't they just wonderful? All those planets, and yet here we are. Our Earth.” Aziraphale said, sighing, stunned by the world's beauty "And to think that we helped build some of this. It’s mesmerising, we are such an integral part of this world Crowley. It really makes you thankful for creation- doesn't it?"

Crowley lay by Aziraphale, looking up and seeing nothing, tears began to form in his eyes.

"You made that one." Aziraphale glanced at Crowley and saw tears running down her cheeks. "... I remember... it was beautiful wasnt it?"Aziraphale nodded slowly, agreeing but confused.

"Is something the matter?" Aziraphale turned their head to Crowley "All that above us- and you're-"

"I can't see the stars." Crowley hissed angrily, he put his arm over his eyes "I built- some of all that. I built a lot of that!" He gestured upwards, but looked to Aziraphale "And- They- God took away my- they won’t even-" he choked on his words, he rubbed tears out of his eyes "won't even let me see them." He said, deeply pained.

"You... can't see them at all?"

"I don't have very good eyesight." Crowley hissed, still angry but not specifically at Aziraphale. "I don't see much. And the stars are one thing I can't see! I can't fucking see them because they're too far away and they're too small!!! I never understood why I was tasked with building all those breath-taking star systems only for them to be a fucking speck in their night sky!” Crowley scoffed.

“You try and question it- you ask a simple question of Why?” Crowley laughed “you’re tossed thousands of feet out the sky into a pool of boiling sulphur. Absolutely pointless. Stupid universe.”

"I'm so sorry, Crowley." The way Aziraphale said Crowley's name sent goosebumps up the demons arms, it was melodic and soft- a certain sincerity that Crowley had never found in anyone else in the entire universe.

Crowley sighed, sending a shiver up his spine "I shouldn't get so annoyed. It's not like it'll do anything" he began to calm.

"I could describe them to you!" Aziraphale said, excitedly he took out a book from his satchel.

"Why do you have that?" Crowley couldn't help but crack a smile.

"I've been studying astronomy. You like the stars- so I thought I'd read up." Aziraphale said, opening the book at the index.

"Well.. what would you like to-"

Crowley budged closer to Aziraphale "the one you helped me with."

Aziraphale flicked through pages "There it is. Alpha Centauri... 4.367 light years away the star-"

Aziraphale read to Crowley and Crowley gladly listened, trying his best to remember his stars.

"One day... we should go off together. You and me Angel. Up there- into the stars." Crowley was looking up. "The humans don't know what they're missing."

Aziraphale rested his head on Crowley's shoulder.

"That sounds amazing." Aziraphale smiled, a shiver creeped up his spine. Aziraphale wasn’t actually listening to everything after Angel. Angel. Of course, that was what he was, he’d been called an Angel before- he was an Angel. But the way Crowley said it, the slight flick of the tongue when he spoke, the devilish smile- it made Aziraphale weak. If his mind wasn’t so sober he may’ve confessed his undying love in that very moment- if he wasn’t the being he was he would’ve asked Crowley to marry him.

”Angel is a human term of endearment." He thought to himself, “I wonder if Crowley knows that… if I tell him- will he never call me Angel again… perhaps I’ll let him figure that out himself.”

[thecozykirin]

Day 7 Rumor / Discovery

( Had this really cute idea in my brain and I didn't want to go to sleep and lose it by the morning and it is the 24th where I am so it counts! Had so much fun doing the writer challenge, all of your compliments mean a lot to me and my husband and we're so happy you enjoy the stories of our characters <3 )

