#and considering how they grew up home and family are super important and necessary

[brumiramybeloathed]

They Both Leave Snippet #5

"So, you're stressed about finances and are having a hard time affording rent along with food and other necessities?" Bruno asks, placing a hand on top of hers.

Mirabel refuses to acknowlege the warmth she feels when Tio Bruno does something like that and instead focuses on the conversation at hand.

"Yeah. Living on my own is a lot harder than I originally thought."

Bruno nods and pulls back, a look of concentration on his face. Mirabel takes time in the silence to push aside the odd feeling of disappointment away and focus on her situation. She's just touch starved, being away from family she used to hug and lean on all the time, even if all they saw her as was annoying and in the way.

"Well, what if you lived with me?"

Mirabel refocuses on Bruno and away from how much she misses her family.

"I have another bedroom, I own the building I live in outright, and you need a stable place to live where you don't have to worry about getting kicked out."

Isabella and Camillo would never let her live this down if they found out about it. She leaves the Encanto because she's a burden to her family only to end up living with the family outcast because she can't live on her own.

But it's too good of a deal to pass up. No more living with strangers, no more coming home to a soulless apartment she still has not decorated, no more eating most of her meals by herself.

"Do you mean it?" Mirabel can't help but ask.

Bruno smiled and said, "I would not have offered if I didn't."

What is independence to security and comfort?

One week later, Mirabel was all moved in and woke up to her uncle making breakfast in the kitchen, thinking that maybe she has finally found her home.

[thejudgingtrash]

Can you explain to me how Rachel was annoying in the series?

Well, I’ll try to keep myself short for this one (lol no, this took an hour to write). Also, let’s not forget that they’re all kids, but I’m basing this off from when I read the series as a fourteen year old because my opinions haven’t changed much (for better or for worse).

I’m not the biggest fan of Rachel. I have to admit that portrayals of her by Simi, Kit, Logan, Apollo and all the others helped to shape her into something cooler than what she had been in my foggy memories but I actually went back to take a look in the books (well, TTC + BOTL so far) to refreshen my mind about events that have happened.

Also, you should browse through @blackjacktheboss's blog as she’s a) hilarious and b) says whatever I say in like a single sentence lol. But your ask is about me and my opinions so here we go:

What I didn’t like about Rachel was that she’s rude and bold (DON’T GET ME WRONG, I love that in female characters!!!), but she doesn’t have Annabeth’s excuse of survival of the fittest (literally running off as a traumatized seven year old) and introducing us into the world of the Riordanverse.

Percy was on his way, had shit to deal with and Rachel pretty much interrupted him from the get-go and thought getting her answers was more important than letting Percy just rush forward. Yes, this is Rachel’s entrance into the series and the net Riordan threw into the sea, to make us little fish adapt to her. But it still didn’t sit right with me, probably because I would never interact that way.

I get why she did that, but it’s the way how she did it that’s just making me go ???

Even if I was seeing weird things, I wouldn’t set out to distract/interrupt someone who is incredibly busy to get my way. Rachel’s dick move seems like a Karen boomer type of thing to pull off, but guess that’s up to you.

If I were her, I’d either film/try to photograph the monsters via phone (if that’s possible) or internet stalk enough to find the other person (note: despite Riordan’s stupid rule of not being able to use phones, demigods still can use computers/the internet, I guess). Percy was national news like a year or two ago in the timeline, so it shouldn’t be that difficult to find more stuff out about him, even in like 2008 or so. Let him have a spot on Perez Hilton's shitty gossip blog, for the OGs reading this.

Annabeth was used as a tool of exposition to introduce us to CHB, the demigod life and how things roll around there. She barged into Percy’s mission as a nuisance first but a necessity second in TLT.

However, in comparison to Rachel, Annabeth was transformed into a fully-fledged protagonist within a span of a chapter or two. Rachel needed another separate book after her first appearance, so we don’t just know Annabeth better, we know that she’s an important constant throughout the story as of Rachel seems… almost random? Is she truly necessary as a character?

This doesn’t come from a shipper perspective, this is coming from a character design perspective and adds to the feeling that the way she has been introduced to me as a reader just seems off.

Yes, BOTL makes sense with her as a reborn Ariadne, but technically Sally could’ve done the job as she’s a clear-sighted mortal as well lol. Then again, Sally is an adult, went to college, had a job, was unfortunately probably working it up with Paul, did the cha cha slide with him and had overall better shit to do.

Then Rachel as the oracle, which is just super weird in general. Wasn’t Apollo himself responsible for issuing prophecies in the OG myths? Or did he both, have the oracle of Delphi as his spokesperson and issue important stuff to Team Olympus? Am I mixing things up? I’m getting sidetracked, my bad.

Either way, this oracle gig might be the only time I’d say Rachel might be important in the future (badum tzz), but Riordan fumbled the bag in the follow ups series so there’s that. Did she even appear in HOO? Can’t remember and also don’t care.

Rachel is used as one out of three choices in regard to his love life that Percy can make. Calypso literally got introduced into BOTL and was admittedly Percy’s biggest what if… But the general gist doesn’t sit right with me. We have three possible routes with Percy and the others:

Rachel: somewhat normality in the mortal realm

Annabeth: the danger and thrill of the demigod life

Calypso: ambrosia and nectar. a hint of immortality

(On one hand, literally why but on the other hand, mad props for Percy who has literally three romantic leads in the same book.) I’d cancel one of them at least out and since Annabeth isn’t going anywhere, I’m taking Rachel. Sally could literally been Percy’s anchor to a normal mortal life as she had intended until it didn’t work out anymore when he became twelve and his monster alerting scent grew stronger.

Calypso and Annabeth would’ve been the perfect opposites where each of them had a strong case. The demigod life within the realms or mortal or the demigod life ascending to Olympus/immortality. Sounds cooler and is way simpler. Three people is way too much, this truly feels like a shonen anime harem thing and it’s defo not my cup of tea (and while some Annabeth sideships aren’t my thing (Lukabeth go cry in the corner, no one likes you, WTF, Connabeth you fugly), it’s super unfair that Annabeth solely has Percy (fuck off Luke) to rely on in regards of romantic endeavors).

Rachel almost feels redundant? The option to walk away from all of that… which isn’t really true as Rachel really tries to push and insert herself into the story the very first time we meet her? But that’s just me, I’m certain that others are saying they’d kill off Annabeth or kick Calypso (I mean yeah) into the curb.

Big ALSO:

Why does Percy need another white and uber-rich love interest?

I semi-joked on Dez’ post (@sawasawako) with this response about Annabeth needing to keep up with powerful Rachel, but the core still stands.

We already have an affluent Annabeth (granted, we don’t know exactly how the Chase’s riches are divided, whereas it’s clear that Rachel can just make anyone drop dead by saying who she is. Annabeth needed that weird lotus casino credit card to make that happen, so Miss Harvard Legacy doesn’t wield that Dare schmoney. Also don’t think Annabeth can just up papa’s money and go…? Idk).

Why do we need another person needing to upstage this?

Like Rachel has to triumph in regards to standard and prestige as if it were a badly written Jane Austen AU. For what reason…? Why not make Percy friends and acquaintances with someone who comes from a normal household for once, not super rich brats (Piper, Annabeth, Rachel, technically the Graces with their TV starlet mother amongst others).

Moreover…

Important question: why should Percy actually be impressed/attracted to that? He’s dirt poor and has been sent to (boarding) schools filled with stupid rich people since he’s been twelve, probably even younger than that. As if that’s the very first thing Percy would look out for or be wowed or something. He’s used to rich douchebags. I think he’s more surprised that someone used their money for his benefit for once and not to crash daddy’s new Mercedes again.

Like seriously… Rachel did that weird art project thing in BOTL with her covered in gold and posing like it’s a super normal thing to do? Even for rich snobbish kids standards? That sounds weird to me. I don’t know, maybe Riordan’s been streaming the new Gossip Girl reboot on HBO Max on repeat and thought this girl is on fiyah (performed by Alicia Keys).

Rachel trying to separate herself from her money just comes off as super hypocritical when she’s using the very same funds to finance her lifestyle. I get it, trying to make amends and make a difference with the damage you have done but... your father still doesn't give a shit about the environment or YOU, sweetie. Kick him in the balls for once! Then you can go out about your art projects.

The concept of Percy having friends in the mortal realm is cool, but why does Rachel almost have to compete with Annabeth with her wealth and art stuff?

No seriously, the comparisons are constantly there, out and about. Roaming freely on the finest grass, needing to be feed delicious locally sourced carrots and stuff.

