#Shipping delays solutions
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Discover effective strategies to handle the holiday shipping rush. Ensure timely deliveries, improve customer satisfaction, and streamline your fulfillment process during the busiest season.
Learn More: https://www.apsfulfillment.com/product-fulfillment-services/how-to-manage-the-holiday-shipping-rush/
Official Website: https://www.apsfulfillment.com/ Phone Number: 954-582-7450 Email: [email protected]
Find Us Here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/7fTjrRtv3QGsMd2x9
Follow Us On: https://twitter.com/apsfulfillment https://www.linkedin.com/company/aps-fulfillment-inc https://www.pinterest.com/apsfulfillment/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu3zh6yb4KR3yjjIQ_gQTsQ https://www.yelp.com/biz/aps-fulfillment-inc-hollywood
#Holiday shipping rush#Peak season fulfillment tips#E-commerce holiday strategies#Shipping delays solutions#Holiday logistics management
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Canada Postal Workers Strike: This Will Close my shop entirely for now
okay so 95% of all prints and art that I mail to the states use stamp mail and lettermail.
Which means that a postal strike, the one that begins today, is going to essentially kill my ENTIRE business until it's over. I'm going to package what prints I can, see if I can route purolator solutions for the people who've already paid, and the whole shop is going to go on vacation mode so no one accidentally buys things I can't ship
Commission setup is probably going to keep on keeping on using alternate shipping methods, but please do NOT buy anything right now since I have little to no way to ship it at the moment
If you have recently purchased anything within the last week or so, I'm sorry to say you'll need to expect delays with whatever you've gotten
I... I don't really know what I'll be doing for income in the upcoming weeks. Relying on savings I guess. Depending on how long the strike takes I might promote the patreon a bit more but I don't really know now
#I'm so exhausted#I want fair wages and treatment of postal workers of course#but yeah this one's gonna shut most of my income down for an indeterminant time
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The Captain isn't exactly free of blame either, I feel like that gets lost a bit as you play and get sucked into Jimmy's mental breakdown at the end. He was aware that Anya was pregnant by Jimmy through means that weren't consensual, knew that she wanted to use the gun to protect herself from him but resorted to hiding it after finding that she couldn't use it because she didn't have the proper authority to get the code to unlock it but realized Jimmy would be able to.
Granted, Curly was in a bad position for the issue from the beginning, he's the only source of authority on the ship and the ship as a whole would've suffered from being down one member but he doesn't do anything to protect Anya, his solution is to talk things out with Jimmy then think of a further solution together, not pull rank and put him in whatever their version of jail would've been on the ship (probably just stuffing them in a cryo pod until they reach their destination). Loyalty to his friend blinded him to the safety of his entire crew and he wanted to keep tensions as low as possible, even when that friend was threatening to take him down with him if he wasn't protected or staging a murder-suicide so no one would know what happened.
Even with Jimmy dangling the threat of Curly's career being in ruins once the news is reported, Curly doesn't stop him, he only slows him down at best and even that doesn't work, Jimmy proceeds to then crash the ship in an effort to completely get away with his crime(s) at the expense of a few lives. Curly gets mangled beyond recognition, unable to do the most basic of actions on his own, and is forced to spend several months in utter agony while watching his crew break down and die or get seriously injured in front of him. He sees everyone die, or the process of their death, except Jimmy, who gets to kill himself out of Curly's view as the stasis activates and Curly freezes. But Jimmy fixes it! He saves Curly and is a hero!
Except, why would a defunct company bother wasting what little funds they have left searching for a ship that was only carrying mouth wash? If no one finds the wreckage in twenty years, Curly gets reawoken and suffocates (I'm pretty sure one of the characters said something about running out of oxygen before food); if he gets found then he gets the finger pointed at him for presumably intentionally veering the ship into a collision *while* spending the rest of his life in continued agony. It doesn't matter what they believe for how the crew died, Curly takes all the blame as he's not only the only survivor but the captain, not only did they all die in horrific ways but they burned through most of the cargo!
In the end, Curly did it to himself really, every problem that happens, every death a reminder that none of it would've happened if he had did the right thing. Every time Jimmy exercises his anger on him by forcing the pills down his throat and ignores his choked cries and tears, it was Curly taking responsibility for his actions, or rather lack of, that got them to that moment. Even if he didn't want to take responsibility, he still did, he had no choice.
It's why Curly was the captain and Jimmy wasn't, why he could've called himself captain all he wanted and no one (except Daisuke but, he's Daisuke) believed it, not even himself.
He never took responsibility for anything he did, he laid the blame for the crash on Curly and even for delaying the news of the company's bankruptcy even though Curly technically broke protocol and told them early; everyone died believing Curly was the one piloting even though by the time he got into the cockpit it was too late. He never took responsibility for assaulting Anya and subsequently getting her pregnant, instead choosing to hide the truth and secretly hounding her into "fixing it" to the point of her committing suicide so it truly was "fixed." He didn't take responsibility for getting Daisuke killed by having him crawl into the broken air vent and getting seriously injured, instead the truth of the events that lead up to it coming out as the kid lay on his bed dying, profusely apologizing for what in his eyes was a fuck up on his behalf.
Everyone else takes responsibility for the consequences of actions done by Jimmy. Anya takes responsibility for him getting her pregnant and "takes care of it" like he wanted her to, presumably before the crash even happened he was telling her this. Daisuke takes responsibility for knocking out Swansea and going into the vent, even though he was going off of Jimmy's commands. Swansea takes responsibility for not only trying to protect Anya (why he constantly carried the axe) but for falling back into alcoholism by coping with their fate, even though Jimmy was the one who opened the cargo hold.
Even when Anya is dead, and Curly is forced to lay by her corpse, Jimmy doesn't take responsibility for him being the reason she took that course of action, completely blotting the scene out of his mind until he's forced to look at it when picking up Curly, even then he only focuses on Curly.
At his end, he never feels regrets for his actions unless they're in the context of it affecting Curly, and even then its only because he didn't know how stressful the position actually was. He doesn't have remorse for assaulting Anya and pushing her into suicide, for getting Daisuke mercy killed by Swansea (he doesn't have anything to say about it beyond berating Swansea for being hasty) or pushing the old man into coming at him with an axe after he had his own mental break. He only feels remorse for being jealous of Curly and not realizing how stressful the role of captain really was until he was in the position himself, he only thinks Curly as a prestigious prick who cares about his own image and career and no one else's.
He gets to kill himself, consequence free, even being able to think of himself as the hero at the end, when everything that transpired over the course of the game was his fault.
I don't think Curly is as bad a person as Jimmy is, but hes still bad, he's too much of an optimist and wanted to keep trying to see the good in people even when it came to the detriment of his crew.
