#I'M STILL INTIMIDATED TO BE POSTING THESE TWO/IN THIS FANDOM

[courage-and-grace]

Meet the Mods

REMINDER!!! Interest Check opens TOMORROW!!! We WILL post when, so stay tuned!!!

About: Nice to meet you! My name is Lilimoon! I am a freelance artist based in Texas. My work is inspired by my love of anime, video games, kpop, and all things kawaii!

Years Active in the Community: I've been in the LOZ fandom since BOTW first released in 2017. I was immediately enamored with Mipha and I love exploring their love story through my art. I took a bit of a break from the fandom after the hype started dying down and perused other interests in the meantime, but the release of TOTK reignited my love for this pair!

How I Got into MiphLink: The whole zora arc, really. Realizing they had a history together and that she was in love with him is what got me emotionally invested in the game.

Experience / Other Projects: Prism: A Jinkook Zine (contributor), Bunkoo x WolfJin Fest 2022 (contributor), Organized a Sailor Moon-themed pop up in my city, hosted various stamp rallys, and design and produce all of my merchandise for my online shop.

My Favorite Works: Under the Moonlight, MiphLink Week Gala, The Zora Champion, Widower Art.

About: Hi, I'm Clockwise, call me Clock. Not much to say really, just a guy in community college studying game design, co-running a small business in my hometown, and stumbling my way through fandom and this sector of the internet.

Years Active in the Community: After beating the game in 2022 I wanted more of the Champions before their deaths, and weirdly found myself seeking out interactions of Mipha and Link specifically. That's when I stumbled across the still active MiphLink community on Tumblr, and eventually built up the courage to start engaging and posting my own art in 2023.

How I Got into MiphLink: truthfully it wasn't until my second playthrough where the whole Zora questline truly hit me. Lockdown was hard and I was at my most loneliest, so I think their romance and the tragedy of it hit me even harder. I started seeking out general art and comics of the Champions, but always wanted that MiphLink angle. During this search I discovered the MiphLink tag on Tumblr, and started reading fanfic for the first time ever.

Experience / Other Projects: I've done art pieces for Zora May 2024 and Miphlink Week 2024/2025. I also co-own/run a small business in my hometown, where I manage other people, handle sales, shipping and handling, and customer relations when needed.

My Favorite Works: Zora May Crabby, Spidey Pose Redraw, MiphLink Week Camping, Honeymoon Tour: Kara Kara Bazaar.

About: I'm a young Australian artist, writer and karateka with a passion for cute things and fashion. I often find myself creating AUs and drawing Mipha (and sometimes Link) in pretty outfits that are reminiscent of my own fashion style. This is my first time working on a zine and I'm quite nervous but excited to help out!

Years Active in the Community: I've been active in the community since 2022 but only really started helping out and making a name for myself in 2023 :^)

How I Got into MiphLink: I first played BOTW in 2017 with my brother but was too intimidated to ever get off the Great Plateau. After watching him play through (and get the Sheikah set. I was super interested in the top-knot hairdo.) I finally completed all the shrines and started playing through the main story. While I was mostly interested in Zelda, Mipha's design and personality really caught my attention. It was in 2020 during the pandemic that I started shipping the two and making artwork and fanfictions.

Experience / Other Projects: Miphlinkweek artwork and prompts from 2023-2025. I also developed two video game on my own 🙂

My Favorite Works: 🪼🪼🪼, Fisheye Light, Neon Lights, Ponyo AU Part 3.

About: Hey there! I’m Perc! Offline I write a lot as a lawyer in the United States. Outside of work I write a lot of fiction and play some music.

Years Active in the Community: I fell hard for BoTW in 2021, wrote my first longfic and short pieces in isolation, and then stumbled into the community.

How I Got into MiphLink: The Zora arc and the fact that Link had history with people beyond being the sacred knight humanized Link for me. Mipha was also a very fun character to work with , as an altruistic warrior princess.

Experience / Other Projects: Apart from my individual stories I volunteered for MiphLink Week 2022 (contributor and assistant to mods). Otherwise I work with a lot of clients to help them through challenging times.

My Favorite Works: The Widower, Fall in Love, One Last Night.

About: Hi guys, I'm so happy to be part of this project! In my offline life I dance, work as a geothermal scientist and engineer, and absolutely love other creative outlets! Hiking is also one of my favorite things ever.

Years Active in the Community: I started playing BoTW in 2021, and immediately fell for Miphlink. I spent about a year not realizing there could be a whole community of like-minded people and just looking for any art or writings I could find! I couldn't abide Mipha just being dead and Link moving on as if it all didn't matter ...so I began writing a piece to rectify that as best as I could!

Experience / Other Projects: I've been writing MiphLink fanfic for about 3 years now, and have helped with Miphlink Week since 2022. I coordinate dozens of high-level projects as part of my career so I have lots of experience with project management too!

My Favorite Works: My Dear Mipha, MiphLink Week Wedding.

[spiderfunkz]

SELF CONTROL

pairings. cho hyun-ju x f!reader

cw. established relationship, mentions of drinking & partying, a headcanon blurb on how i think hyun-ju would react if her partner gets flirted on.

author's note: this isn't written in my usual layout because i just feel like it lolz.. anyways sorry for not posting, the squid game fandom is lowkey dying. but my requests are still open!!

hyun-ju doesn't typically get jealous, but oh boy, does she get protective. she always has an eye on you, especially if you two go out. if it's a walk she'll have her arm wrapped around your waist or she'll hold your hand. but if it's a lively party at night, she likes to see you have fun, though she makes sure she has a clear sight of you.

she just needs to make sure you're safe and don't go near any trouble. she'll sit by the bar as you dance or sing, taking a sip or two of soju. hyun-ju isn't a big drinker, however, her alcohol tolerance is surprisingly high.

she doesn't look at you in a creepy way, but it's her movement of gesturing that you're taken, and you're hyun-ju's. it's not a stare, maybe more of a glare, but people seem to pick it up sooner or later.

but to the ones that don't?

"hiya, pretty. what'chu doing around here?" a guy steps up, his posture seems confident. you're sure the facade will fade, "sorry?" you chuckle, seemingly startled by his bold-self. "oh, please, don't be sorry. tell me, angel, are you free after all this? let's leave, just the two of us."

hyun-ju knows you can handle situations like these, but she's sure to check if you're uncomfortable. your body language speaks waves to her, she can read you like a book. but for situations like these, where the guy gets too close, hyun-ju stands by closer.

"i'm taken," you shrug. "ah, i'm not surprised. someone as gorgeous as you? i'd be shocked if you weren't taken. so, who's the lucky guy? he doesn't need to know, trust me, baby. we'll have an amazing time." — "she's a woman, actually. and i'm uninterested. you can go find someone else who is willing, maybe the exit."

the guy scoffs, at your joke and because he doesn't seem believe you. hyun-ju is quick to step up. it's funny to see his stupid smirk die down, and it's funnier because hyun-ju is taller than he will ever be.

"is he bothering you? hon?" hyun-ju's tone is assertive, she's intimidating. she makes sure the other person knows to just back away. you nod, "there you are, hyun! he's just about to leave, right?" you tilt your head, almost mocking him, he just runs to his crowd of friends.

she always asks if you're okay. she's so proud to have someone so beautiful and a person who can stand up for themselves. but she doesn't like to see your hands get dirty, if a guy gets touchy, hyun-ju's fist is the only thing he'll touch.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

To add onto that Malleus popularity speculation, I think another major reason why that you never mentioned is the simple fact that characters of Malleus' archetype are just more popular in general in the west amongst working age women.

There are plenty of adult novel containing male supernatural love interests. Fae and vampire romance novels are still extremely popular amongst adult readers. A Court of Thorns and Roses is technically an ADULT novel, NOT YA. Even m|m supernatural stories even fall into this category with Stolas/Blitz from Helluva Boss being an extremely popular over here. That pairing is from an adult animated show. Stolas shares a lot of similarities with Malleus.

Hell, even if you step into western contemporary romance novels, the male love interest tends to be more brooding and angsty with flawed leads. Everything from classic literature like Jane Eyre to modern shit like anything Colleen Hoover writes. (Don't get it twisted. I'm NOT saying that Malleus is anything like those leads. Just using those very popular example of brooding bad boy love interests in adult contemporary fiction in the west.)

Meanwhile in East Asia, those sorts of leads tend to be geared towards teenagers. Working age women want a more stable, realistic love interest that would take care of them like Trey.

Westerners seem to prefer more complex, intense romantic relationships, where the stakes feel higher and the emotional payoff is more significant. They will naturally write Trey off as a "big brother" character instead of seeing him as a romantic lead material thanks to being more used to seeing characters like Malleus as the love interest in stories.

I could be way off base, since I'm not Asian and far from being an expert on Japanese culture, but that's my two cents based on my observations. This is also based on broad generalizations. Neither culture is a monolith.

[Referencing this post and (more specifically!) my speculation here!]

