#also might just make a tag for all the building I do with stephen so i can find them in future

[vault81]

also working on Tenpines Bluff atm! v proud of myself for lining up the floor inside the destroyed building on the first try!

[space-mermaid-writing]

The witchling and the god [Loki x Witch!Reader] Chapter 6

Summary: The Avengers were looking for someone to help Loki fit in with the team. To become socially acceptable, so to speak. He had been given the choice of sitting in a cell in Asgard or serving some sort of community service probation on Midgard. The Avengers and Shield both felt that as long as Loki was on Earth, he should be under supervision. This is now your job. Why? Because you’re a witch. You’re not sure why this qualifies you, but here you are, giving it a shot. What could possibly go wrong?

Tags: Witch!Reader, Magic, Witches, slow burn, everybody lives in the tower, character development, Loki‘s redemption, Stephen Strange is a friend, Loki and Stephen are frenemies, Tony Stark is a good bro, kids love Loki, Tony has stupid nicknames for everybody, eventual smut

Main Masterlist | Series Masterlist | Read it on AO3 | Previous | Next

Chapter's Note: I know that 'Make a wish' and 'Meet your hero' are two different things but for the sake of this story I do not care. You know what is meant. More kids loving Loki in this chapter. Beta by @zaria-04 <3

Chapter 6: Make a wish

The next few days pass by quite uneventfully. However, there is one thing you can't get out of your head and that is how easily Loki dealt with the child. And after some thinking, you have an idea.

"Do you know what the 'Make a wish foundation' is?" you ask the God of Mischief one morning.

"I do not. But from the name, I would guess that this foundation makes wishes come true."

"Exactly. It's for kids with serious illnesses. One part of it is where kids who have to stay in hospitals permanently or long-term can meet their idols. Right now, Spider-Man is very popular, but there are also meet and greets with singers or famous artists," you explain, showing him some videos and pictures of these meetings on a tablet. "Sometimes just a double or an actor who looks like the idol comes in."

"And you want me to do something like that?" Loki laughs, but not amused. "That's something for your so-called heroes. Why would anyone want to meet me, the evil one?"

Some day you should talk to him about how he sees himself. "You wouldn't go there as a villain, but as a Norse god," you explain. "A lot of kids are interested in mythology. Especially when they're sick and are looking for comfort or answers. I went through a Roman phase myself when I was young, and I just devoured all the myths and stories."

"Pah, Jupiter is no match for us," Loki retorts dismissively, but seems to be thinking about your words, because he tilts his head and stares at a vague point. He usually does this when he is lost in thought. You give him all the time he needs.

"I'd better not ask. I don't know if I could handle knowing that more gods are real. I'd have to ask you about Jesus." You speak more to yourself than to him, but of course Loki opens his mouth, which is why you quickly add: "Please, don't answer that."

Amused, he closes his mouth again.

"You don't have to decide right now, okay? Just think about it for a little bit. I wouldn't suggest it if I didn't think it was a good idea," you say, "It's about the kids. So it will be absolutely necessary that there are no incidents. There will be some rules put in place. But it would be a good opportunity to build your reputation. And I imagine you might even have fun doing it."

"I hardly think so," the Asgardian retorts.

"Why not? A room full of little Loki fans adoring you should just be to your liking."

Your words make him think. "When you put it that way, it actually sounds tempting. Fine, I‘ll do it."

That's how quickly it's decided.

You'd discussed the idea with Tony beforehand, of course. Surprisingly, he had no objections, and now that Loki has agreed, you can get down to the actual preparations and planning.

~~

It takes a little while until everything is organized. With the help of Doctor Stephen Strange you found a children's hospital with integrated hospice, which is outside of New York and perfectly suited for your project. You got on the phone with the staff and after a few calls you were able to set a date. They already had experience there with this type of meet and greet, although there had probably never been a god among the idols.

You did not reveal that he is a literal god. It's about the kids and you don't want to stir up suspicion in advance.

A driver takes Loki and you there, along with two agents in civilian clothes. That's standard procedure and SHIELD insists on it. The two would keep a low profile, but could step in if it became necessary. Even if it was just to keep out unwanted onlookers.

To quote the team leader, "You'd be surprised by some of the strange incidents we've had."

In the car, you give Loki a final briefing.

"It's important that you stay calm, no matter what," you remind him. "And no magic!"

"No magic that anyone notices as such," he corrects you.

"No magic that anyone notices as such," you repeat, adding, "And no chaos. I know chaos is a part of you, but in this case, please keep it to a manageable minimum."

