#I was like. halfway through trying to find a new theme and finding the updated one and--

[tyk-tyk-tyk]

Y'all

I was prepared to do a complete overhaul of my blog to try and fix the dashboard icons never showing up The problem the entire time had to do with the WikPlayer code o(-( So, anyway, that's temporarily removed. If I find a good alternative I'll try it, but for now, no more optional blog ambience.

[thana-topsy]

Fic Writers Self-Rec

I've been tagged by so many lovely people in my time away from tumblr! Thank you so much to @gilgamish @mareenavee @changelingsandothernonsense @kookaburra1701 and anyone else I might have missed tagging me in this one.

I tag @expended-sleeper @mongoose-bite @banjotea @turbo-toast and @yesjejunus

Rules:

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love!

Halfway to the Sky An obvious choice I think! This fic is my absolute baby. Driven by a purely OC cast, it was kind of a gamble to release into the wilds of fandom, but I'm just eternally grateful and humbled by the amount of support I've gotten through the process of writing it. To say it's been a life-changing story for me is an understatement.

Hollow Men This fic was a genre switch-up for me. I'd never really written a "Recovery Fic" before, and it certainly pushed me out of my comfort zone. But it was one of those that tore its way out of me, just desperate to get out of my head. And I learned so much about writing and about myself. It'll forever hold a special place in my heart. Also an OC-heavy narrative that showed me I could, in fact, drive a story without an NPC anchoring me to the world.

Breathing Water / Liminal Bridges Pardon the two-fer, but I had to include the sequel in this! Breathing Water was a HUGE turning point in my writing. It was the first time I'd written a super compact narrative beginning to end before posting the story. So I was able to really refine the story, plot out appropriate foreshadowing, and wrap everything up neatly. And then Liminal Bridges, a sequel born out of a pure love of Neloth and Teldryn and wanting to see them bounce around in the world some more, has spun off into something so wild and wonderful that I can't wait to start sharing new updates again.

How to Build a Home (or Die Trying) A lesser-known fic of mine, this one I wrote at the very beginning of lockdown in 2020 and it taught me a LOT about flash-fiction, vignette storytelling, time skips, and pacing. That, and I'd wanted to write something with Ralis for a while at that point. It was a fantastic remedy for a rough year. Quickburn with some well-earned fluff.

Finding Mara A spin-off of a sequel, this is one of those fics that I am so incredibly proud of, fond of, and was kind of the prototype for stories like "Hollow Men" and "Halfway to the Sky". It was poking at a lot of themes that I wanted so badly to explore, but didn't yet know how. Nilandur is a character who, in so many ways, changed who I am as a person.

[ga-wsc-fmp]

Reviewing my initial timetable

When beginning this project i planned out a timetable of the things i expected to get done each week. Here I will review the accuracy of this, and at the end I will create a new, updated timetable based on current progress.

Here's my original timetable:

Weeks 1-3 were all about research, and I did spend this time researching the themes, however I also got distracted trying to learn some Unity as well, since at the time I wanted to attempt to do this project in a different engine to challenge myself. This led to the intended 3 weeks to last much longer. In fact development only started during week 7. This is an unacceptably long amount of time, and meant i had spent over half of the project time just on the initial research stages, leaving me with only around 5-6 weeks to actually develop something. This was terrible time management on my part and I fear my grade will be affected as a result. I intend to use the remaining time as best as possible so I can end this project on a high note, even if it means I won't be able to do everything I initially wanted to do.

Weeks 4-6 were supposed to be prototype creation. Here i would create an incredibly bare bones concept version of the project, which would act as a way to showcase the general idea of the project. Unfortunately during these weeks I was still in the research stage. I have only recently begun actual development and as such I am still in this phase, just multiple weeks later than I'd hoped.

Weeks 7-8 (In week 8 at time of writing) were supposed to be the final stages of the MVP, finishing up any necessary extra menus and getting people to play test. Unfortunately as previously stated this was not met, and I am currently in week 8 about halfway through the prototype phase.

I am sorely concerned about my ability to come out of this with a finished project. I expect i may have to skip out on a lot of aspects I'd have liked to have completed, such as creating an in-depth example battle, as well as some nice assets.

Absolute worst-case scenario, I do still plan on developing this further even after the FMP is over. I would love to realise the initial idea i had planned, regardless of whether it contributes to a grade or not.

With this, we can safely conclude that my initial timetable was terribly inaccurate and needs a drastic rework. So here's a timetable for the remaining time that's hopefully more realistic:

Weeks 8-9: Finish basic menu's and actions, creating a solid prototype. Get some feedback on this and make any necessary adjustments accordingly.

Weeks 10-11: Polish out the prototype and add any other needed features. Also import some assets such as music, sound effects, sprites, UI elements, and backgrounds. If there is time then create some of these myself otherwise find free to use assets online.

Week 12: Finish any unfinished features, or discard them if there isn't enough time. Spend rest of time testing and bug fixing. Do NOT start creating new features beyond this point unless absolutely necessary as well as realistically and easily achievable. Week 13: Project should be in an acceptable state to hand in. Fix any drastic bugs if absolutely necessary, otherwise spend week creating an itch.io page for the project, as well as a game play video and working on needed documents to review the project. Also make sure Tumblr blog is all up to date and any drafted posts are finished and posted.

Hopefully this timetable should be more accurate. I will need to discipline myself these remaining weeks and avoid any distractions. I will set myself schedules and reminders to keep me organized to the best of my ability. I should be minimizing my leisure time for the remainder of this project if I want a good outcome.

[punkshort]

Can you tell me your writing process how you construct a chapter and how long it takes you to write Xxx

Oh dear I'm afraid my answer isn't a very good one lol

I write in drafts on here and back them up on my computer when I remember. I prefer it that way because I can write on the go. If I find I have 10 minutes before an appointment, maybe I'll write a quick paragraph or proofread something. Now, it has bitten me in the ass before when the app crashes before I can save, but I've quickly learned to save after each paragraph now lol

It's not the conventional style but it helps because I have a kid and I don't get a lot of "me time" so if he's playing and out of my hair, I'll write a little bit here and there.

When I'm creating a new story, I like to jot down bullet points of certain scenes or themes or quotes and then as I write, I move them around and fit them into a chapter outline. And honestly sometimes I just start writing and the words just pour out. The other day I was writing ch 9 to look what we've become and I somehow wrote 3.6K of shit that wasn't even in my outline. Those are really good days, I love when I'm in the zone and that happens. Other times it's a struggle to try to make a chapter halfway decent without seeming like I'm rushing through it.

And as far as how long, that very much depends on how into it I am. Sometimes I can write a first draft of a chapter in a weekend, other times a week. But I try to challenge myself to write a little bit every single day because it keeps me motivated. It's also why I update my stories once a week, it helps to keep me on task.

I also write a few chapters ahead in case I want to go back and add something that might come back later, so it helps to have two or three chapters in the first draft stage before I start posting.

Anyway long story short, don't ask me for advice on writing because I definitely don't have a good method 🤣 But I do appreciate you asking me, that is so thoughtful!

[darsynia]

OOooh what would you write for "The Good Old Days"?

Thank you for this! I love coming up with premises... This one is a Stucky fic, either pre-relationship realizations or very early on when they're together.

Set in our favorite pre-Ultron AU; Steve rehabilitates Bucky as they live in the Avengers tower or some equivalent. His goal is to help Bucky adjust to the here and now as much as possible.

Because all of the time he's spent 'awake' has been in service to HYDRA, and who knows what-all he remembers other than trauma, Steve pretends that Bucky's essentially doing what he himself did, 1945-2013. He holds a few nostalgic conversations with Buck about things he liked about his life before, ostensibly to help him remember who he is, but he's also gathering intel.

Then, he constructs outings for the two of them that as closely mirror the things Bucky liked most about his previous life, but updated to 2010's life. He starts with the stuff that's the closest to what they remember and slowly introduces more modern things.

takes Bucky to a Big Band night

a baseball game on 'retro' night

uses a 'vintage photos' website to print out scale photos with GPS coordinates all over NYC so he can show Bucky what some of their favorite places look like now

finds a paintball place that does theme days and one of them's WWII

drags him to a museum where there's both art from when they'd remember and modern art that touches on themes that hit them both (PTSD, self-sacrifice, misplaced trust, finding yourself again)

same museum has an exhibit where they show progression of appliances

invests in some clothes for Bucky with the same craftsmanship and fit as stuff in the past instead of 'fast fashion' cause he's worth it

Bucky catches on halfway through and he realizes actually a lot of these things that Steve is pretending were impulsive choices are actually a lot of hard work, so he decides to try to find places to suggest too, so Steve's not doing it all himself. Except... Steve's really good at this, and he's clearly been planning for a while, so he eventually gets frustrated that his own secret plans are being sniped.

The conclusion could go many ways, one being that they have an argument about it and then realize they're fighting about being loving to each other! Another would be Bucky figuring out how to hijack Steve's latest venture to be a romantic moment where he thanks Steve for all his efforts, and both could reference 'The Good New Days' they have in store.

[cherinoix]

Merciless || Wip Update #1

Long time no update, but that's because I've been cracking away at the art side of things, and plotting-- which I can officially call done for the most part! :D

I've already started drafting the first chapter, in which Alva details a rather visceral experience with his first mortal. Can't say it's a light hearted start to the story, but definitely one that I feel encapsulates the overall themes while introducing one of the main conflicts.

Though I can't get into the details yet, I figured I would discuss my strenuous plotting process instead. As much as I'd like to be a pantser, by nature of writing a "high fantasy meets cosmic horror" comic series, I've found plotting to be the best course of action to keep all my metaphorical ducks in order.

The very first thing I have to do is characterization; knowing whose stories are being told and what they entail, along with who I'm working with shapes the entire story. (I'm not sure if that's a common first step, but this is what works for me!) My predicament with Merciless in particular is that I already had these ancient characters set in an environment for a story (Mercy) that takes place in a present timeline-- one that didn't do them justice or give them space to develop at all, but they were also tied to important historical events. So really, my main goal was to flesh out the characters I already had and make sure their stories "accurately" lead up to the events that will happen later on. New characters were created for sub plots and such, but the majority of the characterization I did was directed towards the older characters and finding them a place to settle in Merciless.

Next, I made a list of every major event that 100% needs to happen for the story to be told. Luckily, due to having developed Mercy first, I already knew the ending to Merciless. And in having some past characters with significant backstories also gave me a few middle scenes too. The real struggle then should have been the beginning, but... seeing as I had plans early on to turn this into a comic, well, I could really start anywhere I saw fit! In tandem with this, I also tackled some of the worldbuilding. I really just try to flesh out which countries, civilizations, and kingdoms are most significant or interesting. Knowing where events happen in the world is pretty important, and I also want to make sure there is variety in the cultures and faces that are present in Merciless!

Following that, I made a list of every minor event that I wanted to at the bare minimum attempt to include. Interactions between certain characters who didn't yet have a reason to meet, fight scenes, and just novel little myths and happenings for individual characters. This part of my plotting process is lowkey an ongoing step, as anytime I get random ideas while going through my day, I add them to this list. (I also have like... 30ish + characters to work with?)

The second to last step in my plotting phase is to create a timeline, except... I kind of sort of have 4 timelines... ahaha... OK to explain myself--

I have a timeline for Merciless and its chronological events in order...

And one for every event out of order, as in the order in which the story will be presented/written for an audience.

One timeline is meant for strictly for side plots, and is a running timeline in that I develop it as I write to make sure its position in the book/comic makes sense and has some form of contingency and relevance.

The final timeline is a special one, featuring any event that will be directly referenced in Mercy. I added this one halfway through because I started losing track of which plots need to be known in both series, and which ones can be kept in Merciless.

Timelines always take up the most of my time, but with Merciless, I really had to look out for inconsistencies and plot holes, considering there is another story to predate or follow it. Figuring out solutions to plot holes is typically my final step; I make a list a problems in the form of questions, and then I answer them the best I can.

So... yeah! That's my plotting process for the most part. I didn't include the obligatory "stare into space and wait for a solution to grace me from the void", but it's certainly something I do a lot. I'm really looking forward to sharing character art and writing introductions for them too! I'll most likely make another update when I actually test write something to share, so until then, thanks for reading! And if you're working on a project yourself-- happy writing~

(also sorry for any typos-- proof reading is not my strong suit, but I usually try to go back and edit as I catch them overtime~ ;w;)

Taglist: @cryptid-s-wips

If you'd like to be added to the taglist, just let me know!

[charlotterhea]

Time for part 2 of my 'Summer Fic Reading Challenge' resume and when you're interested in what I read lately, you know what to do. ^^

13. New (to you) pairing

Since it probably will be hard to find a new pairing in the HP fandom, I went for a new-to-me pairing, and looking through the latest updates, I decided to give Oliver Wood/Percy Weasley a chance with "Moments Like This" by audrxyweasley. It's a cute little story of the two carefully approaching the topic of their mutual feelings for each other and it had me smiling all through reading it. Perfect story for a warm feeling before bed. ^^ Maybe I should give Percy some more attention in my fics as well...

