#I’ve been using so many different tags to find the post again that has it and I regret not liking or reblogging it the first time

[actuallyjustabiscuit]

Ok I need someone to do me a favor. Can anyone give me a screenshot of Gooseworx showing which episodes are dedicated to each character. I saw it once in a post on here but I haven’t been able to find it since and it’s killing me. I have a point I wanna make about that specific post from Gooseworx but I refuse to get Twitter to look for it there.

[iikisa]

heres more teacher rin au!!!!

ill have some more deets under the cut about this hehe

Welcome back aoex fandom… I’ve decided for this AU to be called “Tightrope”!!!! Haha,, yeah it’s definitely not what i was saying earlier in that ask..

But yeah!!! I’ll be tagging any post related to this AU under a tag from now on! ;)

(The rest of this will contain spoilers from the manga, but then again this whole AU has been spoilers..)

Alrighty, this time we’re going over the reason for Rin’s appearance… Just as in the manga, Rin becomes “unstable” through Yukio breaking his sword, except in this tightrope au, their relationship was much more rockier than it was in the manga. So much stuff that wasn’t cleared up, lots of avoidance, not so much emotional stability.. There’s a whole background to how Yukio and Rin’s upbringing would’ve happened in this AU because of their little aged-up situation— some events are interpreted differently to fit and others are just completely new, you can assume— so obviously things happened differently between them without Yukio being the cram school’s teacher and Rin actually attending said school to begin with…

So, now that Yukio left Rin for Illuminati, leaving him completely lonely and without a proper purpose to live for in life… Rin’s demonic nature is left in a “tightrope-like” situation.

See how the title relates? And boy does it apply for many other things too.

Where is Mephisto to help with all this you ask? Oh he tried to offer Rin help by going into the past, but even after learning of his origins (I don't think it helped his self-esteem much tbh) Rin still finds himself unable to "restabilize". Like in the manga, it's not until Rin truly accepts both sides to himself is he able to truly stabilize. This AU is obviously more heavy on the twins terrible communication and relationship, so obviously this will be harder for Rin.

For as long as he can remember, Rin's always thought of himself as a nuisance to his family. And with Fujimoto's death, everything seems to be Rin's fault and he's not stupid enough as to not notice the pattern. Unfortunately, this really eats away at Rin, especially with how distant Yukio was with him. So until Rin can learn to accept the uglier parts of himself, he won't be stable. And Yukio is the most important part for him to realize that.

Now… time for the appearance explanation.

When Rin first "unstabilizes" his hair, ears, and eyes change (other smaller details like his canines as well as the newest addition of little nubs on his forehead). The more "unstable" he is, the more prominent these features become—his hair is wholly whitish-blue, his ears and canines are pointier, his eyes are sharper and more vibrant, and his little horns get bigger.

After becoming a not-so-substitute-teacher for the cram school, these features start to become smaller or fade away!!!! Depending on Rin’s emotional state—negative emotions lead to instability and positive emotions leads to stability— his appearance changes. The happier and healthier he is, the more his black roots take place (his original hair color) and the duller his other features become!

Now as for his flames.. I think some logic may be off canon for this but it’ll be fine! He can freely use his flames like he does during the final war-against-satan arc, however, his state of stability changes how precisely he can use them. The more unstable he is, the broader and rougher the attacks. When he’s more stable, his attacks can be more precise and controlled, such as shaping his flames into weapons and other uses.

Anywho, I’ll have to start on making these differences more noticeable for the Rin’s I’m drawing out, because I do like to draw him at different times of his life (if you take note of his hair,,, its one of his best indicators ahah). But yes. Now that I’ve written this concept out (after I drew these sketches whoops) I’ll be showing off a little more of the story once some heavy inspiration hits me. I hope you guys enjoy hearing about this AU as much as I love writing and drawing it!!!!! I’d love to hear feedback or any fic recommendations..! They are my fuel.

Thank you for listening to the end, much love <3

[the-golden-comet]

✨🌺 Author Ask Tag 🌺✨

Thank you so much for tagging me for this, @aalinaaaaaa and here @sharkblizzardblogs ! I will also leave this +open for anyone else who wishes to answer (if they want) and may come across this on their feed 💛✨

I’ve espoused lots of juicy information from my two published works Peter Hart and Your Wish Is My Command, so now it’s time to focus a little more on my current WIP: In The Realm of Giants 🌺✨

1. What is the main lesson of your story? Why did you choose it?

Excellent question! There are a few lessons in ITROG that are highlighted throughout the book:

The lengths family will go to protect each other. A huge theme is family bonds, and how the love and support of the village reflects the Viking’s desire to protect their people.

Taking risks to develop characters and learn lessons. Some of those risks are learned the hard way…for instance, getting abducted by a giant because Tyr foolishly believed if he could get away with stealing once, he would smugly and spitefully do it again. However, if not for the risks and consequences of taking said risks, he would have never explored the area outside of his home and experience the adventure. Equally so, his father wouldn’t have been able to see his son shine on his own without feeling the need to always guard him.

Forgiveness. Not only for Stefan and Tyr or Tyr and Gustav, but also Stefan and Gustav. Learning to forgive mistakes of their ancestors, to see everyone’s different perspectives on the same conflicts, and to achieve mutual understandings.

All of these lessons are very comparable to everyone in one way or another, applied to a more high-fantasy scene to give a sense of excitement and relatability 💛✨

2. What did you use as inspiration for your worldbuilding?

Norse Mythology, especially centered around Jötunheimr and Yggdrasil. I also sprinkled in some Disney-esque family values and dynamics. ✨

3. What is your MC trying to achieve, and what are you, the writer, trying to achieve with them? Do you want to inspire others, teach forgiveness or help the reader grow as a person?

Tyrell’s objective changes throughout the novel. A consistent goal is for him to achieve independence in a way that still serves his viking clan—the people he loves. However, his goals take a sharp turn when he finds himself kidnapped by a giant, where his main objective becomes to survive and make it back home in one piece.

What I always want to achieve in my MCs is that there is no “flawless” character—everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and seeing their vulnerabilities helps make them a more relatable protagonist. Sometimes, it’s the flaw that makes a character unique and stand out, memorable, endearing, or something that a reader roots for the protag to overcome. The more those strengths and weaknesses are explored and utilized in a plot or conflict, the more developed a character is, and overcoming their own weaknesses is something that anyone can relate and cheer for.

4. How many chapters is your story going to have?

At least 69, as is my brand. The word count is estimated anywhere between 120k-155k words.

5. Is it fan fiction or original content? Where do you plan to post it?

Original Work! I posted a variety of fanfiction and Originals, and post the full stories to my Archive Of Our Own account always. I do optional/additional support by providing a digital copy on Amazon Kindle eBooks, but that is only if people want to support me further (I don’t have KoFi or Patreon, as my writing pace varies. It finishes when it finishes 💛)

6. When did you start writing?

I started writing fanfiction in 2009 back on old fanfiction.net. Original writing started in 2014 with the development of Peter Hart.

7. Do you have any words of encouragement for fellow writers of writeblr? What other writers do you follow?

It sounds cheesy, but it’s true: Follow your dreams. Write the book that YOU would want to read, and be your biggest writing fan. I go back to my own books all the time, and because I enjoyed writing them and took the time to develop them, it was just as enjoyable reading-reading them from a casual point of view, and not a technical one. Get your heart out there, because there’s only one of you—one unique brain with wonderful ideas waiting to be actualized. Learning by doing, and remembering what inspired and motivated us to write in the first place—don’t lose that sense of wonder 💫✨

I follow SO many writeblrs. I’m excited to see what the community all is doing, and everyone has their own unique flavor of writing that is creative, fascinating, and inspiring. To name just a few: @wyked-ao3 , @gioiaalbanoart , @jev-urisk , @tragedycoded , @clever-pennname , @illarian-rambling , @autism-purgatory , @deanwax , @mk-writes-stuff , @words-after-midnight , @justabigoldnerd , @pippinoftheshire , @avaseofpeonies , @alinacapellabooks , @kaylinalexanderbooks , @drchenquill , @theink-stainedfolk , @the-inkwell-variable , @indecentpause , @glasshouses-and-stones , @addicted2coke-theothercoke , @asassydork , @aalinaaaaaa , @zackprincebooks , @lychhiker-writes , @yourpenpaldee , @oliolioxenfreewrites , @nczaversnick , @mrbexwrites , @peach-the-gospel , @finickyfelix , @aurumni-writes , @paeliae-occasionally , @agirlandherquill , @fantasy-things-and-such , @castiels-favorite-dumbass , @honeybewrites , @thatuselesshuman , @thecoolerlucky , @authorcoledipalo , @48lexr , and @thecomfywriter . There are many, MANY more that you should go check out and follow! Lots of beautiful minds in creative spaces 💫✨

[cruel-as-sin]

but one out of twenty isn’t so bad (is that so bad?) | logan howlett

↳ summary: set three months after the events of westchester and nine months before the movie logan, this story follows logan and a mysterious man he meets as they work to achieve their own goals and end up growing closer in the process

word count: 2k+ (ongoing)

song: normalcy | gigi perez

pairings: old man!logan x original character

content warnings: 18+ content (MDNI), SO much angst i’m warning you now, eventual fluff, eventual smut, slow burn (and i mean slow), canon-typical violence, any themes you see in the movie logan you can expect to find here, this story may not have a happy ending, read at your own risk

↳ a/n: i am so SO excited to start writing this fic you have no idea! i’ve been cooking this idea for months, so trust me this has been a looooong time coming. i will try to have updates out as fast as i can and keep you guys posted, but just know i am a college student with a very busy life and inspiration can be hard to come by. i hope you guys will enjoy this story as much as i do!

more specific information regarding tags/warnings, word count, music inspiration, pairings/characters, etc. can be found at the start of each chapter

══✿══╡°˖✧✿✧˖°╞══✿══

There are no more mutants on Planet Earth.