In short, fuck Jimmy but fuck Curly too.
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A writer’s guide to forests: traveling through the woods
Getting from point A to point B is something that both people in real life and the characters of your story will have to figure out. Whether as a means to get to a plot point, or as a part of the plot itself, travel presents opportunities for the writer.
Hack ‘n slash- Where paths are nonexistent, your characters will literally have to blaze a trail (the ‘blaze’ in this case has nothing to do with fire. Instead it is a trail marker made by carving a mark into a tree. The mark resembles the white patch seen on the forehead of mammals, most often horses.) Being the pioneer is slow going, especially if the undergrowth is thick and requires clearing. Cut bamboo can go through the foot, poison oak and poison ivy can give a nasty rash, and biting insects can make life miserable. And then there is the matter of marking the trail. A character on the run will not want to advertise their location and will do their best to keep their trail hidden. But for others, they will want to mark the trail. Stone cairns, arrows, blaze marks in trees, and even sticks and knotted grass can point out the path to other travelers. This can be helpful to others, but it can also present a danger. Thieves and outlaws can create false trails that lead travelers into a trap or ambush.
Game trails- Animals have their habits. They like to take the same path between places. Over time these develop into trails that crisscross the forest floor. For a character on the run, or those who needs to make haste, these are a tempting choice to follow. But be careful. Some animals are able to traverse terrain too difficult for humans (narrow ledges, near vertical faces, and the gaps underneath fallen trees are not fun places to be). And your characters may encounter more than deer or rabbits. Predator species hang out around game trails as they can be fruitful hunting grounds.
Existing paths and roads- Roads can range from simple dirt paths to paved highways. These will be the most direct routes between the principle settlements in your story. Prosperous areas will have well maintained roads with travelers and patrols using them frequently. Characters may also encounter watchtowers, farms, and inns along the way. Poorer regions, those affected by war, or more remote regions will have less well maintained roads, fewer travelers, and few to no amenities between towns. And if your characters can use the roads, expect hostile armies, outlaws, and highwaymen to use them as well. And where the roads go may be limited to the most populated regions, forcing your characters to leave the path if they want to get to isolated villages, caves, temples, or even a wizard’s tower.
Use the water- Of course, you can have your characters forgo land transportation and use the rivers, lakes, and seas. Rafts, ferry boats, and ocean going ships are all viable options. It should be noted that these are not perfect solutions. Rapids and waterfalls will force characters back onto land until they find gentler waters. Storms can delay or sink vessels, and cold winters will freeze water over. Of course, a frozen river or lake is just an excuse to get out the ice skates. Droughts will dry up streams and small lakes, and recent rains can turn placid waters into unsurvivable whitewater.
Up in the trees- Hate to burst your bubble here, but swinging from vines is something that only exists in fiction. If you try to do this in real life, it will not work out well…provided you can even find sufficient vines or fig roots. Of course, in your story, you are free to do what you want. Nothing is going to stop you…well except maybe for your readers and the critics who will pan you for using what may be considered an overused and unoriginal trope. Other options include bridges, cable cars, or even zip lines.
Taking flight- Of course, the forest will not pose an obstacle if your characters can simply fly. This can be achieved by characters that possess wings of some sort. They could have a winged mount, or they could hitch a ride on a vehicle like a helicopter or ultralight plane.
Underground- If in doubt, take a cue from moles and dwarves. Tunnels can serve the same function as roads, with all the benefits and drawbacks included. Of course your characters will also have to be aware that cave-ins are a real and present danger. These can be natural, or deliberate sabotage. And your characters best hope all the recent tunneling hasn’t awaken any ancient evils from long ago…
#writing#creative writing#writing inspiration#writing guide#writing prompts#writer#writers#writing community#writer on tumblr#writers and poets#writeblr
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It's finished!! Only 1 year, 2 months, and 2 days after I started. XD And there are some new sex & kink tags:
Rating: Explicit
Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Categories: M/M, Multi, F/M
Relationships: Keeley Jones/Roy Kent/Jamie Tartt
Characters: Jamie Tartt, Roy Kent, Keeley Jones, Rebecca Welton, Leslie Higgins, Shandy Fine, Trent Crimm, AFC Richmond Players (Ted Lasso)
Additional Tags: Humor, Pining, Letters, Impersonation, Jamie ships Roy and Keeley, but is also very into shagging Roy, while they're both pining after Keeley, what on earth could the solution be?, thinking.gif, Polyamory (eventually), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Relationship Negotiation, Polyamory Negotiations, Threesome - F/M/M, Dom/sub, Praise Kink, Orgasm Delay
Words: 31,206
Summary:
“Why won’t you just talk to Keeley and try to fix things?” Jamie asks after sucking Roy’s cock.
Jamie hatches a mad letter-writing scheme to get Roy and Keeley back together. Which is a bit of a shame, because he's really enjoying shagging Roy. (Canon divergent as of mid-S3.)
read it on AO3
#royjamiekeeley#royjamie#ted lasso#jamie tartt#roy kent#keeley jones#roy x jamie x keeley#i#am#ecSTATic#to have finished this#not exactly cyrano#toasty fic#op#🥳😴#50
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Hi! I saw this cute tik tok where Alhaitham is autistic and his weighted blanket was being washed so he was very grumpy snd couldn’t fall asleep so like kaveh decided to lay on top of him to try and emulate the blanket.
If it’s ok can you do that but alhaitham x reader, romantic and established relationship? Sorry if it’s confusing 😭
summary : alhaitham is a man of simple requests and simple needs, but when they're not met, like his precious blanket not being on him for the night, it can become quite the problem. luckily for him you, his amazing lover, have a solution that he will gladly enjoy (but he will never admit it).
word count : [ to be added later ]
genre : fluff.
cw / tw : none.
characters : alhaitham.
note : omg me?? posting?? what a rare occasion 💀 yes i'm not dead and i'm still writing! i just forget to post '^' anyway anon i'm sorry for the delay 😭 you have the right to bonk me if you want, i deserve it anyway ;-; this idea was so cute tho, i need to see that tiktok even if i don't ship haikaveh lol // i have more pieces ready they just need proofreading (if i can find the will to, otherwise to hell with that :D). on a serious note 1) i didn't understand much about weighted blankets so if this piece is off eeeeehhhh i tried 2) internet said that habibti was the right word, but if habibi is the one let me know please! hope you can enjoy this, sorry my sporadic appearances 🫠❤️
a few years into your relationship with alhaitham you learned quite the number of curious facts about the scribe that many didn't know — not because alhaitham kept them a secret, but only because of his reserved personality that didn't make him open up to the first person that was in front of him.
