#I will apply every cliche ever

[thisiscarlatrying]

modern!ellie hcs

notes/warnings: this is my first time doing something like this.. 😭😭 i hope u like it🙏 also, ellie and reader are dating and a lil of loser!ellie... that's just the way she is 😞

not proofread i think, i'll try to make it as good gramatically as i can but no promises 🙏🙏 (english is not my first language forgive me 😭😭)

| CONGO, SUDAN, PALESTINE | DAILY CLICK | DON'T BUY TLOU |

modern!ellie who cuts her own hair.. she REFUSES to go to a hair salon, she says it's a "waste of time and money"

modern!ellie who is kind of into fashion, i think she'd dress like this or like this...

also i just know she LOVES LOVES LOVES jorts, when spring starts that's ALL she'll wear

AND you guys just share clothes, you steal all her clothes and she steals yours

modern!ellie who wears a LITTLE bit of makeup, just mascara and chapstick. highlighter for special occasions

also her lips are so dry... 😭 she applies chapstick every five minutes and is constantly losing hers so you had to get her a one of those BIG vaseline things because she wouldn't stop stealing yours

modern!ellie who is a cat girl. you guys have like three cats together and they all look like the both of you

also their names are you guys' ship names until you ran out of name combinations and the names you had to choose were something like "sardine" or "chicken nugget"

modern!ellie who just loves kids cartoons like adventure time or the amazing world of gumball

modern!ellie who is CONSTANTLY daydreaming about being spidergirl and swinging around the city (spidergirl!ellie hcs coming soon... 🤭)

modern!ellie who plays minecraft and stardew valley for eight hours straight

modern!ellie who LOVES youtube and can't have a meal without watching a video

i KNOW she loves sinjin drowning. I DON'T MAKE THE RULES 🤷‍♀️

modern!ellie who has an INSANE vinyl collection.. it's all divorced dad music but she also owns a few of your favourite albums for when you come over<3

modern!ellie who is a barista. JUST HEAR ME OUT OKAY. while she's studying in college or something she works part time at a cafe... picture her with her little ponytail (like 17yo ellie) and her sleeves rolled up... UGHHH😭😭 she's so fine i can't.

talking about college... modern!ellie whose major is something nerdy like physics, astronomy or engineering... or maybe even architecture since she likes drawing so much

modern!ellie who was BEGGING you to move in with her until you finally agreed.. your apartment is the cutest thing ever, i feel like ellie's decorating style would be something like this:

modern!ellie who loves cuddling SOOOO MUCH. she's so touchy, she just IS.

modern!ellie whose burps make the entire building shake. it's actually insane and they smell so bad like.. you can smell the subway meatball sandwich she had for lunch earlier that day 😭😭

modern!ellie who constantly brags about you being her girlfriend, she never shuts up about you. and all of her instagram and tiktok posts would be about you (except from her outfit checks, of course)

modern!ellie who loves those cliche robbing movies, do you know what i'm talking about?? like those about robbing a bank or a museum and there's this incredibly unrealistic plan that comes out perfectly... THOSE kinds of movies. she eats them up EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.

modern!ellie who fights with people on the internet constantly 😭😭 she sees a comment on a tiktok video with an opinion different than hers? SHE'LL REPLY. and she's going to wait for HOURS for the other person to respond

modern!ellie who secretly loves laland. i said it.

modern!ellie who either sleeps for 12 hours straight or won't sleep for two days. there's no in between.

modern!ellie whose walk is so funny 😭😭 it's almost like she's jumping while she walks

modern!ellie who carries a picture of you absolutely EVERYWHERE

and your apartment is filled or pictures of both of you

modern!ellie who loves her friends. she makes those stupid tiktok slideshow trends about friends but posts them privately because she's embarrased about it 😢😢😢

modern!ellie who has a journal and writes every single thought that crosses her mind down. and when she doesn't have her journal with her she writes in her notes app

modern!ellie who secretly fucks with taylor swift's sad songs and cries to them

okay i think that's enough.. im getting a little too carried away 😭😭 lmk if you like them or if i should make a part two!!

[frownyalfred]

i love love LOVE your DC outsider POV fics and was wondering if you’d do one where Jason is arrested by the JL (big cliche I know, but I love your writing!) and either Batman/Bruce Wayne comes out to bail him out.

This bit from your latest fic gave me the inspiration and the idea of Batman going full on threatening to the JL is just mmmmmm

““So when I say,” Wayne leaned forward, voice lowering, “that I don’t bribe cops, I mean it. I fund equitable and transparent police forces. But if I ever hear about you pulling over my butler again, I promise you, I will bribe every single precinct in the country to throw out your application. I will blacklist you from every single mall cop or parking lot security job you apply to. You won’t ever be approved for a firearm permit again. Am I understood?”

Matt’s eyes were painfully wide. Blood pounded in his ears. He must have nodded, or something close to it, because Wayne pulled back, his threat hanging between them in the suddenly-frigid air.”

Ahhh thank you so much! I’ve only read a few of those fics, but I love them so much. The idea is that Jason is usually held on the Watchtower and Batman can’t come get him for Reasons, but Bruce Wayne as the League funder can, right? I love it.

Hmmm…..🧐

[nightlyrequiem]

Be Still My Heart

Chapter 10- The Offer

Masterlist AO3 Next Previous

New Chapter Every Saturday

You're the best in the meth industry but a new product suddenly pops up. You and your boss, Valeria, must figure out who is making it so you can take back the market. All the while tension is building between the two of you.

A/N: When I was outlining chapters like four months ago, I thought each one would be 2k words, but I'm struggling to get them over 1100. SOS

Tags/Warnings: Illegal Substances, Boss Employee Relationship, Angst, Some Hurt/Comfort, Violence, Manipulation, Suggestive Themes, Smut (But Only in CH19.), Dual POV

Valeria's fist collides with the wall. The skin on her knuckles splits, and she lets out an aggravated breath. Stiff with rage and filled with indignation. The lab has been destroyed, nothing was salvageable. Which means no more product will be produced for a while. She places her face in her hands and rubs at her temple. Clutching at her hair until it hurts. Replacing everything is going to cost a fortune. All because of you. Maybe hiring you was a mistake. Meeting you was a mistake. No. That's too harsh, she thinks. She's been caught and arrested, nearly killed more times than she can count, betrayed, what is this but a small setback? Life has thrown as many obstacles as it could at her and like the cockroach that she is, she's survived all of it and came out stronger.

