#although...sometimes there is a 'ship in canon' playlist and a 'ship in au' playlist

[musical-chick-13]

Oh you KNOW it's bad if I make a character playlist and a ship playlist.

[oc-challenges]

WELCOME TO OC VALENTINES CHALLENGE!

Ciao! It's almost that time of year again, when love is in the air and heart-shaped boxes of chocolate are in every gas station, which means it's almost time for the annual oc valentines challenge!

Once again, we begin on the seventh of February and conclude on the 14th. Except from now on the valentines challenges are gonna be a little different: we're going to focus on a certain theme. This year it's tropes, next year it's AUs or prompts. So take a look at the tropes and choose your oc ship it fits to make a graphic, video, web weave, gifset, drabble, aesthetic, playlist, or drawing for!

Rules

DO NOT copy others edits, if you feel someone has stolen your edits, follow these guidelines!

If you are doing crossovers, PLEASE make sure that the creator of the other oc is okay with crossovers.

If you want your post to be reblogged onto this blog, it must contain the hashtag ovc24.

Feel free to ask any questions, as long as your kind about it.

Everything is up to the creators interpretation, although I have tried to include some examples for help!

Have fun!

Day One: First Love

For the first day of the challenge, we've gotta do first love! Make something for your oc and their first love.

Day Two: Second Chance Romance

For day two, we're looking at the one who got away but came back. This is a ship that we're together at one point, broke up for some reason, and then decided to give their relationship another try.

Day Three: No Second Chances in Romances

On the other hand, just because there was love before doesn't mean there will be love after. This is when you realize the one that got away wasn't "the one" after all. Make something for a ship that were together at one point, broke up for some reason, but decided not to give the relationship another try whether that be because of a new love, unrequited feelings, or any other reason.

Day Four: Friends to Lovers

My personal favorite, when they go from friends to lovers. Their enemies know their worst sides, the heroes know their best, but their friends know both and fall in love with them anyways. Show off an oc ship that were friends before lovers.

Day Five: Enemies to Lovers

There's a thin line between love and hate, and sometimes that line gets crossed. For day four, show us one of your oc ships that this happened to.

Day Six: Almost Love

Sometimes loving someone isn't enough. Whether it's because that love is unrequired, the protagonist is torn apart from their love interest in some way, the ship decide their better off as friends, or they can't get past their differences, we're showing off those couples that could've been but never were.

Day Seven: Forbidden Love

Romeo and Juliet, Maria and Tony, even Coriolanus and Lucy Gray-- all star-crossed lovers who took a chance despite their love being forbidden. Today, we sympathize with those lovers that nobody loves (at least in the canon of their stories).

Day Eight: Give Me Love

Give love to other creators by making them a gift with love by signing up for the valentines ocpotluck challenge!

[haze-of-hyperfixations]

🍄, 🦴, and 🧩 for the writers ask game

🍄 ⇢ share a head canon for one of your favourite ships or pairings

(i have so many headcanons about every dynamic ever, and they all conveniently vanish the moment i am asked to name one, ha.)

hmm....for Perimedes and Elpenor from Epic the Musical, i have a headcanon that they're in a qpr. and yeah, i know that's modern terminology and they are from ancient greece. (i did a research paper about qprs once, fun fact.) but also: a. you don't need a modern explanation of a concept for that concept to exist in a historical context. b. Perimedes uses the word "yeet" in his cut song, rendering any arguments about historical accuracy invalid. c. i'm having fun and no one can stop me. :)

i also think the idea of Perimedes sometimes calling Elpenor "El" is cute. <3

🦴 ⇢ is there a piece of media that inspires your writing?

oh, there's a lot. my writing in general is inspired by a lot of media. but my venture into the world of ao3 in the first place was because of this series:

and, if i remember correctly, it really inspired me to start getting more into fic writing. it probably also influenced the way i write, since i read it at around the time i was kind of figuring all that out. incredibly good series! <3

as for specific fics, i have so many playlists for inspiration. one of the fics i'm currently working on was completely inspired by the song Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol. (it's a Parallels fic still in my drafts, but if i ever finish it, it's gonna have so much found family trope and it's gonna be great)

oh, and my most recent fic, this one:

you know what inspired it? i was on pinterest, and i saw this photo of eggs:

and i got kinda emotional about how much i liked that photo. idk, i was already in a vaguely-sentimental-fic-writer mood, and that photo somehow just opened the floodgates of ideas in my head. the actual fic is only vaguely related to the photo through the fact that both involve cooking eggs, but nevertheless, some photographer out there is directly responsible for the existence of my current most comforting oneshot for me to reread. and i think that's really neat. i love humanity and art and connection and inspiration. <3

🧩 ⇢ what will make you click away from a fanfiction immediately?

okay, so i tried to think of a new answer to this question, but i couldn't think of one, so i'll just copy-paste my answer from three days ago:

okay, with every answer i try to think of for this one, i immediately think of exceptions. because i have a long track record of being in microscopically small fandoms, and if one of those fandoms got a new fic, there is very, very little that would stop me from reading it to the end. i guess if the entire fic was untagged, very explicit smut, then i would click away immediately. (although most authors i've seen do tag well. so i would probably know without clicking that it's something i won't be really comfortable reading. everyone say thank you for the tag system <3)

yeah, i never really have an interesting answer for this one, ha. i have exactly 2 authors muted on ao3. one was because they had hundreds of fics in many fandom tags that i searched a lot, all of which were exclusively a specific trope that made me really uncomfortable. the other one, i don't remember; no works are showing on the account anymore, but it was probably a similar situation if i felt the need to mute them. other than that, i haven't really been let down by the tag system yet, which i guess is a pretty good thing. :)

thanks for the ask!! :)

[strawberijasper]

BKDK RP request!

So I’ve been wanting to get back into roleplaying for a while, but I’ve never actually gone out and looked for an rp partner in the wild. So… I’m just gonna make a post here and hope for the best.

My current hyperfixation has been mha, more specifically bakudeku so that’s what I’m looking for (I’m open to other ships but this is specifically for bkdk). I like doing AUs mostly but I’m also down for canon compliant/slightly canon divergent plots. I have a lot of different plots in my head but I’m open to plotting and discussing, one of my favorite things is worldbuilding and plotting for rps, I also like just talking about headcanons and such, I've been known to make moodboards and playlists for just about anything because I'm insane and when I get into something, I get obsessed. I would really love to find someone who can match that energy, join me, be insane with me.

But, I do have AUs that I usually go for, that I have a lot of ideas for, or I'm just really interested in:

Any fantasy au, I eat that shit UP

Hybrid au, especially with a lot of worldbuilding to how a hybrid society would function have I mentioned before that I love worldbuilding?

Spiderman au

Quirkless hero support Izuku au, a classic and one I have so many thoughts for.

Omegaverse, this... but less focused on the rut/heat thing and more the weird intricacies and the implications of the au.

Prototype bkdk

These are just some of the AUs, but like I said I also like canon compliant plots and have ideas for those as well.

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Other than that here are some additional rules and requirements:

NO MINORS! I'm 19 and don't feel comfortable roleplaying with minors, even if there's nothing nsfw I'd just overall prefer it if you're 18+. That being said I'm not comfortable doing nsfw either, suggestive content is ok but nothing actually nsfw.

I write Deku mainly, I can write other characters for flavor, just so thing's don't feel too empty, but I'm looking for someone to who writes Bakugou specifically.

I write long winded, descriptive replies. My replies can range anywhere from 2 paragraphs (although I try not to do this so 2 paragraph replies aren't common) to well over the discord character limit (more common than I'd like to admit). I don't expect anyone to match me paragraph for paragraph, don't feel pressured to if you genuinely can't, but I'd like to find someone who can match that energy. I'd prefer anyone who does semi lit to advanced. In that same vein I'd like someone who can respond fairly often, but I understand that life happens so if you can't reply just lmk, take your time, this is a fun and casual rp request lol.

I'm audhd and dyslexic so sometimes I make a lot of mistakes or I miss things, just give me a gentle reminder if that happens or I take something out of context because of that. Please also use tone indicators when talking ooc.

I write in third person exclusively, first and second person makes me uncomfortable, so I would prefer to rp with people who also write in third person.

If I do or say anything that makes you uncomfortable please let me know right away! On top of that if you have any triggers that I should know about please lmk, I don't want to make anyone feel bad. And ofc I'll do the same ^^

If you ever want to start a new rp I'm absolutely down, just lmk and we can talk about it.

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If anyone is interested in roleplaying just hmu in dms, be aware however I rp on discord only. If we vibe then I'll give my discord handle and we can continue on there! I may be a little awkward at first when it comes to new people. But once things get going I'll warm up more, I'm always down to chat and share thoughts/hcs/art/anything ooc as well so don't be shy!

[ectogeo-rebubbles]

Wicked Game playlist

Okay, I had too many Fanfic Feelings(TM) so I made a playlist to go along with @hellostuffedtiger's EXCELLENT Garashir and Sloanshir canon divergent noir AU fic, Wicked Game! (Links to fic: So, you can either read through the author's notes about the ending for clarifications on the tags and to decide if you want to read something so tragic, or you can go straight to the first chapter here, but either way def mind the tags.)