"Yes, ma’am." Loki salutes mockingly. "No chaos, no deaths, I won't even set a single fire."

You're glad he takes it with humor and isn't offended. The truth is, you're probably more nervous than he is. This is a big deal. Not a simple lunch where the two of you are more or less alone. He's about to stand in front of kids and interact with them. Kids are unpredictable, but you trust your instincts. You wouldn't do this if you had a bad feeling about it.

"I'm sorry, I know you'll do a good job," you smile apologetically. "I trust you."

Loki's expression changes as he looks at you and nods. You get the feeling he's never looked so sincere before.

How long has he been waiting for someone to say those words to him? And mean them. Such simple words, but with a big impact.

Your attention is drawn from each other as the car stops.

You enter the hospital as a group and at the reception desk you meet the administrator and the head nurse, with whom you had spoken on the phone. A few minutes of shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries follow. Loki takes the lead on this and you let him.

He has dressed up especially for the occasion. He wears fine, Asgardian clothes, ornately decorated and an aura of royalty surrounds him. It is hard not to be captivated by him and your eyes keep wandering to him.

The head nurse - she has introduced herself as Nurse Chapel and belongs to the kind of person who is cordial but does not tolerate nonsense. You take an instant liking in her - leads you to the second floor.

"The kids are all between eight and eleven years old," she tells you along the way. "Their conditions go from cancer to genetic defects. But it has been a good day so far."

Loki doesn't know these disease names, but you explained to him ahead of time why the kids need to be here in the hospital.

"How fragile are they?" he wants to know.

"Probably less than you think. Go ahead and make them laugh from the heart. It's good for them." Chapel stops in front of a door. "Ready?" she asks Loki.

He looks briefly at you, then nods. "Yes."

The head nurse walks in first and announces Loki, who follows her promptly. You fall back a few steps and enter the room unobtrusively. The two undercover agents remain in the hallway.

The room is comfortably furnished, almost like a living room of sorts, with several seating options. Eight children sit in a semicircle in the middle and you spot two more nurses with them. The children all look far too pale and thin for their age. Most are wearing scarves tied around their heads instead of hair and one boy is pushing an IV around. But their faces are all beaming as their attention is on Loki. He has joined them in the circle and is about to answer their questions, which they immediately throw at him.

"Why isn't your hair red?" asks the boy with the IV. His voice croaks a little. "I thought Loki was a ginger."

"I'm over a thousand years old. It’s boring to always have the same color of hair." Loki puts the flat of his hand on his hairline in his forehead so that it covers it, then slides his hand up a bit. The hair underneath suddenly appears orange-red. "See. It's easy." When he moves his hand back, the area is black again.

So much for no magic.

The kids make a general "Ooooooh!" sound.

"Can you make my hair longer?" a girl asks who has no scarf but just a short, light fluff on her head.

"Your hair is wonderful, little lady. I've rarely seen such a beautiful shaped head."

The girl giggles, but before she can object further, another child interjects with another question. "Is it true that you gave birth to a horse?"

Loki raises his index finger. "Ah, that's often said, but actually the story goes quite differently. Would you like me to tell you?"

"Yeees!"

"So listen well, little ones. This is the story of an adventure! Long ago, a wall was built around Asgard for protection. But the master builder, a Hrimthurse, deceived Odin and shortly before the completion of the wall he demanded the goddess Freya as his wife, as well as the moon and the sun. This was an outrage beyond comparison. My brother Thor and I hatched a plan to prevent this.

One night I kidnapped the Hrimthurse's horse, which was a very strategic move and allowed Thor to defeat him in battle. But, alas, I did not know that the horse was pregnant and it gave birth that night to Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse. I brought both animals home to the royal stable. The horses of the Hrimthurses are wild beasts, and very strong. But I managed to raise and tame Sleipnir. And when it was big enough, I gifted it to Odin, so that he could ride it to war."

You sat down on a chair near the wall, near the two nurses, who actually wanted to drink a coffee, but now - just like the children - listened spellbound to the narration. You also hang on to his every words.

Loki has truly earned his name silvertongue. He remains seated among the children and doesn't even use much gesticulation. He doesn't need to emphasize his story. His voice and words alone are perfectly sufficient for that.

You have heard some myths about the eight-legged horse Sleipnir, who is supposedly Loki's child. But it is something else to hear directly from him about what happened. He manages to make it seem as if you yourself were present at the ruse, when Loki conjured up mist in the middle of the night and crept in the darkness to the Hrimthurse's horse.

"Does that mean you can't turn into a horse at all?" one of the children asks curiously.