Oh, for sure 💀 I made a post a while ago talking about how Malleus (especially from the yumejoshi/self-shipping perspective) reminds me a lot of the new "Shadow Daddy" archetype that has emerged in the romantasy genre. I mean, just look at how many of the Shadow Daddy traits Malleus ticks off:

is a nonhuman being (usually fae)

500 yrs old (or at least several hundred years old or a significant age gap between the Shadow Daddy love interest and typically female main character)

looks young and hot/conventionally attractive despite the age

is OP (usually with shadow/night/darkness related magic)

is royalty or in some kind of position of power

dark hair and/or skin (sometimes both)

“morally grey” and/or has issues (you can fix him)

brooding

looks or is rumored to be intimidating but is actually lonely and misunderstood, with a heart of gold

animalistic in some manner (usually with bat/raven/dragon-like wings)

has a tattoo or some kind of bodily markings (Malleus has the scales under his hair; you could also count the OB facial markings I guess)

Outside of romantasy novels geared towards older teens (18-19) and adults, the west seems to really love brooding bad boys as love interests in a lot of its media. Something else I noticed is that the "good guys" or the "boy next door" types like Trey tend to be "the other man" in heterosexual love triangles, which miiight also explain why he gets looked over in the western fandom. (I discussed some of my own observations, which are similar to the points mentioned here, in the posts linked above.)

I wouldn’texactly phrase it like westerners preferring "more complex, intense romantic relationships [... with higher stakes and more significant emotional payoff]", as that unintentionally implies that there has to be brooding or angst in order for the story or character arc to be "good". I feel a lot of it actually depends on the execution rather than the tropes present. For example, I've seen many "Shadow Daddies" that exist purely for wish fulfillment rather than emotional or story/character complexity (which, to be clear, there's nothing wrong with if this is the kind of thing you enjoy!). Wholesome or "normal" romances also have the capacity to be complex, intense, high-stakes, and emotionally significant too! Again, it all depends on the quality of writing and what one's personal preferences are. You'll find outliers regardless of culture as well--as the asker has stated, no culture is a monolith!

[ao3commentoftheday]

I just saw your response to gifmaker anon (sending hugs to anon!). First, let me just say thank you for being such a safe space here on tumblr and providing emotionally intelligent advice! It always warms my heart to see your replies to asks.

I am not a gifmaker or videomaker or writer or anything really (although i am tempted to try, maybe soon) and i have also struggled with loneliness in fandom, especially here on tumblr on which i am new. I was wondering if you had any concrete advice on how to reach out in fandom spaces, especially on tumblr? When is it ok to DM someone, and about what? I guess i’m afraid of taking up ppl’s time and energy, and that they think I’m weird or not fun. I have sent asks, but it honestly makes me very anxious, mostly because i never know if the tone carries.

And also how to make others reach out to you — Is it only through creating things, like fics and art? I think i’m a bit scared that what i want to make is not something a lot of people will like, and so i will just have written something i care about and then bare my soul by posting it and then just stand there in silence because no one connects with how i think, or no one understands it.

Lots of love to you!

link to the ask anon mentions

Thank you for the love - and the lovely compliment! 💗

I'm not sure I'm the best person to ask about how to make friends on tumblr. I say that because my perspective on social media is quite different from a lot of folks. I grew up pre-internet in a rural area and so I didn't get online until I moved to a city for university. My first online interactions were using things like ICQ (think WhatsApp without the phone calls) and IRC (think Discord but text only) and mostly with people I knew personally, or friends of my in-person friends.

Because I was introduced to the habit of meeting online strangers through them being friends-of-friends, I kind of have that habit still in place? I don't see messaging someone as intimidating. Sending an ask or a DM isn't scary. It's just waving hi to someone at a party and seeing if they like the spinach dip.

(ironically, talking to someone I don't know at a party IS intimidating to me)

The biggest source of my success when it comes to making friends online has been going into interactions with the friendly force of the extrovert I'm pretending to be. You know how there are some people who just seem to create friendships out of thin air? I pretend I'm one of them. I'll wave hi in a new discord server and as soon as someone replies to me, I'm basically just

Generally speaking, I keep DMs to either conversations with someone I've spoken to before or questions that seem too private for an ask (that can be published publicly). That's just me, though. Other people might have different preferences.

If you want people to reach out to you, reblog ask memes. These are lists of questions that you're wililng to answer if folks drop one of the numbers/questions in your inbox. At least, that's the way they're supposed to work. Sometimes I see people reblog them by just answering all of the questions up front, but that removes the possibility of someone asking you.

One other thing - if you want to prove that you're willing to answer asks? You can always send one or two of those questions to yourself as an anon ask. Just like a busker might drop a few coins into the guitar case to encourage people to tip!

Don't worry too much about taking up space, anon. The internet is a vast expanse with plenty of room for all of us. And if someone doesn't reply? There's a 99.9% chance it's not about you at all. We're all dealing with a lot of stuff on any given day and sometimes answering an ask or a DM falls off the radar.

One last thing in this already long post - Do Not, Under Any Circumstances, Use Creativity As a Means of Getting Followers. I know that's a lot of capital letters, but I feel very strongly about that after years of running this blog. If your primary goal for writing fic or making art is to get followers or attention or make friends, then you'll feel really bad if that doesn't happen as a result.

Make the art because you want to make the art. Share the art because you want to share the art. When you make the creation about the response to it instead of the creation itself? That leads to crushing disappointment.

Best of luck anon! Much love back to you 💗

[0viraptoraskblog]

Do you think it's okay to write fanfics for btd, I really want to but I'm scared.

Also is there a summary to Lawrence's past? I still can't understand much about him but he's my favorite..

Absolutely!! I know it can be intimidating, especially for a media like BTD, but it’s totally ok! Fan fiction is something people do for fun, or to share with others in the fandom. There’s no standards for how ‘good’ it has to be, or what it has to be about— you can write whatever you want! I’m sure there’s many people in the fandom (myself included) that would welcome and support new writers, but you don’t have to post what you write. If you’re more comfortable, you could just write for yourself :)

As for Lawrence, I’ll give a quick summary:

Lawrence was always seen as the weird kid; he knew he was ‘different’ almost his whole life. He didn’t feel the disgust at dead things that most people do, and often played with/looked at animal corpses like roadkill because he found the bodies interesting.

When Lawrence was a child, he drowned in the lake behind his parents house. He didn’t breathe for hours afterwards and was presumed dead— until he suddenly came back. We know that this was when he first visited the River, where things go when they die. He somehow found a way back (not intentionally, he meant to stay) to the regular world. His family called it a miracle. Lawrence on the other hand, started to get even more distant. He concluded that what he saw was the real world, and this world was some kind of dream/fake. His pull towards dead things and overall ‘weird’ habits only got worse from then on. He became more emotionally distant as well.

His parents heavily disapproved. They were very focused on appearances, and thought of Lawrence as a disappointment. They forced him to attend therapy sessions, which didn’t work, and even pulled him out of school to homeschool him for a few years. Law didn’t do well in school. He hated being forced to socialize and got bullied a lot for his actions/interests. He ended up dropping out before he could finish high school.

Lawrence did have two sisters, twins named Lily and Laurel. He was never super close with them, but they were probably the only actual friends he had in childhood. He only distanced from them by assuming they felt the same judgment that everyone else did, and very rarely talks to them now.

More canon info on him can be found under the “btd archive” tag on my page ^^

[xoxoemynn]

For OFMD Tumblr friends who want a S3 and are scared of Twitter

First, no judgment from me. I very much get it. I resisted Twitter for a long time, and even though I'm now a bit more comfortable on it, it's still not my Fandom Home. There are a TON of valid reasons not to be on Twitter, but if you REALLY want to keep OFMD visible right now and help its chances of returning for a third season, Twitter is the best place to do it. Like it or not, Twitter is still the best social media platform for raising awareness and for instant news updates.

Tumblr posts don't make headlines. Topics that have been trending on Twitter do. And if we want this show to come back, we need to make OFMD impossible to ignore.

By now you've probably seen just how close we came to a S3, and if you're like me, you are RAGING and donning your battle jacket. But I get it can be intimidating to get on Twitter for the first time, so I thought I'd address some common anxieties I see. I'll put below a cut because this got a bit long, but I promise it's a quick read.

I don't know what to say! Where do I even start? That's okay! You don't have to create your own tweets (although it's great if you do). Amplifying other people's posts is also important. Go ahead and like/retweet/reply to other people's posts. This may also help you get an idea of what you may like to say in your own tweets.

Hashtags...yes? Yes! Although don't use too many or you may get flagged as a bot. The biggest one that seems to be emerging is #SaveOFMD. Other popular ones are #RenewAsACrew, #RenewOurFlagMeansDeath, and of course, #OFMD and #OurFlagMeansDeath.

Should I just be tagging all the streaming services? Per @renewasacrew, no. It's counterproductive. You'll want to tag one streamer at a time and be specific. Below is an example of a tweet I made the other day -- use specific reasons why that that particular streamer may benefit from picking up OFMD.