@daily-writing-challenge

It was one of those days for U-Jinn. Some days were better than others, time had dulled his daughter's absence to a faint ache in his chest but it never truly got better, and like a chronic condition, it would flare to a sharp pang under the right circumstances. For as virtuous and honorable as the monks of the White Tiger Temple liked to claim themselves to be, gossip was poisonous nectar that tempted even the most stalwart of tongues, despite the words of warning of engaging in such activities that rolled off them later to the cubs. Rules for thee and not for me, U-Jinn supposed. He could hear them from where he worked, muttering to each other and shooting an occasional glance his way. "Has he really been here all night?" "Yes, he still doesn't like to go home." "Poor dear, I couldn't even imagine..." "It's been eight years since she's been gone, he can't hold on forever." "You're telling me they never found her, no trace?" "None, but I heard she left on an errand." "Do you think any of the outsiders had something to do with it? They've brought shifty types to our shores before." "Maybe, but /I/ heard that she was hiding something. Yoo-Mi said she was ill quite often and would often excuse herself...then, a week before she left she said she saw her go to the medic." "Oh, dear, you don't think...?" "Well, I don't know who could have done it. She kept to herself often." "Maybe a boy from the village?" "Mayb---" Slam. U-Jinn had unceremoniously slammed the crate of returned books and scrolls that still needed to be sorted upon his workspace, causing both of the Pandarens' heads to jerk up abruptly, ears swiveling. "So sorry." U-Jinn stared, his voice blank and eyes hard. With a nervous smile, the two exchanged an anxious look before bowing their heads and quickly hurrying out, leaving U-Jinn alone to stew in his thoughts. Inhaling sharply through his teeth, the old bear bit back the unkind words on his mind's tongue, pressing his own hard against the back of his fangs as he began to sort through the books and scrolls. Fist of the First Dawn: Rise of the Pandaren Revolution. He marked it down as returned and moved on to the next title. Encyclopedia of Pandaren Herbs U-Jinn's brow lofted, quite a read....next. The Moon Rabbit

U-Jinn paused, breath catching in his throat as his eyes beheld the faded gold lettering of the title. The title itself wasn't strange, had this been a public library. This book was a popular fable for cubs, and it was always a particular favorite of..... His heart leapt in his chest. There had been few articles missing from her room aside from a few clothes. The cover was a navy blue, darker splotches of stains and wear and tear dotting the surface around the indented silver filled figure of a rabbit gazing up at Azeroth's little moon. By the Celestials -- Sucking in a sharp breath, U-Jinn quickly blinked as he collected the book within his paws, undoing a cord of weathered leather that had been wrapped tautly around it to keep it shut. Upon cracking it open, the scent of old parchment filled his nostrils, and a small pile of thin and folded parchment laid inside. With shaking paws, he picked up the first piece of parchment that lay on top, the cleanest and potentially newest looking one...and he opened it. Dear, Baba. It took a lot of convincing, but I've finally managed to convince Yasashi to allow me to send you this. I hope you do not think ill of him for preventing me from doing so earlier, but he wanted to ensure we were secure and safe. In the end, I can tell he is still weary about me doing this, but he knows that my sudden absence in your life has haunted me since and I'm sorry, the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you. Above all though, I want you to know that I'm alive and am doing fine, the rest of the letters are ones I have written periodically throughout the last eight years, and I hope they're enough to fill you in on what has been going on thus far. Oh! As of yesterday, you've a second granddaughter. She was born 10 pounds, her name is Suzu, below I have secured a drawing of her. I attached an earlier one of your first granddaughter in one of the oldest letters but I'm afraid it is not as good as this one, but practice makes perfect, yes? I hope one day you will be able to meet them, I know you'd love them a lot. Always in your heart, Soo-ha

[pens-swords-stuff]

Tag Game: This or That Writer's Edition

Dusting off a very old tag game that has been in my drafts for like 3 years now! At this point I don't remember who tagged me, but to whoever it was, thank you all the same!

*note to whoever wants to play: you don't have to write explanations if you don't want to. I just like to do it because I am incapable of being concise and just leaving things be.

1. historical or futuristic

A few years ago, I stumbled upon and discovered my love for historical fiction — historical romance, specifically — and I have been absolutely obsessed with it since.

On the other hand, I'm not a fan of futuristic settings and I've never had much interest in it. It's just not a genre that I'm personally into.

2. the opening or closing chapter

There's something poetic about endings. In my opinion, I think that they're the most meaningful, symbolic and important chapter in the book because it's often where you really get the true meaning and message of the story.