Annabeth is Athena’s kid. Athena is the goddess of wisdom, weaving, justice, warfare yada yada and arts and crafts. So definitely something which would affect Rachel, right (someone write that Athena messing with Rachel because she can AU and tag me please!)?

Annabeth wants to become an architect which translates to fancy building designer who is driving engineers like Leonardo Eugenio Valdez Cortes insane irl because the maths and physics don't work like that in the working field trust me I'm an engineer, which could/should be considered an art form.

They even shared some common ground while talking about architecture and design in BOTL!

Furthermore, they both share broken homes with absent parents (granted that all demigods go through that). Wealthy families at that as well. Shitty fathers that don’t care about their daughters well-being. Rachel however, is super powerful and influential in an unseen level in the mortal world. She isn’t like Matt Sloan (?) who truly messes up by destroying shit to get his father's attention, but she’s still in that circle and can easily demonstrate that. Making deals with her father and what not. We rarely see Annabeth doing that. Did y’all forget the fucking helicopter Rachel brought along in TLO?

Pan saying Rachel is just as important as her father has multiple meanings to me…

(Sidenote: I do think it’s hilarious that Annabeth is jealous/annoyed of Rachel that her remarks were she’s cute right and Percy went??? Or when Tyson said Rachel’s pretty? Or that time when Annabeth actually defended Luke and his weird behavior (because Kronos was slowly taking over, don’t forget that kids!), because f that rich artist nepotism kid that Rachel seems to be, right?)

Another note: Percy thinks Rachel is annoying in BOTL for a while and it took a while for him to admit that and he spent way more time being annoyed/jealous (for once, Lordy) at Luke for him to even notice lol.

I guess it’s really hard for me to exactly pinpoint what’s bothering me. I believe Rachel's persona just doesn’t seem to hit right, because it feels like a knock-off Annabeth who just simply isn’t a demigod, yet has two cool powers, but in even richer who still needs to be part of the story for exactly what reason?

The jumping around from the richest in the series to the poorest in the series is kinda bothering me as if the middle class doesn’t exist, like I’ve stated earlier. Why didn’t Riordan mix it up with Rachel, giving her more nuance the minute they met, not towards the end? Have her be Percy’s platonic friend from the get go. No weird oh wait she is kinda cute in the middle bullshit.

This kinda drifted more into a Perachel vs Percabeth essay, which really wasn’t my intention. Don’t worry kids, I’m criticizing Annabeth (and her stans) enough already.

And I do think that others in the fandom have softened my views on Rachel as a person like I’ve stated in the beginning. So friendship!Perachel is popping! But I do think that there are some valid points that I’ve made.

Also not gonna lie, Rachel issuing the new prophecy in TLO kinda dampened the end of PJO series but that’s more Riordan’s fault than hers.

TLDR: I’m just not a huge fan of this overbearing, uber-rich, excessively flaunting being that Rachel sometimes displays. She’s flawed, she’s broken at times, has a semi-interesting background story (although it has been done over and over again throughout the series and should be changed up for once) which is great, but it is still annoying.

We don’t need an anti-Annabeth who feels like a weird caricature of the real Annabeth.

Also if this seems super incoherent, repetitive, or whatever, I'm sorry, massive headaches + mental health going down the goo lagoon does this to ya, I hope I made somewhat sense!

[pocmuzings]

hello! i’m white and i usually use faceclaims of color for my muses but since i’m white i don’t try to make their biography about their race. i personally don’t have experience with racism so i feel kind of disrespectful to write a biography where they experience it so harshly it’s a part of them... if that makes sense? i’m just curious on if i’m doing that wrong and what’s considered a white biography when it comes to a muse of color. by me avoiding any racism, am i whitewashing them?

you can write a character’s bio ( especially a character of colour ) without writing about racism ! whilst racism is prevalent in some manner to basically every poc i know , it isn’t necessary to write about . i write many characters of colour , and i don’t think i always bring up racism ? i will usually bring up : where they grew up . their family dynamic . cultural parts of them ( like celebrating different festivals / holidays , the differences in food they eat at home with their parents vs out with their friends , the dating dynamics , etc etc ) . it really really depends on how you’re writing your character of colour as well . if they’re a poc growing up in a predominantly white place . . there is going to be some disconnect . 

i , personally, often write about the feeling of ‘ other ‘  . i think . . when you’re a poc growing up in a predominantly white place , there is a strong sense of ‘ other ‘ that you can feel . it’s not super necessary to write about this either , and it can definitely be a bit trope-y and stereotypical if you’re not careful ! again , this is all just my thoughts and opinions too , so if any other writers of colour want to jump in - please feel free !!! 

this is a hard question to answer , because there is no ‘ one way ‘ to write a character of colour and their bio . it depends on a plethora of things . as always , i strongly recommend you read through @writingwithcolor ! they are filled with tips and guides and pages and stuff that can help you flesh out a character that IS a character of colour , and not just necessarily a white character you slapped a fcoc onto . i think it’s important to read authors of colour as well !!!! but that should go without saying !

but we also need to discuss what makes a character white ? what is a white bio ? this confuses me to read about , maybe because i’m a poc so i’ve never thought about ‘ does this make my character sound white ? ‘ , but i don’t understand how you can write a bio only specifically geared towards a white character / faceclaim . i understand when people pick up characters and they’re PAINFULLY white and reflect that in their writing , when playing a character of colour , but i don’t know of how to write a bio that’s just . . .white . if that makes sense ? 

i think white people think TOO much into it sometimes . write your character . write them however you want and leave ethnicity out of it , if you want . you don’t need to necessarily include it unless you WANT to include it   . but a character of colour can play and represent any role . . we have the same backstories as white people . we just also get the pleasure of having casual racism and fetishsization / tokenisation thrown at us , but that’s up to YOU to decide to write about .

i hope this makes some iota of sense . i’m sorry , my brain is slightly scattered and trying to piece together what i’m trying to say .

[the-velveteen-victorian]

Elle can you explain what goth is? Google is really inconsistent and I’m having such a difficult time understanding it. When did you find out you were goth?

Definitely! This is a long response just so you are prepared. =) Goth is a music-based subculture. You are correct… Google is not a good resource for discovering what goth is. Unfortunately, a lot of “goth” guide books aren’t either (I know one of them features a lot of emo bands?). First off, let’s just get out of the way what goth is not. Goth is not emo or metal. Avenged Sevenfold, My Chemical Romance, and Pantera are not goth. Goth is not white supremacy. Yes, those of us with naturally pale skin sometimes strive to keep our skin tones light, but goth is a home to people of all skin/hair/eye colors. Anyone who says you can only be a pale, white person is disgusting. Goth is not associated with any religion, philosophy, political inclination, or specific belief system. There are Christian, Hindu, Atheist, New Age, Shinto, Muslim, Republican, Democrat, Green Party, pineapple on pizza, no pineapple on pizza goths. You get my point. =)

Wearing goth fashion does not make someone goth, no matter how great the outfit may be. I (and most goths, elder and younger) define goth as someone who has an intense interest and passion for goth music. That’s it. Sure, most of us will gravitate toward darker aesthetics and like to wear the fashion when we can, but it is absolutely NOT a requirement. That is what google gets so wrong. One of the goth ladies I know spends 80% of her time in scrubs. She loves her job as a nurse practitioner and she has to have a more conservative look while she is working. She can’t wear the fashion more often than a couple times a month. She listens to goth music every day and is super knowledgeable about it. Is she goth? Yes. Conversely, I know a lot of teenagers who are trying to figure out who they are (which is TOTALLY FINE). They actually do a really great job of diy-ing goth looks, but they do not listen to goth music at all. Most of them listen to metal, emo, or country music. Do I consider them goth? No. But I do not judge them for it. Music is about what speaks to you and goth is in no way superior to any other musical taste.

With the rise of “pastel goth” and fashion trends on tumblr/social media, I think a lot of people get misled. This is why it is so important to have some level of contact with the actual goth community. Covid showed us that it is possible to do this online! We can attend online goth nights, get the set lists and analyze goth club music trends from our homes, and have zoom dance sessions! I really love the flexibility and versatility that the pandemic revealed to the goth community… because a lot of goths don’t live in cities with a big goth scene.

How did I discover I was goth? By beautiful accident. =) I was 15, and I struggled to have any level of autonomy or self-expression at all. I grew up in a conservative family (Christian/religious) cult. That rabbit hole runs deep and is a separate story for another time. The point is that I had very limited contact with the outside world apart from my private school, church, and Christian-group violin lessons. However! I received a nano ipod from an extended family member for Christmas one year. I copied a bunch of CD’s from Christian acquaintances at my church and filled the ipod up with the generic contemporary Christian and overstimulating broadway musicals endemic to the culture around me… it was all I had. Then, one day I discovered a goth band. I had no idea they were a goth band. I was obsessed with their sound. I can’t remember which platform I found them on, but I remember I did not have a video with it… so I’m thinking I was on the itunes store. I had chills and for the first time every something felt “right” in the music world for me.

