#I've been enjoying writing this oneshot and I hope other people like this sort of stuff too

[harper-collins]

One type of fics that I've been really enjoying recently are the ones where the favourite character goes through something that you might have or might not have gone through, but it's angsty and comforting enough for you to feel as though you can somehow relate to this.

In conclusion, I am writing an Imposter Syndrome Cross fic and will be posting it onto Ao3 fairly soon. I'll post it here when it comes out <3

That will be all.

[jinnie-ret]

Hi! I was just wondering, could you write a oneshot of reader feeling really tired/kinda depressed, like too tired to get up of the bed to get a drink, too tired to even talk and skz just helping them through it and taking care of them? It could be 9th member or just the groupd friend. It's ok if you don't want to or don't feel comfortable with it. Thank you! Lots of love!

slump

stray kids x best friend!reader

genre: angst, fluff

content warnings: mental exhaustion

word count: 1.3k

summary: your best friends notice you've been acting different recently, and help you through your mental rut.

Thank you so much for requesting! I hope you enjoy this one. And if anyone is ever feeling this way, you can always message me, or reach out for help :)

Asks are shut, but if you want to be added to my taglist, let me know! And reblog and like if you enjoyed! <3

MAIN MASTERLIST

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Love, can you open the door?" Changbin's soft voice called out quietly, yet you made no effort to move. You knew he could just as easily open your door and walk in, but he was waiting to see if you had the energy to do it yourself.

"I'll take that as a no," and he walked away from the door, probably back into the kitchen to inform the boys that their latest attempt didn't work.

It wasn't that you didn't want to see them. It was more that your social battery was drained. Not even a good night's sleep was helping you gain energy because, well, although you weren't having sleepless nights, there was still a lot of things weighing on your mind that was stopping you from wanting to do anything.

Buzz.

Oh. They were spamming the group chat again.

kangaroo🖤: remember to have something to eat!

bokkie🐲: pls eat smthn sweaty 💞

prince🖌️: lixie you did not jst call her sweaty that isn't gnna help 😭

mongmong🎤: ignore them sweetie just pls eat smthn if you have the energy yh?

cheese toastie🦊: our minnie is so sweet

quokka boy🥊: careful or he will chnge his mind 👀

kitty boy😼: i'm cooking u dinner rn

dwaekki💪: pls come out and see us love :(

And so the guilt set in once more. You could tell they were doing their best but for the past couple of days you didn't want to do anything at all. And whilst they had asked you, you shut them down every time and waved them off.

The next day, you were due to go into work, something your best friends were well aware of as they had checked your shared calender to see if there was anything upcoming that was overwhelming you.

When you rang into work to call in for a sick day, that was the first time the boys heard your voice in like 48 hours. Croaky. Dry. Exhausted.

Which is what prompted your next visit.

"Hey, Y/Nnie, I've brought you some water. You don't have to talk to us if you don't want to... but, yeah," Felix brought in a bottle filled with ice water and you could tell he didn't know what exactly to do in the situation without you responding to him.

You couldn't help but feel the gratitude within you after he awkwardly smiled at you, and so, you spoke up from your nest in bed.

"Thank you, Lixie."

Within a flash he turned around and grinned warmly at you, excited at just this simple interaction, because him and the boys had been worried sick the past few days. They knew everyone had their moments, but they had never seen you like this before.

After he left, you sipped at your water and continued to mindlessly scroll through your social media feed on your phone. There was still a numbness there. You recognised videos that would normally make you laugh yet no emotion filled you.

And that's what made you feel weirder.

You thought about other times people went into some sort of slump and they'd normally be sad, upset for some reason. But no, not you.

You felt emotionless. The loneliness wasn't what sucked you in yet it was like a part of your brain felt like it had shut off. And that lasted for the next few hours until the members caught you out of bed looking for something in the cupboard to eat.

"Oh, Y/N!" Han jumped back with a hand on his heart, yet you carried on in your sluggish efforts to make something to eat.

"You're out of bed?" Jeongin was shocked until he winced from the small slap on the back of his head from Changbin.

"Don't eat that, it's not good for you, here, heat this up," Lee Know took away the instant noodles from your grasp and instead pulled out a container with a portion of dinner he had made last night. He seemed to be taking control yet he wanted to see you do something for yourself. He hoped it was motivating and that the simplest thing of heating up your own food would lead you towards an upward trajectory of going back to your usual self.

You slowly padded across the kitchen to the microwave and shoved the food in, a gentle hand tapping you on the shoulder as you shut the machine's door.

"Let's talk, Y/N," Chan guided you to the sofa in the lounge connected to the kitchen, the rest of your friends following through. There was no choice in the matter, yet the eldest remained calm which reassured you slightly.

"We've been worried about you," Hyunjin spoke for everyone when he said that.

"Sorry," you whisper, picking at the threads of your baggy jumper sleeve.

"No, don't apologise. We just want to know what's going on in that head of yours," Seungmin leans forward as he speaks quietly.

You simply shrug.

"Y/Nnie?" Chan further prompted.

"I don't know," you shrugged again, not even knowing how to explain what was going on.

"You don't know?" Felix looked around at the other members, confused.

Just then, the microwave dinged, and you stood up to go and get your food, but Lee Know's hands on your shoulders stopped you.

"Don't worry about that now. Just talk to us, anything," his thumbs rubbed soothing circles before he moved away.

"I-I don't know what you want me to say," you brought your legs up to your chest.

"We know you had work today," Changbin mentioned.

"It's ok, I called in sick," you mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

"Do you have a temperature?" Han frowned, feeling your forehead but that answered his question.

"I just didn't feel like it... but not in like a lazy way but I just couldn't... mentally do it?" your answer came out as a rushed question, not even sure yourself but it made sense to the rest of the boys.

"Ah, sweetie, you should have said," Hyunjin pouted, feeling bad that you were struggling.

"Not that easy though, is it?" you looked up and saw Chan crouched down in front of you.

"It's not, we know that, but we want you to always know that you've got us to fall back on, no matter what, ok?" he grabbed your hands as he said this, squeezing them so that you knew he was physically there.

"Y/Nnie... you know you don't have to always have energy, right? It's ok to have your down days," Han said seriously, which even caused Chan to look at him surprisingly as he moved away from in front of you.

"I feel like..." you began, but trailed off shaking your head.

"Tell us, talk to us love," Changbin insisted.

"I feel like I have to keep telling myself I can do it, but I know I'm lying to myself, I guess?" you sighed, leaning further back into the sofa.

"You can do it, we all know you can," Jeongin encouraged you sweetly.

"But if you can't right now, that's also fine," Seungmin added on.

And there was no need for you to verbally respond, because these safety oozing from them was wrapping you in a nice comfy blanket.

Oh, and Felix was also wrapping you in a blanket, that could have been why you felt the sudden warmth.

"Right, now you can eat," Lee Know nodded, satisfied with how the conversation had played out.

"Me too, hyung!" Han and Hyunjin both dashed after Lee Know, begging him for food too, and with that you smiled.

"There you are," Changbin titled your head up as you smiled, his face mirroring yours.

"If all it took was for Han and Hyunjin to be whiny and complain, we could have had this conversation a lot sooner," Seungmin rolled his eyes fondly, thinking of the two 00 liners who were bickering earlier that day.

"Don't ruin the moment Seungmin," Chan tutted jokingly.

But it didn't ruin the moment. Seeing them act normally around you again after they had cleared up what was going on made you feel better.

You felt, once again.

tagged: @skz-streamer @kiraisastay @hannahhbahng @backintomykpopphaseagain @sakufilms @hanjiquokkaaa @arloo00 @dunno-wut-to-do @splat00z

[ixiot-ghostrebel]

𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧 𝐌𝐲 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝.

The oneshot I promised based off of one of my previous post! Sorry if this is not up to your liking—I have bad writing lol. This oneshot is also, btw, in the Imposter's POV! I hope you enjoy!

Warnings: Bad Grammar, Spelling Mistakes, Not Beta Read, OOC Characters, Implications of Violence, & Mind Control/Mind Manipulation.

Read if you're okay with these terms. Please also let me know if I missed a warning!

— — —

3 weeks. It's been 3 stupid weeks since that darn creator landed into Teyvat. Gah, why?! Why now, when I have everything and anything that I wanted right under my feet? When I had this whole world fooled and all under my control, my grasp?! This was surely going to start a riot if people realize that stupid creator is the real thing.

I smile. No. No, they won't find out. I can make sure of that. I have mind controlled guards stationed everywhere in all seven nations! I have eyes everywhere! This creator will be nothing once I have them in my grasp. I'll torture them for ever thinking they had the right to demolish my work! I suffered too much for this—I am not letting my dirty work go to waste!