"Oh, I am absolutely able to do that." Loki's eyes flash mischievously at you and for a moment you're afraid he's really going to do that, as he demonstratively looks around. "However, I'm afraid it's a little too crowded here for a horse. You wouldn't want to be responsible for me knocking over all the furniture, would you?"

"No!" - "Yes!" resounds simultaneously from different mouths.

Fortunately, the nurses don't seem fazed and think it's all great fun.

"Tststs," Loki playfully scolds. "You little rascals." Suddenly he has a pair of dice in his hand, which he wills into the air and deftly catches again. "Have you ever heard of Loki’s Dice?"

"No."

"No? Well, let me tell you: it's a great game. And not just because I invented it. How about this: whoever beats me at it, gets a great prize. Who wants to try first?"

Several children's arms shoot up. Loki puts a finger to his lips and everyone is quiet as a mouse. He has this presence that grabs everyone’s attention.

He makes a show of making the dice disappear in his hands and reappear somewhere else. He'd be a really good sleight of hand magician. Along the way, he explains the rules, which are basically pretty simple. He even wrote a song about it, which he performs.

He has a wonderful singing voice. Like honey. And you feel like the fly that's caught with it. You could listen to him forever.

Loki throws the dice. The goal is to hit six. He throws a seven.

Loki throws the dice. All eyes are on the dice. He makes the bet disappear.

Loki rolls the dice. All sides show ones. He is the trickster.

It warms you to watch him. There's something very kind, but also a bit mischief about his interaction with the kids. They love it and he keeps them entertained and for a while makes them forget their pain, the various reasons they are here for. There is no trace of his arrogance or even the criminal that many see in him. You can get used to this Loki you're watching here. You wish to see this side of him much more often.

Hearing his rich laugh, seeing the twinkle in his eye just before he makes a great joke.

As indicated in the song, it's hard to beat him at his own game. Time and time again, the dice show a picture that shouldn't be on them at all. But one child after another finally makes it and Loki gifts each one of them a cube of their own afterwards.

"Do you dance?" a girl asks Loki afterwards. "Other heroes always dance when they visit us."

Loki's gaze darts to you briefly, noticing that you're watching him, amused but intrigued. He winks at you and it makes your heart leap. "I'm no hero, but I can show you a dance that is popular at feasts in Odin's halls," he says, turning to the girl. "But I need a partner for that." He holds out his hand to her and she jumps to her feet, giggling.

They begin with a bow to each other. Then they place their palms together and Loki softly hums the beat. They take a few steps in one direction, then he leads her into a turn and right back again. They are an uneven pair, the girl barely reaching Loki's waist, but she makes up for it with enthusiasm, swinging her feet with laughter.

Loki hands her his other hand and they dance a not-too-complicated pattern around each other. At one point the girl stumbles, but the Asgardian elegantly catches her and sets her back in her seat. He then bows to her.

"M'lady."

She giggles while another child holds up his arm.

"Me next."

Loki looks at the faces and puts his hands on his hips.

"For it to be a real party, everyone has to dance."

The children are immediately in it and scatter to their feet. Loki helps them form pairs and then shows them the steps again.

Shortly after, most of them are just jumping and laughing wildly, having great fun. Even the nurses are clapping along to a beat.

Loki appears at your side and before you can protest, he has grabbed your hand and pulled you among the dancers as well. Continuing to hold your hand, he places his right on your waist and leads you to the music of the laughing children. His eyes flash down at you in amusement.

This is not what you imagined for this day. Somehow it's much better.

Finally, the visit comes to an end. Loki takes his time saying goodbye, realizing the significance of what it means for the children to have to go back to their rooms and beds. He may also be intentionally delaying his departure a bit to keep them in the illusion of a normal, healthy day a little longer.

Nurse Chapel steps up beside you. "He's great," she comments quietly, glancing at the Asgardian.

You smile proudly, for you are happy for him. "Yeah."

"We have another boy here, Felix. He's fourteen and a big fan of Norse mythology. Unfortunately, he's too weak to leave his room. I know it wasn't part of the agreement, but do you think your Loki could pay him a quick visit?" She hesitates briefly while you still let the phrase 'your Loki' sink in. It sounds good. "It's not a sight for the faint-hearted," the head nurse then adds.

You blink and push the thoughts out of your head. "I'll talk to him," you promise her and she thanks you with a nod.

You go ahead and step out into the hallway. One of the SHIELD agents is sitting on a bench at the wall, looking up as you close the door. You spot the other standing at the end of the hallway.

"Are we done?" he asks you.

"Almost. How was it out here?"