Goth music begets more goth music… Itunes recommended other bands like the one I had found. I only had the money to buy a few albums over the course of a year, but I would retitle the songs and albums as Christian or Disney compilations so that my parents would never suspect what I was listening to (they regularly went through my ipod to make sure I wasn’t listening to anything worldly). One day, I was listening to some of my goth music with another confirmed atheist at my private Christian school and he was like, “OMG I had no idea you were a goth!” I was super confused and was all like, “No, I’m not. I don’t even know what that is…” This guy was a metalhead, but he had a ton of goth friends and he gave me my first thorough education on everything goth. I was 15 at the time, and it was not until nearly 4 years later that I would escape my family and truly come to integrate in the goth community.

Long story short, I started out with the music with no clue about the fashion. I think I was very fortunate in that because it gave me time to develop my musical preferences and tastes without feeling pressured to fit into a tiny little box. Later, when I was free, I did develop a goth wardrobe and (of course) decorated my house in a dark romantic/Victorian style…. But I never felt like those things were vital to who I was as a goth. I’m really thankful for that.

Please understand, that I do not want to erase the incredible goth fashion magicians out there or diminish the hard work someone may put into their personal look or aesthetic. The goth aesthetic is the heartbeat behind the unparalleled, transcendent feeling I have in a goth club or just in my own bedroom. It definitely adds to the experience. All I am saying is that those things alone do not a goth make. I also grew up obsessed with (gothic) Victorian literature... it took me awhile to put 2 and 2 together for that one too lol.

My controversial opinion here is that I do believe that some level of gatekeeping is necessary to keeping goth alive today. Unfortunately, it is an endangered species as subcultures go… this is not because there are not any goths. It is because the mainstream has appropriated it and defined it as fashion ONLY, which then confuses people who go to the surface level of the internet to get answers… which then creates a whole following that erases what goth truly is.

However, I need to explain that when most people refer to gatekeeping, they are talking about bullying. I am defining gatekeeping as providing a definition for the heart of the goth movement and sticking to it. Bullying is never acceptable. Ever. The example I employ a lot utilizes musical genre as an example. Let’s say you put on a Carnifex t-shirt and wear it a lot. But…. You don’t listen to metal because it just is not your sound. You don’t talk to other people about metal music, seek out the aesthetic, have more than 2 songs on your phone with metal music, or (want) to attend metal events. Are you a metalhead? No, of course not. But are you inferior to metalheads because you choose to listen to classical and hip-hop music? No, of course not. Another example: Let’s say you don’t like coffee. You don’t regularly drink it, read about it, or have an interest in it. Are you a coffee enthusiast? No, of course not. Are you inferior to those who do drink coffee? No, of course not. But it would be ridiculous to feel pressured to fit the mold of a coffee enthusiast, right?

It is never wrong to define what something is and to stick to your guns on it as long as you do not cross over into elitist territory, thinking you are better than everyone else. That is the point I want to get across here. Goth fashion does own my heart, but I also sometimes dress in dark academia, cottagecore, dark mori, and even in 80’s retrofuturistic styles when the mood strikes me. It does not change my involvement in the goth community or erase my love for goth music.

Lastly, a question I get a lot (and I have addressed this in previous posts) is, “I am obsessed with goth music… I have a wide knowledge base that I have spent great amounts of time developing and it is my life… but I also like Lil Peep, Lady Gaga, ‘gothic’ metal, and Lana Del Rey. Am I still goth?” The answer is YES. Of course you are! Loving goth music and being obsessed doesn’t mean you can’t like other things. Anyone in the goth community who tells you have to ONLY listen to goth music is full of crap. Eighty percent of my ipod is goth music… I am lucky to have thousands of songs. (And by the way, if you cannot afford a lot of goth music, you are not less goth than the rest of us. Listening for free is just as valid.) The other twenty percent is classical and synthwave/cybersynth/retrowave/darkly inclined/spacewave/video game sountrack/cyberpunk-inspired stuff. Am I any less of a goth for also being obsessed with the retrowave community or for listening to bands that are darkly inclined but not quite goth? No, of course not. Also, you can be darkly inclined without being goth, and that is just as beautiful. =) My husband is darkly inclined and likes some goth music, but he is more involved in the horror community. He is no less valid and freaking awesome than I am.

I hope this makes sense! This is a subject I feel passionate about. Just to recap, the pillars of fashion, gothic literature, and general aesthetics are valid in the goth scene and contribute greatly to the structural integrity of the whole. However, the soul of goth is in the music. I have hearing loss myself and have a couple of friends who are completely deaf who also agree that the music is the soul of goth. The way they engage is by reading the lyrics and even going to goth clubs when they can to dance and feel the beat. =) I think that is beautiful and so amazing. Hearing disabilities do not disqualify you from the goth scene- anyone who says they do is garbage.  

Here are a couple of videos explaining a bit about what goth music actually is. Let me know if you would like more resources! Angela Benedict did a video where she answered the question, “Can you be goth and not like the music?” Her answer is also no. She is a great youtuber to watch because she was there for the 90’s goth scene! It is so fun to hear her stories and learn about the elder goth generations. <3

Goth music is not just goth rock… there are SOOOOO many subgenres under the massive umbrella that is goth. It is a big universe to explore. =) If you would like a list of some of my favorite goth bands AND goth adjacent bands, then I can do a separate post for that- just ask! Thank you for tolerating my info-dumping. =) <3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKDo_j0O-hA&t=116s – Accumortis on goth music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGj3CuAeW1w – Angela Benedict on goth music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zg3HwuFlGeU&t=587s – Angela Benedict on defining goth

[inumaqi]

top ten tagged by @linkspooky 🍊 explanations under the cut! sorry for rambling xo → rules: name your top ten favourite characters from ten different fandoms, and then tag ten people - @osomanga @kara-suno @anonimarevolts @zeninmaki @wildbishonen @shysheeperz @tkmewthyou @kaldurlenn @joxterism @marshmallowdonutsprinkles

snufkin okay so he’s the only one not from an anime or manga but i had to put him on bc he’s the most important fictional character to me, ever. i grew up watching the moomin cartoons in the 90s and thinking about it instantly calms me down - they used to air the episodes early in the morning when it would still be dark outside: the landscapes were moody and cosy, the characters were so softly spoken and articulate... it’s just peak nostalgia. anyway, snufkin is moomin’s best friend; he returns to moominvalley every year to be with his friends during the spring and says his goodbyes to go adventure again come winter. it upsets moomin when he leaves but snufkin is adamant that quiet and solitude are important and healthy, and it’s not fair to expect him to compromise on his independence - that made a really big impact on me as a kid, especially as someone who never really had their ‘own’ space (twinsies). relationships aren’t weakened by physical distance or time, they’re about communication and understanding. that was important too. i don’t think i realised just how influential it had been until i was an adult but snufkin is an anarchist. he first shows up in the comics when moomin and sniff are talking about opening a bank - he tells them they should plant fruit trees instead. he destroys private property and rescues orphans, he refuses to participate in things that don’t bring him joy. when he’s asked where home is, he replies, “nowhere. or everywhere! it depends how you look at it” - the whole world belongs to him, and the whole world belongs to everyone else too.

yomo renji in general, i like characters that trudge along in the background and do the nitty-gritty work that supports the main story. i like people like that irl too. more than anything else, yomo is desperate to form human connections, even though he’s shackled by self-doubt and self-loathing. he just wants to positively contribute to a community, thinking he’s most useful keeping a quiet eye on people who might need protection/guidance (while still giving them space to grow and act themselves) or foraging for human corpses so that others aren’t in danger or moral anguish doing it for themselves.

bird boy is a total weapon - “the perfect ghoul” - and you’re reminded over and over again but a lot of his growth is about rejecting violence and repurposing his power as something productive that he can use to help the people around him instead of hurting people (the yang to uta’s yin). in the first few chapters, he says he kills humans (he’s a ghoul, humans are food, it’s natural) and yet he’s consistently framed as a scavenger who seeks out ‘roadkill’ [suicide victims] for sustenance, even before coming to anteiku, and implements a system so other people can do the same.

suguru getou i was originally gonna say meg bc i love him but, having just finished The Flashback Arc, i can’t stop thinking about getou and i’m beyond impressed with how akutami has managed to ground him so well, so sympathetically. getou is the sick, warped darkness to the hopeful light that gojou commands but... in an uncomfortable twist, the reverse is true, kind of.

