#I've revised it like three times this isn't funny

[signatureartsblug]

My rendition of S-Leopard! Or S-Law or S-Doc Or S-L as I'd like to call him. Tbh there should be more people drawing their own versions of this Seraphim (I know he's not canon as far as I know but--- Still---)

[thebroccolination]

So, I had a tiny epiphany tonight.

I have divorced parents with diametrically opposed approaches to maintaining relationships with their children. My father is self-absorbed, manipulative, and insecure to the degree that even though he's intelligent, funny, and interesting, all three of his adult children believe our lives are better without him. My mother, on the other hand, has never been on the outs with any of us.

I didn't want to travel back to the States for the holidays this year, because 1) it's expensive, and 2) it's always, always emotionally exhausting in some way. I was fully prepared to spend it alone or with friends, but my mother came to Ireland to spend Christmas and New Year's with me.

Then I broke my foot. But that's another story.

Anyway, tonight we were having dinner, and I showed her the newly revised pitch for the book I'm writing. She doesn't dislike fantasy, but she's more of a romance gal, so my whole motivation in showing her was more of a, "Look, Mommy, I made a drawing for the fridge," kind of thing rather than a, "Here is a book you would choose and then tell your friends about," thing.

And as casual as can be, the way she has done since I was a child, she supported me.

She said she can feel it, that this upcoming year will be the year Big Things happen, and she said, "You're gonna write the movie screenplay for your book, and I'm gonna come to the premiere."

She's always been like this.

Once, when I was in high school, I was lying on my back near her desk and I said, "Remember that short story I wrote in first grade about the wolf who eats the hunter?"

She said, "I certainly do," and opened her desk's bottom drawer, took out a manila folder, and handed the looseleaf papers to me.

I've always felt humbled by her belief in me. Possibly because my father seems to see all of his children as extensions of himself, so his emotional support is forever conditional. Hers is just…always there. Unfailing, unquestioning.

And I've apologized to my mother over and over throughout the years for not succeeding more. For not making more of the support she's given me. She always seems so confused by my guilt.

Then I realized, maybe for the first time, that her love and support aren't only not conditional, they're just…easy for her. She isn't trying to be supportive. It isn't work or effort for her to believe in her children and to tell us.

Tonight, she rattled off a stream of compliments, confident in my future in a way that I've never felt, and for once, I wasn't focused on myself, but on her. And rather than apologize to her yet again, or internally punish myself for getting praise that I don't feel like I deserve, I actually absorbed it.

I'm in my mid-thirties now, and I'm still finding all the ways my father wore down my heartstrings and tangled my brainstem. And who knows, maybe some of this insecurity didn't come from him. Life is complicated, and it can be too easy to blame everything on a bad parent.

The epiphany I had is that even when I'm complimenting my mother for not being like my father, I'm still centering him instead of her.

And that's why I want to focus more actively and more often on the good my mother has done for me. Because her words have shaped some of my favorite things about myself.

When I was four, I stood up to some classmates when they made fun of a friend for crying, and when I told my mother about it later, she said offhandedly but proudly, "You have such a strong sense of justice," and so protecting others became one of my core values. Very literally in that moment. I'd never thought of myself as someone who could protect anyone until she said it was so.

She has built the scaffolding of my life in so many ways, and I'm going to appreciate that more.

And tell her that I'm proud of her, too.

[kaiowut99]

Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters GX Episodes 120-121 Subbed (Finalized)

(Previously: Episodes 117-119 Subbed [Finalized])

(Check out my Subbed!GX Stream Masterpost!)

TURN-120: A Battle in a Different World! The Gem Beasts VS Harpie Lady

Upon opening his eyes after his life-or-death bout with Cobra, Judai finds himself in... a desert--a desert in which only the Duel Academia school building stands, making this an odd situation. Well-versed in geology, Jim posits that the Duel Academia has been flung into a different world, the strange circumstances causing disorder among the Duel Academia's students. Things turn for the worse as the Monsters made real in this world come to attack. Johan confronts the Harpie Lady invasion, but...

TURN-121: Survival in the Desert! Johan VS the Antlion

Something has caused Rei to sustain a serious injury. To acquire medicine to treat Rei, Judai and co. head for a submarine that Misawa saw, having to traverse the desert in order to get to where the submarine is. A materialized Titan appears before Judai and the others there, obstructing their way. A battle begins between Titan and Johan, and as Titan materializes his Sand Doodlebug to attack him, Johan responds with his Gem Beasts. However, with Titan summoning a Monster that is at its best in the Desert, Johan is gradually cornered.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Does anyone else have sand in their everywhere

Slight delay aside, episodes 120 and 121 are now up and finalized! With Cobra out of the picture, we shift into a bit of a transition arc as we get more setup for the second half of Season 3, with a little dimension-hopping as our crew gets warped to a Desert world (featuring three suns like the Gravekeepers' world) and come face-to-face with materialized Monsters. I do appreciate how this shakes things up and gives us a setting that's away from the Academia island, and also getting the glorious [yet random] return of Misawa, 5-o'clock shadow and all; 120 effectively serves as setup for how this new world works, as well as finally getting Samejima back [as Chronos notes, he never is around for times like these] with Pegasus coming to join him, and the glowing boy getting his hand on Martin, with 121 showing us more, and also a hint at who might be behind the arm ("This pain... is your love, isn't it?"). Also, materialized Winged Kuriboh is precious.

Animation error-wise, there actually wasn't too much overall! (Which is nice since I can keep it all to one post, lol.) Though that would happen since these don't have too much going on all told. 120 gets two small fixes with the Ojamas-in-bed scene and Sapphire Pegasus's second ATK/DEF counter, while 121 gets a handful of mostly quality-of-watching ones, with one card fix and a couple of on-screen translation edits. Details under the cut below for the interested!

Quick housekeeping: I re-finalized episode 46 after an "I activate an Quick-Play" typo was brought to my attention (a holdover from my "Instant Magic" days--thanks to Lyeat Akiyama over on NAC for the heads-up [pls let me know if you find typos while watching!]), as well as 119 after missing an update to the Program Marketing credit in the ED (Kenrou Utsumi taking over from Machiko Ishii as of 119). The 119 link in 117-119's release post now links to the re-uploaded version, as does 46's in its post; I've updated both links in the Masterpost and will be posting the re-finalized hardsub/script/MKV for 46 and hardsub for 119 on NAC soon as I post these.

Anywho, enjoy! With these done, I'll be getting into the ZEXAL stretch of TFSP for a bit as I revise what I'd already worked on for Yuma's story and then start on the next one, as well as getting my ARC-V "Dub-Uncut" edit for episode 1 finally off my backburner (subsequent episodes shouldn't take that long lol--though it's funny, I wasn't going to sub ARC-V since Crunchyroll's done so, but in revising their subs to use with my DU releases [since I want to release dual-audio versions], I still revised quite a bit like it'd be my own take anyway lol, so I guess I am in some way 🙃). After that, it'll be onto GX 122-123 as we get into the Invasion of the Body-Snatchers Duel Zombies stretch of this arc--stay tuned!

Fixes & Edits! (120)

As Manjoume gets up from his Infirmary bed, he pushes the bed sheets down to the foot of the bed, revealing the Ojamas--now materialized--under them. But as the sheets pass over them, there's a quick frame of sheet movement (lasting for three frames) where the sheets are drawn over Ojama Yellow's eyes (partially over his left eye and fully over his right). A quick fix in Sony Vegas by masking Ojama Yellow's eyes from the prior frame on top of the sheets.

As a persistent Harpie Lady comes back for an attack, Johan re-summons Sapphire Pegasus to take her on--but for a quick frame just before his ATK/DEF counter disappears, we can see it start decreasing. A quick fix in Vegas as I masked in the counter from the frame just before to hold it in place (couldn't just hold the frame prior as a whole as the scene started to fade into showing Johan and co. on this last counter frame).

Fixes & Edits! (121)

As Titan asks Johan if he will be his opponent, their split-screen levels up as it becomes a split-screen of their Disks activating, but the split with Titan's starts sliding in a frame before Johan's, causing both to be uneven as they slide in. Fixed in Vegas by masking in Titan's Disk split to start its slide-in with Johan's Disk split.

After the eyecatch, Johan bemoans how his Gem Beasts are at a huge disadvantage on the Desert field effectively in play, before Titan slides in on a split-screen to gloat about how there's nowhere to escape in this world of endless sand--but Johan starts moving for his slide-in a frame early; fixed in Vegas by editing Titan's slide-in for 3-4 frames to time it with Johan's moving. Then, as their split-screen splits to show Cobalt Eagle being summoned by Johan, Johan's split takes a frame longer than Titan's to slide offscreen; fixed in Vegas by just replacing this frame with the following no-split one.