20. Small fandom (<1000 fics)

For someone who doesn't normally venture into other fandoms, let alone knows enough fandoms to find such a small one, this was one of the hardest prompts to fulfill. But I'm currently reading "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss and enjoy it quite a bit so I thought I'd check the section on AO3 and lo and behold! It had less than 1000 fics! 😩 So I went to the last page to find a fic that wouldn't spoil me too much and decided to read "Cut Flower Sound" by Min Daae (Lise). It is a short story containing three little scenes between Bast and Kvothe and I tremendously enjoyed reading them! They were written so well that it felt like reading missing scenes from the book and now I'm even more curious about finishing it. 😏

15. Superpowers / no powers AU

Being in a fandom that has what our world would call superpowers anyway, I went for a canon divergence AU in which Hermione loses her powers during the war: "The Queen and the Clown" by Emma_Tanaka. And it was such a cute and gentle story of Severus trying to help Hermione get her magic back and Hermione building a Muggle life for herself - and very successfully at that! I enjoyed reading the story very much so if you're in the mood for a light romance, look at this story.

7. Angst

I stumbled upon a story here on Tumblr a few days ago, just a list of the author's stories, and when I opened this link I saw that it fit the angst prompt and I decided to give it a shot. Little did I know how much I'd love this story. 😭 The story I'm about to gush about is "Veiled Devotion" by Sunflower_sapphire and I knew I'd love it as soon as my brain had halfway grasped the first scene. By now you probably all know that I'm a sucker for angst and H/C, it's the main theme of my stories and it's what I love reading the most as well. And this story is a jackpot, istg! It has everything, heartbreak, love, desperation, hope, secrets and a lot of forgotten memories. I loved it. I will reread it at one point, I need to, it's just so good.

1. Soulmates

This trope is kind of growing on me, I have to admit. However, I do prefer the more complicated takes than the shortcut to love and smut versions. ^^ So it probably is not surprising that I went with "Hazy Shades" by apckrfan. Severus who knows who his soulmate is but doesn't dare approach her for years? Yes, please! And I really enjoyed the story and its symbolism. I love their misunderstandings and Severus being the adorable idiot he is when it comes to emotions. And I loved the end. So, if you're in the mood for an angsty soulmate approach, try this story!

[rylie-studies]

― november 01, 2021

Hey y’all!! I haven’t posted in like two months, but once again, I have returned! Tbh, these past few months have been a whirlwind and I’ve been trying to get my life together and taking care of a lot of things. I truly can’t believe that this year is almost over; it has flown by so fast and the most overwhelming thing is that I’ll be turning 21 at the end of this month like, huh, what? Anywho, yeah, it has all been a lot but we’re making it through! As for some quick life updates, I’ve been keeping up with Duolingo and listening to Italian songs, trying to come up with a new routine that’s simple and feasible, developing some new healthy habits, and I’ve also been learning a lot through watching videos! 

As for other things, I’ve been reading quite a bit which has been great. I find that, when I’m reading a book and I have similar books to it, I like to read by themes! When I finished Circe last month, I ended up reading Ariadne (which was an utterly beautiful novel and I highly recommend it; yes, I cried a lot) and now I’m currently halfway through A Thousand Ships! It’s really good so far and I love learning about the women in the Trojan War and hearing their perspectives. I’ve been cleaning up my blog a bit too bcs there’s so much clutter! I’m also keeping up with the new season of Survivor and impatiently waiting for the Hawkeye show ever since What If? ended! So yeah, it has been quite busy, but all is well. 

With all that being said, I hope y’all had a wonderful October and that this new month will be a lovely one as well! Feel free to stop by anytime and tell me how y’all are doing and any exciting (or not so exciting) things going on! Sending you all my love!! ♡

🎧: un bacio all’improvviso - ana mena, rocco hunt

[yostresswritinggirl]

@butterfly-mochi​ Rewrote this freaking thing thrice because it keeps getting deleted wth tumblr agjvahkfajkvk- I enjoyed writing it a lot tho and since I’m too weak to the characters I ended up writing for all of them (except for Sucrose, im sorry bb huhu, I ran out of brain power). This is my first time writing for so many of them in one go so please excuse me for any mistakes or blandness ywy thank you for letting me write for my baby Ganyu too hhhhh

Universe Reversal 2

Genshin Impact Character Reader and Modern Players with Zhongli, Childe & Ganyu (how they simp for you) (event masterlist / Part 1 / Part 3)

Zhongli the F2P

The most relatable out of the bunch because this man is still broke and can only rely on the primogems he can farm. And he had a LOT. The one thing he doesn’t have a lot on, however, is his luck.

So how did he manage to pull you?: Well after exhausting all his primogem on your banner with nothing but weapons and other characters, he has lost his resolve. But by some weird luck, there was a character bug that was fixed and in his email was the almighty consolation primogem. Enough for ONE pull. And by the Gods he FINALLY got you.

He’d nonchalantly post his screenshot of pulling you using a single acquaint fate in his friend group without any words and everyone else just loses their shit. “You got them in one pull?!” “Yeah” A riot.

This was partnered with the fact that not only is Zhongli an F2P player, but also barely has any five star characters.

He looks calm and apathetic over the news, but behind the screen he’s exhausted and relieved, silently livid.

He has no primogems left to squeeze for a constellation so you’re instead pampered with the best weapon suitable for you (because that’s all he keeps getting).

Zhongles spends most of his time farming for materials to quickly level you up, unlocking all your stories and voiceline, but he fucked up on your build (his artifacts are messy).

He follows communities, forums and videos regarding your character to know all the things he needs to perfect your build. You can barely make a dent against normal mobs, so he knew he was doing something VERY wrong.

Is the type of person to keep refreshing the page for new content, very updated.

Ask him a question about your character and he’s gonna bring you the word vomit that is his research. He’s not gonna stop- probably accidentally developed a copypasta for you.

Also follows your VA in both Tiktok and Twitter to indulge in every bit of content. He also has that screenshot of his pull saved and locked.

On his birthday, a friend of his gifted him a chibi plushie of you and he has treasured it ever since, treating and handling it like its a figurine.

“It is merely pure luck and grace from the gacha gods that I got this character, and I will make sure that they know I am very grateful for this fortune.”

Favorite Voiceline: Birthday Message

Childe The Whaler

This lucky wealthy bastard with no remorse for his money whales for EVERY character. He’s making a collection, which is to get all the characters, especially the five stars. So when your banner finally popped up, he’s gonna square up and trigger a whole ass meteor shower.

How he pulled you: Money. His luck with this games are actually not the best so he always compensates with money, he got you halfway through the first failed pity, almost giving him a heart attack that he might actually break the bank just to get you.

And then he pulls more to raise your constellation lol.

The first thing he does is look over your character info and read through it all; constellation infos, your base stats, artifact compatibility.

At the end when he’s maximized everything, he would then focus on playing around with your character *coughs climbing noises coughs*

He thought you’d just be another part of his collection but playing with your character was very enjoyable and in-line with his playstyle- oops 100 screenshots with the Kamera-

Any and all merchandise that he fancies would be his, and he’s definitely flexing it to the other sweetie nerds who call themselves simps. He’s fighting for the simping title, and he’s currently neck and neck with this fanartist in Pixiv.

Speaking of that fanartist, he definitely commissioned an expensive and detailed portrait of you, full rights and everything. No one else was allowed to use it but him.

Was also the first one with the audacity to call out your VA to create an account on Tiktok to create more content with your voice. He was successful.

His obssession also comes in the form of self-indulgent contents, and had been keeping track of the ship wars happening. During conventions, he cosplays as the character shipped with you the most (or the character he thinks should end up with you).

Silently scrutinizing those who cosplay you, only ever taking pictures with/of the best looking one, sorry haha

Definitely flaunts that you are his waifu/husbando and will fight for best girl/best boy during debates or polls. Has mobilized the community to vote for you once. He’s very persuasive.

“Hm? Why I’m just the best collector in the game, and I am more than happy to let everyone know that I am their number one fan haha, everyone who claims otherwise is definitely wrong!”

Favorite Voiceline: More About (Y/N) I-IV, (Y/N)’s Hobbies...

Ganyu the Employed

Ganyu, our dearest overworker, is one of the players in the older stage who actually has a job but still plays Genshin for their past times. The gorgeous sceneries and the music is her main focus in playing the game, not much of a try-hard but still decent in the combat mechanics.

How she pulled you: You came home within 50 pulls! And you appeared again after another 10 pull! Ganyu was so SHOOKT and so distressed because oh goodness, what does she do? She doesn’t know anything much about you!

Will rewatch your three trailers to try and understand your skills better, ended up saving the soundtracks from them because that was such a nice trailer music! Tnbee gains a new follower!

Ganyu will take a while before she can properly play or build you up because she’s so busy with work, she only ever plays when she feels fully done with her work.

During her break she plays with your character while multi-tasking on eating, earphones plugged in and sight on the phone as she farms materials and artifacts for you.

The moment she gets more help from her player friends tho, holy shit, you just ended up being so OP. She had so many good artifacts and weapons for you because she didn’t know what they were for before.

She loves how you’re so easy to use and can easily solo the enemies and even the boss fights. A huge breather, because now Ganyu can cheese the battles that takes a while, to give her more time to focus on the storyline and lores.

Since Ganyu plays for the story and aesthetic, she’ll find you almost always in her team. Still very proud of her pull, she makes the best screenshots of your fights or in the best angle through exploration.

Treasures you so much she starts talking to her phone- “Ah, no, please don’t fall.” “There’s violetgrass up there, let’s try and get it”

Blushes everytime you produce a sound when climbing, doesn’t change you anyways tho

Hums to your trailer music while working, and if permitted, would have the song on repeat while she buries herself in work. She finds it really refreshing and the time she spends in work miraculously flies by fast when she gets lost in the sound.

At one point, when she was given a day-off or if the convention was on her free time, she attends to look for cosplayers of you and take a picture. No one rejects her because she’s so adorable and cute when asking shyly.

Had brought a decent amount of merchandise, preferably the functional/practical ones like a phone cover, mug or keychain. Also has an earphones clamp with your little chibi self as the holder.

When asked, she would shyly announce that she likes your character the most.

“Their character theme and music really soothes me during work, it feels nice to have them, and I have not once regretted ever pulling for them. They are the best.”

Favorite Voicelines: Good Night/Afternoon..., About Us, Something To Share..., Interesting Things...

so enjoyable...

@moaa @zelos-simp @legionqueensav @dandelion-dreams @snackgod @rxsalinee

[spockfan]

Hi - how long have you been into Star Trek? (You said recently but that could have been written years ago?) However long it's been, WOW do you have great ST content! I already reblogged a lot and there's so much more I didn't have time to get to yet.

Hi! First of all, thank you so much! I honestly didn't expect that I'd be posting stuff other than reblogs of things I find neat (which is why there is no tagging system yet) but I really enjoyed watching TOS that I just needed to air some of my thoughts in some way.

This little side blog is pretty new, created right at the end of August. Made because I got curious about Spock's character whose concept I really liked when I finally got curious enough to look up his general background (watched him from the new movies before but didn't really pay attention much). I was surprised that the blog name was available and I regret making it as a sideblog as I can't readily reply to posts because it confuses me when I see my main account name (which I don't really use.)

The answer to your question is since September 5, 2021, the day I watched the first episode of TOS. Currently, I'm halfway through season 2.

The date is exact because, prior to watching, to make things more fun, I made Bingo cards with what I thought would be common Star Trek tropes and that first Bingo card is saved in my tablet.

Before TOS, I've watched the reboot movies when they came out and although I enjoyed them, to myself who had no other background and appreciation for the world and the characters, they were ultimately no different from any other blockbuster movie–enjoyable momentarily but not something I would dwell on. I was also a bit familiar with ST:Discovery because I was told a bit about its plot. Also Galaxy Quest but I didn't relate it to Star Trek before.

Given the limited knowledge, I had a lot of misconceptions about the series so my first few Bingo cards barely got any marks. It wasn't really a show that I expected to take seriously so I put stuff like:

- Kirk flirts with pretty women

- Scotty beams people up

- Spock says something insensitve

- Enterprise goes 'pew pew'

- He's dead, Jim or Someone dies.

Naturally, I didn't get Bingo much during the first few episodes but I realized that I was really enjoying the show. The characters are memorable, the themes are simple but thoughtful, while it does tend to be obvious when the writing is confined by its era, one gets the sense that the ideas must have been innovative at the time. Most importantly, it's very fun.

I've stopped doing the Bingo cards since I've already won and I've gotten better at knowing what recurring elements are in the show. Some of my favorite updated Bingo items though:

- The Pringle-Mailbox gun is used

- A Utopia is destroyed or There is no such thing as paradise when the Enterprise visits your planet

- Not enough budget for the captain's shirt or Kirk fanservice

- Kirk illogics a computer/AI/robot to death

- Formless alien or Alien is just human with weird clothes

- Bad guy has bad guy makeup and Females (and Kirk) get better glowing lighting

- Kirk x Enterprise as the One True Ship gets mentioned

- Omnipotent aliens give someone time-out

I try to watch at least an episode a day right after work when I have the time. Sometimes I push it to two episodes because ♡.

