#I’ll listen to music and get super excited about an idea and write it

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Which of your fics are you going to update next?

Honestly, I told myself I’d try to finish Elastic Heart in June, but I haven’t made much progress in the new chapter 😅🥲 so I have no idea what’s gonna get updated next, probably depends on what interests people have/what they ask about or want to discuss.

And, uh, whether I have time 🥲 today’s a study day for me, I have to try to focus on doing a project and reviewing protocols for work so I shouldn’t be writing much today, so if I start posting snippets or whatever y’all need to yell at me 😂👍🏻

[espinosaurusrexex]

Forever, of course.

SteveRogers x Female!Reader

summary: Steve has a crush on you but your flirty character isn’t making things easy for him. Now he even has to marry you to please a 6-year-old superfan of his. Whether that’s a good plan or not, isn’t quite clear for Steve yet.

a/n: I think this will be the last AI-adaptive story but it was a lot of fun! Shoutout to @RandomTingsForFun on beta.character.ai for having created the character that helped me write this story (and the Bucky one).

Word count: 4k

warnings: a Stevie in love, an attempted funny reader, and a super excited 6-year-old (she carries the story tbh), this is really just super fluffy

･ﾟ✫* 𝒎𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕 ｡✭･ﾟ

Steve shook his head at the sight of your chat history. It wasn’t too long ago when he didn’t even know how to listen to music on the device he was holding in his hands, let alone write a text message in less than 30 seconds. Now, he was bickering with you, and he had to admit it was even a little fun to wait for a response from you. Of course, Steve didn’t do anything else in the time he waited for your reply. He just stared at the screen in his hand and willed his heartbeat to slow a little. 

*ping* Why would that be important? So? Maybe I have been talking to Sam about you. Have you been talking about me with Bucky?

Steve: No I haven’t! And it is important because if he’s badmouthing me, then you’d believe him. What has he told you anyway?

You: Just the usual. Save the world this, Captain America that. I stopped listening when he started obsessing over your shield again.

You: Wait. Did you seriously think Sam would say something bad about you? That guy is obsessed with you.

Steve just laughed at your antics. Sam loved the shield for some reason, but every time Steve would give it to him to ‘throw it one time’ Bucky would intervene and ‘show him how it’s done’. 

*ping* Anyway what I actually wanted to ask is if you’d come to my niece’s house with me this weekend. She’s a huge Avenger fan and I might have promised her to meet one as her birthday present 😬

Steve: Of course, I will! I would feel bad if you made such a promise and I wasn't able to make it. And I bet she'll know who her favorite Avenger is after a visit from The Cap 😉

You: ugh please don’t call yourself that. ever. 

You: I’ll pick you up Saturday at 1:30? 

Steve: Yeah, sounds good! I'll make sure to clear my schedule. How old is your niece by the way? And what’s her name?

You: You can call her Izzy. And she’s turning 6 this Thursday. Be nice. And make sure to talk me up a bit, will ya? I mean, I’m already her favorite aunt but just making sure...

Steve: How could she not love you? But I’ll do it anyway. I’ll talk you up so much you’ll never be able to escape my praise! What’s her favorite food?

You: weirdly enough it's carrots, that child is strange. Says vegetables make her a superhero or something. 

Steve: I mean she’s not wrong. Carrots are great for your eyes! What does she think of Iron Man? I need to know my chances against the competition.

You: I just asked her and she said she doesn’t care about Tony because you are her one true love. 

You: I told her that’s not possible because you are already mine. Now we’re in a big fight so thanks for that.

Steve: why would you say that?

You: I like to see her freak. Don’t worry about it, captain. It was just a joke 

You: ...or was it 👀

Steve: I don’t believe you. You’re lying.

He got a little nervous. But it was a good nervous.

You: why? Do you want me to? 

You: Am I making you nervooouuus?

Steve could practically see you wiggle your eyebrows with a grin. A silly idea flashed past his mind, and he felt like grabbing it.

Steve: You need to stop before I accidentally propose to you.

Nothing - just a second, though. Then:

*ping* you have a ring?

Steve: I can get one in less than an hour. Meet me at the chapel on main and I’m all yours. 

You: I’m stunned. I’ve taught you well. 

Steve: 😊 I’ll see you Saturday, doll. 

Steve sat back on his sofa. That girl is really something. A smile broke loose on his face at the silly thought of marrying you. Honestly, he wouldn’t mind if it happened. Out of all the people he knew, you were the only one he’d want to spend the rest of his life with. You were fun and you made him loosen up. He was a whole new man around you and he loved it. Because being in your presence was easy, and comforting. There was nothing to worry about.

He sighed before putting his phone down and staring at the ceiling. He couldn’t wait to see you again.

❁ ❁ ❁

Steve stepped out of the door and smiled upon spotting your car. You were already waving at him, a beautiful smile adorning your face and Steve felt his heart skip. Car rides with you were nice. You always had some soft music playing. Always making sure it was nothing too funky so he felt comfortable. Still, he was a little nervous. It wasn’t every day that he go to meet someone who looked up to him - well, actually, it was every day - but this one was different. Because it was your family and Steve needed to make a good expression. 

It wasn’t long before you pulled up to your sister's house. But before you could even reach the front door, a little girl jumped out of the door and ran toward you with wild screeches. 

“Auntieeee!!!! OH MY GOD, you really did it! You invited Captain America!” The girl jumped up and down beside you and Steve couldn’t help his smile from spreading. Izzy was adorable - very loud - but adorable. Concentrating on it made his nervousness subside a little.

Then she turned around and stared up at him with wide eyes. He could have sworn there were little stars sparkling in them when he crouched down to her height and extended his hand.

“Hey there, little lady. It’s so nice to meet you, I’m Steve.”

“I know that!” The 6-year-old giggled as Steve shook her hand. But when he was about to let go, her tiny fingers grabbed onto his wrist and dragged him up the driveway. “I want to show you something! It’s soooo cool!” 

Steve was still a little cautious as she dragged him to her room. His only experience with kids came from Sam’s nephews and prior he had only gotten to hold a couple baby’s for pictures. He didn’t know how to navigate the situation, but he decided he would just rock with it.

Your niece pushed the white door with her name brightly colored on a sign hanging on her eye level open and revealed a tornado aftermath of action figures. He was able to spot most of the avengers laying scattered around a dinosaur toy but the overwhelming red, white, and blue covering her room was undeniable. There was a poster of Steve hanging by the desk and a bunch of her own drawings framing the magazine shot. Izzy appeared next to Steve again, holding a small action figure of himself in her hands. 

“My aunt gave me this one. It’s my first one.” She reached up to Steve and barely passed his hip with her little arms. The figure was well loved - he could see it from here. And when he bent down to retrieve it, your niece pulled him down further and whispered a giggly ‘you’re our favorite avenger’ into his ear.

His heart swelled at the excitement presented in front of him. It was adorable, and he could see a little of you in the little girl nervously treading beside him. 

“I’m your favorite, huh?” He said, his voice full of affection. Steve usually wasn’t the kind of person to get mushy over an adorable child, but the way her face lit up was too cute. The little Cap figure in her hands was pretty cute, too. “My, my. I must be pretty special then.” His thumb stroked over the blue helmet in her hands.

Lost in thought and seriously flattered by being the hero that inspired this impressive collection, he almost didn’t notice how Izzy threw her hands in the air. “So special! My mom says I will marry someone as special as you one day, but my aunt says there is no one like you. That is so mean!” Her little chubby cheeks puffed with a pout and Steve had to hold back his laugh. The 6-year-old had no idea what you implied with that comment, but he still felt more pride from being called special by you and your niece than from any medal of honor he had ever gotten.

“Well, a girl your age shouldn’t worry about things like that. But who knows, maybe I will be part of your family one day.”

“Really?!” Wide eyes stared back at him and Steve could practically feel the floor vibrating when he nodded with a laugh. Izzy held out her finger and then she exclaimed a rushed ‘stay here’ before zooming past him and out the door.

Steve stayed a little longer and admired Izzy’s room before he heard an excited ‘Captain America said I can marry him!’ Which made him instantly rush to the source.

He spotted her clinging to her mother’s leg, giddy and jumpy. But your sister just shared a laugh with you over the kitchen counter. “I don’t think he meant it like that, buttercup.” Steve watched your sister explain before his eyes got stuck on the little frown on your face. Was that a hint of jealousy, he was detecting? “But if he marries your aunt, he will be your uncle and just as much part of the family.” A little fire hushed past your older sister’s face. It was a look of mischief he had seen you hold all too well. Steve’s cheeks heated when you caught him leaning in the doorway, scratching his neck at the slightly awkward situation. 

“That works?”

“That’s how it works, baby.”

Izzy turned with excitement and within a second she was before Steve again. “You have to ask my aunt to marry you! Right now!!” She ordered with a stomp of her foot. “Then you can be my uncle and we can hang out every day!”