The image of her men dragging your limp, bleeding body from the flames is seared into her brain. You looked so still. Valeria thought you were dead, if only for a few moments. She thought she lost you before she ever got to have you. The grief she felt cut her to her core and that scared her more than anything. Valeria shakes her head and ignores the dull sting on her hand. She needs to start replacing all the equipment and materials lost to your stupidity. As Valeria pulls out her phone, intending to call up some contacts, it rings.

"What?" She answers. Her irritation bleeding into her voice.

"... Valeria." A man says. One of the people she sent to Pajaro Azul. "That meth? It's here, too."

Valeria simply grunts in response.

"But we can't locate the source. Everyone we speak to is just the dealer for the dealer." He continues. "The Pajaro Azul Cartel is starting to get testy about us being here. We nearly got into a shootout yesterday. They want us gone. I don't think it originated from here" He trails off, waiting for her to reply.

Valeria collects her scrambled thoughts.

"Stand your ground." she decides stubbornly, not caring that she's putting their lives in danger. Danger is what you sign up for when you join a cartel. "Don't come home until you find something that makes you know instead of think."

"But Patrona-" 

Valeria hangs up before he can finish. She sighs warily. All thirty-seven years of her life sit on her shoulders heavily. Applying bruising pressure to her collarbones. She needs to speak to you. Valeria said some harsh things to you, which she isn't sorry for. However, she is still... fond of you and knows that what she said has upset you. Valeria stalks over to her desk, grabbing the small vase of flowers she had purchased for you earlier. Soft, pale pink petals hang over short light green stalks. The botanist she visited had many other options. some with different flower arrangements. Valeria liked the single type arrangement best. It's uniform. She had considered roses but figured it would be too cliche.

You're asleep in bed. Lying on your back. The sight makes her uncomfortable. The same stillness that made her think you were dead. Valeria gently grabs your shoulder.

"Hey." She says, giving you a light shake. Your brows furrow with displeasure and you open your eyes groggily.

"What?" You mutter thickly, voice deepened from sleep. What an attractive sound. Valeria files it away for later use.

"I'm just checking up on you." Valeria murmurs. Setting down the flowers on the bedside table. Your eyes shift away from hers. Her hand twitches. Wanting to lay it atop yours. She sits herself down on the bed slowly. "How are you feeling?" 

"Fine." You reply.

"Just fine?" Valeria frowns. "Your leg is injured, you have first degree burns, and stitches."

"I know."

Valeria sighs. "I'm sorry for how I spoke to you." Even if she isn't sorry, she can at least pretend to be. "I was just angry and worried. you're not useless. Not even close."

Your frown deepens. "...Okay."

"I don't want you moving around though." She clears her throat. Patting your knee. 

"Why not?" You ask, sitting up and clearly not happy about Valeria's decision.

"You can't even walk on you own." She reminds you.

You shake your head in protest, sweat lightly glistening on your hairline.

"You're not going to keep me here for my entire healing process, are you?" 

Valeria picks up on the discomfort in your voice. "Well, I can't let you go home like this. You live alone, correct?" She already knows the answer, of course. A small apartment near downtown. Single bedroom and empty of all life when you aren't occupying the space.

"Yeah, but I can still take care of myself."

"You can't walk." She repeats herself. An idea pops into her head. An image of you in the spare bedroom in her own home. Just a few doors down from her room. Isolated and reliant her. Valeria really likes that image. She's also going to file that away for later use. "You can come stay with me."

She watches you closely. Your hands grip the edge of the thin, scratchy blanket that hasn't been washed since it was bought.

"That's... kind, but I don't think it's necessary." You reply carefully.

"I insist." Valeria says, leaning towards you without breaking eye contact. She knows you don't want to, but she also knows you can't do much to protest. There's a dubious satisfaction to be found in that fact. In the control she has over you. "Chemists are expensive and hard to come by, I want to make sure you're back to full health without any hiccups."

"That's really not... necessary, I'd hate to intrude."

"it's no problem, really."

"I'm sure you'd like to keep your privacy."

"Plenty of privacy at my place."

You look away, jaw tight.

Valeria cocks her head at you. She isn't pleased that you seem so... unwilling. she understands hesitance but it's like you can't think of anything worse than staying with her. She's not used to this feeling of rejection. But then again, she doesn't ever present people with the opportunity to do so. Like when she could feel her ex-girlfriend pulling away. Just the smallest gut feeling. Valeria shut herself off from her and left her first. Valeria will always have the last word, always.

"Sure, thank you, Valeria." You begrudgingly relent. 

"Good." Valeria smiles faintly. "Just make a list a list of some belongings you may need or want, and I'll send someone to your apartment." That person will be Valeria, of course. She's probably just as uncomfortable as you are at the idea of some stranger pawing through your belongings. Good thing Valeria isn't a stranger. Besides, she's never been inside your home and she's curious to see what your dwellings look like. 

[blackbat05]

Confessions of a Roommate

Jason Todd x Reader (University AU)

Plot: Jason comes back to you shared dorm injured leading to confessions from the both of you.

Genre: PG-13 (Fluff with description of injuries)

A/N: Wrote this in one shot after being inspired by a post about cliche prompts? Honestly can never go wrong. Also time passes so fast that it’s so surreal? Graduating soon so wanted to do another university AU? Reblogs and comments appreciated!💓

(Also was looking for a gif and this is perfect for what I wrote?)

***

You lost count at how many times you had to blink at the screen. The words on your laptop were starting to merge together. Groaning, you saved the progress of your work before making yourself some tea.

As much as you wanted, you couldn’t go to sleep yet. The last hurdle before your graduation, you dissertation was giving you more problems then you anticipated. Also, there was another reason that you were burning midnight oil.

You whip out your phone, scrolling through your favorites before hitting on Barbara’s number. True to her name, she picked it up on the first ring.