I slam my fist on my throne again, catching the Geo Archon's attention. Bah, stupid old dragon. Too keen for his own good. Good thing he's on my side right now.

"Your Grace," his deep voice rings through the room, "is something troubling you?"

"Why of course there's something troubling me, you fool!" I spat back. Normally, I wouldn't raise my voice at one of of most loyal followers, but right now, I'm not having it. "I have this—this dumb imposter renegading around, trying to tarnish my upbringing of reclaiming my own throne!" Zhongli's eyes darken.

"Do not fret, Your Grace. The Imposter will be hunted down soon enough." I scoff, not at all convinced.

Yeah right. That damned creator has survived for 3 weeks. No way in hell would my stupid puppets be able to kill one person in the span of this month. They were all just that stupid. It was frustrating at times, this time beyond boiling point!

"Get out there and help them!" I order Zhongli. "Make sure your nation is actually doing its job and not just lounging around, selling their goods like any other day, counting their stupid mora!"

"Of course, Your Grace." He walks out, leaving me in my throne room of my palace with my own thoughts. Tch, frail, old fool. For someone who's won a seat of Celestia from the Archon War, he acts like a pitiful yet loyal servant.

No wonder Celestia took a liking to him. I sigh, waiting yet again for my puppets to actually find that creator. It was midday, and they still haven't found them.

That was...until I felt something strange. It was faint, but I definitely sensed it. I close my eyes immediately, running through all of the puppets I've selected for this hunt.

Ah. Perfect.

Two of my most prized puppets have found them. Venti and Nahida, cornering a meek, little creator. For someone of such power, they act like a cowardly child. Ha. This will be fun.

Good job, Venti, Nahida~ I tell them in their heads. Bring them to me...I want to personally kill them myself. I grin. I can finally live out my long lasted fantasy! I can finally have that creator grovel in front of me, begging for mercy as I cut them to pieces! Perhaps I might even award these two for their accomplishment—

No... My eyes flew open for a second, shocked. What did that stupid, childish archon just say? And here, I thought of being generous to them! This is wrong! This is all wrong! I...I can feel a warm presence... I hiss at that thought. This stupid God of Wisdom dares to go against me, just because she can feel some sort of warm connection to a pathetic person who can't even fight for themself? Please!

No, no, Nahida. They are tricking you so that they can escape! I boldly tell the Dendro Archon, before slipping into Venti's mind again. Bring this imposter to me, now!

They feel so familiar...Like I've interacted with them before. Came the Anemo Archon. What?! Ugh, can this stupid God of Freedom do anything right for once?! Free...calm and warm...

Gosh, these two idiots. Making me do more work than I need just to kill one person in my way! You would think having puppets would be amazing, especially with two powerful archons at your disposal, but no! Of course not!

No. They are lying to you.

Like a comfy blanket in the coldest of winters...

Stop. They are not the creator.

Like the finest breeze in the wind, a melody as pure as the sun.

They are playing tricks. Get them.

Like a sudden lift of the cage, a strong breeze to lift the bird away...

I...I know them. I do, I swear I do.

No, you do not. They are lying to your sub-consciousness. Take revenge and kill them!

No...No, I can't. They're...They're the creator! the archons say, in sync, at the same time. I gasped, shocked. They dare betray me, after everything I did for them and their precious nations?!

THEY ARE NOT THE CREATOR. BRING THEM TO ME NOW! I shout in their heads. Their bodies moved, albeit sluggishly. Their weapons were raised, even though their consciousness was fighting against my every command, I will make sure I have my revenge for all this ruckus.

Just another step closer...Yes, raise that bow of yours...Make sure that vermin doesn't escape...Yes, good...

The moron tries to break for a run, but dendro quickly stops them. Yes, good...another step closer...good...

"P-please. I don't mean trouble! Please!" The person begins to cower. Hah, pathetic. I wonder how they'll be like when they see me face to face. It will be fun...the utmost fun I'll ever have, in fact...

No!

Stop!

A surge of both anemo and dendro combined nearly knocks my control over them, but I still held on. I gasp from the sudden burst of elemental power, before banging my fist onto my throne. These half-wits dare to go against me?!

"Y...Your Grace...Run, please..." I hear that voice of a bard say. Oh, how I want to rip out his throat...

"N-no! I can't leave you—leave you both like this!" No. No. No. I refuse to be painted the villain! My hardwork, my dirtied hands weren't for nothing! I REFUSE THIS!

YOU DARE TO DISOBEY ME?!

"Please...Your Grace, RUN!" And that was the last straw.

I forced myself into both of their bodies, flinging the archon's consciousness into the darkness again. But it was too late. That wretched vermin escaped. I shout in frustration, before signaling my other, more reliable puppets, to follow that dirty pig.

AT THE CHASM OUTSKIRTS. FIND THAT IMPOSTER, NOW!

I could feel a rush of feet running towards it. Good, at least these puppets were functioning properly.

Now...these two...traitors. Glaring down at these idiots wouldn't do anything, so I begin to shout at them.

You dare to defy me, after everything I've done for you?!

Did you forget I was the one who blessed your nations with security, with safety?!

You dare GO AGAINST ME FOR THE IMPOSTER?!

HOW STUPID CAN YOU BOTH GET?!

JUST HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU TO LISTEN?!

I could feel their cowering as I forced their bodies under my full control.

"Return to the palace, you wretched traitors," I said, speaking through their voices. I feel them trembling, but I don't care. I will make them fear me, if they refuse to adore me. I will change their minds, make them mindless puppets if I had to.

I will make sure to be their everything, to the point they're so loyal, no one will be able to recognize them. I will be all they have praise about. I will be all they care about. They would be so gone, they would even destroy their own precious nations if I commanded them to.

"I will teach you why no one defies me. EVER."

The entering steps of my two traitorous puppets echoes through the halls of my palace. I open my eyes, and glare down at the two once-loyal followers with pure loathing and disdain.

"You have both disappointed me, and to this, I will make sure your punishment is seen to the very end." I feel them quiver under my gaze, and I smiled. How lovely...Their fear is too tempting.

Oh, but I never said their punishment was short, did I?

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒏𝒅.

Ghost Rebel Side Notes: Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed it! Please tell me how I did- the criticism would be greatly appreciated! Please let me know if I need to change the warnings as well, just in case I didn't do it right!

Check the Ghost Rebel's Blog Description to See if Their Mailbox is Open!

[letmetellyouaboutmyfeels]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

I was tagged by @alliaskisthepossibilityoflove and I felt like some public masochism so here we are!

Edit: Holy fuck this got long, putting it under a read-more.

How many works do you have on ao3?

258 although I orphaned 100 works back in 2020.

What's your total Ao3 word count?

Why. Why would you ask me this. Why would you do this to me.

4,578,245 - although I shudder to think how much it will have gone up by the end of the year.

What fandoms do you write for?

Mostly 9-1-1, but I took a nosedive into Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves last year and still have one more fic I'm writing for it. I tend to have quick little detours into other fandoms, which I think is overall a good thing since it helps me flex my writing muscles with different characters and settings. I'm currently working on a fic that is from a show where the main characters are all constantly sassing each other and bickering, and it's pushed me into being witty and sharp with the dialogue and humor in a way that I don't think I have been in quite some time.

Top 5 Fics by Kudos:

Even Steel Blades Need Fire - that's right, a WITCHER fic. HA. You all weren't expecting that!

Leading with the Left - yeah yeah we all knew this one was coming.

Drowning in Dreams (You're My Raft) - I'm constantly surprised this little oneshot I wrote post-tsunami is so popular.

Footprints are More Easily Seen in the Snow - my first Witcher fic I ever wrote and might still actually be my favorite.

Sometimes a Hammer, Sometimes a Lockpick - another Witcher fic! I had a lot of fun with this one.

Do you respond to comments?

I do! I try to respond to every comment I get. I know not everyone can but given the anxiety I know readers have around giving comments I try to show how much every comment is appreciated by me.

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I do happy endings, overall, but every once in a while I decide to be evil, so it's a tie between the two fics that are about a character dying:

The Soft Goodbye - a Timeless fic that focuses on the idea that time travel, like being in space for a long time, wreaks havoc on your body.

Full Circle - a Doctor Who fic written years ago speculating about the Doctor gifting a dying Donna her memories back so they can say goodbye.

For those of you in the 9-1-1 fandom however, since I'm sure everyone's looking at those two fics going "wait what," the fic with the angstiest ending is:

I'm Not Breathing Unless I'm Giving You CPR - spoiler alert, but I end this fic on an angsty and purposefully ambiguous note. It's up to the reader to decide what sort of ending they get.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Uh. All of them, I'd say? With the exception of the two MCD fics above, I deliver happy endings. However based on reader feedback, I think I'll go with...