Steve’s eyes wandered from the six-year-old to you and his heart picked up its pace at the laugh you shared with your sister. There was no harm in a little play pretend, right?

So, he knelt down in front of you and when your name traveled past his lips softly, he almost imagined a grasp coming from you. “Will you,” his head tilted with a wink, “marry me?”

You hid your laugh behind your hands as they covered your mouth in feigned astonishment. But Steve caught the little glimmer in your eyes at his little show. He continued to take your hand as he threw together a little speech for Izzy to hear, and when the child began excitedly jumping up and down beside him, your face softened. 

“Oh, Steve! This is so unexpected!” You clutched your chest and your sister chuckled beside you. Steve felt a tinge of nervousness wash over him then, but he would be okay with a fake rejection - he wasn’t sure if Izzy would, though. “Of course, I’ll marry you! Come here you big, hunky, handsome superhero!”

And as if he hadn’t been prepared for you to agree so quickly, Steve felt his cheeks heat up. He couldn’t deny that the words you described him with had his stomach tingle with excitement, and before he could help himself, he leaned forward and kissed our cheek.

“That was the easiest marriage proposal ever,” he mumbled beside you to which you just slightly pulled from his embrace. 

“What? You’ve done that before? Are you already cheating on me, Rogers?” You raised your brows suspiciously, but Steve was only able to shake his head with a smile before Izzy blared into his ear again. 

“A wedding! A wedding!” She swirled by him like a tornado, immediately collecting things around the house. “Mom, get all the stuffies, ready! We have to do a wedding!!!” And then she was off to prepare the quickest wedding in history. 

Steve shook his head as his arm remained around your waist. “What did I get myself into?” He mumbled to himself before turning to you. “Do I dare ask what a six-year-old’s idea of an official marriage ceremony looks like?”

“I think Paddington Bear will be your best man and if I’m lucky, my sister gets to be my maid of honor, but who knows.” You shrugged with a laugh that warmed Steve’s heart all over again. 

❁ ❁ ❁

Not even ten minutes later, Steve found himself kneeling beside a makeshift altar with a bunch of toys and stuffed animals as wedding guests. Action figure Cap had made best man and was neatly propped up behind him. Your sister had officially been crowned the ‘disco machine’ along with a lengthy speech on how important the right song was for the bride’s entrance. Steve had fought hard to keep his face steady, but when Izzy had suggested ‘Party Rock Anthem’, he’d lost it. When really, he was just proud, he knew the song because you had shown it to him the other week - it was Izzy’s favorite. 

You had been instructed to wait behind the couch until the music started to play, and Steve felt himself get a little nervous. It was silly, but somehow his desire to have this wedding according to your niece’s wishes was a lot more important to him than he had initially thought. 

“Now what do we do?” He asked as he leaned over to Izzy, but that was when the girl gave her mother the ‘sign’ - which was the chicken dance, of course - and his eyes immediately swerved to you. He could see the amusement in your gaze as you bit back a laugh.

Izzy wasn’t wasting any time, as soon as you had reached the altar, she put your’s and Steve’s hands together and immediately began talking. Steve had had barely any time to wipe the sweat from his clammy fingers before they connected with yours, but you didn’t seem to care. He smiled as he watched you listen to your niece’s little speech.

“We are gathered here today, to make Captain America my uncle,” she started, and both you and he struggled to keep it together. It was cute though, and something about becoming this little girl’s uncle excited Steve like nothing had in a long time. “Mr, Captain America, will you take my aunt as your wife?”

Izzy’s eyes were serious as she waited for Steve’s answer. And when he didn’t do so fast enough, she leaned over and whispered the answer to him.

“I will,” Steve chuckled and gave your hands a small squeeze.

Then Izzy’s eyes wandered to you. “Do I even have to ask?” She said with her adorably high voice and everyone started laughing. 

“Yes, I will take Steve as my husband,” you answered with the same squeeze of your hand as Izzy imitated the audience cheering.

“You are now husband and wife. Now, kiss, kiss, kiss!!!” It was a little awkward, but Steve leaned in, anyway, to press a gentle kiss to your cheek. He looked at you again and the spark in your eyes was a little brighter as that smile lit up your face again. You looked beautiful, Steve thought, and his heart jumped in his chest at the realization.

“Wohooooooo!” Your sister cheered loudly and ripped Steve out of his trance.

“This is so awesome! You have to come to every family dinner and we can be best friends forever!!” Izzy must have eaten a bag of gummy worms with the way she was vibrating to the song coming out of the little pink CD player. Steve was sure he’d never seen such a hyper six-year-old before. 

“Every family dinner?” He asked her as Izzy swayed his hands to the music. When his eyes caught yours, you just shrugged. "Forever?"

"Of course!" Izzy exclaimed as Steve spun her around. His eyes stayed locked on you, however. Forever didn't sound so bad...

“Looks like you’re stuck with me.” You laughed, but Steve didn’t mind that in the slightest.

❁ ❁ ❁

The evening had come sooner than anyone had anticipated. Steve had been so occupied with Izzy all day, he had forgotten all about the time. It didn’t bother him too much, though. He had fun, but exhausting as well. And now that he was finally sitting in your car again, his head leaning against the headrest and enjoying the silence for a moment, he felt how much energy it had really cost him. He would do it again, though - especially if it meant marrying you over and over for eternity. 

His eyes opened when you sighed beside him. You hadn’t so much as bothered to start the car just yet, and Steve was kind of happy about that. 

You smiled at him when his head turned to you, still leaning back with a dreamy smile himself. “Who would have thought that we would get married today?” You chuckled with a shake of your head. “And you didn’t even give me a ring. I should reconsider my standards.”

“A ring, you say? Well, you are married to the greatest superhero in the world - according to your niece - so I think we’re going to need something pretty special...” Steve joked as he turned in his seat to look through the car, and when he spotted the right thing, the smile returned got his face. “Should I do the honors?”

And then he took the lid off his water bottle and popped the plastic ring off to place it on your finger. 

“It’s perfect, blue like your eyes,” you laughed watching the big plastic ring hang from your finger. “I’m gonna have to get that resized, though. You must think I’m fat.” You shook your head. “Wow, not even a day in, and I already have things to tell my therapist about.” But the mischievous glimmer in your eyes told Steve that you were only joking. 

“Do I really need to say it, doll?” He took your hand in his before spinning the plastic piece. “You’re the most beautiful woman in the world,” He whispered, secretly meaning every word.

You laughed it off but Steve didn’t miss the stutter in your smile at his words. It made the butterflies in his stomach go wild. 

“So what should our first act as a fake married couple be? Celebratory drinks at the Stark Tower rooftop bar?”

"Stark Tower... that sounds good to me.”

The engine roared to life and soon, the faint music was playing in your car again, the streetlights passed him by and the full moon shone above the New York City skyline. But Steve didn't care, he had more beautiful things to look at. 

❁ ❁ ❁

“You’re what now? Married?! And I wasn’t invited?!” Sam’s shocked face yelled across the bar, making few agents turn their heads with intrigue. 

You chuckled before leaning your head against Steve’s shoulder. The second Martini seemed to already work its wonders on you, but Steve loved how close you were. 

“Married by a six-year-old. Count that as you will, but I have a ring on my finger and I’m not telling you how much it cost.” You stretched your hand over the counter to show off the blue piece of plastic and Natasha just laughed at the cute story.

“So, how is the newlywed life?” She leaned on her hands to play along while Sam still tried to get over his non-invitation to a fake wedding. “You guys talking about kids yet?”

That startled Steve a little but he tried his best to keep a straight face - he failed. The thought of having a family with you did things to him he couldn’t explain if he wanted to. The warmth in his stomach spread to his heart and his arm almost instinctively came up to press you further into his side. 

“Who knows, I wouldn’t mind a couple mini me’s.” He shrugged with a low smile. He loved this little game more and more. It just got harder and harder to remind himself that it was just that - a game.

“Hold your horses, now. You’re not the one squeezing them out of your body, Mr. Rogers.” You patted his chest and sighed theatrically. “I can already see that I will be home alone with a bunch of kids and you’re working late every night. Our life will fall apart!” Your hand brushed over your forehead as your head fell back like that of a damsel in distress. 

The group laughed at the little performance, but Steve was a little quieter now. Somehow, he couldn’t rid himself of the feeling that he needed to tell you how much he really cared. He’d never let your life fall apart - not when he was able to prevent it. And while he sat there with his friends, laughing about something as ridiculous as Captain America settling down, he contemplated in silence, if all this life had really been worth it when he would end up alone in the end - giving up the dream of an easy life he’s had for a century. 

❁ ❁ ❁

It was about 12am when Steve and you stopped before your door in the hallway. His eyes were glued to you, his mind racing with scenarios this could go. He had decided to tell you about his feelings about two hours ago, and ever since, he had tried to come up with the best thing to say. But even though talking to you was the easiest thing he’d ever done, and even though you were already married - fake married - he didn’t have a single idea. Not one word that seemed fitting enough to describe the exciting fireworks in his chest whenever he saw you, to somehow tell you how bad living without you would be. 