Which songs (or parts of songs) are about which character(s) or ship(s) will be left as an exercise to the reader/listener, although def feel free to DM me (or @hellostuffedtiger!!!) with theories or questions or thoughts about how YOU think any of these songs apply to versions of the characters in the fic. ^_^ <3 (And obvs sometimes it's just about The Vibes of a song, not a 1:1 correspondence of the lyrics with the fic.)

Shoutout to both @cardassiangoodreads and @hellostuffedtiger for contributing to this playlist!

The track list is below the readmore, in case the embedded playlist above or a direct link to the playlist doesn't work for you.

Enjoy!

Wicked Game playlist tracks:

Jenny Was a Friend of Mine, The Killers

Wicked Game, Chris Isaak

A Dangerous Thing, AURORA

Everything, The Pierces

Under Your Spell, The Birthday Massacre

hostage, Billie Eilish

People Disappear Here, Halsey

The Gardener, The Tallest Man on Earth

Love Me Dead, Ludo

Baby I'm Dead Inside, KOPPS

Heavy in Your Arms, Florence + the Machine

Too Late to Say Goodbye, Cage the Elephant

You Know I'm No Good, Amy Winehouse

Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing, Chris Isaak

Dirty Work, Steely Dan

Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down), Nancy Sinatra

[bardic-tales]

Hey, so I've been lowkey obsessed with those awesome headcanons you always come up with for your characters, especially now Sephiroth and Bianca. Seriously, your creativity is on fire! 😄Mind sharing some more.

🦖

Hello, Prehistoric. It's wonderful to hear from you on Tumblr. I apologize with how late this is. I hope you are having a wonderful day! I have to say that I love sharing my plot bunnies with you: especially my recent fixation.

I've been wanting to explore different dynamics in various relationships, and as such, I created the ship: Sephica. This relationship was inspired a bit by Harley Quinn and the Joker, as well as a very dark take on Hades and Persephone.

NOTE: I want to put a disclaimer here. I know that this relationship is very toxic. Please make sure that you look through the warnings to make sure you are not sensitive to the following content:

Warnings: Main Character Death. AU: Canon divergent. Toxic Relationship. Manipulation. Emotional Abuse. Unhealthy Dynamics. Control. Isolation. Dark Themes. Self-Esteem Issues. Psychological Distress. Angst. Unhealthy Love. Violence.

General Headcanons

Despite all the challenges that they face, Bianca and Sephiroth share an unbreakable bond that has transcends time and circumstance. This connection is deep-routed and defies conventional understanding. These challenges also strengthen their union and bond.

Both Bianca and Sephiroth share a profound understanding of each other's pain and struggles.

Both Bianca and Sephiroth often share moments of quiet between them that need no words.

One of their favorite pastimes is spending quiet nights together under the open sky.

When they are gazing at the stars, they engage in deep conversations about the universe, its mysteries, and their place within it. These discussions allow them to explore existential questions and share their thoughts on the purpose of Jenova, life, and existence.

Sephiroth's enigmatic nature resonates with Bianca's complex emotions, creating a harmony between the two that seem to feel almost mystical in nature.

Bianca's transformation due to the infusion of Jenova's cells gives her glowing violet eyes. Sephiroth sees this as evidence of a deeper connection between them.

When Jenova’s cells latched onto Bianca’s demonic essence, this gave her access to some new abilities, especially her Cataclysmic Symphony. Bianca's singing could evolve to manipulate cosmic energies, creating a symphony that resonates with the universe's fundamental forces. This could lead to devastating effects, such as gravitational disruptions or elemental chaos.

Bianca's birthday is October 1st. this is the day that Sephiroth burnt down Nibelheim and jumped into the mako with Jenova's head in the reactor on Mt. Nibel.

They have two theme songs: Unforgiven II by Metallica and DNA by Little Mix. You can find a 2 hr playlist for Sephica on my Spotify.

Cute Headcanons

In their downtime, Bianca and Sephiroth have spirited discussions about strategic approaches to tough battles. Sephiroth is impressed by Bianca’s insights. They will often spar to practice said tactics. Neither holds back

Although she cannot use materia, Sephiroth will sometimes surprise her with rare materia he’s acquired.

Sephiroth and Bianca will often secretly stargaze in secluded areas, sharing stolen moments away from prying eyes. They discuss the universe’s mysteries and her home world beneath the stars. Bianca practices her singing in the secrecy of the Northern Cave while Sephiroth listens.

Sometimes, Sephiroth leaves little notes of quotes for Bianca to find in unexpected places.

Emotional Headcanons

Bianca and Sephiroth find solace in each other’s presence. In the quieter moments, they share a profound connection, understanding each other in ways that no one else could.

There are subtle gestures that reveal Sephiroth’s affection for Bianca: a rare, faint smile when she’s near him or a brief touch that lingers longer than necessary.

Bianca often grapples with her love for Sephiroth, as well as his love for her, and the darkness that surrounds him. This mirrors her dual state as a Nephilim.

They both hold onto shattered pieces of their time together before the darkness took hold.

Sephiroth is fiercely protective of Bianca, as he sees her as Jenova’s earthy embodiment after her infusion and will go great lengths to shield her from harm.

Unhealthy Dynamics Headcanons

Sephiroth’s all-encompassing obsession with Jenova’s power drives him to fixate on Bianca, viewing her as a vessel of that power. He isolates her from others, intentionally keeping her away from anyone that might sway her loyalty. He is also obsessive of her and wants to keep her away from anyone that could be seen as a potential romantic rival.

Sephiroth encourages Bianca to engage in morally ambiguous or harmful actions, justifying them as necessary for their shared purpose.

Sephiroth will often exploit Bianca’s sense of guilt and responsibility for his actions — and lack of her own actions — as well as her love for him as leverage to push her into increasingly dangerous situations or tasks to serve his goals.

Bianca’s identity entwined with Sephiroth’s goals, leading her to lose sight of her own desires, aspirations, and moral compass. Some of her original personality traits are suppressed.

NSFW

They share a fierce and unbridled lust, and neither of them show any restraint when it comes to each other. It is like a wildfire blazing out of control.

When they are intimate, they keep their eyes locked on each other. Their eyes express the love, longing, and vulnerability that such an act entails.

They will often share whispers of affection and reassurance, reinforcing the bond they have for each other.

Their lovemaking is a moment where they both allow themselves to be completely vulnerable with the other.

Sephiroth is the dominant role in their intimacy. He ensures that every act of control and restraint is grounded in Bianca’s consent and well-being.

Their intimate moments are a reflection of a profound emotional connection, where the power exchange is not about force but rather a consensual exploration of their desires.

Aftercare:

After their play, Sephiroth will remain at Bianca’s side, a silent and reassuring presence, ensuring that she feels safe and secure as they both recover from their intimate moments.

Their quiet moments together consist of laying on a sleeping bag and holding each other, allowing the emotions from their play to settle and reinforce their strong connection.

In his own way, Sephiroth engages in an emotional checklist. For example, he asks her if she is comfortable, if her needs are met, and if she requires anything further.

He will also give her a soft kiss on the forehead or a lingering hug.

Fandom OC Mutuals:

@starryeyes2000 @residentdormouse @themaradwrites @arrthurpendragon @megandaisy9 @prehistoric-creatures

[twwpress]

Creator Spotlight #19: stillattherestaurant

Welcome back to the TWW Author Spotlight! For every spotlight, we’ll ask each featured author the same ten questions, as well as your questions submitted via Twitter. This week we are so happy to welcome to the spotlight AO3 user stillattherestaurant (@thingswithpaper on Twitter)!

1) What are your top 5 desert island fics by other authors?

https://archiveofourown.org/works/37131781 all i’ve ever known by sam_writes_fics

Sam has written so so many of my favourite fics, and I wanted to share the love across authors, so choosing one was very difficult, but this au is one of my favourites, and the amount of times I’ve reread this must number at least ten.

(Honourable mention to the uncompleted august, honey (you were mine) also by Sam, the Sam/Josh fic that ruined my life and continues to whenever I reread. Camp counselors is so!!! My heart!!!! Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/40285125)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/34995025 summer, highland falls by crossingdelancey

This CJ&Josh fic absolutely ruins me every time I read it, because them being step siblings and learning to tolerate each other? Fuck yeah. CJ kissing a girl and Josh not telling anyone? Ruins me every time.

 https://archiveofourown.org/works/34783816 closer by rearviewmirror

If there’s one thing about me I’m going to absolutely lose my shit over religious trauma, and something about this fic really fucking ruins me. I’m a sucker for a college au in addition to it, and something about Leo and Jed in college is so very insane. I’m also a big believer in Leo and CJ bonding over religious trauma and it makes me want to write something about that (because… listen I don’t think anyone on this show is straight except maybe Toby).

 https://archiveofourown.org/series/2601712 professor josh (series) by hufflepuffhermione

I could not choose just one of these works so I’m going with the whole series! Alli, this was the first fic I fell in love with in TWW fandom, and I come back to it often.

 https://archiveofourown.org/works/35532172 the world is getting warmer, running out of air (but you can send me way up to the stratosphere) by scamophogoghs

Listen, this is maybe the hottest Josh/Donna fic I’ve read. Ever. I’m not getting stranded on a desert island without it. 

 2) Do you have a favorite character to write? Favorite ship(s) to write? Are there characters or ships you'd like to write more of?