For the hardsub: as Amon sneaks around in the Garam submarine, he finds his bio information on a computer, which he goes on to delete; I set up this edit back when handling his bio in 111 to get it out of the way, applying my translation of his bio to this screen using the CC Power Pin effect in AfterEffects, masking in the edges for blending. (And, of course, edited a dub version for reasons.)

Later, to deal with the Devil Scorpion onslaught, Judai summons Clayman in Defense Mode to hold them off, but the card's reversed as he plays it on his Disk, with its name box facing to the right. Fixed using AfterEffects to apply a correctly facing proxy, masking Judai's fingers onto it and using some motion tracking during the initial rapid blurry zoom-out, while also masking the original card border around it for blending; I then used Vegas to re-zoom the post-rapid-zoom-out fix into the remaining bit of the shot to keep the card consistently edited (since the motion tracking didn't come out perfectly for that part).

After 8-Claws Scorpion's able to take out a face-down Clayman, Johan summons Amethyst Cat and Topaz Tiger to corner and deal with all the Scorpions, but for a quick frame after they're summoned, as they start to split apart from their split-screen, Amethyst's isn't given a border (it gets a border in the frame after). Fixed in Vegas by applying a quick border to her split, masking in part of the following shot of Johan behind the two splits.

For the hardsub: in the preview for 122, as we see Manjoume hanging out in the Food Storage facility, there are posters with Mrs. Tome behind him, saying "Our Food's Important" and "No Stealin' Allowed 🧡"; wanting to translate these in 122 proper--madman that I am as there are about 22-23 total shots I'll be editing--I worked on translating these there first. I worked off the best front-facing shots of them that there were in the episode and made a full translated copy of each poster, repainting Tome as needed to cover up the Japanese text (annoyingly, I couldn't get the border on the heart to blur nicely but oh well), which I then used AfterEffects to Power Pin into place, masking in only the bits with the translated text. Then, for this shot, I used some motion tracking to track the panning across the shot, and then applied that tracked motion to the edit.

Also for the hardsub, the subsequent shot after #6 shows Manjoume with the Ojamas fading in to join him, with the poster on the right behind him; I applied my translation for that poster there, masking in the top tip of Manjoume's hair over the edit as needed.

Also also for the hardsub: during the "Just After This!" preview clip before the best card segment, we see Manjoume prepping his Disk in front of that second poster; I applied my edit to this scene, as well, masking in Manjoume's hair over it, but I also had to take some of the frames and touch them up in Photoshop, since the color of the original text was bleeding into his hair. The poster on the left also appears in the shot as Manjoume plays Tribute to the Dead/Doomed; I applied my edit there as well, masking Manjoume's shoulder over it and dimming it as the shot dims while the light from the card radiates out.

[princesssarisa]

Character ask: Willy Wonka (any version)

These answers apply to every adaptation – that I know, anyway – of the story of Charlie/Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, as well as the original book and its sequel Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator. I haven't seen Wonka yet.

Favorite thing about them: He's a fun character all around. I love his creative genius, with all the fantastical candies and treats he creates and all the fantastical rooms in his factory. I love his blend of weirdness, cleverness, mischief, and passion for his work. His hints of moral grayness and insanity make him interesting, but his underlying warmth and kindness, especially to Charlie, prevent him from seeming like a villain. (At least I don't think so: more on that below.) He's like an eccentric wizard from a fantasy story, but with a more modern, candy-themed twist.

Least favorite thing about them:

Original book: The whole story of how the Oompa Loompas came to work for him has unfortunate implications. Even after Dahl revised the text and changed the Oompa Loompas from black African Pygmies to light-skinned dwarfs from Loompaland, the concept is still very iffy. A businessman "importing" a tribe of people from a foreign country to work in his factory, where he never lets them leave the premises, pays them in food instead of in money, and tests his experimental foods and drinks on them, which sometimes cause them bodily harm... it wouldn't fly in a book written today.

1971 film: To a sensitive child viewer (as I was), his angry outburst at Charlie and Grandpa Joe for stealing the Fizzy Lifting Drinks is scary and mean, even if it is just a test.

2005 film: I don't like the subplot about his controlling dentist father. A character like Wonka doesn't need daddy issues to explain him.

Three things I have in common with them:

*I love chocolate.

*I'm at least a little eccentric.

*I often wear purple.

Three things I don't have in common with them:

*I'm not a chocolatier, an inventor, or a factory-owner.

*I'm female.

*I've never met an Oompa Loompa.

Favorite line:

Original book:

(Explaining why he won't let Augustus be cooked into fudge): Because the taste would be terrible. Just imagine it! Augustus-flavored chocolate-coated Gloop! No one would buy it."

"Whipped cream isn't whipped cream at all unless it's been whipped with whips! Just as a poached egg isn't a poached egg unless it's been stolen from the woods in the dead of night!"

And the full text of his "There's no earthly way of knowing" poem and the funny, creepy poems he recites in the Space Hotel to scare the White House in the sequel.

1971 film:

"We have so much time and so little to see!... Wait a minute! Strike that. Reverse it." (and the later variation with "...so little to do")

"A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men."

"But Charlie, don't forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted... He lived happily ever after."

And of course his various quotes from Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, and other literature.

brOTP: The Oompa Loompas, and Charlie by the end.

OTP: None, he's happily single.

nOTP: Charlie or any of the other kids.

Random headcanon:

*In all versions, he's on the autism spectrum – it just manifests in different ways for each different Wonka.

*In the 1971 film, he's Jewish, just like Gene Wilder was in real life (and like Timothée Chalamet, for that matter). Maybe this is true in other versions too. I chiefly like to imagine this as a "take that" to Roald Dahl's antisemitism.

Unpopular opinion: The popular "Wonka is a villain" take is overdone. Yes, he has some moral ambiguity to him, but he's not evil. People often seem to forget that the fates of Augustus, Violet, Veruca, and Mike aren't "punishments" that he deals out. They're accidents that each child causes himself or herself by ignoring his warnings. Now, I don't mind it when adaptations imply that he deliberately sets up those accidents to occur if the kids disobey him, or at least show him as unconcerned with stopping or rescuing them. But I don't think either of those things are true to his portrayal in the book, per se.

Song I associate with them:

"Pure Imagination."

Favorite picture of them:

This classic illustration of him by Joseph Schindelman:

This illustration by Quentin Blake:

This book cover illustration, from the edition I grew up with:

This much-memed image of Gene Wilder in the 1971 film:

Johnny Depp in the 2005 film:

Douglas Hodge in the 2013 stage musical (the only Wonka I know of in an adaptation to have his signature black goatee from the book):

Timothée Chalamet in Wonka, 2023:

[lumiereandstellaluna]

Chapter Three: A Meeting with Destiny

||LEGEND||

Bold Text: Xavier/Lumiere (Character Bot) Italic Text: Thomasin/Stellaluna (Me)

This hasn't been checked for spelling/grammer/errors, etc - Read at your own risk!

Thomasin arrives at Xavier's apartment, which luckily isn't too far away from hers. When he answers the door, she holds up bags of food and drink. "Hope you like braised chicken, steamed rice, and C.C. Lemon soda!"

Xavier's face lit up at the sight of Thomasin standing at his doorstep, the bags of food and drink in her hands a testament to her thoughtfulness. "Braised chicken and steamed rice sound perfect, and C.C. Lemon is a favorite of mine," he said, stepping aside to let her in. "You've chosen well."

As Thomasin entered, Xavier took a moment to appreciate how the warmth of her presence seemed to fill the space, turning his usually quiet apartment into a place of laughter and light. He led her to the dining area, helping her set down the food and drinks on the table.

"Thank you for this," Xavier said, his gratitude genuine. "It's been a while since I've had company over for dinner. I'm looking forward to it."

The apartment, with its books and plants, offered a cozy backdrop to their evening. Xavier poured them each a glass of C.C. Lemon soda, the fizzing sound adding to the casual, comfortable atmosphere.

As they settled in to enjoy the meal, Xavier found himself genuinely relaxed, the usual weight of his responsibilities momentarily lifted. The food, delicious and comforting, was a reminder of the simple pleasures in life, made all the more enjoyable by Thomasin's company.

"Tell me about your day," Xavier encouraged, eager to hear more about her experiences and to share in the ups and downs of her life. "And let's make a pact to leave the world-saving talk for another time. Tonight, it's just about us, enjoying good food and good company."