"All quiet."

A few minutes later Loki comes out of the door, grinning and with his arms outstretched. He looks very pleased with himself and his gaze wanders to you.

“What do you think?" he asks you, "Did you enjoy the show?"

"You were great. I knew you would ace it." You beam at him and he seems satisfied with that answer. Then you bring up the head nurse’s request. "Nurse Chapel just asked me if you could visit another boy who is not allowed to leave his bed. Would you do that? If you rather go back home, that's totally fine and nobody wil-..."

"I'll do it," he interrupts you.

You smile at him. "That's very kind of you."

"Well, I am a generous god," he says cockily, but his tone is affectionately sarcastic.

You beckon Nurse Chapel to come over and share Loki's response with her. She gives him a grateful smile and leads the way. It's on another floor at the end of a hallway.

"If you could wait outside," she says, addressing you. "Too many people drain him."

"Of course." With a final pat on Loki's arm, he follows the head nurse inside while you and the two agents stay in the hallway. The door is just ajar and you hear the dark tone of Loki's voice. It's muffled and you can't make out any individual words. There is also a soft, steady beeping and something that sounds like a ventilator.

You think about stopping somewhere on the way home and grabbing food for everyone. They had earned it. It had been an extremely successful day. Loki has proven himself, you are very pleased with his performance. He seemed to have had fun as well, and you're already thinking about what project you might approach next. After today, your goal of having him join the Avengers team doesn't seem so unrealistic anymore. Maybe you should just tell him to think of them all as kids. Then maybe he'd get along with them better. The thought makes you chuckle.

Suddenly, you hear an alarm at the station and look up. You register that the soft, steady beeping has turned into a piercing sound. Several nurses and doctors come running up and into the room. The two agents have jumped up from their seats, but neither of you wants to stand in the way of a medic. Only when the way is clear do you rush into the room as well, ignoring Chapel's previous warning to wait outside.

In here, the sound is louder, almost ringing shrilly in your ears. There is only one bed in the room. You can't see the figure on it, because it's surrounded by doctors and nurses performing CPR. Loki is standing with his back against the wall, as if he had backed away. His face is pale - paler than usual - and horrified. He raises his head just as you enter and your eyes meet. In the next second, he vanishes.

Shit.

__________________________________

Tag List: @lokisgoodgirl @lokixryss @itsybitchylittlewitchy @yokshi-unbeliebubble @fictional-hooman @elennair @all-envy-suyu @purplekitten30 @elisadmaggiore @nothing2113 @baebeepeach @ceo-of-stfu @moonlightreader649 @ronipiamka @fluffybunnyu @ninjarose23

[pinkmarbella2050]

ETN Ramble: Season 2 AU

Right... I think this might be becoming a thing. I apologise now.

Anyway, hi, guys! Today, I'm gonna be rambling about a random ETN Season 2 AU I got when I was reading over my PMs with the lovely @rockonfishboy. I very well might write it and put it up on AO3, but I just need to get it out of my system first. So some quick context and TWs before we get into this: 1. Yes, I am obsessed with Season 2. A lot of the characters are very interesting and their dynamics are some of the most interesting in the show. Fight me.

2. This AU idea contains a ton of murder, a bit of stalking, torture and pretty much anything you can think of taken straight out of a horror movie (which is basically ETN, but WAY less censorship) and put into this fic. If you are triggered by any of the above (or anything in the tags that I may not have mentioned above), please do not read this post.

But with all that aside, let's go!

So this AU is based on what I call 'High School/College Horror'. If you need an example, think of things like Unfriended or House of Wax or Happy Death Day. Basically, the movie either features an event that took place at that time and that event triggers the story of the movie or the characters are around that age.

They may not be in college (depends on what exactly I wanna do), but to me, it has that same kind of energy.

Essentially, the AU revolves around the Season 2 cast in a huge mess; due to a massive misunderstanding on their part, Lauren died because of them at a party. In the words of Liza Koshy, Alex is single. And also, because of this, he's also now completely unhinged.

Because here's the thing; he thought he was doing everything right. He thought nobody would have to see this side of him, the side desperate for a normal life beyond his circumstances. He didn't have the best life, but with Lauren, he had a chance to overcome that, to escape it.

They took that away from him.

So his solution? Brutally torture and murder everyone, take their things and build a new life for himself out of the ashes he burned them down to.

Or force them into a death game or something. One of the two.

So what does he do? He makes a list. Gets all the information he can on Lauren's death and, from there, deduces who he thinks is the most-to-least responsible for her death.