3. light+fluffy or dark+gritty

Mm, I'm personally not a fan of this particular choice because I'm not particularly into either option. I don't believe that something dark has to be gritty, or that gritty has to be dark, and I also think that realism is often conflated with being "gritty and dark" when that is not always the case. (And of course, I see a lot of people look down upon stories that aren't "gritty dark realism" and that is a pet peeve that I have). I also don't have much patience for things that are light and fluffy because I find them to be a bit over the top and too much for the most part.

If I had to choose it would be dark and gritty, but I prefer a happy medium and a balance.

4. animal companion or found family

I love found family and the complicated relationships that form between people who are brought together by circumstance. I have also never had a pet, so while I can appreciate animal companions, I can't really relate to it.

5. horror or romance

If it doesn't have romance, I'm not that interested in it. I absolutely adore romance, and nearly everything that I do will include it. (I guess Project Vestige is an exception though, I recently considered axing the romance subplot).

I'm too much of a baby for horror, anywho.

6. hard or soft magic system

Rather than lay out the lore or have a solid system, I'm more interested in magic that can't be explained and will always remain somewhat of a mystery. We don't know where it comes from, or why, and that mystery, wonder, intrigue and open-endedness is what I like in my magic systems.

7. standalone or series

I have always adored series growing up, and waiting for the next book. I think my greatest writing ambition is to write a long series because it was what I grew up reading.

I have recently also been falling in love with a standalone story though! I think I'd love to write a series of standalone stories someday, even if it sounds like an oxymoron.

8. one project at a time or always juggling 2+

I don't come up with story ideas, they just descend upon me from the heavens at random times. The longer I take a break from writing, the more they begin bombarding me because my creativity just begins to overflow. Recently, I've been more intentional about exploring all of those different ideas and writing at least a little bit down so I don't lose them. Which naturally, results in many many projects that I may or may not get to someday.

It's a blessing to have so many ideas and stories, I think!

9. one award winner or one bestseller

I don't think my writing is the kind to win awards, and that's okay. It'd be cool, but I would love it if my stories become famous bestsellers someday because that means that they've reached a lot of people.

10. fantasy or sci-fi

Full disclosure, not a huge fan of either. Fantasy is a bit overwhelming for me, though I love the idea of it and would someday love to make a proper crack at it if I have something worth working with. Sci-fi is just something I'm not interested in at all.

11. character or setting description

I'm very much a character-driven writer! Characters are the most important think in my writing. And descriptions has always been one of my weaknesses.

12. first or final draft

boy, I'd love to finish a first draft someday,,,

13. love triangle in everything or no romantic arcs

I love romance, and if something has romance in it my interest will increase a tenfold!! I also like love triangles, whether it be the basic, canned version that people like to hate on, or the ones that become realized into polyamory. I love platonic relationships too, but there's room for both in my world.

14. constant sandstorm or rainstorm

The sandstorm in Breath of the Wild scared the crap out of me and I couldn't get out of it for like a solid 10 minutes so I'm gunna go with a rainstorm for this one. I love rain.

Tagging: @magic-is-something-we-create @writingforfunsies @void-botanist @scorpiolight-madd @thatgayacademic @summer1977 @calicojackofficial @axl-ul @gilgameshians @wordsforarmor @that-gay-jedi @toribookworm22 @serotoninshift @ashen-crest @abalonetea @write-on-world @faithfire @mockingbirdshymn @ryns-ramblings @bardicbeetle @writtenwolves @writingpotato07

If you see this and want to do it too, please do! Feel free to say that I tagged you, I’d love to see.

If you want to be tagged by me for tag games, click here!

[lord-jen-grey]

What factors inspired you to write like this ? PS: I love your work !! x

Thank you so much! It's very kind of you to say. I didn't study to be a writer in school, so my path in this direction was a bit circuitous.

A number of factors inspired me (and continue to inspire me). In regards to the Outlander stories I've written, the source material (books and show) were extremely inspirational, and I wanted to spend more time in that world with the characters I fell in love with. No other book or show comes close for me.