“Hey Babs, I was wondering if you heard from Jason? He’s supposed to be back by now but I can’t reach him.”

“That’s strange, he left the library half an hour ago.” There’s a moment of silence between the two of you and Barbara quickly fills it. “Don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll be fine. I’ll get Dick to check in on him.”

You thank Barbara, hanging up the phone. Jason was more than capable of handling himself, but the two of you had a roommate code - to always check in with each other whenever either of you had schedules late into the night. It was not like him to break the code.

Pacing up and down in your room, you decide to look for him yourself. As you were about to grab your keys and jacket, you hear the rattling of the doorknob that could only mean one thing. Quickly sending a text to Barbara that the search wouldn’t be necessary, you go to the door.

“Jason!” You momentarily froze at the sight of his bruised face. “What happened? Are you okay? Who did this to you?”

The barrage of questions made your best friend chuckle. “I’m alright. You should see the other guys.” He throws his belongings to the side, not caring where it landed. Jason makes a beeline for the couch, his large frame sprawled on the brown leather.

“Guys. As in not one.” You deadpanned, staring at him for answers. Jason gives a nonchalant wave, expertly dodging the hidden meaning behind your question. “Hey, could you get me an ice pack? I don’t wanna turn up to Mrs Rogers class like a panda. Not when I’m her favorite student.”

“Rub it in literature prince.” You rolled your eyes. Making your way to the kitchen, you extract the medical kit that you bought ever since you first met Jason. “Sit up will ya? Let me see how bad it is.”

He quietly follows your instructions, hissing every now and then when the tip of the cotton bud brushed over fresh wounds. You’re fixated on treating his injuries that you don’t realize how close you are. But Jason does. And he can’t help to admire your beauty.

He gazes at the way your eyes reflect how deeply focused you are. He notices how your nose crinkles when you apply the cream on his face and how your lips are slightly parted as you made sure you didn’t miss any injuries.

“There, all done.” You closed the lid in satisfaction. “Now, can you tell me how you ended up looking like our campus bus ran over you?”

Jason sees the look of concern on your face and decides against lying to you. No use hiding it. Maybe it was time to tell you everything that he had been desperately trying to keep a lid on. He takes a deep breath, preparing himself.

“Before you question me, yes I was studying with Gordon and Grayson.” He sees that you haven’t said anything and takes it as his signal to continue. “I left on time and I was just about to text you that I was on my way back.” Jason pauses, the mere thought of it making him see red.

“You know Chris Anderson?”

“Yeah,” you nod. “And his bunch of cronies from the football team. Why?”

“I met them on the way. Anderson thought it was a good idea to talk crap about you in front of me. And no, I’m not going to tell you what they said to me or I might just end up killing one of them.” Jason balls his fists. Although the blood was cleaned up, you could still see traces of bruising.

Taking his hand onto your lap, you hold it gently, rubbing your fingers over his palm. The repetitive action seemed to have calmed Jason down and he exhales loudly. You give him a reassuring smile.

“Thank you Jason. You always do so much for me.” You frown slightly thinking of the fact that this wasn’t the first time Jason had gotten himself into an altercation. “But please be careful. I don’t want you getting into any unnecessary trouble because of me. Those guys are just dickheads.”

He raises an eyebrow at your choice of words, causing you to shrug. “I mean what I said Jason. I know you can take care of yourself but what if one of them takes it too far. You know how they’re like. I can’t stand the thought of you being hurt.”

As the words fall out of your mouth, you realized what you had just said. Embarrassed, you removed your hands from his grasp, abruptly standing up. “Just… don’t do it again ok? I was seriously worried.” You attempt to make your way to return the medical kit only for Jason to hold you at the wrist.

Looking down at his hunched figure, you struggle to decipher his expression. Until he let’s out a huff of relief. Before you know it, Jason brings you to him, enveloping you in a big hug.

“This is so crazy.” He laughs. “We’ve been friends, roommates for half our lives and you had bigger balls than I had.”

You pause at his words, gently prying yourself from his hold to look at his gleeful smile. “Wait… are you saying?”

“Yes, I like you. I’m sorry it took several fights and a busted lip to tell you how I felt but I am in love with you.”

Breaking out of your stupor, you wrapped your arms around Jason. Enamored with his pine scented perfume, you buried your face into his chest, hoping that Jason didn’t see the growing blush on your face.

“I love you too you idiot.”

Jason only hugs you tighter, not wanting to let go. He does see your flushed face from the mirror, but perhaps Jason will leave the teasing for another day.

After all, he had all the time in the world.

[velvet4510]

“My Heart Will Go On” has been played and replayed so often that it’s commonly considered cliche at this point to associate it with anything outside of Titanic, to apply the beautiful message within its stunning lyrics and Celine’s angelic voice to another story or specifically another couple.

But I must admit how the song screams Tolkien to me.

The ages of the world go by, and even as things change and disappear, spirits endure. Elves fade from our world, but endure in the West. Dwarves and hobbits disappear from history, but continue on in the shadows where we can never see them. Men rise and prosper. All their hearts do go on.

And more specifically, look at all the Elves - Círdan, Elrond, and Galadriel especially - who persevere and continue to be strong after enormous personal losses and struggles and destructions. Look at how the Númenorean survivors move forward after the loss of their homelands and build new homes. Look at how the Dwarves never truly lose hope of regaining Erebor and Moria, and eventually do both successfully. Look at how the hobbits evolve after the Scouring, replanting the Shire to make it more beautiful than ever before, accepting a working class gardener as their Mayor and crafting new libraries and records. Look at how Tom Bombadil and Goldberry spend all the ages of the world living happily together in their little forest, regardless of what occurs outside their home. All their hearts go on.

Look at how Bilbo and Sam each lose the respective loves of their lives (Thorin and Frodo) but each move forward, opening up to new loves in their families - Bilbo finds joy again with Frodo, Sam finds joy again with Rosie and their children - passing on their stories to the next generation, and going off to find peace in the Blessed Realm. Their hearts go on.

Look at how Frodo loses so much of himself because of the Ring, but rather than lie down and die, accepts Arwen’s gift and sails West to seek the self-care and healing that he needs. His heart goes on.