He must have been staring for a while because you began to shift from one foot to the other before finally clearing your throat to kill the silence. 

“So... uh... that was an eventful day...” You started, fists nervously opening and closing beside your body. “Thank you for playing pretend. You made a little girl very happy.” You smiled and Steve’s heart skipped another beat. 

He caught the small shimmer in your eyes just in time to give him confidence. Your body kept moving forward as if you willed it back again and again, and Steve gathered all his bravery to open his mouth.

“You know what,” Your name tumbled over his lips like a song he’d sung a thousand times. But the effect it had on you still excited him every time anew. “Today... it’s not going to be pretend.”

And before you could even react to his weirdly vague statement, Steve leaned forward and pressed his lips to yours. Full of love and affection, his hands moved on their own - one to your hip and the other onto the wall behind you. There was a moment of panic settling in Steve’s brain, but then your arms came up to sling around his torso and he leaned further into your touch. You pulled him even closer, your lips melting with his, tongues gently stroking soft skin until air got scarce. His whole body felt electric with you so close to him - finally. And when he pulled back, he rested his forehead against yours, eyes still closed and thoughts swimming in the moment you had just granted him. 

“I... I love you.” He whispered against your skin, and he felt his warm breath bouncing back. Your chest was still rising and falling beneath him, a subtle reminder of how breathtaking all this was - Steve couldn’t get enough of it, of you.

Your hand came up to stroke over his cheek, making him open his eyes to find you already looking at him. 

“I love you, too, Steve.” You bit your lips, and it made Steve just press his mouth to yours once more.

Wanna be added to the taglist?

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a/n: I have to say I was pretty impressed at how much it adapted to my writing and I really liked the last part, so I put it in here. I hope you enjoyed it :)

[fish-eat-fish]

dating gwen or miles while also being a spider person hc’s?

Gwen x gn!reader Headcanons

a/n: i kind of perished trying to write so much stuff so sorry for the late requests! i’ve never written headcanons before so sorry if the formatting is weird. i’ll whip up the miles one soon!

✰✰✰

- Took a lot of time for her to warm up to you, she’s never really let anyone else into her life after Peter

- You always tried to cheer her up, whether it was through small gestures or horrible jokes–you always wanted to lighten the mood around her

- You lost it when she mentioned that she was in a band, you thought it was the coolest thing ever

- “You play on drums!? Gwen! That’s so cool!” With you actually beaming, Gwen was surprised at your excitement

- She just felt an incredible ego boost, and flushed a little bit at your interest in her playing (she was coerced into showing you some time)

- The whole dynamic between the two of you feels a little push and pull at times

- Like, you two can have amazing moments of understanding and bonding, just for her to push you further away later

- Arguments here and there, but at the end of it all, you always stick with Gwen (she really appreciates your patience with her)

- Eventually, things got really awkward between the two of you, and Gwen couldn’t understand why

- She seriously never knows what she’s feeling because she doesn’t take the time to reflect on her emotions

- She really missed dropping by your dimension and swinging around with you

- You both would swing through the cities, and you’d take her to the tallest buildings to impress her with the most gorgeous views (you did accidentally hold her hand like once, because you were scared she would’ve fallen somehow)

- Feelings were confronted, confessions were said (through your window at the middle of the night)

- Gwen was so nervous and afraid to ruin your friendship, speaking with a shaky voice whilst messing with her hair (a nervous habit she had)

- You shot a web at her, yanking on it and pulling her into a dramatic kiss–hands on her cheeks

- She was absolutely losing her mind over this, panicking so hard in the moment, hovering her hands over you, until wrapped them behind your back, bringing you in closer

- She could not stop tripping over her words after, which made you laugh because you’d never seen her so flustered before

- Gwen isn’t the best with being affectionate, so you usually have to initiate it, but you don’t mind it when you see her reactions

- She’s usually pretty calm, so when she drops the most unexpected compliment or flirtatious comment, you scream inside (she’s so embarrassed and has no idea what came over her but she hides it well, changing the subject)

- You yell at her a lot to take care of herself on the job at the end of the day when the both of you are done with your spider-duties

- Gwen brushes it off, which upsets you

- So you have to obviously pamper this girl and take care of her for the night: dinner, tea, backrub, facemasks, and cuddling at night

- Gwen giggles at the feeling of kisses on her neck, she’s super ticklish there

- Loves being the big spoon for some reason, or prefers to face you and sleep in a hug

- It takes a while for her to pass out or get comfortable, but she usually passes out as soon as you start playing with her hair

- Light sleeper, so if she wakes up first, she admires you and brushes her hand against yours

- She likes stealing your clothes, always owning at least a few of your clothes to wear at home or outside

- Gwen isn’t too big on PDA, but always physically gravitates towards you when the two of you are hanging out in public

- Drums on your arm or leg like she’s playing music, and mimics drumset sounds which makes you laugh

- She loves seeing you in your Spidersuit since it fits you so well

- The two of you rant about the craziest things you saw in your dimension whilst swinging around the city, she loves listening to you

- It’s a little tough leaving each other to head back to your own dimensions, but Gwen always makes sure to give you a goodbye kiss

- She let’s you know she’ll be thinking about you when she’s back in her dimension (which leads to your special collection of trinkets gifted by Gwen, little things that remind her of you or represent inside jokes the two of you share)

- Overall, she loves and adores you so much, but isn’t the best at showing it

[thyme-in-a-bubble]

Writing anon #1 here with a few questions! As usual please don’t reply if you don’t want to. :)

What kind of character would you suggest writing for? Characters I’m currently interested in or characters I know more about? Perhaps a mix? I’m a little afraid that if I write for the characters I’m currently fixated on I’ll lose interest in them for awhile. For example, I’m currently interested in Daredevil but I know more about the Avengers because I hyperfixated on them in high school.

Where/how do you find inspiration and motivation to write? 

Do you think someone could write a relationship without having experienced it themselves? (Like a romantic relationship) I would assume it would just take a lot of research and editing to make sure it’s fairly realistic. Just like when you writing something else you don’t have experience in (like writing a character being a doctor or barista if you don’t have experience with that.)

Like the second anon I have a lot of trouble with outlining and plots. I usually get an idea I would love to write but have no idea what to do with it. Like how to get to the idea/scene or where to go from it. I really should try actually outlining and taking my time. I also really need to get my brain to understand that drafts are okay and normal. (I struggle with perfectionism, but I’m working on it.)

I realize now how number three might come across. I am an adult not a minor. I just had an extremely sheltered life growing up and have spent the few years I’ve been an adult dealing with a few things that are out of my control. So I haven’t had a romantic relationship of my own, I have read a ton of x reader fanfics and watched a lot of romcoms. And number four isn’t a question. :) Thank you so much in advance!

I'd say write for someone you like, someone you're comfortable with, and if you don't feel like you know enough about them to begin writing then that's easily fixed! rewatch/reread/re-whatever the thing that they're from and pay extra close attention, do it however many times you'd like, take notes. wiki's about the characters can also be super helpful for a ton of those little facts. but at the end of the day, write for whoever you like, whoever will be super fun to write for, whoever will make you excited to write. also you don't have to just choose one or even be stuck if you ever wanna move on, you make up the rules.

inspiration? i find that everywhere. sure, a movie is an easy thing to get my mind hooked on a fantasy, but most of my stories have just come to me in very mundane things. I've leaned into my own life experiences for a lot of sad stories (also used it as a therapeutic tool). there is literally inspiration everywhere, you just gotta open your eyes and see it. that weird tree right outside your window? that could be enough inspiration to begin a whole book. and as for motivation? well, first of all I really enjoy the whole process, so that helps a ton. I'm also autistic and have very good concentration, so I can easily just disappear completely into my wip. I'm also really good at just having it in my routine, sitting down and writing when I have the most energy for it. when I'm working on something very long, that's when it can become harder to keep that flame alive, but I think I've worked out a good rhythm to keep it going and not loose the drive to work on it: first of all, a detailed outline and notes. making a proper routine with it, though also not beating yourself up if it's a bad day and you only reread the last page 50 times, but don't actually write anything new. I also try my best to stay in the world while I work on it. like for when i'm not sitting and actively writing it, then I listen to music that fits the theme or watch movies or shows that have the vibe.

