#I'm very funny and unappreciated in my time.

[sincethewreck]

[i-dreamed-i-had-a-son]

Broke (2016): BBC Sherlock is a phenomenal piece of media and anything that seems like a flaw just hasn't been fully explored yet

Woke (2020): BBC Sherlock is an incredibly flawed series run by an egotistical writer, it never deserved the hype and is actively bad on so many fronts (especially representation)

Bespoke (2024): BBC Sherlock is flawed and bogged down by increasingly poor writing, which many fans refused to see while it was airing, leading to hugely misplaced expectations (particularly for the final series), AND it has the seeds of some compelling characterizations and portrayals, some genuinely solid performances, and touches--albeit imperfectly--on complexities that are still being discussed today (particularly as it relates to the relationship between Sherlock and John). The huge cultural impact of the show has created a massive pendulum effect in its public perception, leading to most people today remembering a caricature of the show (whether positive or negative) rather than appreciating its nuanced merits and failings...that being said Season 4 sucked

[kyoshitargaryen]

what do you need to know about your shifting journey? ✦ pick a card reading

how pick-a-cards work — look at the images above, which correspond to the different piles, and choose the one that feels right for you using your intuition! these are very long and detailed!!

pile one — signs include; van gogh's skull of a skeleton with burning cigarette, eagles, gryphons, valkyries, white painted nails, french tip nails, elf ears, saris, greek updos, garnets and other red gems, barn owls, the guardians of ga'hoole series or movie, goldfish, the house from courage the cowardly dog, houses on hills, pacha's house from emperor's new groove, EKGs and heart monitors, farmer's markets, bouquets, vacation, bikinis, the colour orange, thanksgiving, fall, pumpkins, or squash, angel number 666

hey, pile one! your pile is very interesting, because you got not one but two versions of The Lovers! the tarot deck I'm using came with an alternate card, and I decided to keep both in the deck.

you may be feeling very impatient, resentful, or otherwise frustrated over your shifting journey right now. I want to take a moment to validate those feelings for you. you may be feeling doubt in either yourself or shifting as a whole. the best thing for you to do is remember all of the things you believe in, that you have not or cannot physically see, experience, or feel. do you believe in a higher power? ghosts? do you believe in the validity of science despite not being able to do the experiments yourself? approach shifting in that way — it's a fact of life even if you have not personally experienced it yet.

you're likely needing to reassess your shifting approach. it's funny, I'm playing music to give you some channelled songs at the end of your reading, and as I wrote that sentence, surrender by natalie taylor began.

Whenever you're ready, whenever you're ready Can we, can we surrender?

that's how you have to reassess shifting — you need to learn how to let go, not just of expectation, but to let go of attempting and accepting the fact that you're already in your DR. you might find my post about accidentally grounding yourself to this reality by trying too hard, which you can read here.

in your past, you've experienced a great deal of pain and/or betrayal, possibly by someone you put a lot of love and trust into, or perhaps you feel betrayed by the universe itself. it's time to heal from this rather than holding onto it. I'm reminded of a time that my friend re-read her diary entries from a very traumatic time in order to re-traumatize herself and dwell on her hurt feelings — you might be prone to doing the same. rehashing the same pain, or reanalyzing the same traumatic scenario to find more things to blame yourself for or be angry about isn't how you heal and move on from an experience. instead, try identifying triggers and gain the strength to set boundaries surrounding them.

don't let the trauma from past relationships hold you back from giving or receiving love. by merit of being alive, you deserve love and compassion. you've experienced poor treatment, now make note of the things you cannot and will not accept anymore. anyone who cannot meet or accept that aren't worth your time.

the most important person to love in this world is yourself. even when you are being undervalued and unappreciated, you must find joy and love in yourself. it may seem impossible, but you can even trick yourself into loving yourself. I know because I did it.

have you ever done something ironically — said a phrase or made fun of a silly song or action with your friends, only to be horrified when it manages to become a genuine part of your personality and routine? your brain can't differentiate when you're doing something ironically versus legitimately, it's why so many actors experience emotional trauma while filming — their brain and body only know they're doing the thing, so it must be intentional.

whenever you have a negative thought about yourself or about shifting, I want you to actively combat that with a positive one. I'm so ugly turns into I'm so gorgeous, and over time your brain will realign with this way of thinking. best part? it's actually a way to manifest!

the 6 of swords to me is the reality shifting card, so when it shows up in reverse like it does in your pile, it means there's something keeping you from shifting. it's you.

remember, you cannot swim with stones in your pocket. you must release — as in, heal from — your "baggage" in order to shift. the pain and doubt you're experiencing is anchoring you to your current reality, your current state of mind. free yourself, because only you have the power to do so, even in as small of an action as asking for help.

you may be worried about getting into a situation where someone uses you or lies to you again. don't worry about that. the people that would do that to you aren't worth keeping around. whenever someone does something you can't get past, it's spirit way of saying "this person is not for you or in your best interest." let it's not u it's me by bea miller and 6lack be your new personal anthem.

two of the oracle cards you got were reframe and receive, which just confirms what I've already said. in order to receive your manifestations and your desired reality, you've got to release all that holds you back. when you do, you'll get what you desire.

focus on yourself rather than the actions of others. have you ever heard of the "let them" theory? essentially, you let people do what they want to do, you don't control them. if someone wants to fuck up, do something stupid or mean, that's their prerogative. sometimes the only way people can learn is through experiencing things themself. let them burn their hand on the stove, they'll know better than to touch it next time. and if their actions impact you negatively, set a boundary and hold up to it.

finally, determination and hard work makes things happen. it's not going to be easy to reframe your mind, to let go of the need to control others (as seen as excessively worrying about the potential actions of others), but once you do, you'll be shocked at the joy you have in life and the abundance that comes your way.

and guess what, u-rite by they started playing as I'm writing this. something tells me this was the wake-up call you needed. (seriously, listen to this song if you listen to nothing else. it's actually hilarious that it came up now.)

songs — traitor by olivia rodrigo; surrender by natalie taylor; american wedding by djocean; heal by tom odell; less and less by matt maltese; it's not u it's me by bea miller and 6lack; u-rite by they

pile two — signs include; ladybugs, basil, tarot, candle magic, india, specifically indian wedding traditions and outfits, saturn, multiple signs / synchronicities, mirror magic, mirror scrying, obsidian scrying, dandelions, dragonflies, waterlilies, tigerlily, heart pillows, pollen, stardust, stonehenge, satyrs, monarch butterflies, feeling watched, centaurs, does or fawns, brown bears, grey wolves, the fires in california, orange skies, red and blue dichotomy (your favourite ships may be separated into reds and blues or fire and water), bathing in springs, hot springs, horses and horseriding, ares, jockeys, aragog from harry potter, the chamber of secrets, death eater masks, the forbidden forest in harry potter, large spiders or spiders in general, being thirsty, rootbeer

you may be guarding yourself as a form of self-protection — you can't get hurt if you don't let anything in, right? but this is only hurting you in the long run. you cannot live if you are hiding yourself away. people and life itself may hurt you, but all will be well if you take care of yourself.

putting up excessive walls may feel like safety, but in actuality it's another form of self-harm in my opinion. how can you ever experience the good in life if you block yourself from receiving it? you might be seeing shifting as a way to experience such things like love or friendships without having to compromise your internal Jericho, but the truth is, life in DRs is just as real and complicated and messy as it is in this reality, so you'll feel tempted to build those same walls up in any reality you go to if you don't heal past the thought of needing them.

you are not powerless in this — you have the ability to free yourself. you don't need walls, you need standards.

you may be the type of person who's constantly inspired into making new DRs, or coming up with new things to do in them, having new scenarios with your comfort characters. in truth, this is doing more harm than good at this point. one of the oracle cards you got tells me that you're spending too much time thinking of living in your DR rather than actually trying to experience it. your eagerness to explore is cute and endearing, but ultimately it's making your brain and your emotional-quota turn to mush before you even get there! life is meant to surprise you, so don't ruin the experience by trying to foresee every little thing. that includes constantly checking in with tarot readings or other divination practices. it's definitely tempting — borderline addicting — to get channelled messages, letters, and readings from people in your DR, but if you're constantly focusing on getting something in THIS reality, how can you shift to another one? don't let the instant gratification of divination distract you from your ultimate goal of shifting. you can still feel that deep emotional bond to your DR, the people in it, your s/os without having to hear from them in this reality. lean into the bond to get to your DR. let your excitement to see them outweigh your excitement to hear from them.

overusing and overfocusing on divination is causing a lot of conflict in you, or you may be having conflict in general. I've already spoken about how confusing shifting to interact with your DR loved ones versus using divination to can negatively impact your journey, so let's focus more on general conflict surrounding shifting.

you may be the type of person who feels the need to heavily defend shifting from anti-shifters, or your own personal beliefs from others. you might feel especially demotivated when someone disagrees with you or feel viscerally angry when someone says something outlandish. you'd benefit from reading my post about the "let them" theory here. you've got to learn to brush off the things that don't matter. someone not believing you, or in shifting? let them. it doesn't matter because YOU know the truth. YOU've seen the light. let them miss out on all the fun. don't sweat off your back trying to convince someone who doesn't want to be helped. if you're anything like me, you might be very competitive (hello my fellow Aries placements!). instead of bringing conflict into your life by arguing, choose to channel that passion and energy into (internally) proving them wrong. you don't need to share your experiences or your success to win over someone. sometimes the best and most fulfilling moves are made in silence. pick your fights wisely.

now that we've talked about focusing on your DR, let's talk about how. you've come a long way in life and in your journey. you're likely a much better person than you were before you learned about shifting. your life may look entirely different than it did previously. take a moment to feel gratitude for all that's happened and how far you've come. even the smallest wins are still wins. minishifted? that's still a shift! appreciate what you have and more will naturally come in. if you focus on how or what you lack, you'll only be bringing that in. instead, think of all the good shifting has done for you, all the good you'll experience in your DRs, all the love you feel for the people there and all the love they feel for you. you've earned the right to be proud of yourself, now feel it.