actually, gojou is arrogant and confrontational and hyper individualistic. he’s a dissident. getou is obedient, compassionate, self-aware... he has a sense of social responsibility and passionately believes that his skills should be used to protect those who can’t protect themselves - non-jujutsu sorcerers - and all of the suffering he endures as a result is worth that. idk if others are reading his downfall differently but, from where i’m standing, that overwhelming responsibility never goes away, he doesn’t give up on it - he just starts to view the social landscape differently and begins to see how jujutsu sorcerers are vilified and mistreated in spite of all the good that they do. the ‘weak’ aren’t really weak when they’re able to organise and assert collective power over a minority, and so his sympathies shift.

the nail in the coffin for getou is learning that the hurt and pain could be eradicted from the world by cutting the head of the proverbial snake: non-jujutsu users generate cursed energy, so get rid of non-jujutsu users and cursed energy won’t be generated. it’s all horribly, weirdly rooted in good intentions that weigh him down and misdirect him.  shinazugawa genya i feel like the bond that slowly starts to develop betwen tanjirou, and zenitsu and inosuke (in particular) is nicely foiled by genya’s lonely journey towards becoming a pillar. after losing almost all of his family and having sanemi walk away, genya is angry, antisocial, rude, violent, evasive...

he’s characterised as competitive, as if he hates his peers and wants to leave them in the dust as an act of self-satisfaction, a power fantasy or whenever, but this is a deliberate misdirection to cover for the fact that he’s scrambling to be a pillar so that he can reconnect with his brother and prove to him that he can protect himself; that sanemi doesn’t need to shoulder everything alone like he used to. his entire goal is an act of apology.

and in a story where so many characters are able to hone these exceptional skills, genya is uniquely disadvantaged as the only one who can’t master breathing techniques. rather than having a hero moment and powering up, his need to reconnect with sanemi is so strong that he essentially decides to compromise his humanity and become a kind of monster by ingesting the demons he’s pledged to annihilate. amajiki tamaki i wish i had a a longer explanation for this one but it’s actually super simple: tamaki is a really, really, really good portrayal of a person burdened with severe anxiety. the way he physically carries himself, the way he hides his face, his manner of speaking, his dependency on his mirio, how he interprets compliments as trickery, how he needs to be pushed and pushed and pushed before he’s finally able to release his potential... every single scene with tamaki felt deeply personal when i was reading bnha and i knew exactly what he was supposed to be feeling. shinmon benimaru sometimes good, nice people don’t fit a little friendly mould and i like that benimaru is hostile and rough and antisocial, even with people he cares about. he doesn’t expect anything of people, he doesn’t want them interfering with him, and he wants to help and support them all the same because he believes in community. he’s completely oppositional to the special fire force because he thinks it’s a tool to pursue an ideology rather than to protect people, which is why it’s so important when the eighth are finally able to win his approval - they become the only company the seventh consider allies, and it’s proof that their objectives are righteous. despite his reputation as... kind of a nuisance, his skill is acknowledged by everyone and he’s universally regarded as the strongest fire soldier there is. in spite of his antisocial attitude, he agrees that it’s important to share that with younger fire soldiers - he’s incredibly patient and understanding with them, helps them to individually adapt. the way he (and others in company seven) operate in contrast to the other companies when fighting infernals is really cool to me for two reasons: (1) it provides a commentary on how cultures and traditions often struggle to survive when they’re systematically (forcefully) replaced through power and wealth - although the subtext is a little troubling because it’s unclear whether ōkubo is conflating multiculturalism with globalisation which, uh, big nope; and (2) philosophically speaking, the approach to death is interesting. where the other companies essentially perform last rites and offer absolution to the deceased, benimaru personally takes responsibility - at the request of the people in his district - for sending them off in huge public display, kind of like a festival intending to celebrate their life. i think it speaks to how profoundly he values life. akihiko kaji i liked akihiko from the beginning because he’s stoic and introspective and also excitable and dumb. he’s a people watcher and waits for opportunities to softly guide uenoyama and mafuyu when they’re quietly crying out for help but doesn’t interfere any more than he thinks is necessary because he knows they can make their own way to where they need to go. i liked akihiko even more when he got really fucking messy. his relationship with ugetsu is sweet and it’s incredibly ugly and unhealthy because they both fail utterly to communicate with one another - they’re both to blame for avoiding and hurting each other, and i think that’s a really normal issue that people find difficult to overcome. i’m super interested (and really nervous) to see how his relationship with haruki develops. he’s done some horrible things to haruki and i want him to be accountable for those things and have them affect their relationship in a realistic way.

tanigaki genjirou one thing i really, really love about golden kamuy is the way noda satoru incorporates the importance of minority cultures into the story, and tanigaki’s apparent abandonment of his matagi heritage is really beautifully written. matagi hunting traditions shaped his life as a young man, it’s how he was able to really assimilate to the people around him and form relationships and - without getting too spoilery - he divorces himself from it all when he’s overcome by grief and hatches a plan for revenge against the person responsible. so, by allowing himself to surrender to negative feelings and thoughts instead of seeking support and learning to heal from what happened, he becomes a total shadow of himself. 

makimura takeshi i know i’ve gushed about it before but i can’t properly explain just how incredible it felt seeing an asexual character in manga dialogue about being asexual, and devils’ line does it twice. the reason i’m so attached to makimura in particular is because he doesn’t seem to have fully figured it out - and he’s kinda... comfortable with that. he wants to be with someone and he wants to be monogamous but he can’t understand why he doesn’t feel sexual desire towards her; he knows his feelings aren’t platonic but doesn’t know whether they can really be called romantic either.

not to go dark mode but i very vividly remember just how lonely and horrifying it was battling with those uncertainties when i was a teenager, thinking i was broken because i didn’t have Normal Human Feelings and needed to be fixed. i was so worried about it that i thought about all the boys i knew, picked the one i thought was the nicest and actively tried to develop a crush on him. it was dumb as fuck but, ten years later, i realise it was really desperate and sad too. i forced myself to have ~my first kiss~ (it was horrible) because i felt like i was getting left behind and i think i would’ve put myself in worse situations as i got older if i hadn’t suffered with such bad social anxiety.

i hadn’t really thought too much about a lot of this stuff for yeaaars but it all came flooding back when i was reading devils’ line. it was bittersweet bc i was remembering all of those shitty feelings but also watching this character grapple with those same questions and go: i don’t know yet and that’s not weird, let’s just grow with it. i still don’t totally know whether i’m ace or aro or bi, or whatever, but i’m trying to be okay with just... not knowing.

misora shuuji anyway, devils’ line isn’t actually a manga with a specific focus on sexuality and gender but shimanami tasogare is and all of the characters are written beautifully. if you haven’t read it yet... then why haven’t you read it yet? misora is only about twelve years old and watching them battle with their growing pains is really compelling - they’re closeted but, through the lounge, they have somewhere to explore their gender and all the questions they have about it. they’re amab and present as traditionally feminine wrt clothes, wigs, makeup, etc. but can’t quite tell if they see themselves as a girl, a boy or non-binary.

with the onset of puberty and anxieties about physical changes to their body, misora’s story puts a lot of emphasis on the pressure they face to just ‘make up their mind’ about something that’s actually incredibly complex and doesn’t have any easy answers. they snap and shout and get upset, especially when tasuku (the protag) tries to push them into a corner because he wants a concrete label or identity he can attach to misora, even though space is exactly what misora needs.

[misssunflowersandsangria]

This is my Idea

Chapter 2:  Marriage 

Hello, deers!  Welcome back.  Happy @shikatemaweek Day 2!  Wow, can I just say how many talented and supportive people there are in this community!!  Gold Stars everyone!  Thank you for all your time and efforts!

Here’s the next chapter for my story.  There’s a time jump from the first one.  You can have a cute montage in your head about them spending the last few Summers together.  Mama Nara makes an appearance (that’s always fun)  This is where the fun, fluffy stuff really begins. :D 

Prompt:  Marriage

Ages:

Shika:  17

Tem:  19

Summary:   It’s time for a wedding!

*

**

Temari stared at her reflection in the mirror for a final glance over. This was now the fifth Summer that she’d spent in Konoha. It was her first visit there without her father. The last few years they made the journey there together then he would return to Suna before her.  She was hesitant to be alone at first but she’d learned her role well and conducting her work independently suited her.  She enjoyed her work as the ambassador. It was important and she’d do everything that she could to ensure peace remained.