I think that truly depends on the person. some people can and some people can't. I personally don't write about too many subjects I don't have experience in (though still some like for example murder and some of the jobs the characters have, but my imagination can get me far enough to make me comfortable tackling those subjects). so yeah, that's so individual whether someone can do that well or not.

from my understanding of you from the very limited interactions we've had, I'd say that it'll probably continue to be difficult while you're not getting enough sleep for your brain to function properly as well as some other stressful things I could imagine is also going on and perhaps is the cause of the sleep issues. a few things that helps my perfectionism is to say that this draft will only be read by me and no one else, to say that this is only a silly little fanfiction just for the lols and not a fancy leather-bound novel, and also to aim for it simply to be finished and not for it to be perfect. and sometimes when it comes to beginning, you'll just have to jump straight in with the attitude of an imaginative and playful child. also sitting down and being like "okay, I'm not allowed to do anything other then come up with a story. I'm allowed to sit here, look around at my surroundings, and push through the boredom till my brain comes up with a story to entertain me". don't be afraid of slowing down and embracing the stillness, that's always where my best stuff comes from. and plot stuff? that is a huge subject and I'm not sure what advice could be beneficial for you. it's one of those things where learning about it on a technical level can be helpful, but only to get the sense into your bones and then throwing those rules and patterns out of the window like they never existed to begin with and just letting the flow of the story lead you.

[steddieunderdogfics]

This week’s writer spotlight feature is:  @alwaysurvalentine! alwaysurvalentine has 11 fics in the Stranger Things fandom on AO3 and all of them are in the Steddie tag!

@dame-zoom-a-lot recommends the following works by @alwaysurvalentine:

bad days were meant to be shared

three strikes and you're out!

aquariums and sweethearts

"If I had to put an image to their fics… I'd say a warm blanket and a piece of cake.

Their slices of life fics get cooked with so much care and thought. A lot of them are my go-to when I'm feeling kind of off or lonely. They approach conflict with so much empathy and realism. No one's just shitty out of the blue with zero reason, and characters talk things out in a way that feels like how real people would talk. There's rarely clear villains or clean-cut forever happy-ending type resolutions in real life, and their fics shine at showing the beauty of that." -- @dame-zoom-a-lot

Below the cut, @alwaysurvalentine answered some questions about their writing process and some of their recommended work!

Why do you write Steddie?

Honestly, I just really vibe with both of them as characters. It’s easy to draw some of my own parallels with how Eddie sees the world and Steve’s fall from grace within my personal life - so it’s nice to play around with characters who I can understand. Plus I love taking the “protectors” from the narrative and forcing them to allow others to care for them.

What’s your favorite trope to READ?

I’m a sucker for any type of soulmate au, the ones with soulmarks are my guilty pleasures. Just something about knowing there’s someone out there destined to care about you makes me feel all warm and fuzzy

What’s your favorite trope to WRITE?

Anything slice of life or found family - I just love getting to give characters all the love and care they deserve. Especially when canon has put them through the ringer!!

What’s your favorite Steddie fic?

With no cross to bear (these words just come out) by hitlikehammers https://archiveofourown.org/works/45052120/chapters/113340064 I come back to this fic again and again. Love their Eddie POV and all of the reactions from the party feel authentic and I just love a fic that really shows how much everyone cares about Steve (even if he doesn’t see it).

Is there a trope you’re excited to explore in a future work but haven’t yet?

I’ve had a big idea about a possession type fic starring Eddie. It’s gonna be a big project though so it may be workshopped and shelved for another time while I work on some other stuff!

What is your writing process like?

Music is my biggest inspiration and I listen to Spotify all of the time (my spotify wrapped is about to be WILD), but usually I’ll get a spark of an idea from a song, scribble down a quick interaction I can see, and then once I get home it’s getting it all out on a doc. It usually takes me a few days to a week for me to get a fic where I want it, especially when the characters take things into their own hands for the narrative (I’m looking at Eddie and Robin here)

Do you have any writing quirks?

I actually write everything in red text until I decide I like the section. I have so many documents that have different colored text based on how I feel about it. Black means it’s ready to be proofread/don’t change, purple or blue for things I want to rewrite, and then red for what I’ve gotten down but isn’t edited/reviewed yet. Besides that I also go in thinking I’m going to keep it short and sweet and then I blink and we’re 2k in - but it’s been fun nonetheless!

Do you prefer posting when you’ve finished writing or on a schedule?

If I’m doing a prompt challenge usually it’s as soon as I’m done (totally not because I finish the day of…totally not that) but other than that I have a personal schedule to have certain things done by, otherwise I’ll nitpick forever.

Which fic are you most proud of?

Three Strikes and You’re Out! It was super fun to play around with connecting baseball terms to DnD in a way that still made sense and wasn’t just a block of info text.

How did you get the idea for aquariums and sweethearts?

It was actually a little followup I did for another fic, where Eddie visited the aquarium with Uncle Wayne but wasn’t able to get the souvenir he wanted. And I wanted Steve to kinda complete that circle, plus I wanted them to have a moment where they could kinda be kids again.

When writing aquariums and sweethearts, what was something you didn’t expect?

I honestly didn’t expect it to be so long, I was just going to write a tiny follow up but got carried away with my own aquarium memories and research so I just kept wanting to add more and more

What inspired three strikes and you're out!?

I feel like I’ve seen a lot of fics where Steve meets Eddie halfway with his interests and I wanted to see the opposite. Like it’s one thing for Eddie to concede that being a jock isn’t so bad, but it’s another for him to go out and learn about a sport/something that doesn’t interest him at all, ya know?

What was your favorite part to write from three strikes and you're out!?

Oooh! Such a hard question, for me it’s a tie between the conversation Eddie has with Lucas and his conversation with Uncle Wayne. I just liked putting Eddie in a situation where he was the one learning, instead of being the one in charge/control.

How do/did you feel writing bad days were meant to be shared?

It was a little hard starting out, I knew a couple things I wanted to happen but besides that I really went in kinda blind. Once I got into the groove though, it felt like it just wrote itself. Steve knew what he was feeling and just guided me along.

What was the most difficult part of writing bad days were meant to be shared?

So fun fact, I actually wrote the first draft completely from Eddie's point of view. I was trying to find his voice (still feel like I’m working on this but progress is progress) but it just wasn’t flowing right and Dame-Zoom-A-Lot actually helped beta for me. They’re the one who suggested the point of view switch and it worked so well!!

Do you have a favorite scene and/or line from any of your fics?

A favorite scene I’ve written has to be in aquariums and sweethearts when Eddie and the Mime gang up on Steve to poke fun at him, it just felt like something Eddie would play along with and enjoy.  These couple of lines from Three Strikes and You’re Out! Make me really happy, like sent my friends a dorky screenshot because I liked them so much: “Eddie’s world narrows to the smell of Steve’s cologne, something that smells like rain on freshly cut grass and a hint of vanilla. Just as soon as Steve leaned in, he leans away, the sun painting orange and pink highlights in his hair when he tilts his head grinning.”

Do you have any upcoming projects or fics you’d like to share/promote?

I’m working on a Steve Harrington ‘character study’ from Hopper’s point of view currently and might be starting on an Anastasia AU starring Chrissy as Anya and Robin as Dimitri - super stoked for both of these!

Outside of these questions, Is there anything YOU would like to add?

Endless thanks to my nominator!! I just started posting for Steddie this August and it’s been unreal. So thankful for all of my new friends and can’t wait to share some more of my little ideas and chat with other people about their art and stories! <3

Thank you to our author, @alwaysurvalentine, and our nominator, @dame-zoom-a-lot ! See more of alwaysurvalentine's works featured on our page throughout the day!

Writer’s Spotlight is every Wednesday! Want to nominate an author? You can nominate them here!

[tragicallyuncreative]

hi everyone!

popping in here to say hi 😊 I’m a technology-challenged person who has no idea how to use Tumblr but I’ll give it a whirl. I was motivated to make this account so I could talk about The Outsiders Musical with other fans. The Outsiders has been my favorite book for over a decade and holds a very special place in my heart. Musicals are my favorite thing in the whole world so when I heard they were making the musical, I was super excited but nervous if they would pull it off. I am unable to see the musical in person but have obsessively listened and consumed all available content related to it and it’s safe to say they very much pulled it off! Wanted to especially shout out @throwing-in-the-towel who has provided so much detail about the show and answered my many questions. I LOVE the cast and am really excited to continue to follow their careers after this show. Fun fact- I went to college with Brent Comer! He graduated 2 years ahead of me but I saw him in our schools performances and was very impressed by him. ✨The main reason I’m making this post is because I’ve seen a lot of people wondering how to get the script and audio of the musical. I don’t really believe in visual bootlegs as they are distracting to the actors and audience members but very much support audio recordings for people who aren’t able to see the show in person. After some internet sleuthing, I obtained the script and full audio of the Broadway show. I am more than happy to share this with anyone who is interested, just message me.✨

I will also use this account to cross post my ao3 stories. Over a decade ago (I’m probably a fair bit older than most of the kiddos on here), I wrote a story for The Outsiders on fanfiction.net that actually became fairly popular. I forgot about it for years but the musical resparked my interest in writing and I remember it. It is SO cringey to read now all these years later but since people seemed to enjoy it, I am considering revamping it. I have been working on something new for the last few weeks that I will begin posting on ao3 within the next week. I’m pretty excited about it and look forward to hearing y’all’s thoughts if you’re interested!