Your Love is an Oil Slick (It Glows Like Rainbows, It Stains My Soul) - the amount of angst in this fic, especially the Bobby and Buck relationship, seems to hit readers extra hard and so the happy ending, especially Buck's reunion with his father figure, is extra joyful and cathartic.

Do you get hate on fics?

I have once in a blue moon gotten "flames," as we used to say. Writing fanfic since I was thirteen, I don't think it's possible to fully avoid a few cranky people with nothing better to do than go around and shit on people's beds. But I've been extraordinarily lucky in the love and kindness I've gotten from my readers.

Do you write smut?

Baby, it's what I'm known for. Honestly sometimes to my chagrin - I hope people enjoy my worldbuilding, characterization, and plots as well - but overall I have a lot of fun writing smut and I love reducing people to slack-jawed water-chugging babbles.

Also someone had to bring the monsterfucking around here so by golly I'm reporting for duty.

Craziest crossover?

I don't do crossovers.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yup! Someone stole my Budde Porn Star AU and turned it into a Rooster/Hangman from TG:M fic. Someone kindly alerted me and I was able to report it to Ao3. Truly a surreal experience.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

I have! Multiple times. It's deeply flattering and I really admire translators who put in the work to take something from one language and convey the same meanings, flow, and story in another. Translation is a genuine art form, if you ask me.

Have you co-written a fic before?

Yes! A few times, all with my beloved @extasiswings. We did one Timeless fic together whispers like poetry and we had such fun that when I started my first long, plot-ty Buddie fic I Hit the Accelerator (But the Car was in Reverse) and panicked, I roped her into finishing it with me.

We also co-wrote Carbon Date Me, Excavate Me because I was in a bad writing slump and she graciously made everything better, and then A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words (But Love is Undefinable) because she uno reverse'd me.

All time favorite ship?

I've been shipping for so long it's incredibly hard to pick just one, but I think given the sheer depth of my insanity, I have to say Buddie. I haven't had a ship grip me like this in... ever, actually. Honestly after being burned hard on some previous ships in my time, names redacted to protect the guilty (me), I didn't think it was possible to love a ship this much, and yet here I am.

What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I plan to finish all of my WIPs. Once I start a fic I'm committed to finishing it. I do however have a couple fic ideas that I don't think I'll ever actually write.

What are your writing strengths?

Um. Smut, apparently. I also seem to do well with fusions; that is, taking one trope or setting and fusing it with another in a sort of plot mash-up. And people seem to really like my world building.

What are your writing weaknesses?

I'm a hyper-sexual person who is very casual about sexual relationships and so sometimes I think as a result I have characters think with their cocks a bit too much and jump too quickly into sex, and sometimes there's more smut than plot. Run-on sentences, my beloved (and my editor's beloathed). I tend to write out-of-order and so sometimes little plot details can contradict, not be followed up on, or get lost in the shuffle.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

I don't really write dialogue in another language in most of my fandoms, but in a few it's come up and I've approached it in different ways.

In Timeless, the character Garcia Flynn's first language is Croatian, so I would have him sometimes speak in it. In my dragon!Jaskier series, I was able to bastardize some of the Draconic from D&D (mixed with some Germanic root languages) for when he was cursing or communicating with his draconic family. In both cases, the other language was limited to only a line or two of dialogue, or perhaps a single word, so I wrote the dialogue in that language, and then had a translation guide at the bottom of the fic.

This tends to be my modus operandi, an exception being Xenk speaking Thayan, because I couldn't find any actual Thayan for the life of me, so I just describe how the phrase sounds or allude to him muttering something/swearing/etc. Since Ed, a former spy, also speaks Thayan, he can then inform the reader through his thought-process what the Thayan meant.

Occasionally, I will have two characters speaking in another language and simply italicize their words and have a line of description saying "they switch to French" or something similar, since I don't want readers to have to scroll up and down to understand an entire conversation.

In my original novels, however - the Horsemen quartet specifically - the characters communicate about fifty percent of the time through sign language. It's become the lingua franca, because noise alerts zombies and ASL is a silent language. In the books, I write the dialogue as I would English, and simply have the dialogue tag "she signed" instead of "she said."

As someone who speaks other languages but for whom English is their first, I'm not sure I get to really speak on how and when one should use other languages in one's predominantly-English fic in a predominantly-English-speaking fandom and online space. All I can say is that I listen to what others say in regards to what is most respectful and comfortable, and I don't have any personal preference in how a writer handles the use of secondary languages in their writing.

First fandom you wrote in?

I'm not sure which came first since they were right on top of each other, but Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Favorite fic you've written?

Well that's just mean. How dare you. I don't have one favorite fic, that's like asking me to choose a favorite child.

I will say I am particularly fond of In the Gray You are Golden. I banged it out in a day in some kind of fugue state and I do think it's one of my best works.

Someday when I am filthy rich I will commission someone to draw it as a comic, especially the reunion scene between Buck, Eddie, and Christopher.

Tagging, with no pressure:

@princessfbi @buckttommy @extasiswings @kitkatpancakestack @gracieryder (once again I typed your fucking old url like five times...)

aaaaaaand @givemeunicorns.

[apho-sappho]

HELLO

I'm about to go talk to a friend but need to wait a few more minutes and am bouncing off the walls with internal energy so I am spilling it into your ask box, so sorry about that! :D (also you always seemed to reblog any "you can ask me stuffs" things multiple times so I have decided to take you up on this :))) )

Questions!!! (feel free to answer whichever you want obviously)

is there any little details about Safi and/or Shattered Portals (I think that's what you said it was called right? the Flora, Midna, Shadow, Ravio, and Linkle do stuff au) and/or the mlp lu thingey-magig-y and/or any other thing you're working on that you've not found a way to share yet? They're all very interesting :D

Is there any random head cannon or something else that you mayhaps want to blab about?

Basically this is a slip of paper saying that I've enjoyed all your little rambles and appreciate your existence, ok bye, have a good day! :D

HEHEHEHE I'm so glad you asked

Safi au is being written but unfortunately it's taken a bit of a backburner compared to other AUs I'm writing cough cough four de-aged to cap cough cough

Fun fact, in it, Time spends The Big Bucks to buy all sorts of candies and fruits for fairies who pass by the ranch! Safi immediately takes full advantage of it

Safi also speaks Minish with Four to communicate when they don't want people to understand them

I have 2 pages of Shattered Portals sketched out, but two panels of it properly drawn out. I'll still need to finish the rest and color it, but I'm hoping to upload the first "chapter" so to speak somewhat soon . Hopefully . If I'm lucky

I'm considering writing a lil oneshot for Shattered Portals but idk when I'd do so

I have 6 ponies drawn for my itty bitty mlploz thing, Time, Malon, Legend, Ravio, and Marin in both Legend and Warriors times. I have it all *written down*, but no designs

Some things I haven't talked about yet:

I have a happy ending sequel being written for my revalink fic!!!! It's at 2k words so far. In it, every member of the chain gets little Purah Phones

I also have a fic where Four gets teleported to Wild's world after the events of totk! 2.6k words so far! Both Blue and Vio have been taking anger management classes and Vio is trying So Hard not to snap at the rest for spending all their rupees

I have an au being written abt the Champions coming back to life post totk and having avatars like the sages too. It involves Wild shutting them off and forgetting after he joins the chain and then remembering during a fight and turning them on, only for them to kill all the enemies and immediately yell at him. This one has a grand total of 227 words so far 😭

As for hcs, I might have to reblog and add some later :D They're not coming to mind rn

[perotovar]

hi bby ✨ I’m hoping to spread a little love around today (it is someone’s birthday after all — so you might see others answering this)!

I am a big fan of people enjoying cake and celebrating, and sometimes cake can be just tooting your own horn 💁‍♀️ so with that in mind, I’d love to know what THREE pieces of work/gifs you’re super proud of that you’d recommend others reading / gifs they should absolutely see, and why 🍰

i'm sorry i left you hanging on this, hun, i was having a really shitty day yesterday and wasn't in the "tooting my own horn" sort of mindset. i'm usually not, but i'll do my best today!

i recently actually showcased some of my favorite gifsets i've made (it's more than 3 but shhh)

so i'll stick to 3 of the fics i've written that i'm proud of (especially now that i've got more than one LOL)

1. bloody kisses (miniseries, shane x tim) - maybe it's because it's fresh/new but i'm genuinely so proud of this one. i think it's some of my best writing so far, but i also didn't expect this much positivity/reception to this fic at all. it centers around a character of pedro's that i think goes overlooked (for good reason, the source material leaves much to be desired), but i really like him and wanted to give him a sort of redemption/twist on who he is. i really can't thank y'all enough for the love on this one.