That’s what the government will tell you, what you’ll see in the papers and learn in history classes for generations to come. People have beaten the subject of mutation into the ground- they’ve made podcasts about what powers they’d like to have, written articles about the societal consequences to treating anyone different as less than the rest of us, done scientific research on the short-lived ‘mutant phenomenon,’ studied the ruins of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, hypothesized about their evolution and extinction.

The world was left reeling in the aftermath of the incident in Westchester. Questions arose of limitations on powers, mutant control, the threat these otherworldly abilities might pose- the same old arguments, time and time again.

But none of it matters now. Charles Xavier is dead, the X-Men are gone, and there are no more mutants.

Well… almost.

Logan Howlett is one of the rare few that are left, a survivor of the last recorded ‘mutant disturbance.�� He has one goal in life- take care of an ailing Charles Xavier. That’s it. Nothing else matters to him anymore.

Rowan Hawthorne has spent years living life in the shadows, trying his best to keep the demons of his past at bay. He wants to settle into a quieter life, one that doesn’t involve so many things that could haunt him- but for now, he’s on a mission.

One is determined to uncover the truth behind his past, the other is intent on burying the past forever. When their worlds meet, they find themselves inexplicably bound together.

The world wants to bring them down. The question is, will they let it?

══✿══╡°˖✧✿✧˖°╞══✿══

series masterlist

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ chapter one - the neighborhood keeps getting smaller

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ chapter two - there was something about you that now i can’t remember [coming soon!]

tags: @flowersforbucky @gewrgia-black @atleastpleasetelephone @namikyento @r0ttedcherubim @logaenhowlett @th3mrskory @pidgeypidge-pidge @thinkinonsense

if anyone wishes to be added to or removed from the taglist for this series and/or any of my taglists, please let me know!

[cementcornfield]

hello! i am incredibly new here to the joe’marr community and am finding it kind of difficult? to navigate the tags and um blogs because wow there is a lot of stuff outside of joe’marr in particular? but i see you primarily show up as a content blog for bengals and joe’marr friendly! would you mind recommending some joe’marr blogs and ways to navigate the tag for the ship? and also maybe some favorite fics of yours if you have any!

but thank you really for all the content i have scrolled through your joe’marr tag pretty religiously this past few days and kind of bummed i didn’t start liking them when the season started! hopefully i can watch them next season!

Hello!! ahhh how exciting, welcome to the fandom <3 <3. i truly do love when i see people going through my tags, it’s like hello!! i see you!! i’m glad you are enjoying the same things i’m particularly unhinged about! 

but i’m sure as you noticed, my blog is kind of a mess in terms of tagging 😔 whoops. i am just not organized at all, it’s a travesty. and i really try to avoid going into any of the big tags in the fandom (the joey b tag in particular is often a horrible place lmao.) so i’m afraid i can’t really help you tag-wise (i will say that you should make sure to search through both joe’marr and joemarr without the apostrophe, because people use both, and i think the apostrophe might actually mess things up on this broken-ass website lol). 

but i can definitely recommend some blogs and some fic i enjoy! 

blogs that approach joe’marr in a similar way to me: 

chasedeys - now if you want organization, cleo is way more on top of things than me, and has some FANTASTIC long rambling thoughts on our boys <3 

saviorified - combination of hockey and joe’marr/bengals stuff. kia's got great bits of analysis AND tremendous adorable fantastic art that you should definitely look through! 

always-silly-season - my dear wonderful friend annie who is more of a bball poster this time of year BUT is also an OG joe'marr blog. unmatched takes (plus her bball ships are also compelling!!)

agender-adrastea - nik keeps a great archive of joe’marr stuff on their blog and is also one of my favorite fic authors in the fandom! 

realtapiocafan - newer to the fandom but already knows everything to have ever happened in the lore lol. does a great job researching and presenting all of it for the fandom, an essential follow for the joe’marr lore enjoyer! 

cazluvsu - a bills bro, but also a fellow joe’marr poster! including this video that i am Obsessed with (among other great stuff!)

k8023 - more of a general bengals blog who posts a lot of the latest news in the fandom as well as cute joe’marr posts! 

chasing-clovers - always good for some good joe’marr analysis and moments! 

chase2pole - has lots of good clips and other joe'marr content for our general fandom uses!  

glittersgloom - actually more of a ravens fan (and has a lot of great info about that fandom and their different ship dynamics if you’re interested in exploring those! good stuff there honestly!) but has also lately been writing for joe’marr (again among many other great nfl ships!) and i really really love her writing :')

some fic to check out!

(it’s crazy how MUCH there is these days! i’ve said before but when i joined the fandom there were 2 (two!!) fics and now we’re at 83??? hell yeah!! i love all the fic authors for contributing truly i do, thank you!!)

keep them bright eyes focused on the coastline (waiting for you) - by the aforementioned glittersgloom, absolutely breathtaking MASTERPIECE of a joe’marr fic. and it’s 30k!!!

you look good in my shirt - a classic by nik, dealing with how they got to the point of joe wearing ja’marr’s jersey to the saints game 

run pass option - a smutty lil one-shot that i feel like really nails their dynamic (set when joe hurt his calf 2 years ago) 

so scarlet it was maroon - set after the afc championship loss :( :( sad but very sweet. 

even when the sun don't shine - dives into the tension/angst at the start of this season with ja’marr’s contract but with a nice happy ending <3

I don't want you like a bestfriend - this one is just super fun and porny and a great time all around lol. features jealous joe and desperate ja'marr (and even a bit of treymarr lol) which i’m alllll about. 

there’s lot more to check out, like i said, 83 fics! but these are just some that have stuck with me!!

[lainiespicewrites]

Hi friends!

So I’m tagging everyone that’s on the tag list for Coach Sy in this! Just because I’m not sure who all my mutuals are yet. Or how else to get this out there to the people I think are actually wanting to read my Walter story 😂🥲 Anyway! I just wanted to get some feedback! You totally don’t have to answer or say anything or interact at all obviously. Because you’re human and you all have free will! But …I’m rambling because I’m nervous …wow I really am turning into my self insert characters …or I write myself well…and I’m deflecting

Okay getting to my point! I’ve started my Walter story (literally have not even introduced him yet and I’m already panicking and doubting myself) but what I’ve realized is that because Walter is a comfort character to me. Because he is a police officer. And how his whole job is safety, I’ve been using this story as like a form of therapy? And started to recount my own Sexual assault and have been sort of trauma dumping into this story. Which has been a great release.

Night hunter the movie is super heavy. We all made a conscious choice to watch it. Some of us just because Henry is in it though. And might not like heavy triggering content like that. Others like myself. Might oddly find comfort in intense films like that. What I’m trying to say or ask is. Is this a theme you guys are okay with reading? It’s a lot different from coach Sy obviously which is healing in a different way because it’s so soft and sweet and comforting. And Walt will be too but. I just have to get the trauma out. Either way I think I’m gonna finish the story. But what I’m asking is do you guys want me to post it …or rework something else for Walter?

I’m not gonna be offended! I understand it! I’m totally okay with putting that out there because it helps me. And I know that if it helps me it’s very likely someone could connect with it and help others. I just didn’t realize that I was ready to pretty much tell the exact situation in a story. Sorry this is such a heavy subject guys. I love writing and I love that it brings us together and that we all can connect over someone that we love and brings us joy and comfort!

That’s kinda how I stumbled so hard into Henry! I knew of him but I hadn’t seen much of his stuff. But I saw him in Enola Holmes and (well first of all he looked damn good) but he was so big and something about him felt safe and protective. I’ve kind of hidden in that for a while.

Wow didn’t mean to get all emotional! But that’s tumblr! Thank you guys for all the love! Again you don’t have to say anything! If I don’t get too many responses I’ll probably just post it and see what the response is! I honestly love the little fan club i feel like I’ve gained here! You guys are awesome!!! ❤️🥰

Leave a comment, or reblog that’s totally fine, or if you’re more comfortable messaging me my dms always open! I just wanna make sure we’re all comfortable and safe here obviously I’d use tigger warnings and stuff but I also don’t want to post it if the majority of people won’t be comfortable. 💕

Tumblr tag list

@summersong69 @carrie80reads @identity2212 @caramariehurst @redheadrouge @warriormirkwood @gummydummy19 @deandoesthingstome @shellyshellshell @mary-ann84 @starfirewildheart @foxyjwls007

[reading-stains]

soukoku fics: recs and reviews

look, i really like fanfiction. and i've always felt people sometimes don't give good enough reasons to actually read a lot of it. if you scroll down enough, you'll see i did that too. so i thought i'd help out some people that don't know what to read tonight. you'll notice i took my reviewing seriously hgdsafvkhagsv i'll add more in my reblogs as i go on with this review style, but for now, here are three fanfics that pushed me to do this. fair warning, they're long ones.