I love writing Josh and Donna, obviously, and from those I think Donna’s voice comes easier to me, and I really enjoy exploring the parts of her life that aren’t talked about in canon - like why she left her boyfriend, and her feelings about Josh across the series (that are more than just drop dead in love, although there’s plenty of that too!).

I wrote one Sam/Josh fic, and enjoyed it so much that I’d definitely want to write more on them, and if the right idea comes to me I’d love to explore Helen more, she fascinates me.

 3) Tell us about your writing process (setup/location? Night or day? Snacks/beverages? Computer/phone/notebook? Music or silence? Anything else you want to share is welcome!)

Really whenever I find time! I work and study, and so for me it’s less about when inspiration strikes and more using the times I’m free. I’ll listen to music always - and I’ve been known to make playlists for even the shortest of fics to get me in the mood. Sometimes if I have ideas but I can’t outline it there and then, I’ll get it into my notes app, then copy it over to a document later, where I’ll do a brief outline (a very messy paragraph summarising it), then start writing.

 4) What writing advice do you have for others who may be reading this?

Start where you’re comfortable. My biggest roadblock is coming up with ideas, and so I take details from my own life sometimes, and think about how I can twist it to suit a character or ship - projection has gotten me through a LOT of fics! Also, just the act of writing something can help, even if it’s just a short drabble, it might spark something.

 5) From where do you usually draw your inspiration? (Other forms of media, music, tropes, etc?)

I write a lot of song fics, even if I don’t explicitly call it that - often I’ll listen to a song and think about one lyric in a character or ship context, and then all of a sudden, I’m outlining a whole fic based on it. If I’ve been watching the show, sometimes I’ll think about scenes that aren’t shown, and write them (there’s a few of those sitting in my drafts), and use it as a jumping off point for canon divergence or deleted scenes.

 6) What is the fic you've written that you're most proud of and why?

Definitely my phone call Josh/Donna fic - it’s inspired by an episode of Halt and Catch Fire, and getting to put a spin on it when the characters are in a similar position (not talking to each other, then repairing a relationship) was very fun. I struggled a lot trying to make the jump cuts work without it being too jagged, but I think I managed it okay, and the dialogue features some of what I think is my best work.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/38136118

 7) What's the fic trope/concept/AU you'd read 1000 of? What's the fic trope/concept/AU you'd write 1000 of?

I would read so many friends to fwb to oh-shit-i’m-in-love-with-you fics. I’d read them all. Every single one. Unfortunately, I have minimal experience/talent in writing smut, so I can’t do my own wish-fulfillment, but I do love it so much as a trope in media and as a trope in fics.

I’d also read as many soulmate aus as is humanly possible. However it comes I’ll take it, I love the universe variation and the way it’s something new, but also so understood.

For TWW-specific, I would read a thousand fics about everyone’s reactions to Josh and Donna getting together. Particularly across the Santos-campaign era and then Santos-in-office era, there’s not enough of these fics and I would read SO MANY of them!!!! All of them in fact!!!

As for writing, I think I could write a lot of pining. In any form: divorce era, first meet but didn’t get a number (or equivalent), love of my life is with someone else, literally anything. I love it a lot.

 8) Is there anything you'd like to try writing-wise that you haven't yet?

I wish I had the patience to write something longer than 10k! I write so many short fics - 1-3k usually, and I’ve only ever written one fic that made it to 10k (and that was something that I was very very passionate about and might be my favourite fic I’ve ever written to this day). One day it’ll happen, I just have to find the right plot to enjoy and take my time with.

 9) What's your go-to Starbucks/coffee shop/other drink order?

I’m not really a coffee shop person, I mostly just drink tea at home and water! English breakfast decaf tea with milk and sugar is my go to.

 10) Do you have any current projects you'd like to promote or anything upcoming you'd like to tell us about?

I haven’t written for TWW in a while (I’ve been writing for another fandom, which has been fun, and something very different), but I just pulled up a WIP from a few months ago yesterday, which I’m a little excited about - Josh and Donna at Ellie’s wedding, some cute fluff and the smallest bit of hurt/comfort. Other than that, I’m just happy to be back, and looking forward to writing more for them this year!

Submitted questions:

From @mlea7675: What are your favorite WW ships?

Josh and Donna will always take number one for me, but I’m also in love with a lot of the Bartlets’ dynamic, and Sam/Josh holds a special place in my heart (for non-canon gay couples). There’s something about the inherent romcom of Josh and Donna’s story that gets me. CJ/Toby is another one I adore, they’re probably second to Josh and Donna for me! They should have been canon and I’ll die on that hill!!!!

 From @flowersinapril_: favourite post series headcanons (tww specific) / favourite AU tropes (all fic) xoxo

Oh this is a good one! For hcs, I love Josh and Donna getting married at the Bartlet’s farm, and the idea CJ and Josh dancing together in place of the usual first dance always makes my heart go !!! when I think about it. I’m also a massive fan of Sam and Donna phone calls after he leaves and then their regular catch ups when he comes back to D.C. (mostly talking about how stupid Josh is, and maybe commiserating over dating him).

For favourite AU tropes, I am a massive fan of childhood friends to lovers (I mentioned Sam’s earlier, and I’ve written one for another fandom), and any sort of modern AU also is a love of mine.

 From @sam_writes_fics: who is your favorite character that’s NOT a part of the main cast?

If it’s not clear from the amount of times I mention her, I am deeply in love with Helen Santos. I am of the belief she is severely underrated and a complex character the writers could have easily left as a far less major role (and she still didn’t get enough screen time in my opinion), but they still did a good job with her!!! I love her!!!

 From @jess_bakes_cakes: Which TWW character are you most like and why?

I honestly have no idea. When I first watched the show in 2021, it was with my family, and my mum always called me a mix of Josh and Donna (maybe the biggest compliment of my life), but I think I share a lot of qualities with Abbey too - stubborn, not willing to let go of things easily, but pushing aside that when it counts to be there for people. There’s the sense that she’ll be pissed at you for as long as it takes to get the point across, but no matter where you’re at, she’ll come through for you, and I like to think I’ve got some of that in me.

 From @donnamossburner: What is your favorite episode of TWW? And what is an episode you would rewrite if you could?

For favourite episode, I think 4x12 (Guns Not Butter) is the one that not a lot of people would say (although my other two favourites are 17 People and The Cold, so we know where my priorities lie), and I just love it so much!!! It’s got the iconic ‘steal the rest’ scene that I can recite verbatim at this point, the CJ and the goat fiasco, and it just feels very quintessentially TWW. Not only that, but the ending with the whole senior staff family, I’m just so in love with it!

The second part of this question I really had to think about, but I think I’ve finally come up with one - The Women of Qumar, 3.07/8. The whole thing with, well, first of all, Amy throwing the balloon out the window feels very off and is something I would like to not include, and also? My heart wants something more to come of the ‘are you dating your assistant?’ interaction. I do, however, love the CJ plotline, and the ‘shove it up your ass, Toby’ line, the delivery and the writing of that has stuck with me for a long time.

 From @bimadabomily: Unpopular west wing opinions?

I honestly cannot remember other people’s opinions on this, but Season 5 is not good on a first watch (and is still probably my least favourite of the seven), but on rewatches it becomes so much better because it sets up a lot of the white house dynamics in S6/7, and it recovers from the mess of the S4 ending in almost the best way it could have (although I wish we’d seen Zoey and Josh trauma bonding oh my god).

Final note from aurora:

Thank you so much to TWW Press for having me, I had so much fun doing this, and I’m super excited for 2023 and all that brings us <33

Thanks again to aurora and thanks to everyone who submitted questions! If you’d like to be featured in a future creator’s spotlight, send us a message here, email weeklypressbriefing@gmail.com, or DM us on Twitter!

xx, What’s next?

[softguarnere]

Hey there :) Could I grab a ship request? I’m an INTJ working to become a lawyer, which I hope to use as a means to an end for policy work. I’m independent, live in my noise-proof headphones, love to tease (although I’m less good about taking it if I think someone is underestimating me), & love swimming, & long walks. I love people who pull me out of myself, have a sense of fun/ are easygoing, but also can act seriously when needed. I'm 6'0 tall, with blonde hair, & green eyes. Thanks so much!

Hi hon! Of course you can have a ship :)

I ship you with . . .

Floyd Talbert!

I saw both "fun/easygoing but can be serious" and my mind flew to him. Floyd is literally just here for the vibes, ya know? He's laid back and likes to have fun, which means that he can easily pull you out of yourself and help you enjoy the moment, but he's got kind of a natural instinct for knowing when things need to be taken more seriously. The TLDR is basically: he's fun and can joke around, but he doesn't push it and become annoying with it because he knows when it's the time and place to take things seriously

Y'all are both independent and you're able to thrive that way. Yeah it's nice to share stuff, but it's also nice that you both have your own things to do when you want space

But if you want to spend time with him, he's very down for that. Long walks? Romantic, he lives for it. You have to be careful, though, because he grew up with siblings, and sometimes what you think will be a cute date has him wanting to turn it into a competition for the hell of it. Which, great, if you like competition. And if not, well, he can be calmed down pretty quickly if you hold his hand and ask to spend time in a different way instead

Floyd would LOVE to show you off to his friends! Blonde hair and green eyes is such a stunning combo, and he always makes sure you know how beautiful he thinks you are, whether it's bragging to his friends, leaving you notes, or constantly reminding you

In a canon era au, he would so be making playlists for you all the time. Lucky for you, he has excellent music taste

You want a soft playlist to get ready to? He has one for that. You want one that makes you feel powerful while you go about your day? He also has one for that. Basically, any specific mood or need that you have music for, he's got you covered with a hyper-specific playlist that contains nothing but bangers

No but he would be so supportive of you becoming a lawyer. He understands not only how wild being a lawyer is, but also how stressful the process of becoming one can be. This man is gonna help you study for the LSAT, pick books up from the library for you, make you snacks while you study -- the whole nine yards. He loves to see your motivation, and while you're independent enough that he knows you can take care of yourself, it makes him feel good to know that he's supporting you

Thanks for the request! I hope you liked this (and best of luck with your law studies/work!) 💕🕊️

[confetti-cupcake]

🤔 👻🎶

Hugs!