[sfb123]

Sapere Aude - Part 8A

Book: The Royal Heir

Pairing: King Liam Rys x Queen Riley Brooks

All characters belong to Pixelberry.

Catch Up Here

Series Description: I developed a theory of what I think will happen in TRH Book 4, and I was encouraged by some very lovely people to turn my theory into a fic, so here it is. Basically, Riley is recruited to join the Via Imperii, this series will follow her as she joins them to try and bring them down from the inside, and all of the drama and bombshells she learns along the way. Sapere Aude is Latin for “dare to know” it seemed like an appropriate title.

Rating: M -MATURE 

Warning: Adult language, smut (🍋🍋🍋) and other adult themes.

Word Count: 4,049

Notes: I know I’ve sucked at updating and posting. I hit kind of a personal slump in my writing, there was a lot of self-loathing involved. I really struggled with writing chapter 9, and I eventually had a revelation that it was likely because I wasn’t done exploring everything that happened in chapter 8, so I’ve made a sub chapter. We follow Liam when after he leaves their quarters and get into his thought process in dealing with the bombshell that was dropped on him.

And yes, you read that rating right, my lemon tree has had its first bloom. I really stressed myself out over this, so I hope it’s worth the time I spent trying to convince myself that I was doing a good job, not to mention the time my friends had to spend (see below) to boost my ego.

Thank you so so much to @txemrn for reading a couple of snippets for me and being the cheerleader I needed when I was feeling really down on myself and my work...even though I was supposed to be the one giving YOU a peptalk!

And a super special thank you to my fairy smutmother @jessiembruno. You listened to me complain, and doubt myself, and a million other things multiple times a day while I was trying to find my way, and you never once came off as annoyed or frustrated. I am so lucky to be able to call you a friend.

Finally, thank you so much @twinkleallnight​ for my UPDATED moodboard! She took it upon herself to update it to better reflect the feel of the story, and she did a kick ass job!

Tags: I’m officially rocking my new tag list. Everyone is listed below as well as in the comments for safety. If you’d like to be added or removed, let me know! 

“Liam, where are you going?”

“I need to take a walk. Gather my thoughts.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, I need to be alone right now. You stay here, I’ll be back shortly.”

Before she could stop him, Liam was out the door. He knew she just wanted to be there for him, but he needed to be alone. The royal quarters, his home, his sanctuary, suddenly felt so small. He was suffocating there, he needed to get away, to breathe.

“Your majesty?” Bastien stopped him. 

“I’m fine, Bastien, just going for a walk. Please stand down.” Liam tried to keep his tone and expression neutral, but it was obvious to Bastien that something was wrong. He bowed to the King, following orders and remaining at his post. 

Liam continued walking through the palace, unsure where he was going, he just needed to get out. He found himself walking through the gardens, approaching the maze. One of his mother’s last projects before her passing...or rather, before she abandoned him. It was always a special place for Liam. Growing up, he would often go there to hide out when he was feeling lonely, or missing his mother more than usual. It was one of his favorite spots on the grounds, possibly in the world. How would he ever be able to look at this space the same again? It would serve as a constant reminder of the insurmountable betrayal he had faced at the hands of the woman that gave him life. 

As he walked the familiar path through the maze, he considered his options. Perhaps he would burn it to the ground, and salt the earth to prevent any attempts at regrowth. Would that make him feel better? Would it take away the pain? 

Likely not, but it would feel good to know that I took something away from her that she cherished so dearly. A metaphor for what she has done to me. My memories of her, her kindness, her generosity, they mean nothing anymore. Because, to her, I meant nothing. I couldn’t have. If I did, she wouldn’t have left. 

He continued his journey, getting lost in his thoughts. He would look back at his childhood memories, trying to remember something, anything, that could ease this moment for him. Nothing came. His mind then wandered to the relationship he could have had with Thomas, his brother. He had another brother this whole time. All those times when Leo had run off to god knows where, he wouldn’t have had to be quite as alone as he was. Sure, he had Drake to keep him company, but Drake wasn’t a prince. He didn’t have the same expectations, the same limitations, that Liam faced. He could have had someone else by his side that understood all of it. 

How was he supposed to feel about Thomas now that he knew the truth? His first instinct was anger, but he quickly rejected that. It wasn’t his fault that they were kept apart their whole lives. He was suddenly very curious about Thomas’s life.

What was his childhood like? How did he feel when he learned that he was also royalty? Has he ever wanted to say anything to me, to come forward? Would I have believed him if he had?

Even though he wasn’t supposed to know any of this, he hoped that things would get to a point where he could talk to Thomas, and ask those questions. Ideally in a casual setting over drinks, and not an interrogation cell. 

Liam soon found himself in the center of the maze. As he took in his surroundings, his mind kept racing back to his childhood. The picnics with his mother, the games of maze tag with Drake. 

I wonder if Thomas would have liked to play maze tag with us, had he been around. 

He felt a sudden calming come over him at one point. When he took a look around, he realized that he was standing in the exact spot where he and Riley had landed when he inadvertently tackled her the night of the masquerade ball. The night he learned she had traveled halfway around the world just for a chance to be with him, because she felt what he was feeling after just a few hours together one night in New York. Even now, all these years later, he still felt the same butterflies in his stomach thinking of that moment. 

Wistfully, he walked a bit further, to the spot where they stood the night of his coronation, where he had finally managed to say those three words he had been feeling since the moment his eyes met hers. He smiled as he replayed the memory of her saying it back to him. He was fairly certain at the time that she felt the same way, but to hear those words fall from her beautiful lips, he had never felt a high quite like that in his life. His mind then wandered to the events that those words led to, another moment he had long dreamed of. Physically expressing the love they had just declared. He felt his heart start to race thinking of their first time together. All of the sudden, anger quickly replaced all other emotions, as he remembered that there was a tape of that moment. A tape that was recorded, and held, by her group. He quickly searched the area, digging his arms through the hedges, looking for anywhere a camera might be hidden. He came up empty. Given how long it had been since the recording, it made sense that they had likely removed their surveillance from the area. 

Another reason to be rid of this maze once and for all. Another reminder of the deceit. Only this time it’s worse, they brought Riley into it. 

Liam needed to move on from the center of the maze, so he continued walking, finally coming across the wishing well. The wishing well his mother had told him about when he was a child. 

Can you take back wishes? I wished so many times that my mother would come back to me, for her death to have been a misunderstanding. Well Liam, you got your wish, now look at you. How many other wishes have I made that will come back around to bite me in the ass? 

His mind began to wander again. This time, to the night of the Homecoming Ball. The night Riley was officially presented as the Duchess of Valtora, and more importantly, his fiance. They both made wishes that night, he remembered his wish: to never let fear dictate his choices, the way his father did. 

He let fear dictate his choices because of the loss of his wife. Had he known what truly happened, things would have been different. Perhaps he wouldn’t have interfered with my choice during the social season. I could have been with Riley all along. The way things were always supposed to be. I know we ended up together, and the struggles made our bond that much stronger, but there was a very real chance that I could have lost her forever, I almost did, over his choice.

Thinking of Riley reminded him of her reassurances that night, she was so confident in his ability to be a good King. She believed in him from day one, and never faltered in that. Even when he didn’t believe in himself, thinking of Riley, and her faith in him gave him the strength to continue on. To be the best man, and King he could be. To make his Queen proud. 

In that moment, Liam had an epiphany. This maze was so much more than his childhood and memories of a mother that betrayed him. This maze was about the love he and Riley shared. It had played a paramount role in their story. When he looked around, he saw memories of them, their stolen moments, their heartfelt confessions. He couldn’t get rid of this maze, if he did, he would be destroying a piece of his heart. 

From this moment forward, this maze is not about her, not about the lies that she raised me on. It is about the love and support I have shared with my soulmate. This is where our love, much like the flowers that adorn these hedges, blossomed. 

Riley...my heart, my world, my Queen. She gave up her life, her freedom, to be with me. She left her family and friends, her job, everything, for me. She has dedicated her life to my country, she has taken on my responsibilities. What have I done in return? I’ve put her in this impossible position. I’ve put her in harm's way, yet again, for the good of Cordonia. A country had never even heard of before I came in and turned her life upside down. 

He needed to get back to her. Walking back toward the palace, he started considering how she might be feeling in that moment. He had been so caught up in his own mind, that he didn’t stop to think what all of this was doing to her. She had to deliver devastating news to the man she loved, and his reaction was to abandon her. His heart sank as he approached their quarters, he felt so small. He entered their bedroom, overwhelmed with shame for the way he had left her. 

Of course she’s still awake. She probably stayed up worrying about me. I was so selfish to just leave her like that.

He kept his head down, too ashamed to look her in the eye, and walked straight into his closet to get ready for bed. His mind working overtime, trying to find the right words, but nothing came. He exited the closet and walked toward the bed, hoping something would come to him. 

Finally, Riley broke the silence in the room. 

“Liam…” She said barely above a whisper, he turned his head and looked at her for the first time since arriving home. “I’m sorry.” She placed her hand gently over his. 

She thinks I’m mad at her. She’s blaming herself. How does she not understand that she is the only thing keeping me from going off the edge? I’m the one that dragged her through all of this, and she’s apologizing to me. I don’t deserve her love. 

He was overwhelmed with anger at himself, and heartbreak for his wife. “Riley, you have nothing to apologize for. I am the one that wanted you to do this. You did nothing wrong. None of this is on you.” He tried to smile, but he knew it was unconvincing. He could feel the sting of tears beginning to well up in his eyes. 

“Fine, but you’re not allowed to blame yourself either.” 

Even to this day, after all of these years, it astonishes me how she can see right through me like that. I’ve had years of training to hide my thoughts and emotions, that training proved useless when it comes to Riley.  

“What you just said, telling me you were the one that wanted me to do this. I know you Liam Rys, better than anyone. You’re thinking about how you brought all of this on yourself.” 

It’s the truth. None of this would have happened if I hadn’t talked you into joining. 

For the second time that night, Liam couldn’t bear to look his wife in the eyes. She was right, but so was he. Liam felt the firm, yet loving touch of Riley’s hand holding his chin and lifting his gaze to meet hers. There was a fire in her eyes, unlike any he had seen from her before. 

“This is all on them, it’s the Via Imperii’s fault. That’s why we’re going to take them down. Together. Just like Anton, just like Auvernal, just like Barthelemy, just like any other enemy that has ever, or will ever come our way. We are the King and Queen of Cordonia, Liam and Riley Rys. We are a force to be reckoned with.” 

Liam was taken aback by the determination in her statement. He knew she was strong, she had been his rock since the day they met, but this was so much more than that. He didn’t know it was possible, but he felt his love for her grow. 

Awestruck, he took the hand she had planted on his chin in his, and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly. “You always know just what to say, love.”

“Years of diplomatic training. I need to be prepared for every possible scenario.” She winked at him.

He couldn’t help but chuckle at the comment. She made it seem so easy to turn his mood around. It was something he would never understand, but always be grateful for. 

God, I love this woman. 

Riley smiled and leaned into him. “C’mon, let’s try to get some sleep. We can circle back to this nightmare in the morning, start working on a plan.” They both laid back onto the bed, and into each others arms. 

In the middle of the night, Liam’s eyes shot open, his heart pounding in his chest, worry overcoming him. He needed a moment to get his bearings, turning to his left to make sure she was still there. She was.

He had been dreaming, a nightmare, technically. Riley was gone, he wasn’t sure where she had gone or why. All he knew was he felt empty, broken, more so than he ever had before. He watched Riley as she slept, a single tear rolling down his cheek. He thought back to his family, the people that were supposed to be there and care for him above all else. 

His mother, who had lied to him from the second he was brought into this world. She was his benchmark for love and support, but it was all fake. Because of her, he lived his life based on false ideals. Then he met Riley, she showed him what love and support truly was. 

Leo, he was a great brother growing up. He made sure Liam got to have fun, and took the heat when it would get out of hand. However as he got older, his priorities changed, and he was around less and less. When he finally abdicated the throne, he placed the weight of the world on Liam’s shoulders. The bright side to that, was that becoming the Crown Prince, and having a social season, brought Riley into his life. She helped him believe that he truly could carry the weight that was thrust upon him. 

His father, a King above all else. As hard as Liam tried to break through that wall, it was duty and his country above all else. That never mattered to Liam though, he still looked up to his father and held him to such a high standard. Until it was uncovered that he attempted to destroy his son’s one chance at true happiness. Despite his attempts at ruining her name, and putting her in harm’s way, Riley stayed and fought. She fought for herself, and she fought for their love. She forgave him for his actions, something Liam was never fully able to do. And when Liam mourned his loss, she was there by his side, holding his hand. 