I'm scared. People are mean. Yeah, people are mean. But I will say the vibes over at OFMD Twitter are currently the best I've ever seen them. People seem to have united for the greater good and are being overwhelmingly positive and just trying to do whatever we can to save the show. (That said, again, I already had a pretty curated feed, and was very liberal with blocking users/terms I didn't want to see, but I've been able to spend so much more time in the For You tab than I ever have without being jump scared by something.)

But I don't know anyone there! Wouldn't I just be shouting into the void? Not if you use the hashtags! Fans are being really good about following those and engaging with the tweets. Plus, [Stede voice], I'm your friend. I'm xoxoemynn over there as well, I'll follow you back and engage with any of your posts that I see. Plus, what's been REALLY lovely to see is that SO many lurkers have come out of lurkerdom to support the efforts, and they are being welcomed with open arms, so you will not be alone. Again, I am telling you, vibes? Best I've ever seen them.

I can't get sucked into another social media platform, I don't have the time. The beauty here is you don't need to spend a lot of time. I've been on Twitter more in the past week than I have in the entire year I've had an account, and I'm still only on for maybe an hour total the entire day? I open the app, I check a couple accounts, I engage with a handful of posts, and I close the app. It takes all of five minutes. It's an extremely small lift that can have a very big impact.

My bet is on Zaslav expecting us to be upset, and that there may be a day or two of outrage, but then we'd move on. I'm sure right now he's trying to convince everyone that this is a fluke, and that it'll blow over soon. Don't let him win. Keep OFMD in the news. Be loud (but polite) and make Max and other streamers take note of what a passionate, loyal fan base this show has. Make their stocks continue to drop. Make it clear this is NOT just a fluke, it is NOT business as usual. It's a BIG fuck up with lasting consequences.

Twitter, for all its sins, is the best place to do this.

Now let's get our damned show back.

[nipuni]

Hello! Time for another blog post! I think my last one was two months ago and a lot has happened since 😊

We have been attending a ton of historical recreation events so I still have many photos to share, hope you don't hate those! It's been really fun! We are exhausted and all out of social battery however so we are taking it easy this month. Another thing that's been happening a lot is that even when we are not dressed in historical clothing we keep getting stopped by strangers on the street because of our everyday outfits, it's been like that for a couple of years now so we are no longer startled or nervous about it but it's happening more and more often now and it's so nice! we always end up chatting about the events we go to and our jobs and hobbies and exchanging contacts or they ask for photos and stuff! people are really kind and excited about it and I still find it so surprising in the best way. We grew up in a very hostile city and environment and that makes you paranoid and cynical so these interactions and response has been healing really. I know their words will stick with us for years to come 😭 Sadly the unbearable heat is starting though so that means our outings for the next three months will be limited to the crack of dawn and after sunset 😞 but at least the summer brings a lot of fruit with it so we can sit at home and eat pineapples and strawberries while we wait for autumn.

My family came to visit a few months ago too and we made them watch most of Doctor Who's season one to four and some of our favourite episodes from all the other seasons lmao. And much to our delight they really enjoyed it!! They both loved Ten the most and my step dad is now in love with Martha 🥰

We have also been watching the current season and it's been so fun keeping up with fandom theories in real time and talking about it and speculating with friends in person, it's the first time we get a chance to do it since we got into the series and we are enjoying it a lot!

We also watched season one of Jessica Jones and we loved David's performance as Kilgrave!! He stole the show for real. Kilgrave is such an incredible villain, one of the best I've seen and DT does such an amazing job portraying every aspect of him. He's detestable and volatile and frighteningly powerful and has such an intimidating terrifying presence in the narrative while also being pathetic and vulnerable and ridiculous and childish and so human with all it's worrying implications. It was just so gripping and I wish he had stayed for the rest of the show honestly!! Now we have to pick our next David Tennant series to watch! 😊

Also!! Dragon Age is back!! AHHH I wanted to thank everyone that commented on my last DA pieces, it has made my month to read the comments, I didn't expect so many people to remember my art or my character after so many years and it's so touching and flattering you have no idea 😭💘 I look forward to making more and sharing them with you all, I'm truly grateful for the kindness you've shown me both back then and now I hope you know.

I feel so spoiled lately with all these franchises that I love releasing new content!! I've never been in these many fandoms at once!! I have so many ideas to draw and keep jumping back and forth between drawings from different shows and games AAAAA it's a good and welcome change honestly, keeps me busy and inspired!

Anyway that's all for now I think! I hope you are doing well and this summer/winter is kind to you all ❤️

[nobodysomeday]

hii so im pretty new here and i kinda wanted to know the tea on jason and why he quit the band? also did he get married or has any kids? i genuinely know nothing about him but that he and robbie didn’t really get along when in the band in the 90s 😬

Hi anon! I am also pretty new here yay <3

Okay. The Orange flavoured tea... btw take all I'm about to say with a grain of salt. I am not an authority. I am just a freak on the internet who finds Jason Orange to be a really fascinating character and reads too much into everything [long post]

Marriage, kids, women

I'll answer the easy part first: no, he's not been married or had kids. Which is a shame because he used to mention wanting that for himself one day. How true that is, I can't be sure. But he seemed very sincere about it when he was young.

His relationships with and attitudes about women are something I could talk about another time, I'm still figuring out how to put it into words. But basically: it's a bit odd.

Why did he quit?

You also asked the big question. You get a big answer.

There has been a lot of speculation over the years around Jason leaving. Was there a falling out? Was it for legal reasons? Is it covering up a scandal? What would possess a man to leave one of the most successful bands to ever come out of the UK?

Coming into the fandom in 2025, we get the benefit of hindsight when we look into the history of Take That. So with Jason, I've actually found the reason for his departure pretty obvious. I doubt there was a falling out, there's nothing those guys can't patch up. I guess I could see legal issues or some other scandal playing a part, but at the end of the day he wouldn't have gone if he didn't want to go. That's the basic answer.

The deeper answer begins with the fact that he wasn't much appreciated during the 90s run. He had a good time but felt out of place, and Gary especially was quite bad at reinforcing those ideas (jokes about his irrelevance, not giving him a chance to sing lead, etc.) So when it came to the comeback, he almost didn't do it.

"It was just total and utter nonsense for me to even contemplate it." (Jason, in Look Back Don't Stare)

"I felt a lot of revulsion about everything. I was so unsure of what I was doing there [documentary screening in 2005] and it was a horrible day. I was stony-faced with absolute fear and totally bewildered by it all... It was a very tense time for all of us, but I felt it the worst... I had no idea whether it was the right or wrong thing to do. I was in no-man's land." (Jason, in Take Two)

"Jason can get a bit down on the whole thing. He can have those feelings of not deserving to be there. I don't think he enjoyed the comeback tour. He was working stuff out about what Take That was... With Jason, he can feel a bit intimidated." (Gary, in Take Two)

He simply did not have the confidence. He was also always uneasy about fame, and at the time of the Ultimate Tour this was one of his concerns because after 10 years away he was on his way to being anonymous. The comeback undid that and he became irreversibly famous. So the ground was laid even before it began. He didn't want to do it in the first place.

And that reluctance carried him through for two albums and three tours. Again, like in the 90s, there is no doubt that he did enjoy it. He loved Take That, and during his time in the band he expressed so much pride. He was often the MOST enthusiastic member. But what made him commit if he was so conflicted in 2005?

In my mind there were three main things that made it happen. The first is friendship, the most fundamental part of Take That for Jason. And with it was the promise of a more equal treatment. They were going to be a proper band this time and all their voices would be heard, both literally on the album and in the collaboration. Not that this ever truly became reality for Jay on the same level as Mark and Howard, but I get the sense that it didn't bother him all that much. Although the way he addresses it in interviews he is somewhat self-deprecating about it.

The second is money. It's very interesting to me that he's the only one to reference this motivation and be honest about it. He brings it up as a joke sometimes, but it is so legitimate. The third thing that made his return happen is this complex part of his personality and psychology that I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out and it basically comes down to the idea of fight vs flight. For some reason, Jason has it in him to tackle big things like this, even when he has every freedom to say no and go with the safer option. I think in the instance of the comeback, the pros outweighed the cons and he didn't want to let the other three or the fans down. So he took the plunge.

And what did that bring? Enormous success. Unfathomable success. He had the money he wanted, and he got the friendship he wanted. With them all more mature they could do the business in a more comfortable way.

"The most interesting aspect for me about being in Take That now is the bond that we're sharing and can share in the future. The fact that we're mates and we're going through life together and meeting challenges together and successes and disappointments, that's the journey and it's brilliant." (Jason in 2008)

I think highlighting the brotherhood is so important in this discussion because in my mind it is the be all AND end all of Jason being in Take That. Meaning it's why he was there, and it's also part of why he left.

Jason loved being in TT4 for those 4 or so years. But he REALLY loved being five again when Rob came back. When they got together for Progress, Jason says his "excitement was invigorated," and when Rob briefly backed out Jason was gutted. In the documentary he talks about how the band "felt whole again." Clearly Rob's presence meant a LOT to Jason. It did for all five of them, it was a really special time, but it perfectly encapsulates Jason's relationship with Take That and his priorities.