A Lesson in Thorns by arkastadt

Word Count: 454,556

Tags: Arranged Marriage, BSD Beast!AU, Canon Divergence, Slow Burn, Character Death, Heavy Angst, Happy Ending, Ghosts, So Much Smut

Review:

As one of the longest fics I’ve ever read, it took me three days to read it, and a lot of lost sleep. A Lesson in Thorns is a journey that no one is truly prepared for. It’s surprising, I think, how one only notices the slow burn in the beginning, and forget they didn’t start out together in the end. So many things happen in the span of those fifty chapters, and so many feelings arise alongside their events. The reader watches Chuuya grow into himself, despite the haunting (hehe) that surrounds him by the end. Dazai becomes a man wishing to live, despite becoming a ghost of who he used to be. It’s quite magical, the way the story builds upon itself. What is usually some home, this piece makes an empire. 

This author appealed a lot to the wants and needs within these characters, making a paced build up to the challenges the characters face. Furthermore, there is a wonderful line of thought that is unwavering, consistent to the very end. The reader meets Chuuya getting ready to be married. A deal has been struck with the Port Mafia, and as the leader of the Sheep, Chuuya must marry their boss. A questionable and confusing task, but Chuuya has no more cards under his sleeve, and he has to save Shirase from the pending prison sentence. He walks into where he is to be married, looking to find a wrinkled, aging man. Instead, he faces the bandaged limbs and cunning eye of Dazai Osamu, and the story truly begins. 

The reader already knows it’s not a choice left for random that Dazai takes Chuuya under his wing. It’s already stated that on the first day in his position as the boss, right after killing Mori and sixteen months before he and Chuuya marry, he finds the redhead. A search that is broken down as the story unravels, and an effort that builds them and breaks them apart and puts them back together. 

This fanfic is clearly derived from a lot of the factors pointed in Bungou Stray Dogs’s BEAST light novel, which in my eyes makes it all the more interesting. I tried to give a short insight into the beginning with as much care as I could without creating any spoilers for the reading. I guess from me, all my notes just say it’s worth it. This fic really drags you through so many stages of feelings and excitements, and it builds off from them until you reach a new peak all over again. 

On Deathless Feet by AbsoluteNegation

Word Count: 71,848

Tags: Caretaking, Controlling Arahabaki, Canon-Divergence, Port Mafia and Post-Port Mafia, Smut

Review:

There are some stories that find themselves tucked into a hidden corner. It does not make them any less, and it does not make them any better, it just makes them quiet. Which in turn, when they are finally found, makes them all the more surprising. That is how I feel about On Deathless Feet, tucked in a corner of Ao3, and all incredibly surprising. 

Written with a nonlinear narrative, the reader meets the famed Double Black in different moments, recently met, in the middle of their rise through the ranks, at the brink of their end, after their disconnection with years of silence. AbsoluteNegation makes a wonderful story threaded in different moments, contextualizing their uncomfortable return to each other with interruptions back to their old lives before Dazai’s split from the Port Mafia. The author mainly focuses on Arahabaki, and Chuuya’s relationship with understanding the singularity as it slips out of control. Dazai is sent in to help counter it throughout their time together, and long stretches of contact are needed to get it down to normal. 

With a state of constant carataking, the two are thrusted into communion, needing to learn to accept living with each other for the time being. It isn’t a foreign feeling, seeing the other there, but at the end of the day it’s hard for the two with all that past. A past the author explores in detail just as much, not holding back on making it layered and pretty and very intense. They are creatures of passion, that’s what drives this ship and makes it so loved, and the author doesn’t shy away from building on it. Just as well, however, does the author place their own touch to their relationship, with the care and devotion the two also experiment between them. This fanfic is a welcomed balance to the rockier roads often explored surrounding these two. It never lacks sharpness, but it definitely warms the heart.

music for our funeral by itotypes

Word Count: 67,723

Tags: No Smut, Angst, 70s, Musicians!AU, Drug Abuse, References to Child Neglect, Songwriting, Artistic Lyricism

Review:

Music for our funeral by itotypes is a breathtaking composition, and there is not much like it. Set in the 70s, the author explores the surrounding setting of the rock genre, and writes a story of struggle and connection. Starting out with a run-away teenager, we meet Dazai’s lackluster perfection, the narrative often picturing him as a clinical artist. After leaving home, we watch him make himself something, and see him survive until he looks to live. Meanwhile, the other side of the piece plays with a striving perfectionist, and a reckless guitarist, in the form of Chuuya. The man comes from a struggling family (a stark contrast to the origins of his partner), and finds himself lost in the music. 

An interesting part of the story is that we get to know the characters before they meet. In a way, it allows the reader to explore the lives privy to the explosion, and before the pining and intensity that sparks between the two. One of the most appreciative factors that make this story one of my personal favorites is the usage of images throughout it. With beautiful lyrics exploring the essence of a character’s beliefs without them needing to admit it to themselves, there is a clear view into the conflicts and selfish needs that each character has. 

This author’s work is best described as an ode to music. It comes as a surprise at times, the way words fit together in reverence to this branch of artistry. Yet the fact that it’s done through another form of storytelling, through the use of words on a screen instead of notes on one’s ear, makes it all the more captivating. There is no question this is a must read. 

[another-whump-enjoyer-blog]

Analysis of a Whump Awakening in a great movie

So I’ve seen some posts about whump awakenings, some of them mentioning Disney movies, but not a single one points this movie (well, this one is Pixar’s, but owned by Disney) I really wanna point it out, because I spent some time searching in the tags, as many ways I could think of, and got no success.

After seeing this movie again after so many years, I got this exact feeling:

I remember watching it over and over again in VHS, because I really liked it and I enjoyed one scene even though I didn't knew exactly why.

Now I know why and I’ll point it out. So please, bear with me cause it's a long post. (I swear I tried to be as brief as possible but there are just so many things I needed to point out cause this movie is so good, this character is so badass and this scene is so intense I've just find myself obsessed with it once again)

The movie is A Bug’s Life and I seriously can’t believe how underrated it is. Yes, I know the animation seems outdated, but come on, it’s Pixar’s second film, from 1998. The story is simple but executed in a such a GENIUS way it stands above the recent soulless movies Disney has made.

Now, if you enjoy whump and have seen this movie, you know exactly which scene I’m gonna mention.

Yes, I'm referring to this one.

But first, I just got to admire Flik’s development on this scene.

The first time there’s a confrontation with Hopper, he is totally terrified, hiding behind other ants when Atta tries to point him as the responsible for losing the offering, which he totally is. (But come on, why did they put it at the edge of the cliff?)

And then, when he stands up for Dot, he immediately regrets drawing Hopper’s attention. Just look how scared he is.

He breaks eye contact and steps back as Hopper commands him to do.

And now, back to THE SCENE

This time is different, he has changed since the last encounter. But also it’s not the same Hopper, he’s angrier and determined to regain control. Flik is fully aware he is intending to squish the queen just to set an example.

And now he just tried to trick him with the fake bird, which make things so much worse. Once again, everyone is in danger because of him (The bird fail was not his fault, but he already is stigmatized for being a constant failure)

So there he is. Standing up for Dot and Atta, taking full responsibility for his idea so he can stop Hopper from hurting anyone, proving the last thing he is thinking about is himself. He knows whom he’s talking to and knows there will be consequences.

"Leave her alone Hopper! The bird was my idea! I'm the one you want" (This line and the way he delivers it 👌)

And this is what he gets.

Not only does he gets brutally beaten, but also it must have been humiliating to be put as an example to all of those who felt disdain at him.

It's not too graphic but everyone’s reaction to it and the sounds he makes are enough to know how bad it is. Also the poor ant is left all bruised.

Look at him!

Come on, is there any other Pixar's movie in which a character gets hurt like this? Yes, there are other characters getting hurt. But none as viciously as him. Holy shit, they went too hard on him!

Now Hopper is using him to set the example for everyone, to keep them in line.

But Flik is not having it and somehow gathers the strength to get up.

(The sounds he makes and the effort it takes him to stand up 👌)

It took just a look from Hopper to intimidate him before, but now even when he is menacingly approaching him, Flik doesn't stop talking back. He's so defiant right now and doesn’t break eye contact. Not until Hopper hits him, confirming what he just said.

Hopper looks so terrifying with that raged expression and the fire behind him. He's such a vicious villain and it’s so well established I really thought at this part: Oh, no! He is so screwed!

Filk was so badass with his speech, even though he is visibly in pain. He didn’t know he would inspire everyone and get saved from a certain doom. They never believed in him, so why would they now?

They all knew how screwed they were, they didn’t meet the quota and it was impossible to do so. The bird was the only hope and they we’re so eager to do it but they dropped the plan so easily as soon as they knew it was his idea. That’s the faith they had in him.

Still he didn’t show Hopper any fear. Damn he was so fucking brave!

Just look at this sadistic smile when he is about to squish him. Flik is so weak he can’t do anything about it.

But then Atta stands up for him.

(I love the parallels, first she is so terrified she is about to throw him under the bus, but now she doesn't hesitate to put herself in front of Hopper to protect him. Also I love how she mimics Hopper’s circle of life thing he told her first)

Flik looks so vulnerable, poor ant. I love that Atta tells him she’s proud of him.

And then all the ants finally attack the grasshoppers, making them fly for their lives. Leaving Hopper behind.

But it isn’t enough to stop him.