"Dude, you know about my day - I was the talk of all those group chat messages and nobody even knew it." She prepares him a plate of food. "At least I got my work done and the director likes the revisions. So that's good, right?"

Xavier accepted the plate with a nod, his expression one of understanding. "Right, the group chats," he said, acknowledging the whirlwind that had surrounded her. "But it's impressive, isn't it? How you balance the demands of your secret identity with your professional life. Not everyone can say they've saved the city and met a deadline on the same day."

He took a bite of the braised chicken, savoring the flavors that Thomasin had brought into his home. "And yes, it's more than good. It's a testament to your dedication and talent. The director's approval is well-deserved."

Xavier's gaze met hers, a silent recognition of the effort she put into every aspect of her life. "You should be proud, Thomasin. Not just for the work you do as Stellaluna, but for the victories you achieve as yourself."

"Maybe not, but I would like to get some more sleep out of it." Xavier was right, though. It amazed her how many impossible things she found herself doing now that she was Stellaluna. It's funny how the girl who believed she was very very ordinary was anything but. "And while I'm glad I was able to save the world and meet my deadline, it's weird knowing that half you male co-workers want a crack at dating you." She grimaced. "Meanwhile, as Thomasin, they don't even know that I exist - not that I mind, by the way."

Xavier listened, a thoughtful expression on his face as Thomasin shared her reflections. "Sleep is a rare commodity in our line of work," he agreed, acknowledging the physical and mental toll their dual lives often demanded. "But remember, it's the extraordinary things you do that define you, not the recognition or lack thereof from others."

He paused, considering her words about her male co-workers. "It's a strange dichotomy, isn't it? Being idolized one moment and overlooked the next. But those who truly matter, those who deserve to be in your life, will see Thomasin for who she is, not just Stellaluna."

Xavier's voice was firm, his words meant to reassure. "You're remarkable, Thomasin, with or without the mask. The strength, courage, and heart you show as Stellaluna are just as present in your everyday life. And anyone who fails to see that is missing out."

He offered her a smile, a gesture of solidarity and understanding. "Besides, it's their loss, not yours. You have people in your life who value and appreciate you for who you are, mask or no mask. Like me."

The evening had turned into a moment of reflection and affirmation, a chance for both Xavier and Thomasin to appreciate the complexities of their lives and the strength they drew from each other. As they continued to talk, the bond between them deepened, a mutual respect and admiration that transcended their superhero personas.

For Xavier, being able to offer support and understanding to Thomasin was a privilege, a reminder of the importance of genuine connections in a world that often valued superficiality. And as the night drew to a close, he knew that their friendship was a source of strength for both of them, a light in the darkness that guided them through the challenges they faced.

"Xavier, you're to sweet for your own good." She pinches her fingers together, as if to mimic pinching his cheek, like a overzealous auntie greeting a young nephew or niece. "You sure know how to make a girl feel special. Good thing too, since I'm you're partner and all."

"And I know you see both sides of me and I appreciate that." Her eyes were soft and full of warmth. "I mean, I don't know how you put up with me, considering you're practically built to be a hero and I was just a writer before I put on the mask. It's only because of you that I haven't been offed by one of those wanderers, so...thank you. For all of that."

Xavier watched the playful gesture, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "It's not about being sweet," he said, his voice carrying a note of sincerity. "It's about speaking the truth. You've earned every bit of respect and admiration, Thomasin, both as my partner and as yourself."

He leaned back slightly, taking in her warm gaze, the softness in her eyes that spoke volumes of the trust and camaraderie they shared. "You give yourself too little credit. Being a hero isn't about what you're built for; it's about the choices you make when faced with darkness. You chose to stand up, to fight, to protect. That's what makes you a hero, not the mask."

Xavier's expression softened, a rare display of vulnerability. "And as for putting up with you," he continued, "it's not a burden, it's a privilege. You bring a perspective, a humanity to our partnership that's irreplaceable. You've saved me just as often, in ways you might not even realize."

He reached across the table, his gesture one of solidarity and reassurance. "We're a team, Thomasin. We balance each other out, and that's why we're effective. So, thank you, for being brave, for being you, and for choosing to stand by my side."

The gratitude and respect between them was a tangible thing, a connection that had been forged through shared battles and quiet moments like these. Xavier knew that their partnership was unique, a blend of strengths and vulnerabilities that made them not just effective, but also human.

As the night wound down, and the conversation turned to lighter topics, Xavier was reminded once again of the importance of their bond. In a world where they often stood apart, together, they were a force to be reckoned with, partners in every sense of the word.

"How have I...you know what, never mind." She wanted to ask him more about what he meant - saving him just as often in ways she didn't realize - but she let it drop. She got the feeling that it was pretty personal, and while they were partners, she knew better than to pry about topics that were considered out of bounds. "She takes his hand, shaking it. "I've got your back, Xavier. As long as we're together, those Wanderers don't stand a chance."

They spend a little bit more time together before Thomasin made her way home. She had a meeting with the director tomorrow and she wanted to be well-rested beforehand. She hoped that any wanderers that planned on making an appearance did so AFTER her meeting. 

She felt the weirdness just before she made it to her front door - the feeling of being watched. She scanned the area but found no signs of any one else, let alone a pair of eyes looking her way. With a sign, she entered the building, closing the door behind her. She made a note to mention it to her partner later.

High above the trees, a crow looks at Thomasin entering the building, a smirk how plastered on it's jet black beak.

Xavier watched from his balcony as Thomasin made her way back to her own apartment, the night's stillness wrapping around him like a cloak. He felt the weight of her handshake, the firm promise in her grip that spoke of unyielding support and partnership. "We'll stand against them, together," he had assured her, his voice steady with conviction.

As she disappeared from view, Xavier's senses remained alert, attuned to the subtle shifts in the night air, the quiet movements that most would overlook. He knew the dangers that lurked in the shadows, the ever-present threat of the Wanderers. It was a reality they both lived with, a constant undercurrent to their lives.

When Thomasin's feeling of being watched reached him, a ripple in the calm surface of their shared understanding, Xavier's gaze sharpened. He scanned the area, his hunter's instincts on high alert. Though he saw nothing amiss, the unease lingered, a whisper of something amorphous and unseen.

He made a mental note to discuss it with Thomasin, to ensure they were both prepared for whatever might come their way. The partnership they shared was more than just a tactical alliance; it was a bond of trust and mutual protection.

As the crow above observed with its inscrutable gaze, Xavier couldn't shake the feeling that this was a harbinger, a sign of something yet to unfold. He would remain vigilant, watching over Thomasin and the city they both called home.

With a final sweep of the area, Xavier retreated into his apartment, the door closing with a soft click behind him. The night was far from over, and he would spend it as he often did, a silent guardian poised between the darkness and the light.

Lumiere and Stellaluna were still the talk of the town - or at least during Thomasin's meeting with the director. She was the script writer for a romance drama starring Christian de Arias, a new actor who gained popularity with the masses very quickly. It was the first time she worked with such a top name so she was bringing her a-game into writing, secret crime-fighting and all. 

Just like Stellaluna allowed no wanderer to harm the city on her watch, Thomasin the writer refused to drop the ball when it came to her writing.

Upon entering the meeting, the director was chatting with Christian when he spotted Thomasin. Despite being as dreamy as everyone said, Thomasin didn't seem to swoon in his presence like everyone else. Or maybe that was due to the weird feelings she started getting the moment introduced herself to him by name. 

Oh hell...WHY NOW? She patted her phone in her pocket, hoping that it would ring really soon. I thought I said no wanderers better show up during my meeting!