Riley, his bright spot in all of the darkness. His constant source of goodness and joy. In all of that pain, Riley was there. Who would be there if she left him? He would have nothing, he would be nothing. He felt a tightness in his chest at the thought of losing her. He reached his hand out and gently stroked her arm, needing to touch her. 

He saw her eyes slowly start to flutter open. 

She’s cute when she’s tired. 

He watched as she lifted her hand and ran her fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. 

“Hey, are you ok?”

He unsuccessfully tried to swallow away the lump in his throat before answering. “Please don’t leave me, Riley.”

Liam watched as she sat up in bed, a confused look on her face. “Liam, never. I love you, you’re stuck with me for life.

He knew she meant it, but he also knew these things weren’t always under their control. “I just…there have been so many people that said they cared about me, and then left. Losing them was so hard. But if I lost you Riley, I don’t know how I would be able to continue on. You are the most important part of me, my everything. I don’t exist without you.”

A sadness overtook Riley’s face, Liam felt horrible for making her feel that way. He looked down before feeling her hands on either side of his face, her thumbs softly stroking his cheeks. “Liam, I promise you with all my heart, and everything I am, that there is nothing on this earth that could take me away from you. My husband and my daughter are the greatest joys of my life. A world without the two of you is not a world I would ever even want to think about.”

In that moment, all Liam could think about was being as close to her as he possibly could. He desperately needed to feel her body tangled with his. He surged forward and kissed her with everything he had. It was a kiss loaded with love, longing, and need. He lowered Riley from her seated position and rolled on top of her. 

“Show me.” He whispered. 

“Yes, my king.”

He shuddered at her words. Pinning her hands above her head, he slowly rolled his hips into her so that she could feel just how desperate he was for his wife. Riley closed her eyes and moaned at the sensation. 

Liam’s mouth moved to her ear, nipping at the lobe before saying in a commanding, yet tender tone, “Open your eyes Riley, I want you to see everything I am going to do to you.”

Riley’s eyes opened as she met Liam’s hungry gaze. “Yes, my king.”

“Good girl.” He kissed her deeply, removing one hand from hers and slowly moving it down her body, traveling the familiar curves that drove him crazy time and time again. 

Liam’s lips moved away from hers, treading across her jawline and down her neck. Riley hissed at the feeling of his teeth running along her tender skin. “Liam, calm down. You’re going to leave marks.”

“Good, they will serve as a reminder that you belong here, with me.”

Riley freed her wrists from Liam’s grasp and brought his face to hers. “Liam, I don’t need a reminder, I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere.” 

He silenced her with a searing kiss. One hand traced the curve of her breast as the other traveled downward, rubbing her center through her panties. “You’re so wet for me already, love.”

All Riley could do was groan in response. She felt his lips return to her neck, as his hands traveled to the hem of her tank top, he gently lifted the shirt over her head and deposited it on the floor. His mouth continued its descent, kissing her shoulder and quickly moving to her breast, taking the nipple into his mouth, slowly circling it with his tongue. He kissed across her chest, paying the same attention to the other breast. 

The quiet moans and whimpers coming from his wife were the encouragement Liam needed to continue moving south, kissing down her torso until he was met with the waistband of her panties. He paused and looked up at her. 

“Liam, please.” She whispered, desperate for him to remove the lacy barrier. 

He gave her a wolfish grin before taking them between his teeth and quickly dragging them down her legs. Once they were removed, he lifted her foot and softly kissed the inside of her ankle, his lips moved at a painfully slow speed, resting her leg over his shoulder as he moved closer to her wanting center. 

As soon as Riley felt Liam’s breath on her glistening core, her own breath hitched. Liam heard it, and it satisfied him to know that in that moment she needed him just as much as he needed her. He tantalizingly licked up the length of her slit until he reached her sensitive nub. 

She gasped as he began sucking and licking, his tongue moving in calculated circles. He knew her body inside and out, he knew just what to do to her to get the reaction he wanted. 

Riley’s hands quickly found their way to Liam, running her fingers through his hair and gripping tightly guiding him exactly where she needed him. The pressure caused Liam to moan into her, Riley felt the vibration against her body and trembled. 

Sensing that she was close to her release, he slowly slid one finger inside of her, and curled it slightly. She bucked her hips and moaned Liam’s name, that was all the invitation he needed to add a second finger. 

“Yes Liam, don’t stop.”

He looked up at her with an unmistakable mix of lust and adoration. “Never, Riley.” Before continuing his efforts, causing Riley to plummet over the edge, loudly moaning his name. He worked through her release, savoring every second of her ecstasy. 

As she started to come down from her release, Liam kissed a path up her stomach, positioning himself on top of her. Once they were face to face he kissed her deeply. 

Their tongues intertwined, and Riley’s hands drifted to the front of Liam’s pajama pants, palming his hardness through the fabric eliciting a deep groan from him. Riley smiled into the kiss, moving her hand into his pants, wrapping it around his length and pumping slowly. 

“Mmm...are you ready to take all of me, love?” He asked as he thrust into her hand. 

Riley nipped at his bottom lip before responding. “Yes Liam, I need you.”

He quickly removed his pants, lining himself up with her entrance. Pressing his forehead to hers, and looking deep into her eyes, he eased himself into her carefully, desperate to feel every inch of her. He paused for a moment, allowing her to adjust before slowly rocking his hips against her. 

As they moved together, Liam began sucking and nibbling on Riley’s earlobe. Riley whimpered in response, her hands running up and down his muscular back. She wrapped her legs around him and dug her heels into him, urging him to move faster. He complied, and almost immediately, he felt her walls starting to clench around him. 

“That’s it Riley. Cum for me, love.” He locked eyes with her again, bringing one hand to her cheek to ensure she held his gaze through her release. 

Riley’s back arched as she lost control, the muscles in her body tensed, and she screamed out in pleasure. “Oh god Liam, yes!”

Watching and feeling Riley come undone was all Liam needed to push him over the edge. He thrust into her one last time with a guttural groan as he filled her with his seed. 

They laid still for several moments, Liam resting his face in the crook of Riley’s neck, breathing in her scent as his breathing slowly began to return to normal. He then removed himself from her and laid on his back, pulling Riley to his side. She rested her head on his chest, and he responded by planting a gentle kiss on the crown of her head. 

“Are you feeling better?” She tilted her head up to look at him. 

He stroked her cheek and smiled softly at her. “Much. Thank you Riley.” Their lips met in a brief kiss. 

“Good. Now please try to get some sleep, we’re going to have a lot to figure out in the morning.”

“Of course. Riley?”

She looked up at him, eyelids heavy. “Hmm?”

“I love you, so much.” He kissed her on her forehead. 

She smiled and leaned into him, placing several light kisses on his chest. “I love you too, Liam. Always.”

He let out a content sigh and tightened his arms around his wife as they both drifted off to sleep.

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Liam x Riley:

@jared2612​

[ukulelecal]

Bloom - Part Three

The story of flowers.

Pairing: Poet!Luke Hemmings x Female!OC

Warnings: mentions of alcohol/drinking, anxiety, bit of angst, fluff as well

Word Count: 7.9k

A/N: the finale!! i really really loved writing this and i hope you all enjoyed reading it. if yall are interested i would love to write more about luke and devon in the future!! anyways. like always, i ask you to remember how important reblogs and feedback are, and i hope you love it!!!

series masterlist

my masterlist // posted on ao3

Moving back in with Luke was as painless as moving could be.

It was much easier than when Devon left in the first place. She didn’t have help then, and there was the anxiety about moving to a whole new place and starting grad school all while going through a breakup. This time, Luke was there, and she was going to a place she knew and loved.

Within a week, Devon was packed up and ready to go again, after a quick pause for the official release of Luke’s book, a cause for celebration. All her belongings were taken by the movers and her and Luke flew back home without a hitch. Ashton was still in the process of packing up his own belongings and assured the couple that he would be out within a few days, cracking a joke about making sure to keep the noise down until he was gone. Devon and Luke sped up the process by helping him pack and transfer everything over to Calum and Michael’s flat.

Finally, they were alone. And thank God for that.

“Is it weird being back?” Luke asked over breakfast the first morning that it was just the two of them. Devon shrugged.

“I thought it would be, but it’s really not. Feels natural,” she explained. Luke smiled in satisfaction, feet rubbing against each other under the table.

He was so glad to have her back. As much as he liked living with Ashton, he needed his girl back. He needed to wake up next to her, share good morning kisses and cuddles until daily duties finally pulled them out of bed. Ashton didn’t make nearly as good of a dance partner while making dinner and definitely never gave Luke a good night kiss.

Now that Devon was back, they could go back to all their normals from before. Luke could lay his head in her lap while she read a book and he wrote. At least, he would try to. The feeling of Devon gently scratching his scalp always distracted him and made him sleepy.

Devon, ever the early riser, could sneak out of bed in the mornings to make a run to the local cafe down the street from their apartment complex for coffee and pastries and be back before Luke ever noticed she was gone. She’d always climb back into bed with him for a bit if she didn’t have anywhere to be, knowing he hated to wake up without her there.

Things had finally fallen into place.

With breakfast finished and cleaned up, Luke and Devon got themselves ready for the day before meeting in the living room.

“What now?” Luke asked, throwing his arms out. “We have the whole rest of summer until you start school again. What do you want to do?”

“Not to be boring, but first things first, I want to see if I can get my old job back,” she chuckled, causing Luke to roll his eyes playfully, though he understood. Rent and loans wouldn’t pay themselves. “But, I haven’t been here in a year. I want to do it all.”

Luke smiled, stepping towards and snatching up his car keys.

“Let’s go, then. Summer won’t last forever.”

Back in Bertha, Luke drove Devon to the office building where she used to work as a receptionist. She hated it, if she was honest with herself; the people there were stuffy and boring, but the job paid well, and that’s all she needed until she finished grad school and got a permanent job. A quick conversation with her old boss had her rehired, the woman expressing how Devon was always the most organized receptionist they ever had, before she made her way back to Luke.

“I am officially a receptionist again starting Monday,” she announced with fake enthusiasm as she shut the car door behind her. “Anyways, I’m thinking a walk in the park and then the panini place a few blocks down for lunch, if that’s okay with you.”

Luke didn’t answer. Devon looked up from clicking her seatbelt into place to find him staring at her with an adoring grin, eyes twinkling with love.

“What?” She mumbled sheepishly, heat rising to her cheeks.

“I’m so glad I’ve got you back, honey. I love you so much.”

Devon barely had the chance to return the sentiment before Luke was leaning over the center console, beard tickling her as he pressed a needed kiss to her lips. He reached over to give her knee a squeeze before throwing the car into reverse.

“Off to the park!”

The walk was relaxing. Luke and Devon both found solace in nature, absorbing up the sunshine and fresh air. Devon realized she needed an updated picture of him in all his beard and glasses glory for her lockscreen. She picked a few daisies from the ground and tucked them behind his ear, using her free hand to cup the side of his face opposite from the flowers and took the picture. It was adorable; his eyes squinted from the sun and his grin was full of joy. She loved it, wasting no time in setting it as her lockscreen. He teased her about it, but a picture of her laughing across the table from him at the restaurant quickly became his new lockscreen.

It was an amazing day. The best day either of them had had in a while, right up there with Luke’s book release. They drifted off to sleep that night with smiles on their faces, ever so content and ever so in love.

One evening some weeks later, Luke hopped in the shower while Devon wandered around the bedroom until he was done so they could watch a movie. She stopped in front of the small book shelf in the corner, eyes landing on The Life of a Flower. She picked up the book, fingertips trailing over the familiar orchids on the cover.

She had read it all the way through a few times, and it didn’t take long to realize that the entire book was about her. The very first poem in it was The Orchids, the first poem Luke had written for her. It started off happy, all poems about their loving relationship, but they slowly got more tragic as the book went on, poems about their breakup. Many of the poems had flower themes, including the flower referenced in the title of the book being a symbol of their relationship and it’s journey.

The final poem was called Sunshine Can’t Save Me Now. It was about a broken man - Luke, surely - trying to save a flower that was already dead - his and Devon’s relationship. He explained that he was at a very low point when he wrote it, admitting that he didn’t have much hope at the time. It was the right way to end the book, considering the state of Luke’s life when it was finished.

It took Luke a half hour to calm Devon down when she finished the book for the first time. She couldn’t stop sobbing as he held her, assuring her that everything was okay now. Her tears were caused by a mixture of resurfaced painful memories and the pure heartbreaking beauty of Luke’s poetry.

She let out a deep sigh. Just thinking about it made her want to cry. The poems really revealed how Luke was feeling about the breakup. He opened up to her about going through a bit of a rough patch, but his poetry said far more than what he ever said to her out loud. She only wished things could have been different; maybe the book would have had a happy ending.

“You ready, babe?”

Devon’s head snapped up at Luke’s voice, seeing him step into the bedroom with wet curls and only a pair of joggers on his legs. She quickly put the book on the shelf and grinned at him.

“Yep, I’m ready.”

She walked towards him, expecting him to turn and go into the living room, but his large hands rested on her forearms, stopping her.