Look at how Éowyn loses every parental figure she’s ever had, survives years of sexual harassment and oppression, goes through a depression, experiences the horrors and NDEs of war … and emerges stronger and wiser than ever into a new life of love, bliss, growth, and healing. Her heart goes on.

Look at how Faramir endures years of mistreatment by his own dad and the absence of his mom, loses the only family member who ever truly valued him, is touched by the Black Breath … and survives to flourish in a new position, rebuild a broken realm, and find true love. His heart goes on.

Look at how Legolas watches almost all of his mortal friends die, but chooses to move on to the place where he can endure and not fade, carrying all his cherished memories with him. His heart goes on.

It’s actually a beautiful thing to think about.

[honeytonedhottie]

quality of life‧₊˚✩彡🎐

this post is a collaboration with @prettieinpink my lovely mutual <3 so make sure to check out ur page for the continuation of this post and it has been a PLEASURE to work with her! go and follow her <3

HEALTH : ur health is easily the most important of these categories and ur own health must be prioritized in every thing that u do. health is wealth, and without health, ur quality of life will be very low.

eat foods that are good for u and that nourish you, pay close attention to ur body and how it reacts to certain foods cuz everyones body is different and u should have a vast knowledge on your own body and how it works. eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. a helpful ratio in eating that i like to use as a basic guideline is (80% of the time, eat healthier foods and 20% of the time eat what u crave)

stay hydrated and drink between 1-3 liters of water a day, about 15 minutes before u go to sleep drink a couple glasses of water, drinking water before bed literally CLEANSES you, it improves ur skin, helps ur heart pump blood more efficiently, and improves blood pressure and heart rate, which affects ur quality of sleep in a positive way

to continue on the note of ur sleep u should be sleeping 8-10 hours of sleep a night. sleep deprivation is NOT cute, so please opt to sleep at an earlier time and rise at an earlier time as well

aside from what u consume, take care of ur health by taking supplements, drinking lots of teas, sleeping enough, stretching ur body, dry brushing, lymphatic drainage massage etc

MENTAL WELL BEING : september is suicide prevention month so i feel like now is an AMAZING time to bring up mental health and ways that u can improve ur mental state of being.

i always talk about self concept and i always will because self concept truly is the foundation of everything. ur whole entire life is literally ur mindset. keeping a positive outlook, meditating and practicing gratitude sounds cliche but it does wonders for ur happiness.

understand that its okay to NOT feel happy 24/7 because happiness is simply a feeling, and feelings are fleeting. they dont stay forever. i talked about the science of dopamine and what it does to ur brain in a previous post but some things that u can do to improve ur happiness levels are :

cutting back on social media and screen time in order to experience the world around you

surrounding urself with people who build you up

consuming social media that impacts ur mental health in a positive way

if u can, invest in therapy and if u can't do some shadow work, and based on ur discoveries with shadow work use the resources that u have (like youtube) to learn how to heal from ur trauma properly. healing isn't an overnight process, its a journey but it will DRASTICALLY improve ur quality of life.

find ways to cope and deal with ur emotions in a healthy way if ur going through a hard time, if ur going thru a REALLY hard time please go and seek help bcuz u dont deserve to live in a constant state of sadness, and if u ever need encouragement my inbox is always open 💗

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE : ur physical appearance can greatly impact ur quality of life also so here's some way to maximize ur looks:

sleep, drink water, and walk everyday - the best way to be pretty is to be healthy so make sure ur taking care of ur nutrition and ur sleep schedule

skincare - build a solid skincare routine and be consistent with it, do ur skincare RELIGIOUSLY 2x a day and dont touch ur face with ur hands unless ur washing ur face. double cleanse and dont forget to apply spf &lt;33

haircare - learn what ur hair texture is and watch influencers or people who share the same hair texture as u and watch how they take care of their hair. once u know ur hair type then ur hair will thrive and be healthy

clean nails, long or short its all a matter of preference but keep ur nails clean and done nicely

wearing clothes that fit and complement ur body nicely, get ur clothes tailored to fit ur body comfortably

take good care of ur hair to keep it healthy, and learn how to do ur hair in cute hairstyles.

lastly POSTURE will tie all of this together, ofc these categories were rly broad but u can totally look into them more to maximize ur own looks and beauty

i know dear peachie on youtube has AMAZING makeup tips especially if ur a beginner she can teach u a lot

GENERAL : this is just a broad category of helpful things that u can do to improve the quality of ur life.

manifestation : when u learn about the way that the world works and operates and how ur mind creates ur own reality u will literally step into the power of knowing that you create. start committing to ur dream life and learning about law of assumption

finding little things to be happy about : i feel my happiest when im consciously living. and what i mean about this most of us just live our lives on autopilot out of necessity or habit, but paying closer attention to our lives and our experiences and romanticizing our lives will improve the quality of ur life

decision making : make decisions that will give the quality of life that u wanna live. for the future, make decisions that are good for ur future self instead of just focusing on making decisions that only look good in that one moment. ofc this differs depending on the situation but make an effort to make smart decisions that'll set the foundation for ur future

go check out @prettieinpink for the next part of this post <;3

[kattythingz]

For the ask game thing, J K R X!

Hoooh? You're approaching me? Well, if you dare...

J - what’s your favorite fanfic trope? Have you written it?

I ADORE A VERY SPECIFIC FLAVOR OF CANON REWRITES. Basically: what if canon but my blorbo was treated as the love interest (and all the cliches that come with that, yes, hello I love whump) and my ship is endgame?

Think literally just Crown. The entire concept came to me years ago because I wanted, so desperately, to see a world where Ed was basically treated as Ling's love interest. And how that would change the plot! How would their relationship develop? How would they act AFTER they're dating? Blorbo treated as love interest + established relationship MY FUCKING BELOVED.

I did it to Ed again with Reliable Conclusion; I did it long before that to Stiles with Sweet Disaster; and I've most definitely contemplated doing it to Shinichi in a kaishin "what if Shinichi played Aoko's role in Magic Kaito" au.

If this trope has no fans left, it's because I'm DEAD.

K - do you have a guilty pleasures in fic (reading or writing)?