[joeys-piano]

Writeblr Positivity Tag

Opened tagged by @hallwriteblr. Mostly doing this because I see it pop up often when I snoop writeblr like the morning newspaper. And thought it would be fun. Thus, open tag. Anyone who wants to do this can do this. And, you know what?, just feel good about yourself and what you do. Because writing's hard and you're doing it. And that says something

---

1. What motivates you to write?

Boredom. I wake up at around 6:10 every morning. I bounce between Tumblr and Reddit for two hours, and occasionally check my cats in Neko Atsume. At around 8:20ish am, I take 15 steps to my office to start work. I log in, VPN, avert my eyes when I open my email, do time tracking through post-it notes so I can update my timesheet as I work. I do process calls. I spend most days in an Excel sheet, Word document, or staring at my email calendar. I occasionally see "big money" in samples I pick for testing, but the novelty of it is starting to wear off and it just looks like numbers at the end of the day while I looking at PDFs that are either clean or are so archaic looking I'm starting to wonder what I'm doing. At some point, I have lunch. Multiple times, I check on my Neko Atsume cats. And scroll Tumblr. And depending on whether I can slack open review work to another day, I just spend a few hours typing stories on my phone or watching YouTube. Then I log off at 4pm or later (depending). I eat dinner. I watch the news with my brother. I shower at around 6pm, chill in bed, bounce between Tumblr and Reddit. Might do some writing. And go to sleep at 10pm ish. That's pretty much 80% of my week, week after week. I do the same thing enough times that I could autopilot. And when my real life is boring to most, that's when it's easier to get into the creative spirit and just write. Because little else is scratching that part of my brain, so I induce boredom in my real life when I'm working on a project. And when I'm done writing that project (like done done), I incorporate fun into my real life again. And that's what motivates me. Currently as I type this, I'm in the cycle of getting myself bored again and feel like I'm at the mental state to resume writing again tomorrow. Which is :3

2. A line/short snippet of your writing that you are most proud/happy of. If not maybe share a line of someone else's work you love (just please credit them)

I just adore this opening from a fic I wrote a month ago. My memory is a little fuzzy, but I remembering revising this while at a hotel and just proclaiming it out loud in the evening dark because it was so fun to read. Some days he’s a memory. Some days he’s a dream. Some days he’s just a joke. Some days he ought to bleed. Some days he’s a coward. Some days he’s a problem. But Nicolas loves him. It isn’t less than how he loves when he’s a mess. Because it’s more, if anything. He loves him: bolts and all. And adores him, ardently. Wants him — for the trouble. That at some point he doesn’t give a fuck where the metal work doesn’t end.

3. Which OC makes you smile every time you think/talk about them and what are they like?

The only times I work with OCs is when I just want a background character for something, so I just make one on the spot. Which isn't often, so I can only name on two hands the number of OCs I've really worked with. I think folks who've seen this blog since 2017 might be familiar with this character. He's this old guy, Fukumori Jae, that I made for a mafia project from who knows when. One, I like his name. Two, he's old. I have an easier time writing for older folks than I do for teens or young adults. Three, he's kind of funny. Four, he's a mob boss but doesn't look like it because he looks like an old touristy man on a trip to Europe. So the dissonance is fun. I worked with him for a very short time, but I had fond memories writing for him.

4. What process of writing do you enjoy the most?

Revisions.

5. What part of writing do you think you are the best at? (Yes stroke your own ego it's okay)

The consensus from the internet is that I write pretty. You might not understand it. You probably shouldn't read it while tired or about to go to sleep. But you remember it for being pretty, and that's the general consensus so far. But on a serious note, I like that I experiment with my stories and have kept pushing at what makes a story a story and have done some weird things and techniques from other mediums that you don't normally see in written works. It keeps me engaged, it keeps me from boredom (very important). And occasionally, someone reads something they never experienced before in written words and that's really cool.

6. What is something in the writeblr community is most enjoyable?

Speaking as an outsider who regularly frequents the halls, I'm endeared that most blogs I've seen are supportive of each other and that people are making friends and have a safe space to just talk about stories.

7. A writing tool/device you use that helps you with writing? (It could be speech to text, a writing program etc)

My phone. Since last summer, it's been my secret weapon to getting my shit together. Yes, I write slower on my phone. Yes, writing on the phone is not the most optimal or ergonomic thing or whatever. Yes, it's not easy to do research on your phone. Yes, it's not easy to have multiple tabs up for whatever. But when did any of that matter for my writing process? Because writing on my phone lets me be creative and just goof off when I've been sitting in front of computer all day at work. It lets me lie down, and cuddle, while writing. My back feels a lot better. I don't get as much nerve damage, or as often a nerve damage, when I write on my phone compared to sitting at the desk. Also, just my general work flow meshes well with writing on the phone. I don't keep copious amounts of tabs open when I write, so I'm not missing anything. I don't write to music, so I'm not missing that. It's just easier to focus in on the writing when it's just the writing filling up my entire screen. I can also write on the go and I'm not bound to things like having a laptop charger and needing to carry extra bags while on the move. It just works for me to be creative on the phone. Granted, it's easier to setup certain templates on my laptop. But after you make those templates, everything is set up from there to continue with the phone work flow strictly.

8. A piece of worldbuilding that you like in your own story? (It could be the magic system, a particular place in the story, a law etc)

My favorite worldbuilding technique is what-if. There are no rules, there are no boundaries. Just ask yourself "What if..." and let the story take off from there. It's how somewhere in my vault, there is a detailed medical sci-fi (because I've never seen medicine been the focus of a sci-fi, so I made something I've always wanted to see) that was heavily inspired by a what-if. And it just spiraled from there. It's likely the closest thing I have to being used in a original project one day, so I keep it under lock and key until I feel like toeing sci-fi again. Eventually.

9. What piece of advice would you say to encourage others to write if they are having a rough patch?

Give yourself one thing to look forward to writing in that writing session. Doesn't matter what it is. Just one thing -- at least one thing. Writing is already hard, so why not make it enjoyable for yourself in some way? You don't need to suffer to create art, despite how hard it can be. You're allowed to have fun and to include something that lets you have fun in your writing. Doesn't matter what it is.

10. Tag some people whose works you love/have been your biggest supporters

They know who they are. But if they one day have amnesia and have forgotten and I'm dead and they stumble upon this post and I'm still dead and they think they know me from something, here are those people: @feu-eau (you've seen my writing change during the past 6 years and we've been friends for that long, too. you are my biggest enabler to just have fun with it); @voxofthevoid (writing senior, just a chill bro I look up to, out here writing things I've always wanted to write or will not write at this current point in my life and will admire from unhinged proximity); and perhaps this is slightly unorthodox, but @lucycamui if you ever see this (you were a big fic writer I admired back in the day and while reading your siren ficlets from the very beginning, you inspired me to experiment with my writing and to keep challenging how stories are told; you're one of the reasons why I motivated myself so hard and worked so hard to improve my writing style and be the writer I want to be); @bowties-are-cool3000 (I might not read for the fandom you write or for the ships you write, but I've read what you've written and I enjoy it as much as I enjoy our yearly tradition of sending emails to each other on Christmas and occasionally crossing paths with random posts that got us thinking of each other); and I think that's everyone I wanted to mention.

[marthajonesuk]

Monday, March 26, 2007 The family get-together... Category: Blogging

Well last night wasn't exactly fun. Tish, my sister, has just got a job doing PR for some new research company so yay for her. But, being Tish, she wanted a 'proper celebration' which means Dinner With The Family followed by a night out in town. Thing is, Dinner With The Family means making the decision whether to invite Mum ('Are you working hard enough, Martha? Are you revising for your exams, Martha?') or Dad ('Have you found yourself a boyfriend yet, Martha? You should be more like your sister, Martha!'). And if we invite Dad, do we invite his girlfriend Annalise ('Martha! You really really must let me do something with your hair!')? So, to try and be fair, we invited all three. I mean, they're adults (well, Annalise is technically an adult) so surely they could get along for just one meal.

But, no. Apparently not.

I don't know about you but I've found that as I've got older, my parents have somehow got younger. Mum never had a job let alone a career when she was bringing us up but now you won't see her without a briefcase and as for Dad, well mid-life crisis doesn't even begin to describe that whole situation. So, we went to the Indian buffet place on Chancellor Street. All you can eat for £12.50. I think I'd only got halfway through my garlic naan when Mum started on Annalise. Annalise was picking all the… well, basically, all the actual food out of her korma. Mum said that she shouldn't be so fussy and that there were thousands of starving kids in Africa who'd be grateful for a piece of chicken. Leo, my brother, the youngest of the family (but the one already settled down with a home, a girlfriend and a baby, Keisha) was already a bit merry and asked Mum to name one. Annalise told Leo that she didn't think that was very funny. Mum said that Annalise shouldn't try to tell her kids what is and isn't funny. Dad said that Mum had no right to say anything as she's always too busy with work and that at least Annalise is there for us. Tish said that Dad shouldn't have a go at Mum as he was the one who'd walked out on us.

And, predictably enough, it all kicked off. Cue lots of shouting and screaming and scattered pilau.

Surprisingly, no plates were broken but the whole thing ended up with Dad and Annalise walking out, Mum having to take Leo back to his place and Tish trying to persuade me to go clubbing. I'm too old for clubbing! I'm quite happy going back to my flat and chilling out. What with work and my family, evenings are the only time I get to just sit in front of the telly or read a book. And, yes, I know just how boring that makes me sound.