Thanks so much for the ask, Jenwyn!! 🤗❤️

🤔 What’s one genre you’ve never written that you’d like to try?

This is an incredibly boring answer, but since every single one of my WIPs are AUs, it would be fun to write some kind of fic based entirely in canon for once. Like an episode coda or fix-it fic. Unfortunately, I deeply struggle to keep things brief, and the process of plotting and then finally sitting down to write and edit can be pretty long for me, so I feel like by the time I'd finish a fic like that, people will have already moved on from that episode and whatever happened would be old news. Maybe someday!

👻 Have you written holiday-themed fics? If yes, which is your fave? If not, what’s one holiday you’d want to write for, and which character(s) would the fic be for?

I've never written a holiday-themed fic, although in my Are You The One? fic there's a chapter I have yet to write that's about Eddie's birthday and all the drama that comes with it (and let's be real, Eddie Diaz's birthday deserves to be considered a holiday 😂). But for a more traditional holiday, if I had to choose, I'd probably write a Buddie fic about New Year's Eve. I think there's something so romantic about the countdowns and new year's kisses and then your favorite ship starting off a new chapter of their lives together alongside the new year. And this is probably related to my love for the Taylor Swift song, but I love the thought of the quiet domesticity of what happens after the big New Year's Eve party when they're alone together — like the thought of Buck and Eddie having an "I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day" moment makes me absolutely feral.

🎶 What music do you listen to when you write?

Okay so because my brand of fic at this point is basically "Buck and Eddie fall in love on X reality show", I find that listening to music from the specific show I'm writing for helps a lot with capturing the mood. Like when writing challenge scenes on my Survivor fic, I'll pull up some music from past Survivor challenges that match the pace of what I'm trying to write. If I'm writing a Tribal Council scene, I'll put on intense Tribal Council music (Australian Survivor has some great ones). Once when I was writing for my Amazing Race fic, I just put on a YouTube playlist that was basically just the theme song on a loop 😂

Outside of that, I usually stick to instrumental piano covers of songs I like or match the mood of the scene, but sometimes I'll go for something with lyrics. "You Are In Love" by Taylor Swift is a big one when I write sweet, quietly romantic scenes. "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry is kind of a go-to for "Honeymoon phase" scenes (for lack of a better word), and Sara Ramirez's cover of "The Story" is a big one for the big, sweeping moments of realization/admitting feelings.

Send me a Fanfic Ask from this list!

[fireblight]

Sakura for the ask? ^^

@sakura-rpblog

send me a character and i’ll tell you…

a song that reminds me of them: HMMM okay this is also off my karin playlist but rage by rico nasty is a good song for battle sakura lmao. i'm thinking especially sasori fight sakura like please let sakura be terrifying and Strong yes bitch...

what they smell like: i think she smells really good! i think when she was a kid she probably really cared a lot about what like, perfume etc she wore but as she grew up she grew out of caring too much about her appearance bc she's Busy. she smells fresh and clean mostly, faintly of like fruit or floral shampoo, sometimes she smells kinda clinical or medical when she's been at a shift at hospital. in general she just smells Clean, sometimes Too Clean

an otp: m/f ship wise, i used to be into saisaku a lot during my initial watch of naruto!!! actually my ideal coupling up ( although I was very much like, hopeful for a non ship ending and leaving it ambiguous cos who gives a shit about marriage after you literally meet god and go through all of that but w/e that's a rant for a different day ) would have been t7 all ending up with "side characters", i.e naruhina/saisaku/sasukarin. which was not an opinion held by many people rip. but i think sai and sakura are so cute lol. i warmed up a lot to narusaku too!! they're very cute together. f/f wise i like sakukarin and inosaku because who doesn't. literally who doesn't.

a notp: the one that ended up canon. sakura deserves better lol first of all i think it's lame she doesn't get to keep her name i think her retaining her own sort of non-clan identity is important bc she is the only one not from some huge fucking Legacy and she deserves to be remembered as Haruno Sakura not an uchiha rip. anyway also kishi just does her dirty in interviews and i think his opinion of her kind of made ss not really good? again i think it could have worked if it was written well but alas. give sakura a partner who is actually there for her

favorite platonic/familial relationships: tsunade and sakura of courthe. kakashi and sakura also it's a crime she got neglected for nrt and sasuke like come on now. and ofc i love sarada so sakura and sarada :3

a headcanon that is popular in the fandom but that i disagree with: every misogynistic thing that anybody ever says lmfao also the idea that SAKURA is the reason ss is bad LMFAOOOOOOOOOO. anyway she's strong smart cool fun and compassionate and her plotline could have been so much cooler bc i really like her growing up in privilege and confronting shinobi hardship through her exposure to ssk+nrt and developing her understanding of the world, esp as a medic who sees the real horrific outcomes. rogue shinobi sakura when. she deserves to revolutionize the ninja world

the position they sleep in: cos she's a medic she tries to sleep like the Most Beneficial To Health Way possible but also i can see her being the overworker type who falls asleep standing up somewhere or at her desk bc she's been working nonstop . put a blanket around this woman and tuck her into bed

a crossover au i’d love to see them in: this is such a self indulgent and exposing concept but i've been obsessed lately with killing eve au sakura as like, a mi5/fbi agent who ends up involved in the Dark World bc of her attachment/empathy to a female assassin. take 1 guess who i imagine the assassin to be smh. ( spoiler alert: karin ).

my favorite outfit they’ve ever worn: her genin outfit is so cute but she's never had a bad fit once. never. i love her gloves specifically in shippuden like yes bitch protect your knuckles when you smash fuck out of people

[vagarius]

misukazu 21

(if you saw me fuck up the other one no you didnt)

EDIT I THINK THIS ONE GOT A LITTLE FUCKED UP TOO BUT IT’S... READABLE...

questions from this post, and answers originally written for this thread!!

If you had to change the pairing’s very first meeting, how would you change it?    their canon first meeting is already so good SHDGFLJASHG but if i had to choose a different one that's still within the context of mankai... meeting as kids and losing touch and coming back together completely different at mankai

What song fits your pairing the most?    uhhHHhhHHH i don't have a real answer but i do have a partial playlist for one of my misukazu aus and the only two songs in it are furaregai girl by sayuri and champagne's for celebrating by mayday parade and i feel like that says enough sldhgalsdhfalsh

What is your favorite AU/prompt idea/trope for your pairing?     ALL MISUKAZU AUS ARE GOOD but. i really love any au where their first meeting is in the future and both are still kind of lost but they're Older and it's hard to let themselves fall into the easy trust they find in canon. i just think that'd be neat.

Do you prefer canon ideas or do you have your own headcanons for them?     I'VE SAID THIS MANY TIMES BUT CANON MISUKAZU GIVES OFF MADE FOR EACH OTHER VIBES AND USUALLY I DON'T VIBE WITH THAT BUT THEY REALLY ARE WHAT THE OTHER NEEDS... AND I THINK EVEN IF THEY HAD TO PART THEY'D STILL BE ABLE TO BE BETTER PEOPLE BC THEY HAD MET

Favorite canon moment of them?     THERE ARE SO MANY but the one that immediately comes to mind is misumi carrying drunk kazu to bed (latest bday line) because drunk kazu is so soft and it implies that misumi wanted to wish happy birthday to kazu pretty late... what did he want to give him...

Least favorite canon moment of them?     hmm... there's not really one i can think of??? IM SORRY I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY I LOVE ALL THEIR CANON MOMENTS

Favorite headcanon trope/idea? (Your own or someone else’s)    this is somehow both vague and very specific but i think misukazu gives off this vibe: He's beautiful. I can't tell him. or "Kazu is always beautiful~" Don't call me that, Kazu thinks. I'm not. so... insecurities i guess ????? AJSHAJJD

Favorite aspect of them/their relationship dynamics?     THIS IS GOING TO SOUND SO CHEESY but i love how /real/ they allow themselves to be around each other. misukazu at their best is when one thinks "you're you. and i love that you" and the other knows this. i just. THEY VALIDATE THE OTHER SO MUCH CRIES

Least favorite aspect of them/their relationship dynamics? (Can be headcannon)     this isn't a "least fav" so much as "it makes me sad" but if either of them showed any sign of not being interested anymore the other is more likely to give up then push anything. sort of like "it was bound to happen, so i'll enjoy now until they drop me" or EVEN WORSE they think the other would be better off without them and pushes them away. so yeah the fact i can see one of these happening makes me sad.