the scribe liked his coffee burning hot with no sugar and just a little sip of milk, enjoying it sitting at the same spot of the kitchen table every morning. he also liked working out mostly in the evening and take a shower right after. alhaitham loved sleeping on your chest, the sound of your heartbeat a comforting lullaby.
speaking of sleeping habits, alhaitham could only sleep with his weighted blanket wrapped around his body. because of this, the scribe was very attentive in washing it during the day so it would be dry for the evening. that was one of the first things you taught yourself to do in order to help your boyfriend, a gesture that had the dendro user fall harder for you.
at least, that's what you succeeded to do until today. the rain didn't allow the blanket to dry during the whole day, and so by the evening it was still dump. impossible to let it be used, even when you had hung out the blanket before starting cooking dinner for tonight. by the time you and alhaitham had to turn in for the night, it was still wet. and cold. defeated, you had to put the weighted blanket aside.
you found alhaitham standing near the mattress in your shared bedroom, pyjama on and ready to crash the bed and fall asleep. that was, but his blanket was amiss.
your groan came out sounding more like a whine noticing this scene. you cursed the rain while scrambling your thoughts trying to find a solution.
«it's fine.» alhaitham said, turning on his feet to look at you. you knew he was lying.
«it's not! how are you supposed to fall asleep without your blanket?!» you whined again, a sound of exasperation leaving your throat right after.
«i can put more blankets on top of each other. it's not a problem.» your boyfriend rebutted, walking toward the wardrobe.
alhaitham pulled out some blankets and started laying them on the bed one after the other. deep down the scribe knew it wasn't the exact same thing, but a weighted blanket had its purpose in the deep-pressure touch that brought calmness and comfort. and that deep-pressure touch was given by the heavy weight. by logic, more blankets on top of each other had to be enough heavy.
but for once in his life, alhaitham was wrong. it was a weird feeling, but not as weird as tossing around back and forth, incapable of sleeping for more than five minutes before waking up again. his movements and his grumbling had you waking up.
you turned on your side and faced your boyfriend, just in time to meet his gaze. he furrowed his brows as soon as he noticed you staring at him.
«sorry for waking you up.» he murmured, annoyance clear in his voice. not at you, of course, but at his incapacity of falling asleep.
you looked at him, eyes focused, and alhaitham knew you were thinking hard about something, but what that something was he didn't know.
without a word you dragged yourself on top of alhaitham, who laid on his back as you took place on his chest, your blanket wrapping around both your bodies. your head rested in the crook of his neck, your hands gently pressed on his chest, right above where his heart was.
«habibti... what are you doing?» alhaitham looked at you like you just grew a second head on your shoulders.
«well, the comfort of a weighted blanket is in its weight, right?» you asked, raising your head to look at him. alhaitham slowly nodded. «hence my position: i will act as your blanket for the night.»
to say the scribe was flabbergasted was an euphemism. he didn't mind your wonderful mind and colorful ideas, after all it was one of the reasons why he fell in love with you, but sometimes he couldn't help but wonder if you the hamster running on your wheel wasn't actually high on something.
«it doesn't make sense.» he rebutted.
«this is where you're wrong, haitham. it does. weighted blankets have their purpose in their weight, that brings comfort thanks to the fact they mimic a hug, helping you release serotonin and dopamine, hormones that soothe you and help you sleep.»
you concluded your explanation with a satisfied smile, chin resting on your knuckles while you looked at your speechless boyfriend. it was a very rare occurrence to leave the scribe without anything to say, and almost all of the times it was because of you.
sighing and subtly rolling his eyes, alhaitham decided at last to try your idea and sleep like that — although, your chest was a much better pillow than the feather ones his head was currently laying on.
...
oh what a delight was to see your boyfriend's stunned face the next morning, the heaviness of sleep still clinging to his god-touched features as he was blinking away from the sun rays pouring from the window.
«don't.» he grumbled.
your smile turned into a knowing smirk.
«told ya!» you happily chimed.
© azaliyas 2023 do not copy repost translate or feed to ai
#✧༄ཾ┊ azaliyas#✧༄ཾ┊ azaliya's breaks#genshin fic#genshin imagines#genshin fluff#genshin x reader#alhaitham x reader
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Hi!! I'm so excited your requests are open! I've had this idea in my head for forever, but unfortunately, my skills do not include writing. It goes like this: Shockwave has a lab tech, shy but typically thorough and diligent. Acceptable by Shockwave's standards. However, lately, the lab tech's work performance has been plummeting due to a persistent overcharge with no good outlet (heat cycles, my weakness). This is Unnacceptable™️ to Shockwave, so he decides to deal with the problem himself. Toxic decepticon work culture, of course. The lab tech's overcharge gets dealt with efficiently and rather roughly. Bonus points for choking!! The dubcon and power dynamics are just so delicious. I've sent you a tip on ko-fi! Kisses and thank you! 💋
Delays are unacceptable when it comes to Shockwave's work. He prides himself on being efficient, logical, the one steadily working cog in Megatron's war machine. Usually, you do not impede his work. You are one of the only Decepticons he will allow in his lab, other than test subjects when he can get them, because you do not slow his pace. Projects are started and completed perfectly within his strictly estimated deadline, weapons shipped out for approval and use by the only mech Shockwave would ever bow to.
But lately your work has been obstructed in a way that makes the lead scientist bristle. You are a fully capable and mature mech, you should know how to handle your own heat. It would be a hinderance to cast you aside as his lab assistant, reliable ones are so hard to come by, but your occupied attention has stretched his latest experiment passed the deadline. It itches at the back of his processor, a slowly building frustration he is usually unused to. He is tempted to dismiss you, but Shockwave is nothing if not resourceful. If you insist on simply bearing through the problem, a foolhardy solution he expects of less rational bots, then he must take matters into his own servos.
It is a few kliks he is willing to spare if it will allow his latest weapon to get through the experimentation phase.
"Lay back on the medical berth," Shockwave doesn't give an explanation, doesn't feel he needs to. You are simply an assistant, he won't spare more time than he needs to walking you through his thought process. You frown at him, a question clearly on your glossa, but you obediently hop up on the medical slab and lay back. Trained to follow orders and ask questions later, as any good assistant to Shockwave should be.
His digits curl around your ankle joints and drag you down the length of the berth, thighs parted around the bulk of him. Your intake gapes, already torn between leaning up and staying down as he had instructed. Further stupefying you, Shockwave retrieves a cable from his medical array, unraveling it from the side of his chassis. He doesn't bother asking for permission, digits finding the manual release over your own medical interface before plugging his cable into one of your data ports. He takes a moment to look passed you, single optic bearing down on information you can't see, clearly immersed in searching through your data. His sight refocuses on you when he's found what he's looking for.