From there, he will kill from bottom to top. That way, the people who are the most responsible will suffer more as more of their friends die.

...I swear, all he needs to be No Mercy Percy is a goddamn pepperbox at the rate I'm going. ANYWAY!

I think that one idea that would be really cool is that their deaths are based on their roles from Season 2. So for example:

Alex convinces Andrea her house is haunted and, when she's kinda went a loopy off of it, he kills her.

Alex kills Jesse during a break-in (IDK, Outlaws rob things, it made sense to me).

Tyler and Gabbie die in two of the most dramatic ways known to man.

DeStorm gets pushed onto train tracks.

Tana might have a liquor themed death.

Someone's having a Hitman-esque death.

Imagine Liza being baked into a pie.

Like, that kinda thing. I wanna give Stephen King a run for his money.

IDK how this list would look, but its gonna be wild. I have a feeling, if I do write this, its gonna be something interesting.

...God, I have a sick mind. But somehow, it made more sense than the Detective ramble!

Thanks for reading my carnage and I'll see you next time! Bye!

Your Author, Marbella. <3

[waterfallsilverberrywrites]

Writing Tag Game

Thanks for the tag @lord-aldhelm! :)

About me

When did you start writing? Age 16, during school, but I didn't technically start writing fanfiction until my 20s. I was recovering from a nasty surgery and had nothing but time on my hands and so I started to write as a way to pass the time.

Are there different genres or themes you enjoy reading other than the ones you write? I enjoy reading a lot of horror/thriller books, and law dramas too.

Is there an author you want to emulate, or are compared to often? Oh gosh, that's a tough one! As much as I love Bernard Cornwell, Stephen King, Mari Mancusi, and too many author authors to name, I want to say no, I'm not compared to anyone that I know of, but ultimately I want to still sound like "me" when I write.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space? I have my own writing office. A desk that I keep with minimal clutter but have made it into a cozy ambiance so when I sit down to write most nights I'm not distracted (much).

What’s your most effective way to muster up a muse? Honestly, most of my muses tend to come to me while either dreaming at night time (random but it happens) or while I'm bored at my day job and letting my mind wander and it starts to go into "What If" mode...

Did the place(s) you grew up in influence the people and/or places you write about? No.

Are there any reoccurring themes in your writing? If so, do they surprise you? Redemption is a troupe I will never get tired of. Also romance!

Characters

Would you please tell me about your current favorite character? I have to pick just one? Lol. Joking aside, Thyra from The Last Kingdom is probably my favorite character right now. She's a woman who's suffered so much torment and abuse and is absolutely the definition of "deserved better." And since Beocca is her husband and I can't bear to separate the two, I would say Beocca/Thyra are a package deal here. But a few close seconds are Jack/Sally (Nightmare Before Christmas) and Finan/Eadith, the ship for The Last Kingdom that should have been and sadly never will be.

Which of your characters would you be friends with in real life? Hmm, definitely Thyra/Beocca, and he'd probably annoy me, but I think I'd get on with Haesten too (TLK) even though he's a weasel on the show, and for Harry Potter, probably my OCs Norah and Ollie Black from my Harry Potter fanfics as well, I think we'd get on great. Oh, and Jack/Sally from my Nightmare Before Christmas fics.

Which characters would you dislike the most if you met them? Aethelwold, Tidman (Last Kingdom), Voldemort (Harry Potter)

Tell me about the process of coming up with your characters? Most of them are already made for me but for the few OCs I have, I tend to just find pictures I like online of people that I think fit the image of the character I have in mind, and then I build a character sheet for him/her and go from there. (sort of like a character sheet for DnD)

Do you notice any reoccurring themes/traits in your characters? Anger management issues (Beocca!), stubbornness, and perhaps a little naive (definitely Thyra and Sally for sure),

How do you picture your characters? I'm a big fan of Mood Boards on Pinterest but I also dabble a little in Photoshop and make my own character manips/images to use to have pulled up to look at while I write in their POVs. It might sound odd but it helps me imagine their look while I write and also to get into their headspace.

My writing

What’s your reason for writing? To fulfill a void the canon source material left in my heart or just because I came up with a "What if this happened" instead of the way that it did in canon.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment from readers that you find particularly motivating? Any and all comments are welcome, especially at this time when comment culture in fandom, at least for fanfics, has definitely changed since I've been a part of it!

How do you want to be thought about by your readers? As a good writer? Lol, not really sure how to answer this one. Hopefully good and that my stories made them happy if they enjoyed them!