your pile is the only one to have a tarot card come out in indecision (neither upright nor reverse). interestingly, it's the world card, or "the tribe" in my deck. you've found your people, your soul family, the people you were destined to love and be loved by. even when you feel worlds (or realities) apart, the energy created by your love and connection remains. love transcends reality and dimension. in shifting, and in the places you're going, you've found home.

you're probably the type of person who often dreams of or receives signs from your DRs. fantasy by bazzi started playing as I'm writing this. you might benefit from using dreams to shift. here are a few dream methods I like to use;

affirm that when you dream of your DR or people from it, it's because you are dreaming within that DR

make a portal with the intention that it will take you to your dr. I like to use Dr. Strange's hand movements to open the portal or to use my finger to draw it in the air

use a mirror as a portal; you can summon one or use one already in the environment

force yourself to wake up with the intention that you'll wake up in your DR

intend for there to be an object — a button that will take you to your DR when you press it, a door, a portal, a mirror, etc — behind you. I find that this method works best for those who struggle to summon things in dreams otherwise

use accio! this is by far my most-used method. I use accio to summon anything, even people from my DR. I use it to summon wands to cast magic or apparate to my DR, to summon buttons that shift me when I press them, etc

use the LIFA app on your phone — LIFA might be more of a 2020 shiftok thing than shiftblr, but the concept of it especially in dreams is fun to play with. I've personally shifted using this method; I load up the LIFA app on my phone or intend for the phone to already be open on my phone, and then select the icon corresponding to the DR I want to shift to

dig your toes into the floor of the dream like it were sand and let yourself sink below it. you'll fall into the void state and be able to shift

your dreams may also be telling you how you can shift. pay attention to reoccurring themes. for me, I often have a certain persistent physical event happening that tells me what I need to do in order to shift — for example, I uncontrollably leak water from my arms, legs, and fingertips when I need to focus on gratitude in order to shift. other times, I feel energy physically exiting me as though I were a vending machine popping out sodas. that means I need to close my eyes, stay still, and tune out the dream around me, focusing solely on my DR.

you can even "interview" your subconscious or your spirit guides by summoning them in the ways I listed above. it's a good way to check in with yourself, though I must warn you, sometimes there answers aren't clear. I've found my guides often want me to discover things on my own rather than having the answers handed to me.

you might benefit from starting a dream journal, or combing through an existing one in order to find any patterns. when you wake, take the time to distance yourself from the experience and view them objectively, as if you were an observer studying them. your dreams especially surrounding the full moon may be especially prophetic or symbolic.

dreams are another form of higher consciousness. it's a way of exploring different realities and dimensions and even time itself while your physical body recharges and heals itself. remember that you are most connected to every single version of you, as well as every reality you desire, when you dream. dreams are a way of exploring consciousness freely, perhaps even meant to hint to us about deeper forms of higher consciousness like shifting and astral projection.

have compassion for yourself and for others. balance is key — do not become so self absorbed that you forget that others have wants and feelings just as you do, but also do not forget yourself by letting others walk all over you. start thinking about how we — souls — are all connected, similar at our core. we are meant to support, not divide. we are the universe experiencing itself.

if you find that you can't summon things in dreams, take a moment before you go to sleep and intend on what you want to happen — what question do you want your dream to answer? what event do you want to happen. eventually, the desired dream will come if not immediately.

you may be drawn to opulence and luxury in your desired realities, but remember that wealth is not the key to happiness, only to a markedly easier life. but an easy life is nothing without happiness. for example, marrying for money might sound fun and bring security long term, but could you ever be truly happy with someone you're not attracted to or someone who doesn't meet your emotional or sexual standards? find joy at every level in life, don't just focus on making up for the material things you lack in this life.

believe it or not, you're actually a very lucky and prosperous person — it's just a matter of letting all of those good things in, not trapping yourself. you won't be warm without the sun.

moon song by pheobe bridgers started playing. when pheobe sings "so I will wait for the next time you want me / like a dog with a bird at your door" that's the universe and your highest self and your spirit guides waiting for you to let the gifts and happiness in. they can't come in if you've got the door locked.

songs — the hills by the weeknd; so low by spookyghostboy; ultraviolence by lana del rey; act 3: the reason by dennis lloyd; paint the town red by doja cat; runnin' down a dream by tom petty; new magic wand by tyler, the creator; band4band by central cee and lil baby; beautiful by bazzi and camilla cabello; in the party by flo milli; fantasy by bazzi; edge of seventeen by stevie nicks; season of the witch by lana del rey; moon song by phoebe bridgers

pile three — signs include; pumpkins, corn, fall, scarecrows, halloween, books, bella swan from twilight, fog, boxing, binders or sports bras, dutch braids, plants growing where they're not supposed to, weeds, moths, jungles, fairy lights, star-shaped lights, star garlands, garlands, palm trees, ferns, eggs, dyed eggs, faberge eggs, hard-boiled eggs especially in egg cups, pysanky eggs, easter, ukraine, russia, poland, grey foxes, dogs with amber eyes especially grey dogs, grey dogs, sunken treasure, titanic, goblets, treasure chests, eastern asia, mulan, wicked movie or musical, elphaba from wicked, the wicked witch of the west from the wizard of oz, the scene in harry potter and the goblet of fire where fleur is taken into the hedge maze and wrapped with vines and wood, gandalf, blue hydrangeas, disc golf, chiropractor appointments, pizza especially deep dish pizza, comfort food especially greasy comfort food, jon snow or daenerys from game of thrones and a song of ice and fire

you need to actually use the tools and opportunities given to you in order to shift. are your desired realities in your best interest? are these DRs healthy for you, or are you risking a lot of trauma? perhaps you need to script a few more safety measures.

now is the time to look at the things you want, really want, and learn why it is that you want them. don't look for things at the surface, dive deep into why you want to live these lives and why they're important to you. ask yourself, do you really want this? there's no shame in rescripting or not shifting for the plot.

the good news is, your desires are absolutely possible. you have the power to shift and manifest everything you want — just be sure you actually want them. and want them for yourself, not for the people in your DR. you don't need to be someone's emotional rock through, let's give an example, a war or toxic relationship. remember that you too have to live through the difficulties in your DR. you can be there for someone without also putting yourself at risk.

shifting should be about emotional and spiritual fulfillment, about becoming your highest self, not avenging some sort of slight or lack. material things can be exciting and rewarding, but be sure to reward your soul just as much as you do your body or environment.

don't let opportunities pass you by; you have a chance to get everything you want, so jump on it. don't worry about doing things wrong, or being perfect. I was told once that imperfect action can be the most successful one. sometimes, clumsiness is endearing. let yourself experience the beauty of life and consciousness and the process instead of being weight and rooted down by superficiality. choose yourself first, not as a physical body, but as a soul.

you're probably a very logical or methodical person. it's difficult for someone so grounded intellectually to progress upwards in a spiritual sense. some things aren't meant to be understood in the physical realm, you have to go outwards into the spiritual world as well.

how silly would it be if we only thought of health as being our physical body rather than being our mental health or environment? life isn't just about the things you can see and touch, so start exploring your beliefs outside of that in detail. you don't have to agree with everyone, you just have to believe in yourself.

learn how to experience emotions rather than analyzing them. to heal, you need to feel. have you ever tried to ignore an itch? it gets unbearable after a few seconds. your emotions and mental health are the same way. you can't just go oh, I'm itchy, you need to make an action to resolve it. so scratch that itch, let yourself feel and process your emotions. there's a reason you feel better and relieved after you cry.

judging from the music, you're probably an older shifter or were raised by older parents. our childhoods are the last of the "good days", the time without social media being so rampant, the time where you didn't need two jobs to survive, the last good (or well, better) education in America, time when you could actually socialize somewhere outside of your phone. the time we lived in wasn't a great one, but in a lot of ways it feels better than everything going on right now. nostalgia is a beautiful thing, and in a lot of ways it's healing.

maybe that's the key for you, to go back. in a song of ice and fire, Daenerys is told she must go back in order to go forward. what media did you feel so deeply connected to as a child? what worlds did you wish, pray, dream of living in? take stock of the those, and consider making DRs for them. sometimes, children are the most knowledgeable of all.

I personally often shift to places of great significance to my childhood, like my childhood home, the home my grandparents lived when I was a child, and the school I went to as a kid. you may find success in making equally significant places for you into waiting rooms, or shifting to relive your childhood in a better, safer, healthier way.

on a soul level, you are a master shifter. that's a gift you were born with, something you didn't need to work on or earn. you may shift to places that aren't where you intend to go, or you may have shifted very quickly into your journey but haven't made it where you want to go or haven't shifted since. your instincts guide you well.

you likely have many DRs or have a habit of masking or code switching based on your environment. use this great adaptive ability to shift! you have a natural gift that you can apply to shifting, and you've probably never thought of it that way. you are constantly being reborn, lean into it. make it a shifting method. allow yourself to fit into your DR, to code switch or mask as though you are already there. don't carry anything with you from your current reality, completely become and act as though you are in your DR.

you may have success shifting through dreams or by intending to wake up in your DR. let go and let yourself be reborn, just as you do in this reality depending on your environment.

you can also use your dreams to conquer any fears, worries, or doubts about shifting. for me personally, I would summon people who I was worried about in a lucid dream, just to get used to their presence. people are much less intimidating when you actually have them in front of you. use your dreams to heal through regrets, even daydream of it. daydream of the things you wish you did or said. learn what you can do better the next time around. work on standing up for yourself and develop self-confidence by doing these mental scenarios.

you are everything and have everything you could ever need. there is no need to worry or doubt about that. you should actually use that as an affirmation when you go to shift or manifest or have any self doubt at all. develop the relationship you have with yourself. reconnect with who you are at a soul level and who you are in your desired reality (or your current reality if you so choose). it might be uncomfortable at first, but man is it worthwhile.

you might feel the need to compete with other shifters — maybe they're more experienced, more popular, maybe they're shifting for the same person or the same DR as you. none of that matters, that's your ego getting in the way of feeling joy. focus on yourself and your own journey. don't let your ego or lower-vibration thoughts and feelings get in the way of loving yourself or your DRs. don't involve other people in your DRs or your spiritual journey. it's meant to be entirely about you, for you; so let it be.

focusing on yourself and your own journey is the best way to bring in balance to your soul, and ultimately to receive whatever rewards are coming your way.

songs — addicted by saving abel; lips of an angel by hinder; best on earth by russ and bia; black friday by tom odell; teenagers by my chemical romance; me and the devil by soap&skin; riot by three days grace; the phoenix by fall out boy; dream a little dream of me by the mamas & the papas; hometown glory by adele; gimme! gimme! gimme! (a man after midnight) by abba

I hope you enjoyed!!

yoshi!!