If they aren’t a canon pairing, how would you get them together?     they give off "everyone knows we're dating but us" energy but at the same time i feel like they'd acknowledge there's something and just not define it bc a) they don't need to (misumi) or b) they're too nervous to (kazu). in other words i think one day they are holding hands and misumi says "kazu? is this dating?" and kazu holds his breath before asking "do you want it to be?"

If you had to take them and plunk them into another fandom, what fandom would that be? Why?     i think theyd be hilarious in any sports animanga (kazu is manager tho bc noodle arms but maybe they bond when misumi walks him through some of his usual training menu one night - ahem. anyway) BUT ALSO horimiya au...

How hard is it write/draw your pairing? Scale of 1-10.     AJDHAJDHSF I REALLY LOVE THEM SO IT COMES PRETTY EASILY... but sometimes you try to put them in tropes and realize they would Just Not Work Like That. idk where i'm going with this. but yeah. anyway 3 for sankaku.

Is there a pairing that you think rivals them?     in terms of what i ship, i tend to ship kazu and misumi individually with a lot of dif charas AJDHAKD. but in terms of like... in-universe "rival" pairings: kazu side: tsuzukazu (maybe, lbr it would take them 273924 yrs to actually get together), kazu x someone from winter (i... have my reasons but they'd take longer than what this answer entails) misumi side: ... surprisingly none that i can think of ahdjahd

Which character of the pairing do you like more? (Would you ever pair yourself with them?)     you know that tweet that's like "sometimes a ship is just your two favs"? yeah that's misukazu for me. but if i had to choose... misumi AJDHAJHDSF I HONESTLY WASNT THAT INTO YUME UNTIL THESE TWO CAME AROUND (NOT COUNTING 707)... but yeah if they wanted to hold me in their arms i wouldn't oppose

Which character of your pairing would be the one to break up with the other? Why?     OOOOOH BOY well. i think it could be either of them. i don't think they'd break up for lack of love but too much love and wanting the other to be happy and thinking that the only way to give them that is to let them go. so i guess the question is which of them would be more likely to be selfish and hold on. thinking this way, i think misumi would be more likely to break-up, bc kazu has lots of friends who are better than him!! and misumi is more ready to leave if he thinks he needs to than kazu is. now im sad.

Are they relatable as characters or as a pairing?     THE NUMBER OF TIMES I'VE BEEN CALLED KAZU KIN... in all seriousness kazu's struggles with speaking out and (shinobi spoilers) his uncertainty over his future hit real close to home... while i don't relate as much as misumi, his struggles always manage to tear my heart into pieces... ((oversharing alert) i guess what really separates me from misumi is his struggle with his desire to connect with family who has treated him poorly... whereas im more "lol fuck you") tldr i relate to kazu slightly more LOL

Did you once/ever dislike one/both of them?     i never disliked them but i was NOT expecting either of them to shoot up so quickly into my favs list ahdjahdjf. also i started shipping them Immediately After reading summer main story so there's that

On an estimate, how many posts have you made about them?    as of september 28th 2020 i make up 11/78 fics on ao3 in the romantic misukazu tag and 2/12 in the platonic one. i may have brainrot.

What made you decide to ship them?     TBH I FINISHED THE MAIN STORY AND WENT "OH MY GOD... THAT'S MY SHIP" but now that i'm here i continue to ship them because they have the potential to bring out both the best and the worst in each other and i'm all about that

Favorite genre for them? (Angst, fluff, etc.)     angst. i just. angst hurt/comfort all the way. im so sorry babies.

lol you thought there would just be 21 ANYWAY EXTRA 1: how do they spend breaks/vacation?    they'd travel a lot when they're older!! kazunari loves to travel and misumi would follow kazunari anywhere (also, new triangles!!) so they go somewhere new whenever they have the time. however i think eventually one or both of their future careers will take them anywhere and everywhere anyway, so their "ideal vacation" might turn into an evening in, cuddling and catching up (as if they didn't already send play-by-play updates over the phone of whatever they did during the day)

EXTRA 2: first date?     i don't they ever have an explicit first date, but if asked they'll cite the time they had a picnic in the park turned triangle hunt turned accidental dip in the duck pond. at least, kazunari will. misumi just tilts his head and wonders what you mean.

EXTRA 3: gifts?     IM FEELING REALLY CHEESY SO I'M MAKING THIS ABOUT ANNIVERSARY GIFTS they both end up getting each other jewelry (although kazu was really really nervous bc he wasn't sure if misumi would wear it). kazu gets misumi a bracelet (with triangles, of course although misumi only wears it sometimes because he doesn't want to lose it) and misumi gets kazu a pair of triangle earrings "so we can match!" and kazunari combusts at the implications

EXTRA 4: sharing clothes     THEY'RE ACTUALLY AROUND THE SAME SIZE (and tend to wear baggier stuff barring kazu's skinny jeans)... but they have completely different Styles so it's still really obvious when steal each other's stuff ahdjajdkaf. as cute as kazu would look in sumi's sweatshirt i think the much more likely scenario is kazu wrapping misumi in his jackets because this boy nEVER BRINGS HIS ANYWHERE anyway just. accidental shared wardrobe misukazu.

EXTRA 5: lake house au    consider: kazunari living in a house on the shore of a lake for a summer for Art Purposes (and a little bit for Dealing With Life purposes but he's not gonna admit that) and meets his lake neighbor misumi who kazu thinks might be a ghost or spirit for a while but he actually just lives further down the lake and misumi unknowingly helps kazu with his Life Issues and maybe they fall in love

[easilydistractedbyfanfic]

Fortnight and August? Also love how you ended "I'll Be With You When the Deal Goes Down " btw

Well hello there, Nonnie! Oh, this is exciting - my inbox has not seen this much action in one day before! LOL! And thank you for the comment about I’ll Be With You When The Deal Goes Down - that fic took way longer to complete than I intended, but I’m happy with it and glad you are too!

Fortnight (btw I love this word! I remember looking it up when I was a kid after reading it in a story and not knowing what it meant!) - What WIP do you plan on posting next, if at all? - 

So… there are SO MANY to choose from! I have one published WIP on AO3, Only Then You’ll See, and I am fully committed to completing that. I would like to say it’s absolutely the one I will wrap up next, but I must admit that since I’m feeling so frustrated with aspects of canon right now, I kind of like working on AU stories lately so I can forget about what’s going on with the show. 

I also would really like to finish an AU Summer Camp counselors fic that I started last August and have not published any of just yet. I really like it although there is a lot of world-building in it, and not only would summer be a great time to finish and publish it, but it’s also the story I’ve been working on the longest (at this point), and it would be meaningful to me if I could get it done in time for my one-year anniversary in this fandom, which is coming up! It’s called The Summer We Met and it’s getting close to around 35k. I will not publish this until it is complete, possibly splitting it into two chapters. 

I have six other started and incomplete Murven stories in addition to these, AND I have two stories that are going to be longer chapter fics that I have sketched out and am excited for both. One is going to deal with something that happens on the Eligius IV prior to the ship’s computer waking up Jordan (oh it’s going to be SO FUN, I haven’t seen any fics like this so far), and I’m going to use some characters that I haven’t worked with much (Niylah and Octavia, specifically) as well as keep some of my other faves (Diyoza, I’m talking about Diyoza! involved.) The other is going to twist two things on the Ark prior to S1 and I’m going to see how they change the course of the Murphy/Raven relationship. I’m excited about that one too, because I’m going to work more Sinclair into it and I haven’t written too much canon-based early seasons. 

Ugh, I wish I could just download it all from my brain and we all could start reading them already!!! The world needs more Murven content!!! And so do I!!

August - Are any of your fics associated with certain artists/genres/songs/etc - Yes, absolutely! If a song’s lyrics have really influenced a particular story, I will often put them into the fic at the beginning of the first chapter. For example, I just used a Bob Dylan song in my latest completed fic. I mentioned this in past author’s notes for a (very angsty) Murven fic I wrote, but I always always always go back to Madness by Muse for Murphy & Raven’s relationship. They have a really complicated backstory that I know makes a lot of people think they shouldn’t be shipped/aren’t compatible. Neither one of them WANTED this bond with the other, but here they are. For me this song really just speaks to their entire relationship of not being the traditional couple that falls in love, but the kind of couple where it’s inevitable and you feel that pull even though you know it’s complicated and scary and probably really going to fuck you up at the same time it’s exactly what you need. Ohh, damn, now I need to fan myself, LOL!

Honestly, at some point I should probably do a Murven playlist of songs that I think suit them, because there are a LOT that I think about when I write them. I easily have 40-50 songs on my inspiration sheet, and sometimes I’ll use them for a specific fic or other times it’s just the overall feel for their relationship. Here’s a few - check out the lyrics to “Back to Earth” by Steve Aoki (ft Fall Out Boy), “Hate Me” by Eurielle, “Clarity” by Zedd, “Silence” by Marshmello (ft Khalid), “Inner Demons” by Julia Brennan, “It’s No Good” by Depeche Mode, “Bleed It Out” by Linkin Park…. eh, there’s lots more, including a few that Richard Harmon has mentioned for Murphy that I deliberately keep in mind too. 