If you watch them in Look Back Don't Stare, there's a moment where Jason and Rob have a disagreement. Jason takes an issue with a verse of Rob's and they go back and forth for a bit before Jay quietly gets up and leaves. When he comes back, Rob explains that he felt hard done by the criticism because it'd taken him a few days to write and he was connected to how he'd done it. He also apologises for being defensive. It's that level of understanding and empathy and communication that really affects me when I see it. It's an example of what Jason wanted. He said he wasn't afraid to hit a wall or argue. He wanted it. It was healing.

Progress was a full circle experience. Mark was floating for a year. It was also exactly what Rob needed and it gave him the confidence to return to his solo career. Unfortunately, when Rob left that was all the reason Jason needed to leave too.

So why does he not stay in contact with the others? Why did he disappear? This is a whole other question honestly, with a few different explanations. But I think it's just simply that he wants to leave it behind. He's 54 years old, he wants a normal life with his boring business (which just so happens to make a shitton of money. recurring theme, anyone?). Take That was a chapter in his life and it ended a long time ago. He got the closure he needed, and he doesn't care to be a musician. I think it'd be too distracting and maybe painful to still be around TT3.

Relationship with Robbie

Finally: I understand why people think Jason and Robbie didn't get on in the 90s. As the "wise, level-headed" one, Jason would've found Rob's antics and immaturity annoying. It's also known that Jason felt responsible for pushing Rob out of the band, hence why that reconciliation was so important.

Personally, I think they got on fine, generally. Their dynamic in the band isn't seen as much as the others, and of the Rob pairings it's probably the weakest. They were so oppositional they probably didn't know what to do with each other. Rob thought very highly of himself and was ambitious since the beginning, but he still recognised that Jay knew what he was doing. He was older and actually had the experience. Then as the band took off, Jason settled into his position while Rob was Not Doing That. I think for all his nonchalance, Jason took Take That very seriously. It probably frustrated him that Rob wasn't playing along. Jason also probably held resentment towards him for the fallout his leaving brought. There were serious complications between July '95 when Rob left and February '96 when the band announced the split. It left a lot of broken bitterness. Jason refused to engage with Rob in any form, he never bought his music for instance, but clearly, deep down, he wanted to reconcile. They loved each other. They were brothers. That's how it is with brothers.

[mammalsofaction]

Okay so,

A couple of weeks ago, I started getting back into my MARVEL phase, and since I had no intention of letting my Phineas and Ferb phase go in the meantime, it's cumulated into the desire of seeing a crossover. Before I remembered that a crossover existed, and it sucked. I DID end up rewatching it, and I fell asleep thinking about how wrongly it represented my favourite characters from BOTH fandoms. Natasha didn't feature, and they didnt even crack Tony out of his iron shell. They made Candace look like an idiot, and Isabella had such a small role as to be almost completely insulting.

I'm now 3/4ths of the way done, and the only reason it isn't is because I'm approaching the end of my semester, and I just got too. Overwhelmed. I really, really want to share what I have so far, because I had a TONNE of fun writing it while it was still going, and I'm already so so close to the finish line.

Context/Tags: Post Civil War, Prior to Ragnarok, featuring Irondad. Human Perry, selective mutism. OWCA is a bit more competent than usual in this fic, and while Fury doesn't completely LIKE Francis, there is an air of respect between the two of them.

This snippet mainly features the interaction between Perry, Francis, Carl, Fury, Natasha and Clint. Seeing (writing) these spies interact is at least half the reason I wanted to write this fic in the first place.

Snippet under the cut, Enjoy!

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ✧･ﾟ: *

Natasha liked Perry immensely, the moment she met him.

He stands at attention just a little behind a man she assumes to be his superior; a white haired monobrow-ed man in an olive green uniform. Bartholomew "Perry" Fletcher cuts an intimidating figure, though apparently shorter in person than he seems from afar, just a little taller than Natasha herself. Much like Tony. His naturally teal hair is just as eye-catching as it had been in his profile photo, though it brings out his Australian complexion, and the brown of his eyes.

He’s dressed eclectically, in what she assumes is something of a uniform within the organisation. A brown Kevlar-and-silk waistcoat over a light teal dress shirt, pressed brown trousers and smart, steel-toed loafers, topped off with the ever-recognizable OWCA fedora.

His gaze is sharp, calculating, but not particularly unwelcome. Perry carries himself not with braggadocio, but the familiar confidence of a man who knows his own strengths, and what he brings to the table. A man who knows himself to be good at his job. Natasha should know; it is a look she sees frequently in her line of work, in the company she keeps.

Time will tell if Perry would remain among them.

“It’s a pleasure to meet the esteemed Director Fury in the flesh." Said Francis Monogram, the superior in question, eager and a little bumbling. Natasha could see Perry rolling his eyes, even standing at attention, and Clint hides his chuckle with a well-timed cough.

“I wish I could say the same." Fury says, pointedly ignoring Monogram’s outstretched hand. "You understand this is no social call.”

Francis’ thick mustache quivers unhappily. It reminds Natasha of a fat, old caterpillar. “It never is. We’re glad to be of any service we can, of course. Agent Platypus will be glad to answer any question you have."

“Yes, Agent Platypus." Fury raises his eyebrow. Perry tilts his head when addressed. "Your reputation precedes you. We’ve been told you are OWCA’s finest.”

How someone could look so expressive and professional at the same time, Natasha can’t say. But that was Perry. I do my best, sir. He signs, simple and modest.

His ASL is sharp, quick and fluid, which confirms another point from his portfolio; selective mutism. Clint had been almost delighted to know. She respects that Perry does not pull any punches regarding how well they could understand him.

Nonetheless, a curly haired, freckled child (only a little older than Peter) standing with a clipboard by Francis’ side pipes up. “He said-,"

“We know ASL, kid, that’s not necessary." Clint intercepts gently. He shares a look with Natasha before addressing Monogram. “Sorry, should he be here? Or is he done?”

"Carl is head intern of the organisation.” Monogram answers dismissively, leading the way down from the rooftop where the helicarriers had dropped them off before going their merry way downtown. "I’m afraid he goes wherever I go. He will be responsible for addressing future reports of our meeting.”

Big job for an intern. He shares another look with Natasha, and they both turn to Perry, as if to seek his unspoken opinion on the matter.

Perry gives them a subtle nod.

Natasha chooses to leave it, and follows them down the stairwell.

“I trust you’ve been briefed of our recent little…incident in New York.” Fury starts, as they all make their way through the building. Presumably for Francis’ personal office.

“I’m led to believe it was an accident." Francis says, throwing an indecipherable look over his shoulder. “The Flynn-Fletcher brothers have great untapped potential, and while we’ve had cause to doubt their intentions in light of certain…developments, I am ensured it is not for evil.”

"You think it was an accident.” Fury echoed.

At this, Francis shrugs. "Weirder things have happened in Danville.”

Natasha makes note of the unmistakable coil of tension that grows in Perry’s form with every new mention of the Flynn-Fletcher brothers. Perry clears his throat, loudly.

Francis sighs, as if he had been reminded of an incredibly tedious thing. “Our sources tell us that the boys were only involved peripherally, in any case. The ray in question hadn’t been their fault, even if it had been intercepted and collected in their satellite. The real culprit is a criminal we have been pursuing for years; a Dr Heinz Doofenshmirtz, and his latest Power-Drain-Inator.”

Clint shares another look with her, eyebrows raised. Now this was a new development. “Not the most creative name." He quips.

Francis scoffs. “I assure you, it’s more than made up for in the invention itself, as well as its effectiveness."

Natasha straightens. “So it was effective?"

“Your being here seems tangible enough proof that it was." Francis points out, and she almost hates that it’s a sensible observation. “Doofenshmirtz inventions have a 96% success rate. He is the third most dangerous villain in our database. Agent Platypus, as his nemesis, had neutralised the threat as quickly as he was able-although not quickly enough, as it seems, to fully prevent any harm.”

It is clear that the accusation of failure had been the one to hit a nerve, and Perry looks away, ashamed. Natasha almost felt tempted to reassure him; nothing more upsetting to an agent of their calibre to be accused of failure, after all. But it had a ring of truth-it was only luck that the beam had hit the Avengers after the fight had been done with, and not a second before. Tony, in particular, had been severely incapacitated.

“And where do we find this…. Doofenshmirtz?” Fury asks, as they arrive on the bullpen floor. It is not so busy, but the few OWCA agents lingering don't bother hiding their curious eyes as even when Perry sends a withering glare in their general direction. Carl ushers them all inside Monogram’s office, the largest personal space on one side of the floor.

Inside, the space is decorated with lush carpets and a grand mahogany table, like a high school Principal’s office. There are floor to ceiling windows with a view to the parking lot, as well as a clever viewpoint of the building’s entrances and exits. Not so glamorous, but Natasha could admit it was practical.