[deakyjoe]

Somebody’s Watching Me Epilogue

Pairing: Simon “Ghost” Riley x Reader (“Sarge”, she/her pronouns, British, backstory)

Category: slowburn coworkers to friends to lovers with grumpy x sunshine dynamic/idiots in love

Summary: Five years later.

Warnings: domestic things, British/slang terminology

Word count: 700ish (a baby to finish the story)

A/N: Well, it’s been a long journey. And it has been months since I posted the last part. But here we are! At the end! Finally! Thank you for coming along for ride, I’m so grateful for every single one of my readers. I hope you’ve enjoyed Simon and Sarge’s story. And just because their main storyline is over doesn’t mean I won’t post other little things for them in the future.

Consider buying me a coffee :)

"Sarge, I'm telling you that it's fine. They just repackaged it. I'm sure it tastes the same."

You pushed the carton of juice away from where it was being waved in your face. "No! Look! It says that they added a whole extra apple to the recipe."

Simon sighed frustratedly and lowered the carton. "That's good, you love apples."

You groaned, hating it when he was right. "But it's going to taste different. And I hate change!" You almost hated it as much as when he was right and you were wrong, which you'd never admit.

"Do you want the apple juice or not?"

You ignored him and put the carton with your other items of shopping, walking away before Simon could comment.

He caught up to you quickly, his strides much longer than yours. “That was the last thing, let’s go and pay.”

You didn’t answer verbally, just nodded and knew he was smirking at your stubbornness. Simon had always hated the fact that he’d never been able to tame the brat out of you. But you thought your naturally stubborn nature was a good thing. It was the trait that got you to where you were now with your lieutenant.

You joined the back of the line behind an elderly couple and began placing your shopping on the conveyor belt, Simon rearranging it all as you did it to make it look neater.

He insisted his way was more efficient.

You let him believe that.

It didn’t escape your notice when the woman in front of you turned to look at you both as you bickered about the way a two litre bottle should face.

“This way is better, Sarge.” Simon huffed, turning it around.

“But it rolls around that way!” You replied, exasperated.

“Fine. You should be glad I’m so fond of you.”

You scoffed. “I bloody well hope so after all this time. Fond of me? Fond!”

He sent you one of his radiant smiles that you were one of the lucky few to receive. “Would you rather I declare my undying love for you with a dramatic reading of a Shakespeare sonnet in the middle of big Tesco?”

“Wouldn’t go unappreciated.” You sniffed, smiling back at him with all thoughts of the rolling bottle forgotten.

The older woman squinted at the both of you trying, but not succeeding, at subtly tapping at her husband’s shoulder in order to get his attention. He just ignored her.

But when the woman's eyes landed on Simon, the recognition dawned and her face molded into a satisfied one. And then when they strayed to the matching wedding rings on the both of you, she just about jumped in joy.

You stared right back at her, waiting for her to say something. You were sure she was the same woman who'd assumed you and Simon were a couple five years ago when you'd first bumped into each other in this very same supermarket.

Funny how things work out.

She gave you a warm smile which you tentatively returned before she turned back around to pay for her groceries.

Your husband leant down to mutter in your ear. “Is that-?”

“Yeah.”

“Thought so.”

You beamed up at Simon, suddenly very happy at the way things had happened. You always were but sometimes the wonderful nature of your situation really hit you.

“Why’re looking at me with that silly grin on your face?” He grumbled, although he couldn’t hide the softness in his eyes.

“Dunno. Maybe because I get to look at your gorgeous face every day.” You nudged him with your elbow.

He stepped closer to you, tilting his head down to better meet your eyes. “Mhm, for the rest of your life. Lucky you.”

“Very lucky me.” You quipped back. He was being sarcastic and self deprecating but really what he was saying was completely true. You did consider yourself very lucky. And you always would.

Simon could see you were being genuine, as you always were with him. So he decided to return the gesture. “Think I’m the luckier one.”

You just shrugged. He could believe that if he wanted to. You’d spend the rest of your life trying to convince him otherwise. And, boy, did you have a lot of time to do that. Practically forever.

A/N: I re-read a couple chapters of Somebody’s Watching Me and it inspired me to finally finish writing this epilogue. And I’m so glad that I’ve done it now. Thanks again.

[mask131]

What Oz could have been: The Great and Powerful

I first heard about the original script for Disney's "Oz The Great and Powerful" through a fan art of Theodora by the brilliant artist hwilki65 over at DeviantArt. The fan-art in question is gone now, but do not hesitate to go check the artist's gallery over at DeviantArt, he is one of the most thorough Oz artists of the Internet with tons of clever and beautiful takes on the Ozian world.

Everybody remembers Disney's "Oz The Great and Powerful", right? This Disney movie that attempted to be a prequel to the MGM movie, and yet couldn't really because Disney didn't have the rights? This VERY divise 2013 movie which was a big flop in terms of Oz adaptation? You remember, this thing which took a very cool concept of prequel, a lot of beautiful visuals and impressive visual effects and just... drowned it in cliche plot points, wasted opportunities and the most insufferable characters you ever met?

Yeah, this movie.

In his description for his fan-art, hwilki65 evoked the original scenario for the movie. His fan-art was of the "original" Theodora, not the one from the movie - and while the final product might seem like a simple cash-grab attempting at reclaiming the MGM heritage, these early drafts proved that the movie ACTUALLY started out as much more faithful to the Oz books and more sincere in its attempt at reconciliating the various Oz heritages into something new.

Of course, the idea of a better original version of the movie, that eventually was butchered into the story we can see today, was very intriguing. So I checked out the original script for the movie (but not after YEARS of searching it around, because it wasn't disponible online at first). And OH MY! The original scenario is indeed very different from the final movie, and quite better in term of overall quality! I did a full breakdown of this script back at my Oz side-blog (@witchesoz ), but to give you a taste of what we lost, and to encourage you to go seek this original scenario, here are some key points different from the final movie:

Oscar, the Wizard of Oz. In the movie? A selfish, greedy, womanizing jerk who starts out as the villain of the story, and his evolution arc is basically just him learning to be a decent human being. In the original script? He was such a positive character - in fact I will dare say he was a saner and cleaner version of Jack Sparrow. He was this kind-hearted, goofy, extravagant stage magician VERY good at his job (he was also a ventriloquist like in the novel, AND an escape artist/contortionist), but unfortunately unappreciated by the folks of 1900s USA, so he was forced to do snake-oil selling just to survive. He wasn't motived by greed or lust, but by his day-dreaming and ambition at being the greatest magician of all time, acclaimed by the masses - and the reason he played into "Yes I'm the Wizard of the prophecy" wasn't because of some girls or riches, but simply because Oz was the first place where his magic tricks actually impressed someone.

Remember this little winged monkey fella that Oscar saves the life of in Oz, and so the monkey swears a "life debt" to the wizard and becomes his funny sidekick? In the original script it was the reverse situation. Oscar was helped by a winged monkey, and thanked the talking animal for saving his life, swearing he had a "life debt" TO THE WINGED MONKEY, not the reverse.

In the final movie, when Oscar is in the tornado, he just whimpers and begs for his life. In the original script? He underwent a King Lear-like monologue, insulting the winds and defying the storm, insulting the tornado and daring it to kill him.

Theodora... Oh, Theodora! The character was originally designed as the very opposite of what she ended up as. She wasn't a shy, naive, nice girl - she was this strong, confident, majestic witch. Oscar didn't manipulate her like a teenage girl: she was the one who manipulated Oscar like a puppet by pretending to be a good witch and forcing him into the role of The Wizard of Oz. Yes I say "by pretending" to be a good a witch. Because originally, Theodora was a wicked witch FROM the start. She knew and was in league with her sister's evil plan. The only difference between the two is that Theodora, as the younger and less experimented sister, still had some humanity left in her - feelings of kindness and human decency that the wizard managed to "wake up" by just... being nice to her and treating her like a regular human being. There was the whole "I give you the music box" scene, but it was the reverse? In the original draft Oscar didn't lie, he just gave her a random music box as a gift for helping him in Oz, just out of kindness without expecting anything in return ; and that DID touch Theodora because indeed, since she is a wicked witch, she never had such a genuine gift out of pure kindness.

Originally we would have the backstory of the Cowardly Lion. Theodora, wishing to "test" if the Wizard truly had powers or not, secretely turned a rabbit into a lion, and had it attack Oscar while he was alone and presumably defenseless... Only for the Wizard to shoot it with a gun, causing in this rabbit-lion the fear of humanity.

Originally the servants of the Wicked Witches were the various terrible tribes of the novel "The Emerald City of Oz", monstrous outsiders the Witch sisters had Oz invaded with. The Growleywogs, the Whimsies, the Nomes (well rather the Gnomes)...