Wow… I’m kind of invested. LMAO! It’s far, far too late for me now, and if I get my way I’m pulling everyone else in with me! Thanks for the ask, Nonnie! xoxoxo

[sunshine-carlyle]

TGS Tag Game

Tagged by: @silverlynxx

1. When did you first watch TGS?

January 1st 2018! I remember being sort of hesitant, but the second it started I was hooked—I was sitting on the edge of my seat bouncing up and down for the whole of The Other Side and when the music stopped before the final chorus I was devastated because I thought it was over!

2. Who is your favourite character?

That’s actually really hard for me to answer! If I’d been asked a couple of months back, I would have undoubtedly said P.T.—everything he does in the film just makes me smile and makes my heart warm (it sounds cheesy but it’s true!). Now, though, I’m having a tough time choosing between him and Phillip—each time I see TGS, the urge to give Flip a hug gets a little stronger. I’d probably still say P.T., but sometimes Phillip, depending on what mood I’m in.

3. What are your canon and fanon ships?

I’m super in love with the canon ships, both of which I think are brilliant. Aside from that, though, I’m a hardcore Barlyle shipper. I actually only really started shipping them when I showed my friend the film—when they were in the bar, she turned to me and said they look like they want to...—but I’ve been head-over-heels for this pairing ever since! Another ship I like is Charity/Phin/Phil, but as long as Charity is treated well in my Barlyle I’m all over that shit.

4. What’s your favourite TGS song?

Honestly? They’re all incredible! TGS is one of the few musicals where I genuinely love every single song. Having said that, I will always have a MASSIVE soft spot for The Other Side! The guitar part is fantastically reminiscent of percussion, especially at the beginning, the harmonies between P.T. and Phillip are impeccable, and the way they’re so in sync, both with finishing each other’s sentences while singing and just the entire scene? YES YES YES A MILLION TIMES YES. Honestly though I could yell about all the songs for years DM me anytime!!

5. Are you a content creator?

Yup yup! My work is predominantly fic, although I very occasionally doodle pictures as well! My fic uploading is rather sporadic, because my motivation is best represented by tsunamis and calm seas, rather than a constantly-flowing river, but I’m still just gonna link my AO3 here: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jackpip

6. If General Tom Thumb and The Irish Giant got into a fight, who would win and how?

Probably Charles! I’m not sure how exactly, but he seems rather ruthless—I, for one, would be afraid around his pistol.

7. If you joined Barnum’s circus, what would your act be?

Hopefully something musical! I play a lot of instruments, and the opportunity to do something along those lines would be awesome. Failing that, I’m super loose-jointed and can do all sorts of weird things with my thumbs and wrists in particular that would definitely get a reaction from an audience!

8. Favourite fanfiction trope or AU?

I’m a sucker for modern AUs! Literally anything in a modern setting, and I’m sold—bonus points if it’s more subtle anachronisms that give the time period away than a direct statement. Also, I’m not sure if it’s a trope as such, but I adore hurt/comfort where one plays with the other’s hair to soothe them! We need more Phil comforting Phin in the world.

9. Do you have a non-TGS song that you associate with the film or a TGS character?

HOLY. SHIT. I have so many, especially for Barlyle! I literally made a playlist. Some highlights include:

Broadripple Is Burning (Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s): “And, darling, I’m lost, and everything that I have loved has turned to stone, so pack your bags and come back home.”

I Was Drunk (Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s): “And I sing to you, whisper the secrets you already knew, and I’m begging ‘Please reconsider and come back home to me’ ‘cause we’ll all be dead quite soon.”

3 Rounds and a Sound (Blind Pilot): “I was swimming; my eyes were dark ‘til you woke me and told me that opening is just the start. It was.”

And this one just makes me think of Phillip (even just from the title alone) and Phin comforting him so much:

Don’t Let Them See You Cry (Manchester Orchestra): “So breathe, while you’re alive. Let the big band play as you tap leather with your fingers. And I tried to write in style, but the words just come and I write them soon as I see them.”

I could talk about music and Barlyle songs forever, though! That’s literally two of my favourite things combined

10. What mythological creature would you add to the circus?

I’m not entirely sure! Probably a pegasus—I can imagine some impressive routines involving one of those and the elephants.

11. What’s one of your favourite TGS headcanons?

There are so many! One of my favourites is that Phillip is so particular with his hair because it was one of the few things he could still exercise control over when he was still living with his parents. As a result, whenever anyone messes it up, he feels off-kilter and rather panicky until he can fix it again—after years and years, it had become a coping mechanism of sorts. Having said that, Phineas thinks he looks positively adorable with ruffled bed hair, and Phillip is slowly growing more comfortable with not doing his hair until just before he leaves the house, as opposed to waking up early to do so before Phineas joins him.

Other headcanons I love include Phineas having ADHD, Bisexual!Phil having a lot of trouble coming to terms with his sexuality and occasionally wobbling I absolutely have to write about that one day (I’m absolutely not projecting whatsoever shsksj), and platonic soulmates Phin and Charity/Anne and Phil!

12. If you could ask any TGS character a question, who and what would it be?

That’s super tricky! I’d probably ask P.T. where he got the lamp he gave Caroline from, or how he made it, because I absolutely adore it! Failing that, I’d straight-up ask Phillip for a hug because 9 times out of 10 that would 100% cheer me up shsksj

BONUS: Link/share one of your favourite TGS fanfictions or pieces of fanart!

There are so many incredible artists and writers in this fandom, and I really, genuinely enjoy every piece of content I come across!

I think, in terms of fanart, my favourite piece is anything done by @themissingmask —he was my secret santa on the TOSdiscord server and did an absolutely phenomenal job! <3

Regarding fanfiction, I have three favourites: Just A Dead Man Walking by braille_upon_my_skin, Peanut Swells by @silverlynxx and And The Walls Are Closing In by @circus-playwright. All of them are hurt/comfort, but in different ways—I read Braille’s when I’m at my lowest, Lynxx’s makes me smile because of the interactions between P.T. and Caroline, and the last one is just some good, good Phin angst with Phillip comforting him (something I believe there should be a lot more of in the world!). <3<3<3

Links:

Just A Dead Man Walking (TW for attempted suicide and implied/referenced self-harm): https://archiveofourown.org/works/14070681

Peanut Swells: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17000595

And The Walls Are Closing In: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14488485

I tag: @circus-playwright @fandomingrandom and @rewrite-a-million-dreams

[jasonfunderberkerthefrogexists]

🌗: definitely fluff. dont get me wrong, i like angst, but i’m such a hopeless romantic.

🧑: my favorite character to write has to be Tyrannus Basilton. he is way too relateable and i love him more than i’ve ever loved myself.

💕: snowbaz. no questions asked. although, i am going to be working on some other ships and ocs later on sooo

📚: carry on fandom, but i would like to branch out into my other favorites. it’s taking me a little bit though :)

🍑: i do write smut >:) it’s actually my favorite thing to write. especially the ooey gooey smut that’s full of intimacy. <3

🥰: i don’t have a favorite! i love them all equally. (except for plastic vampire teeth. i fucking hate that fic. i even like the butter story more.)

🏆: my fic Hey Bartender. it’s also my most popular! over 1,000 hits!

💎: my favorite trope has to be hurt/comfort. i am an absolute sucker for hurt/comfort. always have been, always will be. (but, i also like to write my characters as regress sometimes! :))

🌍: def non magical. i’m not great at trying to keep up with canon :( but, i also really like soulmate aus (even though i haven’t written one yet!)

🍄: usually, i’m overflowing with so much energy and creativity that i’m able to write any day at any time. although, while i’m writing i’ll listen to music/playlists that fit the vibe.

💡: it can be anything. from a fic i read previously, to a song/poem, to a memory i have, to something stupid a friend says, to just something that randomly pops into my head! my ideas can really come from anywhere.

🕶: it’s hard to pic. honestly, it just depends on the idea.

📒: i have over 120 fics currently in the works in my notes app. although, the ones i’m working on the hardest are just 5.

🎤: *explicit warning* “God doesn’t deserve your praise when I’m the one fucking you,” I growl.

🎁: He…got it back for me.

@faeryphilia @stillmadaboutpetra & @mostlymaudlin

get in on this babes!!

fanfic writer ask game that’s definitely not an excuse for shameless self promo

rb if you want to play!

🌗 fluff or angst?

🧑 favorite character to write?

💕 favorite ship to write?

📚 favorite fandom for write for?

🍑 do you/would you write smut?

🥰 fave fic you’ve written?

🏆fic youre most proud of?

💎 fave trope to write?

🌍fave type of au to write?

🍄how do you get yourself in the mood to write?

💡what inspires your fic ideas?

🕶canonverse or au?

📒any fics planned?

🎤fave line in a fic you wrote?

🎁 have a quote from a WIP?

[lynfantasy]

Lotor?

(For this character ask challenge)OOF. Alright, prepare yourself for salt, because I absolutely love this character no matter what, and that is precisely why I am very mad at the official crew about him. (Though I swear this isn’t ALL salt.)

The last time I did this ask challenge, I answered these questions for Lotor here, but that was before season 5 even came out. Now…

(Putting this under a read-more because this is LONG – there’s two long playlists under the “song” section, and I added a ton of screenshots at the end.)