Now that he completely lost control over the ants and his gang abandoned him, all because of Flik, he only has one thing in mind: revenge.

(The way he targets Flik 👌)

I love how Atta is now so protective towards him.

(The way he snatches and takes him away 👌)

It was short, but still a great and intense chase scene.

I love the way the gang grows to respect him. When he is gonna tell them his idea to make a bird they don’t wanna listen, until they get their egos inflated by getting asked for autographs. But in the scene were they’re celebrating and Flik approaches them to set them free, cause he is not going to put them in a position in which they have to fight, they take some steps closer to him and pay full attention, they genuinely care to listen to whatever he has to say.

And now they get into action so fast, as soon as they see he is in danger they turn themselves into the warriors they were reluctant to be, motivated for his sake. That’s so heartwarming.

Flik is at Hopper’s mercy now. It is now when he’s seen truly terrified. He screams for help, hoping for his friends to rescue him. He knows how screwed he'll be if Hopper succeeds in taking him away.

For a moment it seems like Hopper is gonna get away with him. Where is he taking him to? What is he gonna do to him? It’s clear he wants him dead, but seriously, HOW was he intending to do it?

(Pay attention to Flik's free leg, he's trying to kick Hopper's hand but it's useless. There's nothing he can do.)

But fortunately Atta comes to the rescue again.

Then, it comes this moment.

(The way Hopper lands cutting his path and towers over him👌)

It's also admirable how Flik doesn't get blinded by fear and remembers the real bird they encounter before. (That scene is such a key moment, not only foreshadowing Hopper’s doom but Fliks wit. While the circus gang is panicking, he quickly comes up with a plan)

Flik knows they can’t escape from Hopper nor fight him, they have no chance with him. So he hides Atta and tells her “No matter what happens, stay down”, knowing exactly what he’s getting into and being willing to take it.

Look how terrified Flik is. Yes, he knows what he is doing but it doesn't seem like he's fully acting it. Even though he’s begging, giving Hopper what he wants so he thinks he won and puts his guard down, he does seems scared. There’s no guarantee he’ll be okay.

This poor ant has been put in distress three times in a row now.

(The way he grabs him by his neck and strangles him. Again, the sounds he makes 👌)

The way he strangles him is so brutal.

"I'll get more grasshoppers and be back next season. But you won't!" Damn the way he says the last part.

Hopper has such a murder face, he is so vicious. The way he effortlessly grabs him and the violent movement of his hands is terrifying.

Flik's expression as he gasps and reaches Hopper's hands shows how hard he's squeezing. If the bird had taken a few more seconds he would be dead.

And thankfully the bird comes out, being this his third rescue.

Just look how tiny and fragile Flik looks in Hopper's hands. He just lolls along with his movements, totally helpless 👌

I just love how relieved and proud of himself he looks as he says “Yep!” when Hopper ask’s if it’s another fake bird.

Just look at him, this poor ant has had enough.

And then the scene ends in the most satisfying and gruesome way.

The way Flik gets to defeat Hopper is genius. It is clear how dangerous he is and how helpless Flik is against him, so he outsmarts him and the fact he is able to do so under so much distress is just badass.

Everyone acknowledges how Hopper’s death is one of the most gruesome and horrible from any other Disney and Pixar villain to have, and it's true. But not so many mentions the fact that Flik is put through so much distress, poor ant shouldn’t be able to get up so easily after that.

I would've liked to watch some aftermath involving a lot of comfort, because he really deserves it, along with a HUGE apology from the colony. Except from Dot, of course. Also I think Atta does redeem herself by saving him twice.

The Queen is the one that owes him the biggest apology for accusing him of putting himself before the others. Yes, he made a lot of mistakes cause he is clumsy, and the miscommunication with the circus bugs wasn’t entirely his fault (The fact he did take the time to explain but talked to the rollie pollies was hilarious)

They lied to him first. But I liked that detail when everyone cheers for his departure and he thinks they’re supporting him, that was so cruel but anticipated how gullible he is. Of course he was gonna believe the circus bugs were warriors that easily.

He was in no good position to just tell the truth even if he wanted to, so he had to work with what he had, pleasing the colony and pleasing the circus bugs. That was a shit ton of pressure over him and he was doing it so well. His plan was good, he gave hope to the colony for the first time ever and gave all the credit to the “warriors” since no one believed in him. He was always thinking of ways to make things easier for everyone. And he further proves that by putting his life at risk for them.

He deserves more praise, the colony should've received him back like: "Hey, we're really sorry for judging you and also, take this: 👑 you dropped it king"

Taking such a brutal beating, getting so violently taken away and getting so viciously strangled isn't something someone just can go about as if nothing happened. I really wish for an aftermath scene full of comfort.

I know, I know, they have to stick to a running time and for the sake of the plot and the tone of the movie it has to skip the aftermath and that’s okay. I just I like to imagine how it might went between that scene and the next one. There’s definitely a time skip cause Flik isn’t bruised anymore, and Heimlich got time to grew wings

Overall, I think it’s a great movie (my Pixar’s favorite, if it isn’t obvious already) and a great scene that concludes with the message put through the movie, by Flik and Hopper, about a seed becoming something bigger. (It's a great thing they both have opposing speeches about a seed, Flik meaning inspiration and Hopper meaning a warning) I can’t emphasize enough how this movie deserves more praise!

I really miss the evil and merciless villains that were evil for the sake of being evil and intimidating we don't get to see anymore in modern movies.

But anyway, because of all the things that happen in the scene and because there's that trope of a Whumpee sacrifying for others, using a phrase such as: "I'm the one you want" the whumperflies this scene gives me are just...

So tell me fellow whump enjoyers. What do you think about this?

[aziraphales-library]

Lost Fic #177

Not specific lost fics, but I’ve spent weeks looking for fics likes these and haven’t really managed to find any, so we’re throwing them out in the hope our followers know of some!…

1. Hello lovely mods 💕 Ever since season 2 aired alot of people started shipping other angels with demons other than Crowley/aziraphale and Beelzebub/Gabriel and honestly I've been obsessed with the idea particularly an idea someone proposed that alot of angels and demons are actually soulmates, I've read a couple of fics with aziraphale/Crowley as soulmates (that i actually found about thru this blog thank you very much) but not really seen fics with other angel/demon pairings so i was wondering if you have come across a fic with this particular idea And thank you so much for your hard work!! - anon

2. hi!! could i please request established relationship fics where Crowley is physically affectionate? like kisses all over, hugs from behind, hair petting, spooning, ETC? thanks so much and have a great day - anon

3. Hi there :) I'm wanted to know if you know two different kind of fics I would like to read, no specific ones. 1. Fics where other Demons start to warm up to Aziraphale? Not replacing Crowley, or necessarily becoming obesessed with Zira. But like, a demon realising that he is an Angel that's not going to smite him just for being a Demon and finding him interesting because he's so nice to them (if unprovoced) and yet not falling. A Bonus would be Crowley not being a fan of the new friendship, since Aziraphale is his Angel, of course. He noticed his kindness with lil Bastard tendencys year before, after all. And 2. Fics where Aziraphale is a kid? For whatever reason. And Crowley is looking after him until he's turned back or something? If that has been asked before sorry. Been scanning the tags and saw nothing that could lead me to it :D Anyway, hope you could help me and thanks in any case for trying 😁 Toodles 👋 - @belowperfect (we have a few de-aged fics here, but there just aren't many)

4. Do you know of any fics where Crowley loses control of his demonic powers or ones where Aziraphale loses control of his angelic powers? Thank you again for exposing us to so many great works! It can be daunting trying to find a certain type of fic. - anon

5. I'm not even sure this fic even exists tho. It's was a description of an fanart. I was just wondering if any fics matches that description "Aziraphale loves Crowley and Crowley loves Aziraphale, but Aziraphale has bought into the belief that demons cant love, so he doesn't realize his love is requited (and is hoping that sex is enough to cure him)" - @anonymoustitans (we have a few posts like this, but not with the sex-cure aspect)

If you know any fics that fit the bill please include the number in your reply! Thank you :)

- Mod D

[widebrimmedhatsblog]

Fic Writer End of Year Round-up!!

(belated but whatever) Answer and then tag 3 or more creators to keep the game going!!

I was tagged by @skyfallscotland and @littedidyouknow 🥰🥰🥰

1. How many words did you publish on AO3 in 2024?

365,883!

2. How many fics did you complete this year?

16!

3. How many in-progress or currently ongoing fics did you start this year?

Only one WIP for me as of right now, my baby In The Heat Of It All. This is a good time to announce that there won’t be any updates during January in all likelihood.

4. What was your favorite thing you wrote?

Show Me Yours. It feels the most mine of all my fics, and I absolutely wrote it for me.

5. What piece was your most experimental or different from your usual style?

I’m not super experimental overall, since I generally know what POV/tense I like, and I don’t stray from that, but I feel like the International Incident series was pretty experimental in that it was actually erotica, and I’d never done that before!

6. Did any of your fics surprise you, either while writing or with their reception?

To Hate And To Hold had an insane reception that I was not expecting at all. I think a general rule is that the fics *I* like the most are not the fics that everyone else seems to like the most, but it was crazy to see in real time, especially with a one shot.

7. Do you have a fic you wrote and loved that went under the radar? (This is your sign to reblog/repost it!)

In The Heat Of It All has been consistently flying under the radar for whatever reason, which makes me so sad because it’s absolutely my best work. Foreign Affairs also definitely flew under the radar, but maybe this is an anti masturbation fandom, IDK.