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer? Angst and drama

Have you been told is your greatest strength as a writer is by others? Angst and writing character voices true to their forms

How do you feel about your own writing? Most of the time I feel like it's okay, but I do have spells where I look at chapters and think I could improve that or do better next time and then I struggle not to totally overhaul what I already have posted lol, a curse for me, honestly. I'm constantly working to improve. I suck at smut/fight scenes though, I would say those are my two biggest weaknesses.

If you were the last person on earth, would you still write? Yes, if only to keep myself company and maybe read my stories out loud.

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, do you write purely for yourself, or is it a mix of both? I write purely for myself and I treat where I post as an archive of sorts, with the mindset that I put them there where they'll be safe if something ever happens and my computer goes on the fritz, but if others happen to come along and enjoy the content I create, then that's an added happy bonus!

Feel free to play along! @holy3cake; @silverhyenaart; @foundtherightwords

[cogcltrcorn]

I was tagged by @flippy-floppy , and I have maybe taken this a bit too seriously.

hmmm. this is actually very hard bc I am very bad at remembering things. also I very frequently obsess over books that are like, objectively Bad (like have I spent a solid 2 months thinking about it by stephen king and only about it by stephen king? yes. is it good? no. did I like it? no. did I still analyze it thoroughly? yes. next question). so. yeah. anyway

I will for sure wake up tomorrow like "OH MY GOD HOW COULD I FORGET [BLANK]" but I am at peace with that fact

in no particular order:

Fathers and sons, Ivan Turgenev - well. it's a book about russian nihilism, it's a book about the political schism between the generations in 19th century russia, and it's a book about idolizing reason and then being forced to contend with the fact that you are still a human being that is both capable of love and craves it deeply. also it is lowkey about being a college student homoerotically enraptured with your very smart and charismatic friend who is an absolute dick. and what happens if you bring this guy to stay with you and your family during the break.

chronicles of amber by roger zelazny - I am gonna be honest with you I do not remember half of that series. including this might be cheating bc it's like. 10 books. whatever. rules are made up. it's good. it's very fucking good. just writing about it right now makes me want to reread it. anyway it's fantasy and there's reality shifting and there is complex lore and yeah no I think this book has radically altered my brain chemistry when I read it.

twenty thousand leagues under the seas by jules verne - look. 9 yo cog fucking Loved boring descriptions of marine wildlife. I was fucking Entranced by this book. this book started my years long obsession with jules verne novels. I may or may not be autistic. like really I can put like. 5 jules verne books on this list. are they incredibly dated and filled to the brim with trademarked 19th century classist and racist bullshit? yes. are they boring as fuck if you do not care about like, the mechanics of building a kiln on a deserted island? yes. but I did. I did care about building a kiln. I wanted to know how traveling to the center of the earth would go. and I wanted to know if the gentleman could get around the world in 80 days. whatever. the important things is that I loved those books and I still love them and they are, at their core, about how fucking cool humans are and how we are capable of great achievements if we apply ourselves and how incredible the world around us is.

do androids dream of electric sheep? by philip k dick - once again there could be like. 4 books on this list. I fucking love his stuff actually. the man has spent his entire life doing coke, getting scared as a result, and then writing kick ass novels about what scared him. he got really into gnosticism by the end of his life. he thought that god talked to him through a spot of light. I fucking love his books. anyway. this specific one is about the way human spirit sirvives in a future that is rendered nearly uninhabitable by capitalistic greed. the world of do androids dream of electric sheep is artificial, obsessed with its own artificiality, and obsessed with proving itself to be Not artificial, ironically, inventing increasingly artificial ways to prove it. plot twist! the only real thing in the world built for profit is the human connections you build! anyway. I have beef with blade runner the movie bc it is NOT A GOOD ADAPTATION OF THE BOOK and has NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. I AM SICK AND TIRED.

actually I lied. here is another philip k dick novel

a scanner darkly - well. how do I explain. ok so basically this is a deeply biographical novel about the loss of identity and connection to reality as a result of drug usage. I fucking love it. reading it makes me go fucking insane. I highly recommend this to all of you, my darling succession mutuals

interview with the vampire, anne rice - made me insane. a theological and philosophical discussion with the guy with the weirdest moral code you have ever seen, with the added bonus of him complaining about his stupid greedy whore of an ex-husband

obligatory mention of 1984 by george orwell - well sorry. he did spit some facts here. also i need to re-read this bc I last read it like 6 years ago and I miss it. I feel kinda unoriginal by saying I love it but like. it Is good. I want to kill the protagonist with hammers, but it IS good... I think of her (1984 by george orwell) often....