[honest-moth-of-silver-grove]

Hi mothmom! I’ve been super excited waiting for your ask box to open, after finding your stuff in like, October? Your writing is awesome! It helps I’m a sucker for BG3 content.

Admittedly I’m a bit nervous asking (I’ve gone over your rules list like 15 times), and hopefully no one has asked this yet!

I wanted to make a request for the BG3 male companions (especially Wyll) supporting tav as they come out as Trans? Specifically trans masc if you don’t mind. Thank you so much! Super excited to see what you come up with ❤️

A/N: Oh my gosh! It warms my heart to hear you’ve been waiting that long for something I’d write. Oh wow, I feel so honored! And what a great question! It fits within the rules just fine, don’t worry! Here’s how I think the main three male companions would respond. BTW, I used he/him pronouns for Tav here, hope that’s okay!

TW: Gender Mention, Gender Identity, Gender Dysphoria 

Male BG3 Companions Reacting to a TransMasc! Tav

Astarion: 

Astarion is completely on board with the idea, so long as he gets to go shopping with Tav/give them the occasional bit of fashion advice. After all, Astarion thinks himself the best-dressed guy in camp, so, of course, it makes sense for Tav to take style advice from him. 

Astarion’s not very reactive. He was a high elf, born into the upper social classes of elf society in Baldur’s Gate. Certain high elves have been known to be blessed by Corellon, the androgynous leader of the elven pantheon, and the deity of Magic, Music, Arts, Crafts, Poetry, and Warfare. As the creator and preserver of the eleven race, he’s incredibly powerful. So powerful that in certain, very rare cases, special elves who receive a special blessing from them can change their gender following every long rest. These elves, known as "blessed of Corellon", can choose to be male, female, or 'neither' based on their moods or feelings. So the concept of changing one’s gender or appearance isn’t at all foreign to Astarion. 

Astarion does his best to listen to Tav though, especially if this is a difficult subject for him. Astarion knows what it's like to not be in control of your own body, of your destiny- it’s awful, rotten, and certainly, not something he would want to intentionally inflict on another person, especially someone as important to him as Tav. 

Astarion will listen intently, and take mental notes as to how Tav prefers to be treated. If he asks Asation to give him more credit in physical battles or to maybe lay off pet names like ‘Beautiful’, Astarion will respect Tav’s wishes. It may take Astarion some time to adjust, but he does make an immediate effort to. 

Astarion will also not hesitate to cut a bitch who insults Tav or disrespects his pronouns or appearance. Astarion is basically the living, walking embodiment of that “respect people’s pronouns or I’ll make yours ‘was/were’”.

Gale: 

Gale may put his hand in his mouth a handful of times when he talks to Tav about it at first, but he really does mean well. Gale’s just very curious about any magic or spells Tav has used, if any, in trying to alter their appearance or gender. Have they tried any transmutation spells? Polymorph? Any alchemy at all? Gale is very much on board with helping Tav achieve their desired look or body via magical means if that’s what he wants. 

Gale offers assistance via magical means of course, but he also offers a sympathetic ear should Tav ever want to talk about it. Gale has met plenty of alchemists who struggled with their own identity, so he knows it can weigh heavy on one’s mind. And when you already have a mind flayer parasite on the mind, well, that’s quite a lot for just one mind to handle!

Gale’s very excited to share shaving and grooming tips, especially when it comes to beard upkeep. That is if Tav is interested in trying out a beard. Gods know Gale’s been dying to talk to someone about it, someone who appreciates a handsome face when they see one. Tara won’t stop bugging him to shave it, and he could use another fellow on his side. Maybe together he and Tav could persuade Tara into liking it. (I mean, probably not, but it’s worth a shot.)

Gale isn’t one to initiate conflict, but should someone disrespect Tav or talk down to him, Gale would certainly have some words for that individual. Granted they may be murmured or said under his breath so as to not start yet another fight on their journey but in the end it’s the thought that counts, right? And if those words just happen to be some sort of mischievous spell as revenge, well, some things just can’t be helped, can they?

Wyll: 

Wyll is extremely kind and understanding when Tav tells him. He’s always very encouraging and does his best to uplift Tav anyway, but now that Wyll knows this, he tries even harder to do so. 

Wyll knows how much other people’s perceptions of yourself can mean. Wyll himself was so used to people seeing him in one light before Mizora cast him into another. Adjusting to the horns has not been easy, but just as Tav stood by him through all of that, Wyll vows to stand by Tav. 

He’s very polite, so he doesn’t ask a lot of questions unless Tav explicitly tells him it's okay to. If it is, Wyll will ask Tav about how they’d like to be addressed, how they’d like to be perceived within the roles of the team, and if there’s anything Wyll can do to make this process any easier for them. 

You know how in the latest patch, there was a fix that said “Duke Ravengaurd will now use the player's correct pronouns when addressing them”? And collectively we were all like, so Wyll sat him down and gave him a talk, huh? Yeah, that. 

Wyll’s very old-fashioned, not in his beliefs in gender roles, oh gods no, but in his belief that everyone should be treated with respect. (Well, sans goblins and like, bad guys, I guess.) So if Tav says they want to be called something, you can bet Wyll is the first one to remind the others if they slip up. 

Wyll thinks Tav is just an incredible person and an all-around amazing guy. He’s so happy to have met them. It’s kind of silly, but in some ways, Wyll still sees himself as this sort of knight-in-shining armor, a hero sworn to protect the people. But what’s amazed Wyll time and time again is how often Tav reminds Wyll and everyone else by extension, just how capable he is, as a leader and a friend. Tav isn’t helpless in need of rescue, he’s very capable in his way. Wyll finds it captivating, all the time Tav has come to his rescue. 

[vxmpyrate]

intro post to vxmp-irate’s blog !!

my name is aster :3

18, bigender + queer, he/she pronouns

i like to post fanart and oc art, also i love to write so occasionally i’ll post something that has to do with my writing

i use procreate for my art, and i often use mellon_soup as a reference for poses, but all art is my own

socials -

instagram: vxmpyrate (art)

tiktok: vxmpyrate (edits and art)

twt: vxmpyrate (random - sometimes art)

pinterest: astirial (some art and boards)

ao3: vxmpirate (a few fics)

fandoms i’m in

VLD

gravity falls

hermitcraft/life series

OFMD

deltarune/undertale

the hunger games

a bunch of random animanga

also mxtx

if you’re in these fandoms pls interact !

about my characters…

i have a handful of ocs, and i love them all so dearly so here’s a bit about them:

z - he/him pronouns, bisexual, my persona, and a huge asshole but he’s the oc i draw the most so i love him heart, always bleeding out of his mouth cuz hes dumb and gets in fights, also self proclaimed midwestern emo

axel - z’s boyfriend, he/they pronouns, gay, huge space nerd and obsessed with the past (he strictly listens to pre-2010 music)

phoebe - she/they pronouns, bisexual, blonde, also kinda a persona (but in a “omg shes so me” way, not in a “i designed her to be me” way), she’s super into early 2000s culture, a bit of a y2k baddie

vix - they/she/he pronouns, lesbian, phoebe’s dumbass girlfriend, punk and goth, he is a musician!

jesse - they/he pronouns, unlabeled icon, designed them as a character for a school assignment and ran with it, they cover their fucked-upness with humor, originally designed as a phoenix shapeshifter, but the idea was scrapped

juniper - he/she pronouns, also unlabeled lol, jesse’s partner, my final of the persona ocs, i use juniper whenever i am making a self insert oc for something, and she started off as a kitsune shapeshifter (idea was scrapped)

and lastly, i have a story about characters who are given special powers through their birthstones. i’ve had the story for a while, but the characters are really really important to me and my art, so i draw them a lot. here’s just a small description of all of them:

noé, garnet, they/them

zoey, amethyst, she/they

jade, aquamarine, she/her

damien, diamond, he/him

emery, emerald, they/them

garret, pearl, he/they

lucy, ruby, she/he

liam, peridot, he/him

erik, sapphire, he/him

ophelia, opal, he/she/they

cecile, citrine, she/her

sophia, topaz, she/her

- i tend to refer to them as the names of their birthstones (ex. i call lucy ‘ruby’ way more than i call her lucy) but their birth names are all still used in the canon story i have set for them

closing thoughts

if you like my art, and are interested in any of the fandoms im in, or in any of my characters, feel free to follow me ^_^ i’ll be posting way more than i have in the past (which is.. never) and i’m so excited to be sharing my art with all of you

i do art as a hobby, but it really really helps me express my thoughts and joys and its a great way for me to share my interests, so i’m really looking forward to this blog

ok bye!

[buhankahelp]

once you get this, you have to say five things you like about yourself, publicly. then you have to send this to ten of your favourite followers (non-negotiable, positivity is awesome! x)

Hey, lu! Thank you for the question? tag? Anyway, thank you for your attention ☺️!