In the movie Theodora "turn to evil" is literaly just "Oh, a guy cheated on me, I'm heartbroken, let me nomnom on some evil". In the original draft? SO MUCH BETTER! Evanora, noticing Oscar had rekindled the last piece of goodness in her sister, first tries to convince Oscar he should kill Theodora because she is "in league with the wicked witch". When Oscar refuses to commit murder, Evanora tries to convince Theodora Oscar was trying to kill her... But Theodora doesn't buy it and, even though the Wizard knows she is a Wicked Witch, she still helps him escape Evanora in return for the kindness he showed her. And afterward, Evanora spends many, many scenes abusing her sister, at first verbally, psychologically, finally physically, to convince her to give up on the last of her humanity and enter a deeper, more monstrous stage of wickedness. Theodora does end up burning her skin due to the tears - but they're the tears her sisters make her shed with her torture. And Theodora resists' Evanora poisonous words, only to give up when Glinda causes a siege on the Emerald City and the Witches must prepare themselves to directly confront and fight Oscar.

And can we speak about Glinda? She was SO MUCH closer to the Glinda of the books! She was this majestic, beautiful and powerful warlord-witch living in a grand palace in the south, all on her own (because, since she is a witch, she literaly needs no servant). As soon as she saw Oscar, she cut through his bullshit and shoot down his dream of grandeur, because she knows what real magic is (all Witches do, but the Wicked Witches played along to better manipulate Oscar). She gathers an ACTUAL army of thousand of people to besiege the Emerald City ; and during the war she uses so much more her powers, bu unleashing blinding mists and huge snowstorms, and literaly stopping or unleashing the winds. Oh yes, and all possible romance between Oscar and her is also clearly made impossible when it is revealed that Witches cannot kiss humans - else humans DIE (which also puts Theodora's loneliness under a new light).

Oh yes, and in the original draft, Oscar's development was actually him going from this ambitious daydreamer who only wished for a fantasy land to escape to, where he would be a great and acclaimed wizard... to him actually being fed up with Oz where everybody wants to kill or manipulate him, and dreaming to return to Kansas to settle down with those he truly love, and live there a mundane, quiet, normal life, as a regular man... Something he ends up being forced to give up, because he is needed to prevent the Wicked Witches from overtaking Oz, and so he literaly is trapped within his own dream and forced to give up what he realized too lat was what he wanted all along...

Seriously, the original draft for the movie was SO INSANELY COOL. It was still a rough draft and it had pacing problems, and some cheesy stuff that definitively needed to be cut, and also some weird phrasing that made it sound somehow racist sometimes? But outside of that, the characters and plot were truly so much better than what we got!

[inanimateinsanitywiki]

what Was ii-critical anyways. all i know is that they apparently said bfb should be like ddlc or something along the lines of that.

ii-critical was a blog that me and my old friend mira (alongside a few others at one point) used to run. it was around the time that su critical was a popular tag and mira had shit to say about inanimate insanity, so they made the blog to share their criticisms of the show. i joined as a mod shortly after. keep in mind that i was 14, and mira was 13.

ii-critical also had an accompanying discord server which i think played a big part in the blogs infamy, mostly because it was HORRIBLY moderated (again, we were children.) we had nsfw channels that were open to everyone INCLUDING minors. i dont even think we were listing our ages in our bios for a while. it was a nightmare.

there was a lot of behind the scenes nonsense and infighting that resulted in me being kicked as a moderator and eventually the death of the blog. mira and i made amends about a year afterwards, so even if we don't talk anymore, we arent on bad terms. while we were both at fault for a lot of things, i feel like it's important to mention that skatercheese was an active user in the server and had a lot of involvement in it. them sticking their hands in drama between people who were just barely teenagers feels really disturbing in hindsight.

btw i was the guy who said that bfb should be like doki doki literature club. i'm really autistic about the concept of metafiction (welcome home is one of my current interests so that is very much still a thing) and my dumb ass decided to share that idea as a "this is what the show should be like" and not a "lol wouldnt it be cool if this happened". anyways given how hated post-split is i think my idea was still better and i was unappreciated in my time (/j)

tldr i helped run the most infamous object show blog on tumblr along with an even worse discord server. a lot of people got hurt because of how irresponsible i was, and i'm gonna have to live with that forever. i really hope everyone who got hurt because of my negligence is doing okay now, or at least better than they were back then. me and the other mods and server members can laugh about how awful it was now, but i always have to keep in mind that there was a lot of very real damage done to real people and it wasn't just a haha funny bad blog.

one more thing is that kint (yes that kint yes they were also in the server) drew this for the server, and i'm still holding onto it all these years later. i don't even know who most of the people pictured are anymore, but i'm never deleting it.

(that's me in the middle, i was mod gamzee. i had that 14 year old homestuck kinnie stink about me, just to add to the miserable vibes.)

the moral of the story is that you should never let young teens who watch way too much lily orchard run a discorse blog of any kind.

[the-era-of-shadow]

Mimicry of a Rivalry

Written by Aikshlin Rose

Cover Art by Aikshlin Rose

Chapter 1: Rise and Shine! It's Mission Time!

THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS: Mentions of abandonment

[Next chapter]

September to October, and October to November.

Faces, bodies, names, and locations have changed.

What once was foreign has become common knowledge, as strange new lives are explored and understood.

Though the sting of abandonment still persists in the background of the mind, happiness has been found.

Though the surrealism of bodies transforming and being built still bewilders the mind at points, acceptance of such chaos has nowadays been met.

So now, as the sun has not yet risen enough to be above the walls of the flying temple that is for now what is called ‘home’, rest is able to be had.

That is, until the body is unceremoniously risen up from the ground.

"Awaken, my dear older sibling! Today is a very important day, for today we take the world as a stage, and strike up a glorious performance of mayhem and villainy!" The voice of a young child spoke loudly, awakening their teenaged brethren as intended.

"... Wouldn't you think it to be more prim and polite to at the very least greet me first, Cregal?" Orrock suggested groggily, rubbing their eye with one of their legs while using the other three to attempt to release themself from the grasp of Cregal's wings.

"It most likely would, yes. But today can be an exception, just this once!" Cregal responded, letting Orrock go now that they were up.

"Why today, if I may ask?" Orrock questioned, beginning to make their way to where the Dark Arms' biomechanical bodysuits were held as they noticed Cregal flying in that direction.

"Mama will explain everything once we get to the laboratory, I promise you!" Cregal answered vaguely, giggling mischievously as she caught a glimpse of Orrock rolling their eyes.

"Keeping a secret, Cregal? Is that not more of something that Cyzer would do?" Orrock playfully teased, not willing to wait that long for answers.

"I'm not keeping anything! I'm just creating the perfect amount of anticipation for when our missions are revealed to us!" Cregal argued, accidentally giving a key detail away in their words.

"Missions, you say?" Orrock echoed, knowing that they were oh so very close to getting what they wanted from their darling little sibling.

"Oh alright, alright! If you're going to be so impatient, then I might as well not waste myself on an unappreciated surprise!" Cregal pouted, dramatically landing on the temple's floor. "Each sector of the Dark Arms will be given their own missions to complete today, both involve going out, both require stealth, and both, if successful, will bring to the Black Arms something very vital!" Cregal explained. Though the explanation was still rather vague, it was enough for Orrock, who began to quicken their pace towards the bodysuit storage room.

"Understood. I will be seeing you at the laboratory then," They surmised.

"H-Hey! And just what do you think you're doing, thinking you can beat me there?! You will be faced with my elegance waiting for you when you get there, and that's a promise!" Cregal fumed, soaring through the air at a faster speed than before, now clearly determined to make sure she beats Orrock to the laboratory.

It was funny, and a little absurd as well, just how quickly Orrock and the other wisps that had formerly been a part of the Diamond Cutters accepted themselves into this strange little family. Who could blame them, though? They already knew the feeling of abandonment, but the instance that had occurred a few months ago had been different than the one before, for there had been nothing left of their past life but themselves to cling onto. The two of their original caretakers that were still alive had now both discarded them, seemingly finding that the wisps were too much of a hassle to worry about - a roadblock in the way of their goals, rather than an assisting hand to reach towards such aspirations. The first time around was a shock as well, with the wisps being so young and so trusting of their caretakers, who all were at that moment and beyond either dead or a traitor. That was, except for Whisper. Whisper was like them, young and abandoned, and provided much comfort to the wisps in the fallout of such a massacre. She had promised them that she would never betray them in the same way Mimic had.

But clearly, she had lied.

It was so sudden when the wisps realized they had been abandoned again. At least with Mimic’s betrayal years earlier, they were on a mission at the time, so the thought of things going wrong was at least somewhat present. But the thought had not even crossed any of their minds this time around - for it was just a doctor’s visit. It was only meant to be a day, but the days marched on.

Then, it happened.

The battle at Ebony Avenue.

Whisper had finally returned, alongside the friends she had made in the years since Mimic’s betrayal.

She had the opportunity to take the wisps, she had met eyes with Orrock specifically - they remembered that detail the most vividly of all.

But she never did.

She just focused on fighting the doctor who cared for them and their friends.

Why would she do this?

It was a question that was asked about several things.

The doctor had shown such kindness, they surely never deserved such an attack. Even when they revealed to have been lying about their identity, they did it in such a way that made the facade not even come across as facetious in the slightest bit. 

The secret was kept because there were people who wanted to hurt them.

The reveal was made to become closer with and be more transparent with the wisps.

Because the doctor, now known as either ‘Mama’ or Eclipse, was the one to take them in after Whisper had left the wisps behind.

And Eclipse gave the wisps a brand new life.

A new family.

New names.

New bodies, even.

Eclipse, unlike Mimic or Whisper, didn’t just ‘love’ them. They saw the wisps as equals to them, they saw them as if they were their own kin. It wasn’t just Eclipse even - the wisps’ new siblings saw them the exact same way.