2. into the beat of the night (series, frankie x oc!river) - my darling babies ♥ this is something i'll probably always be proud of. i may rework it one day, now that i'm more comfortable writing again, but i think leaving it as is might be a good lesson as well. this was the first thing i'd written in 10 years and the premise/river mean a lot to me personally. the love for them has been so overwhelming and makes my little black heart soar.

3. ásjá - a winter solstice story - (oneshot, pero x ofc!helga) - i feel like i showcase this one a lot, but i can't help it! i think it's the underdog of all my fics and that's why i love it so much. it suits pero as a character too, i think, being the underdog (amongst the rest of the ppcu anyway). i don't talk about being pagan very much, but doing this sort of fic was just as close to my heart as itbotn is for me. it's just as much a part of my life as the subjects touched on with river so i'm proud of how i portrayed that.

thank you, darling jo, for asking! ♥

[nkn0va]

200 post celebratory oneshot

So...this is gonna be my 200th post, so I decided to do a little something to commemorate since my 100th post was a meme. I haven't posted the last couple days because I was trying to fucking come up with something to do.

This time it's not a Six oneshot. This will be a hypothetical (non-canon like everyone else's, obviously) UNIST Arcade mode for my unib OC! Hope this new style of writing goes over as well as the last ones...

Please like and reblog this took fucking forever

The air was thick with a palpable, almost suffocating tension, a very familiar one. It was that time again already? I guess when you're as busy as I am the days sort of blended together. It had hardly felt like a week since the last Hollow Night. Was I perhaps wasting away my youth, too busy to enjoy the prime of one's life? Perhaps I was. If I let these thoughts out to Linne at least, she'd probably give me a very lengthy lecture.

It's not like I had much of a choice though. As a descendant of the Night Blade watching over the Night is a duty I was born into. Unfortunately that's come with some...unexpected duties. Such as watching over the newbie, Hyde.

He was...rough around the edges, but he definitely had potential, even ignoring the fact that he of all people ended up with the Insulator. Can't help but feel bad for him though, it's not like he asked to be given a legendary weapon and thrust into the world of the Hollow Night. That's a big reason why we've told him to hang back tonight. He was still inexperienced and he was being hunted by some dangerous people for the Insulator.

Paradox...

Ever since she appeared she's been nothing but problems for everyone involved, especially us. Amnesia's been getting too much power for their own good. Many of them have gone drunk with it now, Paradox herself even more so. As an In-Birth with Night Blade blood flowing through me, I have to be the one to disband them, by force.

If acting as an In-Birth as well as Linne and Waldstein's teachings have taught me anything, it's that you have to cut off the head of the proverbial snake if you even want to have a chance at throwing a group out of power. No one being able to do so in the case of the Night Blade is the only reason it's survived for so long. That leaves me with only one option.

It's time to put an end to this charade, I've waited long enough.

Placing my cloak over myself, I set out into the Night, passing through into the realm of EXS. Though silent, the air speaks volumes. Tonight's going to be one that no one will soon forget. For better or worse, that remains to be seen...

~~~

(Stage 3)

By now I've already dispatched a few In-Births. No one too powerful. A lot of rookies had started running around as of recently, though I suspect that luck's about to change. As a matter of fact, it likely changed a while ago. I stop in the middle of the street, raising my voice enough to be heard.

"You can come out now. You're not as slick as you think you are."

I hear footsteps behind me now, the stranger knew he was caught. A figure stepped out from behind a nearby tree in the park just on the other side of the road. As he came out of the shadows, I could see his face now. If the rumors were right I knew exactly who this was. I turn and narrow my eyes at him, though my cloak hides the expression I'm giving him.

"Bloody Chaos, the brains behind Amnesia."

My stalker only let out an exasperated sigh, adjusting the red-framed glasses on his face. "I use that codename one time on an operation years ago, and it's been spreading like a virus...just Chaos is fine, please."

"Alright, Chaos. Mind telling me why you've been following me as long as you have?" Despite meeting under the Hollow Night, and likely knowing how this altercation was going to end, Chaos could only chuckle. It was almost a bit unsettling despite his surprisingly affable demeanor. Not the attitude I'd personally choose to have, but sure.

"So you knew after all. I'd expect nothing less of the fabled Hydro of the Night Blade. Let's just say I know quite well why you're here already. That should be sufficient in answering your question."

Right, of course. Not like I was really expecting anything else. Though the choice of going for flattery was odd. Not like it was going to get him anywhere.

"I'd expect you to be a bit more on guard if you're here to try and stop me. If I were one of my colleagues you would've been cut down already."

"Oh, I'm quite aware of that, believe me. That's why I opted for stealth. Though that attempt clearly fell through quite embarrassingly."

"You must be quite confident, then. Clearly you're no fool, you have to be hiding something."

This only made Chaos laugh again. "You're not half bad yourself. Though if you'll allow me to be completely frank I'm a bit nervous. Direct combat's never been my forte, even if I give it my all I may not be able to defeat you."

"Then cut let's cut the talk, shall we? Let's see what Amnesia's fabled tactician can truly do."

"Now that's a sentiment I can get behind. I don't imagine I could convince you to give up your mission with words anyway." Chaos then brought opened up that odd book he was carrying about, which summoned a large beast. That...thing was easily three times the size of a large dog, and those claws and fangs could definitely mess me up if I wasn't careful. It's sheer strength along with it's master's quick wit and cunning would most assuredly make for my most difficult fight so far tonight.

I had no reason to hold back. Letting my EXS out in full force, orbs of water encased my hands before they took shape into twin wielding blades.

~~~

(Stage 6)

I was quickly closing in on my destination. The place where all In-births gathered, where my target lied. However I felt another presence, however faint it was. A strikingly familiar one at that.

In a flash I materialize a Hydroblade and strike, clashing with a curved dagger that was strikingly familiar. It easy to figure out who it was.

"Not bad, you almost got me that time. I'd expect nothing less of the Assassin."

Seth had struck from above, my deflection of his blade blowing him back through the air before he landed a fair distance away. "I suppose you've been getting better after all. However I'd suggest you don't let that get to your head. That could get you killed."

"That's supposed to be my line. I am technically your senior, as far as matters directly involved in the Hollow Night go. So I suggest you get out of my way, this is supposed to be my fight."

Seth could only close his eyes and scoff. Even under the high collar, it didn't take a genius to tell he wasn't in the mood. "I'm afraid you're mistaken. The sins of the Night Blade are mine to bear and mine alone. Even if an ally gets in the way, I won't hold back."

I can only let out a sigh. Despite his quiet, normally unassuming demeanor he was as stubborn as ever. "True that may be, it's still too much for you to bear. You've got some growing up to do. You and Hyde are more alike than you'd think."

"Me and Hyde? Alike? Don't make me laugh. I'm nothing like that inexperienced rookie. He's not ready for what the Hollow Night has in store for him. If he keeps going the way he's going, he'll only end up dead."

"You're not in much of a position to talk yourself, whether you realize it or not. Even if I'm not much older, I can still tell you have a lot to sort out. That doubt and grief you carry within you... you still have yet to cast it out for good. Only then can you call yourself a worthy successor of the Night Blade."

He stayed silent. It seemed as if my words had struck some kind of chord in him. One could only guess what he was reflecting on. Perhaps some point in his past that set him on the path he was on now?

"...Perhaps you have something of a point. That only makes my mission even more of a necessity. If I'm to truly overcome this strife, I must dispose of Paradox and free the princess from her curse myself."

"Well, then it seems we're at an impasse. We both know the rules, so let's cut the cheap talk short."

~~~

(Stage 9)

I've come across an increasingly dense amount of In-Births by this point the further down I'd gone into the Night. That could only mean I was getting close to the Abyss, if that along with the thickening EXS in the air was any indicator. Just a little more to go and-

Oh no...you gotta be kidding me...

"Hyde?"

Hyde froze at the sound of my voice. He knew he was busted. He slowly and nervously turned.

"Oh...hey...fancy seeing you here..."

"We've been over this. You were supposed to stay out of the Hollow Night. What do you think you're doing here? You don't seriously think of taking on Paradox."

Hyde, knowing he'd been caught, sighs in exasperation before recollecting himself. Surprisingly fast at that. "Yeah, I was heading to go do just that. I can't just sit by on the sidelines and let you, Linne, and the old man do everything for me. I gotta do something."

"I respect the sentiment, but have you forgotten what's at stake here? We can't risk her getting her hands on the Insulator. If she does everything we've worked for will be gone in an instant with nothing we can do about it."

"Yeah, I know that...but at the same time isn't it the best chance we have at defeating her? If we wanna take her down we have to go at her with everything we've got, Insulator included."

"Normally I'd be inclined to agree, but you're far from ready to take on the most powerful In-Birth on record. Charging at her as you are now is needlessly reckless, I can't in good faith let that risk be taken."

"If you're really gonna fight Paradox, why don't we just do it together? We'll be much safer than if we just did it alone. I might not be as experienced as Linne or as strong as the old geezer, but it'd better than no one, right?"

"I don't think you fully grasped it the first time we explained this to you, but let me say it again. Whether or not I win against her doesn't matter. If she beats me, nothing of value will be lost, but if she beats you and takes the Insulator, we lose everything."

Immediately this seems to set off Hyde, his voice raising. "Nothing of value lost? What the hell's wrong with you, man!? You are of value! To Linne, to Wald, to me! Think about what would happen if you died, how many people that would devastate!"

Even in the face of hostility from someone I call a friend, I have to remain calm. Getting angry won't solve anything. "In comparison to the greater cause of the Night Blade and fixing the mess we created, my life is a small price to pay. You might not understand, but that's fine. Maybe one day you will."

"No, and I don't want to! If you're really trying to face Paradox by yourself, then I'm gonna have to stop you."

"Funny, that was supposed to be my line. This night won't last forever, there's only one thing left to do."