I think it might be quite hard for me to think of… hmmmmmmm. 🤔

Is that like about my physical or any other appreciation? Anyway, here are 5 things about me, that I like:

1. I like my taste in music. Like, a lot. I listen to a lot of rock, metal, pop and other genres of music, the diversity is too big. Here are some of my favourite bands/musicians: Poppy, Melanie Martinez, Slaughter to Prevail, S.O.A.D., Linkin Park, Slipknot, Shakira, Muse, Lady Gaga, Imagine Dragons, Little Big, the Hatters, IC3PEAK.

2. I love my art. Even if it looks ugly for myself sometimes. I love that I can create whatever I want and just do something with my hands. It isn’t only about my pictures, but also my crochet and knitted pieces of art, or my own short written stories (nobody knows on tumblr, but I do write sometimes).

3. I like that I’ve made myself do some workouts. Usually I’m too lazy to do them and don’t like anything connected with sport, but nowadays I’ve got excited with an idea of becoming a super powerful muscle woman, so… yeah. I became motivated enough to workout 3 days in a week.

4. I love my body shape, even though it isn’t perfect right now. Like, I’m not a muscle woman yet, but my body is already looks very nice. (I may share with my progress but I’m a little bit shy.)

5. I like my cooking… I guess? I mean, I really enjoyed my homemade rice with fried vegetables and shrimps, and I love baking pancakes, apple pies and cupcakes. It’s a little bit harder with cookies, but I’m sure I’ll learn how to bake them properly.

Enjoy some photos of my homemade food. There are pancakes in the first picture and the rice with veggies and shrimps on the second.

[tigers1o1]

Hi there I absolutely loved your Demonkicks fic, do you have plans to write any more? And regardless of that do you have any particular headcanons for the ship?

Hi! Thank you sm!! :3

I would LOVE to write more for them because they are so dear to me, but for some reason PD just doesn’t get my little writer brain going the way Riptide does. That just means I don’t have a ton of ideas lmao. But I LOOOOVE them and if/when I do have more ideas for them I so absolutely would want to write them :3

As for headcanons, I don’t have a tooon but but but I love talking about them so I’ll blabber anyway (I use any pronouns for Ashe btw sorry if that gets confusing)

They like chasing each other around the city. Im pretty sure it’s canon that Dakota can run as fast as Ashe’s demon heelys can so they like to be silly and chase each other

I think Ashe probably fell in love first (maybe in part due to the fact that he just isn’t really used to being close with people) but they were definitely very shy about it. Ashe is definitely the type of person to be like “I’m not going to talk about it unless he does” but

Dakota is probably oblivious to his feelings for a while. I don’t think Dakota has a solid grasp on which emotions he’s feeling 90% of the time (I’m not projecting wdym) and so he probably had like a brief moment of “wait do I like Ashe or just really wanna be his friend?” And he just shrugged and thought it was the friend thing until all of the sudden something clicks and he goes “OH SHI-“. Dakota is also absolutely the type to fall REALLY hard and fast as soon as he realizes. So to me, demonkicks is very much the “_ falls first, _ falls harder” thing

They introduced each other to a lot of new music and sometimes they just sit together in Ashes room and listen to music. They don’t really need to be talking or anything, they just like hanging out in each other’s presence. It’s calming for Dakota, and it makes Ashe feel important (and those things are exactly what the two of them need). I think maybe sometimes Ashe plays video games while Dakota just lays on the bed and fiddles with something or pets the dog. (He’d join the game, but then he’d get super competitive about it and loud and high energy and Ashe would get tired bc of it so Dakota is content to just chill)

When they DO play videos games it goes one of two ways: most often, Ashe feeds off Dakota’s energy and they both get fairly competitive (Ashe less so) and it’s a very high energy time (and then when they’re done, Ashe crashes hard bc he’s not used to that much energy) OR Dakota’s energy ends up making Ashe feel tired and so it’s less fun but definitely a lot more calm and Ashe ends up letting Dakota win 80% of the time bc she just likes seeing him excited. Regardless of which way it goes, they cuddle after and you can rip that from my cold dead hands

Ashe is the one to initiates affection, but only bc she is TOUCH STARVED but they’re shy about it too. So he’ll come up and like- face plants into Dakota’s shoulder and it makes him go “oh yeah, physical affection” bc he forgets thats a thing half the time (again, I’m not projecting idk what you mean).

Dakota is just completely enamored by Ashe. Thinks she’s the coolest ever.

[linklethehistorian]

You know, being around Tumblr for like…5 years now, I’ve seen a lot of silly, goofy posts from fandom peeps making jokes and memes about themselves having to pretend to be ‘normal’ about a certain topic or thing they’re passionate about when around their friends, or wishing that someone else cared about their fics or OCs or whatever-else-have-you as much as they do themselves, so that they’d have a reason to share their trivia and go all out on the subject without being labeled as ‘cringe’, and like…yeah, they’re kinda funny, and don’t get me wrong, they’re definitely relatable to an extent, but…most of all, I just find them sad.

I know there are a lot of people — especially when making posts aimed towards fic writers — that’ll be like, “just do it for yourself!”, or “write/draw/create like no one’s watching!”, and that is genuinely good advice; I’m glad that it’s out there, because it is a very important step in being able to enjoy your hobby and/or your passion.

…But at the same time, something I never hear being said that I think really should is: while yeah, you should be able to create for yourself like no one is watching — in the sense that you should try to tune out the naysayers and just do what you love above all else — you should also allow yourself to be free enough to create like everyone is watching, in a good way.

Yes, realistically speaking, most people in the world right now probably don’t care that much about that super niche fic you wrote, or that OC you made, or whatever else it is you created or saw that you’re so excited about, but…so what? Who cares if not that many people have noticed it and given it the attention it deserves in your eyes? Why are you letting that stop you?

Go out there and make that ‘official blog’ dedicated to that creation you love, build that music playlist of perfect vibes for your OC or your favorite character, create hundreds of drawings and drabbles and fics and edits and posts and whatever else that you so want to do, talk like the whole world is listening with bated breath for your next statement about an update or interesting tidbit about that thing you made!

What is anyone going to do about it? Call you cringe? Send you hateful messages or make nasty comments? Delete them. Block them. Cut them off. They’re just a bunch of losers who have never learned a better way of coping with their own personal misery and unhappiness besides trying to drain the joy out of other people’s lives. And if you’re afraid your friends would do that to you — guess what? They’re not really your friends. There is a time and place for everything, sure, and there are going to be some people who enjoy doing different things with you more than others, but if you genuinely can’t just be yourself and have fun around the people you love without fear of being judged over something fictional or otherwise harmless, then you’re not in a very healthy situation.

And I’ll tell you something else, too.

When I started writing my most beloved fic of all, I had no idea that it would ever possibly get more than maybe one reader at best — if that — because of how extremely specific and niche the plot and the main pairing (and even the secondary pairing) was. I thought that it would at best sit on AO3 in silence forever and at worst receive massive backlash from a certain part of its primary fandom.

And I’m not gonna lie; it has received a few nasty comments over the years — but you know what it has mostly received? Love. Love, and appreciation, and support, and all of the things that in the beginning I never would’ve thought was possible.

I made an official blog for my fic, and it actually has a few dedicated followers that aren’t all just my close friends. I have playlists for it, I’ve made art, animatics, development notes on each chapter, I celebrate milestones with actual polls and events! I talk like people are listening, even when I’m not always really sure that they are, just for the fun of it, and you know…I’m happy.

And personally, I think that kind of obvious love and joy and dedication for what you do sells itself more than any type of attempt to appeal to the so-called ‘critics’ ever could.

Do what you love like others already love it just as much as you, and the rest will eventually fall into place.

[bellewintersroe]

Hi could I request for another BoB ship? Whenever you aren’t too busy ofc! I asked for one not too long ago and I loved it so much I just couldn’t help but ask again. If you can’t that’s fine also 💖

I’m a female (she/her) , i have big heart, i’m funny, I like to relax, but i also can be energetic. I love to chill and listen to music. I can have a bit of a short temper at times (I just think it’s because I don’t put up with peoples bs LMAO), I can also be very stubborn, i’m very loyal, like VERY loyal and I will always stick up for the people i love, (which I think that can also lead me to being hurt or misused by friends) I can be a little emotional at times, maybe a little dirty minded too lol, i love to cook, i’m a dog lover (really just an animal lover at that), and i’m competitive and passionate. I’m a very driven person and if it’s something I want to do i’ll make SURE it gets done. I Make up my own rules and I don’t give into unfair ideas that are put up around me. I lead with my heart and my emotions and if that gets me into trouble then so be it. i also LOVE scary movies, true crime, all that stuff, i’m also a SUCKER for reality tv 😭 (tlc does have some good drama though) I would say im charming and it’s more of my words and my smile that gets guys. I’m a bit of a germaphobe and maybe little ocd. Imma southern gal who’s very short, (5.0) I have brown eyes, wavy light chocolate brown hair, big lips, only like a couple light freckles on my nose ( you can see them better in the summer) , button nose, and an olive skintone that has paled over time, I would say I have more of a petite/hourglass figure but I think my chest is what catches people’s eyes (Im a size DD LOL) I have high standards, I can be very sympathetic, and I also can usually tell when people are in pain or when their vibe is off in general. I usually just joke or “laugh it off” when i’m coping with something that bothers me, or if it’s something that really hurt me I usually just shut down and become cold. i’m an INTP, My hogwarts house is Hufflepuff ( even though I honestly thought I was a slytherin for so long 😭) My love language is physical touch for giving and acts of service as receiving (it’s really just the little things and showing that you care about what I’m saying for me). I grew up with brothers so i love watching sports and playing them ( We grew up in a very competitive household lol) i’m very very family oriented. I’m a sagittarius, I like to play the piano, and read and write in my free time. and In the summers I love to fish and swim at my boathouse. And springtime is my favorite season.