"Remove your interface panel," Your mouth continues to uselessly flap open around words that you want to say. But you are still very aware of the fact he's your senior officer and leagues ahead of you in the Decepticon hierarchy. If there's anyone who can command you to bear your interface without express reason, it's Shockwave. You override your interface panel's release, also aware of just how charged up your array is. Mortification licks up your spinal strut at the slick sound of your valve platelets against the panel as it transforms away.
To further your embarrassment, Shockwave gives a cursory look-over of your valve. His single optic studies you like a new piece of tech, detached and inspective. You will yourself to lay back on the berth instead of tensed up on your elbows, your frame is stiff and awkward and impossible to rest comfortably in. You don't flinch when he transforms his own interface panel away without warning. He owes you no explanation as the lead scientist and he's not going to spare you any bedside manner, even if he had it.
Your valve is already so embarrassingly wet from your heat cycle, and you want to snap at him when he prods at the soft platelets with his claw-like digits. His servos are made for precise scientific work, not exploring the frame of a partner. He nudges your anterior node with the backside of one of his digits, just enough to send a jolt up pleasure up your spinal strut. It's akin to rutting against the edge of a countertop in how sensual it is; good enough only to get the job done, but there is no warmth from his touch. You offline your optics until he's deemed you sufficiently charged up to accept his spike, your fans venting air despite the fact this situation is more painful than arousing. Shockwave doesn't offer any forewarning before he nudges the head of his spike against your valve, startling the first sound from your vocalizer.
His hips snap against the back of your thighplating at once, burying his spike to the hilt. You hadn't expected gentle, but the stretch burns and has a warning popping up on your HUD. Shockwave ignores your frantic complaints, setting a steady, punishing rhythm. Drone-like in all he does, the scientist doesn't even seem fazed by the tight suction of your valve or the way you clench around him with the discomfort and pleasure. His single, dimmed optic bores down on you, watching you with mild interest. Your servos grip tight to either edge of the medical slab, a burning heat building in your core. In spite of his disinterest, in spite of the way he fucks into you like it's merely a task to complete, you brace your pedes upon the end of the berth and open your legs further for him.
You scramble to grab his servo in both your own, pulling and maneuvering his hold around your neck. Just the feel of his powerful digits around such a vulnerable spot has you pleading; "Please, please, please," leaving your vocalizer mindlessly. And for once, you see a spark of intrigue in his gaze. The same sort of curiosity when he's looking at a problem that evades him. He wastes not a klik more, squeezing around your throat tubing and forcing a static-filled moan from your vocalizer. His grip is tight, carelessly forceful, and it sends a hard shudder down your back.
The charge of overload ripples through your EM field before it washes over your frame, your frame arching up into his rough rhythm and cruel grip. Your legs twining around his waist to pull Shockwave in as deep as he can go. He, mercifully, fucks you through it, shallow thrusts working out every last bit of pleasure from you. Your just past the height of your overload when his transfluid spills inside your oversensitive valve, calipers rippling and milking his spike. A gasp leaves your intake, your vents, as he satisfies the infuriating heat of your cycle.
#asks#txt#transformers#reader insert#reader imagine#smut#transformers prime#tf prime#shockwave#tf shockwave#tfp shockwave
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Mind telling us how the dynamics of duos within teen Sector V are? Like 1/2, 3/4, 2/5, 1/3, 2/4 and so on lol. Just to get to know them and how they are as teens a bit better!
AHHHH SO!!!
There's a lot to say here, so I'll start with Nigel and go on until everything is explained?? Before reading, I don't want hate or anything plz, this is what works for this AU but I pretty much can ship anyone with anyone!
Let's go!
#1/#2
Nigel and Hoagie like to work in tandem on new 2x4 tech for teen operatives to use. Hoagie has the ideas, Nigel refines them (and avoids Hoagie from making them too dangerous or unstable) and they build them together. Nigel hasn't always been one for manual work but lately he found out it helps him not to think too much. And Hoagie's more than happy to help "Big Boss" relax!
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#1/#3
Kuki is Nigel's personal ray of sunshine (that's also why the whole school calls her that). She helps him to cheer up and see life in a different way, a more colorful and positive one. They don't even have to talk, Nigel just needs to sit next to her and plop his head on her shoulder and she knows it's time to work her magic on him! Also she somehow convinced him to have her test her "make up skills" on him. Don't ask why, that's how they roll. AND! Kuki's been in charge of taking care of Nigel's rainbow monkey plush since he left for GKND.
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#1/#4
Because of something that happen to Wally years before (which, don't ask, none of them want to talk about it), these two are now really close. Especially Wally found a good friend he can talk to when life gets too hard on him, he knows Nigel will be more than happy to listen to him go off without judging or forcing a solution on him. Basically Nigel KNOWS the root of all of Wally's problems and understands his feelings. They don't like to show how close they are around, but if they find each other alone, it's feeling time.
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#1/#5
They know EVERYTHING about EVERYONE around the school, no one is safe, not even professors or the principal himself. They could crush everyone in one move... but choose not too because were would the fun be? Sill best friends, if you didn't know their history you could easily mistake them for a couple. Well, they are in fact planning their wedding, been doing that for 2 years now, but it always gets delayed because one of them changes his mind about a minor detail. Do they even argue? Are they actually together?? What is going on??? Only they know.
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#2/#3
Just a quick note: Numbuh 6 is still there and they still keep an eye on him, but he's been moved to another sector when they all turned 13. Because of his love for anime and manga, Hoagie is actually learning Japanese with her, because he thinks it would be cool to be able to watch anime without subtitles or worse, the... dub... EWW! Also they like to watch stuff together that Wally refuses to because it has romance in it, like Toradora! or even Sword Art Online.
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#2/#4
Best friends forever. Kinda gay, but not all the way? Like IRL JD and Turk basically. They're so into anime and manga and videogames, they're NERDS but Wally usually hides it around people, Hoagie can't be bothered and you can spot him reading some manga no one even knew existed. They have a lot of inside jokes not even the others understand, especially the "chicken" one they've been keep going since they were 7. Also, they're meme masters.
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#2/#5
How the heck are they even dating? Like, he's an OTAKU and she's the QUEEN of the school??? But it works apparently, and everyone is jealous and MAD at Hoagie because really, he's one of the LAMEST LOSERS in the school, just... how... WHY?? No one knows. But them. He makes her laugh and she keeps him with his feet on the ground. Been going for *looks at smudged note on the hand* 7 YEARS????