Perry closes the door behind them, and clears his throat once again. Carl jumps.

“Yes sir,” He said, adjusting his glasses. “Being a Friday, considering what we understand of his schedule, he should either be at his home address, or shopping for groceries, since Dr Doofenshmirtz gets custody of his daughter on the weekends due to an agreement with his ex-wife in the divorce. However, certain developments were brought to light that it may be…unwise to act so directly.”

Francis, who had been typing away on his computer when they had arrived, swivels the screen around to show them a purple and white themed webpage that is–on closer inspection, turns out to be an encrypted Tumblr account.

“You’re kidding." Clint says. "He blogged about it?”

“He has more professional blogs as well,” Carl says, procuring a tablet from his pocket (Not Starktech. Most networks prefer to use their own developed tech, and Natasha notes that OWCA is much the same) for Fury’s perusal. "It’s almost comically incompetent, but he also knows we stalk him, so we feel some two ways about it. I would like to bring attention to his most recent post, dated this morning.”

"Looks like he’s entertaining company.” Fury agrees, passing the tablet down to Natasha (with Clint looking over her shoulder.) “I assume you have…plans, for detainment?”

"What’s stopping us from apprehending them all at once?” Clint asks, fingers pointing to the background of the picture taken with all of their criminals in frame. "We have tangible proof of their collaboration, written confessions to their criminal intentions, we know where they are-,”

"Doofenshmirtz is a criminal no matter who he chooses to collaborate with." Francis points out. “And we have records of worse collaborations. These aren't confessions–only intentions, not yet acted out. These posts were made nearly an hour ago, where they’ve made plans to tour the Tri-State Area causing general mayhem. By all means, we don't know their plans, we don't know where they are or where they plan to be, especially considering Doofenshmirtz own historically unpredictable patterns and impulse decisions.”

"And apprehending them in public is out of the picture, I assume.” Natasha says drily. Predictably, all three OWCA operatives tense unhappily. "Too much collateral damage, as well as risk of exposure.”

"It’s not like you can do much, without solid criminal charges." Carl mutters. “Not if we detain them in the Tri-State Area. Doofenshmirtz’s little brother is the current mayor, and he’s stupidly well-regarded. His influence is wide-spread. Doofenshmirtz also has an exceedingly amicable relationship with his ex-wife, who owns a very influential legal firm. She even kept his name.”

"So we can’t pin them on jack shit, is what you’re saying.” Clint surmises. “Not until they do something drastic. Not so long they remain in the bounds of the city. And they will remain here. We know they want something from Doofenshmirtz, and they don't know how dangerous he is.”

“And how dangerous is that?" Fury asks.

Francis and Carl simultaneously glance to the side, where Perry had chosen to take position by the side of the door.

"Not much.” Carl says. "Usually.”

Natasha quirks an eyebrow.

Perry coughs, to call attention to himself, and brings his hand up in a see-saw motion with a twitch of his left eye.

He’s unpredictable, Perry signs. We mean that. He’s ambitious, single minded, and persistent, with the genius engineering know-how to walk his talk. But he follows his own rules, and standards of conduct, which are almost admirable. He also has an almost debilitating case of ADHD, prosopagnosia, and PTSD. Trying to follow his sense of logic can be…. difficult.

“I can believe that." Fury defers. "What do you suggest, Agent?”

Perry glances towards Francis, as if to ask for permission. When Francis responds with a brisk nod, Perry wastes no time.

There is a protocol in place. We call it Walking the Dog.

[briefhottubcoffee]

Hello! I figured it was time to introduce myself and make a master-post of all my writings. I’m Brie! 🧀👋 Other than SpyxFamily, I enjoy Bleach, FMA, Furuba, Love is War, Persona, Studio Ghibli, Stardew Valley, and a million other things. I love reading and writing, penguins, traveling, video games, baking, stickers, pens and journals, flowers, fashion, my two dogs, and my husband. I began sharing my writing in 2023, and am mostly writing SxF fics. I am always available if you'd like to talk theories, headcanons, fic ideas, etc., or if you'd just like someone to chat with. I am honored to be a small part of this amazing and talented fandom! I made a personal goal to gain more confidence in my writing and to make some fandom friends. So thank you for making this an enjoyable journey so far! 💛💐

My Fics:

~ For you, I can't contain my love: an ongoing multi-chapter fic centered on Loid and Yor doing it in semi-public places. I'm having a ton of fun writing it, and I keep thinking of random places they should bang at. 😅There's five chapters so far! Updated sporadically. Obviously NSFW.

~ As if I never knew you: a spicy fic where Twilight and Thorn Princess confront each other after a bitter identity reveal. Some violence and some smut. NSFW.

~ We were together in the rain: I really embraced my cheesiest instincts here. Yor ponders over the true meaning of Valentine’s Day.

~ My mind (and the world) is spinning thanks to you: another Valentine’s themed fic where Yor plans the date and poor Twilight spirals over what it all means.

~ And I am lost in the icy stillness: my lamest title. But it's a smutty fic about Twilight and Yor post-retirement, enjoying a secluded getaway in a wintery cabin in the mountains. Lots of established sexiness. NSFW.

~ If I kiss you now, will I come undone?: my version of events that take place after chapter 79. The one where Yor comes home drunk and tries to get a welcome home kiss.

~ Those who can't love: Rated M. I think about Twilight and Yor and their complicated feelings as they fall in love about, oh I'd say.. 500 times a day. So I wrote a fic about it!

~ Warm in their arms: a very kind person once made this artwork to cheer me up. This fic tells that story, poor Anya is sick and needs her parents love and comfort.

~ Exposure: a short one-shot of Twilight confessing to Yor after they find out each others secrets. Twilight is very vulnerable here, and I love making my sweet boy a sensitive cry baby over his wife. 😇

~ Help me, I'm in love: I had so much fun writing this fic about Franky asking for dating advice from the Forgers. Yup! Twilight, Yor, and Anya give out dating tips.

~ I'm a wallflower, watching you be: this fic is literally just Yor and Twilight watching the other get ready for the day and being horny about it. I was inspired by a great fanart reminding us of Yor's affinity for sharp objects.

~ Pining: a short drabble (under 500 words) about Twilight pining for Yor. And I mean PINING.

~ The in-between: another short and sweet fic about how much Yor loves laying around with her husband and listening to him talk. So sweet I'm gonna barf.

~ Refrigerator Magnets: my very first fanfic ever was a silly story about Anya and Twilight finding animal magnets and the family adventures linked to what they tack on the fridge.

🌼🌼🌼🌼

You can find most of my meta posts under the tag #spy x family or #bleach. (I am working on tags and organizing my blog, but it's intimidating.)

Check out my answers for the 30 Day SxF Challenge under the tag #bries30daysxfchallenge.

If you've made it this far, thank you again for being here! I hope you and I can experience the best parts of our lovely spy family and their fandom for years to come!

[quinnnfabrgay-writes]

Santa's Little Helpers pt. i

pairing: dieter x fat f!reader x ezra (eventually)

summary: Dieter gets you two a gig as Santa's Little Helpers at the mall in town.

wc: 1.8k

tags/warnings: established fwb (dieter x reader), mentions of being overstimulated (and not in the fun and sexy way), screaming children mentioned, Michael Buble mention (apologies to those that enjoy his music lol), the dialogue is cheesy as hell (and i enjoy the hell out of it)

a/n: Happy (belated) Christmas Lo, @covetyou ! It is I, your @dieterbravobrainrotclub Secret Santa! I'm so sorry this is after actual Christmas, but I still hope it brings you some cheer. And I'm so sorry that I have to split it into two parts, I refuse to get rid of the smut, but that part's not quite finished yet, and I didn't want to make you wait any longer without at least something.Thank you for answering my many asks, Ezra and Dieter are a FILTHY pair together and I wanted to make sure they didn't go too overboard and ick you out, lol. Not gonna lie, I was VERY intimidated when I got your name, I absolutely love every single thing you write, so I hope this can bring you even a fraction of the amount of joy you bring to this fandom!

There was a very different direction I was going to go with this, but then I remembered the "Previously Unaired Christmas" episode of Glee existed, and then this mess was born. But instead of Sexy Santa getting them drunk and robbing them, they all bone down freaknasty holiday style. Unfortunately, said boning takes place in pt. ii.

A major shoutout to @perotovar for encouraging my cheesy and filthy inclinations; another shoutout to @morallyinept for her Ezra One Stop Shop post, I know I definitely need to spend more time with Ezra to really understand him, but this was a MASSIVE help when tackling this incredibly intimidating character; and a HUGE thank you to @sp00kymulderr for not only putting this event together, but also for creating such a fun and accepting environment for us all to share.

Divider credit: @saradika-graphics

"Dieter… what the ever loving fuck have you gotten us into now?"

You stare bewilderingly at your best friend and roommate before you, a pile of red and green fabric clutched in his arms, golden jingle bells stitched onto the itchy looking fabric. Dieter simply shrugs his shoulders, a dopey grin on his face.