Temari grew to love her visits and the Village Hidden in the Leaves had become like a second home to her.  The small room that she kept while in the village was now filled with various knick-knacks and photos.  Snapshots of warm summer days with people she at one time would have never considered being friends with. Her favorite photo was one of her and Shikamaru during their very first year together in a frame by her bed.  They were so young back then. Pushed into a situation that they both hated. How times and relationships had changed. 

The person that greeted her at the gates this year wasn’t the same boy. She saw hints of that familiar smirk and lazy stance but he was all of 17 now. An important member of the village, a Jonin, and adviser to the Hokage.  His rank could have easily gotten him out of his assignment as her guide but she was thankful that for at least another year they had gone through the season together. A part of her hoped that he wanted to keep that role too. 

They had gotten into the habit of writing to one another.  They worked hard to stay in touch and knew about each other’s lives.  So that when she arrived each Summer it was like nothing had changed.  Their Summer together had been just like the rest. Days filled with work but with Shogi and cloud watching sprinkled in between.  Quick lunch breaks together when they could. Sunset walks and stargazing on warm nights. Late evenings that turned into early mornings when they were with their friends. It was all so familiar and wonderful that it passed in a blink of an eye and it was just about time for her to return to Suna. This year though his parents insisted that she attend the wedding of one of the Nara clansmen as Shikamaru’s date.  Despite their flustered expressions and protests Yoshino was relentless and waved off any of their complaints.  So here she was.  After hearing a knock on the door she looked at herself once more ready for where the night took them. 

Temari smiled seeing Shikamaru dressed up in a dark suit. His hair was down which was a tradition when one of their clansmen got married.  She secretly loved it when it was out of its usual style.  He looked much more mature and handsome than she was used to. It was a stark reminder that he’d grown up. 

“You clean up nicely Nara.”  She complimented him adjusting his tie. 

He tried to not make his stare obvious but it would be impossible to deny how stunning she looked.  Her hair was down which was an intentional move to match his own.  In all their Summers together he’d only seen it down a few times.  Each time left him a little off-centered.

“Thanks, Temari.  You uhm you look beautiful.”  She grinned at the soft blush but decided not to say anything.  She’d grown up as well and it would have been absurd for him to not notice. 

“Let’s go.”  He offered his arm excited for their night ahead.  

*

**

“Temari you look, gorgeous sweetheart.  Thank you for coming. It's such an honor for you to be here.”  Yoshino greeted her, gathering her into a tight hug. 

Temari held her for a moment before replying.  “I’m happy to be here. It’s been wonderful so far.”  The ceremony had been incredibly sweet and touching and she held onto Shikamaru's hand the entire time. 

“Good! If my son does anything you don’t approve of, come find me.”  She warned Shikamaru with a glare.   

“You’ll be the first to know.”

“Okay kids, have fun.”  She waved off to go socialize with more of her friends. 

“It’s kind of a drag that my mom likes you more than me,”  Shikamaru whined, handing her a drink. 

“What can I say? We get each other.”

“Because you’re both nags.”  He mumbled.  

“That’s one.” 

“Fine, sorry. Apparently it’s a thing though Naras can only marry let’s say ‘determined’ partners. We’re geniuses but we wouldn’t get anything done without them.”

Temari grinned at the admission before taking a drink.  “We’ve spent a lot of time together. You may be super smart but left to your own devices you wouldn’t make it a week.” 

“You’re probably right.  Thanks again for coming Tem.  It means a lot.”

Temari looked out at the sea of people, the warmth and love present.  Life as a Shinobi could be so difficult so any chance they had to celebrate life should be taken. 

She knew that it was a bit unprecedented.  She wasn‘t part of the clan, not even the village, but she was welcomed with open arms.   With all the time she’d spent in the village over the years, the Naras were her second family.  Since the beginning, they recognized and embraced her as if she was one of their own. 

She rested her head on his shoulder a little overwhelmed by emotion.  “I appreciated the invite.”

*

**

“I don’t dance.”

“I know, but I do.  Come on.”  She dragged him to the dance floor not giving him a chance to complain. 

“Loosen up, you look so awkward.  Here.”  She placed his hands on her waist so that her hands could go around his neck. She felt his skin flush beneath her fingertips. They swayed slowly side to side. 

“It’s weird looking up at you.” 

He laughed remembering that moment when he had finally grown taller than her.  Teal eyes that now looked up towards him.  “Thank God for that growth spurt.”

“So do you think that you’ll ever get married and have an event like this?”

He sighed with a nod.  “It’s a drag but probably. I’ll be clan leader and all once my dad retires.”

That wouldn’t be too long from now. Eventually, he would have to give up his role as her guide, even now it wasn’t completely necessary for him to escort her around. “That’s true. I guess just uhm make sure you invite me to the wedding.”  She shrugged trying to keep a teasing tone in her voice. 

A warm hand came up to brush a soft lock of hair from her eyes.  “Of course.” 

The music changed to a more upbeat song and as she tried to pull away he wordlessly pulled her back in.  Keeping their same slow rhythm.   He wasn’t quite ready to let her go just yet. The look in her eyes told him the same. 

The silence between them felt heavy so he tried to break it. “Are you ready to go back to Suna next week?”

“Yes, I miss my family so it will be nice.”

“Did you have a good time this year Princess?”  He asked curiously.  

“I’d say so.”

She rested her head against him to avoid his gaze nuzzling into his chest.  He was so warm and she felt herself becoming drunk from his familiar smell of pine trees and smoke.  “ I’ll miss you okay.” 

He was surprised by the admission but nodded. Their goodbyes were becoming more difficult. 

“I’ll miss you too Tem. Hey, maybe I can go out to Suna for a few days?  You’re always telling me about places and things to do there. It could be fun.”  He knew that it probably wasn’t possible. He’d return to his regular missions once she was gone but it was nice to dream.  

She nodded knowing that it was just a nice thought.  “Sure, I’d like that.” 

They remained there swaying back and forth to the rhythm of their own hearts. 

*

**

Once they finally took a seat Yoshino quickly swept in demanding a dance with her son. Temari just laughed at his horrified expression and told him to enjoy it while she got a drink.  

“Temari looks incredible tonight doesn't she?”  Yoshino asked with a grin.  He knew that look all too well.  

“You’re really going to make me say it?”

“Come on now.  Your father and I have always thought that you two would make a fine couple.  Can you imagine, an actual Princess being part of our clan.  She is such a wonderful girl, she’d make an incredible matriarch.”

He rolled his eyes not the least bit surprised.  She’d been arguing the same point for years now.    “Mom, seriously, not this again.  I have to escort her around, it’s a mission I've been assigned to.  That’s it.”

Yoshino shook her head.  “Don’t give me that excuse.  We both know that the Hokage offered to assign another Shinobi for her detail and you shot it down.  It’s okay son.  I’m just saying that not everyone is lucky enough to find their soulmate.  You are very smart, wouldn’t it be foolish to let her go.”

He looked over to where she was talking and laughing with his other clansmen as though she’d always been a part of their family.  He knew that something between them had changed but neither of them was ready to face that new reality just yet.  Besides, she was leaving for Suna in just a few days.  Temari caught his eyes from across the room and smiled back at him forcing one to cross his lips.  Maybe by next summer, he’d have some clarity.  

*

**

This is my Idea

Chapter 1:  Trust

Chapter 2:  Marriage

*

**

Thanks for reading.  <3 you all and I’ll see you tomorrow! 

[heyitmelexie]

No One Compares To You (Bucky Barnes x Plus Size Reader) Chapter 1

Hi guys! Something new from me today!

This will be a fanfiction with several chapters. If you want to be tagged - just tell me!

Pairing: James Buchanan Barnes/The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes x Plus Size! Reader

Word Count: 1935

Summary: You are the daughter of Pepper and Tony. Currently living isolated (by choice) in Siberia to work on your master’s exam, someone stumbles into your life and changes it completely.

Author’s Note: In this work Pepper and Tony are a couple for way longer. The Events starting with Captain America: The Winter Soldier (and following) will happen at the same time they actually did (sounds weird but I think you know what I mean). 

Always here for advice so please tell me what you think and what I could do better! :)

Now enjoy ♥

----------------------------

Snow was falling heavily outside your hut. Like every day, Siberia was covered in snow, a white fairy tale, far away from any other civilization. It was just you, the forest and its inhabitants. And you loved it.

The white landscape of Siberia was a dream. An introvert’s dream, mostly, but a dream after all. Although your hut was miles and miles away from the next city you didn’t feel alone or isolated. The animals here were your friends. Thanks to a part of your mutation, you were able to communicate with all animals. You didn’t need human interaction if it wasn’t necessary. All you needed was a nice cup of hot chocolate, your fire place, a good book and occasionally a funny chat with a bear friend maybe. Doesn’t sound so bad, right?