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#3/#4
A ray of sunshine and the prince of darkness. Happiness and rage, rainbow and clouds, colorful and black. They seem like opposite worlds colliding, but the whole school knows they're dating now. Took a bit of time tbh, it has its ups and downs, but they look happy together, so, what else could they want? 2 years down, their whole life to go.
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#3/#5
They have the love for make-up and fashion in common. Kuki likes to test her make-up skills on Abby, who's more than willing to let her go for it because she's actually good! They like to hang out at the mall, sometimes they drag Nigel with them for reasons (the boy needs some good clothes).
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#4/#5
If Nigel's the one Wally can go to without expecting judging or answers, Abby's the one who can give Wally a solution for a problem he has. She loves the boy, wants all the best for him, it's just that sometimes... he's... really something to work with. Actually turns out these two are the best ones to put on a mission together. They know how to work things out.
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Sorry I have no energy to do all the drawings for all dynamics, so I did the ones that inspired me the most.
Hope you liked it!
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How do you feel about the Marius/Javert ship a few people have been pitching lately (Marivert). Is the symbolism of the relationship between the police and the bourgeoise enough to make the ship work????
First, a question for you: who's been pitching lately?? what have I not been paying attention to?
& a more serious answer than you probably bargained for: I am pro all ships and actually have read two very tonally different fics that play out this pairing effectively enough. Fandom doesn't really need more than "the characters exist" to make a pairing happen, but I'd argue these two could actually work given they have an existing relationship to build on (not in the sense of "work romantically, wedding bells" but "result in a compelling story"). There's the obvious comedy potential given—well, they are who they are. However. I think Marius is overdrawn as comedic in fandom to the same degree that Javert's comedy is undersold, and you could do some interesting very earnest stuff playing off Marius' desire to be masculine, violent, dignified, etc., and the ways Javert sneers at that—maybe some agegap queer mentorship shit complicated by the fact that, ultimately, Javert as the police serves/surveils Marius as the bourgeois.
May I propose an unrelated absurdly serious fic, also:
Javert's suicide is diverted, & he goes full 19th c style lunatic over it & is institutionalized (I would have to do a disagreeable amount of research about how very-barely-socially-respectable insane people were managed at the time). In searching for solutions to the mysteries surrounding the barricade, Marius finds him, and he feels obligated to recover him from the squalid hospital conditions. There's some very tender-gross assistance with bathing, maybe lice. I feel like this is a great premise in which to deploy questionably realistic selective mutism as Javert struggles with the question of whether it is morally correct to clarify his history with Valjean. When Valjean shows up, he gaslight girlboss gatekeeps the shit out of both of them, deadpanning through his interaction with Javert effectively enough that Javert isn't actually sure this bourgeois is Valjean after all. And whoops I'm diverting myself to Valvert. Anyway for some reason Javert and Marius fuck and it's very morally dubious given the unexpected power difference, Javert is dependent on him for housing and food and social safety, he's not articulating desires or thoughts well, and—hm, perhaps there's been some delay on Marius' marriage with Cosette, he's painfully hungry for intimacy and he never intended to become so close to this other man's body, but—
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Fëanor: The Teleri won’t give us ships, but we can’t burn or seize them. We need to find another solution. I’m sure we have alternative ways to achieve our goal.
Curufin: But what if their refusal delays us and complicates our task? Perhaps we should consider other options to speed up the process?
Fëanor: We could learn to build ships ourselves. Let Arafínwë try to negotiate with Olwë, and someone else should attempt to approach the sea Maia.
Curufin: That’s reasonable. However, learning to build ships will require time and resources that we might be limited in. Do you think we can find the right teachers among the sea Maia? And what if our attempts to negotiate with them fail?
Fëanor: I believe that if we show patience and determination, we can persuade the sea Maia to help us. As for the training, we must mobilize our forces and resources to expedite the process. Even if negotiations with Olwë fail, we can always find other ways. The main thing is that we must act decisively and not let our efforts be in vain.
Sea Maia: I see that your intentions are serious, and your drive to build ships is respectful. We Maia have the knowledge that can help you, but it requires mutual respect and trust. We are willing to consider your proposal, but first, we need to understand what goal you are pursuing and how our cooperation can be beneficial for both sides. Why are you so determined to build new ships?
Fëanor: Morgoth killed our king Finwë.
Sea Maia: I understand your pain and anger, but this also requires deep wisdom in your actions. Your goal is clear, and the loss of King Finwë is a tragedy that demands a response. We are willing to discuss possible cooperation, but first, we need to ensure that your intentions will not threaten our stability and the peace we strive to maintain. If you can convince us of your honesty and noble intentions, we will consider providing assistance in building ships.
Fëanor: Our intentions are solely directed at protecting our people and restoring justice. We are prepared to offer you assurances that our cooperation will be based on mutual respect and benefit. We understand the importance of peace and stability and strive to ensure that our aid does not disrupt the harmony you maintain. Let us discuss the details and find a mutual solution that benefits everyone.
Sea Maia: After your explanation, we are willing to offer help. We will provide the knowledge and resources needed for building ships, on the condition that you will abide by our agreements and respect our traditions. Our masters can train your smiths and builders so you can create the ships you need. In return, we expect you to maintain peace and not undertake actions that could threaten our people.
Fëanor: Your agreement and support mean a lot to us. We will respect all conditions and ensure that our cooperation is based on mutual benefit and respect. We will prepare our people for training soon and begin working on the ships. Thank you for your help and understanding.
Fëanor: We have begun training our smiths and builders. Our people are working hard to master new skills and knowledge. I see that progress is being made, and soon our ships will be ready. It is a laborious process, but we will not give up and will do everything possible to achieve our goal.
Curufin: How is the training going? What is the reaction of our masters to the new methods and materials? Are there any difficulties we should consider to speed up the process?
Fëanor: Overall, our masters are showing great enthusiasm and interest in the new task. Some difficulties do arise, particularly in mastering the specific technologies and materials used by the Maia. We are learning from our mistakes and adapting our approaches to improve efficiency. We will also continue close cooperation with the sea Maia to resolve any issues that arise. Our efforts are already beginning to bear fruit, and I am confident that we will soon see the results of our work.
#lord of the rings#the silmarillion#tolkien#fanfic#curufin#curufiin#feanaro#feanor#maia#aynur#alqualonde#ships#ship building#silmarillion#silm fic#dialogues#character dialogue
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Love all of your headcanons and posts!
What are your headcanons for being on the ship and thrown into another galaxy with Exile Thrawn?
Hiii i'm so so so sorry for delay ! I was sick and my work takes so many time. So here we are =D So many things to say about, so i decided to limit myself to the very beginning of the exile. Hoping you like it.