"I got us a gig!"

You continue to stare incredulously as he retreats back towards your shared bedroom, no further explanation given as if it was the most ordinary and obvious thing in the world. Even in the many years you have known Dieter, growing up together and running off to Hollywood to pursue your shared dreams, he still finds ways to leave you absolutely flummoxed.

His voice echoes from down the hall, "come on and get ready or we're going to be late!"

You roll your eyes and huff as you begrudgingly make your way to the bedroom. A gig is a gig, right?

You could kill Dieter with your own two hands right now and you would still need an outlet for the frustration coursing through you.

Shrieks and cries of children mix with the drone of too many people carrying on in their own conversations, the irritating tinny sound of Christmas songs playing over the mall's sound system paired with the scratchy, clingy fabric of what turned out to be an elf costume Dieter had brought home are all combining into the perfect recipe for an overstimulated meltdown on your end.

You fidget with the neckline of your costume, your tits threatening to pop out every time you take too deep of a breath. The way the fabric clings to your curves isn't necessarily uncomfortable, but it's obvious it wasn't intended to fit this way. The dress supplied to you was clearly made for someone smaller, but Dieter swore up and down that was the biggest size they had. You would have believed him if it weren't for the fact that every time you look over at him, you find his eyes glued to your chest, a wry smirk at home on his lips.

If you weren't so goddamn annoyed you might've been able to appreciate that, in fact, you do look smokin' hot in this ridiculous polyester get-up. But as the minutes tick on and on, the Santa appointed to your shift, some guy named Gary, still nowhere in sight, you're one more Michael Buble rendition of any Christmas song away from throwing a tantrum that could rival a toddler's. And there are a few throwing spectacular fits at the moment while waiting in line.

You lean over in Dieter's direction, a fake cheerful smile plastered across your face in hopes of not showing your annoyance as you grumble under your breath, "where the fuck is this guy?"

"HO HO HO!"

You and Dieter both whip around in the direction of the outburst, watching as who you assume to be Gary dressed as Santa jogs his way over to the fake North Pole set up in the middle of the mall.

He waves to the crowd as children start cheering and screeching choruses of Santa, it's Santa, hi Santa in hopes of getting his attention.

"I must apologize, sorry to keep you all waiting! There was a small hiccup at the toy factory that Santa had to attend to," he bellows joyfully, a soft twang to his words barely concealed. Some of the parents laugh along, just happy that they're that much closer to getting this over with, "but that's no excuse, so Santa here has brought you some extra special goodies!"

More cheers and echoes of excitement erupt from the children in line as he raises a red felt bag filled to the brim with games and toys. You sneak a look over at Dieter, a mirrored expression of uneasiness staring back at you as the crowd of over ecstatic tots starts to get more rambunctious.

But just when you're afraid you're about to have a panic attack and pass out dressed as Santa's #1 slutty elf mistress in the middle of a mall, the Santa raises a single gloved hand, his left palm radiating an air of authority. You stare in awe as the shrieks and screams dwindle into quiet excited giggles. A knowing and satisfied smirk peeks out from under the full fake beard, a quiet chuckle escapes his lips before he turns towards the plush red velvet chair that's been sitting in waiting for his arrival.

It's hard to swallow as you discreetly press your thighs together, not sure you want to even try and get into why that one simple action was so. damn. hot.

The quiet confidence and inherent authority in which he moved, the way he was able to tame a crowd with a few sweet words and the wave of his hand.

And there you were absolutely floored.

He takes a seat, quickly slapping his knees before reaching his hands out and addressing everyone.

"Alright now, who's first?"

Time must have somehow sped up, because in no time at all the last child in line was receiving her gift from Santa's bag, squealing an enthusiastic thank you thank you thank you! before launching herself at him and giving Santa a big hug, her parents apologizing as they try to coax her off of him.

As the family starts walking away, the girl chatting excitedly over her new gift, Santa stands and turns towards you and Dieter, clapping his hands before giving you two a giant smile.

"Thank you both for sticking around, Gary had to drop out last minute. I didn't get the call to come fill in until about 20 minutes before I showed up. Had to change into the suit before I even got in the car."

You arch an eyebrow, leaning your head to the side in thought before asking, "But what about the toys? How were you able to scrounge those up last minute? We thought this was just supposed to be pictures with Santa."

He rubs the back of his neck as he drops his gaze, not making any eye contact as he softly chuckles, a blush creeping up his face giving him those picture perfect red rosy cheeks mostly associated with Santa.

"I uh… I own the toy store just down the street, figured it was the least I could do knowing how long these people must have been waiting in line."

You just stare in silence, unable to comprehend just how good this mysterious man is. From beside you, all you hear is Dieter whispering in amazement, "you really are Santa."

The man just chuckles again, shaking his head softly before motioning to the fake Santa's Workshop behind him "If you don't mind I'm going to dip into there real quick and make a quick call, let Gary know everything got taken care of."

Not even one second after the door closes, you and Dieter are turning to each other, eyes wide, both of your faces scrunched in poor attempts at hiding your smiles and giggles as you both freak out over who you have now dubbed as Sexy Santa.

"Oh my god!" you whisper scream.

"Okay, so you were feelin' it too? I was so afraid that I had finally gone too far lusting after a mall Santa."

You both keep your voices low, whispering almost conspiratorially over your shared sudden crush.

"Okay, okay, shhh," you whisper and laugh, taking Dieter by the shoulders, forcing him to keep still and focus on you. "Okay, so I know this is a little out there, even for us, but we don't know this guy - it's not like we're going to run into him on a daily basis, so I say we shoot our shot. Wanna see if he wants to come home with us?"

"You saucy little minx," Dieter teases. "Usually I'm the one with the bad ideas."

You simply shrug, a cheeky grin etched across your face, "I'm owed a couple of my own, aren't I?"

Before you can think too hard on it and start double guessing yourself, you skip up to the door, knocking as the nerves already start threatening to creep in.

A muffled come in echoes from inside.

Neither you nor Dieter were quite ready for the Adonis that was standing in front of you. The Santa jacket shed away, along with the hat, gloves, and beard, leaving the mystery man in a tight white undershirt, the felt pants attached to red suspenders still strapped around his shoulders. His left bicep testing the barriers of how much a sleeve can be stretched, his golden skin littered with random freckles, or at least from what little you can see. A small tuft of blonde hair standing out amongst the rest of his dark brown tresses piques your interest.

Something glinting under the lights catches your eye, bringing your attention to his right side, and in turn bringing your attention to his right arm which seemed to be made of… metal?

You quickly avert your gaze back up, hoping that you weren't caught staring, but you weren't quick enough. Your eyes meeting his own, a smile still on his face.

"I usually prefer to go without it," he shrugs, chuckling before continuing, "but I didn't really want to answer questions as to why Santa had one arm all of a sudden."

Both you and Dieter quietly giggle, both of you clearly charmed by his apparent altruistic proclivities.

"So you really are just some nice guy, huh?" Dieter sounds from beside you. Alright, I guess we're trying to butter him up first, not a bad plan.

In the blink of an eye, the atmosphere in the small shed changes, thickens with a sudden and growing tension. Ezra's smile twisting into a mischevious smile as he eyes you both up and down.

"Well, I never said I was nice."

Before either of you can respond, he takes a couple of steps towards where you and Dieter stand frozen in anticipation, scratching at the scruff on his jaw, his eyes alight with what only could be described as trouble. He leans forward slightly, his voice dropping to a teasing murmur.

"You do realize the two of you don't whisper as quietly as you think you do, right?"

Oh shit.

Your heart sinks down to the bottom of your stomach, looking over at Dieter for some reassurance, but instead it only makes your nerves spike more as you can see him struggling to mask his growing embarrassment.

"I mean, the two of you don't even know my name."

Oh my god, he thinks we're just a couple of freaks. Fair, but fuck!

"Listen, we-we're sorry you overheard that. We sh-"

He raises his left palm, quieting your rambled apologies.

"Mmm, now I didn't say that as an objection, it was just a mere observation."

You struggle to catch your breath as he drops his hand and shuffles closer, leaning forward to mumble in yours and Dieter's ear.

"I may not be the real Santa, but I have an inkling that the two of you have been real naughty this year. I'd love to show you what happens when his little elves start getting these… unsavory ideas in their little heads."

[webnovelfiend]

Wiki: GSGW or GDCG

So, I think this is something that needs to be addressed, not only related to the wiki but also to the whole fandom.

I wanted to explain the thought process that we had when making this decision though, so that we're all on the same page. That information is below the cut, but the TLDR is:

Me and Sami (the admin for the original wiki) talked it through and decided that the wiki in Miraheze will be titled GDCG.

(explanation below cuz otherwise the post would be too long)

So, the situation is as follows for those who are a bit confused:

The source material, 괴담에 떨어져도 출근을 해야 하는구나, is a Korean novel that got an unofficial English translation. Now that the fandom has grown quite a bit, we noticed that we truly needed to create a wiki to serve the community with all the information that is required.