~~~

(Stage 10)

I finally made it. So this is what the Abyss looked like all along. It's...surprisingly grand, almost like a huge altar, though that's probably rather fitting. On the far side of the room was another gigantic door, no doubt the door to the Abyss itself. I'd have been completely alone if it wasn't for someone else standing there at the center of it all.

"My, my, it's about time someone showed up. And it's none other than the Night Blade's beloved Hydro. I unfortunately don't have anything to offer you, but do make yourself at home here."

God, that smirk...something about it just pissed me off. I can't let her get to me. It'd only make the situation worse. Under my cloak I take a quiet, deep breath. I needed to keep my head clear and my body light, so I could fight with everything I have.

"You can skip the shit, Paradox. We both know why we've been brought together tonight."

This only made the crazy woman giggle smugly. "My, my, such forwardness of you, Hydro. I'm quite flattered. Is this a-"

"Don't even think about it." I quickly cut her off, knowing exactly what she was going to say. She was trying to act smart and fluster me, but it's clear she had a long way to go before she could do it well. "I'm here to stop you. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Oh, but why would you ever think of doing that? We could be so much more together. With your skills and my soon to be power of the Re-Birth, we could be truly unstoppable. Aren't you tired of it all? Tired of bending to the will of the Night Blade, to that accursed princess? If you join my cause, you could finally be free, we can crush all our opposition. The Night Blade, the Licht Kreis, all of them. And in their place we can build a new Night in our own image. The way we see fit, and rule everything together. No one will be able to stand up to us. Doesn't that sound so exciting?"

She was talking to me like I'm another one of her idiot cronies that she can convince merely with the promise of supreme power. She's going to come to regret that.

"Cute attempt, but useless. I don't want power. Haven't you ever heard the saying? Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Your power even now has already driven you mad. You're not fit to run a children's science fair project, forget the entire world."

That seemed to understandably piss off Paradox. That's how you get in someone's head, if the soured expression on her face was any indication.

"Why you little... it seems you need to learn some manners. I suppose sometimes a child won't learn how to behave without a proper spanking."

The thick EXS in the air around the altar allows me to near instantly materialize a Hydroblade. This was it, it was going to be the toughest fight of my life. No backing down now.

"You're more than welcome to try. Now drown in the endless depths of eternity."

~~~

(Story END)

"Ugh...how...did you..."

Paradox was on the ground, having been blown back by my finishing blow, beaten and now soaking wet. I wasn't any better off though, her blades had proved quite the challenge. I was gonna need first aid as soon as possible after I got back home. At least all the cuts were covered by my cloak.

"Simple, really. You let the ego your power gave you go to your head. You didn't take me seriously, and that's going to be your final mistake."

Someone like Paradox didn't deserve any final words. With pinpoint precision I threw the Hydroblade in my hand straight through, instantly piercing her vessel.

"Sleep for eternity, Paradox. And may we never have to encounter the likes of you again."

~~~

(Play Good Mooning End for maximum vibe)

Finally. It was one long night, but it was finally over. The sun was beginning to rise on Kanzakai, the dawn of a new day, and new possibilities. No matter how many of them pass, each one is the opportunity for something new. I guess in a way such a universal constant was what kept Linne sane during her long years of cursed immortality.

Speak of the Devil, though...

"Hey, there you are, I was looking all over for you."

Now that the night was over, I could finally let down my hood. I take it off and let the first rays of sunlight hit my face, taking a deep exhale out. "Sorry about that. Wasn't too much trouble, was I?"

"Quite the opposite, actually." I could spot the tiny, yet sincere smile on her face. Not a common sight, indeed. "I sensed a pretty huge loss of power. I'm guessing that means you did it."

I nodded in confirmation. "It was a damn close fight, not being as experienced as you are, but I managed to pull through. Her vessel's been pierced, she won't be bothering us again anytime soon."

"You've done good, then. Glad all those hours teaching you hasn't gone to waste. You even managed to beat Paradox, and Hyde too by the looks of things."

I let out a sigh remembering my encounter with Hyde. "Stubborn as ever, he is. Thank God I caught him outside the Abyss when I did, or things could've went bad."

"You can say that again. Though he seemed to be in pretty sour mood when I found him. At least he's already gone home now, so he and the Insulator are safe."

"You do remember you still have to hold up your end of your bargain with him, right? He deserves answers after everything he's went through."

"Yeah, no need to remind me. When the time's right, the time's right. He'll know everything. One day."

Linne pauses for a moment, her face becoming one of thought. "I have to ask, though. Did you...actually kill Paradox?"

I open my mouth to respond and then stop myself. I didn't really stop to confirm she was dead or not. All I knew for sure was that I pierced her Vessel and cut off her EXS abilities. "I...don't know, to be honest. I know I pierced her Vessel, but that's it. Should I have killed her or...?"

"I won't tell you what to decide on that. Whether you chose to kill her or not was your choice to make. The important part is that her Vessel is pierced. If she survived, she won't be nearly as much of a threat. As a matter of fact, I doubt Amnesia will even accept her as a leader now without her powers."

"Yeah...I guess that's a good point."

Her face turned serious once more. "That doesn't mean we can afford to relax now, you know this. There's still a lot of unruly In-Births out there that are going mad with their power like Paradox all the time, and Licht Kreis showing up certainly doesn't make things easier."

I can't stop the sigh that escapes me at the thought of having even more work to do even after such a long, vicious night as the one I just had. "Yeah, yeah, you're right. You can be a real piece of work sometimes, you know that?"

Linne eased up, finding amusement in my exasperation as she giggled lightly. "Come on, 'Hydro', relax. You did plenty of good tonight, you've more than earned your rest for now. Speaking of which though, we should probably be getting home. It's already almost morning. Imagine the ruckus it'd cause if someone found Wald passed out on the road somewhere."

The image in my head of the old geezer faceplanting somewhere in the middle of town completely unconscious makes me let out a laugh of my own. "Yeah, no kidding. It'd be like seeing the Rake or something out in broad daylight."

The immortal princess' face turned to one of confusion. "The...the what now?"

Her confusion only gets another laugh from me. "Not important. Though maybe sometime I can teach you." With that I walk off back towards the city to head home. I could hear Linne sighing in exasperation behind me.

"I swear...you kids with your modern day gadgets and nonsensical stories..."

I can only laugh louder now as she jogs to catch up with me before slowing down to match my pace. It's only a matter of time before she's more gently laughing along with me.

It...was a nice moment. A rare moment of solace for the both of us, a kind of moment Linne had taught me well to cherish.

(Ending song: Heart Beat Breaker)

[skellagirl]

Fanwork creators self rec! When you get this, reply with your five favorite fics/art/podfics/etc. that you've made, then pass on to others. Let’s spread the self-love 🌼(No pressure if you don't want to though!)Hope you have a good day! ✨

oh, I DO love talking about myself, though this is gonna be kinda weird bc I haven't made a lot of art that I actually like lately lol, and I'm not committed enough to go back super far in my timeline

in no particular order:

1) The extremely self-indulgent Jack/Maddie/Vlad comic I did last year, which was my second most popular post. I had sooo much fun doing it and made myself laugh a lot, idk, it was just such a joy to make and I'm glad other people like it too (I've LOVED reading through the tags on it)

this is my favorite 'panel', I think lol

2) The big memey sketchdump from last year that was my FIRST most popular post lol, OF WHICH this is my favorite doodle.