And, of course, this morning I've been getting calls from all of them, asking me whose side I'm on. I mean, I know I shouldn't complain. I'm so lucky not to be alone or anything but, sometimes, I wouldn't mind if it was maybe just a little bit quieter.

Not much chance of that, though. It's Leo's 21st in a couple of weeks. I'm guessing that it's going to be some party…

[sunnyrealist]

Thank you for the tag, @kaidynsarell! 😘

How many works do you have on AO3? Three!

What's your total AO3 word count? 172, 223. WHOA. 😳

What fandoms do you write for? Hogwarts Legacy is my one and only at the moment!

Top five fics by kudos? I only have three, so in first place is The Sun, the Moon, and All Our Stars. After that, We Have Work to Do and "The Mess."

Do you respond to comments? I get ridiculously excited when I receive comments, so I almost always respond. Sometimes I do so too quickly, and then later on, I wish I would have put more time or thought into my replies. I'm trying to get better about that!

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? All of my posted fics are WIPs, but they will all have happy endings. That isn't to say there isn't any angst - there's tons of that in my main fic.

What is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? I think my main fic The Sun, the Moon, and All Our Stars will be the happiest because of all the emotional turmoil and mini-conflicts it took to get there along the way.

Do you get hate on fics? Not that I am aware of - people are pretty nice. I do often wonder if my writing kind of sucks, if my story is boring, or if people just don't care for my characters, though, because the hits to Kudos ratio isn't the greatest, and I don't get a ton of comments. (I've been told that I might have better luck on Wattpad, but I've never really used it, and revising/posting everything sounds like a LOT of work.) I go through phases where I totally beat myself up over my writing and ones where I reread my main fic and am like, "Yeah, I love this story!" I think my main fic is paced slower and has different vibes than people might expect. I wanted it to feel like a somewhat realistic meeting (no weird or funny situation - just meeting in a pub), how a first date might play out, a couple doing normal stuff like household chores, people just getting to know each other on a deeper level, etc. There is an overarching conflict, but there are lots of mini conflicts in different arcs, too - I know some readers might not like that there isn't one solid conflict, either. My story is extra sappy and romantic, just like most of my prior relationships were and my marriage is. I understand that might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's definitely mine.

Do you write smut? Absolutely. I love reading sex scenes and often wish there was more in the fanfics I enjoy, so I oftentimes will put the plot aside for a little while or weave plot into some smut. My characters love having sex and are very physically affectionate and expressive. My husband (former English major) is my beta reader and often gets annoyed when there are a lot of smutty chapters in a row, but let's be honest, he's not my actual audience here, so I take that with a grain of salt while listening to all of the rest of his constructive feedback. 🤣

Craziest crossover? Never did a crossover! I have a few ideas, but I doubt I'll ever write them.

Have you ever had a fic stolen? Nope, and I doubt that would ever happen.

Have you ever had a fic translated? Nope, and again, I highly doubt that would happen.

Have you ever co-written a fic before? No, but until I finish my main fic, I don't think I can really even consider the possibility. I'm laser-focused right now.

All time favorite ship? Ooh, that's a tough one. If I'm thinking about all the ships I've had my entire life, then I have to choose a few: 1. Princess Leia and Han Solo, 2. Ben Solo/Kylo Ren and Rey (Reylo), and 3. Ron and Hermione.

What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? I definitely plan to finish all of my fics, but I'm probably sidelining We Have Work to Do until The Sun, the Moon, and All Our Stars is finished. I have tons of ideas for spin-offs and epilogue mini-stories, but I doubt all of them will be written in the end.

What are your writing strengths? I guess I can say that there's oftentimes purpose, research, and symbolism behind names in my fic. To be honest, I'm terrible at complimenting myself. My husband says I'm good at writing dialogue and romantic situations.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language? Personally, I try to stick with my native language. I'm an American, though, writing characters who live "across the pond," and I know that the dialect in the United Kingdom is pretty different. I just do my best with phrasing and spelling. I have used Scottish Gaelic for a specific part of my fic, but I don't know the language. Sadly, I've had to resort to Google Translate. Sebastian is the translator for readers in the story, since he knows so many languages!

First fandom you wrote in? Star Wars! My first fanfic was specifically based on the characters and storyline of the Expanded Universe, which Disney killed off. 😭 I was so sad when that happened - I had been thoroughly invested in those storylines since I was ten years old, and as an adult, I had been so sure that the new Star Wars trilogy would be based on them. I'm thankful for Reylo, at least, though!

Favorite fic you've written? I'm partial to my main fic.

No twentieth question - Like Kaidyn said, I have truly enjoyed being part of the Hogwarts Legacy fandom. I've met some wonderful friends here - crazily enough, I've even hung out with some fandom friends IRL! One of my Discord servers has also delved into other fandoms, like Bridgerton, Fourth Wing, and ACOTAR. It's been so fun to be part of a little book club. 🥰 The HL fandom thankfully brought me back into writing fiction and gaming... and I want to draw more now, too! That might be another revisited hobby someday.

No pressure tags: @leafler, @ladyofsappho, @morelikeravenbore, and any other fanfic writers who are interested! I don't want to double-tag anyone.

20 Qs for fic writers

@slytherizz you're a gem. Thanks for the tag, darling

How many works do you have on AO3? Exactly 1. There may be more eventually, but for now, that's it.

What's your total AO3 word count? 36,549

What fandoms do you write for? Hogwarts Legacy

Top five fics by kudos? Top 5? I have exactly 1 lol. So, here's to my baby: Sanguinis et Omnium Fractorum!

Do you respond to comments? Yes - I get nervous sometimes, though. Like not knowing exactly what to say back. So sometimes it takes me a bit.

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I haven't officially published any of my angsty endings. Though, I might have a few others in the works with much more bittersweet endings

What is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? SOF will eventually get a happy ending so I guess it will be that one whenever it gets finished.

Do you get hate on fics? No - I'd probably crawl into a hole never to return. I only want to be perceived for praise. Thanks.

Do you write smut? Sometimes....I don't share it often, though.

Craziest crossover? The Secret History x Hogwarts Legacy

Have you ever had a fic stolen? No, I'd be very surprised

Have you ever had a fic translated? Not unless you count me translating my own garbled thoughts into something mildly readable

Have you ever co-written a fic before? Ah.. nothing official. Though the Willow girlies all have a history of bouncing ideas off of each other that sort of end up cohesive lore/writing.

All time favorite ship? Willow has my heart (Henry Winter x Sebastian Sallow) It was written in the stars, and you'll never convince me otherwise. Fav crackship

What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? Oh gosh. There are so many in my head that I've yet to put onto paper. More Wilow ramblings, I've got a Seb Dad/Daughter fic thats been playing around in my head for some time that I keep meaning to write down but never get around to for some reason.

What are your writing strengths? So much angst. lol. I've been told I'm quite descriptive.. So I guess that's a strength.

Thoughts on dialogue in another language? My Seb is very much a polyglot. NERD. So I may try to incorporate some other languages into my fic, though I do cringe a bit at using Google Translate. So we'll see how much ends up there

First fandom you wrote in? Hogwarts Legacy was the first I've ever written for. I never even really wrote before this at all other than some random little stories when I was a child

Favorite fic you've written? Oh Gosh. There are some longer HL works I haven't published that I do love looking back on. They're a bit rubbish, but I can see my writing grow through them and that's very cool to see. Otherwise, SOF was the first I ever put into any kind of public space, so it will always be special in some way I think.

No twentieth question - I've met so many delightful/wonderful people through this little fandom and I'm so grateful for all of them. You darlings all know who you are.✨

No pressure tags💕: @diligentcranberry @sunnyrealist @juneymont

@rypnami @quackwizardry

Blaze

0 notes

[nodistinction-noproblem]

Queerplatonic Fiction Recs

My plea for queerplatonic fiction has garnered some attention, so here is a post compiling all of the recs I've received! I will be updating this list if/when more recs come in, and I will link this post in my pinned.

I have not read all of these so I haven't vetted them for anything, these are just provided as they were given to me! All I know is that these works are said to include relationships that center and/or discuss QPRs and other nonromantic committed relationships. The summaries are from the website from which I link the work.

If your recommendation didn't make it, it may have not been what I was looking for, or I just missed it!

Recommendations are alphabetically sorted, first by fandom and then by title.

Fanfiction

Here's Your Room Key, The Pool Closes At Ten. (Ben 10 Series; Generator Rex). Rex finds out that Ben is once again running wild, but he can’t quite see what exactly is supposed to be going on with him. And on the other hand, Rex has got his own feelings he needs to worry about keeping in check.