Even if they were superficially separated into ‘sectors’, Orrock certainly had the sense that the Dark Arms would now be nothing without them and the other ‘Diamond Sector’ wisps. 

They were family. 

They were Dark Arms.

They are Black Arms.

Nothing would change that.

That’s why Orrock was okay with Cregal abruptly waking them up so early, that’s why they happily entertained this little race between them.

Because Cregal was someone who truly loved them.

Because Cregal was their sibling.

Because Cregal was their family.

September to October, October to November, and far beyond.

For forever and always.

And as much as Orrock feigned ignorance, they knew that their family would gain another soon, if all went right. One of the other members of the Dark Arms' Diamond Sector, Hue, had eavesdropped on a conversation Eclipse was having with someone else about their mission a few days ago, and having been rather quickly discovered sneaking around by Eclipse, they decided to inform them of what the upcoming days would entail for them – and of course, Hue couldn't help but let a bit of what they knew slip out to the others.

The other four of them had listened, and waited in excited silence. 

And now, the day has come.

Orrock, piloting their bodysuit, stepped out from the pod that the suit had been stored within, and began to energetically run to the laboratory, too excited to worry about how ‘childish’ they might have looked.

[the-bi-space-ace]

for the wip title thing i HAVE to ask about We All Die Hungry of course!!

oh I am SO GLAD YOU ASKED!

this one is a chapter fic I'm going to be posting in March this year that has the batch headed to a planet after a group of clone troopers disappear on a mission. A lot of weird stuff is going down on the planet, they don't know who to trust, and Echo seems to find himself at the center of things (of course). I wanted something with some of the vibes of Blind Trust with some mystery elements thrown in and including the entire batch this time. I want to try to mix mystery, thriller, horror, and star wars in a way that's both engaging and still fits with the universe so this will be a fun challenge. At some point (as typical with many of my fics) they'll be split up and have to face situations that I tailor to them and their weaknesses/insecurities/fears because THAT is always a good time! Chapter one has a first draft done so I'll leave you with some snippets :)

Wind bit at Blaze’s face as he raced up the mountainside. The ground was tough, solid, under his feet but rocks slid from underneath his boots as his steps became erratic. Thick forests surrounded him. The denseness only gave him more reason to keep his head on swivel. Howling whipped through the air but Blaze couldn’t tell if it was the wildlife or the sound of wind blowing through the empty caverns of the cave systems. It rose like a roar, bending trees so far he was sure they’d touch the ground. Leaves and branches smacked him in the face, razoring across the skin of his cheeks, leaving stinging lines. Numbness spread through the tips of his fingers, icing his palms that were now covered in deep cuts, blood caked and frozen over the wounds. Still, his feet carried him, scrambling up the steep ground, climbing over a rock, and tumbling as his boot caught in the crevice. Blaze hit the ground with a thunk, elbows screaming in protest as bone hit rock, pain thrummed up his arm in a consistent agony.

--

Echo put his hand out to take the pair Hunter was using but was thwarted almost immediately by the feeling of ice cold snow being mushed onto the back of his neck. Yanking away he swatted at the hand plaguing him, smacking Crosshair right on the back of the helmet. While he couldn’t see Crosshair’s face he could see his shoulders shaking from laughing at his now cold and soggy neckline.  “Children.” Hunter’s voice growled, low and in warning, stopping their tussling in a split second. “We’ll play in the snow later. Don’t make me put you both in time out.” Hunter side eyed them to ensure they were finished before relinquishing the binoculars to Echo. “What do you think?”

--

“You always have preferred mystery meat to rations.” Crosshair’s teasing was unappreciated by Wrecker. A few rude gestures were exchanged before Tech slapped harshly at the back of Crosshair’s unarmored thigh, making him hiss.  “You are not as funny as you think you are.” Tech’s scolding incited another round of teasing, this time from Wrecker, while Crosshair complained, although he did as he was told and slid into the bed on Echo’s other side. That just left Hunter, still staring out of the window, brow pinching. It was the same expression he had when his head hurt, cheek twitching.

I am very excited to start posting this one when it's ready! I want to get a good bit of it written before I start posting it but it won't be too long of a wait :)

[livingfictional]

Hello! Can I have a rdr2 matchup, please? Im sorry if the info will be too much!

I'm 18 soon to be 19 (29/07) I do like (legal) age gaps tho! :)

Female, she/her, ExFJ 2w3, Leo Full typology: ExFJ 2w3 269 sp/so SLUAI FELV

I prefer villians and overall evil characters however I have a soft spot for kind, sweet big men :3 I prefer men in fiction

Personality:

I am pretty social, however I prefer to spend time alone! I care about others a lot… To an unhealthy amount honestly but I'm working on it! I love to help others and make them smile, but I do wish I would get something for being so nice in return, yeah it might sound greedy but I want to be appreciated! And get something nice haha, like just a compliment or something, when my helping and kindness gets unnoticed I might get upset because of how tired I am and I just want to be appreciated like I said before 😭 I wanted to be noticed and not ignored! I care too much about what others feel and think and it's tiring, I just want to be selfish sometimes and care about myself even if it sounds mean. I also love being mentioned/involved in things, it makes me feel liked <3

People call me funny! Well it all depends because everyone has a different sense of humor! But I am most of the time unserious and I love to joke around, serious situations are stressful so I prefer to be joyful, but I do like talking about serious topics (sometimes) Like I said before I love to make people smile and laugh with my jokes and overall with make them happy with presence. It's my job to make others happy <3

My humor is definitely not for everyone, it's mostly the humor of a 12 y/o kid which can be annoying to some people lmao (sometimes it's funny how people are annoyed by it) and some other things depending on how I feel. When it comes to annoyance I also like to annoy people <3 it's so fun! But I never want to make them really feel bad! Often I act like an asshole but this is just for jokes! (but sometimes I wanna be a real asshole lmao) Like I said I don't want them to actually feel bad, if I do, I will feel very guilty! When it comes to it I apologize A LOT, I apologize so much that it might too annoying but I always feel a sense of guilt inside of me. I'm also VERY sensitive and worry about everything. Ah and I'm pretty dumb and I am not trying to insult myself I am just silly hehe and I'm okay with that. Oh and Im clumsy 😭😭

People know that I am horny 24/7, like I said earlier I have a humor of a 12 y/o so there are a lot of sex jokes. I am very interested in nsfw things, kinks etc, I am the "horny" friend

Likes/Dislikes:

I LOVE LOVE horror and scary things, I can't imagine my life without it, its just a such interesting genre that makes me happy and intrigued! I adore horror games and I'm mostly interested in them, however most of the time I am scared of playing them so I just watch gameplays and stuff like that haha. You can say I am obssesed with horror! (its funny because its easy to scare me haha)

I love to eat food <3 especially sweet things

I also love cute things! Plushies, pink, clothes and other cute things! I just love it so much <3

I like games very much (I suck at them), art, anime, drawing and psychology! When it comes to music I love energetic ones!

I dislike slow music but there can be some exceptions.

I dislike cooking (I love when someone knows to cook however I suck at it

Appearance:

Around 156 cm height

Chubby

brown eyes

chin length hair with bangs

round glasses

Thank you and I hope you will have a wonderful day/night!

I hoe you enjoy, you sound like a lovely person 🎀

I match you up with… Sean!

Throws sex jokes right back at you, a horny bastard.

He’s the show off type, so he will make a big deal of how much he loves you, how amazing you are, how cute you are.

So you’ll never have an issue with feeling unappreciated around him.

Has to have his hands on you 24/7, even in public. He’s not the shy type, PDA al the way. Unless you’re not a fan, of course.

In private he will hold on to you, calloused hands rubbing over your soft skin.

He’s more of an oblivious type, loud and a bit dumb. But he always tries his best, making sure you feel loved.

[stedesparasol]

Please tell us everything about your evening at Rhys' show!!!

Oh strap in, anon.

So, my friend and I planned to meet with some people from a Cryptid Factor discord she’s in, at a pub before the show.  We walk into the pub and the second we step through the door, Rhys is right fucking there, sitting at the table by the doors.  We walk within inches of him, I'm internally screaming the whole time, and once we've gotten far enough past him I go up to my friend and start whisper-shouting "what the fuck what the fuck what the fuck" and she has no idea why I’m doing that bc it turns out she didn't notice she had been within 5cm of Rhys Fucking Darby, so I have to inform her and now it's her turn for internal screaming.  (This was old news to the CF people who were already here who had somehow maintained their composure for God knows how long.)  We then proceed to sit within the same room as him for like 40 minutes, all somehow managing to hold it together bc none of us wanted to be rude and disturb him.  (He was with Rosie and two guys, apparently one of whom was Ed Byrne???  Cannot confirm this bc I was desperately trying not to stare but I had noticed one of them had long hair so it does check out.)  Also I found out later someone at the table took a sneaky pic of him from afar which features my shoulder so... can't believe I have a pic with Rhys wow xoxo (I will post it if I ever get a hold of it!)

Anyway the show was about 6 comedians I think, with Rhys at the end.  He was stood at the side for some of it watching the others perform, it was dark and he was across the room from me so he was mostly a silhouette, but his hair is fucking luminous so I could still make him out.  The other comics were all good fun, a lot of the crowd were clearly here for Rhys but still had lots of enthusiasm for the other acts which I had been worried about, so that was good, but also leads me into the next anecdote...  At one point the MC (who was great) was talking to members of the crowd and unfortunately the subject of the Gay Pirate Show came up (cue me sinking into my seat out of embarrassment) and she had never heard of it but made a few jokes about the concept of gay pirates which were very funny and then said she'd have to watch it.  At no point did she realise that Rhys was in it and I have no idea if he ever told her but the thought of him listening to all of this backstage made me want to die personally.