The silence here helped a lot to focus on your studies. You studied palaeontology and were working on your master’s exam. It consumed most of your time, but it was worth it. Fascinating and exactly what you wanted to do since you watched Jurassic Park for the first time when you were about 5.

You remember the moment you first looked at the hut your dad had bought for you. And he had said jokingly “I spared no expenses” when you walked around the rooms. Luckily, he respected your wishes and didn’t make it all too extravagant. You know, Tony Stark style, all tech and stuff. But you wanted it cosy and decent and he kept it that way. It was a beautiful little wooden hut in the middle of a Siberian forest with a little pond right next to it. A little kitchen, modern but nothing high-tech. Wooden furniture with fuzzy rugs, a bunch of fluffy pillows and blankets, stuff like that. Basically how you would imagine a semi-modern wooden hut in the middle of nowhere. With a basement stuffed with food and drinks for months. Cosy as heck.

Tony didn’t mind that you weren’t a tech geek like him or a business woman like your mother Pepper, he was proud anyways. You did everything in order to reach your goals and to achieve your dreams. Never once did you complain that it was stressful to write so many essays, that it was stressful having that many deadlines. Never. The only thing you did was huff in frustration occasionally, but nothing else. You were tough, like your mother, and he appreciated it. You looked like a chubby mini-version of Pepper mixed with Merida. You were a ginger, messy curls that almost reached your butt and pale skin covered in freckles. Eyes like your mothers and a character exactly like hers, with a little bit of Tony showing sometimes. The side of Tony that messed with Pepper all the time. So Tony saw a mini-Pepper in you and Pepper saw a mini-Tony in you. Perfect.

Your childhood as the Stark kid was rather normal, considering the circumstances. Your parents always made sure that you were out of danger and didn’t witness all of the things they’ve been put through. But when you grew up and developed your mutation, they had to take action.

At the age of 5 you started to do weird things by accident. The first thing that happened was that, during a tantrum, you somehow created a small tornado that completely messed up your whole room. Baffled you had stopped crying immediately and watched in silence, fascinated yet shocked at how that could have happened. You had only felt a slight vibration rushing throughout your body but assumed it was because of the anger you had felt. Today you know it was the power soaring through your body before all hell broke loose.

It would take too long to count and explain all the things that happened after that first incident, so let’s just explain the mutation rather simple: You were able to control all five elements and connected to that you could communicate with animals. ¹ To you the mutation was a gift. You absolutely loved it and wouldn’t want it any other way. It was perfect to you. Logically you went to Charles Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. During your time there you discovered everything your mutation had to offer. Which sometimes resulted in cataclysmic situations (a huge and deep hole in the ground, a completely dried out pond, stuff like that) but today you were completely in charge of it. You used your mutation to do good things like growing trees and grass, creating wells with fresh water in regions of need, restoring sections of the rainforest, things like that. But, if necessary, you could use it as a weapon as well. You just didn’t have to, yet.

All in all your life wasn’t too bad. The only thing bothering you was your body.

You have always been a heavy kid. Your family didn’t mind, they loved you nonetheless and always thought you were the most beautiful girl in the entire universe. They always told you that it doesn’t matter if you’re thick or thin. That people might be mean towards you because they think they are better than you just because they were skinny but that their foul words would mean nothing.

One day you came home from school crying because the new kid in your class had called you bad names because of your weight and had made fun of you.

“People can be arse holes” your dad had said to you.

“Tony!” Your mother lightly slapped his arm and looked at him angrily.

“You know I’m right, Pepper. People can be really mean. So sweetie, listen to me. If they say mean things to you: Ignore them. Nothing, absolutely nothing is wrong with you. You are beyond perfect the way you are. Yes you are chubbier than other kids but you’ve got a heart of gold which they don’t have and that makes you better than them. Being kind is way more important than being skinny. You are a little angel and you make me and mommy extremely proud. And no one can ever tell us different. Because people are often very superficial and judge others by their looks. There are people that might be ‘super skinny and beautiful’ but when you get to know them they’re shit.” Another slap. You giggled a little and sniffled and he continued.

“Whatever you do in your life, remember that you do it for yourself and not for others. Never change yourself for anyone. Never let anyone tell you how to live your life and certainly never let anyone rule over you. Your life lies in your hands. Yours only. Your body doesn’t define you, but your character, your actions and the way you treat others do. So stay who and how you are. Be kind, help those that need help and do good things. And don’t you ever worry about the size and shape of your body. You are gorgeous the way you are, honey and I love you to pieces. You don’t need negative people in your life. But there will be people who will love you for who you are. And honestly? If someone thinks you’re not pretty just because you’re bigger, than they are idiots and superficial losers with sticks high up their asses.” He winked at you and you giggled. Your mom just shook her head but smiled.

It made you feel better to hear these words from your dad but the kids at school continued calling you names and bullying you. Their behaviour made you hate your body and at some point not even your parents or even auntie Nat could make you feel better.

You had always wished for a Prince Charming that would love every bit of your body passionately and that would treat you like a Greek goddess. Little did you know that someone would soon burst into your life like uncle Steve once crashed full force into a bridal shop back in the day (he had told you the story several times when you were younger) and turned it upside down, positively.

But back to your current situation. It’s around five pm. You’re sitting on your sofa, wrapped up in a blanket, a mug with hot chocolate on the table and your laptop on your legs, working on your exam paper. This week has been very successful, you’ve filled about 21 more pages and the topic captivated you more and more. You wrote about the Jurassic Park movies and their accuracy compared to the real deal back then. As much as you loved the movies, but many facts were just wrong. A 2-meter Velociraptor? Yeah, no. There were 10 more pages ahead of you and 2 more weeks of time to fill them. 120 pages in 6 months, you felt very proud of yourself.

You decided to stop writing for today. Your eyes grew heavy and your mind was empty for now. And you knew that before you could have a relaxing bath you would have to go outside and carry some wood inside for the fire place. So you put on thick clothing and stepped outside into the cold evening. ² As you made your way to the little shack that holds your wood you noticed a dark pile of something between the trees, halfway covered in snow. This doesn’t look like an animal. It’s all black and doesn’t seem to have any fur covering it. Strange.

Wondering what or who this could possibly be you slowly made your way towards it, preparing for a possible assault. Maybe it’s a human? But who, besides me, would be out here? You hadn’t seen any other human in the past almost 6 months since you live here. And someone getting lost and finding exactly your hut in this isolated area? Only a small chance but you would have to see.

As you got closer you saw a face almost completely buried in the snow. Now you realized there was actually a man lying in the snow, half frozen to death, face blue and body stiff. You felt for a pulse. First you didn’t feel anything and almost panicked but then you could feel a slight beat against your fingers and exhaled relieved. He lived.

You picked him up but struggled. He was really heavy. Not able to carry him all the way back to your hut like this you just drag him through the snow and into the warmth. You put a thick blanket in front of the fire place and him onto it. Then you used your powers to slowly warm him up and at the same time dry him off. The colour slowly crawled back into his face and you felt his pulse getting stronger.

When his body had a normal temperature again you covered him in a bunch of blankets and went into the kitchen to prepare some hot chocolate.

He was wearing weird clothing. All black and it resembled some weird kind of uniform. Also a mask covering his mouth and goggles that you both had taken off his face. It gave you a creepy feeling but for now you would have to make sure he’d get better again before you could ask him some questions.

You just took some mini marshmallows out of the bag to put them on top of the hot chocolate as a body pressed you against the counter. The person wrapped an arm tightly around your torso to hold you in place and you felt a blade being pressed against your throat.

“Move and I’ll kill you.”

(End of Chapter 1)

Author’s Note:

1) Five elements: Air, Fire, Earth, Water and Soul. I got this idea from House of Nights. The main character was able to control the soul element if I remember correctly, I read the books too many years ago to remember any details but this is only an explanation as to why I am referring to five elements rather than four as people usually do. I also personally think seeing the soul as a fifth element is quite logical, it’s as natural as the other elements. But this is not just the soul of a human, it’s basically also the soul of animals and plants etc. It will occur that I’ll talk about auras and moods and stuff like that. Like, seeing the aura of people mostly (like the concept of Vampire Academy), the aura having different colours indicating their moods and states of their souls and stuff like that. I will also create a little legend that tells you what colour means which mood or state of mind/soul.

2) Of course basically you could warm yourself up with your mutation but everything has a price. Using it too much means you’re also using your own energy and that is exhausting. So you rather only use it if you have to, saving your energy.