8. Who is an artist that inspired you?

I love @essjaywrites drawing of Rhi and Vi’s fridge here! I haven’t quite gotten around to reading this fic yet, but I love the representation of their friendship, and I think about it loads!!

9. Who is an author that inspired you?

All my brainstorming over the last few months has involved the lovely miss @maethologies, and she inspires me so much. Genuinely, y’all would not have gryphon rider x without her, or the end of OTRA, or the latter half of kinktober.

10. Who is a new author you discovered?

Literally all of you with when I joined the fandom, LOL, but special shout out to @justallihere. I’m so grateful for Storm In The Quiet and all the other wonderful writing she’s given us. SITQ was a really bright light last spring when I needed it ❤️

11. Did you do any collaborations? How did it start?

Technically, no. However! @maethologies and I have been. pounding ideas back and forth for an AU we are co-writing via DM, and we both have written pieces of the full fic!! That counts, I think. I think I’ll keep how it started top secret for now, though…

12. What accomplishments are you most proud of?

I was re-reading my journal yesterday, from around the time I wrote Of Mothers and Storms, and I said there how happy I was to be writing something more stress free after dealing with some of my original stuff. I’m so proud that I found that happiness again, and I’ve been really working on figuring out how to make that feeling more sustainable.

13. What did you learn about writing and creating this year?

Writing and posting are SEPARATE activities!

14. Any advice you’d like to share with new or aspiring writers?

Get words on the page!! My most practical advice is that when whatever I’m writing scares me, I shut my eyes. Do it scared. Also, sprints! Also, finding friends who you can send snippets to!!

15. What are you creative goals for 2025?

Top secret! 🤫

I’m not tagging anyone because I am so very late, but if anyone still wants to jump in, do it!! and tag me!! It was so lovely seeing everyone’s contributions. Happy new year!!

[machveil]

Are you comfortable with giving advice? If so, can I ask some tips on how to grow your art account on tumblr? I want to open one, but seeing all these accomplished people kinda scares me, and you seem like a confident girly 😔

guys, I have so many opinions and thoughts on everything haha. I’m good to give out advice, it’s just gonna be my take on stuff💅✨

I think it’s good to start off by mentioning this, don’t sweat being a small creator first. I think it’s a really relatable feeling all artists go through - figuring out what you want to create, finding your audience, etc. for the most part, we’ve all been in those shoes. it can be a little nerve wracking, as much as we want to create for ourselves, it’s okay to want attention! you’re putting your work out into the world for that, to share your stuff and hear other people talk about it

it might be a little demoralizing to not get an influx of attention off the bat, but prioritize making something you genuinely want to see. there’s going to be people that like your art - whether it’s niche or not, you’ll enjoy it and those people will too! I like to think of it this way: for every note (comment, reblog, like) you get, imagine another person in the room with you. twenty notes might not look big on your screen, but that’s twenty people in the room with you who enjoy your content. I always think that’s amazing personally

also, I think we forget that smaller and larger creators share that same concern over not being accomplished enough. when it comes to creating there’s the shared experience of “someone else is bigger and better”, I’ve dealt with that before too. you are enough, your work is enough, and there’s always room for self growth. we’re all growing together, finding different methods for our work, sharing tips. personally, my mindset is “people will come for the art, stay for me”. having a larger or smaller audience doesn’t make you more or less accomplished

okay! actual blog tips - these are what I focus on personally🎀✨

sort of a restatement from above, but focus on having fun. genuinely enjoying what you’re creating and sharing can be felt through the screen, it’s okay to indulge in what you want to create! your blog is like your house, you can decorate and customize it with whatever you want, might as well be the things that make you happy. if you start off drawing (a) but want to draw (b) too? draw (b) too!

my blog is CoD based, I draw König everyday, people are here for that. but, I post other art when I want to and people stay around for that too! I want to draw Wriothesley (Genshin Impact) or Sunday (HSR)? I’ll draw them and post them - again, it’s my “people will come for the art, stay for me” mentality

tags! tagging your content for the best reach is always helpful. I have four tags I always use for my artwork, “art”, “sketch”, “doodle”, and “fanart”. the “art” tag usually gets boosted on Tumblr every couple days so that’s always a safe bet, “sketch”, “doodle”, and “fanart” are also just good tags to use. now, getting down to specifics - I draw character art so I tag based on the characters. if you draw still life, background, etc I would tag as such, and then dip into specifics. for König I always tag “konig”, “könig”, “könig cod”, “könig call of duty”, “könig fanart”, “cod”, and “call of duty”. it helps to cover your bases and reach for people finding your work. if the character has a full government name I also tag for that (ex. “ghost”, “simon ghost riley”, “simon riley”)

consistency! this one is very optional!! post whenever you want to - time, date, whatever works for you. I personally post a daily König sketch every day because I can (I’m never busy enough not to personally), it is so realistic not to do that though

on a smaller scale, you can post consistently, like, once a week or something. I feel like I have to mention consistency because, to some degree, consistency does help creators grow - that said, cater your consistency to your schedule!! consistency is completely optional, you can post something one day and then dip for (x amount of time). don’t push yourself to meet dates if you can’t, this is Tumblr, we’re here for fun and good vibes. if you usually post (x) on, say, Fridays but can’t do it this week? don’t push yourself. it’s okay to not be consistent, if an artist you follow missed a post when they usually post you wouldn’t mind (your audience won’t mind either)

these are just my takes on what’s been helpful for my blog, you can always do stuff differently than me🌸✨all in all, I think the biggest take away is cater to yourself - if you enjoy what you’re putting out into the world people will find you. like, I’m here for König and proud of it, and you know what? my mutuals and followers are also here for that, but they’re also here for me! and they’re so cool and sweet for that<3 anon, if you do what you love then you’ll gain an audience that’s like you, I think that’s pretty amazing

also, when in doubt✨

[honeyhotteoks]

First off: you're my absolute favorite fanfic author! The way you write the characters and their emotions and dialog is just beautiful! Into the Aurora and This Night Together inspired me to actually give my writing a fighting chance!!!

With that said...how did you start posting your work? I really want to, but I'm sooooooo nervous!! What if no likes it? What if everyone hates it? And is there a certain way to format the post? I'm fairly new to ✨️actually✨️ posting on tumblr and have no clue what I'm doing 😬

oh my gosh, thank you so much!! i’m so honored to know that i helped inspire you to write fic 😭

this is a great question!! i have lots of advice for you, check under the cut~

okay so as far as how i started posting, this is probably not the post helpful answer. i’ve actually been writing fanfic since i was probably like 14 for various fandoms, i used to post on ff.net then on ao3 and now here, and it’s just been years of publicly posting fandom works online. that being said…… at some point you will just want to rip the bandaid off and when you do, i have some advice

there are going to be people who don’t like what you write, it doesn’t matter what you write or how you write. you like my work and i have a lot of followers, but i’ve had people give pretty negative feedback about aurora, tnt, and some of my one-shots. or reviews that aren’t “mean” necessarily but are “constructive”…. however, i’m a big believer that in the world of fan fiction, unsolicited constructive criticism doesn’t belong in comments when the author is posting their hobby for free. all i’m saying is that it’s gonna happen at some point, but you have to remember that the people doing that aren’t writing fic, and i genuinely do not care about the critical opinions of someone who’s never put themselves out there creatively before.

something that hurt when i started posting was the lack of engagement, and i know this is something a lot of writers still struggle with, especially on tumblr. there are fics i have written that are like deeply dear to me and i’m really proud of but have so few notes compared to other fics and that used to really bum me out. what i’ve learned is this:

people actually aren’t perpetually online they just seem it, so if you post something once and never mention it again, people with busy lives are going to miss it

the time you post doesn’t have to matter… but if you’re trying to drum up engagement, then consider the time of day you’re posting. tumblr has good analytics to tell you blog engagement stats and stuff like that, i find that can help with knowing most of your followers are from XYZ time zone and they probably will not see something you post at 2 PM during the work/school day vs. 7 PM or something like that

try not to be sad if you get a majority of likes and not reblogs. i personally like tons of work that i intend to read later, i treat my likes like bookmarks, that doesn’t mean someone didn’t like your work enough to reblog it, it means they use their likes differently OR potentially they have a blog where they don’t feel comfortable reblogging fanfic, especially nsfw fic.

if you’re posting anywhere, know your tags. don’t post something with two hashtags and assume it’ll find its way. unfortunately it won’t, so make sure you tag everything appropriately so it lands in people’s suggested feeds

if you do all of that and then your fic gets some notes but not that many….. and you’re wondering….. why didn’t more people like it? well part of that might just be that it’s not showing up at the top of people’s feeds anymore. if you want to establish yourself in the writing space, engaging with readers is important. if you get a really nice review in a reblog, don’t be afraid to reblog it back. if you get a certain number of notes, don’t be afraid to reblog your own fic and say thank you for 100 notes etc., just to push it up on people’s feeds.

if you’re posting on AO3, just make sure that you’re filling out all the tags, warnings, pairings, etc. AO3 has been around a while and is a well oiled machine, and i know a ton of readers on there use the filters to find the exact niche of fic they want to read. i cannot tell you how many fics i pass by that don’t have tags, are missing a good description, etc.

okay now as far as formatting goes…… here are my thoughts after a lot of trial and error:

before you decide on anything formatting wise, just remember that readers engage with fic on tumblr in a variety of ways. some people are on desktop, some people are on your actual blog web address, and some people are just on mobile. before you teach yourself html coding for fancy lettering in ombré colors…… are your readers going to be able to see it in dark mode? if not, maybe don’t invest the time, because the first thing i do when i see a post like that is scroll because it’s taking me too long to know what’s going on

so yeah, are there rules to format? yes and no. content “yes”, visual “no” but people do follow a particular trend. what i like to do is keep it simple to avoid the formatting issues i mentioned above, but i also invested a little time in figuring out a “look” for my posts so when people are scrolling they might see my layout and know it’s me. details below->

1. a header image or header images, it’s the quickest way for people to get a vibe and it might capture an aesthetic. some authors have a header made for them as an author, some do a custom one per fic, but i typically just make an aesthetic black and white collage and go with that because it looks cool but i don’t have to learn photoshop to do it. go with what you know on this one

2. a title and a SHORT description, i think ‘untitled’ is tough…. people won’t read or remember your fic. no description means people are guessing and might not click, and too long means people might scroll. my rule of thumb is a couple sentences.