Oh, dude, SO MANY. SO SO MANY. I've already said I like my favs being treated as love interests, so you can imagine all the "stupid cliche" positions that I like to write said favs into. I CAN'T HELP IT MAN. I know my blorbos are competent in canon, and I'll never erase that! Any "weak" situation I ever write them into HAS to make canonical sense to me, otherwise I just. I can't.

But also, what's wrong with a strong character needing to be saved? Ed, for example, altho yes yes he's disabled, is also just human. Even without his automail kicking his ass, as a human he can still inherently be weak! You just need to know where to apply that weakness!

Also I really like dressing my favs pretty, heh. I FIND THEM PRETTY AND THUS THEY DESERVE TO LOOK THE PRETTIEST. TIS THE LAW!!!

R - which writers (fanfic or otherwise) do you consider the biggest influence on you and your writing?

Right off the top of my head, SiryyGray from Capra comes to mind. The way they tied Ed's flashbacks into the narrative so time feels WACK. The way their writing style is so damn atmospheric and vintage somehow, like you're IN those 1940s with Ed. THE WAY THEY TIED THAT WHOLE BOY WITH A COMPASS STORY INTO THE LARGER NARRATIVE AND IT HELD THEMATIC MEANING? I ATE THAT SHIT UP.

Their writing style definitely directly influenced mine! Honestly, I've caught myself thinking back on Capra a lot whenever I'm trying to write certain scenes in my own fics.

I can also cite The Map to Everywhere book series (highly recommend) as direct inspo that taught me to just, have FUN with formatting! Even in a published book! That series is my favorite in the whole world and it has so much fun with its visuals and formatting! I really admire it.

X - how would you categorize your fanfic reading? Are you a voracious reader? Do you carefully pick and choose? Something in between?

Oh, god no, I am DEFINITELY picky. Like, "I'm striving to become a professional literary editor" picky. I try so hard but unless your premise is EXTREMELY captivating and ticks all my trope boxes, then even slightly mediocre writing will turn me off at times. I can't unsee if there's a dialogue tag every single line; if the punctuation's bad; if two characters speak in the same paragraph. Every fanfic pet peeve you can think of, I've clicked off a fic from.

It's unfortunate, because I remember being 12 and reading every cool sounding fic I could get my hands on. But my writing's evolved a lot over the years. And so have my expectations for fics because of that. It's not rlly sth I can turn off in my brain anymore, as much as I wish I could sometimes.

[literary-illuminati]

2024 Book Review #65 – Everyone In My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

Due to a mixture of getting hit with one plague after another and also a new Dragon Age game, I basically did not open a book for the first two weeks of November. I can’t recall why this first ended up on my TBR, but an easy read mystery seemed like a good way to get back into the habit. Which it was! A very chatty, very self-aware reading that spent most of its page count just barely on the right side of fun instead of grating, but an excellent potato chip of a book. Not sure whether it would be more enjoyable or entirely insufferable to someone with a more-than-surface-level grounding in the genre.

The genre here being mysteries, of the ‘family reunion in a ski lodge, where everyone has some kind of secret and the bodies start dropping just as a blizzard picks up’ variety. The title gives away the majority (though not all) of those secrets – the protagonist (Ernie) is seeing most of his family for the first time in three years after he testified against his brother in court on a murder charge, as said brother gets out on early release and the family all gathers to welcome him back – including Ernie’s ex-wife, who left him for said brother while he was in prison. Then a body is found lying in the snow, having being killed via suffocating in ash and lelt there overnight, and the only police officer able to make it to th ehill before the storm starts gets nosy. Ernie’s brother definitely-not-legally appoints him as his lawyer, and he ends up desperately trying to figure out what’s happening as secrets come out and more people start dying.

The central gimmick of the story is that it’s diegetically a mystery novel – Ernie makes his living selling ‘how-to’ guides on the genre to aspiring authors on Amazon, and after surviving the events of the books gets a nice fat advance to write a tell-all true crime book about it. A conceit which doesn’t really hold up when you apply too much thought, but does justify the extremely self- and genre-aware narration running through the book. This is the sort of story which gives you the page numbers of every death in the first chapter, and has extended digressions when a cliche of the genre is or is not being lived up to. This, being honest, stops it from ever actually feeling really tense or compelling, but then I don’t get the sense it’s really ever supposed to be. Very Whedon-esque, in both the good and bad ways. The narrator has a lot of quips for the reader.

It also left the book so concerned with being a commentary on the Mystery Novel that it never really became much of a intriguing mystery either – the artifice was just too obvious, ,at least for me. Not that I still didn’t quite enjoy the drawing-room reveal scene, but then I’m just a huge sucker for those in general. In general though, eh, not really my genre I suppose?

A large part of which is the villain being such a – well, demon, basically? There’s a severe mismatch in tone and mood when everyone else feels like sit com characters and then someone goes around horribly torturing people to death as a stress response. Again, not really my genre, but ‘serial killer whose just fundamentally broken by their childhood and a menace to the world’ isn’t an archtype I find particularly interesting in anything, let alone works otherwise going for something like psychological realism.

Not to say it was a bad book overall. Fun light read – just not anything more than that.

[brotherslayer]

If athy main flower is roses then wich one is jennette's?

Officially? I believe it's marguerite daisies. They are in her name, on her dresses, all around her.

In the language of flowers, daisies symbolize new beginnings and rebirth, in addition to love, cheerfulness, beauty, purity, innocence, hope, fun, and affection. They’re also commonly given to new mothers as a symbol of childbirth and motherhood. In spirituality, daisies represent faith and eternal life. One of the earliest associations of daisies with childbirth comes from the ancient Celtic people. Although it’s darker than the symbolism of motherhood and childbirth attributed to daisies today, the ancient Celts believed that when a child or infant died – especially in childbirth – the gods would cover their graves with daisies in an attempt to console those who were grieving the loss. Another early association of daisies with childbirth comes from Norse mythology. The daisy flower is associated with the goddess Freya who is a goddess of fertility, love, and beauty.