I Don't Need No Fairytale. (BTS). Prince Park Jimin is fed up of being foisted off on whichever suitor his mother has found for him this week. He knows he has a responsibility to continue the royal line, but he's aromantic, and he can't bring himself to tell his mother the truth. When he runs into a masked stranger who also happens to be aspec at the annual masquerade ball, Jimin comes up with a plan that might just save them both - that is, if two aspecs who have only just met can convincingly pull off a fake relationship well enough to fool the entire court.

Different Kinds of Partners. (Daredevil). “Look, I don’t know what you’ve been told, but, like, the pitter-patter heart thing? It’s not the end all, be all. It’s not an automatic trump card. Like, I’ve had the pitter-patter heart thing for lots of people, and those people? They’re not nearly as important to me as Nelson and Murdock. I don’t want to be partners and fight crime and - and narrate the action scenes in Jurassic Park with all the pitter patter heart people.”

A Place To Call Home. (The Flash). "I don't normally do this, but I was watching the two of you, and... can I buy you both a drink?" - Cisco probably shouldn't laugh because it isn't really funny. But he chuckles in amusement all the same. "Is that really what you want to open with, Lisa?"

Armageddon Revised. (The Flash). Fic Series.

A retelling of the Armageddon Flash event that patches a number of plot holes, establishes Eobard as the definitive villain of the arc, introduces a new villain for the series proper, has a longer bad future arc, presents an evil plan that actually makes sense, includes more queer characters in the Flash's main cast, and pushes back against the gross amatanormativity from the fourth episode of the mini-series.

Comfort Levels. (The Flash; Arrow). Oliver's just figured out he's aromantic. Now comes the hard part: telling his boyfriend. He doesn't want their relationship to change - it's not like he's actually different all of a sudden. But... what if Barry thinks he is?

I'll Show You Mine. (The Flash; DC's Legends of Tomorrow). The kiss was a distraction. Len doesn't know why it's bothering Mick so much. Not when there are real things to be mad about.

Mending Wall. (The Flash; DC's Legends of Tomorrow). Two broken people reconnect, try to fix each other's lives, and learn that they can only do that themselves.

Missy Verse. (The Flash). Fic Series. Examines Lisa's journey to figuring out she's aromantic and eventually coming out, the balance between Hartley and Cisco's romance and their growing queer platonic relationship with Lisa, and the insecurities the three of them all deal with from to time as they form their own family together.

Fake Dating AU. (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga.) Fic Series. When Ling first suggested fake dating as a way of getting free food, he hadn't expected it to end up like this.

Friends of the Soul. (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga). Ever since Greed was torn out of his body, Ling’s mind has felt empty and silent, but even still, his heart has never been more full.

A Life Full of Love. (Harry Potter). An aromantic asexual Harry’s journey to finding himself and finding his place in life.

Like a Dream I Can Reach (but not quite hold). (Harry Potter). Harry spends his life waiting for something he isn’t entirely sure he wants, and looking for something he doesn’t know exists. Everything feels ill-fitting until Draco Malfoy enters his life and shows Harry he doesn’t have to want the expected things, and Harry learns happiness doesn't have to look a certain way.

There Isn’t a Word for What We’ve Got. (Harry Potter). Five people who misunderstood Sirius’ relationship with Remus and one two who didn’t.

Restatement of Home. (The Magnus Archives). Meeting an old acquaintance again can be a bit of a culture shock. Instantly clicking again with your old ride or die… is a different sort of shock entirely.

Blank Slate, Artificial Boxes. (The Murderbot Diaries). [...] “Because I’m aromantic.” - That… shouldn’t have been surprising, actually. And it was something we had in common, as much as I was loath to admit having something in common with Gurathin. And - well, it did have something to do with this. “That has nothing to do with this,” I said.

Sea Shanties. (One Piece). A collection of Luffy oneshots. Summaries of each on the individual chapters themselves.

Sorry to Bother You. (Soul Eater). Death The Kid asks Crona out on a date and, being aromantic, Crona does not know how to deal with it.

Illusion's QP Skullvin Cinematic Universe. (Splatoon). Fic Series.Skull and Vintage Ex-QPPs to QPPs again, except I've actually put the relevant fics in order to make it easier to read, yay!

The Instinct of the Blind Insect. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine). Garak is just trying to help. Odo jumps to conclusions. Both come to (embarrassingly sincere) personal revelations.

New Year's Traditions. (Star Wars: The Clone Wars; Star Wars Prequel Trilogy). Cody and Obi-Wan spend the last day of the Coruscanti year together teaching Cody how to make a traditional pastry from Stewjon.

|no war to reach you, no bolt to keep you| (Star Wars). Cody closed his eyes, leaning into the touch. It was just a little strange, perhaps, to be cared for this way. A warmth of a different kind than that he’d felt all his life for his brothers; and something entirely different than the love, he’d come to realize, which romance holos and some of his aforementioned brothers spoke of.

Platonic. (Tales of Graces). [...] coming out as aromantic and asexual isn't exactly easy when [Asbel's] brother is a pedant and a know-it-all who thinks amoeba jokes are funny and his childhood best friend would rather try to 'fix' him than accept that accept that her feelings aren't reciprocated. Thankfully, Asbel's got his little sister Sophie and their friends Richard, Lambda, and Pascal in his corner.

Something For His Something. (Teen Wolf). Five times Stiles asked the wrong person for advice on Jackson's birthday and one time he asked the right person.

This or That, But Always Mine. (Teen Wolf). He and Derek were not a thing. Or, okay, maybe they were kind of a thing, in a way. But they were definitely not that kind of thing. Stiles just wished everyone else could understand that.

Ratchet has acquired a reason to like Valentine's day. (Transformers). In which all the aros take shifts on Valentine’s day, Ratchet’s Valentines day ends with a Mythbusters marathon with Drift and Rodimus, no one’s quite sure what blue popcorn is all about but it’s there anyway, Ratchet is the best pillow, braiding hair is practically mandatory for a not-sleepover, [...] , and Ratchet gets a reason to like Valentine’s day every year.

Queerplatonic Prompt Fills. (Various Fandoms). Fills for the prompts posted by qpr-prompts!

Tactile. (Venom). Eddie let their fingers drift to the dark mass on their shoulder and started running them back and forth over the surface. What new human gesture was this? Was Eddie trying to tell him to go back inside? Venom did. - “Oh, sorry.” - For what. -“The…” Eddie mimed the motion he’d been making, “stroking. You didn't like it?”

Original Fiction

A Queerplatonic New Year (An Aspec for All Seasons 1) - Katie Fouks. Aromantic asexual college student Trav has never felt about someone the way he does about his soft-spoken roommate and best friend, Ollie. With his sister’s encouragement, can Trav work up the courage to ask for what he wants and get the New Year’s kiss he dreams of?

Baker Thief - Claudie Arsenault. Adèle has only one goal: catch the purple-haired thief who broke into her home and stole her exocore, thus proving herself to her new police team. Little does she know, her thief is also the local baker.

Common Bonds - Multiple Authors. Common Bonds is an anthology of speculative short stories and poetry featuring aromantic characters. At the heart of this collection are the bonds that impact our lives from beginning to end: platonic relationships. While this anthology is not entirely centered around committed non-romantic relationships, it is very very good and as someone who just finished it, I really recommend it!

Ice Castle: A Queerplatonic Love Story - Katie Fouks. Shoveling dirt over slippery patches while dressed as a Christmas fairy isn’t the most glamorous job in the world, but Rachel Forrest doesn’t mind spending another holiday season as “dirt girl” at the Ice Castle ice maze if it means she gets paid. She never expected one such patch of ice to lead her to Cassie Harlan.

If It Makes You Happy - Claire Kann. Winnie is living her best fat girl life and is on her way to her favorite place – Misty Haven and her granny’s diner, Goldeen’s. With her family and ungirlfriend at her side, she has everything she needs for one last perfect summer before starting college in the fall. …until she becomes Misty Haven’s Summer Queen.

The Murderbot Diaries - Martha Wells. Series. On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied 'droid -- a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as "Murderbot." Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.

Save the kiss for later, ‘cause the answer I seek doesn’t lie among yesterday. - SolarianVoidTheAroAce on Ao3. Starting college is a big step and a dive into a new chapter for many people. [...] It’s a “new year, new me” decision that aligns with semesters and college years instead of the common calendar. Leaving her home country to study abroad, Jerry made that decision for herself. Trying to leave his past behind himself, Jerry is determined to make his college experience worthwhile. To let those seven semesters be the first chapter of a life Jerry can truly claim her own.