There's a lot of talk about officers appreciating and admiring Thrawn for his military prowess, but you're clearly not one of them. For you, Thrawn got to his position by luck and above all - and you must recognize this - because most Imperials are idiots.
However, you were assigned to the Chimaera, which did not help your good relations with your superior. You are also very surprised to see the calm with which he handles your protests. Because you are the first to contradict him, the first to never agree with him and... Very strangely, the one who spends the most time in his office.
When the incident took place, when the shock carried you and the entire ship into the unknown, you were unable to contain your anger. You were afraid, but above all, you were mad with rage against him who predicted everything and who was not able to anticipate this catastrophe.
The idea of being stuck there, somewhere, far from everything with him is literally unbearable for you. Seriously ? You would rather end up in a sandy desert and die of thirst.
You notice that despite the fiasco you are the victim of, Thrawn remains surprisingly calm when observing the damage to the ship. Yet there is something hovering above him and you are unable to define it. It drives you crazy this constant indifference to everything that seems to happen to you because of him.
In your own way, you try to act to find a solution. You note the damage suffered by the ship, count the number of deaths. Discovering that some of your friends did not survive the shock is difficult for you to take. The worst ? Report it to your superior who remains impassive in the face of your distress and the seriousness of what is affecting you.
After several days of struggle, your body becomes exhausted as much as your mental strength. Nothing seems to allow you to be located by the Imperial forces. Nothing tells you where you got lost. Distraught, on the verge of a nervous breakdown, you notice that Thrawn is watching you.
And it’s the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
You walk up to him, your eyes filled with anger and tears, and throw your badges at his feet. Deciding that being far from the empire allows you to free yourself from its authority. You scream. You fume to see him so indifferent, so impassive while there are still lives to save on this ship, that the empire needs your help.
He lets you explode, remaining impassive in the face of your anger. The truth is that the anger you direct at him is also directed at you. You are unable to admit that despite all your efforts and the accumulated fatigue you are unable to find a reasonable solution.
You thought you would make him react by putting yourself in this state, but he just asks you if you are finished and leaves without another word.
At nightfall, when you have been in exile with him for several weeks now, you are wandering aimlessly in the carcass of the Chimaera when you notice a light on the main command deck. Thrawn's shadow casts over you as you sneak in to spy on him.
He looks defeated, the light from the holoprojection further stretching his already tired features. Even though he remains in a deep state of concentration, what you see on his face that evening upsets you more than you would like to admit.
Trouble. Disappointment. Pain. Guilt. Thrawn probably realizes that he will be stuck here for a long time and that he will miss important feats of arms for the empire. That he will be cut off from the world and his loved ones for much longer than expected.
And it breaks your heart.
On the holovid, you discover that the Grand Admiral has also put his time to good use. Rather than looking for a solution inside the ship, he has undertaken excavations outside and numerous symbols are projected onto the central table. Symbols that you have already seen in books when you were a student and which are not that foreign to you.
-Dathomir. You said in a breath. The look he gives you then petrifies you in a strange way. As if your heart had just stopped beating and started beating faster than normal. Had you ever realized the intensity of his gaze before this moment? You put these strange emotions down to fatigue before he speaks.
-Perhaps we have before us the solution to all our problems, lieutenant. He whispers in a monotone voice. You are stunned by the amount of work he has accomplished in such a short time and you are angry that you were so wrong.
-Will you help me? He ends up murmuring at your silence. That’s when you realize he hasn’t taken his eyes off you for many minutes. After a brief moment of hesitation, you end up nodding your head.
-I've never been very cooperative, but I'm willing to make an effort. You admitted slowly, eyes glued to the ground.
-Stay as you are. It’s your spirit that I’m going to need to bring us back. For your mind and your intelligence.
These words hit you like a crashing space cruiser. It’s violently sweet and you’re not sure your heart will survive it. Either way, you're convinced this is the start of something different. That this exil will introduce you to Grand Admiral Thrawn like no one has ever seen him.
#star wars#grand admiral thrawn#thrawn#fanfiction#star wars thrawn#grand admiral thrawn x reader#thrawn x reader#thrawn ahsoka#star wars ahsoka#ahsoka thrawn#star wars fanfiction#star wars headcanon#headcanon prompts
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I think Rocket would be like, INSANELY good at Hanayama Enigma puzzles. They're these little puzzles made out of interlocking metal parts, and the goal is to take them apart and then put them back together. I could see him just coming across one and fiddling with it for a few seconds before having it taken apart not even realizing it's supposed to be a challenge. He's so good at intuitively knowing how things fit together that these puzzles would be no match for him.
sorry for my delay, sweet nonnie. i've been a little burnt-out and reclusive lately, and i apologize! i'm back now (sorta), and so grateful you sent me this ask. i had to look these up and then i fell into a hole watching youtube videos of people solving them. wild. my brain does not work this way.
rocket's brain, however, absolutely works this way. you are 100% correct. of course, you'd know. the first time he sees you fucking around with one of these puzzles, he peers over your shoulder for a whole two seconds before being like, you're doing it wrong.
you don't even know what i'm trying to do, you say, annoyed, and he rolls his eyes.
fuck off. do too. twist that piece there. no, not that much. moron.
you follow his less-than-stellar directions - more out of curiosity than anything else - and outside of a few false starts when he's just not being clear about what he wants you to do, every new step takes you closer to the perfect solution.
it would be enraging if it weren't for how fascinated he looks. not by the puzzle itself, so much as the idea that it is a puzzle. for him, it just makes sense. he looks at these pieces of metal and - from your perspective - it's like he can see right through time, to the thing it's supposed to be. and god forbid he gets his actual hands on it. he's even faster when you convince him to try one himself and to do it blindfolded. if anything, it's almost like his eyes get in the way.
of course, it makes sense. every gun and weapon and ship he builds is ultimately just a bigger puzzle.
he doesn't understand why any of these toys are more difficult for you to figure out than something as simple as a clothespin, and that's what's got him all entranced. if you can understand how a key works in a lock or how to take apart a quad blaster to clean it, why can't you understand how to dismantle this tiny sculpture and put it back together again? that's the real puzzle, as far as rocket's concerned, and it's the one he decides he's gonna solve. so he starts making puzzles of his own - for you - little bits of interlocking metal, shapes that come together into new shapes. he tries to figure out the perfect combination of pieces that makes a thing hard for you to solve, but not too hard.
when a planet isn't being saved and the galaxy doesn't need guarding, this is how the citizens of knowhere find the two of you: in the dim dusky light of the artificial knowhere sunset, sitting outside mantlo's with either a pair of gargleblasters (yours is watered down) or milky fizzes, depending on the night. both of you are clinking away, the streetlights reflecting on the smooth glossy pieces of metal in your hands. you're trying to figure out the most recent puzzle rocket has given you, and rocket's busy bending and twisting metal to make the next one.