Thank you sm in advance! <33

Hey of course!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed your first one, thank you for this request!! <3<3

love the amount of info you’ve given, thank you!!

I ship you with… Don Malarkey!

Everything about this match feels PERFECT.

first of all you sound STUNNING, so I feel like Don is gonna notice this first- and not to be objectifying but he’s gonna see ur BOOBS- oh my god he doesn’t stare but you definitely catch him taking a look.

Even though you haven’t got many freckles Don notices these when nobody else does. I feel like once you’re in a close relationship he’ll sit and count them for as long as possible.

Apart from how attractive Don finds you (he’s gobsmacked, pls Luz pinch me back into reality) like you said it’s your charm and smile that he really, really falls hard for. I think the energy you gives off sounds super exciting and passionate. Malarkey deffo finds this enticing.

I feel like in the early stages Don would try to sit next to you/ near you if you were all at the pub together. Whenever he’d make a joke you’d be the first person he’d turn to, ensuring you found it funny.

Malarkey finds you hilarious, you don’t have to worry about making a joke and nobody hearing because Don always has his full attention on you.

catches your eye just to smile at you. This is when your feelings really, really start to grow. I feel like when he figures how an amazing of a person you are he really goes above and beyond to impress you.

Don doesn’t know how high your standards are, but he’d deffo meet them unintentionally ?? As in he’d just go out of his way to do any little thing for you just because he can! Oh my god this man is so sweet.

You know that scene where he goes to pick up his laundry and he’s so polite and tries not to swear??? Well at first he would 100000% not swear in front of you- until he realises you’ve got a dirty mind and he’s SHOCKED.

He doesn’t know whether to laugh or stare, jaw dropped in surprise! Either way, he’s a little turned on??? As open as you are with him, and as many jokes as he’ll crack I feel like he’ll forever try to be respectful and not swear in front of you?!

listen as I researched Malarkey he was known for his ‘sense of humour and bad cooking’ SO PLEASE COOK FOR THE POOR GUY. He tries his best, and probably won’t ever stop trying to cook for you- but at the end of the day you enjoy it and produce edible food (unlike him). He’d watch you, sitting on the counter in a childlike manner whilst he attempts to watch and mimic you making the most delicious dish ever.

When he gets more comfortable he LOVES kissing you and he loves knowing you love it too. Makes him blush, literally- at first I think he’d be a little shy and stammer, the first kiss I think would take a while? Maybe you’d have to initiate it because he’s so sweet and respectful omfg nononooo- he’d ALWAYS offer you out his arm to walk with as he loves feeling your smaller hands wrapped around his biceps.

Would smirk whenever you’re in awe of how attractive he is. Pls big him up, he needs it.

let’s say he see’s you getting emotional over something for the first time, I think he’d be in shock? Maybe if you’re watching a movie together or during the war you get a little sad, he’s such an empath, like you, so he probably gets all sad and cuddly too.

Hates nothing more than seeing you upset-

well hates nothing more than seeing you upset over the hands of somebody else 😡.

I have a scenario in my head of Cobb mouthing off at somebody, and you jump to their defence. As soon as you speak Malarkey is wide eyed and ready to fight before Cobb even says anything back. When he does of course fire back with something pure rude Don gets SO ANGRY.

I don’t think he’s the type to get physical, but he definitely starts swearing and gets so defensive- and you’ll rarely see him like this because he’s NEVER EVER angry at you.

He’s intimidating when he gets like that? But it’s all in good intentions because he could never aim it towards you- he’s a sensitive guy so he’s pretty in tune with his emotions. Usually would just get a bit quiet and wonder off to have some space if you two bicker.

I think you’d both be similar in the fact of going a little cold if somethings upset either of you- but after a cuddle I feel like all would be fixed within an hour tops.

Don pouts and sulks so it’s kinda hard to not feel sorry for the guy.

I think the both of you would have such an amazing laugh together, your sense of humour would be perfect and you could easily make jokes about each other without becoming offended. Whether you’re relaxing together at home or out on a date at the bar, the banter between the two of you never stops.

in the midst of the war, let’s say when Malarkey had lost all of his close friends, he really started to worry about losing you. You could tell he’d changed within himself and his grief and the pressure of war was definitely getting to him.

I think you’d be perfect at giving him the reassurance he needs, he definitely would enjoy physical touch, and you’d both be very in tune with each others emotions. Maybe give him a massage or just kiss his cheek every now and then when you’re cuddling- your kind words and actions are huge for Don to push through a dark period.

He’d probably mutter one night how much he loves you and wants to marry you. Sounds very cliche but he means it, and would 1000% follow through. In the mean time, he would find a beautiful ring from somewhere in Austria and Germany- would probably get the other men involved in proposing to you/ wants to marry you in the middle of Europe.

spontaneous kinda guy I think?

When you go home and he meets your family he’s in awe about how competitive you are- and you always win. Well in his eyes anyway- Don and his sense of humour makes him super likeable for parents and siblings, especially if your brothers are over protective? He gives off such charming and sweet energy like yourself and everybody would instantly take a liking to him.

deffo good in bed ;)

Like he just screams BDE and he would deffo know what he’s doing to make you enjoy it. Would want you to enjoy it over anything else. It’s super important to him that your needs are met and respected.

If you two had kids he’d probably make fun of them (ofc not in a nasty way) but he’d give them Mohawks or comb overs and laugh at the stupid hairstyles.

he’s so in love with you seriously, you’re both fire signs so your initial attraction is easily developed into a successful long lasting one. Don feels the same immense love for you 1 year in as he does 10 years in- if not even more.

[in-my-feels-probably]

Hello! Congrats on 900 <3!! Can i ask for a Marauder's era ship please? I am bisexual (she/her), about 5'5, dark hair and brown eyes. I am super into fantasy novels and tend to write poems/songs about some characters that i like. I have a 5yo GSD pup, he's the cutest thing lol. I am an INTJ so people think i am mean when they first meet me because i tend to not have any input towards a conversation they are having. It is difficult to shut me up when i start talking about something i find interesting and people find it annoying so i avoid doing that with relatively new people :<. I always say that in the future i would rather adopt dogs than have kids, because kids are annoying (you are welcome to have a different opinion, i just have bad experieance with toddlers) ty! and congrats again!!

hi!

thank you for participating :)

so for these, i normally ship you with one character. but since you have no gender preference, i’ll tell you out of the boys and the girls who i ship you with. but i’ll do the full blurb and stuff for the character i think you’re a better fit with.

i ship you with sirius and mary! im gonna go with sirius for this tho, hope that alright :)

i think there’s something about fantasy that sirius would really like. a world outside of his own, where there was any possibilities for a person, no matter where you came from. he’s got a bit of a hero complex, and envisions himself riding off into battle in a blaze of glory. probably an idea james put into his head when he was young. he’d definitely understand why muggles write fantasy novels about magic. he’d read them too, if he couldn’t already do magic. but i don’t envision him as much of a reader. i do think he’d appreciate poetry and the art of words. it’s the same as lyrics, and he definitely appreciates music. but getting him to read? he won’t do it. his mother probably crammed it down his throat when he was younger, and he no longer finds pleasure in it. but when he finds out you enjoy reading, and he sees you get all excited over something you just read, he’d want to hear about it. he wouldn’t care if it personally interested him or not, he’d just want to hear you talk about it. he’d ask you to read to him when you had time to yourselves, grinning at all the adventures you’d tell him about.

i think sirius would pick up on how quiet you’d be. even once you first became friends, you’d just let the group talk, only chiming in every once in a while. the rest of them can carry on a conversation quite well, so they wouldn’t really notice, but sirius would. he’d want to know what you were thinking, how you were feeling. as you got closer, he’d make an effort to get you to talk to him. you’d have little side conversations to yourself, and the rest of the group would eventually pick up on it. they’d smile watching sirius get all flustered, going above and beyond to get you to smile. he’d find all your interests so facisnating, and he’d love how passionate you are about things. he could listen to you talk about them all day.

i don’t think sirius would be up for kids either, at least not for a long time. he’d much rather keep to himself. kids were for people like james, not him. you and him could just be an aunt and an uncle, happy enough to spoil your friends children, but still having the option of going home to a kid free life. he’d be too afraid to even think about the possibility of having children after school, and you’d be content to figure the rest out later. you’d put your foot down about having a pet, though. you would have a dog in the house, and that was final. i do think sirius really likes dogs. he’s literally one himself. but he might get jealous of all the attention you’d give your dog, whining when you’d take up the couch together without him.