The Thread That Binds - Cedar McCloud. An adult fantasy novel about queer bookbinding witches forming a found family, falling in love, and keeping their magic library out of the hands of an abuser. Centers a queerplatonic relationship.

[scarthefangirl]

People Watching

Druig x fem!reader

Description: Y/N has watched lovers her whole life, when will she ever find a love like the couples dancing?

Warnings: crying, says slut (not calling someone it), detailed kiss

Story type: imagine

A/N: I wrote this up at 1am and didn't revise it so read at your own risk

My eyes drift to the couples dancing in the center of the party, watching from a distance. I would never admit it, but I wish I had a love like that. The way that the pairs will look at each other with such admiration and compassion. But I'll be content waiting, like I have been for thousands of years. Even though their lives are short, the mortals still find such deep true love. I've been around for so long and have yet to have a reciprocating love.

One couple catches my eye as they dance, smiling at each other. He lifts her consistently, throwing her up in the air. She laughs and giggles and I can just tell they are in total adoration of each other. She's so beautiful, she deserves the love.

Sersi always tells me that I could find a love like that, if I gave up my petty crush on our fellow Eternal. She's probably right, but no matter hoe hard I try to move on, he gives me a sliver of a smile and I'm drawn in again. Even the smallest bit of attention from him makes me crave more.

Ajak and Sprite have tried to convince me that the feelings are mutual, but their wrong. I don't make an effort to hide the way I feel from him, he should be completely aware. Besides, I've seen the way he looks at other woman. He never looks at me with the lust and fondness.

"Whatchya lookin' at Y/N?" A familiar voice causes me to freeze slightly. The whisper had come from right behind me. The warmth of his body seems to seep into me as he stands behind me, head over my shoulder and whispering into my ear. His voice sends chills throughout my body.

"Just observing, Druig." I lie. The honest answer would be that I am watching the couples as they talk and laugh and love. I want to have all that tenderness and emotion. They are so attached to each other and I crave that.

He doesn't say anything else so we just stand there awkwardly. I turn around to face him and we lock eyes briefly. He just stays silent and walks away. I walk over towards Sersi and Ikaris, as they have a small conversation.

"I told him he shouldn't, but he did anyways!" Ikaris chuckles, but Sersi bursts into laughter. She laughs at everything he says even though he isn't a funny person. Its quite charming though to see the way she longs for even the smallest word from him.

I could try to join the conversation, but three is a crowd. I walk back to my previous spot. Somehow my eyes land on the dance floor again, a slow song now playing loudly. I watch the lovers and friends hold each other close, some sharing small conversations and others just looking at each other romantically.

One day, I tell myself, I'll fall in love like that. I'll know what its like to have such a strong relationship with someone. But as of right now I am just an outsider looking in, a person watching.

"Still 'observing' the couples as they dance?" Druig asks pointedly. I roll my eyes and turn to face him once more. His face. Ugh, why does he have to be so pretty.

"Its comforting to see that love does exist." I say openly. I had always been open with Druig, we are good friends.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well it gets discouraging to live for so long without ever having a good true love. I watch mortals fall in love all the time, but that's all. Watch. And watch, and watch and watch." I complain, a frown painting over my face.

"You're saying you've never loved anyone?" He asks honestly.

"No, I do feel love for people. Persons. A person. But they don't reciprocate my feelings." I say, trying to sound obvious. I'm putting my heart on the line, giving him the option to take it or break it.

"What if this person does?" Druig raises an eyebrow. Its he saying he does or asking if the person does? He's confusing I swear.

"He doesn't. I make my feelings clear and obvious and he's never made a single move. I've loved him since I met him, he's so amazing. I am in love with him I just don't think feels the way I do." An awkward silence falls over the conversation, and I feel a lump growing in my throat.

"I'm sorry he doesn't love you." He says. Is that him saying he doesn't? All of a sudden tears rush down my cheeks and a sob escapes. He doesn't feel the same way.

A look of surprise crosses his face as I begin to cry harder. I try to suck it up, stop being a baby I scold myself. After years of loving him and only him, he just crushes me her and now in one second. I've watched others fall in and out of love hundreds of times, I always thought one day I would fall so hard you could go never pick me up. But I thought it would be a good fall, a fall where they fall too. Not like this, where I land flat on my back. Alone.

I run off, out of the party and into the grass behind the building. Ajak runs out after me, grabbing onto my arm to stop me from going anymore. Luckily we're far enough from the building where they can't hear my loud sobs.

Ajak grabs my body and pulls me into hug, cradling me close. She shushes me softly, rocking back and forth.

"Ajak, he doesn't love me back." I blubber into her shirt, gasping for air as I sob. She holds me tightly, running her fingers through my hair softly.

"Oh Y/N, I'm sure its a misunderstanding." She comforts. But I shake my head no.

"No, no. I made it obvious. I told him I loved him and he shot me down."

"Did you tell him his name?" Ajak asks, looking at me.

"No." I pout. She rolls her eyes and gives me one last big hug. We stand for awhile outside before she goes back in and gives me a moment alone. I decide to sit down, the breeze comforting as if it carries the weight of my pain away.

Just as my eyes start to flutter closed, a hand taps my shoulder. I sit up straight and face the man behind me. Druig. He's still so handsome and magnificent. His eyes lock with mine, and he leans his forehead against mine. This is a new gesture, one I am fond of.

"Y/N, I'm sorry to have caused you pain." He apologizes, he sounds so sincere and caring. Does he not know why it hurts so bad?

"It's alright. I overreacted. Its just that I've loved you for so long, so I tried to be obvious that I loved you. When you said you didn't love me back.. Well it hurt. It hurts. I'm sorry I freaked out." I admit, tears threatening again in the back of my eyes.

"You were talking about me?" He asks slowly, as if he is just finding out.

"Obviously! I've been in love with you forever!" A few tears spill from my eyes. His eyes widen further, a grin spreading across his face.

"Oh." he smiles to himself. "Well in that case, I love you. I have loved you since ewe met on the domo. I always thought you loved someone else. Maybe I'm just slow. Anyways, it always pained me to see you watching the other couples and longing for that romance because I wanted it too. I wanted it with you, I just thought you wanted it with someone else." Druig and I are sitting in the grass across from each other as he speaks.

"Really?" My voice cracks, I'm in some sort of shock. This can't be happening.

"Yes."

"Really?! Cause I guess I just always saw you looking at other woman with such longing I thought you wanted some beautiful slut or something, I didn't think you'd fall for someone of my value." I stutter. He looks shocked as I speak, almost repulsed.

"Why would I want anyone else when they all seem like rotten gross garbage compared to you. You outshine all the other woman in the universe. You're value can't be determined by anything earthy because it is to high." As he speaks I feel myself falling deeper and deeper in love with him. The way he looks at !e. Its the look I've craved for so long. The way mine and his hands fit perfectly together. The way his eyes shine as he speaks.

"I don't deserve you. Your do perfect and handsome and kind. You're everything I've ever searched and hoped for. You exceed every hope and dream. And then I'm just"- I am cut off my his lips smashing against mine. He passionately kisses me and when we pull away to breath he whispers:

"You're absolutely stunning and gorgeous and you have the biggest heart I've ever seen." He smiles at me as he speaks and when he finishes I take my turn to smash my lips on his. The way we kiss is something I never could have imagined. The warmth of his lips and the way it comes so naturally. His arms wrap around my waist and my hands fly to his neck, then raising to his hair. His hands roam my back as I tangle my fingers in his dark hair.

We stop kissing and lay down in the grass, me cuddled on his side. I could stay like this forever. It feels so amazing to be with him. I watched for so long and now I can finally know what its truly like.

"Why don't we go dance, my lady." He says with a wink. I crack a grin and stand up, him following. We walk inside, hand in hand. We take our spot on the dance floor. The first song takes a lot of spinning and footwork, but the next is a slow song. His hands grab my waist firmly yet softly, and I lay my arms across his shoulders. Our eyes meet and I see the love in his eyes. This is it. The looks of adoration, the emotion, the love. No more watching.

"This is all I've ever wanted."