Rhys' set was great fun, I think it was all stuff he'd done before but I wasn't expecting new material so that was fine, it was kind of like going to a concert and hearing your favourite songs live.  The robot impression is my Mr Brightside.  So he did the pickpocket bit, a bunch of sound effects, and the Westworld audition bit.  Don't really need to elaborate on the set since most of it exists out there already in some form but I cannot tell you how funny it was to go from the EXTREMELY sexually explicit jokes from the comedian on directly before him, to Mr Darby Makes His Creaky Door Sound.  (Although the pickpocketing bit does contain innuendo about getting fingered by some guy, which did not go unappreciated.)

Now, to be shallow for a bit: I have already made reference to this in another post but... legs.  He was wearing the hell out of those skinny jeans let me tell you.  Also witnessing the hair in person was an experience, the way it just settles into different shapes... it really is like putty.  He just looked fucking great.  Had to put that in here somewhere.

Anyway, after the show my friend and I and a couple of other people happened to be standing at the same side of the room as the backstage door, which was unintentional (at least from me, idk maybe some of them knew what they were doing lmao) but at some point while we were chatting Rhys came out with Rosie, some people stopped him before us and one or two got a hug, he saw us looking and said "hi guys!" so we all told him great show and all that, and one person asked him to sign something.  He clearly just wanted to get out of there tbh lol (apparently they were going for dinner and I was personally starving so I get it buddy, long night) but he complimented their art and signed it, and then they were on their way.  So a very brief interaction but it was still a delight just to watch his show and say hi tbh, and a really fun night overall.

Including this photo one more time for posterity.  That's the money shot.

[ziskandra]

From the salty asks: worst part of canon and your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

9. Worst part of canon?

Probably the chunks of Origins that have aged poorly. Like, I still love the game, but even I can't help but dunk on the character creator being like ~men and women are equal in Thedas~ only for that very much not to be the case as soon as the game starts. I get what they meant, but in today's day and age it just comes across as very out-of-touch, lol. I feel like some things like the Dark Ritual and the everything about Broodmothers would also be tackled differently if the game was being developed today! 22. Favourite part of canon that everyone ignores I've answered this question previously with my Thoughts on the History of the Chantry™, as well as Arl Eamon and his two dads. That being said, I still have other areas of canon that are close to my heart which I think deserve more attention! For instance: The Missing Kirkwall Years, aka the three years between the end of DA2 & Inquisition. Like, sure, the game makes some reference to the years in between but I would love to see that time period explored in more detail. Especially in a world state where Hawke sides with the mages because like, honestly kind of impressed that Seneschal Bran, Aveline and Cullen managed to keep the city together that whole time without Hawke there to help. What was even going on? After spending so much time allegedly keeping an eye on the situation in Kirkwall, did Divine Justinia and Leliana just shrug their shoulders and go "you know what, that seems to have taken care of itself for now". Like?? Anyway, I want to be a fly on the wall for the meetings between Cullen, Bran and Aveline. How did they not kill each other. I NEED ANSWERS, and I'm never going to get them 😭😭😭 It's also so funny to me how the game makes a big point about how Meredith doesn't allow another viscount to be appointed, but in the mage ending (thus absent Hawke)... nobody else does either. And honestly, can you blame them? Anyway, tl;dr: Seneschal Bran Cavin is Dragon Age's most unappreciated character and in this essay I WILL-- [choose violence ask meme]

[jaimebluesq]

Re-reading your reverse age prompt, I couldn't help comparing to mine, and I think it's funny (in a painful way) how we both ended up falling into the same mindset of Huaisang winding up lonely much earlier than in canon because not only do all of the friends he could have potentially made in his canon age group latch onto his little brother in a way they never did with his canon self.... but so does everyone of his current age group like Xichen and Yanli. Birdie needs friends.

And now I'm gonna cry...

He had to grow up so fast when he became sect leader despite acting the Headshaker, and even those similar in age like LXC and JYL feel so much younger because of it. He's had to play the politics game from day 1, and though his father tried to prepare him for it - Daddy Nie knew his heir wasn't meant for the saber but could still make an effective and dangerous sect leader - I don't think he'd realized how isolating it would be. YZY and he are still friendly, Yinzhu as well, but their friendships are not very public, and still have a distance brought on by the fact that none of them can completely trust the other because there may come a time when their sects' interests no longer align.

So I think in a way that's why my NHS gravitates so much toward older women. He feels older than his years, and he's found that far too many women older than him are unappreciated, overlooked, and quite happy to hear a compliment from a young man his age. And maybe with them, he'd find someone he could be vulnerable with, who would take care of him when he's exhausted from taking care of his sect and his baby brother. But not too much because this NHS would never give up full control over his world, because a Wen Ruohan rose up once to destroy his family, and he would be forever vigilant for another to come (*coughs* JGS).

Though I do hope he and Meng Yao will become good friends who see eye-to-eye (and fear each other enough that they won't come to odds).

[practically-an-x-man]

Charles Xavier, Jack Dalton and Kyle Spencer for the character ask!

ooh thank you! let's see here...

First Impression:

Charles: I grew up on the original X-Men movies, so I saw him as a very cool-headed and mature leader for the X-Men, and a good fit to lead the team in difficult situations

Jack: I thought he was funny, and I liked his relationship with Mac. And being big on 70's and 80's rock, I liked his taste in music

Kyle: HOT. Like holy shit. And majorly unappreciated.

Impression Now:

Charles: I still think he makes for a good leader, but after becoming more well-versed in the world of X-Men I can also see how he's headstrong, stubborn, and a little holier-than-thou at times. Though honestly, I appreciate being able to see those flaws. It proves he's a well-rounded and imperfect character.

Jack: My opinion hasn't changed that much, but I definitely have a greater appreciation for his relationship with Mac. He really acts as a wonderful father figure and their relationship is integral to the show. I love the later seasons but they're not quite the same.

Kyle: There's a lot more dimension to his character than the show wants to focus on! Before his death, he's a genuinely kind, goodhearted, and charismatic person. And I'm incredibly annoyed at what they did with him after his death, using him as a plaything for Zoe and Madison when he's clearly uncomfortable with... well, all of it. Man deserved better.

Favorite Moment

Charles: I'm partial to X-Men: Apocalypse myself, and I really like his mind-battle with Apocalypse towards the end and how it leads into Jean Grey embracing her powers. Plus, I love the scene in First Class when they're rounding up all the team.

Jack: in the episode where they go to Chernobyl, Jack starts complaining about the radiation and makes jokes that they'll all develop superpowers. In particular he turns to Mac and goes, "Mac, you'll develop telekinesis. You're practically Professor X already" (and Mac looks confused but you can SEE Lucas trying not to crack a smile). Laughed. Out. Loud. It might be my favorite joke in the whole show.

Kyle: He doesn't get that many moments of his own since he's unfortunately just used to complicate the relationship between Zoe and Madison, but I like the flashback to the tattoo shop and how he realizes he's been put back together. It takes a really heartwarming scene of him goofing off with his frat brothers and turns it into something genuinely horrifying and heartbreaking, and really shows us more of Kyle's view on what's been done to him.

Idea for a Story:

Charles: So obviously we get a lot of origin stories for the other X-Men (Children of the Atom baby!!) but I think it would be neat to get a little more detail in his early days of his mutation, before he grew comfortable with it. I'm sure there's a comic out there that does this, but I haven't stumbled across it yet.

Jack: I get that George Eads had to leave the show and that was how they closed out his plotline, but I'd really like to see Jack's perspective on his time overseas, away from the rest of the team.

Kyle: Uh... Heartstrings.

Unpopular Opinion:

Charles: he doesn't know when to step back. He pushes his students so hard in accepting and managing their mutations, and it usually does help, but it's a very forceful tactic that contributes to as many problems as it does solutions. He's not a perfect leader and shouldn't be treated as such, that's the essence of his character.

Jack: he's really not appreciated the way he should be. He works well as the comic relief, but he's a lot more than just that. He's a great father figure to both Mac and Riley, and his presence really holds the team together. No Jack Dalton slander in this house, thank you.

Kyle: his relationship with Zoe is NOT wholesome. She blew it out of proportion after one night of flirting, and it results in her dragging him around and treating him as less than human most of the time after he comes back. She acts like he exists only to love her, and when it becomes too much to handle, she avoids the problem rather than helping him. He deserves so much better than her.

Favorite Relationship:

Charles: Cherik all the way babyyyy. Though I also really like his long-standing friendship with Hank, it's a really important dynamic that's present in every iteration of the team.

Jack: I really liked the dynamic he has with Riley, actually. He steps in as a father figure and supports her even through her conflicts with her own father, and really shows her the unconditional love and support that she didn't get in her childhood.

Kyle: pass. I like him as a character but he doesn't have any canon relationships that I like, he's treated as an object by everyone around him. This is the main thing I tried to remedy in Heartstrings, giving him a relationship that was genuinely built on mutual respect and care.

Favorite Headcanon:

Charles: does Cherik count as a headcanon? it's basically canon. Aside from that, I hc that he gets chronic migraines from suppressing the presence of so many other minds. This is most prevalent when there are a lot of students at the X-Mansion, since there are so many thoughts to wrangle, but he cares too much about them to make a fuss over it.

Jack: he's learned a thing or two from Mac. He can't quite piece it together on the fly fast enough to use it in the field, but his house is a spectacle of redneck engineering.

Kyle: he tried out for wrestling in high school but dropped out before the season was over because he was afraid of hurting someone. I feel like it just makes his post-death anger and violence issues more heartbreaking, since he tries so hard to be gentle in his first life.

Send me a character

[kikirumbleroom]

I would say when I was younger, physical comedy was funny and can still sometimes be. However, as I am older--it no longer is. I can no longer relate to the petty and immature characters like Kagome from Inuyasha or Kaoru from Rurouni Kenshin.

Yeah, they may not be as bad in the manga, but they're still pretty abusive, full of jealously, manipulative and bratty [not in a good way]. They have no grace or class imo, resorting to violence so easily over the dumbest things.