i'm using you, he tells you one night, after he's finished crafting your next puzzle and is just drinking his booze and looking down the street, watching people snack on streetfood and the star children play something like tag because drax is a pushover when it comes to enforcing bedtimes.
yeah? you mumble distractedly.
mmhm. he nods solemnly. i figure out how hard a puzzle is, depending on how long it takes your dumb ass to solve it. then, when some asshole comes to ask me questions or wants something, i give it to them so they get distracted and leave me alone.
yeah, okay, captain, you drawl, taking a sip of your drink and going back to the cool metal between your fingers. you've seen him doing exactly what he's describing, but you've noticed he never gives anyone a puzzle that's too difficult for them - just something for them to wrap their minds around for a few rotations, something to stretch their brains. they're always so proud when they come back to their captain with their toy figured out, even if he just gives them a blank stare - pretending he really does think they're idiots.
of course, the people of knowhere see right through him.
rocket's such a hard ass, you mock. who knew.
he makes a typical scoffing sound, but when you look up, you can see him: watching his people with soft eyes. nebula's out today, talking with some of the vendors, and one of the kids is perched on her back. you can hear drax laughing down the street, and somewhere, cosmo barks happily. rocket's shoulders are relaxed, and his tail flicks lazily, and you're not sure you've ever seen him so at ease.
you lean over and nudge him with your elbow.
joke's on you, bud.
everyone here just thinks you're handing out presents because you like them.
#rfh asks#rocket raccoon#rfh fluff#rocket raccoon headcanon#guardians of the galaxy#rfh headcanons#rocket raccoon imagine
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🚂 Ttte Oc's 🚂
From left to right
🩵°•Jenny•°🐰
🩵Jenny is a Moroccan engine, she was build in 1930 (in my AU), and she came to sodor in 1987, and she's the number 58 tank engine
🩵Jenny works in the railway by taking the mail train with Percy, they really love to work together and she's Percy's female best friend
🩵She also in her human form, she can turn into a human bunny engine, or a normal humanised engine according to her will, but she prefers to transform into a human bunny because she loves bunnies
🩵Jenny is innocent in front of others, but when she is alone, she performs devilish acts that even Satan himself could not think of, and she always causes confusion and delay
🩵she loves collecting flowers with Rosie, and distributes them to others, and she works also as an Easter engine and her job is distributing the Easter eggs and chocolates around the stations
🩵She doesn't have any interest in love at the moment, but she really simps for James, and she loves teasing him, he's cute when he's angry, Gordon can't help but giving her solutions to calm him down, and she loves to call him some cute nicknames like Jams or cherry pie or nom noms
🩵she's Mia (@miasonyson )'s best friend, and they spend their time by chatting with echother for hours, or drawing, and many things, she's close with Duck and Oliver, and she wished to be their adopted daugther, she loves playing with Toad and Skiff in the beach, and she wants to be really useful like Thomas
💚°•Creater•°✏️
💚this is just me in real life, I'm Hiba (aka Jessy the bunny) I'm the controller who's running this silly railway AU, and I'm responsable in these humanised engines, and I'm the one who gives them the orders or tell them what to do,They call me "the emo controller" because of my gloomy personality so I guess I deserve to be called by that, The human engines have to be useful or I'll smack their asses
🖤°•Mia•°🎧
🖤character made by @miasonyson
🖤Mia is an American engine who came from America to Sodor to start a new life in there, she's a young adult and she is 23 years old
🖤In fact, Mia is a vampire and loves drinking blood, Sometimes she loses control and can drink all of that person's blood and kill him
🖤Mia has a dirty mind, and when she hear someone's moaning in pain or sickness or something, she thinks about something nasty. ngl me either have the same problem
🖤Mia has a massive crush on Murdoch, and her normal Oc has a crush on Aiden (her oc)
🖤She's getting too lazy at work, and she tries as hard as she can to escape from working, but sometimes when she escapes, the controller finds out about her and she get insulted
🖤She's addectid to Odetari's songs, she finds his songs fire
🖤she's really a huge fan of pizza just like Jenny, Hide the pizza from them!!!
🖤She's close with Thomas, Percy and Rosie and she loves to be a mother for them, she finds Diesel 10 an asshole but cool at the same time, She likes to attend Lady's magic lessons
💛°•Marina•°🧜🏻♀️
💛she's the sodor resident fish woman™️
💛Marina came to Sodor but she was unconscious because her wrists were cut by a ship's propeller while she was diving on her way there, She was in a hopeless situation
💛She has a massive crush on Skiff, Because he was the only one who helped and comforted her, and he was the first to see her human form after a long discussion that took place between them, and he also told her that he could transform into a rail boat and he's not actuelly a human
💛Marina suffers from severe anxiety for her life, because there are fishermen trying to catch her and kill her, so she tries not to appear much on the island to avoid any harm, and she makes sure to wear her clothes on
💛Marina is an orphan of parents, and she really hopes that she will have a sister, because she was the only one for her parents and she was feeling lonely because of that, and her parents did not allow her to swim outside the water because of the presence of the fishermen, but unfortunately her parents died because they were stubborn, and for this reason Marina suffers from axiety
💛she loves spends her time with Duck and he's her best friend, and also with Oliver and Toad, especially Toad, she would do anything for him, also close with Donald and Douglas and she treats them like her brothers, She doesn't hate Diesel 10 and she treats him very nicely, but she hates Diesel because of his rudeness, She also spends time with some female engines like Emily and Rosie and Mavis and Molly, And also close with Thomas and Percy and she plays the role of a mother to them and ensures that no disaster occurs on their part
#Ocs#Oc#Ttte oc#Ttte#ttte fandom#ttte humanised#ttte humanisation#ttte human au#Au#Ttte au#Ttte emo controller 💚🖤#marina the mermaid🧜🏻♀️🌊#fypシ#viral#fandom#thomas and friends#thomas the tank engine#jessy the bunny 🐰🌺#jessy is out of connection#jessy loves you guys 💗💗#gacha club#gacha#ttte headcanons#love you all#💐self inserts💐#Jenny the bunny engine 🐰🌸#Mia the demon engine 😈🎧#Ttte jenny🐰#Ttte mia🎧#Ttte marina🧜🏻♀️
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heyheyhey 3 and 4 for the fic ask game ?
*slides in* *puts on peace sign* HELLO TO THE BEST AKU STAN EVER <3
3. Do you have any upcoming WIPs? How fat along are you with them?
QUITE A FEW ACTUALLY! since you're my bsd moot I shall give you a small list of the ones I'm focused on posting at least by January <3
ALREADY BASKING IN THE SUN — kunikidazai canon, slice of life vibes, pining & fluff. teen and up. currently the first scene is written and I hope to have it out next week!