“You okay?” He asked with concern. He didn’t miss the frown on her face when he first walked into the room.

“I’m alright, bubs. Come on,” she insisted, grabbing his hand and pulling him into the living room.

“You sure?” He coaxed as they sat down on the couch together. She looked up at him with a smile and nodded. He searched her face; she really did look alright. He sighed and pressed a prickly kiss to her cheek. “Okay.”

Devon tossed a blanket over the two of them as Luke pulled up the movie. She cuddled into him easily, head resting on his bare shoulder. With an arm wrapped around her shoulders, his fingertips gently danced over her forearm, the touches subtle but meaningful.

They greatly appreciated the quiet moments like this. No expectations, worries, or watching eyes. Just the two of them, flowers in a pot rather than a field.

Devon felt her eyes start to droop, as they did most times when they watched movies at night and she got too comfortable. Luke would tease her relentlessly about not being able to stay awake through an entire movie, but he was more than happy to hold her sleeping figure until the movie ended, then carry her into bed with him.

Halfway through the movie, Luke glanced down to see Devon’s eyes closed, noticing her breath had slowed down. A soft grin spread across his face. She looked so peaceful when she was asleep. The weight of school and work weren’t twisting her face. She was at ease, calm.

Luke’s lips ever so softly connected with Devon’s forehead. The tickle of his beard made her stir for a moment, but quickly settled back into his shoulder. He wanted this forever. He wanted Devon to fall asleep on him every night, fall asleep with her in his arms and wake up with her right there next to him. He had known that for a long time, but at the moment, the love he felt for the stunning woman right next to him was overwhelming.

He watched her sleep for another moment before an idea popped into his head.

He quickly paused the movie and gently scooped Devon up into his arms. She cuddled into him, thankfully staying asleep as Luke carried her into the bedroom. He laid her down on the bed and pulled the sheets carefully over her. Once he was sure she was still asleep, Luke quickly moved into the spare room and pulled out his most recent notebook.

The words came easily, flowing out onto the paper as water flowed through a stream. The poem was short but heavy, a depiction of white roses to match a white gown. A vow to love forever, through whatever life may throw at them. Through sickness and in health. He let out a deep breath once the final line was written.

Luke would save the poem for later; now wasn’t a good time. But one day, Devon would hear it, and have a brand new ring on her finger to go along with it.

…

The rest of the summer was certainly one to remember.

Devon and Luke were lucky to have similar work schedules. Their days off typically lined up, and even if they couldn’t see each other much during the day, they were always both home to have dinner together.

Luke’s book was doing well in sales and reviews. Readers begged for more, desperate to find some sort of closure on the wilting relationship detailed in the book. They had no idea that things worked out in the end, the flowers revived.

Summer came to a close. Devon’s second and final year of grad school was starting, only two semesters away from her master’s degree. Luke had some promotion opportunities for The Life of a Flower lined up, and was starting to think about a second book.

He was hesitant to quit his job at the bookstore. He didn’t feel like he was established enough in the poetry world to be financially stable without a more steady source of income. If he could just write all day, every day, he would. Until then, he would stay a manager at the quaint store in the city.

“Are you nervous?” Luke whispered to Devon the night before her first day of classes. The couple was cuddled up in bed, Devon’s head on Luke’s chest.

“A bit,” she sighed. “I guess I’m more nervous about what comes after I graduate.”

She figured a master’s degree would open more opportunities, but there was always uncertainty when it came to job hunting. She had time before she needed to start looking, but the thought always made her worry.

“Don’t be nervous, honey. You’re the smartest person I know. I have every faith in you that you’ll be amazing. And remember, I’ll always be here.”

His words brought a smile to her face. He always knew just what to say when she needed comfort.

“I love you,” she whispered as she began to drift off. She heard his return of the sentiment before sleep took over, her final sleep before being thrown into the whirlwind of a final year of grad school.

…

First semester was nothing short of overwhelming.

Devon was swamped with assignments, constantly scrambling to get things done between classes and on her breaks at work. She spent hours at her computer, back aching and eyes burning, pressure heavy on her shoulders.

It took a lot of deep breaths and reevaluation to remind herself that she only needed to get through two semesters, and she would be done. She would have her master’s and grad school would be over. School being done meant a job hunt, but she tried not to think about what came next. She needed to stay focused in the present.

Luke wasn’t around much. He was away a lot doing interviews and signings for his book, taking up extra hours at the bookstore in his free time to save money - for multiple things he had in mind.

When he was home, Luke’s mission was to make sure Devon stayed sane. He could see the stress school was putting on her, and she tended to overwork herself. He had to force her to take breaks, even if it meant physically lifting her from her desk chair and carrying her into the kitchen to eat. She would always give in, but it never lasted long until she scurried back to her studies. Saturday nights, however, were always reserved for date night. No work, no school, no commitments to anything other than each other. It was their favorite night of the week in which they got to relax and let their minds drift from responsibility.

Winter break was like a sigh of relief for the couple. Devon got her first proper night’s sleep in months, putting Luke’s worried self at ease. They divided up the time between Luke’s family and Devon’s family, of course setting some time aside for themselves. It was relaxing, refreshing, and the perfect break before second semester.

Now just a few months away from her master’s degree, Devon had to bring her A-game. She had her thesis paper to worry about, along with the dreaded job search. It was a lot to tackle all at once, but she was prepared for the challenge. She had her eyes on the prize, and all the stress would be worth it in the end when she fulfilled her goal.

Luke still had promotion things to do, but he was starting to focus on writing more. He wanted his second book to have a story like his first one did. He planned on making it a sequel of sorts, a tale of his and Devon’s saved relationship after their breakup period, but not in a way that a reader would have to read The Life of a Flower to understand.

It was only a couple weeks into the second semester that Devon’s workload quickly got massive. Between gradual work on her thesis paper, class assignments and her job, things got difficult pretty quickly. Luke was busy as well, cranking out drafts upon drafts of poems that he wasn’t even happy with. He knew he needed to slow down and focus on quality over quantity, but it was difficult when he knew publishers would want options.

Luke and Devon’s individual stress began to put a stress on their relationship.

There was hardly time for each other. Devon was usually out of bed before Luke in the mornings, and it was a guessing game to see who would retire to bed first at night. No matter who it was, it was always at an hour far too late. It affected Devon especially, who was used to turning in early most nights. There were rarely good night or good morning kisses, and most dinners were whatever was easiest and quickest.

Actual date night got canceled most Saturdays as someone was usually too tired to go out; it had gotten to a point where the closest semblance they had had to a date in weeks was a trip to the grocery store.

All of the tension built up more and more, and eventually it led to the little time they had to spend together being full of petty arguments. It started with Devon snapping at Luke for leaving his pants on the bedroom floor, and it only grew from there. Little things that used to not bother them much caused ridiculous bickering.

It was scaring Devon. Their relationship was starting to feel like the days leading up to their breakup. Tense and bitter. Every little argument with Luke left a foul taste in her mouth, and she didn’t want to let it go on. They promised each other that they were going to make things work, and that meant they needed to sit down and talk like adults.

Devon knocked softly on the spare bedroom door where Luke had shut himself away to work, as usual. She heard a soft “come in” from inside, and gently pushed the door open.

Luke looked up from his notebook, and she quickly noticed the dark circles under his eyes. What pained Devon the most was that they had probably been there the whole time and she had been too frustrated to notice. Not frustrated at him, either; it was school and work, and she was taking it out on him.

“You alright?” He asked, seeing the worried look on her face. She simply sighed and stepped forward, taking his open arms as an invitation to take a seat on his lap.

“Can we talk, bubs?” She whispered. Luke’s hand gently rubbed her thigh as he nodded in agreement. Devon continued. “I’m sorry I’ve been so rude to you lately. It’s not an excuse but school has just been a pain in the ass.”

“It’s okay, honey. I’m sorry too. I think we’ve both just been really on edge lately,” he mumbled, pulling her closer. “We need to find time to unwind.”

Devon hummed in agreement, leaning her head on Luke’s chest. The gentle thump of his heartbeat was comforting as she took in his touch. She couldn’t remember the last time they were so close physically.

“My spring break is coming up next month. Maybe we could go somewhere? Even if it’s just for a few days?”

Luke smiled a bit at the suggestion.

“That sounds nice.”

Perhaps a getaway would do them good. They could leave all work and school behind and just have fun together. The last time they took a trip was spring break junior year of undergrad. They spent most days getting drunk and making out on the beach. They laughed until they forgot what was funny and ate their way through the local restaurants. Maybe they were overdue for a nice vacation.

Devon leaned up to press a kiss to Luke’s scruffy chin.

“Let’s go to bed, bubs.”

The two of them climbed into bed at the same time for the first time in a long time that night. Luke pulled Devon into his arms and they exchanged a good night kiss, thoughts of a vacation lulling them to sleep.

…

Luke and Devon eventually decided on going back to the beach for spring break. They didn’t have much money to go anywhere fancy, and they had a lot of good memories associated with the place. Devon insisted on taking her car for the drive, unsure about Bertha’s ability to make it through the trip, but Luke still insisted on being the driver.

With luggage loaded into the trunk, the couple hit the road.

As passenger, Devon got the aux. She played the road trip playlist that she perfectly crafted for the occasion, and the drive was spent singing along and dancing in their seats.

Devon glanced over at Luke. It was golden hour, a gorgeous glow casting over the gorgeous boy that she was lucky enough to call hers. He looked so happy and in his element. Devon squeezed his hand that was resting in her lap.

“You’re staring,” Luke mumbled without returning her gaze, a small smirk on his face. She giggled.

“Can’t help it. You’re beautiful.”

A blush spread across his cheeks under the orange glow of the setting sun. She squeezed his hand again as a reassurance before turning her eyes back to the road.

Soon enough, Luke pulled into the parking lot of the small hotel they had booked a room at, the same place they stayed at junior year. It wasn’t exactly a five star establishment, but they didn’t expect to be spending much time there anyway.

After loading their small amount of luggage from the trunk, they made their way into the quaint lobby to check in. The walls were covered top to bottom in tacky beach decorations, coastal throw pillows on the white couches. It wasn’t what Devon would call good interior design, but it was fitting for the location and only made her more excited for the trip.

“We’ve got a reservation under Hemmings.”

The man at the front desk handed them their room keys and a pamphlet with some local attractions and restaurant recommendations. They were off to their room afterwards, a small thing but plenty for the two of them.

“Remember the last time we came here?” Devon asked as they got settled in, carrying her toiletries into the bathroom.

“I remember coming, but I can’t say I remember much of the actual vacation.”

Devon laughed at that; they spent a good majority of the trip drunk. She couldn’t say she remembered many specifics either, just some tidbits. Based on the blurry pictures they found in their camera rolls afterwards, they could imagine they had a good time.

Luke pulled on a clean shirt before joining Devon in the bathroom where she was leaning over the shower, setting her shampoo and conditioner on the wire shelf on the wall. She turned around to face him, finding a small smile on his face.

“C’mere, honey,” he hummed with open arms. Devon flushed and melted into him, feeling him press a kiss to the top of her head. “This was a great idea. I love you.”

“I love you too, bubs.” She puckered her lips for a kiss that Luke gladly delivered. “How about we walk around to find a place for dinner?”

Luke agreed and the two were out the door. Hand in hand, they strolled around the small beach town. There wasn’t a chain restaurant in sight; every place was a local business. They didn’t look like much on the outside, but the couple were firm believers that the holes in the wall and the greasy spoons were usually the best places.

A taco restaurant with a calming seafoam green exterior beckoned Devon and Luke inside, sitting down for dinner. The slightly run down building was no comparison to the delicious food.

With full stomachs, the couple made their way to the beach. The spring breaker crowd was thin at the time, most people gone for dinner, but surely it would fill up again later at night for the real fun.

Luke and Devon slowly strolled down the beach, carrying their shoes in their hands that weren’t interlaced together. The sun was barely still peaking out, and a cool breeze began to rip through the air.

“I forgot how pretty it is,” Devon commented as they walked. The setting sun over the ocean was a lovely sight to see. Luke hummed, dropping her hand in favor of wrapping it around her waist.

“I love it,” he mumbled in response. “And I love you, honey.”

Devon turned her head to press a chaste kiss to his shoulder, leaning her cheek on the spot.

“I love you too, Lu.”

They walked until they reached a wooden bench swing. It was a bit creaky but comfortable, Luke using his feet to slowly swing them back and forth.

“I’d like to live here one day,” Devon said dreamily. “On the beach. Maybe after we retire. We’ll be that old couple that sits on their front porch all day and watches the waves.”

Luke could picture it perfectly. They would be the laid back grandparents that took the grandkids to the beach all the time, having bonfires in their backyard on warm summer nights. They would have their own little beach house with a porch swing and a dog. He wasn’t too keen on growing old just yet, but the thought definitely made the future seem bright.

“One day,” he affirmed. “But what about now? Where do you want to live after you graduate?”