“come on,” he’d whine, coming into the living room of your apartment. “that dog never leaves me any room.”

you’d laugh, pulling your dog closer so he could sit on the other side of him. “you love him and you know it. besides, it’s not his fault he’s a better cuddler than you.”

“i have fur, too, you know. i’m quite the cuddler, you know. you could just ask.”

you’d playfully roll your eyes at his pouting, motioning for your dog to sit on the other side of you. sirius would grin, flopping down on the couch and curling into you.

“are you happy now, pads? you big baby.”

“very, darling,” he’d say, reaching a hand over to scratch your dog behind the ears.

—

hi again! i hope you enjoyed this, thank you again for participating :)

(also, i have a german shepherd too. she’s a handful, but she’s cute so it makes up for it. i definitely prefer my cats to kids too lol)

[crguang]

Nah cause I'm glad you also get excited about songs like this cause for me personally, music is so important and anytime I listen to something I can't help but try to relate it to a character (even people irl sometimes but that's more rare) I eat up all the character playlists with voice overs on youtube lol

Tbh I'm an artist and I swear I base entire OC's off of songs sometimes lmao. Just recently I started fucking around with a HSR OC and while I was browsing Pinterest for ideas, "Afraid" by The Neighborhood started playing on spotify and my brain was like "Say less !! 💪😤"

For songs, it's not even always the lyrics that remind me of a character, sometimes it's just the vibes of the song (but tbh, the biggest compliment I can give a character is saying they're Chase Atlantic coded cause I just LOVE all of their songs..)

Curious if music is as important to you in your creative process !

-🔥

i get you 100% oh my god, im the exact same way with music. most of the things i write are inspired by songs, i use lyrics as titles or will base my ocs off songs (i have playlists for them too!) like music can be so essential to my creative process, its the easiest way to get me inspired. i listen to a lot of classical music because its super easy to daydream while its playing in my headphones and i cant go a single day without daydreaming about things i’ll write, oc lore, random scenarios based off whatever im listening to, etc. i love music, every time i remember that i can just open Spotify and put something i like on, i get so happy😭 it also helps me write, i always need to have something in the background depending on the type of fic im writing or else the process just wont be as smooth, if that makes sense.

also… would love to know more about your hsr oc, i love it when people tell me abt their ocs its so fun. but yeah we’re the same because i cant go a day without music😭

[harrysnelldesignresearch]

Mako Road Band Research

From humble origins as a Canterbury University covers band, Mako Road have remarkably quickly become a force to be reckoned with, a staple act on annual summer festival lineups and selling out their own tour gigs in just hours.

“We just started playing covers during student events and we sorta got to a point where we were seeing a lot of successful bands coming out of Dunedin, and they were playing festivals and releasing music and people were really into it. We were like, ‘Man we could try this.’

“Rhian wrote our first song, The Sun Comes Up [recorded and mixed by Jaine back in 2017], and it got a lot of attention straight away which was incredibly lucky for us. We recorded in a garage, CJ was YouTubing how to mix songs! We put it up and were like, ‘Let’s do a Christchurch release party.’ Then we booked a show in Wellington and people actually bought tickets… and we were like ‘Oh man, let’s keep doing this.’ And somehow we’ve ended up here!”

“The album is a big step for a band, it’s almost like a rite of passage, and we were trying to write an album for ages. We were kind of struggling with it initially, our writing process is pretty haphazard, we’ve always got ideas floating around. We booked a bach on the edge of Lake Taupo which was beautiful, really isolated ourselves, and booked studio time, and then wrote the album and went straight into the studio 10 days later.”  

“Our approach is to just release it, play it live. We’re so live orientated, the recording thing’s almost like a fun experience. Writing music’s always the best part, but it’s the live performances that are our thing.” 

“I think that’s the perpetual thing for musicians, as well for anybody who goes through that, they’re just wanting to get straight back onto that creative process. But we’re stoked that it’s finally out there and that people are going to listen to it.” 

“That’s your core source of interaction with people, and music is about that connection and interaction. I think that’s the thing that has got artists reeling after Covid, it’s that they’re missing that in-person interaction. It’s such a crucial element to what we try to do, and what I think every musician cherishes about their music career is the playing live element. It’s a surreal experience and it’s something I don’t think I’ll ever get used to. 

“I remember at RnV we were looking out before we were on and there wasn’t much happening. We went backstage to warm up and when I came back out the crowd was just like all the way up the hill! I felt like I had my stomach in my throat the whole set, it just felt like chaos, like un-bottled chaos, like I couldn’t even really recall the set I just remember sitting there just trying not to freak out and not fuck up my parts!”

Despite already having over half a million monthly Spotify listeners and live shows frantically selling out, Mako Road are most definitely still down to earth, vibrant former students doing what they do best; creating tunes and playing them to excited crowds full of new and established fans. 

Insights

Mako Road come from humble begins as a student band performing at student events and then got a lot of attention after releasing their own song.

Were from Dunedin, New Zealand

Used a getaway to focus and bring ideas together to form an album

Prefer Live performances

Love the creative process and want to get straight into it again after finding success

Core interaction with people is through concerts

Was super suprised by large crowd and got nervous as

"Despite already having over half a million monthly Spotify listeners and live shows frantically selling out, Mako Road are most definitely still down to earth, vibrant former students doing what they do best; creating tunes and playing them to excited crowds full of new and established fans." This is swag and love the culture in this genre of music as everyone is just laid back and honest

[lets-talk-spirituality]

https://at.tumblr.com/lets-talk-spirituality/httpsattumblrcomlets-talk-spiritualityhttpsm/smx1bt0lyrwn

Hello! OMG I love the blog change, I was like damn, I’m feeling this vibe. Work 💅👑

Sorry for the late response, work was crazy busy this short week and I passed out at like 10pm last night. And it took me forevers to get up this morning.

But while I was grinding away at work, I had this album playing in the background: Carly Rae Jepsen - Dedicated Side B. 

I’m a huge Jepsen fan, I just love her music, and I can talk about her all day. But whenever I need a motivational push or just some pure pop I turn to her. And I have almost all her music on record expect she hasn’t released the deluxe versions of her albums on LP yet. 😭

And what I always found cool, is that she releases companion albums to her main albums and just adds on to the title side b. So the album above is the companion to Dedicated. 

I love the whole album and can listen front to back, but I'll list off my favorite few:

"This Love Isn't Crazy"

"Window"

"This Is What They Say"

"Let's Sort the Whole Thing Out"

"Now I Don't Hate California After All” (This one has me in a chokehold)

Album link: https://open.spotify.com/album/7oHKKCXCFIv3J1Yh5F08pu?si=IU75zmxtT5eGEkf72JZKAQ 

——

But one album I’m super excited for and I pre-ordered the record last night is Endless Summer Vacation by Miley Cyrus. 

https://shop.mileycyrus.com

I’m a huge rock fan and I loved Plastic Hearts, and I’m very excited to see what she does next. 

I don’t know if you heard Miley’s live covers but they’re amazing. 

I’ll attach a few links below for you and others:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbdRLyixJpc 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l81u-oSIAp4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0IQm-MXh2s 

——

If I wasn’t emotional drained, dead tried and a little wired at the moment I would write up the rest of my recommendation with Carly Rae Jepsen/Miley Cyrus and the other albums and records I listened to this week.

But I have to go for a walk to clear my head after I finish typing this and eating my overnight oats. I hope you’re doing well!! And that you have a great weekend. And I’m excited to read your 2023 post.

All the best,

🎶

Thank you! I think the new vibe is exciting and inspiring. And I think my 2023 post is pretty comprehensive which I’m happy about. I have more ideas as I start working.

Music anon, you are a goddess (genderless). I recently decided I was gonna be a Carly Rae Jepson fan. I had liked some of her songs but I went through more of her discography, like maybe within the last two months. Never Get To Hold You came on today when I was at the beach :) Beach House on the new album is such a fucking bop! I love Sideways too.

Listened to the album and first of all—good taste. My favs are:

Felt this way

Come back

Solo

I love Miley’s voice. She has a beautiful voice but her music style has never been my favorite. I think it’s cool how experimental she is, though, like that she’s kinda spanned so many genres. But I love Mother’s Daughter!

If you like these people I think you’ll like: Gracey, Leon, and Kiiara. Please tell me you love Tove Lo and Dua Lipa too! Also BANKS!