3) This one I haven't actually posted anywhere yet bc it's still VERY early and I'm not sure I'll ever finish, but I've been fucking around with making a comic out of one of my favorite Stardew oneshots, Practical Demonstration (which is VERY ummm......... citrusy, as one might have said in 2006) and I've actually been kinda sorta enjoying that, despite Art Block From Hell and the fact that I'm Not Good at backgrounds lol

4) idk, I've had a lot of fun doing all my Potion Permit shit! The fandom is small but very funny and friendly, and idk it's just been another thing that's been fun to indulge in while Art Block From Hell continues

5) and speaking of Potion Permit, I've been writing a chemist/matheo enemies-to-lovers longfic called flew like a moth to you (sunlight) that is SO self-indulgent, but I've actually really been liking how it's turning out! It's kinda silly to say, maybe? but I've been proud of my writing with this fic. I think I have an Okay ability to string words into nice-ish-sounding sentences 🥴👌

and since I posted pics for my art, here's one of my favorite bits of the fic's first chapter (also the 'summary' lol)

"Forty years. Raised in the thick of six generations’ worth of collective knowledge, lived tradition, so intimately familiar with medicine and healing that it’s like an additional sense, something woven into the very fibers of him, his entire life’s work -- all of it cast aside in favor of an upstart, fresh-faced chemist whose sole legacy of any significance to Moonbury is one of reckless endangerment and massive ecological collapse. He stares at Myer’s hands, clasped around his wife’s, his child’s. Doesn’t understand what sort of desperation would drive a man to this. Feels a sick twist in his gut at the inconceivability of ever doing the same."

OKAY THAT'S ALL, THANK YOU!!!!

I don't really send these to anyone but like. do it if you want? toot your own horn!!! or spread it to others ig, that works too 👍

[metalbvcky]

Answer the questions and tag five fanfiction authors you know!

tagged by @sarahowritesostucky, thank you lovely!! 💖💖 no pressure tagging: @late-to-the-party-81 @sparkagrace @bittersweet-in-boston @otpcutie @apple-writes

🍓 How did you get into writing fanfiction?

I feel like that's asking "how did you join Tumblr" it just happened 😂

🍇How many fandoms have you written in?

One, technically, which is nothing compared to others but I enjoy exploring my ideas with the MCU and its characters. I'm not sure I'd get the same feeling with other fandoms, like say, supernatural.

🍈How many years have you been writing fanfiction?

It'll be four this summer. Again, not long, but considering I denied myself as being a writer for several years? That's progress and growth.

🍎Do you read or write more fanfiction?

It depends on the muse and all sorts of other things. Sometimes I'm punching out oneshot after oneshot, while other times I'll be focused on a longfic and will read in between and stuff. Like currently!

🍌What is one way you've improved as a writer?

Writing more. Reading more. Writing more again. But also letting go of sticking to a strict outline. I'm a planster. I'll plan the major things, but everything else is made up as I go.

🍑Do you have any bad habits as a writer?

I'll often start or continue writing a scene and will find myself stuck, thinking it's the end of the world, and then realize my whole issue is a few lines above what I'm trying to make work. Happens so often you'd like I would be used to it by now.

🍍 What's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

I don't know about weird, but I've been doing a ton of medical research for my future doctor/patient AU. I've searched around for all sorts of things lol even for a sentence that I'll likely not end up using.

🍉What's your favourite type of comment to receive on your work?

Keyboard smashes. Long detailed comments about the plot/relationship/pining/etc. Comments that mention a tiny detail I included, those are the best when people notice them. But also, any comment.

🍐What's the most fringe trope/topic you write about?

Crack fics? I don't think I write a lot of outlandish stuff, at least I wouldn't consider them to be 😂

🥭What is the hardest type of story for you to write?

Uhhh... *stares blankly at my open doc* Ones with big plot. I love it, it makes the story even more fun to write, but MAN plot can be tricky. Catch me saying "Did everyone see that? Because I will not be doing it again" like Captain Jack Sparrow when I finish a longfic, and then immediately start planning another one to write.

🍏What is the easiest type?

Short oneshots with hardly any plot. Which isn't often because almost everything I write ends up being longer than I anticipated.

🍑Where do you do your writing? What platform? When?

Docs. I used to use Smartedit Writer and organize by chapters, but ehhhh I just throw ideas onto a separate doc and go from there. Why plan extensively when my characters will do a 180 on me all the time? And almost always at night, sometimes during the day when time/the muse allows me.

🍋What is something you've been too nervous/intimidated to write, but would love to write one day?

I was just thinking about this recently. I have never written a post TWS recovery fic. It's on my 'to write' bucket list, so I hope to tackle a lengthy canon fic one of these days. I love reading canon fics where they're on missions and the plot is centered around HYDRA or some other big bad, I feel like those are trickier to write than AUs. But everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, and I know coming up with detailed worlds/world building isn't a walk in the park for some.

🍇 what made you choose your username?

I didn't know what to name my Marvel sideblog when I was making it so... I just decided Bucky + metal arm + aw crap that name is taken = Metalbvcky ����

[pebblysand]

Hi pebblysand, I hope your week is going well!

From the Ask Game: #11, and #14 please.

helloo! thank you! i hope you're doing well too!

11. Link your three favorite fics right now

idk if these are favourites, but these are three fics i recently read for the first time and really enjoyed:

the triumph of magic by miniequill (odainath) (harry/hermione ; <5k ; AU) After Ron abandons them, Harry and Hermione take on the challenge of finding and destroying the Horcruxes. HHr.

i often feel like i have this strange parasocial relationship with odainath (although we've never talked) because they have been in literally every fandom i have been in at some point or other (including the most niche ones) and they are an incredible writer. i was super stoked to find out they had HP fics as well, and of course you know that i'm a sucker for a good harry/hermione story. i found this one very intriguing - the writing is gorgeous as always, and i was very much vibing this.

.

perpendicular by akissinacrisis (it's tagged hinny but i'd say gen ; <5k ; AU) Tom props himself up on his elbow. ‘So, let me get this straight: you’re falling in love with a posh redhead from boarding school who doesn’t own a telephone.’ AU: Harry Potter, member of Stonewall High’s sixth form, meets a pretty redhead at a party. Harry/Ginny, rated Teen+, oneshot.

this is a very interesting squib!harry take unlike anything i've ever seen before. the writing in this was absolutely stellar - i laughed at times, but was also taken by the overall gorgeous heartbreak of this. it's funny, although i totally respect how the author ended it (and understand why they end it that way), it's one of those where i almost wish it could have gone on longer/explored the alternative ending. it would have been a very different (and probably much longer fic) but i would love to see someone write it.

.

orchards by @whinlatter (hinny ; <20k ; CC) The orchard is a wild, thousand-flower, crumpled-gate, fall-down-fence sort of place, where things grow that you’ve never asked for, that you’d never expect. The summer of ’96, the story of something flowery he thought he might have smelled at the Burrow. Canon-compliant, oneshot, summer between OotP and HBP. Non-linear narrative, flashbacks/flash-forwards to DH. Harry/Ginny.

if you gravitate anywhere close to the hinny fandom, you will know that everyone and their cousin has been recommending this fic since it came out - let me tell you: everyone and their cousin are right. it took me a while to get to it but this is one of the most beautiful hinny one-shots out there. the writing is stellar - i left a comment to whinlatter after i read it that went over the AO3 character-count limit and was completely unhinged, and i am not sorry. if you haven't already, go read this. please and thank you.

.

14. how do you write emotional scenes? Do you ever feel what the characters feel? Do you draw from personal experiences?

you'd love it, right? if i could give you a formula.

as european as i am (please don't ever give us compliments, we don't know how to deal), i also think it would be highly hypocritical of me to sit here and be like "ohmygod, idk, i'm so shocked you'd ask me that!' i've been writing for seventeen years and if there is one thing that has always been consistent in my comment section from the very beginning is the fact that i seem to be able to make people feel things. there are writers who are incredibly good with words. gorgeous, gorgeous prose that reads like poetry. there are writers who are good with descriptions, scenery so vivid you can almost touch it. there are yet others who are good at giving you a feel for a time period in your life, describing childhood or adolescence or moving out of home for the first time. what i am good at, is this. the rawness and the gripping emotion that makes you forget how to breathe. i know some of it is healing for some people, too.

i don't think there's a formula for this. it's even harder for me to break it down especially because it's not something i've ever had to work on - i've always had it. ask me how i work on descriptions (which are very much not my forte), and i'll much more concrete advice to give you.