red dragon, thomas harris - ok well you see I don't actually have to explain anything to you, do I? I just love it. don't know why. will graham is like a bug to me.

the count of monte cristo, alexander dumas - YET AGAIN!! GOD IS THIS BOOK ENCHANTING IF YOU ARE A CHILD NERD. it has everything: prison escape, complex revenge plot, brooding hero, a long ass side story that seems to have no connection to the main plot but eventually connects back to it, 19th century orientalism. man.

seeing the things other people have posted for this thingy made me realize I need to diversify my reading habits. mayhaps a man should not exclusively read postmodernist sci-fi and 19th century adventure novels. oh well.

anyway. if you wanna do it you can and you should. also go read philip k dick he is underrated as fuck

[tabithagracealterman]

Dear People Who Email,

I understand you feel you must. It's ok. Evernote's incredibly beautiful and thoughtful architecture incorporates this. It was clunky a few years ago (every email was easily and seamlessly forwarded elsewhere but saved appropriately with tags, which yielded in ungodly tumbilweaves under the bed inside the computer. Anyway, if you mustemail: And this is just a timesaving and maybe moneysaving tip for you: Under no circumstances will I open an email with the subject line "Grow Your."

Increase your audience. Reach more people. Develop your audience. Find your people. Expand your influence.

Like, ugh, like you don't get me. And the unfortunate side effect of you just not getting me (benign) is I then think you're supergross (malignant). I'm sorry. It's not judgment, I think. It's an overwhelming mission driven by NotMe that compels me to try to solve everything. The fact that I don't get hopeless and worn out is that I file the concepts away, knowing that better persons will finish them. And thus: FreeIdeas. I need to make FreeIdeas work. But I still feel made fun of, judged, harassed, ridiculed, sported/shatted upon.

Y'all I just want a hot bath. If you want it all to end here, I grant you permission to use what you stole in tactile form but ABSOLUTELY no audio, video or photo files. None whatsoever. Just take the scribbles and do what you want. That would make me happy. The rest, you're getting sued. As I've said a billion times.

SUCH

EASY

ANSWERS

HERE.

I also can't believe it is so hard to make a basic website that can then be scaled UP into a more complex, but still simple, concept. We have been to the MOON! How is this hard? (Note: Did this with designbuildarchitect. Worked together. Was awesome. Couldn't afford to build it bc you don't care why and whatever. But I still have the designs. Expandable build, three phases (or more as needed), but designed to incorporate "wings," so to speak, to be built contained; and then "added on to" but in the actual intentional design. U shape. It's real cool. You can have the designs for free on FreeIdeas! If architect agrees. Which he won't. I don't think. He's more like that than I am like this. But I could ask. Might as well if I don't get to build it. It is super cool.

Well, look at me rambling like a mofo. Maybe because Conan and Stephen didn't answer their phones. I wouldn't expect them to. Bravo all round.

(Note: I would embrace all the AI in the world. I'm not scared of AI. I am scared of people. Specifically: YOU PEOPLE.)

[thinking-in-broken-scenes]

I was tagged by @emiliosandozsequence

What was your first ever story idea? What happened to it?

I would say probably some kind of adventure story probably with witches. It's likely written in some sort of journal somewhere but i don't remember exactly.

The oldest story I have a good chunk of is a slice-of-life drama about a kid with mental health struggles who also has visions into other people's lives. It's written entirely in poems, it's in my google drive. I still think it's an idea I might rework.

What’s your writing routine?

Music, I have specific writing playlists for some of my stories and trying to prop up pillows so I'm not hunched over.

Are you a plotter, a pantser, or something in between?

I usually have outlines of a broad timeline of the stories. And I do keep records of dates/ages/magic systems to refer to. So definitely do a lot of plotting. But often if I get into a story I will veer off from what I planned lol. Or I realise what I originally planned doesn't make a lot of sense with how my character is anymore.

I do write a lot of poetry from just what I'm feeling without thinking.

Do you try to tell moral stories throughout your work, or any other life lessons? What are they?

I won't go into a story trying to teach a life lesson or base it around proving a point. I mean my opinions come through in my stories. So there is implicit morals in the story. My POV characters do tend to have strong views, so you will pick up on certain things, but it's not meant to convince people I just like opinionated characters. But some of my characters have buck-wild opinions.

What do you prefer, character development or worldbuilding? Why?

Character development definitely. My worldbuilding is generally in service of the characters. I like Worldbuiling! And I try to have rich worlds with some degree of constancy so no one is thrown by shit making no sense. And I do enjoy creating things, like religions, but characters and relationships are what I'm best at and most invested in.