“I think I want to stay where we are.” She glanced up at him, eyebrows furrowed. “Is that where you want to be?”

“It is.” He bent down and pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. “We could live anywhere and I would be happy as long as I had you, Dev.”

“You’re so cheesy,” she chuckled although her heart soared. She felt the same way; white picket fence house or tiny apartment, she would be content so long as she had Luke.

“I’m a poet. It’s my specialty.”

The couple laughed before falling into silence again.

Luke meant what he said. He still wanted to be in the city and close to all the job opportunities for Devon, but he wanted more than their little apartment. It was perfect for college students, but they had always yearned for something more. Once Devon got a job after graduation and if his book sales continued to be successful, they could achieve their dreams soon.

The rest of the trip was pure bliss. They spent their days lounging on the beach and popping in and out of antique shops in the town. There were many photos, many laughs, many heartfelt kisses. It was exactly what they needed to recharge and regroup. After weeks of tension, they were finally at ease.

All too soon, it was back to reality. Devon had a thesis paper to finish, and Luke had a book to get back to work on. However, they were confident that the workload wouldn’t put such a strain on their relationship this time. They had a newfound energy to power through and make things work.

Time flew by, and before either of them knew it, Devon was only two weeks away from graduation. She was only two weeks from having her master’s degree. She had to admit she was proud of herself. Grad school was no walk in the park, and she was about to finish. In a world that seemed to be against her, she was succeeding.

It was both an exciting and stressful time in her life. She was approaching the finish line, and she even had a few job offers lined up. No more receptionist work for her.

There was one thing that was bringing her down; the damn thesis paper.

Her first draft was done, but she wasn’t happy with it. She spent hours editing and rewriting, fingers cramping from all the typing. She only had another week to finish, and the panic was starting to set in.

“You’re working yourself ragged, honey,” Luke said one afternoon, not missing the concerningly dark circles under Devon’s eyes or the fact that she had been wearing the same shirt for three days. He placed his hands on her shoulders, thumbs working the stiff muscles. “Come on, take a break.”

“I don’t have time, Luke,” she huffed, eyes never leaving her computer screen. “I only have a week to finish and this paper is shit.”

Luke felt his heart break in his chest. It pained him to see her so stressed out and unsure of herself. Devon was a perfectionist; she would settle for nothing less than fantastic for her paper.

“Devon, look at me,” he mumbled, gently grabbing her chin to turn her face towards him. Exhaustion weighed heavy on her features.

One look into Luke’s sincere blue eyes had Devon’s own watering. Her bottom lip trembled as she turned around in her chair to stand up. She collapsed into Luke’s arms, a pained sob escaping her lips.

“It’s so hard, Lu,” she choked out. “It’s so hard.”

“Oh, honey,” he cooed, slowly walking backwards until they reached the bed. He laid down and coaxed Devon to join, still crying into his chest. “It’s alright, just let it out. It’s okay to cry. I’m right here.”

She sobbed until she had no tears left, cries subsiding to the occasional sniffle. She felt a sense of relief, letting out a deep breath.

“You okay, baby?” Luke inquired. He only got a nod in response. “I told you you needed to take a break, Dev.”

She sighed and mumbled something incoherent, burying her head further into Luke’s chest.

“What do you want to do now, honey?” He asked. “You want to take a nap? I know you’re tired.”

She did want to nap. She wanted to sleep for days, but life didn’t allow that.

“Shower,” she grumbled, voice muffled. “Then nap.”

“Alright,” he agreed softly, thankful that she wasn’t fighting him on taking a break anymore.

While she showered, Luke straightened up her workspace a bit, knowing the mess would only stress her out more. He also prepped some celery with ranch dressing, one of Devon’s favorite snacks, for her to munch on before she went to sleep.

Devon let the hot water soothe her aching muscles. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back, relishing in the warmth. She didn’t want to take too long of a break, but Luke was right; she was working too hard. If she was well rested, felt good, and paced herself, she would do much better.

After her shower, she changed into one of Luke’s clean t-shirts and her most comfortable pair of leggings. She stepped out of the bathroom and walked back to the bedroom, quickly noticing her tidy desk and the plate of celery on her nightstand.

She could have started crying again, just because of how sweet he was. He had a certain knack for being able to make her feel better instantly.

“I’ve got a snack for you to have before you take your nap,” Luke explained, standing up from the edge of the bed. “Celery and ranch.”

She stood up on her toes to press a grateful kiss to his lips.

“Thank you, bubs.”

Curled up in bed, she nibbled on her snack until she could barely keep her eyes open. Setting the plate back on the nightstand, she moved herself to lay down and curled up next to Luke.

“Don’t let me sleep too long, okay?”

“I won’t, I promise,” Luke assured. “Just go to sleep, honey. You need it.”

Devon dozed off contently. With Luke by her side, she was ready to take on the next two weeks.

…

Devon’s knee bounced the whole flight to the city of her grad school, as much as Luke tried to calm her down. She wasn’t sure why she was so nervous; she had been through graduation ceremonies before. All she had to do was walk across the stage, get her diploma, and shake a few hands. It was simple.

“Why are you so nervous, honey?” He had asked, rubbing her thigh to soothe her.

“I don’t know,” she huffed. She reached for Luke’s hand on her leg to fiddle with the rings on his fingers. “I don’t think it’s the ceremony that I’m nervous about. It’s just...I don’t know.”

The fact that she didn’t know what was bothering her only stressed her out more. She knew there really was nothing to worry about. She had gone through her bag a million times before leaving for the airport; she had her cap and gown, as well as the dress and heels she bought for the occasion and enough clothes to last the trip. Her phone was tucked safely in the pocket of her joggers along with her wallet. Pretty much anything else, she could either live without for a few days or buy it there.

If she wasn’t worried about the ceremony and she knew she packed all the essentials, then what was she so nervous about?

Luke dropped it for the rest of the plane ride, but once they got to the hotel, getting ready to meet Devon’s parents for dinner, the way she paced around the room and fidgeted with everything she could get her hands on was starting to make him nervous.

“Everything is going to be fine, Dev. You’re getting your master’s and your parents are going to be there to see you. I know they are so proud of you. You worked so hard for this. Isn’t that exciting?”

The realization finally hit.

Devon’s parents expected a lot from her. She knew they always wanted the best for her, and she did everything she could to make them proud. Her parents were loving people. They always said that they would be proud of her no matter what, but Devon never felt like she was doing enough.

“That’s just it, Luke. What if it’s not enough? What if they expect more?” She rambled, straightening her necklace for the thousandth time.

“What more could they expect? You just finished grad school. That’s a huge accomplishment,” he tried to reason with her.

“Anything. They could expect anything else.”

Luke realized what was happening. The need to make other people proud bled into a need for herself to feel accomplished. Even if her parents told her a million times that they would always be proud of her, she would always need more. She needed validation.

“Devon Murphy. Look me in the eyes.”

He grabbed her shoulders to stop her pacing. She stared up at him, eyes wide with nerves.

“I need you to realize that your worth is not measured by physical accomplishments. Your worth is not measured in grades and degrees. And even if it was, you’ve done better than the average person. You say your parents will want more, but I know for a fact that you have already made them more proud than you can imagine. You will always be enough.”

Devon wasn’t sure when she had started crying, but Luke used his thumbs to wipe the wetness off her cheeks. She definitely needed to hear that. Unable to find the right words, she leaned up to kiss him, a silent expression of her gratitude.

“Love you,” she whispered against his lips. He grinned and gave her one last peck before pulling away.

“I love you too.” He wiped away the bit of smudged mascara under her eyes. “Are you ready to go?”

Devon nodded. Hand in hand they headed out the door and to the restaurant.

Devon’s parents were ecstatic to see her. They hadn’t been able to visit since the holidays, and they were simply overjoyed to see their daughter and watch her get her master’s degree.

They were excited to see Luke as well. From the moment Devon first brought him home to meet them, they knew he was the one. They looked at each other like they were the entire world. Luke was kind and respectful. They had full faith in him to be a good man for their daughter.

Naturally, they were shocked when Devon told them that her and Luke broke up. It was the last thing they ever expected, but they knew deep down that things would work out in the end. They were right.

The meal went smoothly. The lively conversation put any anxieties Devon was feeling at ease, and as the night ended and her and Luke were off to bed, she was ready.

…

Devon took her time to get ready in the morning.

She got up early so she could take a long shower, cleaning well so she felt her best. She blow dried her hair and took her time doing her makeup. She did it lightly, wanting to look natural but not washed out in the inevitable countless photos she would be taking.

Slipping on the orchid purple color dress she bought, she glanced at herself in the mirror.

Luke’s words from the evening before rang in her mind. This was a huge accomplishment. She had done many amazing things in her life. She was enough.

Devon walked out the bathroom with a smile, ready to go. Luke was sitting at the small table in the corner, hunched over his notebook. He had already changed into his dress shirt and slacks, ready when she was.

His eyes widened when he saw her. She was simply glowing with confidence and pride, as she should. He smiled brightly as he stood up to meet her.

“You look stunning, my love,” he mumbled. He shook his head softly. “I’m so proud of you.”

“Thank you, bubs.” She glanced past him at his notebook. “What are you writing?”

“Don’t worry about it,” he chuckled.

He grabbed Devon’s black gown from where it was hung on the closet door and handed it to her along with her cap. With a deep breath, she was ready to go.

The ride to the school was short. Devon and Luke met up with her parents beforehand.

“We are so proud of you, sweetheart,” her dad announced, placing his hands on her shoulders.

“We always knew you would do amazing things,” her mom added in, tears welling up in her eyes.

Devon finally felt like she had done enough. Looking at her parents, she knew that they were truly beyond proud. She was enough.

“Don’t cry, Mom,” Devon chuckled warmly, pulling them in for a hug. “I wouldn’t be here without you two. Thank you.”

They talked for another minute before a different familiar voice called Devon’s name. She turned around to find Luke’s parents walking up, big smiles on their faces. Her mouth dropped at the surprise, heart bursting. Luke hadn’t told her that he invited them, but it made her so happy that they were there as well. Her relationship with them was very strong.

“Liz! Andy! Oh my gosh, thank you for coming!” She cheered, sharing hugs with them as well.

“Luke invited us. We’re so proud of you, Devon. We wouldn’t miss this,” Liz said, Andy piping in his agreement.

Devon couldn’t contain her smile, glancing at Luke in appreciation. This was her family, all together and there to support her in her biggest accomplishment. She felt proud, excited, and loved. She couldn’t ask for more.

The three couples chatted and took a few pictures until it was time for Devon to go. She exchanged hugs and kisses with each person before heading off to join the rest of her graduating class, Luke and the parents going to find their seats.

The anticipation as she waited to enter the gymnasium was killing her, lined up in a sea of caps and gowns. She shifted her weight back and forth, making small talk with the person standing in front of her that she had never met just to pass the time.

Eventually, the line began to move, walking right towards the next chapter of their lives.

The sound of Pomp and Circumstance filled Devon’s ears as she walked inside. The massive crowd made her heart rate pick up a little, both in excitement and nerves. This wasn’t just her big day. So many other students were feeling just the same as she was, so many other families beaming with pride. It made her feel good to be a part of something so grand.

Devon quickly glanced around for her family, but the crowd was too big to spot them. She took her seat in the folding chair, and the ceremony began.

Many people made speeches, most of which Devon wasn’t familiar with, but listened intently anyway. Before she knew it, it was time to call names. The first half of the alphabet flew by, and suddenly, it was Devon’s turn.

Her heart pounded in her ears as she stood at the bottom of the steps, her smile wide. After every all nighter, all the stress, she did it. She finished grad school. She had her master’s degree in social work.

“Devon Murphy.”

The crowd cheered as she walked across the stage. She could hear a few cheers that stood out among the rest, and she knew exactly who they belonged to. She couldn’t help but laugh as she was handed her diploma and shook hands. Nothing was funny, but she had never felt such a sense of pride and joy.

Devon barely heard the rest of the ceremony. She was buzzing, staring at the diploma resting in her lap. She did it.

Her attention was regained when the people next to her stood up, and she quickly followed, walking out of the gymnasium. Everyone made their way to where the graduates could meet their guests. It took a minute to find them in the crowd, but she spotted them.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the group as she ran towards them, pulling them all into a group hug. They all chorused their congratulations and pride. The love between them was strong, pride immeasurable.

Devon hugged her parents and Luke’s parents individually before she got to him. His smile crinkled his eyes, grabbing her face and pressing a firm kiss to her lips.

“Congratulations, honey,” he mumbled once he pulled away. “You did it. I am so, so proud of you.”

The group took many, many pictures before heading off to have a late lunch. Luke refused to tell her where they were going on the drive there, but soon enough Luke pulled into the parking lot of a fancy steakhouse.

“This place is like, the same price as my tuition, Lu,” she stated, giving him a look.

“Only the best for our graduate,” was his simple response, sending her a wink before getting out of the car. She rolled her eyes playfully but followed, grateful for the treat.