Another inspiration comes from my previous fandom. There is a crack ship on General Hospital (yes, I was raised a soap girl) that never played out on screen, but there are 3 writers who wrote for that ship (Lolexis) who were absolutely brilliant. EllenSmithee, Lionel, and Lsquared. Ellen knocked my socks off the first time I read her work, and I have never recovered. I reread her story (30 days) at least once a year. It has the best character development (and SEX) of anything I have ever read...ever! My writing can't live up to hers, and I don't even try, but I've learned so much from her about things like how to use sex as more than sex (it's plot too!), how to sit with an intense emotion in a scene, and the basics of nicely flowing sentence/paragraph structures (I'm constantly learning more about this). From Lionel, I learned how to lean into certain tropes, how to use plot to drive the story forward, and the beauty of simplicity.

Other inspirations come from media I consume. Listening to the likes of Pixar storytellers and Phoebe Waller Bridge discuss how they craft a story have had HUGE impacts on me. Without them, Journey would never have turned into what it is now. Another author, She-who-must-not-be-named, taught me how to unfold a mystery. And then there is Diana. She employs storytelling strategies that are utterly brilliant, and they've strongly influenced the way I write.

For years, I've studied philosophy and various other academic fields related to human behavior, and ventured into deep, emotional places with a variety of people. It's had a massive influence on how I craft a character and their journey.

More recently, I've been working with a professional editor who has helped me identify and clean up some of my bad habits, and she has helped with shining a light on missed emotional beats and plot holes. She's incredible. My beta, Lis, has done this for me a millions times over as well.

The biggest influence on my writing has been to just write. I've written more than 2 millions words in the last 6-7 years, and I experimented with perspectives, tropes, character development strategies, outlines, etc. Rereading my own work helps me recognize areas for growth and already established strengths.

Feedback from readers has been invaluable and a HUGE motivator.

I hope this answers your question. Sorry it took so long. I wanted to ensure I took the time to think it through and give a decent response.

[florencemtrash]

i love love love your work and reading it has gotten me back into my love for acotar (and azriel shhh). im so inspired/tempted to start writing my own fics on here but i have no idea where to start or how to maneuver anything lol .do you have any tips?!

WRITING FANFICTION - my thoughts on how to get started (and others please feel free to chime in in the comments)

AHHHHHHHH YOU SHOULD TOTALLY DO IT!!! I encourage everyone who is interested to write fanfiction, even if you don't want to post things online, because I feel like fanfiction is the perfect avenue to a) have fun and b) practice any and all aspects of writing in a low stress way.

*cracks fingers* get ready for a brief rant about the glories of fanfiction writing

Fanfiction is such a beautiful way to get invested in a story. We already have our own interpretations of how characters look/act/their inner turmoils and struggles that might not get a lot of page time in the canonical works, AND for me personally, I'm always trying to find ways to insert myself into any media I read so fanfiction just feels like a natural extension of that and it honestly has improved my daydreaming skills for better or for worse.

It helps me escape my own thoughts and any troubles I have and I feel like I can grow as a person through the characters I read and write about.

Fanfiction is also great because you can pick and choose what aspects of writing you want to focus on improving. For me personally, I've always had issues with writing dialogue, but if I were to write something from scratch I would have to go through the efforts of creating a whole universe/characters/plot etc. etc so I would always get overwhelmed and just not write at all.

BUT! With fanfiction writing I can just take existing plots/characters etc. etc. and only write the dialogue for a scene I could make up in universe. AND because I'm writing existing characters that I "know", I have a framework for how they speak and can better gauge whether what I am writing sounds natural/realistic. Sometimes if I'm getting stuck on the dialogue I'll just write the lines for each character so I don't lose momentum and then later on I'll go back in and add the setting descriptions, dialogue tags, actions.

More concrete tips/steps you could take

So, I suppose if you're looking for a place to start and have a specific aspect of writing you have trouble with, you could always write short blurbs focusing on that skillset.

If you have issues with dialogue, just write dialogue. No descriptions/scenery. Nothing. If you have issues with describing settings you can always take the dialogue/actions from a scene of a book verbatim and then write around them. OR maybe if you have issues with characterization you could also take a scene from a book and then write from a different character's perspective. I just think it's a neat way to practice and something I've done in the past.

2. Write shameless self inserts. You know yourself better than anyone else and if you're interested in writing fanfiction, you're probably already a chronic daydreamer who's imagining what you would do in a fictional universe. May as well just write it down for the practice.