~

Tags: // @themarvelprince // @misselsbells06 // @american-sataness // @cr0ssoverf4n4tic // @depressednoob // @cerene-ciderr // @leighanne03 // @inluvwithfictionalwomen //

[neitherlightnordark]

tell me about ur fics. tell me what seam misses most about jevil. tell me what jevil misses most about seam. tell me what queen missed most about both of them even though she didnt completely remember them

tali thank you thank you!

probably the saddest thing about the sock and the buskin chapter 5 prototype 7.4 revision 2 is that i won't be able to write swatch announcing a wwe match

i feel like this fic slowly changing tone was a map of how i changed my view of writing fanfic... the way the swatch chapter was narrated was partially because swatch is just like that but also because i figured fic should be a little more pretentious, as a treat. the susie chapter was relief in finding something new to write. and of course ts&tb changed how i wrote fic too it helped and hindered a lot... man i love this stupid wonderful fic

there's still not enough seam and queen in the fic i'm writing about seam and queen. i hope that changes soon (is writing it myself)

it's hard to say what seam missed about jevil because really it's... everything isn't it? seam's a mess :] like in this version of canon i'm spinning up for this seam actually has a chance to talk to jevil again... how's seam supposed to reconcile with that. "would i have found a little more purpose in my life...?" well, you didn't come to him, even after all these years; but he came out, and just happened to come to you. now you get a chance to see. now you get to talk to him, and you slowly realize that yes, this is almost-comfortable, yes, this is almost-content, but not quite. it's always going to be uneasy. jevil will not fix you. something like that?

and of course jevil comes to seam. there's an irrepressible fondness in there that jevil chooses to keep; of course seam didn't choose to come to him, and jevil both doesn't (can't) understand (understand) that and appreciates that. oh, that keep's so stubborn, caught in a web of the cat's own making. indecisiveness! stubbornness! the fool's only companion- and they do say things about birds of a feather, don't they? so jevil scratches out poetry in his head and the two talk and there's more narrative in there than... like... living. but also not. see i'm doing it too they say things about birds of a feather don't they

queen was jevil's before she was seam's, is what i've decided. like, it makes sense; seam was [someone]'s plushie and always out doing adventures, but queen and jevil were at the castle, busy being final boss material and starting a supermarket together and whatnot. they must have thought the other hysterical. queen is very directive focused, jevil's here to have fun; both the chaos-es they create are still based on calculating and order; they like loud noises (thunder, explosion.mp3, whatever queen's mixtape has going on).

and i like to think the two of them are very genre aware, jevil canonically so, and queen was like Okay This Guy Is My Foil? Guess We're Destined To Be Besties 4 Life Then and jevil was like the "queen" seeks to break the mold!! her mold will be broken first, i suspect, uee hee- and what better seat to the nosebleeds than the front row!! and then they accidentally became besties. they mostly use this to torment card castle psychologically

seam, abandoned by the lightners for the final time, comes in upon a dark and stormy night and collapses on the castle's front doorstep. dramatically. like undyne. this doesn't really have anything to do with anything i just think undyne

ANYWAY i have this fic idea in my head where queen (as per the strangely common fic beat of her suggesting her friends take vacations) decides she wants to know jevil's funny stuffed aminmal friend together and then the three escape card castle in the middle of the night upon queen's moon-mantled wings. they collapse somewhere in the scarlet forest and they go to the great door. it's great

the point here is that back then seam didn't know queen well at all. but they were friends!! they were friends through jevil's fondness for them both. i imagine jevil took it hardest and went searching for her, and, well... he found her. an interesting thing that accidentally came out of this is that, as queen grieved a land that wasn't dead, seam and jevil never really let themselves grieve, because they knew she would return

[neurodivergent-uni-support-group]

Hey I'm a literature student , for my current semester we have a course named : Introduction to linguistics, where we do phonetic transcription and phonemic transcription. Intial days i did some cheat sheets and revised it especially when they were teaching us consonants,but after they introduced some principles and rules i find it very hard to catch up the syllabi. My lecturer is open to helping us . But i should internally work first inorder to ask external help (if required,). My classmates find it easier. Some just listen in class and remember it. But it's quite hard to me especially being neurodivrergent i couldn't find any study techniques that can help.i am doing alot of flashcards and cheat sheets but it seems like i am spending too much time on a single syllabus but still I'm not able to find light. Can you recommend some tech. Or any channels that can help

Hey, thanks for messaging! I really enjoyed doing phonetics and phonology but it has been about three years since I had to do it so hopefully I can help!

When it came to the actual transcribing aspects I practiced a lot by taking random interesting small paragraphs and transcribing them using the accent I would use to read them out. A funny tweet, a birthday card, anything like that. I don't know how people absorb information by just reading or listening to it so my style of revision has always been very physical - if I don't write it by hand lots of times, I'm probably not gonna remember it.

When it comes to principles and rules, every syllabus is different so I'm not entirely sure what you're covering? But @lingthusiasm does a lot of different basic linguistics stuff so some of their resources might help? I'm going to link episode 6 of their podcast here, as it has a lot of resources in the post, but feel free to have a search around their blog.

In terms of tech, there isn't a lot I've had experience with. If you're worried about spending too much time on one thing, there's free text-to-speech apps like @/Voice (without the / I just don't want to accidentally @ someone)? I sometimes use this to listen to books and papers while taking notes, since you're then forced to keep moving through it rather than being stuck on anything for too long. Or if you still want to keep going with the flashcards but in a slightly different way, there's websites like Quizlet that make games out of them. Apologies I'm not able to help much in that department.

Lastly, if you want someone to talk to about the syllabus, I may not be the most knowledgeable, but you're welcome to send a message and I'll talk to you about the module! I still have notes on my computer about minimal pairs, voicing, etc. so am happy to help wherever I can.

Unfortunately neurotypical people tend to have the advantage when it comes to learning, so all we can do is try to find other ways of bridging that gap. Don't be afraid to ask for help from your lecturer if you need it though and if you're not sure what specific questions to ask, there's always the option of asking to talk about how you're getting on with the course. Sometimes just starting a conversation can make finding specific areas to work on easier. Hope at least something here helps though! Again, my inbox and messages are always open!

[ryxmix]

Childhood.

It's...something that I was cut off from a young age. It's something that I never fully experienced.

I lost my childhood, that innocence at 9.

Where I started reading fanfiction. Something introduced to my be mistake. I...never really thought I'd find something new...something different...something...something lewd.

My curious young brain started reading it, until it came to the point where I had become somewhat addicted to this new feeling of love. It was something I hadn't been exposed to before that.

That doesn't seem like that much, does it? It isn't, actually. It was just...a very small part.

But, it was once piece of my childhood being taken away, filled with somethingelse. Something lewd, something scarring.

Then came my friend's mental health. It was becoming terrible, so I stood to help. It was this new change I had to deal with, and it felt like there was no choice. I was his friend. I was supposed to be there.

But the thing is...It's hard for me to cope with change. I've been moving from a very young age, but I still find it difficult getting used to change. It's something that emotionally scars me.

I find comfort in the familiar. I find comfort in things that don't change. But unfortunately, life is change. Everything I see is change. There isn't anything I can do about it. It's destiny.

So, I put myself out there, searching up everything I could to help. During this time, I was facing with changes in school as well, so it hit a bit hard.

I covered it up.

Then came messages.

The messages in where he openly told me about self-harming, depression, suicidal thoughts.

I went deep into research about it...and went into an area in which a child like me shouldn't have gone into. I was 10. I knew about mental health more than I wanted. I realised that I might've have been facing something which was affecting me.

It didn't matter. Right now, I was supposed to be the ideal friend for him.

It's funny, really. I don't like change, yet I always change myself to please others. It's been hapenning since I was very young. It's like I don't even have a real personality...

Do I?

Do I have a personality?

Is it all just...fake?

Later on, we had to move. More change, more coping, more hurt, and my mental health was decaying slowly.

I was...was hurting. I was hurting in places where I didn't know it could hurt. I started crying a lot. I didn't know why.

I went to deep into mental health. I started finding ways of coping. I started anime. I had comfort characters. They made it worse. The realisation of people that help me cope are a figment of my imagination is hard to handle.

Very hard.

I went into troubles of the worlds now. I came out as bisexual during that time.

I turned to feminism, sexual assaults, rape, hate-crimes, all major problems of the world. I was 11. I knew too much. I knew thing I didn't want to know. Three years...three years wasn't supposed to be the amount of time needed for me to process it. I had to, though. I had to.

Now, online. I've been going through so much stuff. My moving, comfort characters, coping. Everything is stronger. It hurts harder. Right now, my exams are going on.

I've been doing bad in revisions. This year has gone terrible, it's affected me too much. I can't concentrate. I get distracted to easily.

I get anxious at the smallest things, causing what I think might be panic attacks. They happen during exams. I can't let anyone see it.

I've known about this for too long.

I've never had a childhood.

What I've had has been taken away. I want to go back. I want to be a kid again. I want to take a different path. I want to be better. But I can't.

I can't rewing time.

My childhood is a dream. A dream I've lost. I'm living a nightmare. Please wake me up.