If you ask me I find Athy's association with roses a bit boring and cliche. Roses are beautiful but nearly every female lead has roses drawn around her. If it was ever special it's not anymore. Regarding Jennette and daisies I feel a similar way. It fits 50/50 I guess but the meaning is so universal it could also be applied to Athy. I like to associate Jennette with Angel trumpets and lp Athy with Bleeding Hearts.

Angel's Trumpet

Brugmansia suaveolens, Brazil's white angel trumpet, also known as angel's tears and snowy angel's trumpet. The Latin specific epithet suaveolens means “with a sweet fragrance”. Every part of Brugmansia suaveolens is poisonous, with the seeds and leaves being especially dangerous. Ingestion of the plants can cause disturbing hallucinations, seizures, paralysis, coma, memory loss, and death. Angel's trumpets are so lethal that they have been used throughout history and literature as a means of killing a person or committing suicide. Supposedly, it was even used as an execution drug for criminals. Traditional external uses have included the treating of aches and pains, headaches, infections, and as an anti-inflammatory. They have been used internally much more rarely due to the inherent dangers of ingestion. Brugmansia is a symbol of danger, but it also represents vivacity. It is thought to be heralding a time of transformation and rebirth.

Devil's Trumpet

Datura is a genus of poisonous flowering plants belonging to the family Solanaceae. Throughout history, there have been stories about this plant being used to make poisons, witches' brews or love potions. Due to its toxicity and the shape of the flowers, they were granted the common name of Devil’s Trumpet. In some religions and cultures, Datura symbolizes a powerful and dangerous plant. Pictured above is the Purple Queen Devil's Trumpet.

Bleeding Hearts

[manwrre]

ever since i saw billy’s little montage where he was getting ready, i’ve been DREAMING of a modern!witchbilly having this extensive pre-date, grwm ritual. one that he learnt from his mom, of course, who was a devout wiccan.

i’m talking about a routine that takes freaking HOURS and every part of it is infused with a bit of love magic— something that makes him smell and look divine-levels of irresistible but only to the one. which makes things really confusing at first, when oddly enough, it seems to only work on steve ie. his best friend

also known as the guy that he’s been crushing on since he was a kid. since he was a teeny tiny tot and they went to the same pre-k. and he knows, okay? He Knows. spare him the trope conversation. heather doesn’t fail to remind him that he’s a cliche!

so when steve finally asks him out, it’s no surprise that billy just really goes in. i know for a fact, he’d have a spotify playlist named ‘for s’ or some bullshit and the whole time, it’s just songs that remind him of steve. sensual, slow beats beneath the voices of frank ocean or brent faiyaz, alina baraz and dvsn.

and like, the date would be at 6pm or something but billy would start washing his hair from noon so he gets his curls all perfectly coiled. he’d use his signature scent— this rich lavender that always has steve pressing his nose into his nape. and billy would massage deosil circles into his skull to create peace of mind and set clear intentions. he’d then rub widdershins into the same spots to dispel doubt.

his next step would involve having his favorite candles lit up in the bathroom and drawing himself a bath. he’d soak in a tub of water and milk, rose petals and honey; nectar of the gods. and he’d scrub his skin clean and soft with a gentle rag, having shaved the day before and use jojoba oil to moisturize once he’s done. he’ll even dab a bit of vanilla at his pulse points to maintain before he moves unto his usual skincare.

he’d wear his favorite red shirt to incite feelings of passion and desire (and because steve can barely take his eyes off his chest). he’d have three buttons all done up, slide three, silver rings unto his fingers and layer on his three favorite chains; the metal of them cold against his chest.

his mom had always told him that there was deep magic in makeup, too. she’d sit him down at her vanity and run her hand through his hair almost idly, while getting dolled up.

and she was right, of course. there was something primordial about painting one’s face and becoming another facet of yourself. and it was obvious that women had always been inherently magical beings; mothers, like little goddesses, in their own way. his mother, salome? the most golden of them all.

so he’d think of her as he applied mascara to his lashes and eyeliner to his waterline. he’d hear her laughter while he smudged a hint of red lipstick across his cheeks and lips. he’d even blow a kiss at his own reflection or wink, the very same way that she would and knows for a fact, that the magic has been set; imbued so deeply by a love that has won battles and brought men to their knees

a mother’s.

ALSO, it’s safe to say that the first time that steve witnesses the entire process of billy getting ready, he falls in love with him all over again.

[imbecominggayer]

Writing Rant About OOC

I was never ever going to use Tumblr but that was before I became obsessed with AO3 and discovered I was an opinionated piece of shit. Basically, what is going to happen is I am going to say some controversial opinions about my "irrational" anger towards these cliche changes. Just remember this going forward:

If one of your favorite stories apply to this, just remember I am an insane person

I wouldn't hate these cliches as much if these "ooc" stories weren't all I have left to fuel my brain rot. I am a starving orphan.

FIRST AVENUE OF CHARACTER CHANGE: DISTILLING WITH TEARS

There are two common subtypes of "distilling with tears". There is the villainous one and the angst one.

Villainous One: "I am the absolutely evil of *insert story*. But don't judwe mwe :(. Yeah, maybe I abuse my henchmen but I alswo :( have a secret cwush on one of them (///-3-///) which makes this towally fine. Sure, I have twied to kill da heroes but it's okey bcs the hero was evil actually. BTW, I also have a suber duper sad backstory I copied and pasted from someone else :(

My problems with this is two-fold:

First of all, obviously bad backstories, crushes, and revenge doesn't justify being a dick. If it did my dad would still live with us ;0

Secondly, you love this character. With all of their glorious competency, queer-codedness, and wittiness. Why would you want to change all of that? Especially, to something so redudant and uninteresting?

Angsty One: I am a perfectly sane individual with some internal conflict. *gets bwonged on the head by ANGST*. HUH! Woe is me. Here is a hugely traumatic backstory which will never be explained in depth or given any grace: (___). I'm so broken and small. Hey! Remember how sexy I am?! I am just on the brink of a mental breakdown but don't worry! All I need is a hug (^u^)

My problem with this was something I could never fully articulate. Well, obviously there is the fact that not all depressed people have this hugely traumatic backstory of abuse and death to "justify" their "irrational" behavior. I have so many issues that will never have a clear origin story. I also hate the random sexualization of characters while they're in distress. I definitely hate how a character's struggles can only be taken seriously when it's amplified to such extremes and these extremes are treated with a pep talk and a romantic cuddle.