Oh and I am not a fan of Katniss from Hunger Games. I don't know how the movies did her--but I get the feeling they overhyped her and made her seem a lot better than she was. When I read the books a long time ago, she came off as whiny, ungrateful/unappreciative and indecisive. She strung the two boys along for almost the entire series. I may need to re-read it again but personally, I wasn't a fan of her and I'm guessing the movies downplayed her flaws in the movies. Me and my brother don't see eye to eye on many things but for this, after reading the books, agreed she was very irritating and flawed character--not the ms.perfect everyone makes her out to be.

[suncatchr]

26

What's your favorite relationship/dynamic between a set of OCs?

I swear I'm not just pandering with this answer when I say Koda Noah and Maeja. I just love how weird they are, how they're good and bad for each other at the same time, how they need each other to survive but also it's just not working.

Start to finish details below because I'm fucking crazy but I am free

They don't start out like this, and I like their student dynamic together a lot too. They start out assigned to each other in classes, Koda and Noah in one and Maeja and Noah in another. Mae and Noah's dynamic here is probably my favourite apart from their overarching one, from what I've written of them they get along extremely well, drawn to one another by curiosity. They can both tell that the other has something interesting and strange going on and when they spend time together, they dig at each other in little ways to try and uncover the interesting parts. This is easier for Mae bc of her power obviously, but because she respects him she tries not to read his mind without his permission. More on that later.* Noah and Koda have a more distant dynamic, Koda starts out as responsible for part of Noah's education, unaware at the time that education is not what's being achieved at this school. Noah is kind of aware of this, so they butt heads as they're required to spend time together despite having no common interests. But Noah isn't confrontational, so their "butting heads" is more like making comments at each other that they both know are going unappreciated. They hang out like this for about a year. By the end of this time, Noah and Maeja are friends; Maeja's tendency to keep to herself and mould to people's whims makes Noah trust her, but he also breaks it down a little by being interested in her experiences and never asking more than she's going to give. They make each other feel listened to and funny and they're both curious so they have a lot to say to one another. Koda and Noah are on their way to friends. Once he's accepted that they're on different paths, Koda appreciates Noah's utterly non-threatening company as opposed to his competitive academic clubmates, and Noah is the type of person who just gravitates and talks to ppl he knows, so they just end up near one another most of the time.

Second year is more of a plot year than a character one but what's important here is that Noah's two old friends, Milo and Lorelei, have failed their task of trying to pull Noah into academics (his lack of fear of the stresses of school makes him hard to control, but he's so pleasant it should theoretically be easy to get him in line) and they are pulled away from him as the ship starts to get tighter around school. Noah ignores the hurt by hanging out with Mae and Koda more, which is what makes him notice when they start to grow distant from him as well. Mae is being isolated on purpose (she's also unafraid of school, hard to control) and Koda and his other clubmates become responsible for making themselves marketable, which means they're spending a lot of time training their powers and learning how to conduct themselves during serious business. Trying to hide the distress at his loneliness, Noah seeks them out a lot, which ends in him breaking rules like curfews that he's never broken before, and in him seeing fully that this situation is not right, and Mae and Koda together have the entire why. So he introduces them to one another.

Year three, their last year actually at school. And their first year as a trio. Koda and Mae don't like each other. I've always loved this piece of their dynamic as a whole: the two of them are very similar, and the parts of themselves that they see in each other set them off. Koda thinks that Mae is too sulky, and cares too much about what people think of her. Mae thinks Koda is too abrasive, and too cagey for them to ever have a proper conversation. But they don't fight. They don't have time. The reason they've been introduced to each other is to triangulate evidence that they're in trouble, and find a way to leave, so they become something like business partners. They are quickly able to determine that they're being collected, and with Noah's knowledge of the school grounds and stories about his upbringing, that they're about to be sold. Their shared disgust at their situation makes Koda and Mae willing to work together, but they spend any time without Noah either working or in silence.

So by year four, they have decided to leave. That's the end of the setup for their dynamic, or at least what I consider the setup lol

Setting out on their adventure, they are, on average, friends. Mae and Noah are the closest, they can hold long and meaningful conversations as well as friendly banter, and they're good at solving problems together as Noah points out the answer that's hiding in plain sight and Mae can make any suggestion of his actually work. Noah and Koda are friends, technically. They can have meaningful, if short, talks, and feel comfortable to rib each other where Koda would normally end someone's life for pointing out a fault of his. Mae and Koda stay the same, unwilling to fight but also to resolve the differences that'll come up if they open their mouths.

The journey home is the turning point. I went through a lot of plot beats trying to think of what would take a normal relationship to the one they end up with. I settled where I did because I thought guilt would be great at making distance, it's not always alleviated by knowing you're not at fault.

So the walk home. Noah is having fun trying to survive in the woods, Koda and Mae are entertained enough by his childlike wonder to disregard the issues they're experiencing living outside. They know why they're doing this, so they stay optimistic about it.

But they're being hunted down, and before they can escape the maze of this forest, they are confronted by Nieve, Jax, and Ophie, trying to drag them back. Trying not to get into story beats too much but essentially the three of them (nj+o) believe they're safer cooperating with the school than being discriminated against in the real world, and if they really do figure out how to separate power from person, they can be normal. Shift the burden that brought them this life onto someone else. But Mae's desire to go home, Koda's to be free, and Noah's to be loved (he wouldn't say it like that but that's what it is) keep them from going peacefully. Retrieving km+n is a very crucial task, though, and in the fight to subdue them and take them back, Maeja is killed when Ophie tries to do something with her power she shouldn't have. Koda accidentally strikes a tree with lightning out of shock, causing a forest fire, and uses the chaos to chase nj+o back the direction they came, and trap them behind slash underneath fallen trees so they can't give chase anymore. Before he goes, he tasks Noah with rewinding time for only Mae in order to undo her death. So alone, in the midst of the forest burning, Noah has to use a power he has almost no experience with to bring his best friend back to life or lose her forever.

He does it, and Koda comes back, but everything is already different. Mae has felt what it's like to die. Noah has held a life, her life, in his hands. And Koda let her die and couldn't be the one to bring her back.

Now they're reliant on each other. Mae is afraid to be alone, Koda is afraid to let them out of his sight, and Noah is developing PTSD under the surface, just afraid. To sleep or think alone, to leave them, to be left. They leave rural north for urban south and find themselves confronted by new stresses: crowds, having to find places to sleep, increased prices when they need to buy. They have no time to deal with what they've been through, and so they cover it all up. Mae is also trying very hard NOT to uncover their feelings using her powers, and has been for a long time. Her power begins to reach out without her, and as time passes she becomes aware of what they're hiding, feels it for herself. Knowing that she can't ever mention the feelings of theirs she's experiencing, she adds the secret to her pile.

So when they find their house (I imagine they rent-to-own a cottage in the woods), this is where they're starting their adult life from. Having escaped what was supposed to be a refuge by the skin of their teeth, and crawled their way along a path they never saw an end to.

So the dynamic I talked abt at the start of this ask starts here. They should be grateful. They made it to their new life, all alive, all free. And on some level, they are. They make the home theirs little by little, they do roommate things like making food together, watching movies together, going shopping together. They appreciate the life they have. But they still cling to each other, sure the world outside will result in more destruction. And they push away from each other, sure that loving each other again (or at all in mae and koda's case) will put them in the way of that same danger.

Mae and Noah's relationship is severely damaged. Noah almost feels scared of her, like he's going to do something to undo saving her, or she's going to say something about it, make him talk about it. Mae is just. aware of it all and knows he's pulling away from her. She feels like if she stops him, she'll be controlling him, using what her power shows her to manipulate him, so she just lets him pull away. On good days, they still like to try new things together, sate their curiosity and flex their problem-solving. They still banter and probably enjoy each other's silent company the most. But they give each other a wide berth more now, afraid to break each other again.

*Additionally, Noah is the only safe person that Mae can use her power on regularly, on purpose. He trusts her to leave his secrets secret and doesn't think he has any to begin with. This has been going on since the beginning of the story and only stops at the top of year four because Koda doesn't like it and Mae agrees to try and stop. After they settle, Noah notices that the withdrawal-like sensation isn't clearing up for her and insists it's okay for them to be soul sisters or whichever. So Mae knows Noah, more about him than he knows about himself, and has to really pretend that she doesn't to keep him comfortable. She's so lost without him in so many ways, and doesn't know if her fear of hurting him is selfish or because she cares.

Koda and Noah have a more mature understanding of each other now, having borne the grief for Mae together when it happened, and having both made huge steps in getting them all out of the forest safe. They trust one another a little bit more, find they like doing non-school activities together as one can plan and the other will execute. But, avoidant people that they are, when feelings swell they disappear from each other's company. Koda doesn't like that Noah can't handle serious moments, and Noah doesn't like the tension Koda creates in them. Koda knows he'll leave the whole house and let Mae and Noah struggle without him if he gets too upset, and, viewing this as an act of cruelty, hides instead of chancing getting annoyed. Noah, who knows he'll leave and is afraid to chance annoying him, seeks him out less than Mae.

Mae and Koda have developed a respect for one another, Koda for Mae's ability to move on through hardship, Mae for Koda's refusal to give up on them. They can be around each other, talk about basic things and their responsibilities, their days. But they don't really have a relationship. They avoid each other if Noah isn't around, they spend their together-alone time in silence. Koda feels responsible for her because he let her down, if he had been the only one around when Ophie had killed her, she would have stayed dead. He wasn't there in time, so he funnels that frustration into taking care of her, which she'd appreciate if he wasn't so obviously paying her a debt. She likewise feels grateful for his protection, but can't express that because she can't abide his attitude when her own is already so much to take. They can't like each other because even kindness must be business between them, or they'll fight. But they get along.