[omgsomeonesomewhereonearth]

I know I can’t stand you, but please stay anyway? (pt 4)

Pt1|Last Chapter| Ao3

Warnings: Family Christmas, Arguing (really more like bickering, though), Profanity, a lot of original characters

Pairings: Moceit

Patton hates lying. Patton never tells lies. Patton has told a massive lie. Ethan can’t stand Patton. He has no reason to ever help him. Except, of course, the most obvious one. A fake relationship, a family Christmas, and other shenanigans ensue

“Patton! Welcome home sweetheart, it’s so good to see you!”

“Mum!”

The door opened to reveal a smiling individual in a Christmas sweater who Ethan could only assume was Pauline Hart.

Almost instantly, Patton’s slightly tense expression from earlier disappeared as he embraced his mother, and the two gushed briefly about how happy they were to see each other, how handsome Patton had gotten, how wonderful the lights looked, how fun the week would be, and the possibility of snow later in the week. Neither of them stopped to take a breath or stopped smiling at any point in the exchange. Definitely Patton’s mother.

Patton finally drew away, smiling guiltily at Ethan as if he’d forgotten his presence.

“Uh, Mum? This is…um, this is him. My, um, I mean, this is Ethan.”

Mrs Hart beamed, looking at him as if she didn’t even notice how out of place Ethan’s long, messy hair and dark clothing looked in her incredibly immaculate hallway. Ethan almost felt bad that his entire acquaintance with this woman was about to be based on a lie. Did the entire family possess some kind of weird super power that compelled people around them to be nice?

Well, one could still argue that the goodness of helping and possibly wooing Patton outweighed the badness of lying to a woman he barely knew, so Ethan didn’t feel too guilty for putting on a polite smile and extending his hand.

“It’s an absolute pleasure to finally meet you, ma’am,”

She completely disregarded his hand, instead pulling him into a warm hug.

“Oh, it’s so wonderful to meet you too, sweetie! And please, there are no formalities in this household, okay? When you’re here, you can call me Pauline, or if you’re comfortable with it, you can call me ‘mum’, most of Patton’s little friends do, but either away, I don’t want to hear any of this ‘ma’am’ nonsense, alright?”

Ethan couldn’t help but sneak a glance at Patton to see him struggling not to inform Pauline that they weren’t ‘actually’ friends.

“Come on in loves, you must be exhausted, how was your journey?” She ushered them into a cozy living room, already decorated for Christmas, with what Ethan personally considered an inordinate amount of tinsel on literally every surface. He did appreciate the Santa hats taped over family pictures though.

Patton looked equal parts impressed and mildly annoyed as Pauline pressed tea into both of their hands and Ethan sat slightly too close to him as he complimented Pauline on her impeccable taste in quirky throw pillows.

(His personal favourite was one with scrabble pieces spelling out ‘puns not dead’. He was starting to see where Patton’s entire personality originated from.)

“Oh, Ethan you’re far too sweet. Patton, why on earth would you wait so long to invite him home?”

“Mum…” Patton muttered, turning slightly red.

“What? It’s a perfectly reasonable question, honey. Ethan, don’t you think it’s more than reasonable for a mother to wonder what kind of man her son has been seeing for more than three years?”

“Mum!”

“I’m just asking a question! Especially when your young man is this lovely Patton, I’m almost astounded at your lack of manners here, mister.”

Ethan decided to rescue him.

“Actually Pauline, I’m afraid that in this instance you have me to blame. Patton has been pushing for this meeting for years. I actually kept putting it off, because the prospect of disappointing two people so important to Patton was too daunting to face. I’m so sorry for any concern I may have caused you.”

Ethan gagged internally. He sounded like Roman trying to get his way. It was effective in this instance however, with Pauline giving him a touched look and waving away his apology.

“Well it’s very sweet of you to worry, but I assure you, you have absolutely nothing to worry about here. As long as you’re making Patton happy, I’ve got absolutely no problems with you.”

Ethan ignored Patton’s pointed look. That kind of thing was very easy to say, but he knew better than to take it at face value. Pauline certainly seemed like a nice woman, but so did most sweet old white ladies when one had only spoken to them for fifteen minutes.

“Well, now that you are here, why don’t you tell me more about yourself, Ethan? I feel like I barely know you at all! Every time I tried asking this one more about you, he’d start making excuses and try to get off the phone- I was starting to think you might not be real!”

Patton flushed beet red, opening his mouth as if to protest, before shutting it again in favour of burying his face in a pillow that claimed “Stay Pawsitive” (Complete with an illustration of a corgi).

He grew increasingly squirmier as Ethan made polite conversation with Pauline, about his plans for his future, surprised to find that he was actually enjoying himself somewhat. Clearly, he had a knack for impressing mothers. If things with Patton didn’t work out, he could start a very lucrative career as a fake boyfriend-for-hire.

“Mum, when does Vivian get home?” Patton cut in, apparently tired of having Ethan monopolizing his mother’s attention. “She said she’ll be arriving today.”

“She is, sweetheart, your dad’s just gone to pick her and Andre up. You know, the airport’s so far away, and they have a toddler to keep track of, so I insisted he go and give them a hand.” She turned her attention back to Ethan almost immediately. “But, Patton, you never told me you were dating a lawyer in the making!”

Patton rolled his eyes as discreetly as he could whilst Ethan preened under the attention. Was it petty of him to enjoy this so much despite how much it was clearly irritating Patton? Probably, but he was having far too much fun to stop now.

“Mum, I think Ethan is tired!” He cut in for the second time, now looking over at Ethan. “He was just saying, how he always gets worn out by travelling, weren’t you? Can I show him up to my room, and then you and I can catch up while he gets some rest?”

“That’s really not necessary-“ Ethan protested. He didn’t want to go upstairs when he’d just begun enjoying himself! When was the last time someone gushed over him like this?

“He’s just being shy mum, E’s always so worried about coming across as rude, but he hardly ever gets as much sleep as he should, and it’s really, really important to me that he use this vacation finally rest.”

Almost instantaneously, Pauline’s polite but happy demeanour gave way to a grim look filled with pure, terrifying, motherly concern. Ethan got the feeling that if he didn’t get himself upstairs immediately, he would be forcibly tucked in with a bedtime story.

“Well, Ethan, that just won’t do!”

“Really, ma’am, I-“

“Now, I know you young people are very ambitious these days, thinkin’ you can just stay up all night studying and then go to class the next day-“

“It’s not quite like that-“ It was, in fact, almost exactly like that, but she didn’t need to know that.

“But there is nothing more important than your own health! I’m sure you’re a very smart boy, but I don’t want to hear of you overworking yourself like that, okay?”

“… yes, ma’am.”

Pauline peered at him over her glasses, somehow managing to look far more intimidating than her son ever had, despite the fact that she was probably smaller than even Patton.

“And what have I told you about calling me ma’am?”

“Yes…Pauline?”

“Better. Now, I’ve set up Patton’s room for the two of you, it’s the first door on the left upstairs. I’d like you to go upstairs and rest yourself, please. As I said before, there are no formalities in this household, and I won’t hear of you depriving yourself of much needed rest for the sake of impressing me, okay?”

“…okay.” His voice came out far meeker than he was expecting.

Patton grinned at him far too sweetly. “Do you want me to show you the way?”

Fortunately, the sudden reminder that he was far sneakier than his cat pyjamas suggested only served to make Ethan more attracted to him.

He grinned at Patton, matching the other’s saccharine sweetness perfectly. “Very kind of you to offer, darling, but I think I’ll be okay.”

—

Not that he’d ever previously put any thought into the matter, but Patton’s childhood bedroom was exactly what he’d expected it would be. It had clearly been kept lovingly exactly the same as it must have been when Patton left for uni – from the collection of worn soft toys in the corner, to the collage of notes, postcards, and photos of a young Patton with an assortment of smiling friends. He recognized and took a quick picture of a baby-faced Logan in a too large tie to send to Virgil later.

“You know, you could probably give Ro a run for his money.” He whirled around to see Patton standing in the doorway, a wry smile on his face. “You’re surprisingly good at acting.”

“Shouldn’t you be downstairs bonding, or whatever?”

Patton pouted, making his way over to his bed. “Mum said it would be rude of me to leave you alone like this and sent me up. I expect we’ll be pushed together like this quite a lot over the week.”

Ethan gasped, bringing his hand up to his chest in mock horror. “You mean to tell me your parents expect us, a supposed couple of more than three years, to enjoy spending time together? Tell me it isn’t so!” He sat next to Patton. “You poor thing, stuck with your worst enemy all week long. Next thing you know, they’ll expect you to actually sit through a conversation with me present without getting huffy.”