Do you have any tips for budding writers?

Nope! I don't feel like I have enough experience.

Who inspires you to write the most?

Stephen Chbosky, Beverly Cleary, Suzanne Collins,  E.L. Doctorow, Gillian Flynn, Ellen Hopkins, Tamsyn Muir, Matthew Stover, Ned Vizzini, Hanya Yanagihara, and Markus Zusaks are my literary inspirations. They are some of the writers I admire the most in how they convey complicated emotions.

Angie Sage is another writer who has always been a favourite. For her, it is the emotions as well but the sheer ability of her to construct an immersive world with consistent magic and world-building really expanded my imagination as a kid.

I would say Inn Between, The Magnus Archives, The Penumbra Podcast (Juno Steel Story), Welcome to Night Vale and Where The Stars Fallalso all inspire me! These podcasts are captivating and all have very interesting story mechanics! The surrealism of Welcome to Night Vale is also something I really like.

Doctor Who is something that inspires me as the amount of time I've spent dissecting that show I think has really made me think of the bones of my stories. ATLA & She Ra as well.

Web Weaves! Reading all the ways people are struck even by just fragments.

Mythology! Folk Tales! History!

And also like the amount of bullshit I'm going through in life. I need to get my pain and loneliness out somewhere. The way stories have always been my lifeline through all of my life! I need to create, the urge to tell stories is in my soul. And the way it saved me I hope others will feel seen by my writing as well.

[violetnatelley]

Changing of the Song [Part 3]: Chapter 41 - The Wise Words of Bilbo Baggins

A Marvel & Tolkien Crossover

Main Characters: Maglor, Boromir, Elrond, Illyria, Darcy

Also featuring: Gildor Inglorion, Faelivrin, Tazhin, Arwen, Pippin, Erestor, Mereneth, Thorin Oakenshield, Feanor, Bilbo Baggins

Warnings: None.

Other Tags: Quest, The Unknown South, South Middle Earth, Variants, Angmar, The White Tree of Gondor, Silmarils, London, Wisdom

She had her fair share of being escorted by dodgy government dudes in black uniforms for almost twenty years. But never would she consider being escorted as a pregnant woman with practically six bulky men around her – all being six feet and might be well described as an actual brick wall.

Though nothing could match her lightning brother, Thor. He’s always gonna be more buffed up than anyone else he imagined.

For a human-looking guy of course.

But by the time they flew all the way to London (which was a damn long journey for her poor bladder), Darcy already knew these so-called ‘men’ were not human. Not with how they almost growled at things or even hissed, an animal-like instinct as some bystander walking into The Shard passed by.

Not to mention how their faces almost glitched in her own special sight: it wasn’t long before Darcy’s heart grew cold as the realization hit her that these beings wanted her for something more than just her supposed ‘association’ with enhanced beings and smart-ass people making portals.

The Shard was perhaps the most unexpected thing she was intending to enter into. Maybe a random warehouse of an abandoned building somewhere in the countryside would fit more on the ‘captured’ aesthetic of her predicament. But not this. Definitely not the fancy-ass building which housed over a dozen corporate companies under a roof made of steel and glass.

As the elevator music hummed quietly, Darcy’s eyes lingered around her. It was getting harder to ignore the little changes. How their hands almost looked like claws. Or how their skin almost glitched into a pale-sickly grey to even green.

‘God, I wish sometimes this weird trick had a better on and off switch.’ She mentally groaned at herself, hitching a breath as something hit her stomach.

Darcy heaved outwards, keeping her breathing steady. ‘Yes I know we’re in such deep shit right now, kid. But you’ve got to calm down for mama, alright?’

It took perhaps a long two minutes before the doors opened, finding themselves in an open planned office lobby. Its modern and sleek interior design contrasted with how she appeared in her mediocre clothes, causing her more discomfort as she was escorted around.

Nobody seemed to look back at her. Maybe a few looks and interests but nothing drastic. It was as if this was normal for them.

How the hell was this normal? She was being escorted by six not-dudes to wherever it is.

Finally, they arrived at two double doors at what seemed to be a large office. As the doors opened, Darcy’s heart skipped as the guys in black parted away, giving her a path and sight to a figure standing in the centre of the office.

Standing with a beaming smile, a low baritone voice rumbled strongly through the room as he called out, “I think we shall take it from here, thank you.”

Eyeing them, Darcy had no choice but willingly enter the office – her hands doing her best to stay at her side and not her stomach. She whispered in her head that everything was going to be fine and that either Stephen, Wong or Illyria would come and rescue her.

When that is…well that might be a long ass time.