Also abt the two of them, Mae can see through Koda's facade, she knows that Koda has no purpose right now but to protect them, that he feels guilty about her death. But again, she can't say anything. When they first settled in their home, Koda agreed to let Mae use her power on him instead of Noah as long as she kept to surface level memories. Coming off of over a month of withdrawal, she did not in fact stick to surface memories. She made him relive the memory that gave him PTSD, and it wiped his trust in her. So for her to try to relate to him would destroy the little trust they're building back up. She must only respond to what he lets her see, and that's not much.

All together? They're codependent and distant at the same time. They are the only people who have been through the tribulations of being in and escaping that place, the only people in the world who understand one another. They have learned to get along over time, and know that they can solve any problem together because of the relationship they've built. But they all perceive it as teetering on a precipice. Whether through some action or nonaction of their own, or a disaster they cannot help, they feel they will be torn apart. It happened once, and they glued it all back together, and now they don't know if they should stay together and wait for the tear, or separate themselves so the tear makes no difference at all.

[luveline]

jade baby hiiii! hope you’re not getting tired of reading my thoughts on your work cause i always have so much fun writing these heheh

okay first of all your writing!!!! you know (at least i hope you do) how much i absolutely love your writing but omg it’s SO GOOD in this one!! so easy flowing and so nice to read!! the first few paragraphs where eddie is talking about how every vampire representation on media is a lie was so fun to read 😭

All they have now is debt, each other, and the Great Munson mug collection. 

He turns the pedal and your back wheel spins in time with his heart. You're awesome. When was the last time somebody who wasn't Wayne said anything like that? 

Eddie doesn't know what he thinks. Wayne sets the record straight every now and then with a clap on the shoulder. You did what every parent wants their kid to do. You lived. I can't ask for more than that. 

i love every bit where we can see how much wayne loves eddie!! the fact that we never got to see them interact on the show makes seeing it in fics so much more special 😭

the “don’t say her fucking name” line physically hurt. i really had to take a moment to breath.

He looks like a man who has been tired for a very long time. You make a mental note to bring him some lavender for his pillow on your next visit. 

r caring for wayne as well 🥺💘

Making his bracelet had been a challenge, lots of knotting and double knotting, three restarts and one small under the breath tantrum. It's not anything special, black and white hearts seven strands wide, but he'd been very appreciative. 

baby 🥺 the heart bracelets 🥺

“Sarah, I was born with butterfingers and you know that.”

okay me

"He said he's gonna throw himself off a bridge," Eddie informs. "Poor guy. I know the feeling." 

okay me again (IM JOKING)

Funny how Steve's hair speaks as much as his expression, bobbing as he nods his head to emphasise each word

baby that was SO FUNNY i can picture his hair moving as he talks and i’m obsessed with the image in my head

It's all in the way you — he says this with love — perform the words. You speak like each word you're saying has equal importance, and it's calming.

You're willing to change your plans now that he's asked to go with you. It's a gesture as lovely as you are. Eddie doesn't think you'd ever think it of yourself; your kindness is so intrinsic you don't notice it, like the fine stitching of a leather bound book. Integral and widely unappreciated.

i love how eddie likes her so much that he not only appreciates things like the way she talks or her kindness but also sees it as something like deeply innate to her and likes it even more for that

WAYNE BEING SUSPICIOUS OF THEM I LOVE HIM 😭

For a time, he'd been a normal (debatable) person having a normal (horrifying) conversation with his dad. Not a vampire. Not somebody who ruins everything he touches. 

you had no right to make me laugh with the “(debatable) (horrifying)” just to make me ugly sob with him calling wayne dad and saying THAT LAST LINE. that was actually insane.

"I know I can be a lot to deal with." “Who told you that?”

crying in a corner rn. thank u

They come apart, blood smeared in both your palms like two halves of a dripping heart. 

listen. i know it’s blood and eddie was probably losing his mind. but that was such a beautiful imagery 😭

You realise as he says it how much his wanting you to go had mattered to you. Eddie's your friend, and you don't think that you're going to stay friends much longer.

i don’t really have anything to say about that. just wanted to highlight that bit

"Steve," Eddie says, jaw dropped down to his chest, "do you have a crush on me?" 

the steddie nation keeps winning!!!

I can't believe I put you through that. I can't believe I put you through that. I'm so sorry. 

NOOO HE FEELS SO GUILTY

And for a while, Eddie hadn't felt the same. The world he'd woken up to was hard. There had been lawyers and grief and guilt and becoming. He doesn't have the words to describe how it feels to become something new, something that needs to hurt people to live, something that will hurt people to live, whether Eddie wants to or not. 

The loss of choice is suffocating. 

He can live with the grief of what he is if it means other people don't have to live with grief of what he isn't. 

it’s honestly painful to realise how guilty eddie feels about putting everyone around him through what happened even though it’s not his fault, and how he’s willing to go on and live in suffering for all his life (or all eternity? im not sure how long vampires live) just so he doesn’t have to make the people he loves go through that again. he’s always so selfless :(

"Tuned into the wrong station." 

You pet the back of his head. "Yeah," you say softly, "I think I was." 

i keep thinking there’s a deeper and secret meaning in this dialogue and i can’t articulate my thoughts around it but i’m so sure in my mind that way she says that she was in the wrong station just means she was seeing things in the wrong way until now? you can totally disregard what im saying though

You make the worst sound anyone has ever made as he moves back, like something has been ripped from you. A gutted gasp, near silent. 

“the worst sound anyone had ever made” and it’s just a gasp from breaking the kiss. i’m actually going insane.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asks when he gets a look at you, your unreadable expression. He takes care to keep his head angled down so you can't see the lower half of his face. 

"I don't think you could." 

STOP

He's been in here enough times to know what it looks like, but for some reason you find yourself checking his face, worried about what it is he thinks of your things, all your mismatched trinkets, your stained glass lamps, your life as you let yourselves in.

“your mismatched trinkets, your stained glass lamps, your life as you let yourselves in”. being worried about how her life seems as she lets him go into. sick and twisted

His touch is like the tide. He wades in, away. His thumb strokes inward over something soft and then his whole hand moves back to your thigh. 

‼️‼️

He's not confined to all his softest parts and he never will be. He's snarky and angry and loud. He plays guitar like a real rockstar and he doesn't take anyone's shit. He's a survivor. A glass of blood every now and then was never gonna stop him. 

that first line???? INSANELY GOOD OH MY GOD

"Least it wasn't Snoopy." 

of course there’s a snoopy reference. love u for it

jade my love that was soooo good!!! exploring eddie’s life as a vampire not only through his enhanced abilities but through all his loss and suffering and self doubting made the character so realistic (i know, he’s a vampire, but you get what i mean)!! baby you’re the best writer i know and it makes me so proud seeing you stepping out of your comfort zone and writing horror themed stories without losing your touch and your way with words and feelings!!! you’re insanely talented and i’m always thrilled that i get to read your work and to know you!! that is genuinely one of greatest joy of my life!! hope you’re being extra nice to yourself and getting enough rest and taking care!!! love u 💌 - lu

I don't ever get tired of what you think!!! Our red string of fate means you pick up on all my favourite things and it always makes me feel so special

Writing Wayne was super fun because we know literally nothing about him besides the fact that he's Eddie's guardian and he doesn't think for a moment that Eddie could do something awful, his unwillingness to give up the search in vol2 breaks my heart so it's really nice to write him with his Eddie all safe and sound

Eddie's pretty infatuated with r from the get go and not just because she's accepting of who he is and doesn't believe all the bad shit around him, he genuinely likes her and I wanted to make that distinction (like at the start when he was practically waiting for her to tell him to get gone but was trying to spend time with her anyways because he was intrigued and endeared)

Writing Eddie's voice in brackets was SO fun and so different for me, I love experimenting with third person to show the characters voice even if it isn't technically from their point of view, rest assured I made myself laugh with (debatable) and (horrifying)

Eddie feels so fucking guilty! That's basically what shaped him for me. I keep getting comments saying he was very different in this one and I kind of agree and disagree. He wasn't much like the fanon version of himself which idk if people hate that, but I think the basis of him was as true to Canon as I could get it! The basis being his innate goodness, the thing that DROVE him to feel so fucking guilty even though none of that shit was his fault, but when he goes off to be the hero in the show and "doesn't run away" that was his courage and his character showing through and so I really used that as the original thread and then built up his guilt, his humour around that. He's not as snarky as he was in the show because I felt like basically dying and going through the upside down made him very depressed and he really struggles to separate himself (though i can't take all the credit for that part because the original request wanted to see him struggle and wanted to see reader help him through it!!) From that. I love him and I needed him to have somebody like the reader character who just wants to take care of him and be his friend (and more)

Wayne being suspicious of them was so fun, I worried people might find it weird and then I was like I don't care if its weird these are real conversations people have, and Wayne in my mind is absolutely the kind of guy to be like Eddie, son, be a goddamn gentleman

That aprt about being tuned into the wring station was one thousand percent on purpose! Not so much a "Oh my god I didn't see what was right in front of me" moment, but just a you were here in Hawkins this whole time and we missed each other ! cos they're soulmates

And absolutely there's a Snoopy reference, that's my dude.

I am so lucky to have you as a friend and a reader, I fricking love hearing what you're thinking and I feel so spoiled at the end it's unbelievable, and you know I like talking about my writing probably more than I should so this is like a gently excuse /pleasure for me to ramble about the decisions I make. I think people have such different mindsets to one another that not everyone will agree with everything, but I'm lucky that we are always on the same page!

And yeah I was super psyched to dip (literally just dip) into the horror genre. Most of the time I felt like love bites was horror in the we cannot go back. my body has been changed without my asking and there's nothing i can do and im trapped kind of way rather than anything truly scary or gruesome, but I still loved doing it!

thank you my lu baby im genuinely soooooo lucky to know you and so grateful that you read my silly stories with so much love 😭♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