However, I finally discovered my true issue. Thank you Lana Del Rey for the assistance! I'm not like this. When I read angsty stories I am searching for something at least vaguely related to me. Obviously, I know that not every story is like mine but all I can do is approach stories with my perspective.

When I was forced into going to the crisis center for suicidal planning, I didn't feel broken or pathetic.

When I was anxiously carving at my skin, I was still walking around and participating in my classes normally.

When I thought in bed about death, I never felt weak.

I felt whole. I feel perfectly whole.

Maybe it's because I can't distinguish between "new me" vs "old me" but I just feel like "me". My depression isn't sobbing in this melodramatic fashion ; it's quiet and calm. When I have mental breakdowns I'm not a wet tissue paper, i'm dangerously angry and have had to mentally restrain myself from not abusing my cat. When I see stories like this all I can think is how if I someone wrote my story they wouldn't call it realistic enough or sympathetic enough when, to me, these stories aren't realistic. Then again, that's too much baggage to put onto a random fanfic story. Sowwy.

THIS ISN'T THE END. I HAVE MORE RANT MATERIAL IN THE FUTURE. I know that's dissapointing news but it's the truth. No one in my family will listen to my rants.

[ratwednesday]

I've been feeling really weird about my art and I haven't fully figured out why. I'm not saying this because I want people to reassure me or whatever, that's not it - but I've been going through weird life changes again, and I think it's affecting my work/my perception of my work.

part of why I said I was going to take the rest of January off post-ANE was because I truly and honestly have not had a *break* break since... I don't even know. maybe not since I moved back in April! I've had constant work all year! I moved, and then I started my monthly print club, and then I found out that I got into anthrocon's artist alley, and then I applied for and found out I got into further confusion and anthro new england, and then I was prepping for those for months, and then I went out of town for christmas and then it was january and now I'm on the other side of all of it.

but also... in November, after a lot of conversations with my partner, I finally talked to my doctor about starting on medication for depression. and like, it's so fucking cliche of me to say this but after almost 6 weeks on them, it *does* feel like a fog has been lifted. and now that I'm on the other side of the holidays and my fixation on prepping for FC and ANE, I'm looking at the owed work that I have waiting for me, and... It's so weird. It's good work. I have good bones here and I know how to finish these projects. And at the same time...

I am so, so aware of the gaps in my knowledge for art. I've wanted to get into doing regular figure drawing and anatomy studies for forever, but haven't made the time. and so the past few days, I've been doing a little of that! It's fun! I'm learning! & I'm in this weird space where I honestly don't recognize a lot of the work I'm doing.!do you ever try on a shirt where you can feel every seam? it's like that. so I've been doing some environment practice and doing things that aren't just characters, and thinking about where I want the art to go next.

anyway. I'm rambling, but. yeah. things are shaking out into a shape I didn't expect. the meds are helping a lot. this is the first week I've had while on them where I'm not also about to go out of town or be super busy, and here's a barrier that was in my brain for years without me realizing it, and now it's not there. and I have things to figure out. and art to create. and a lot of new ideas percolating for pieces and prints I want to try and see if I can make happen.

I'm feeling the learning curve something fierce, though.

[daeyongdx]

{

I'M ALIVE

i'm finally here to bring daeyong to dash after what feels like an eternity. better late than never, and other tardy cliches...

a few things that have evolved behind the scenes while this one was stuck marinating in my brain:

he's gone from a freelance bouncer/bodyguard/security guard to being notably unemployed (he's unpredictable and kinda scary, plus a six year gap in his non-existent resume and a level 5 mark on his id), and after actively job-hunting because he hates having to rely on his brother for everything and being rejected by literally everyone, is now trying his hand at playing seoyun's physician's assistant

he's only been out of the labs for about 4 or 5 months, but some notable (and potentially mutual) connections include jaeyong, his twin brother and a d-tier enhanced agent; garam, his (former) employer as of very recently, and friend?; rowon, it's complicated; gayul, because they mutually accidentally re-traumatized each other; seoyun, his new boss; jinah, a pillar of daeyong's lab days and not in a good way; and yuna, his (fucked up) hs sweetheart who he has let back into his life because even if he can't remember much about her she feels like one of the few remnants of his past he can trust

some places he hangs out at a lot include top view towers facilities (he lives there, on the fifth floor); south side nightlife hubs; the loft of an abandoned south side warehouse, which he has slowly started to make his own sort of clubhouse when he needs quiet; seoyun's (illegal) medical clinic, which operates to serve those who can't afford mainstream care; x palace luxury apartments, just to visit, and definitely not for any nefarious activities ever...

plot ideas include others from his past pre-labs, whether their connection be positive or negative; people with connections to the labs, knowingly or unknowingly; people affected by any of his workplace outbursts/public flashbacks/regular bouts of destruction of property, etc.; fellow anarchists/rebels/criminals/outcasts, especially if they spend any time on the south side and/or seek to utilize his abilities for their cause

important note: daeyong comes with kind of a perpetual cw for ptsd, anger issues, violence, mania, depression, dissociation, hallucinations and flashbacks, hospitals, surgery & needles, familial & child abuse, narcissism, blood (obviously) and gore/body horror. i will, of course, always apply the proper trigger and content warnings to posts on dash, but want to lead with that just as a precursor. additionally, this disclaimer doesn't mean all of these things will come up in every single post/thread, and i'm always willing to discuss ways we can write together that respect ooc boundaries and safety for everyone involved!

his info page is here for other facts and trivia !

if you're interested in plotting and/or threading, feel free to message me, or like this post if you'd rather i come to you!