3. content tags, and this is VERY important — people need warnings or clarity on what the fic is about. most people skim the tags to find out if they want to read it over a description, especially when we’re talking very short form fic or smut. that’s why tags might be funny or informal, but it’s also really important to tag anything that might be triggering in a variety of ways. something i always make sure i include is every sex act or kink (i never know what triggers one person and not another), and anything related to: violence, abuse, self harm, mental health, physical injury, death, food/diet content, and body descriptors of reader. if you’re writing self insert and you’re describing the reader a particular way, that’s fine but you should disclose it. some of my fics are specifically written for ‘curvy’ reader in mind and its tagged that way vs. like …. ‘short/small/size-kink’ reader. Gender is also important here, i always tag fem!reader because i feel like that works, but i often see more trans inclusive terms like afab!reader etc., so it’s up to you! but we definitely want to be mindful of readers who could feel dysphoric if surprised by pronouns/body-parts/etc.

4. a clear identifier of the ships in the fic. i.e. put the ‘yunho x reader’ or ‘idol!yunho x fem!reader’ tag high up so people know who they’re reading

5. otherwise, i personally recommend keeping the top of the post short, putting in a cut, and then posting everything under the cut because a long post is just a lot to scroll through etc. i favor the small text for my fics headers and regular size text for the actual body of the fic just to keep it looking nice.

hopefully this helps! i’d be happy to talk through anything else too, i love getting into this stuff. my biggest recommendation would be to ask yourself what kind of work you want to post and invest some time in developing a style for your format etc. - even if it’s close to what other people are posting that’s okay! just keeping it consistent and looking good helps get readers to click, so search around and see what you like and then play with your posts in drafts before you do anything.

good luck!!!

[transitranger327]

Sundari Twilight, Chapter 2: The Eminent Ones

Day 7: What If?

Barriss’s quest to help the Galaxy outside the war lead her to discover Duchess Satine Kryze’s desperate transmission. Ahsoka decides to use her history with Mandalore to help out. They journey there with an Obi-Wan who is not in his usual state of mind.

Notes: This chapter specifically was written for @sapphicahsokatanoweek 2024, but the whole fic really does fit “What if…Ahsoka and Barriss went with Obi-Wan to Mandalore?” If anyone wants to make fanart of the outfits I describe, please tag me when you post it! This is sort of a mirror version of “Kenobi’s Shadow” by Greg van Eekhout (Obi-Wan’s pov during “The Lawless”) More notes can be found at the end, below the cut

—

“Brother, how can you be sure?” Savage had never found the same deep connection to the Force that his brother had. “The galaxy is filled with quadrillions of beings making choices that affect the future.”

“No, no, no, there are very few beings alive that can affect my old master’s grand design.” He had never felt a disturbance like this before. The visions Maul had were now playing out differently than before. “We must be cautious, my apprentice. Our plans with Death Watch and the Crime Families are under a new threat.”

—

Two girls were basking in each other’s warmth. One, newly knighted and unsure of her future in the Jedi Order. She was curled up on a bed, resting her head on the chest of the other, a padawan who hasn’t felt unsure of anything since she was resurrected by an avatar of the Force. But they were united in a shared love for doing good in a galaxy that detested it. 

The padawan inhaled the sweet scent of her partner’s hair, a mix of fragrant oils and sweat, with the faintest hint of salt from their previous activities. “Did I ever tell you that your hair is beautiful?”

“Only three times every day, Ahsoka.” The knight had thoroughly enjoyed her time with her beloved, and was somewhat saddened knowing the war would conspire to separate them again. “But it makes up for the days I never get to hear it.” She got many compliments from others about her choices in hoods and scarves, but very few people got to see what was underneath. 

A computer’s chime pierced the tranquility of their room. Barriss’s slicing program had discovered a new request for aid that could go unnoticed. She kissed Ahsoka’s breast before sliding off of her and into a chair in front of her computer. Ahsoka turned on her side and watched her lover fiddle with the device. “What did you find?”

“A transmission sent the Jedi council, personally. From…Mandalore?” “That’s a bit strange,” Barriss thought, “Why is Mandalore contacting us directly? Surely they could reach out thru the Senate.”

“Put it thru.” It hadn’t been all that long since Ahsoka had last interacted with Mandalorians, so she was curious what was going on. 

A blue hologram of the Duchess of Mandalore, on one knee, erupted from the computer’s small holo-projector. “This message is for Obi-Wan Kenobi. I’ve lost Mandalore. My people have been massacred, and Almec is the Prime Minister. There’s no time to explain everything now, but Almec has the support of the crime families”—she looked over her shoulder before continuing—“Obi-Wan, I need your help.” A Death Watch commando with a horned helmet approached her from behind as the transmission ended. 

Ahsoka’s resolve steeled. “We’re doing this, we’re going to help Obi-Wan.”

“What do you mean?” Barriss wasn’t quite sure how to follow her partner’s logic. 

“I thought it was obvious. The situation on Mandalore is obviously bad. Almec used to be the prime minister before he was the center of a corruption scandal and stripped of his power—a scandal some of my students there exposed.” A small smile crept onto her face, remembering Korkie, Lagos, Soniee, and Amis. “If crime families have aligned with Death Watch to put him back in power, something went very wrong.” 

“But why won’t the Republic assist them? Weren’t Death Watch working with the Separatists?”

“Death Watch and Dooku are no longer friendly. The Senate isn’t even helping Republic worlds, let alone a neutral system like Mandalore.” Then Ahsoka began laying out her plan. “The Council is going to show this to Obi-Wan, but they’re not going to be able to help him without Senate authorization. But Obi-Wan’s still going to help, because Satine is personal to him.” She let the unspoken “Like we are to each other” hang in the air. “I’m guessing he’s gonna borrow the Twilight to try and sneak onto Mandalore.”

“I take it that’s where we come in to help?” Barriss was grinning, she was starting to see the pieces fall into place. 

“Exactly. We ride along with him to Mandalore. This is a covert mission, but I have contacts there that he doesn’t. We can’t be wearing anything Jedi-related, or anything that looks like what we normally wear.”

“Should we still bring our lightsabers?”

Ahsoka thought for a few beats. “On one hand, they are Jedi items. If we’re caught with them, whatever crime families are running the place will know what’s happening. But, if Death Watch are involved, their leader has a Darksaber, and it would be a bad idea to encounter him without one.”

“Perhaps we carry them inside our disguises. We don’t show them off, but we can still access them if we have to.” 

“I love that idea.” She draped her arms over Barriss’s shoulders. “Plan for the best…”

“…Prepare for the worst.” It was a little catchphrase they had developed, their two signature styles. The knight had always favored making plans, while the padawan was ready to change things when circumstances worsened. 

The knight leaned in for a kiss from her lover, who always obliged.

—

Obi-Wan Kenobi hated flying. He even considered taking Anakin up on his offer, to come along and fly the Twilight for him. But he couldn’t bring anyone else. Two Jedi would attract too much attention. This was personal. This was something he had to do alone. ”For Satine,” he thought. 

As he entered what could generously be described as a bridge, he almost missed R7-A7. Barely registering it, only as a friendly droid. “R7, set the stealthiest course you can out of here.” A few cheerful beeps later, a flight plan popped up on his screen. A low flight to the pass under the flight restrictions, the public airways to blend in on active scans, and a “malfunctioning” transponder to avoid passive detection. None of the Republic Military patrols (which he outranked, ironically) were going to stop him. The sublight engines quietly roared to life, and soon enough he was en route.

After an uneventful hyperspace jump, a distant feeling of dread crept over him. Like the mission was going to fall apart. Quiet doubts began murmuring if he was even doing the right thing. He was experienced enough with his own emotions to not be consumed be them, but the edge he felt while packing was now blunt. 

A familiar voice snapped Obi-Wan out of his malaise. “Wow, you really must be preoccupied with Satine.” A Togrutan the same size and build as his student’s student, wearing greasy blue coveralls, had taken the co-pilot’s seat next to him. It took him an embarrassingly long time to realize that, yes, that really is Ahsoka. “R7, did he make any comment about you being here?” A few negative beeps followed, with a bit of what sounded like laughter.