Do you draw from personal experiences? no, not really. i mean, i'm sure i do on some subconscious level, but i very rarely am like "oh, i felt this at x moment in my life, let me channel that". i've never studied psychology either, or done much research on how people react to certain things. for me, it's a gut feeling. it's a raw, instinctive understanding of people, and the human experience as a species. i don't pretend to have any formal expertise on this. i follow my gut, that's it. and, if you ask me: Do you ever feel what the characters feel? no, but i do feel something.

when i write something that works (emotionally works) i get this sense of indescribable peace in me. and this is true for moments that carry very dramatic emotions (think chapter 8 of castles) but also happy moments, like the roadtrip in chapter 16. for me, as a writer, these are exactly the same, in terms of how i feel when i'm writing them. and how i feel is like: nothing in the world exists anymore. i have no job, no family, no friends, no boy trouble, no concerns, no nothing. you know how, in chapter 16, the narration says: "he smiles like no one has ever died"? - yeah, that.

hours of just me and the words on the page. it's hard to put into words without sounding cheesy but i feel this sense of calm alignment with the universe. i'm not one for drugs but i think it's probably what a high feels like. have you ever been able to just empty your head? where you're in complete control and the chaos of the world cannot touch you? that, too.

and, generally, if i feel that, i know i'm onto something. i know that whatever i'm writing is working. generally, in that "state", hours can go by and i won't realise it. i'm writing, writing, writing and suddenly it's like - 5AM the next day. if i don't, that's when i'm like "shit, something's not working," and i have to work and work and rewrite and rewrite until i find a solution. until i feel that. so, while there's no formula i follow, i do get that writing "high" that sends me into the right direction.

and, for the record, that "high" is the only reason i write. like, sure, comments and feedback and the community are amazing and idk if would write *as much* as i do without them. i also 100% seek attention and validation, but i think if there wasn't also this sense of peace in me that came with it, i would probably find community in a different way. but, you know, i'm a bit of a drug addict. i'm sure if someone told you there is one thing that will bring you more peace, joy and sense of accomplishment than anything else in your life and sure you have to work for it, a lot, but once you're done, it'll be the highest, high you've ever been on, you'd sign up, too.

to me, writing (and this happens particularly in those emotional scenes you are referring to), is the absence of fear. it's the absence of anxiety. it's the absence of depression. it's the absence of worry. it's just pure calm and happiness. it may not be all those things for you as a reader (especially if i'm writing something tense lol), but it is for me. i don't think what i feel as a writer and what you feel as a reader are related, but they're definitely linked. and, when i feel one, i know you will feel the other.

and that maybe people will understand and benefit from what i am trying to say.

[mercurial-vroom]

Warning for a self-indulgent post-fic longpost 😁

Now that Grill the Grid is complete (for now! though we may be inspired to write some oneshot spin-offs, so feel free to subscribe to the series if you haven't already), I just wanted to say a longer/more personal -- and a bit more serious -- thank you here to everyone who's been reading, enjoying, and sharing!

As I mentioned in the author's notes, this is a project that my husband and I have worked on together, and creating and sharing it with all of you has been such an incredible source of joy over these last two-ish months. In case anyone was curious about the breakdown of who wrote what, he was responsible for the bulk of the more trivia-heavy chapters (both the trivia questions/format, and much of the group banter that everyone has loved so much!), and I've been responsible for the vast majority of the romantic arc (and all of the smut, lol). We came up with the idea for this fic lying in bed one evening trying to think about what sort of AU we'd feel most equipped to write, but I honestly didn't expect at that point that we'd be able to make it happen, or that it would turn into the longest bit of fiction either of us have ever written -- much less that we'd get such an unbelievably kind reception from the beautiful people who have been following the story and commenting along the way. ❤️ We are so, so appreciative for each and every one of you.

I also wanted to share below a bit of a more serious reason why I've been so incredibly grateful for the kind reception this fic has received... but honestly, the most important content of what I've wanted to say (basically just a big, fat thank you!!) is all included above, so feel free to stop reading here if you'd rather avoid some long-winded, potentially overly personal rambling!

[TW below for some TTC/fertility/pregnancy talk]

Not to be one of those authors who gets way over-sharey about life stuff, but for a while now my husband and I have been in (and are still in the midst of) a bit of a long, frustrating journey related to fertility and me trying to get pregnant. The overwhelming emotion we've both had during this time is one of feeling like we're stuck in the "intermission" of our lives -- like we're just waiting for the next act of life to begin, and have trouble finding or appreciating any new milestones or events that happen during this phase of just hoping and waiting.

Creating this fic together is something that has come out of that difficult time, and it is one of the first things that's been able to inspire in both of us a level of excitement, progress, and creative fulfillment that's been harder to achieve during this period when everything else has felt a bit like it's on "pause." Reading the jokes to each other in the evenings that we each came up with during the day has brought about a lot of laughter during times when there were otherwise a lot of stresses and tears, and reading the unbelievably kind comments people have left (or just seeing how excited people were about what we were creating) was something that's given us a sense of real purpose during a period when we've both occasionally felt a bit aimless.

Now, none of that is to say that readers/commenters need to feel responsible for either of our mental health!! This would have felt like an incredibly fun and fulfilling exercise for us even if no one ever read it besides the two of us, and we of course have a team of IRL supporters and resources helping us to get through this time. But really, I just share all this to say that your support has meant more to us than you might realize, and that it makes us unbelievably happy to see others getting even a fraction of the joy out of this story that writing it has brought to us. ❤️

So sincere thanks again to every one of you, and I'm hopeful you'll be seeing more out of the Grill the Grid 'verse soon!

[splinter-cat]

Hello! I just wanted to say that i've been reading beasts in blue on AO3 and i'm very interested in the story and characters!

Beau and rowan's relationship has such interesting complexities and i can't wait to discover more :)

I also wanted to ask out of curiosity if you have any rules to name the characters? For example do you look up for the meaning or do you just pick what sounds right?

And do the characters have voice/face claims (even drawn and not irl people)?

I hope you have a nice day

Thank you so much! <3 I'm really enjoying writing their relationship so I'm glad y'all are enjoying reading it.

For naming, I actually don't go by meaning most of the time, moreso the sound. Like do I like the flow of this name and does the sound fit the character, etc. Beau is a very different sound than say, Zack, for example.

Other than that, the way I find names to look at is on Behind the Name, there's a name popularity page where you can sort by year. I look at names popular around the time the character would have been born and choose one I like off that list that's somewhere around the top 200. That helps me find one that doesn't sound too out of place for their age.

For surnames I go to the Behind the Name surname site and pick off their top 1000 list. Often, I'll use a random number generator and go until I find one I like.

Once I've got a name put together, I google google google to make sure there's not like, a celebrity or other well-known person with that name haha.

Though one exception to my naming schemes is Rowan! I don't remember how I picked his first name, it might have just come to me, but his last name is inspired by a detective I really enjoy, Jack Mooney on Death in Paradise. :D (Also, I must admit there was a little bit of punny-ness going on with Mooney working with a werewolf, haha.)

As to faceclaims, you might notice a pattern in them, haha. I watch a lot of crime shows, which is actually what initially inspired the story! When I first thought of it, it was more of a buddy comedy "haha what if a werewolf got assigned to the K9 unit" kinda joke, but then I thought about the implications of a world like that. And it ended up being a great premise for whump, which is something I wanted to get into. Along the way, it went from being something to write random oneshots in and gained an actual story. I ended up deciding to make it a bit of a takedown of copaganda shows, because as much as I love watching them, there's definitely a lot of issues with them. So this is my cathartic take on them. :)

Putting the faceclaims under a cut because I know some folks prefer to keep to their own faceclaims:

So not every character has a faceclaim because I just haven't encountered one that works for me yet, but some characters were initially inspired by certain actors.

Rowan Mooney: Naveen Andrews as Ashok Ramsey on Law and Order: SVU

So Rowan's appearance actually took a bit to decide on because I didn't have a fully formed image of him in my mind when I started the story. However, I was at the time doing a binge watch of SVU and saw the episode "Shadow" that Naveen Andrews guest-starred in. My brain immediately went "that guy, he's the vibe I've been looking for!" haha. So he's the inspiration for Rowan's look.

Bonus gif since I couldn't find one of his SVU role:

Mitchell Cooper: Walton Goggins as Boyd Crowder on Justified

Honestly, Boyd Crowder was the inspiration for Cooper right from the start. I'm often playing his lines back in my head, going "Does this sound right in his voice/accent/mannerisms?" As many horrible things as Boyd does on Justified, he was a super entertaining villain, and that's how I feel about Cooper, too, haha. He's just fun to write!

Douglas Owens: Corey Reynolds as David Gabriel on The Closer

It's actually been a while since I watched The Closer, but Gabriel was pretty much my first thought when I was deciding to make Owens. Now, Owens would be a bit younger, maybe, but generally his look is what I'm thinking of. :)

Fabian Rivero: Jonathan Del Arco as Fernando Morales on The Closer/Major Crimes

Morales is one of my favorite medical examiner characters, so of course he's who I thought of first when I needed to make an ME. :D

Frank Warren: Dann Florek as Donald Cragen on Law and Order: SVU

Ok, this one isn't fully set in stone or anything, since I mostly described/wrote Warren without thinking of him. But when I'm picturing a scene, he's largely who I've got for imagining the voice of Warren.