Luke and Devon’s parents meet them inside, talking to the hostess for a moment before being led towards the back of the restaurant. Devon followed, confused when they passed all of the tables in the dining room.

“Where are we sitting?” She whispered to Luke, but her question was answered when the hostess opened a door that led to an outdoor patio. String lights were strung through the awning, a perfectly set table for six sat in the middle. There were no other tables out there, telling Devon it was private.

“You guys!” She exclaimed, glancing around the group with a grateful smile. “This is too much.”

“You just got your master’s degree, Devon. This is the least we can do.”

The group all took their seats, a server quick to come and take drink orders.

The meal was phenomenal. The food was delicious, and it was also nice to be able to have everyone together. Devon and Luke’s parents had only met a couple of times, so they were glad that this was an opportunity for everyone to be together.

After dessert, Luke rested his hand on top of Devon’s on the table. She looked at him with a grin, but he looked nervous. She furrowed her eyebrows.

“What’s wrong?” She asked. She snuck a glance around the table, noticing that they were biting back smiles. Now more confused than concerned, she turned back to Luke.

“Nothing’s wrong, honey,” he assured. “I, um...I have something for you.”

Luke grabbed Devon’s hand and pulled her to stand up with him. She glanced back at the group; they had pulled their phones out, holding them up.

“Lu…” she murmured under her breath, heart rate picking up and heat rushing to her cheeks. He sent her a comforting smile and took a deep breath.

“I’ve been trying to write this poem for you for weeks now. I just haven’t been able to get the words right. But this morning, I finally finished it. I’d like to read it to you, if that’s okay.”

He didn’t give her a chance to respond before he pulled a neatly folded piece of paper out of his pants pocket. Trembling fingers unfolded it, Devon watching as a million thoughts of what this might be ran through her mind. Luke held the paper in one hand and reached for Devon’s with the other.

The poem was beautiful. It spoke of a seed that budded into a vibrant flower, one full of life that lit up a room. The flower radiated love and kindness to all. It spoke of a love that was true and pure. Devon was barely holding back her tears by the time he finished reading, squeezing his hand.

“That was incredible, Luke,” she whispered shakily, smiling. He squeezed her hand in return and set the paper on the table.

“I just have one thing that I want to ask you now.”

He reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket, pulling out a small black box. Devon gasped, finally putting the pieces together. Time went in slow motion as he sank down to one knee, opening the box. She didn’t even look at the ring. She was staring at Luke, at least trying to, through her tears. Her hands covered her mouth in shock, heart racing.

“Devon Jo Murphy...will you marry me?”

All she could do was nod. Words completely escaped her. She hardly even registered the cheers from her family as Luke slipped the ring onto her finger. He quickly stood up to meet her, pulling her in for a bruising kiss. Their tears mingled together, arms wrapped tightly around each other.

“I love you so much, Devon. So fucking much.”

“You’re my world, Luke. I love you with my entire heart.”

They finally pulled back and looked at each other. Their eyes were red rimmed and their smiles beaming. They laughed, so full of love and joy. They were shortly joined by their parents, congratulating and hugging.

Everything about Luke and Devon was beautiful. The love they had for each other was as abundant as a field of flowers. Bright, joyous. A college seminar led to a wonderful, blooming relationship. And bloom, they most certainly did.

[puppy-phum]

pingxie thoughts (and prayers) bonus 1/2

tbh i was very unsure if i should be doing any analysis on these pictures when am not that well aware of what happens here (i’ve never read the novels) but these pics just really deserve it. after this, i will try to return to the regular blabbering posts at some point but i hope you enjoy these in the mean time. part 2 you can find here.  

side note: the photos from the digital magazine (the ones without any watermark) belong to @/thosch3i who has been doing amazing work at keeping us all updated and translating things ♥ 

The Bazaar Photoshoot – Ideal Reality

As ppl probably know by now, the theme of this photoshoot was the Pingxie reunion that happens after the ten years Xiaoge has spent behind the Bronze Gate. I don’t have an impression of the original scene in the novels but ZSX and XYL very lovingly provided us with the most important dialogue in the video clips we got (which I will not be analyzing here bc this would become even longer than it already is), so I have at least some type of overall view through that. 

At first tho, I’m going to divide the photos into two categories which I will be labeling as “the (ideal) reality” and “the (future) dream”. In this first part I will be focusing on “the reality”. 

(more under the cut bc the pics obviously make this kinda long)

This part I called “reality” happens in the pictures with colors, where Pingxie are dressed in their more casual clothes (tho idk, who goes on a mountain in a suit? def neither of them, I bet, but it’s a photoshoot so let’s forget that). In these photos the whole reunion itself happens, concrete and very much real, easy for us to imagine. (One of the first teaser pictures we got was of this moment and it really felt like their reunion even without any context.)

They are facing each other in these photos to properly give off the feeling of them walking towards each other, meeting halfway, and finally colliding after all those years. (This also happens in the video clips so I think it really is their purpose here, to make them physically meet.) 

Wu Xie is grasping Xiaoge’s shoulder like he’s trying to make sure that Xiaoge is real. Like he’s trying to make himself believe that Xiaoge is actually there, right before his eyes, alive and healthy and for him to touch. (And I very much think that he is trying to do just that, trying to make himself believe, bc this moment is so unreal after all those years spent alone. I wonder how many times he saw mirages during the past years only to wake up and realize it was just a dream.)

In these photos where they face each other, it feels like they are looking at each other but then also kinda not? It’s like they’re looking through each other almost, seeing something more before them than just a person. Maybe it’s the future they see, or the past. Maybe it’s those both at the same time. (Maybe this is just me reading too much into them when they’re only being awkward and maybe I should stop. Maybe.) 

Then there’s also that permanent smile on Wu Xie’s face that I adore. It’s like in this reality there’s nothing that could make him happier than seeing Xiaoge again. Wu Xie seems so utterly delighted to be here (which, obviously, understandable. He’s waited a decade). His smile and eyes are so soft here. There is adoration in his look bc he’s been finally reunited with the person that matters the most to him. And Xiaoge meets him with this stoic look, this blank face we very often see but his eyes are locked to Wu Xie too. He’s glad to be there, glad to be back. (And I’ve heard that in the novels Xiaoge returns from the Bronze Gate without any serious trauma etc. but is that really realistic? I don’t think so. So only in this “ideal” reunion, neither of them carries the weight they actually do and can meet like this, happy and easy.)

Also, as a quick note, I need to mention the glasses in the photo below. It’s a cool little detail. It feels almost like a nod towards the fact that Wu Xie wishes he could change himself. That he could still appear the same in front of Xiaoge, be as innocent, be that “tianzhen wu xie” he used to be. Are the glasses his innocence then or him without it? I don’t know. 

Then let’s move to the lying-in-the-snow photos. Those seem to emphasize that, in fact, this truly is an ideal reality, a moment that’s almost idyllic to Pingxie. There is that feeling of basking in the other’s presence, the joy of closeness, the unhurried moment of pure bliss. They haven’t seen each other in ten years, Wu Xie has gone through hell, Xiaoge has been lost in darkness, and they both know the sacrifice they’ve made for the other. They are finally here after all that. They obviously want to enjoy their moment together, and I feel like these photos show how they wish for this moment to last. This moment that is still carefree and just filled with joy. Bc on that mountain, in the middle of the snow, they are not part of the cruel world quite yet. They’re away from reality even if this still is real. This is their little bubble, untouched by the life outside of this snowy scene.

After that, I gotta mention here that these are my personal favorites out of all of the photos we got. Especially the picture above where Wu Xie is smiling. He looks so content and happy in it that my heart just melts (and after knowing what happens in Sand Sea, he really does deserve happiness). 

I find it kind of symbolic in these photos how Wu Xie is the one with his eyes closed, basking in the moment, while Xiaoge is looking into the distance. It’s like Xiaoge is already being pulled away a bit, even in this ideal reality of theirs. He’s always away, not completely there. Even he himself doesn’t know who he is, like XYL said in their interview for the magazine. He would be the one to move first, if they had to.

But then again, in the picture below where Wu Xie has his eyes open, Xiaoge is turned towards him. His focus is solely towards Wu Xie while Wu Xie looks into the camera with eyes that could be almost seen as angry. And all of this feels like some type of new resolve, like things really have changed.

With this, it’s interesting to note that the photo above is, besides being the only one where someone is looking at the camera, also the only one where the snow isn’t falling. This makes it feel like some type of turning point, the crashing of reality. It’s like they have reached what they were looking for and now this is where we will move forward. This is where they have become something new. This is where and how they meet the world again. 

And how does that happen? With the new roles they have taken in each other’s lives. Wu Xie has come to protect Xiaoge, wishing to keep him safe from all those ppl that try to use him when he’s vulnerable. Wu Xie’s look in this feels almost like a warning to those ppl. And then there’s Xiaoge, finally in touch with his humanity despite of being so far away from it for a decade. He’s accepted that he can be someone that feels, who needs ppl beside him. He’s curled on his side here, looking very soft, almost fragile – and that’s what he can be now, with Wu Xie. (And we really gotta thank XYL for giving all of this humanity to Xiaoge bc now he feels real, and I always break when I think about the affection and understanding he has towards his character, it’s truly amazing). This is the photo where things have changed and we return closer to the “true” reality. 

So, in the end, this “ideal reality” consists of the actual reunion scene – which feels like the realest or most realistic part of the photoshoot – and then these other moments that follow, these brief happiness indulged dreams that probably only appear in their minds. (These feel a bit like those extra sappy scenes you get in romance dramas where a short moment suddenly turns into a pastel pink hued musical number, just saying.) This is Pingxie’s romanticized reality. It’s what they wish could happen – and maybe it does in some ways, tho I doubt they really go rolling around in snow like that. But I still wish they both can truly smile and be happy and forget about the world for a bit. The reality is harsh – let them dream a little. 

(more about those dreams in the next part!)

[writing-prompts-for-friends]

Notes from Stephen King’s “On Writing” 07: The Revision Process

Next, King walks us through his revision process. He makes it clear that this method is not the only method. It is merely a method. 

How Many Drafts?

“For me, the answer has always been two drafts and a polish (with the advent of word-processing technology, my polishes have become closer to a third draft).”

King admits that this number of drafts is not the golden rule. Kurt Vonnegut rewrote each page of his novels until he got them exactly the way he wanted them. This meant that when the manuscript was finished, the book was finished. (I certainly am not that big of a perfectionist, nor am I that patient lol.)

For beginner writers in particular, King offers the following advice:

“Let me urge that you take your story through at least two drafts; the one you do with the study door closed and the one you do with it open.

“This first draft--the All-Story Draft--should be written with no help (or interference) from anyone else. There may come a point when you want to show what you’re doing to a close friend because you’re proud of what you’re doing or because you’re doubtful about it. My best advice is to resist this impulse. Keep the pressure on; don’t lower it by exposing what you’ve written to the doubt, the praise, or even the well-meaning questions of someone from the Outside World. Let your hope of success (and your fear of failure) carry you on, difficult as that can be. There’ll be time to show off what you’ve done when you finish...but even after finishing I think you must be cautious and give yourself a chance to think while the story is still like a field of freshly fallen snow, absent of any tracks save your own.”

Basically, King just wants you to get it all out onto the paper, with no external forces influencing you (for better or for worse). Just get that first draft out, and then open it up for closer examination both to yourself and others.

Let It Breathe and Then Dig In!

Okay, so you finished writing the first draft! Celebrate! Rejoice! Maybe cry!

...And then throw that manuscript into a drawer, lock it up tight, and don’t look at it for a minimum of six weeks. And in the meantime, do something totally unrelated to what you wrote. Get into knitting. Write a short story that is nothing like what you just finished. It’s consumed you for months now--so give your mind and imagination some time to reset and chill. 

King recommends a minimum of six weeks, but even longer is okay. Resist all temptation to peek at it. And once the six weeks have passed, do the following:

“Take your manuscript out of the drawer. If it looks like an alien relic bought at a junk-shop or a yard sale where you can hardly remember stopping, you’re ready. Sit down with your door shut, a pencil in your hand, and a legal pad by your side. Then read your manuscript over.

“Do it all in one sitting, if possible. Make all the notes you want, but concentrate on the mundane housekeeping jobs, like fixing misspellings and picking up inconsistencies. There’ll be plenty; only God gets it right the first time and only a slob says, ‘oh well, let it go, that’s what copyeditors are for.’

“If you’ve never done it before, you’ll find reading your book over after a six-week layover to be a strange, often exhilarating experience. It’s yours, you’ll recognize it as yours, even be able to remember what tune was on the stereo when you wrote certain lines, and yet it will also be like reading the work of someone else, a soul-twin, perhaps. This is the way it should be, the reason you waited. It’s always easier to kill someone else’s darlings than it is to kill your own.”

You’ll also be on the lookout for any glaring holes in the plot or character development. And if you spot any of these big holes, you are forbidden from feeling depressed about them. Don’t be hard on yourself. Everybody makes mistakes, and they can all be fixed. 