[basiltonpitch]

not to be cliche or whatever the fuck but i need a change. i need a new job i need to get out of this state i need to be surrounded by people who care abt me i need to not be alone 99% of the time!!! bc my lack of interaction with other ppl is absolutely contributing to the current state of my mental health and has me questioning every decision i've ever made to get me here. why did i accept that promotion. why did i apply. why did i move out on my own. why did i get divorced. why did i move with him. why did i get married. why did i switch schools. why did i let her set us up. the further back i go in this long chain of events the more upset i get thinking if i just made this decision instead of that one. if i said this thing instead of that. etc. there are so many points where i could have chosen something else and my life wouldn't look anything like it does now and idk if it would be for better or worse but it would be Different. and i need different right now (right now!!!) but i am unfortunately stuck here now feeling this insane amount of regret for literally every decision i have ever made in my life

[bl-recs-and-reviews]

Hi.....Do you mind if I ask you some random thing? I used to love shounen and shoujo manga equally....But ever since I found BL manga 3 years ago, my interest in shoujosei (especially het romance) decrese a lot, and what I search for is just the dynamic between mc (male) and male lead...I don't want to read mc (female) and male lead or mc (male) and female lead...And what I want to read mostly are just mlm or wlw stories....

What do you think is happening to me? Is it really weird?

Hi anon~ ❤

Go ahead with any questions you might have ;)

It is not weird at all. In fact it happens to quite a few people, and it is a very natural thing. Your tastes in romance are just evolving.

It might seem strange but there's many reasons why you might like more mlm and wlw stories than the het romances you liked before.

I personally went throught a similar thing, I started reading a lot of shoujo manga, and then slowly I discovered BL and ended up liking it more.

Here's a few reasons I can think of that might explain your change in tastes:

It's something new, it feels familiar but mostly fresh. Even though it is still romance you aren't used to the tropes and cliches of BL/GL as well as you are are the het romance tropes. And it feels new and exciting!

Equality in the relationships. In wlw and mlm relationships, being of the same gender makes it so that both leads stand on equal footing regarding gender roles and as people, they are characters that can relate and understand each other more.

Men expressing more emotions. Because of how little men are allowed to express their feelings of vulnerablility in media, seeing them express those feelings towards other men makes it more exciting.

The stakes feel higher. Heterosexual love generally doesn't have to face society, and social prejudice on the daily. After a while the challenges get boring and overused. In comparison homosexual love has to face stronger challenges just to he together.

It's less close to home. It might be easier to relate to the wlw or mlm characters because they do not resemble your own romantic life. They are totally different to you and that makes the suspension of disbelief easier. And things that might've bothered you in a straight romance doesn't in a gay one.

It's more close to home. Or it might be the opposite. It feels closer to what you want want see in a romance. It's easier to identify with it, it's more enjoyable.

It's more experimental. BL/GL dares to go where straight stories don't. Het romances are so established that they they inside a safe net and don't dare to try new things. BL/GL is newer and more free so it has a lot of ground to explore.

Women expressing desire, outside of the male gaze, escaping misogyny.

If none of these apply to you, that's okay. It doesn't mean you're weird, or that something's wrong with you, your taste has just changed a little. I'm sure you will eventually understand why.

In my case it was a mix of wanting to see men characters expressing more emotions, and the stereotypical helpless shojo heroine bored me enormously. I have many more reasons now to watch and read these stories, but it really is different for every person.

All in all, our tastes will always change. The things we like evolve. I started liking manga, then I liked k-dramas and now I'm passionate about Thai BL. But I still watch all the others, even if its less than before. Who knows what the next thing will be?

It's good to wonder why our tastes might have changed but there is no need to worry over it. We all like unexpected things, the important thing is to enjoy it if it makes us happy 😎👍

[did-i-do-this-write]

Hey! I just stumbled upon your blog and I'm in love. I am a complete newbie writer, as in I have never written creatively in my life, but I have suddenly found the passion. I seem to be able to come up with good ideas, but when it comes to articulating them I am struggling a bit. I seem to overuse cliches and seem to just be writing lists of actions beats and dialogue and things just feel a bit repetitive. Do you have any tips for me? Much love 💞

Hello, anon! Thank you for your kind words and I'm sorry that it took me so long to get back to you! I was sick for a bit and I was struggling to recover and then I just got super busy, but that's awesome that you've decided to take up creative writing! Welcome to this wonderful, treacherous, and often bizarre adventure that we are all taking together :)

As for advice, I apologize if it is not exactly what you are looking for or if it turns out to be unhelpful, but i'd be happy to share what has helped me in my years as a writer! Maybe you'll find some of it helpful, too 🤗

Here are my tips for beginners!

Study, study, study!

Read other people's writings, especially in genres that you hope to write in! Seeing how other writers work in their action, add poetic elements, vary their sentences, and overall structure their story can do wonders for helping you break out of using the same list-like style! When you see what other writers can do, it can help build up your own skills and ideas!

Do what's best for your story

You will see a lot of advice that starts with phrases like "ALWAYS do-" or "NEVER do-"

My advice? Ignore that shit! Sometimes you need to break one of those "always rules" to make your story work. And there is no magic arbitrator of writing that will strike you down for using a "forbidden phrase" or "overused tropes." If it works, do it!

This applies to cliches, too!! Cliches aren't inherently bad! Writers use them because readers like them and they can serve a narrative purpose! The question isn't "how do I avoid cliches" it's "how do I use the cliches I like effectively?"

Write badly, write slowly, write short things, write unfinished things, as long as you write!

Every piece of writing you ever produce (finished or unfinished) will teach you something about your writing process! I found that, for me, one-shots and short pieces helped me find my voice before I could tackle bigger, more complicated narratives. I would not be as confident in my abilities as a writer without fluffy, silly, self indulgent fanfiction one-shots.

Keep writing, and don't be afraid to analyze what you've written and ask yourself "what worked in this piece and what didn't?"

And, finally,

Be proud of your writing!!!!

It's okay to love your own work! You wrote it for you, it'd be weird if you didn't love it! Re-read it, enjoy it, look back on it fondly. And I encourage every writer to add the phrase "I could do better now, but I'm still proud of where I was at the time" to their brain!

You are allowed to recognize flaws in your writing while also still appreciating it! You can't learn if you don't start somewhere.

I hope you find something useful in all this! Sorry it got so long. Good luck on your writing journey!

This ask motivated me to write 285 words for Home is Where Your Light Shines Brightest.

Experiment Total: 97,871