3. Start with short oneshots - I only started posting online about 7-ish months ago but I've been writing fanfiction since I was in middle school (so about 10 years now) and that's how I got into writing... and also I started out by handwriting the beginnings of trilogies but never getting past page 10 because I realized I was just copying the Hunger Games.

4. Don't be precious with your writing (see #3) and especially in the beginning I think people should prioritize quantity over quality. I think my writing has drastically improved since graduating college because I now consistently have time in the evenings to just write, even if it's "bad" writing. I also have a document titled "Dump it into the fires of Mordor" for my shittiest ideas and bits that I've cut out from other writing projects.

Other Tumblr-specific tidbits

Keep a google sheets to organize fics/taglists. I like to organize this way because unless you have a masterlist (which most people don't in the beginning), tumblr just has everything on one long scroll. So to get around this I have a google sheets where each column is one writing project with one row dedicated to links to the tumblr page, one row to commonly used tags, and the rest of the rows in the column are a list of anyone on my taglist for that project

Include more paragraph cuts than you think you'll need. This is a personal preference of mine, but because I read fanfics on Tumblr predominately on my phone where the width is narrower, extra paragraph cuts a) help me keep track of where I am in the story better and b) look more visually appealing - at least in my opinion

I'm still getting used to Tumblr myself and everyone approaches writing and using the platform differently.

BUT PLEASE DO WRITE IF YOU FEEL INSPIRED TO! Writing and posting fanfiction, and generally getting to interact with people, has been so much fun and I highly encourage anyone and everyone to do it.

Hmmmm, this ended up being a lot longer than I thought it would be. Whoops. Hope it was helpful though!

Love,

Florence B.

[mundoscorner]

talking at night Claire Daverly

I love to read book reviews so why not give it a stab. 

There were moments this book was nearly perfect and there were moments it felt like every other book I had read. And there was comfort in that — knowing exactly how the story would end but still wanting to know how it gets there. 

I thought while reading this book, I sort of wish I was the type of person to annotate books. And not in the facetious, highlight anything Connell Waldron says, but in the reading a line so many times it’s almost memorized and I wish I could hold onto that way.

“You don’t live your life the way you should. You never speak out, to anyone, least of all your mother, who frankly could do with being put straight. You don’t sing, anymore. You deny yourself everything.”

I guess, there is something to be said that I wanted to review this book. It even made me re-download tumblr so that I'd have a platform larger than my journal. Put my thoughts into paper and let the record reflect that I read it and I enjoyed it and make my piece known. And shouldn't all "good" books do that? make you have thoughts so strong you need to share them with a friend or two? 

At times, the book touched me very deeply. And sadly. I don’t know if it was emotionally poignant, or just a carefully-selected string of words strung together very nicely. I think sometimes authors get a line in their head, and they almost construct moments and scenes or even full characters around that one memorable, quotable sentence.

The main character and her mother have a very real relationship, more real than any other in the book, despite the book being a romance. There’s a part where after years of resentment and resignedness and words left unsaid, Rosie (in her thirties) finally gets a dig in at her mother. I found myself cheering for the daughter, goading her on, begging her to finally say something, anything to her mom, to let her know how she failed her, left her alone despite being always there. And one voice crack later, and a “why are you doing this Rosie, I wasn’t that terrible of a mom” later, I found myself sick with sadness for the mother, who’s whole life changed because she was a mother, and who probably did really try her best despite it all. And Rosie backs off, just as I did, just as I so often do. And so, for obvious reasons, I felt that interaction deep in my bones. I also felt a sick sort of vindication that yes — this sphere of emotions I feel for my mom is not insular to me, that the complicated relationship between mother and daughter is not a tired, exhaustive trope but one that still brings me comfort and a sense of being seen and heard. An echo of my own withholdings and voice catchings and frustrations towards the most intimate relationship any of us will ever have.

I suppose I've read this a few weeks ago now, and I'm still thinking of it with a certain sense of fondness. It was, at any rate, a nice break from the world of faeries and Emily Henry wannabees.

Rating: 3/5

Claire and Anna if you've read this all - ILY.