Favorite thing about them: I loved how complex and out-of-the-ordinary he was. He wasn’t a hero, he wasn’t a villain, and he wasn’t even a traditional antihero. He wasn’t good, but he was altruistic; he wasn’t bad, but he was willing to do things that no one else would. He was neutral, and he didn’t need to be redeemed into goodness. He certainly didn’t seem to have any reason to fall or rise – he already knew what he wanted and how he was going to get it, and both his motives and means were shockingly pure.And then…Least favorite thing about them: Season 6 just completely ruined him. That colony thing?? I’ve vented to many friends about this, and there’s a post I have half-written that I might put up sometime, but it just doesn’t make sense to me. The creators of the show said that they wanted him to be a morally gray character, but then they had had him commit a truly evil act? And he doesn’t even seem repentant for it? I just can’t forgive them for doing this to him. This wasn’t some “cool plot twist.” I’m not sitting here, thinking, “Wow, I really fell for that, didn’t I?” I don’t feel like Lotor betrayed me. I feel like the writers betrayed him and did him a disservice.Favorite line: “All I ask is that you judge me by my actions rather than your preconceptions of my race.” This line was just… wow.Also: “My father’s blood is not just in my veins. It’s also on my sword.” Damn.I also still very much love his opening speech in season 3, and a special shout-out goes to his speech in the beginning of season 6 until Sendak interrupted it.BrOTP: Mmmm, well, Team Sincline forever. In a better universe, they’re all still getting up to their own shenanigans together.I also still wish that Lotor and Keith had gotten a chance to bond. It could have been great.But let’s all take a moment to acknowledge what a great and supportive friendship Lotor and Shiro had in season 5. That was good. Good on you, (clone) Shiro.OTP: Lancelot. I can’t really explain why, but this is my favorite ship. In a close second place comes Polycline, the ship of Lotor and his generals all together in a romantic sense, which just warms my polyam-loving heart.As for what I would like to see in canon, well, I was pretty happy with Lotura, and I’m still holding out hope that they might have some dramatic redemptive reconciliation.NoTP: Eh, I don’t really do NoTPs. I can’t say I’m fond of Lotor/Throk, though.Random headcanon: I think Lotor’s ships are perfectly capable of making it through the Quantum Rift without being subjected to the time dilation effects. I also think that, on more than one occasion, Lotor has purposefully turned down the protection against time dilation because he can’t afford to take time off but he really needs a break, and what better way to accomplish that than to take a trip that will give him weeks or months to himself but will only cause him to miss about a week in regular time?Unpopular opinion:

FANWORK CONTENT CREATORS CAN STILL MAKE CONTENT WITH A SOFT CHARACTERIZATION FOR LOTOR. SHIPPERS CAN STILL SHIP LOTOR/PALADIN SHIPS. CANON SHOULD NEVER LIMIT CREATIVITY.

Song i associate with them: Hoo boy, I have not one but two playlists for him… Instead of linking a playlist, I’ll just list the songs for you all to find at your leisure, since everyone uses different music services (and honestly, I just pirate off of YouTube 99% of the time).

My “canon” playlist, in chronological order, is:

Natural by Imagine Dragons – I’m so glad this came out recently, because if there’s any singular theme song that fits Lotor in every canonical aspect, this is it.

Who We Are by Imagine Dragons – Team Sincline. Need I say more?

Best Day of My Life (minor key) by Chase Holfelder – If you only know this song in its major form, you might very well be wondering why it’s here, but Chase Holfelder’s minor key version has a very different tone to it, and I think it fits Lotor quite well for season 3.

Gold by Imagine Dragons – This works for his rise to power in season 3 and fall in season 4, as well as hinting at his eventual rise and fall again in 5 & 6 and that final snap at the end of 6. It could honestly go at the end, but I thought it fit best here, as the season 4 song.

Icarus by Bastille – I associate this song with both Keith and Lotor in seasons 3 & 4. Honestly, if you listen to the chorus, it sounds like them both at the end of season 4. Icarus (Lotor) is flying too close to the sun… Icarus (Keith) is flying towards an early grave.

Blame by Bastille – This isn’t a perfect fit, but it reminds me of Lotor’s pleading with the Paladins at the beginning of season 5 to not hand him over to Zarkon. Honestly, I sort of picture Lance as the one singing the scathing verses. There’s no room for you here.

I’m So Sorry by Imagine Dragons – This could also go anywhere, but I can picture this as a backdrop to Lotor’s final confrontation with Zarkon. It’s so scathing and sarcastic, except for the bridge. I imagine the bridge as being addressed to Lotor’s generals.

White Blank Page by Mumford and Sons – Canon Lotura. Just… just listen to it. It’s so tragic and fits them so well for season 6.

This Is Gospel -> Emperor’s New Clothes by Panic! At the Disco – Initially, I was going to put just Emperor’s New Clothes on here for Lotor’s breakdown in season 6, but I listened to these two back-to-back, and I thought that This is Gospel fits in a tragic way if you think of it as the sane part of Lotor’s mind trying to warn Allura, knowing that he cannot fight the corruption of Quintessence.

Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing by Set It Off – …I mean, in light of season 6, how could I not include this one. The bridge is basically a summary of that final confrontation.

Viva La Vida by Coldplay – Initially, I had this as a song for season 4, but I couldn’t leave this playlist on such a bitter note. I like to picture that Lotor will eventually come out of the Quintessence field and, alone and without resources, will have to hide out somewhere and rethink a lot of things, and this song is perfect for that.

I’ll Be Good by Jaymes Young – Following the thread of an eventual redemption from the previous song, I think this would suit a redeemed, post-s6 Lotor very well. It’s also simply a very bittersweet and beautiful song to end off on, and it stands in very strong contrast against Natural, the first song on the playlist.

My other playlist is for miscellaneous songs that don’t fit into the canon timeline and for ship songs. In no particular order:

Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea by Fall Out Boy – This is such a Lotor song, but it technically doesn’t fit canon, since he did become emperor. However, I’ve got an AU story that this fits perfectly, and I think it suits a lot of other Lotor-centric AUs I’ve seen. Besides, thematically, it really does fit Lotor pre-s5.

Broken Crown by Mumford & Sons – The meaning of this song is ambiguous, but if you interpret the “crown” here as literal, it could suit Lotor pretty well, especially in an AU where he refuses to rule.

Therapy by All Time Low – I think this would fit a human AU best, but it could work for any version of Lotor who is introspective about his own flaws and problems.

Battlefield (Meet Me on the Battlefield) by SVRCINA – I’m a little iffy on this one, but someone else recommended it to me as a Lotor ship song, and I do think it could fit a few different Lotor ships quite nicely. The song is primarily about revolution and altruism, both of which fit Lotor, and the romantic aspects would work well for a Lotor/paladin ship.

I Walk the Line by Halsey & Walking the Wire by Imagine Dragons – These two songs work well as two sides of the same coin. I particularly imagine them for Lancelot. Lotor sings I Walk the Line, talking about the difficulty of maintaining a balance between his relationship and his loyalties in the war but declaring that he will be true to Lance above all, and Lance sings the far more optimistic Walking the Wire, saying that although this balancing act is difficult, they will come out on top, together. It could theoretically work for another Lotor ship, but Walking the Wire is such a Lance song that I really picture it for the two of them.

Hold Me Tight or Don’t by Fall Out Boy – Funny story, I pictured this as a Sheith song first, but then @noirsongbird recommended it to me as a Lancelot song, and… yeah, it fits. It also specifically fits one of her (very good!) fanfics, so that’s cool.

King and Lionheart by Of Monsters and Men – Technically, this could sort of work for any Lotor/paladin ship, but I think it would work better for Keitor, Shotor, or Lancelot. It was recommended to me by @noirsongbird as a Lancelot song, and I have to agree that it fits them very well.

I Don’t Know Why by Imagine Dragons – Again, this could work for multiple Lotor/paladin ships, but I picture it for Lancelot. It’s a great forbidden love song, so it would suit a secret romance across battle lines quite nicely.

So… yeah. A lot of music. Sorry? I’m sure this isn’t even everything, haha.

Favorite picture of them: Oh gosh, how could I choose…

Like… damn.

But also…

He’s so cute and pretty??

I mean, just look at him.

For favorite fanworks, I’ve got to put this one up, of course (and please follow this link to the post for it and give it a like!):

This was a gift to me for my very recent 20th birthday by my amazing friend @honestlyprettychill (thank you again babe)!!

There’s a lot of other really good Lotor fanart out there. Check out @itsnotdoneyet and @invidiaesc for some great stuff.

Annnnd that’s it! Sorry this took so long. I hope I answered the questions to everyone’s satisfaction! I have an ask for Keith that I’ll work on next, but I don’t have any after that yet, so please feel free to send in more!

[my-little-yellowbird]

Fangirl Asks...

I know, I know.  This has taken me 5-ever to complete.  Thank you to @bbcshipper , @elasticmonk , @fourteen-teacups   @thatginchygal and @like-an-officer-and-a-sergeant for tagging me in this fandom questionaire.  I really enjoyed doing it, and got kinda loquacious with my response.  This is definitely worthy of a Reaad More break!

@bbcshipper asked:

1. How much do your real life friends/family know about your fandom life?  My family knows, or think they know.  Friends, nope.  They know I’m a fan, but have no idea of the extent of my madness.  I hold back with “normals.”

2. Have you ever embarrassed yourself fangirling? I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.

3. What’s a recurring theme of fanfictions of you OTP that you find annoying/dislike?  Live and let live, and all, but I avoid nun smut.