But we face a choice, giving it the title GSGW (the acronym used for the English translation) or using GDCG (the acronym for the Korean title). So instead of creating a poll that might simply be an echo of the chamber my account has become, we observed the pros and cons of each option and reached a logical conclusion. We hope you respect that.

Naming it GSGW/Ghost Story Gotta Work, the fan translation title

Pros: It's undeniably the most recognized name for the English side of the fandom since it's English and it comes from an English-dedicated source (the unoff tl). It's efficient and gives a straightforward idea of what the novel is about. Most of the readers of the unoff tl are incredibly used to the name.

Cons: Ethically, it's not the best option, since the unofficial translation is, at the end of the day, a non-legal product, and legitimizing it like that wouldn't be respectful to DS.Back. If the novel gets an official tl (or, more likely, WHEN), having Ghost Story Gotta Work as a title could get confusing if the official translated title is too different. Lastly, part of the circle of English-speaking raw readers is STRONGLY against the fan tl, and I'm not exaggerating- the last thing we want is to create friction between the two sides of the fandom.

Naming it GDCG/ Goedamchulgeun, the Korean Romanized title

Pros: Being the Romanized version of the Korean title, it's respectful towards the author and avoids any legal trouble. When an official translation is released, the titles won't clash and cause confusion since they'll both be accurate, one in English, the other in korean. Avoids creating an unpleasant situation with an important part of the community, especially since they are the ones more likely to contribute to the wiki, considering that reading the raws means they're ahead in the content.

Cons: Factually, most fans simply do not recognize the name. It simply isn't widely used by most of the English fandom. This means that, when most fans search for the fandom they'll search for GSGW which won't lead them anywhere. Besides that, it could potentially put off newcomers who feel intimidated by the fact that it's in Lorean.

Observing the two options, we reached what is somewhat a middle-term. The Miraheze wiki will be titled GDCG, avoiding legal risks and the rage of the raw readers. To help with discoverability, the unoff translated title will be stated in the first 100 words of the main page, since then it'll still be somewhat prioritized by search engines. A page with the unoff tl title will also be added, explaining what it is and as a redirect page towards the main page of the wiki, so even if the first 100 words aren't prioritized then, at least, this page will appear. The differences between certain names for characters, items and, ghost stories will also be mentioned in the dedicated pages and will also be redirect pages themselves.

This was our decision and we'll be going ahead with it when setting up the wiki. Thank you for reading so far and I hope you all respect the decision since it was made with the entire fanbase's best interest in mind, even if it feels like we prioritized raw-readers a bit...

<Previous Update | Next Update > / Masterthread

[saryasy]

tagged by @butchdiaz for a 2024 fic roundup but I'm copying them and adding my edits in there too 🥰 this is the most I've written in a year (and by a huge margin) by virtue of me writing my longest two fics ever back to back. so hopefully next year goes similarly because I already miss writing 😭😭

May:

sounds like forever (5k)

No, he doesn't remember falling. He just remembers looking at his best friend one evening, cooping up a sleeping Christopher into his arms, murmuring ‘I got this’ to a half-asleep Eddie who'd made to carry his own son instead. He'd watched as Buck walked quiet but confident steps to Christopher's room, depositing him in bed with a whispered ‘goodnight’, and thought, in his sleepy haze, I love him.

my very first buddie fic!! wrote it a few days after finishing the show for the first time. was still finding the characters voices but it'll always be special to me

August:

Season of Hope (After the Flood) (58k)

Eddie's summer of missing his son, unrepressing more than just his sexuality, and realizing that somewhere along the way he's fallen in love with his best friend and forgot to fall out of it.

And maybe that's okay.

I genuinely still can't believe this fic exists. and the fact that it does is all thanks to @livingincolorsagain. my longest fic ever yet I wrote it relatively quickly. and I still think back on the writing process fondly. getting to figure out where the story's headed. the chapter titles. all the lovely feedback. it was such a lovely journey even the parts where it fought me lol

September:

slow motion, double vision in rose blush (20k)

Eddie has kissed a man.

Eddie Diaz. His friend. His Eddie. Has kissed a man.

Which is strange because Buck is sure as hell he'd remember kissing Eddie. OR Buck is very normal about his platonic friend's kissing habits.

this one was literally a haze. I had an idea for them watching their first kiss through the screen and absolutely ran with it. I think that one scene in there is 12k on its own which is kinda insane. also only realized after posting that's it's my first published E rated fic

November:

merry christmas please don't call

MY VERY FIRST EDIT. my baby. I'd been thinking about getting into editing for a bit back then. but was way too intimidated to take the first step. then I heard this song on tiktok and was possessed by the ghost of shannon. and here we are

my heart is buried in venice

I still don't know how I made this one in such a short period of time. but also not complaining. loved putting the opening montage together so much

futile devices

I do. love you. yeah

December:

drawn to the blood

okay this is the first idea for an edit I ever had! idk how close I got to what I had in mind. plus it gave me hell. but it's out there now so!

What do you do about a haunted house.. (600)

a little tumblr ficlet I wrote half asleep because I was so happy I finally felt like writing again I couldn't let it slip through my fingers and risk forgetting it in the morning

so you are tired

my last edit of the year!!!! wasn't gonna post it but a told me to lol. initially it was more buddie focused. but the song is so buck I had to make some adjustments. absolutely loved cutting the song as I please lol

not to get too sappy at the end here but getting into this fandom and getting back into creating and getting to create new things and making new friends has been so so fun. thank you so much to everyone who's read and watched and said a nice thing in the tags and comments 💕💕💕💕💕

no pressure tagging @livingincolorsagain @sibylsleaves @buick118 @userbuddie @confessionseddie @chronicowboy

[no-goodbyes-no-regrets]

So this was meant to be posted April 21st for the @bucktommycharityrace but because life REALLY hasn't been life-ing the way it should these past few weeks it is now May 1st and still only half finished 🤦‍♀️

But I don't want to be too much of a asshole and not post at all, so I'm posting the half that's done now as a part 1, and official permission to the entire fandom to get on my case about finishing the second part ASAP.

and if you have a little extra cash, consider donating to ACLU or Lambda Legal (there's still a little bit of time!)

---

Two beers and a kitten (AO3)

(title inspired by that "test" to determine how you feel about someone - if you would like to have two beers with them, and if you would let them look after your puppy for a weekend)

---

“Did you have a pet as a kid?” Buck asked, turning around and propping himself up on his elbow.

They were in bed, tired from spending the day with Sal and his family for their youngest daughter's 9th birthday.

"My mom loved birds. We had all kinds of them for years. She taught us how to look after them and how to hold them. We even had this African grey parrot that had been with her since she was a teenager. It loved her, but couldn't stand my dad. Clearly it had great taste."

Buck gave him a small smile.

“So that's where your love of flying comes from.”

Tommy laughed.

“Yeah, maybe. That doesn't explain Don though."

“Well you said it had great taste.” Buck said and they both laughed. “Don't tell him I said that, he'll sic his squad on me.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you from my big bad brother.” Tommy teased.

Buck had met Tommy’s twin brother Donovan only a handful of times, a few family dinners and other get togethers with his partner Dominique, and once on the job in full tac gear with some kind of rifle in his hand.

That time had been during his and Tommy’s break up, and Donovan had come up to him and told him to stop being an idiot, because his brother probably never would.

And even though he was used to Athena’s patented disappointed but not surprised looks, it had been kind of intimidating. Especially since he talked with his hands, and one of those had been holding the gun.

He pushed the thought out of his mind and decided it was time for another family barbeque. Maybe he’d invite the whole 118 family too, and Tommy’s crew from Harbor.

He got comfortable in bed and watched Tommy rub his eyes and put his book away on the nightstand.

“Nothing else? No dogs or cats?” he asked, continuing their earlier conversation.

Tommy blinked a few times and Buck watched him backtrack the last 15 minutes in his head to remember what they were talking about.

“My nonna, my grandma on my mother's side, had this yappy little dog. It tolerated me, but it loved Don. And we had guinea pigs for a while. They were a present from an aunt who had one that had had babies. But when the last one died my mom was already sick so we didn't dare ask for new ones.” Tommy paused and seemed to get lost on memories for a moment until buck squeezed his hand as quiet support. “What about you? Did you and Maddie have any pets growing up?”

Buck snorted.

“You've met my parents, you know what they were like when I was a kid, do you really think they would have gotten a pet on top of that?” he shook his head. “I always wanted a dog though. I used to run around with our neighbour's border collie. We'd go to this dog park and play fetch for an afternoon. Until it got arthritis and wasn’t allowed to run anymore.”

“I always wanted a dog too.” Tommy told him. “But first there was the army, and then the LAFD shifts... It just wouldn't be fair on a dog, you know.”

“Yeah.” Buck agreed and wrapped an arm around his waist. “Maybe when we're both retired. We'll have more time and we can get a dog.”

“You're thinking about retirement already? You’re not even 40.”

Buck gave a one armed shrug.

“Just thinking ahead.”