“On the solo mission,” he thought, “that’s why her droid was here.” He slowly put his face into his palm, “Ahsoka, I just told Anakin he couldn’t come with me. And now you show up?”

“Barriss owes me ten credits,” she smirked, “I bet her you wouldn’t notice anything was up until after we left. I knew you would be too focused on your mission.” As she was talking, Barriss Offee—in a white headscarf and a dark purple cloak—approached the co-pilot’s chair and handed her a credit chip.

“You just keep inviting yourself on missions, don’t you.” Obi-Wan recalled the stunt she pulled at the citadel.

“Master, you’re the one who invited yourself on this mission without any official approval,” Ahsoka retorted.

Barriss continued in a Consular voice, “We’re just here to support you in whatever way we can.”

“You wouldn’t understand, this is…deeply personal”

“Wouldn’t we?” Ahsoka’s smirk had softened to genuine care. Obi-Wan looked at the two women in front of him. They had the same look of concern as when Anakin offered to help, trying to understand his personal agenda with his own.

“It’s not just who I would be help, it’s who I’d be fighting. Death Watch…”

“Has affected more than just you!” Righteous anger flashed behind Ahsoka’s eyes; Obi-Wan almost missed it. “You are not the only one of us to be hurt by them. You are not alone, Master!” 

With this plea, Obi-Wan relented. “I’m sorry, Ahsoka. I didn’t realize this was personal for you too. I just know they bring out the worst in me and I didn’t want anyone else to be hurt.”

Ahsoka took his hands, which had started trembling with anxiety. “You’re never alone, Obi-Wan.” It was the first time she had used his real name in a long time. 

“There are so many people who care for you,” added Barriss, smiling. “Let them help you when you need it.”

After a tender silence, Ahsoka asked, “So Master, what was your plan?”

“I was planning on breaking into whatever prison they’re holding her in, then escaping with her.”

“A simple extraction mission? That could work.”

In contrast to Barriss, Ahsoka had a lot more questions. “How are you planning on landing there? The docks are the only way in or out, and they would be under tight security now.”

“Well, I did bring a Disguise.” Obi-Wan opened his bag and pulled out the helmet of Rako Hardeen. Ahsoka flinched as she remembered when he faked his death.

“And if they ask for a landing permit?”

A smile—“I’ll try the old ‘I left it on the ship’ trick.”

The two younger Jedi started giggling. “Anakin would call that a good trick,” Ahsoka laughed, “but I’m surprised you would call it a plan.”

“I suppose he does have an influence on me. What would you suggest?”

“You know I taught at the Royal Academy,” Ahsoka started revealing her plan. “I still have contacts, and Barriss and I can convincingly fake the landing paperwork.”

“And your disguises?”

“You’re looking at them.” Barriss was now sitting at a computer console. “It’s pretty easy to not be recognized when you’re famous for one outfit.”

—

After a landing that was rougher than expected (Ahsoka had rewire a power junction in-flight), the three Jedi descended the Twilight’s landing ramp. Obi-Wan and Barriss led the way, as Ahsoka wanted to reduce her chances of being recognized from her last encounter. A Death Watch trooper approached them. “State your business.”

“We’re here to purchase merchandise for export.” Barriss handed over a datapad with forged permit, “Electronics, mostly.”

“Our vendor wishes to remain anonymous,” added Kenobi’s filtered and modified voice.

After a brief look-over, the Mandalorian gave his approval. “Well, it looks like you’re authorized. Please, enjoy our city.”

When the three managed to exit earshot and enter the tunnel, Ahsoka commenced attempts to contact any possible allies. Written messages, voice messages, browsing local holo boards. Within a few minutes, she began receiving a transmission. 

“Ahsoka, am I glad to hear from you.”

Despite the anonymous transmission, she recognized the voice. “Soniee, is it? We heard the Duchess’s call and are here to help.”

“Good. We can’t keep this line open, just meet us at these coordinates.” A location popped up on Ahsoka’s comlink before the transmission ended.

She turned to her companions, “Shall we?”

—

When the three disguised Jedi reached the agreed-upon destination, a Mandalorian in familiar armor was waiting for them. She was a mystery to two of them, but for Ahsoka, it had only been a few months.

Simultaneously, they asked, “What are you doing here?”

—

Notes: “Merchandise for export” is definitely a euphemism for black-market goods. I actually don’t remember how often Ahsoka says “Obi-Wan” in TCW, but I’m reasonably certain she never says it to his face.

[book-lore]

Who's up for a reading challenge for 2025? There are many out there but this is one that I designed specifically to help me, and whoever would like to join me, in getting to read those books I have in my own collection or my local library. This was inspired by a friend talking about how the major publishing companies were often putting out so many books that independent authors often get buried in their wake. Personally, I think this isn't helped by the constant "haul" nature of how many of us hoard books. There's nothing wrong with buying books at all, but often I'm seeing a lot of people buying so many books and reading so few. This isn't meant to be an exercise in shame because I am just as likely to pick up another book as the next person but I would like a reason and a bit of a fun exercise in engaging with my own collection with a little more intention. So this brings me to the Year of Reading Challenge! I'm posting the guide for the squares below so if you are so inclined, feel free to join!

The Challenges:

Centre square is Get or Renew Your Library Card.  The remaining 24 challenges are: 

Numbers Game: Read a full series by the same author(s) in 2025.  Series can be as short as two books, or as long as you want.  If you are a masochist, try the Discworld series, but for all other mortals, choose as you see fit.  Series doesn’t have to be complete, so GOT is fine. 

Mine: Read at least 3 books on your shelf.  These should be books you’ve owned for at least a year.  If you actually read everything you buy, these can be library books. 

Getting To It: Clear at least 2 books off your TBR.  Has to have been on the list for at least six months. 

Nostalgia: Either re-read an old favorite, or read something that reminds you of something you enjoyed. 

Who Are You Again? Choose a book that you’ve forgotten why you put it on your TBR to read. 

Summer: Read a book that reminds you of summer when you were a kid.  Can be a re-read of an old favorite or a book that incorporates something that says summer time to you. 

Winter: Read a wintery or holiday story that you’ve been meaning to get to.  Choose something different than you usually read every year. 

Spring: Budding talent – read a book from an indie author, either one you love or a new to you talent. 

Autumn: Where Tropes go to Die – Read a genre blend that takes common tropes and familiar themes and puts a different spin on them. 

Impulse Buy: You’ve done it.  I’ve done it.  Just read it now. 

Thumbs Up: Read something that has been recommended to you by someone you know. 

Ouch: Read or re-read something that gives you emotional damage.  We all need a good cry sometimes. 

Fluff: Sometimes you just want to feel good.  Read a book that feels like curling up in a large, warm blanket. 

Switcheroo: Is Fiction your life?  Let’s find one non-fiction book you might like.  Are you someone who only reads non-fiction?  Let’s try the land of make believe for one book. 

Thicccc: Stop letting that big book on your shelf bully and intimidate you.  Pick it up and let it know who bought/borrowed it. 

Compact: Sometimes a book doesn’t have to be long to pack a punch.  Read a book that crams as much story as possible into a punishingly small page count. 

Young at Heart: We’re all adults here but sometimes we don’t want to be.  Read a children’s book from any age category. 

Second Date: Find a book on your shelf or from your library that wasn’t your cup of tea.  Give it a second try to impress you this time around. 

Influencer Glamour: You know that book you bought because everyone you know or everyone online said it was the best book in existence, and this is totally different from all the other times another book was the best one they’ve encountered.  Let’s read it and find out if the hype was worth the price tag. 

Perspective is Key: Have you noticed that all the authors you read tend to look the same or have the same background?  Time to get out of your bubble and try reading at least one book from an author who has at least three key differences from your favorite ones. 

Judge by the Cover: We all do it, so let’s just give in to it.  Find at least one book from your own collection or the library where you are intrigued by the cover alone.  Don’t read the synopsis, just dive in. 

Hear Me Out: Audiobooks count as reading.  Better yet, you can read and do other things, like drive or go to the gym or other activities that you can’t do with a physical book.  Listen to at least one audiobook. 

The Book was Better: Find a movie or series that was based on a book and find out if the book really was better after all.  This can include books that have been optioned for adaptation and no, it doesn’t matter if they are languishing in development hell. 

Pulp: It’s trash, they say.  It might be, but it might also be treasure.  Try out a genre of book that gets picked on and see for yourself.  If you are already a pulp reader, it’s time to break out the big guns and get to the stuff that scares off literary critics in the first page. 

Enjoy and happy reading!

[carlos-in-glasses]

Wonderful wonderful cig.

Not too long ago I rewatched ‘Unlikely Event of An Emergency’ and like always I sobbed, no matter how many times I watched it.

But the feeling multiplied tenfolds because I was somewhat taken a back to your work ‘Where All This Loves Comes From”.More specifically the scene where Owen tells TK that being loved is the first thing he ever experienced on Earth. And also the one in 2020 where TK and Gwyn was on Spring Street before he was about to propose to Alex, and Gwyn reminded TK of how both of them love him.

I think it’s lovely how work can fandom can enhance and just unconsciously be adapted to the canon-show. Because now every time I think about the Strand family, my mind goes back to the work you have beautifully created. There’s so many works from canon compliant to canon divergence to AUs, that has been cemented in my mind and heart, even when the show or the pairing has ended, and that’s the beauty of fandom.