4. What are some prompts/ideas you might want explored more in fanfic? (asking this one for some ideas, hope that’s okay!)  I love  fluff, of course, but I really enjoy fics that explore the real-world, ordinary problems and compromises that come with marriage.

5. What’s the meaning behind your tumblr name?  There’s an Everly Brother’s song of the same name, and my Grandmother used to sing it to me.  I commissioned an artist to make a stained-glass yellowbird and its become a sort of talisman.  

6. Favorite moment(s) with your OTP?  The hand kiss, the misty road, “What’s she like?” the so-sexy almost kiss in the tent, Teddy’s birth (I know. Don’t @ me. I complain about the story arc, but I’m not heartless)

7. How far would you travel to meet your OTP in real life?  If I were to meet them IRL, I’d have to pretend I was someone else.  I’m not good with worlds colliding.

8.Do you have a playlist for your OTP? (again, looking for ideas!)  Sorry, not really.  I’m terrible with playlists.  There was an old Youtube video featuring Pink and Nate Ruess of “Just Give Me a Reason” that gets to me.

9. What about your real life would shock your OTP?  Shelagh might find it odd that Patrick looks remarkably like Mr. Birdy.

10. What have you learned from being a part of the fandom?  I’ve learned a great deal about how different people cope with anxieties.  

11. What’s the best thing about your fandom?  My friends.  

@elasticmonk  asked:

1. What was your first fandom?  Call the Midwife is my first true-blue, throw-yourself-into-it fandom.  

2. What’s your favorite thing about your main fandom now?  People get me.

3. What is your main fandom?  Turnadette (sorry--do people actually have others?  jk)

4. Who is your favorite character of all time?  I can’t think of one, honestly, but I’ll say Molly Weasley, because of the next question.

5. What three quality’s do you think you share with your favorite character (of anything)?   Molly Weasley is devoted to her family, not afraid to love them and not let them get away ith nonsense,  and brave enough to stand up for right.

6. Where would you like to see your OTP vacation and why?  I’d like to see them at the beach in Torquay.  If Shelagh could wear the yellow swimsuit with the white band across the top, that would be ideal.  In fact, if they could live out any of my fics, I’d be a very happy bird.

7. What’s your favorite gif from your fandom?  I don’t know how to post an annotated gif mid-post, so I’ll just describe it.  It involves tiptoes, dancing, and a giant hand sprawled across a tiny back.

8. What’s your favorite picture from your fandom?  NGL

9. Who was your first OTP?  I guess I shipped Jo and Prof Bhaer as a kid?  

10. When did you start your main fandom?  I lurked through 2013 and into 2014.  I was very wary of the internet world, so when I finally identified myself, my palms were sweaty!  (My very first post was my first fic ever!)

11. AU or canon complaint fanfiction?  Canon-compliant, but I will read AU if it’s done in a way that sheds a new light on the characters.

@thatginchygal  asked:

1.  What was the first fanfic you ever read?  I can’t remember the first Call the Midwife fic I ever read.  It was all such a blur!! But...I think the first ever fic-like thing I ever read was a published Star Trek novel by A.C. Crispin, entitled Ishmael.  It was a mash-up of Star Trek and Here Come the Brides. So, so right.

2.  What was the first fanfic you ever wrote (if any)? Not Listening

3.  Your last text message is the title of your next fanfic.  What is it (and a brief summary)?

“I got you a glow stick.”  It was for a candlelight march.  I wonder...now i may have to do some research into marches in London in the early 1960′s...Or reinterpret that text for an altogether different purpose...

4.  Do you keep your fandom interests a secret from your RL family/friends?

No, it’s not a secret.  At least, not generally.  My feeling is, I have nothing to be embarrassed about, so if they want to see, then go look.  If they have a problem with anything they see, that would be on them.  Fortunately, their respect for my  right to have something just for myself--added to a little bit of fear of what they might find--keeps them away.

5.  What is one of your favorite scenes between your OTP?  I think Im going to pick the almost kiss in the tent.  It’s SoMarried!! and very sexy.  But you know, add about 100 more scenes and I’m good.

6.  Do you have a playlist for your OTP?  Sorry, no.

7.  Why do I suck at coming up with these questions?? You’re better than I am!

8.  Would you want to live in the ‘world’ of your favorite fandom?  Maybe visit?  Probably not.  I’m content to watch from here.

9.  What is your favorite piece of fandom merchandise? Oh, this is so easy.  I have the companion books to the series, a boatload of Nonnatun Holiday cards, my Yellowbird stained glass statue, but what I love the most are the crocheted Yellowbird my friend Soph made me, and the Yellowbird Christmas card Mushy sent me this year.  It’s framed!

In the fall of 2015, a group of lucky Nonnatuns went to a CtM panel that featured Heidi Thomas, Stephen McGann, Jenny Agutter, Emerald Fennell and Dame Pippa Harris.  A week later I recieved this promotional post card in the mail:

I have to admit, I was a little teary when I saw it, mostly because I was so touched that in the midst of their own fun, two friends had me in their thoughts.  They told the panelists about me, and how their show had helped to build friendships.  Everyone signed messages to me on the back.  I’m pretty sure HT’s message included an invite to tea.

10.  Have you ever drifted away from a fandom only to be sucked back in (perhaps by a new season or change of storyline)? Not really.

11.  Do you prefer canon-compliant fanfic or AUs?  Definitely Canon-compliant.

@fourteen-teacups asked:

1.  How did you come to join your first online fandom? Blame Call the Midwife.

2.  If your first fangirling obsession pre-dates access to fandoms, what was the show and/or your OTP?  In college, a friend was a huge Start Trek fan.  By default, I got interested (alas, not obsessed).

3.  If your OTP came to visit you in your town (in present day) where would you take them?  We have a lot of parks suitable for camping.  I could take them there to see a lovely site, then bring them back to my house for a nice cuppa and fresh sheets.

4.  What three things do you have in common with your favorite character?  

5.  What prop would you most like to have from your favorite show? (I borrowed this question from a behind the scenes CtM interview.)  The photograph of the cricket team on the surgery mantle and Shelagh’s long-lost sunflower brooch. 

6.  Same question but for an article of clothing.  I want the Tan Overcoat of Love.

7.  Where would you like to see your OTP go on vacation and why?  See Elasticmonk q6

8.  Do you have a) multiple OTPs; or are you b) a one-OTP-at-a-time person?  I have a great appreciation for many OTP’s, but for me, there can be only one.

9.  In question 8, if you answered a) list your top three OTPs; if you answered b) what was the OTP you dropped for your current one?

10.  If you lurked in your fandom before joining (or even if you didn’t), is there a fellow fan whom you consider “famous” in the fandom that makes you fangirl whenever they comment on your posts?  I was desperate for @this-unruly-heart to notice me!  One day she messaged me asking if I was the one who wrote a "Letters” fic that she loved. 

11.   Was there a particular person who was especially welcoming and/or helpful when you first joined your current fandom?  Many of the Nonnatuns of old that were supportive of my early efforts have moved on to other things, but the boost they gave to my confidence was immeasurable. Oh, and Sarge, too!

@like-an-officer-and-a-sergeant  asked:

1. When did you start taking part in fandom(s)?  I dipped my toe into the Star Trek fandom back in the late 1980′s.  A dear friend was a huge fan, and her enthusiam was contagious.  Sadly, she died in December 1988, and I had to leave fandoms behind.  Then, in 2005 we moved away from the very close world we had built, and I was lonely.  I started to look around for period dramas to watch and stumbled upon North and South.  I was unbelievably grateful it wasn’t the old Civil War mini-series, and I started to read everything I could find.  I came across C-19, and found fanfic as I now know it.  As much as I enjoyed it though, I wasn’t ready to participate as anything other than a lurker until Call the Midwife came along.

2. Which fandoms? Sorry, I think I answered that in th eprevious response

3. How long did you stay? Ibid

4. Did you write fanfics?  Yes, although sometimes I need a kick in the butt to make sure it doesn’t become a past tense thing.

5. Any memorable funny event in your fandoms?  So many ridiculous things have happenned here.  Hiatus Challenges, Limericks (!!!), Twitter responses (remember when HT used to answer our questions? Flat/house! Names!), Nonnatun Holiday Card Exchanges...It seems that the funniest things would come out of nowhere.

6.  Did you get long-time friends? (even as Real People)?  Definitely.  There are people I have met here that I feel I know as well or better than people IRL.  And one poor soul has had to bear meeting me in person and somehow still continues to be my friend.

So here are my questions.  

How has fangirling made an impact in your life?

What makes fangirling most worthwhile to you?

What have you learned about yourself by being a part of a fandom?

I tag: @elasticmonk @thatginchygal @fourteen-teacups @like-an-officer-and-a-sergeant  @lovetheturners @hihereami  @pellucidthings @gabolange  @missouiser @ilovemushystuff @it-is-bugs @crinklybrownleaves @majsmom   @missbergmans @miss-ute @snoopctm @mg-bsl381 @turnt4turnadette @cooldoyouhaveaflag @eatapinkwafer @weshallc @westcoastwilma @skerri @beatrix-franklin @alice1nwond3rland @sincerelygeertje @silentkw @flyingnonny @anamarialujan @purple-roses-words-and-love @bloghey131313 @poplarpatience @soibhanmannion @kaguyahime1224

and anyone else who sees this. My fingers are tired.