Generally King goes through the first reading fixing all the superficial issues, like typos and unclear antecedents. But as he’s doing that, he’s also asking himself the Big Questions:

Is this story coherent? 

If it is, what will turn coherence into a song?

What are the recurring elements?

Do they entwine and make a theme?

What’s it all about?

“Most of all, I’m looking for what I meant, because in the second draft I’ll want to add scenes and incidents that reinforce that meaning. I’ll also want to delete stuff that goes in other directions. There’s apt to be a lot of that stuff, especially near the beginning of a story, when I have a tendency to flail.”

I can understand what King is saying here about the flailing at the beginning. Because I do not plot when I write, I have ideas that crop up halfway through that would require being introduced earlier, for example. Or perhaps as my understanding of the characters evolved as I wrote more, I realize that they behaved out-of-character earlier on. This is certainly one downside to not plotting. But isn’t is also kinda liberating to be able to take detours and wind up at a different but equally interesting destination?

Okay. So go ahead and fix all of the issues you found, and your first revision is complete.

Second Opinions and the Second Revision

“Do all opinions weigh the same? Not for me.”

Now you’re done with the first draft. You’ve patched over any plot holes and smoothed out those typos and grammar mistakes. You’ve polished the symbols and themes until they shine.

Once this is done, King gives a copy of work to his wife and several close friends (4-8) to receive detailed feedback. In other words, he has several close friends beta for him. 

“Many writing texts caution against asking friends to read your stuff, suggesting you’re not apt to get a very unbiased opinion from folks who’ve eaten dinner at your house and sent their kids over to play with your kids in your backyard. 

“The idea has some validity, but I don’t think an unbiased opinion is exactly what I’m looking for. And I believe that most people smart enough to read a novel are also tactful enough to find a gentler mode of expression than ‘This sucks.’ Besides, if you really did write a stinker, wouldn’t you rather hear the news from a friend while the entire edition consists of a half-dozen Xerox copies?”

What he gets back is 4-8 very detailed and different analyses of what he wrote. What’s very important to remember is that every reader looks at a work through a different lens. If half of them say a character’s portrayal is far-fetched but the other half say the opposite, than their feedback regarding that point has balanced out. However, if the majority of them say that something doesn’t work, then King goes back and sees if he can improve it. 

Also, different readers pick up on different details. This is the age of internet and now we are able to check facts whenever we like, but it is still nice to have something of a subject matter expert on hand, because they are liable to pick up on details that the writer may not. 

For example, I often beta fanfiction for anime. I am fluent in Japanese, live in Japan, and have studied Japanese culture and history. While I would never claim to be a “subject matter expert” on Japan, I am able to make certain corrections regarding, say, the type of kimono a character should be wearing, that the writer would not have considered. 

It’s very easy to accept feedback that deals with facts (i.e. a beta corrects you on the standard procedures for CPR). However, it’s much harder to handle subjective feedback (i.e. “The ending felt inconclusive.”). Having put as much work as you have into creating this, it can feel like a personal attack because this story is a very dear part of you. What do you do if your beta tells you something like this?

“Subjective evaluations are, as I say, a little harder to deal with, but listen: if everyone who reads your book says you have a problem, you’ve got a problem and you better do something about it.

“Plenty of writers resist this idea. They feel that revising a story according to the likes and dislikes of an audience is somehow akin to prostitution. ... But come on, we’re talking about half a dozen people you know and respect. If you ask the right ones, they can tell you a lot.

“Do all opinions weigh the same? Not for me. In the end I listen most closely to [my wife], because she’s the one I write for, the one i want to wow. If you’re writing primarily for one person besides yourself, I advise you pay very close attention to that person’s opinion. And if what you hear makes sense, then make the changes. You can’t let the whole world into your story, but you can let in the ones that matter the most. And you should.”

I think, especially in the age of prolific fanfiction in which the author usually updates as they write the story, the author feels a lot of pressure from their readers. Readers chomping at the bit for the main characters to have a naughty scene, or demanding to know about that one secret thing that you keep alluding to. A lot of fanfic writers struggle to tow the line of “writing a good story based on reader feedback” and “pandering.” 

My advice to fanfic writers out there is to tell those thirsty readers to read a one-shot if they’re looking for a quick fix of smut, and to have some goddamn patience. You’re trying to tell a story, one that builds and progresses, and that takes time. Don’t give in to those “OMG MAKE THEM KISS ALREADY” reviews. But if a lot of readers say something like, “I feel like this character wouldn’t do that,” then perhaps you should re-evaluate that. 

On Pace and Reducing Glut

“Formula: 2nd Draft = 1st Draft - 10%.”

So now you have your first draft done. You have your feedback from your trusted betas. And now you need to go and make the final changes. 

King states that you should rely on your most trusted betas to gauge whether or not your story is paced correctly and if you’ve handled the back story in satisfactory fashion. “Pace” is the speed at which your narrative unfolds. 

”There is a kind of unspoken (hence undefended and unexamined) belief in publishing circles that the most commercially successful stories are novels are fast-paced. I guess the underlying thought is that people have so many things to do today, and are so easily distracted from the printed word, that you’ll lose them unless you become a kind of short-order cook, serving up sizzling burgers, fries, and eggs over easy just as fast as you can. 

“But you can overdo the speed thing. Move too fast and you risk leaving the reader behind, either by confusing or by wearing him/her out. ... I believe each story should be allowed to unfold at its own pace, and that pace is not always double time. Nevertheless, you need to beware--if you slow the pace down too much, even the most patient reader is apt to grow restive.”

So how can you strike a happy medium? Rely on your most trusted betas and their input. King says, “Every story and novel is collapsible to some degree. If you can’t get out ten percent of it while retaining the basic story and flavor, you’re not trying very hard. The effect of judicious cutting is immediate and often amazing. You’ll feel it and your betas will too.”

On backstory, King issues some opinions and advice:

It’s important to get the backstory in as quickly as possible, but it’s also important to do it with some grace.

A reader is more interested in what’s going to happen instead of what already did.

Even when you tell your story in a straightforward manner, you’ll discover you can’t escape at least some backstory. 

“The most important things to remember about backstory are that (a) everyone has a history and (b) most of it isn’t very interesting. Stick to the parts that are, and don’t get carried away with the rest.”

Source: King, Stephen. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. Hodder, 2012.

[statusquoergo]

Hi! I was wondering if I might ask for some advice? A few days ago, this idea for a Marvey fic came to me randomly and it's been running circles in my mind ever since. It's gotten to the point where I even started to rewatch the show after three years. I've got certain scenes in my head too! The problem is that I'm quite terrible at seeing projects through. I don't really have the time lately to put a lot of my effort into this story unfortunately, but I also have a track record of giving up on stories I'm super passionate about halfway through. I was wondering if you had any tips or advice? You're one of my favorite writers and I hoped you might be able to help. Thank you!

Hi! Wow, am I really? Wow. I never think of myself as being one of anyone's favorite anything, that's really sweet of you to say, thank you so much! And of course you're more than welcome to ask, I'll do my best to be helpful!

Oh boy, I've been there... Having scenes already playing out in your head sounds like a good start, though! Better than having a vague premise with no concrete ideas, anyway. But seeing projects through can be tough, for sure, and the inherently fickle nature of fanfiction's feedback loop doesn't make it easier. So! Tips and advice!

A lot of people, especially those with little free time, benefit from a schedule, blocking out time in the day to dedicate to writing without distractions. If that works for you, great! But if it doesn't, that's cool too. It doesn't for me. Forcing myself to sit down and write at any given moment is one thing, but making it an appointment is something else entirely, and it messes really badly with my productivity. I guess the point of this is, don't feel bad if you don't stick to a strict schedule, but also don't let yourself totally off the hook; if you want your story to get written, you'll probably occasionally have to make yourself write it, even if you don't think you want to. Moments of vivid inspiration are amazing, yeah, but they aren't all that common; sometimes you've just gotta sit down and crank out a few paragraphs. A shitty first draft is better than no draft at all, and you can always go back and edit it into something you love!

When I'm not actively writing, I do my best conceptualizing while I'm doing other fairly low-energy things, like going for a walk or watching television or something, and then writing down parts of scenes, or even just thematic ideas I want to include somewhere in the piece, as they come to me. (I have also been known to force myself out of bed as I'm trying to fall asleep to write down snatches of dialogue that have just occurred to me... I recommend keeping a notepad and pen close by, it's much less hassle.) Whenever I can find the time, I'll turn them into a chapter, or part of one, but this method allows me to keep engaged with the story even when I'm not actually drafting it.

Lack of inspiration strikes us all, though, and in that case, it's totally fine to leave a story alone for a little while. The key there being "a little while"; give it a good night's sleep or a day off, but then, even if you don't get right back into writing, at least start thinking about it again until you're ready. Or maybe do get back to writing first thing! Sitting at your computer and making progress, even if it's progress you ultimately delete, at least puts you back in the writing mindset and gets you back into the world you're creating.

This is partially specific to the world of fanfiction, but don't be afraid to vary your chapter length. If you like to get your chapters up to 5000 words before you post, great, that's a fine baseline, but if you've managed to put together a few scenes that only get to 1500 words and still tell a cohesive story, or part of one, it's perfectly okay to post that, too. Getting feedback on new material can be a great motivator, but it can also be really motivating just to have that sense of accomplishment of putting more of your writing out into the world and seeing that word counter go up. Not to mention, updating the Last Updated date can make a fic seem more current, and maybe help get it back to the front of your mind!

I think the main theme here is, do what you can to keep yourself immersed in the story you're working on, even when you're not working on it. And I know this sucks to hear and nobody wants to think about it, but sometimes you do have to force yourself to write. If you haven't worked on your story at all for the past two weeks, ask yourself what's holding you back. Did you lose your passion for the material, or are you just frustrated? Did you even realize it had been that long? What made you want to write the story in the first place? What's the ending you want to get to, and what's keeping you from getting there? Remember that even writing a little bit is better than writing nothing! It's fine to take a break, but don't give up!

These tips aren't universal, of course, no advice works for everybody, but I hope at least one thing I've said can be helpful to you! Best of luck!

[theclearwaters]

ok so I’m not caught up on ‘between who you are and who you could be’ yet but this story has me in a chokehold. it is SO good. I haven’t been this affected by a fic in years, and every time I read it I get so inspired to do better at writing my own twilight fanfic because you do it so effortlessly.

you absolutely don’t have to answer this at all, but do you have any general writings tips for twilight fanfic writers, especially fics with characters who aren’t given much in canon like leah?

you don’t have to answer this ask at all. I hope you’re having a wonderful day!

Anon 🥺🥺 I have been writing a Blackwater breakup chapter all evening, and I am drained, but this is what finally set me off. I have never had one of these before 😭

(I wrote this all and then realised it was really long, so hold on. I’ll collapse it.)

Leah and Leland/Lee are my favourite to write, and I think if you really love something that much (prepare for the slight cliche) then that comes across on the page. It shouldn’t be a slog to write! I also read and review a lot, and that definitely encourages people to check out your profile. And like you said, reading definitely gives me inspiration and makes me think about my own fics.

You are really kind and I’m a bit overwhelmed, can you tell?? 🥲🥲

The Blackwater ‘ship is bigger than I knew. Most notably (on FFn, at least) you’ll find sentinel10, Austwigirl, Jacobleah, Aunt Bran, Silverfires, CatTheWall, Babaksmiles, InesSL, PastOneonta, scifiromance, who are *huge* Leah stans (and writers) and will always leave a review. I will die happily if you’re in that list.

There is also hyacinthed on AO3/FFn (definitely check them out for Leah/Jacob and Leah/Quil) who is out of this world and recently gave me some technical tips for posting new chapters, which has definitely boosted my audience in the last day alone. Don’t mind the copy and paste:

-ppl tend to be more loyal to fics with a predicted total chapter count (something definite rather than ?), even if u update the estimated count during the fic

-there's particular times to post if you wanna be popular but who cares idk google that if u care

-on the top ribbon, click browse > collections, and you can search for collections of fics that come under a certain theme. posting to a collection can help u get more traffic, or you can make your own

-browse > collections > filters > prompt meme challenge allows u to check out collections of prompts that you can then write a fic about and link it to the group, really helps w traffic and inspo

I’ve also noticed from posting a few ‘M’ fics recently that they draw in a waaaaaay different audience. Also, because you have to specifically set that filter to see the fics, they don’t get nearly as many hits as Between Who You Are and The Garage, for example, which is rated ‘T’. But you probably already know this stuff. I’m a bit of a twat and have only recently learned. What do I know, I just live in my own world and post.

I mean, that’s only scratching the surface?!?! I will talk Leah/Leland/Jacob/Julie all day with you if given the chance. (I am riveriver#0001 on Discord 👀)

I hope that answers at least some of what you were asking.

Maybe try being a panster?? It’s a wild ride. I started BWYA with knowing what I wanted to happen and how I wanted it to end, and not much else. And now we’re 140K+ into it and barely halfway through the main plot points of Eclipse 😳🤯

Seriously, though. You’re the best and turned around my whole day.