IF WE MUST BECOME SOMETHING — soukoku, dazai & atsushi, festivals, based on that absolutely lethal wan! panel. yk the one. with the fireworks. teen and up. it's half written!! I just need to write out the final scenes and post next week hopefully
WHERE MY PULSE BEATS — soukoku college/high school au, band member!chuuya, soloist!dazai, whatever you can use to describe pre-dark era soukoku to lovers, explicit, I am still plotting this out very randomly
UNTITLED — soukoku canon relationship fix-it, missing scenes vibes, post-dead apple & post-cannibalism arc, explicit. still writing out random scenes to see how well it all fits together
UNTITLED — fyozai, vague college au, straight up just discussions of suicide. ghost!fyodor. mature. making notes for it and reading fyozai fic (giggles my fav bsd ship ever) to properly cement characterization!!
4. Tell me about one of your abandoned WIPs. Why did you abandon it?
AHDHHSHD I'LL COPY PASTE MY REPLY TO THE OTHER ASK!!
hoo boy. so, there was a sort of ambitious au I tried to write once—have you heard of twin star exorcists? I'm an anime enthusiast of it since I got pretty frustrated with where the manga was going what with the constant delays and derailing from the main point and the author not staying consistent with details, etc. that being said the anime doesn't fill a lot of gaps that should have been filled.
so while I was still pretty active in the kpop circles—which I probably will go back to soon lol when I feel less icky about the people I was beefing with—I tried to write a TSE au. while it wasn't my brightest idea to transpose a bunch of Koreans onto a Japanese setting, I also underestimated how difficult it'd be to handle all those canon details.
plus, exorcism is very heavily based on Buddhism, specifically in Japan, so I was just like. well am I prepared to potentially insult an entire faith. (research goes a long way kids! don't listen to younger mari) and I just sort of...let it falter and it doesn't even exist in my wip folder anymore </3
(it also involves a forced arranged marriage and the topic of being forced to have a kid, essentially, and I didn't want to genderbend anyone for it, so my solution was a trans man who was at least somewhat interested in having kids biologically one day, like me. once again, I didn't feel I did a very good job of it, and it was a little daunting to write it knowing that i did want at least a semi explicit scene that, once again, reflected me as a person. being a minor at the time, I let the idea go. and I was also much less confrontational at the time so I didn't think I could handle it if anyone was being weird about it lmao—which I fully can and will at this point.
that being said, I did write a fic about a trans man having a kid for a different fandom earlier this year, so I'm linking it if you're interested! very fluffy and family fun. and not explicit. though be warned, it is rpf lol)
HOWEVER!! I've actually considered picking it up again and rebranding as a soukoku au? once again, enemies to lovers, my transchuu agenda, my dazai can be any gender agenda, EXORCIST PRODIGIES, one of the characters has no idea where they came from and has a whole Bit about questioning their humanity. i.e. arahabaki parallels. there are a few gaps I'm trying to work out but it's definitely an idea haha)
fic ask game
#AAAA TYSM FOR ASKING!!! GIGGLES#i have so much fun with these kinds of things#fic ask game#fic writing#ao3#mari rambles#ginderfluid#fic asks
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Parting's Eve
@ramyeonguksu's ask about angsty situations reminded me that I actually did have an idea for a Johnnytaru angst ficlet. I went and wrote that here!
Takes place near the end of Endwalker.
A soft knock came from the door to Johnny’s room in the Baldesion Annex. The sound originated from the lower half of the door, so his visitor was likely a Lalafell, and since he knew Krile was usually early to bed, the visitor was likely Tataru.
His fiancée. Johnny thought about the tiny golden ring that he’d slid onto her finger last month, and fought off a nervous jitter as he thought about how much more he had to lose now.
He strode over to the door, opening it without delay.
“Johnny, I…”
It was rare to hear her so short on words. Johnny nodded, beckoning her inside and closing the door behind her.
Passing by the table, Tataru headed straight for the bed, hopping up onto it and sitting on the edge, nervously kicking her legs back and forth. Johnny took the spot next to her, and she immediately leaned into his side.
“I’m frightened, Johnny,” she began. “Frightened of so many, many things. I’ve bid you good luck before your final battle several times now. Each time, I’ve known that you risked your life, and that if you failed, I would be at risk too, but this time just feels different. Johnny, I know you’ll come back, and I know I’ll be fine, but-“
A waver had built in Tataru’s voice, and by the end of her sentence it had turned into a sob. She turned to her right and flung her arms around him, and Johnny reciprocated as best he could without smothering her.
She continued, voice occasionally punctuated by hiccups. “I just can’t stop thinking about all the awful ways it could go wrong! What if you never come back? What if you can’t stop the Final Days? What if you do stop the Final Days, but all this worrying I’m doing sees me turn before you get back?”
“You won’t,” Johnny assured. He tightened his grip on her, pulling her up off the bed and closer to him, letting her head rest on his shoulder as he supported her in his arms. “You won’t turn. You’re one of the strongest people I know.”
She sniffled into his shoulder, and Johnny felt tears welling in his own eyes to match. He wished there was some action he could take, some spell he could cast that would fix all this. To end the Final Days neatly, without having to step onto that spaceship and make his best friend sit in anguish back here while he risks his life.
But there was no easy solution, no single spell. He would have to board the Ragnarok tomorrow and do this the hard way, and pray with all his might that Tataru would still be here when he got back.
“I’m not strong,” Tataru protested. “I can do a good show of faking it from time to time, but I’m not strong like the rest of you. If I was, I’d be next to you on that ship tomorrow, instead of back here in Sharlayan praying you come back.”
“Tataru, that prayer means everything to me,” Johnny said. “I’ll do everything I can do come back.”
She loosened her grip, and Johnny lowered her down onto his lap so they could make eye contact. “What if it’s not enough, though? Johnny, you have to understand that from my perspective, in all the worlds where this fails, that time tomorrow morning when you step onto the Ragnarok is the last time I see you! Krile and I will have to tend to the Annex for a lonely little while before the Final Days arrive here, and once that happens, poof! No more Tataru!”
“I won’t let that happen!” Johnny said, clamping his hands on her shoulders. “We won’t fail. And if we do, I’ll find some way to come back. I won’t let you be lonely at the end, Tataru. I won’t.”
She looked up, eyes already awash with tears, and was wracked with a full-bodied sob. Johnny pulled her as close as he could, burying her face in the crook of his neck.
“It can’t end here, Johnny,” she said after a while. “We have too much left to do.”
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