Sadly, other characters don't really have faceclaims! For example, for Beau, I have such a specific image in my mind that I haven't found anyone who really works yet. Same goes for Sidney. Shannon has vitiligo, so while I do have someone I think of to get her voice right (someone I knew IRL so not an actor I could share), I haven't found anyone who matches her appearance properly.

If I do encounter faceclaims for the others, I'll make another post tagged faceclaims so folks can see!

[kafus]

what would be the ideal fanfic for you to read

this feels like an impossible question cause i’m in the mood for different things at different times! but overall i’m generally drawn to hurt/comfort pretty damn hard both in reading and writing, i just love character focused stuff that explores how a character hurts and how someone else figures out how to help. i get a lot of emotional catharsis out of it. i also tend to prefer oneshots, especially longer ones but shorter is good too. and stuff with fuller paragraphs if possible

so i guess right now it would be some sort of well written likodot hurt/comfort oneshot (or at least with elements of that) Not written by me. especially considering most of the likodot fic that currently exists is fluff, which is fine fluff is cute and i enjoy a good handful of the fics that exist but i'm genuinely really invested in the two's emotional dynamic and i want to see other people's personal takes on how they add to each other's lives and help each other in a way that couldn't be done in the show!! i have been craving something like this so much, i've been checking ao3 a little too often

on that note i really hope ao3 makes horizons characters common tags soon… i have to check so many variations of the likodot ship tags because the official tagging folk at ao3 haven't fixed the pokemon anime section for horizons yet OTL it's almost been a full year and there's a good selection of fics for the series, fingers crossed things will be more easily searchable and able to be filtered soon…

[sollyraptor]

This isn't a question per se but I wanted to say that I love how you write! I saw your role-play with my friend Orchid and I loved reading all of it! I also wanted to let you know that I am a writer myself and I have my AU that I started working on back in May I am still adding stuff to this day. If you would ever like, I would be more than happy to role-play with you or talk about our AUs, it is Minecraft don't worry. Not trying to be creepy or anything but my messages are always open if you ever would like to talk. If I came off wrong, I apologize, it wasn't my intention at all. I hope you have a good morning/afternoon/evening or night and I look forward to talking with you soon.

Aw, how sweet! No worries you aren't being an oddball at all. You're doing fine! It's not creepy if you approach someone you'd like to talk to- especially if we have mutual interests. P:

It's always so silly to me when people say they like my writings, my little banters and rambles. I never wrote prompts, drabbles or oneshot stories and all the terms flung about. None like that. It's been only RPs and even that not an overwhelmingly lot.

Yet here I am utilising Google, Google Translate (I am german and english words are funny) and plenty usage of Thesaurus for synonyms and the sort just to check if I am even using my words right. -wheeze-

So I am beyond happy to know that people enjoy my characters and the way I write! I love to read other peoples works as well, pick lore and headcanons apart in my little raptor brain. Still- I am more so a lurker in the shadows. A watchful eye, consuming scraps from under the table when no one looks and scampering away before I am caught. Pffff-

I've seen you around, I snooped a little here and there. If you wanna chit-chat, and I don't happen to ring the bell first, I don't mind a quick DM here on Tumbs or a poke over on Discord [SollyRaptor#2203]. P:

My little stage for RPs and similar shenanigans @the-raptors-lore is always open for starters, asks and other sillies, even if we happen to be strangers still. I don't mind the random, the out-of-nowhere, surprises and sneaky little inquiries.

I equally wish you a pleasant day/night. Stay healthy and safe!

See you 'round- Cheers!

[wishingforatypewriter]

Hii 🤗 9, 14, 16, 17 (I hope you don’t mind if I specify a little on this - and I hope it is okay to ask for old time’s sake but- I remember you once mentioning that Akane was to some degree inspired by Blair Waldorf. So I am curious if you’ve ever taking inspiration from Blair’s relationship with Chuck for either Raikane or Erik/Akane [or both somehow?]), 32, 50

Hi!!! I hope you've been well! Thanks for the ask!

9. When you write, do you plan out the stages of a relationship, or just let it flow? Do you have any works where the characters seem to "write themselves"?

Honestly, I just let it flow. Once I feel like I know the characters well, I just start putting them in situations to see what happens. In a lot of my Linzolt works the dialogue flows really easily while I'm drafting.

14. Are there any relationship dynamics/tropes you want to write in the future, but haven't yet?

Hmm...I don't think I've really tried the fake dating trope (or if I did, it was so long ago that I don't really remember it), but I'd be interested in doing something with that. I also haven't dabbled in the arranged marriage trope since that Eizan/Nene oneshot I wrote for the SNS fantasy AU, and I'd like to try that again.

16. Are there any relationship dynamics/tropes you enjoy reading about, but wouldn't want to write yourself? Vice versa?

I love reading a good slow burn, but I personally don't really have the writing stamina for it. I think I generally read the same fic genres that I write, but I probably write a bit more domestic fluff than I read.

17. Did you base [couple] on any existing relationships that you've seen? This can be anything: TV characters, books, even people you've known in real life.

Hmm...maybe a little! It's been years since my last Gossip Girl rewatch (I may have to start one soon), but I think when I first planned the original Portraits of 119 series and slated Akane/Erik as endgame, some aspects of Chuck and Blair may have seeped into their relationship. It was mostly small things like the way Blair was able to kind of cut loose around Chuck, and the way they always seemed to come back to each other. But that all got kind of muddled when Raikane became the fan favorite pair.

32. Do you find it more fun to write soft, domestic romances, or dramatic thrillers?

Soft and domestic has kind of become my brand as of late. However, I do sort of prefer writing lovers in somewhat tumultuous romantic situations rather than established relationships.

50. Free space! Brag on yourself! Advertise your writing! What are you most proud of recently?

I spent literal months working on Dissonance, which is my backstory on how Lin and Zolt met and first got involved with each other! I worked on that fic with an awesome beta and artist (who made this lovely companion artwork) and I'm really proud of how the whole project came out!

Fanfic Couples Ask!

[captainsparklefingers]

It feels really weird doing this xD but I guess talking about asking for help/feedback/generally venting about stuff (minor or otherwise) is always gonna feel weird? Is that what I'm doing right now? I have no idea. But anyway, writing it all out will hopefully help get it off my chest and I can try to move on to practical things. Mregh.

So I'm working on a series of oneshots about the first year of Kingsley's life (it was initially gonna be just the first six months before M9 Reunited but then I had some ideas that would only make sense after that, so here we are), and I've managed to get exactly one of them done so far. Which is good! I've got a second one in the works and a list of ideas for the others, buuuut I've managed to get myself stuck in the middle of the second one. Turns out it's hard to write Caduceus and Kingsley interactions when you have nothing to base them on XD and I guess that means I need a beta/somebody to bounce ideas off of. My regular beta (who is a wonderful person and one of my closest friends and who I love very much) is busy with real life stuff like work, so I don't want to bother them, and the people I want to ask to take a look at stuff and get ideas from are busy with their own fics and projects, and I don't want to bother them either. So here we are. I have anxiety up the wazzoo for a lot of things, including this, so it feels weird just putting a Tumblr post out there asking for help with something as silly as a fanfic...

And I'm always sort of afraid of writing Kingsley 'wrong', if that makes sense. Like, I know he's not Lucien or Molly, he's himself and there are echos of them in him, but with my whole belief that the memories of the previous purples are still there (just locked up until he's ready and comfortable enough as Kingsley to take them back and not get overwhelmed by them) and they sometimes leak out (the problem traveling with your past lives family is there's plenty of triggers there for stuff to slip through the cracks without context), and I worry that that makes it seem like I'm trying to turn him into Molly when I swear that's not what I'm thinking at all. So there's THAT layer to the anxiety as well.

So here I am with one one shot done, one about halfway done that I need a bit of a push with, and a list of ideas that I haven't started in on yet because I haven't gotten the second one done, and a lot of nerves about never getting anything done. Like, I'm not even gonna tag this because this is mostly just me trying to work out my anxiety about stuff (but uh if anyone is interested in helping or looking at some Kingsley stuff lemme know I guess), and I hope it helps. I've been having a lot of anxiety and nervousness about a lot of crap lately, and compared to other stuff, this is just such a minor bullshit thing to get wound up about.

God, anxiety SUCKS, y'all. It's the stupidest most irrational thing. Like 'ooh you wanted to do this as a fun lil side project to keep the creative juices going during downtime at work NOPE YOU'RE OBSESSED AND NERVOUS NOW ENJOY FEELING WEIRD WHENEVER YOU'RE AT YOUR LAPTOP FOR UNRELATED REASONS'.