They were silent for a while until Buck shifted to look at Tommy.

“I think we should get a cat. They’re easy to care for and more independent than dogs. And if we both work overnights we can get someone to come feed them, maybe Maddie and Jee, and still spend time with them when we're home. They wouldn't need walking and we can just... hang out.”

He was getting excited and rolled over to grab his phone from the night stand.

“We can go to a shelter and see if we can meet some of the cats to see if there's a click.”

“Maybe this one? It's cute right? And its name is donut! How cute is that?”

He continued to show Tommy more pictures of shelter cats, who wondered how they had gone from a conversation about childhood pets, to possibly adopting a cat.

“We’re both off next Wednesday, we can go to the shelter and see if there are any cats we like. And that like us.” He continued. “Or I could pick you up after your shift on Tuesday. The website says they’re open until six.”

“Don’t you have a shift on Thursday?”

“Friday.” Buck corrected him. “But if we keep waiting for the perfect time, it’ll never happen. Sometimes you just have to settle for the best time right now.”

Tommy narrowed his eyes at him.

“Did you get that from Bobby’s mother? It sounds like her faith healing… stuff.”

Buck laughed a little.

“No. Bobby himself actually. When he was in hospital after the lab explosion. Though maybe he did get it from her.”

“We’ll just name our cat after him as thanks.” Tommy decided and gently plucked Buck’s phone out of his hand and put it on the nightstand. “But now I need sleep, I’ve been used as a jungle gym all day, I’m exhausted.” He turned off the lights and pulled Buck down under the covers with him.

“So you want to get a cat too?”

“Baby as long as you let me sleep now, I’ll adopt every stray cat in the city with you.”

---

“Hey Buckley, come to pick up your man?” Casey, one of Tommy's coworkers called out to him when he walked into the hangar Tuesday afternoon. Technically they had decided to hold off on the shelter until Wednesday when they had more time, but Buck had spent most of his day off scrolling through pages of cats from various shelters and he was excited for Tommy to see them too. Preferably in person.

“Yup, is he ready?”

“I think he's still in there getting changed.” Casey pointed her thumb in the general direction of the locker room. “Just go on through, but keep it PG though yeah? I've seen enough of Kinard's bare ass over the years to last me a lifetime.”

Buck laughed.

“Don't worry, that ass is off limits for anyone but me these days. Though it is a very nice ass so maybe I’ll let you have a look next time.”

“Whose ass are we talking about?” Tommy asked, coming out of the locker room, hair still wet from his shower.

“Yours.” Buck told him and kissed him hello. “And Casey agreed it’s a great one.”

“I always knew you had a secret thing for me, Case.”

“Oh yeah, I can hardly control myself around you. I better go take a cold shower before I go home and cry myself to sleep over the fact you love another.” Casey good naturedly rolled her eyes and left to go get her own stuff and make her way home.

Tommy jokingly blew her a kiss before turning to Buck.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, because I’m absolutely always happy to see you… but why are you here? Did I forget something? Did we have plans?”

“No, I just came to pick you up because I felt like it.”

“You… felt like driving all the way out here on your day off?”

“I took an Uber actually. So we won’t have to leave one car behind and come back for it later.”

“Ok… so you paid for someone to take you all the way out here because you felt like it?”

“I just wanted to see you, is that so bad?”

“We live in the same house. We share a bed most days.”

“Ok maybe I didn’t just want to see you…” Buck started, ignoring Tommy’s raised eyebrow of indignance. “Maybe there is someone I want you to meet.”

“Uh…”

“Look. Just look and keep an open mind ok?” Buck pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped the screen a few times. “I found the perfect cat for us. He’s orange, he’s really cute, he loves kids, and his name is Fuego. Fire.” He turned the screen towards Tommy.

“And he’s adopted.”

“Yeah, I know he’s really cute and I think he would be a great fit for our family and - ”

“No, Evan, I mean he’s been adopted. Someone has adopted him. Or is planning to at least.”

“What?” Buck turned the phone back around and frowned at the screen. “I checked before I came here…”

“I guess you weren’t the only one looking.” Tommy said, wrapping an arm around his waist. “We’ll find another cat. One that’s as perfect for us as this one. We’ll just go to the shelter tomorrow and spend some time with their cats, see which one likes us.”

“Maybe we can go now after all? I-if you’re not too tired from your shift? I mean it’s still early and dinner is taken care of, we just need to heat it up tonight and the shelter isn’t far from here-.”

Tommy cut him off with two fingers under his chin and a soft press of lips.

“Works every time.” He mumbled when he pulled back.

He guided Evan over to his car and threw his bag in the back before getting behind the wheel.

“So where is this shelter?”

[thisbuildinghasfeelings]

Favorite Fandom Memories

See Favorite Fandom Memories tag game post here

I have so many amazing fandom memories from my past 3 years in this fandom, but I'll just give 4:

1.Season 3 Finale Night--Watching that proposal live was INCREDIBLE. I was still somewhat new to the fandom having only started watching the show about 12 weeks before so I didn't have any actual fandom friends at that point, but it was still so much fun liveblogging that episode. Leading up to the episode airing, I felt about 95% sure that the proposal was going to happen and then...IT DID! I remember crying and feeling like I was almost blacking out from joy! I don't think any live viewing moment ever topped that one for excitement! After the episode, I stayed up way too late but then after only a couple hours of sleep, I woke up in the middle of the night. I had two choices: try to go back to sleep or watch the proposal scene 10 times. I think you can probably guess which one I chose! The next day at work was ROUGH.

2. Theorizing with Kaitlyn--in the lead up to episode 4x04, my tumblr account got terminated for absolutely no reason. I was horrified! I quickly made a new account to lament what had happened as I tried to get it back. Luckily, I did get it back about 30 hours later, but in the meantime, @she-walked-away came off anon to dm me on my temporary account. We have been theorizing together EVER SINCE. We've had some amazing moments, like the time we (mostly Kaitlyn) figured out the Huntington's storyline before it aired and the time we guessed a whole lot of what was going to happen in season 5 but also got a whole lot wrong. Our theorizing conversations have absolutely enhanced my fandom experience these past couple years!

3. The first Lone Star cross stitch I posted--Back in March 2023, I had the idea to combine my cross stitching hobby with my love for 911 Lone Star. I got to work and, on April 5, 2023, I posted my first ever finished Lone Star cross stitch:

The response was really nice and it inspired me to keep going. Now, making Lone Star cross stitch is one of my favorite things to do.

4. Talking to fandom friends on discord--I was always pretty intimidated by discord, I don't even know why. But in early 2024, I broke down and made an account and I'm incredibly happy that I did! It has allowed me to get closer to so many fandom friends, from the ones I talk to occasionally to the ones I talk to every single day! I even got the amazing experience of meeting one of said friends in person in AUSTIN, TX of all places 🥰 I would not have gotten through the long hiatus before season 5 without all of you and I'll certainly be counting on you to help get me through the sadness after the show ends!

Ok, I'm not going to tag anyone specifically since I already tagged a lot of people on the initial post, but consider this an OPEN TAG! Tell me some of your favorite fandom memories!!

[tashacee]

Do you have any advice for someone just getting into writing for Linked Universe? There are a lot of moving parts, and I'm not quite sure how to handle it all.

Hi friend!

It can be super intimidating jumping into a new subject like that. Linked Universe has nine moving parts at minimum and it's. Woah. Yeah. A lot.

But that's okay! That's normal!

Two things you need to remember:

1- What you are feeling right now has been felt by everyone else writing for this fandom

2- No one can write the story in your head as well as you can.

So! With all that said, here is what I did when I was getting into it. When I first started writing for this fandom, it was my first time writing in about 5 years and my first time putting my writing online since some truly dodgy phantom of the opera fanfic in 2009 (now long wiped from the internet, alas).

It was scary. Trying to figure out how to write even a few of these distinct characters and make them all feel individual was a lot, and the idea of nine of them was slightly absurd. What I did was do a Links Meet Story - each chapter I added a new Link, which helped build up at a more steady pace and kind of eased me into it.

Of course, once you're used to the idea of writing at least nine people to the scene, there's then the issue of making sure you give each character enough screen time. Something that I still do is keep a list of all the Chain beside me and tick off who has gotten to 'speak' in a scene.

Sometimes, if I know I want to get everyone speaking but want it more random, or to have a different chapter for every character but want to make sure it's not the same cycle every time, I put all the names into a Spin The Wheel and use that to go through the boys.

But yeah. Always keep a list. And make sure if you need to show where everyone is or have everyone speak, you tick them off on that list.

Otherwise you realise after you post a chapter that you've not said where Legend is and you get a tonne of excited messages theorising where he is when really you just forgot. So then you have to come up with a new plotline to make a cool interesting reason why he wasn't there.

Oops.

But yes! That is my advice. If you are nervous, build it up slowly, and don't forget that not everyone has to be in every scene!

And also keep a list of every Link. Trust me. You will thank yourself.

And trust yourself! You can do this, and I can't wait to see what you create!