So I just want to say thank you, to you and so many amazing member of the fandom for being the heart to the journey of enjoying the show. Whether you are a creator or an enjoyer, on the sideline cheering on our lovely creators giving them loves and positive feedbacks.

The wonderful people who has been majorly open and accepting, the works created, the meta, the silly discussion has been majority part of why I enjoyed LS so much so I won’t be worried when the show end. So, I hope the show ending wouldn’t discourage a lot of people in joining and/or creating, because the main part of fandom has always been the community, the genuine love and excitement from fan.

p.s.

I can’t wait to read the Poet Fic and unravel what you had in store for us. A 117k work 😱 you spoil us

😭 Oh wonderful wonderful anon! I don’t even know what to say. This is such an amazing message. That you remember anything about my fics after reading them completely knocks me off my feet. I get it, because so many fics live in my head rent free, but it just feels amazing to be told this about my own too, in particular during a tough week where I’ve been feeling quite worried about lots of things. And that Unlikely Event of an Emergency sparked you to think of it!! I’m hugely flattered, thank you!

Anyway - I completely agree with you about the works in his fandom. My love for LS and Tarlos goes beyond the show and belongs within the versions of the characters that are created by the writers here, some of whom I’ve been lucky enough to befriend, and others who I don’t really know but think are immensely cool and talented. I did have a bit of a hard time with the opening arc of season 4 (and the ending! Gosh) but the fics, gif sets, art, meta posts, made all the difference. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, but when the show ends, the characters do not. They will be available to rewatch anyway, in hours and hours worth of episodes (which is more than some fandoms get) AND they become ours. Like a special gift. The fandom will change a bit after season 5 (in a way I hope includes new fans arriving!) but I will be here, I will be writing and reading, and I’m really happy to know lovely people like you will be too. I feel your positivity right in my heart, and I hope lots of other creators and enjoyers of the fandom see it too - because this is such a gorgeous love note to them, not just me 🥰 So I’m adding the 911 Lone Star and Tarlos tags to this.

And thank you for wanting to read Poet Fic! I’m so excited about it and feedback has been amazing, so I hope you like it if you do get to it! 🌈

How your message finds me:

[steddieunderdogfics]

This week’s writer spotlight feature is: foresthearts! @kiaramori has 11 fics in the Stranger Things fandom and 7 of them are in the Steddie tag!

Our anonymous nominator recommends the following works by @kiaramori:

Suspended Bridges

Consensual Catfishing

Just Because You've Done It Before Doesn't Mean You'll Do It Better

In My Head (I See a Supercut of Us)

finding a cozy place in you

I read her first Steddie fic (Suspended Bridges) as it was updating and I fell in love!! The world building and plot in that fic, compared with the writing make it absolutely irresistible. I've been reading all of her fics since then and there have been no misses! Every single one is incredible. Can't recommend them enough ❤️❤️ -- anonymous

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

Why do you write Steddie?

I heard that a lot of times when people ship things, it’s a character they project onto with a character they’re attracted to. I find that I feel both things towards Steddie: I can somewhat project onto both of them to a degree, and then I also find them both pretty attractive. So it’s the best of both worlds (lol). I also think that both Steve and Eddie are at this really cool point in their life. After high school there’s a lot of self-discovery. Finding your own independence, figuring out who you are, deconstructing the messages you were raised with, finding your path…I think that’s a really cool time to write about.

What’s your favorite trope to READ?

One of my favorite tropes for this pairing is Kas!Eddie. I really like fics where Eddie is a vampire, they’re great. Another favorite trope with these two is idiots-to-lovers. I love the way both these guys can be dumbasses for different reasons.

What’s your favorite trope to WRITE?

I think miscommunication (in a playful way, not so much an angsty way) is a favorite for me. Especially oblivious!Steve. Anything I can do to maneuver Steve into a slutty little outfit and have Eddie thirsting over him, I love it. Especially when Steve has no clue Eddie is thirsting over him. I think I have that in almost every single fic I write.

What’s your favorite Steddie fic?

I have so many, it’s hard to list just one. “Sub-culture” by palmviolet was the first Steddie fic I read, so it has a special place in my heart. I’d also say “Rock of Ages” by BoudicaMuse and “You’re Divine” by OonionChiver. One I’m reading currently is called “House of Pain” by mynameis152. It features Steve and Eddie in a group home, and I really like the exploration of both of their characters.

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

I have a fic I’ve half-written with Merman!Eddie and Grad Student in Marine Biology!Steve (extremely loosely based off the chinese novel Desharow Merman). I think that’s one I’d love to explore in more depth.

What is your writing process like?

My process usually starts with daydreaming up a certain scene. Then, I’ll kind of expand it from there. Sometimes, I’ll take notes or write short outlines at night to get my thoughts down. Then, I’ll usually write a first draft. Something that’s pretty stream-of-consciousness. I don’t worry about it sounding good. Then I’ll delete most of my first draft and start over with a second, keeping only the parts I like the most.

Do you have any writing quirks?

I’m not sure if other people do this, but I think a quirk of mine is how much I’ve come to enjoy rewriting things. It’s not unusual for me to write half a chapter, delete the whole thing, and then start over again. I find that I typically like the second draft a lot better than the first. When I was younger, it was such a struggle to delete things and start over. It felt like I was erasing all my hard work. But now, I just see it as part of the process.

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

This is a funny question for me because my favorite way to do things was definitely how I did Suspended Bridges. I had about 80% of the plot written before I posted anything, and as I posted each chapter, I could comfortably go back and edit each chapter/add foreshadowing/add substance to the fic before posting it. But I haven’t done it that way since then; now I pretty much post things as I write them.

Which fic are you most proud of?

I think I’m most proud of Suspended Bridges, partially because it’s the longest fic I’ve ever written, so I’m pretty proud of the work that went into it. I also am pretty proud of Just Because You’ve Done it Before, Doesn’t Mean You’ll Do It Better. It’s my most recent one, and I can feel myself growing as a writer as I write it.

How did you get the idea for Suspended Bridges?

Suspended Bridges is really an amalgamation of a lot of different pieces of inspiration. I think at the time, there weren’t a ton of omegaverse fics out for the pairing. I had a lot of omegaverse headcanons for the characters and how they would fit into an alternate season four. Since there weren’t a lot of fics out at the time, I figured if I wanted something that was so specific (canon divergence, Steve being a secret omega, life-saving mating bonds, etc) then I was going to have to write it myself.

When writing Suspended Bridges, what was something you didn’t expect?

I’d have to say 1. the writing process, and 2. the reception. Firstly, it was a really unique fic for me in that it was so easy to write. It felt like the words just flowed out of me. I wrote the first 60,000 words of it largely on my phone while on vacation. I just couldn’t stop writing. It was more than I’d ever written in one sitting before. Secondly, I was not expecting the reception it got at all. It is far and away the most popular thing I’d ever written, and I was so floored at the amazingly kind comments people wrote and the way it was able to resonate with so many people.

What inspired Just Because You've Done It Before Doesn't Mean You'll Do It Better?

I really like Time Travel Fix-Its, they’re one of my favorite types of fics. I watched this clip where a comedian was talking about how if he went back in time, he’d be effectively useless. And I thought to myself, “what would it be like to have someone go back in time and kind of mess things up even more?” which is what inspired this fic. Steve’s back in season 1, trying to change the past so that things can go better…but it’s a harder job than he expects. There’s a lot that he doesn’t know, and his assumptions about the world can often cloud his judgment.

What was your favorite part to write from Consensual Catfishing?

I think my favorite part was just all the little internet references. Consensual Catfishing was really fun to write because it was a bit of a love letter to my own fandom experiences. My favorite part might’ve been in chapter 1 when we see the clip of the 1DxY/N fic parody. I was laughing pretty hard as I wrote that. I also just liked all the little clips of Hellfire’s DnD podcast. I really enjoyed writing their friendship.

How do/did you feel writing In My Head (I See a Supercut of Us)?

Uh…horny? Haha Supercut was one of the most explicit fics I’d written and so sometimes I would kind of post it while blushing bright red haha. It was fun, though. I think comedy is a bit of a niche for me. I really like to write stuff that makes me laugh, and Supercut was definitely that. Steve’s first fantasy he gets dragged into cracks me up every time.

What was the most difficult part of writing finding a cozy place in you?

I think the hardest part was just making it short. I suck at writing one-shots, I typically like leaning into the conflict of the story and making some elaborate worldbuilding. But this one I wanted to be soft and sweet, to feel a bit like curling up on the sofa with a warm cup of tea. It was a different vibe than I usually write, so it definitely stretched me.

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

I think one of my favorite scenes is in Suspended Bridges, when I rewrote the fight against Vecna. There were a lot of powerful moments: Max, Dustin and El all standing up to Vecna at various moments, Steve playing Dustin’s song to stop his possession….then the life-saving bond right after that. That was definitely a highlight for me.

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

Right now I’m mainly looking at my current projects, rather than any future ones. If there’s one I’d promote, it would be “Just Because You’ve Done it Before, Doesn’t Mean You’ll Do It Better” It’s an omegaverse time-travel fic, where a gruff alpha Steve goes back into his season 1 (unpresented) body. He wants to change the past, save Barb, and get Nancy back, but there’s a lot he doesn’t know. And things get pretty off the rails when he presents as an omega in the new timeline.

Thank you to our author, foresthearts, and our anonymous nominator! See more of @kiaramori works featured on our page throughout the day!

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