Patton blushed, frowning down at his lap. “I don’t consider you my worst enemy.” He mumbled.

“Oh? Then you have someone you hate more than me?”

“I don’t hate you, Ethan!” Patton burst out, before immediately being silenced by Ethan’s hand over his mouth. “Mmph, what are you-“

“Oh, I’m sorry, have you forgotten that your mother is in the house? Or is your intention to make her think that we’re on the verge of breaking up?”

Patton looked slightly sheepish as Ethan removed his hand, continuing at a quieter volume. “I don’t hate you, I just,” he trailed off with a sigh “I do wish you were nicer sometimes.”

Ethan hummed, leaning closer to Patton and running his hand up his freckled arm. Patton frowned at the contact, but he didn’t move away. “Right, because you always react so well to my attempts at being nice to you.” He murmured the words softly in Patton’s ear, hoping his quiet voice would prompt Patton to look him in the eye.

It didn’t. He could see that Patton was biting the inside of his cheeks, an action Ethan had come to associate with his nervousness.

“I can never tell when you’re actually being nice.” Patton finally spoke, fiddling with his shirt. “You’re always making fun of me, specifically of me; you don’t mess with the others nearly as much, anyone would think you hated me.”

“As if I could hate you,” Ethan scoffed, ignoring Patton’s disbelieving look, “You’re always so nice, and kind.”

For fucks sake, he knew he was telling the truth and he barely believed himself. Why could he never just be straightforward when it came to this guy?

“See, this is what I mean! This is what I mean, you can’t even say something nice about me without sounding like you’re making fun!”

Ethan opened his mouth to protest but Patton was already shaking his head, clearly unwilling to continue this line of conversation.

“You know what, never mind. I mean, it hardly matters. Either way, I’m thankful that you’re helping me out. I’m sure we can act normal around each other for the next week, right? And then we’ll only ever have to see each other when all our friends are around!”

He offered him another obviously, horribly, fake grin, and Ethan’s gut twisted.

Yes, obviously, that’s what I want, I’ve agreed to come out with you to the middle of fucking nowhere and interact with your entire family, because I saw you distraught and couldn’t handle it until you were happy again, because I want to stop interacting with you.

Predictably, he didn’t say any of this. Instead, he raised an eyebrow at Patton, drawing away slightly. “Right, because we’ve been so good at acting normal so far, I can’t imagine that’ll present any issues at all.”

Patton frowned at him, “What do you mean?”

“Oh, nothing; I’m certainly not referring to the fact that you consistently jump ten feet in the air every time I touch you or move near you, in fact, I’m sure most normal couple dynamics also include one person consistently regarding the other as if they’re afraid of them.”

Patton blushed furiously, hissing at him, “I am not afraid of you- no, don’t look at me like that, I’m not! You just, you just startle me sometimes, that’s all! You can’t just randomly start acting all…funny, without any kind of warning!”

“So, you’re telling me that if I just asked you for a kiss right now, you’d have no problem with complying?”

Well, that definitely wasn’t pushing his luck at all.

“Actually, yeah, I think that’d be nice. You know, I’d just like some warning if you’re going to, um.” Patton drew off as he saw Ethan raise his eyebrows.

“So, if I asked you for a kiss right now…” he repeated, a smile tugging at his lips. It wasn’t like he expected Patton to say yes, more likely he’d just roll his eyes and glare cutely at him all over again, and frankly, that was fine by him.

“Okay.”

Wait, what?

Patton looked slightly nervous, but he said, “I mean, we probably will have to, um, at some point, and I’d rather the first time at least be without an audience so we don’t get to nervous, I guess, so yeah, if you want to-“

Oh. Well, he was certainly prepared for this. It definitely wasn’t like he’d ever imagined kissing Patton before. In fact, this was exactly how he’d always wanted it to go. It wasn’t like imagining it was any different to it actually happening. Oh, god, his heart definitely wasn’t beating any faster at all.

“Um, E? You okay? Were you being serious about, uh, or-“

Patton was offering him an out. He could just say he’d been joking; he wouldn’t have to-

He kissed Patton.

For someone who’d blushed and stuttered every time he tried to talk about it, Patton was kissing him back with surprising conviction, gripping the front of his shirt as he chased his lips. Fuck, now Ethan really hoped he was able to make some sort of sincere move by the end of the week, because he really didn’t want to have to move on from this.

Patton’s smiled at him shyly as they separated. “Alright?”

Ethan couldn’t resist.

“Oh, more than alright, Patton. In fact, if I didn’t know any better, I might even say you’ve done this before”

This time, his teasing had exactly the intended effect.

Patton’s smile disappeared. “I’ve kissed people before, you jerk,” he muttered, before tugging him back in so he could bite at his lower lip.

Ethan was only too happy to return the favour.

“Oh my god, I am so sorry!”

The two men jerked apart, turning towards the door.

“Vivian?”

Taglist:

@lunatatic

[auroraicefieldarchive]

The wind blew hard. His hair was flying everywhere, even though it was up in a ponytail. He couldn’t do a thing with his bangs. His scarf blew as well, but he had no intentions of taking it off. The wind brought him back to another time. A time from very long ago. Painful memories that always swirled back into his head when there was a massive windstorm, which thankfully, wasn’t too often of an occurrence.

Bark had been just a child. Just a little kid, and a skinny kid at that. He came from a family of prestige, to have a skinny son was a nightmare for his parents. In polar bear society, being large was considered to be desirable. Being able to hunt was a skill every man needed to have. Those were both things Bark didn’t have. His name wasn’t even Bark back then. Bark was just the name he went by. A mercenary name. He’d created it when he moved to the southern regions of the planet with his newly formed team at the time.

Bark’s real name was Amaqjuaq. It meant, “strong one’. To this day, only Nack and Bean knew his real name.

His parents had high hopes for him when it was discovered that he had super strength. He destroyed things due to not being able to control it. From a young age, he took up archery, as a means to control that strength. Back in the old days, he would just break the bow. But as he got older, and grew more in control of his hands, he began to limit how much strength he used in one hold. It was a good thing to learn, so he didn’t hurt anyone.

He never wanted to hurt anyone.

But he wasn’t a fan of the food polar bears generally ate to gain weight. He couldn’t stomach very much of it before he got sick, and because of that, he was pretty small for a polar bear. As he got older, he got yelled at every meal. He’d discovered something that didn’t taste bad. Fish. He’d caught one by accident, and enticed by the scent, took a bite. It was heavenly. And back then he didn’t even know you could cook them. So he’d go swimming and catch fish that way, have something to eat, then go home and be expected to eat something as poor tasting as seal blubber.

Then the shouting would begin again. Almost all day every day. His parents would yell at him, and even at each other, claiming the other had done something to him in his formative years to make him skinny. It was turbulent, and speaking only got him a slap in the face. So he learned to stop talking. Completely. If he didn’t talk, he wouldn’t get hurt. That was how the world worked for him.

It was his grandfather that taught him how to fish. He confessed his eating habits to him, as his grandfather had been very kind. And his grandfather had taught him how to fish the proper way, rather than just diving in and trying to catch them in his teeth. And he grew to love that as well. Just watching the auroras streak by while waiting for a bite. He was at peace when he was alone, in nature. When he got home, that’s when the stress began.

It was cold. Because he was so skinny, it was dangerous to go in the water. Thick fat was an important part of keeping warm, especially in the ice cold sea. It was how polar bears insulated themselves. It wasn’t just about culture, it was about staying alive. Just as hunting was. He’d never tried hunting a wild animal, but he was getting to be a pretty good fisherman.

As he grew older, his grandfather did as well. And eventually, he did pass away. Rumor had it that you could see the spirits of your loved ones if you climbed the tallest ice peak. He considered that sometime ago, but it was too cold, and dangerous. Without someone in his family who loved him, and defended him, the fighting got even worse. Fighting seemed to be all he knew. And he was growing a resentment for the world because of it.

All he wanted was a peaceful life out on the ice fields, and instead, he got fighting. Always fighting. Always yelling, even though he never spoke up himself. He’d only talked to his grandfather, and without him, he had no reason to speak ever again. So he didn’t. His family lost their status in prestige when it was discovered that their son wasn’t any good at polar bear activities like hunting mobini seals.

They had to move into a smaller home, they couldn’t afford the fancy trinkets in life anymore. And that was when he started getting hit. And it taught him, if he didn’t hit first, he would get hit back. And it hurt to get hit. It was scary to get hit. He had to be the one to hit first. And with his strength, he left a pretty solid mark on his father one day. He hadn’t meant to use that much strength. He didn’t even want to hurt anybody. But he was getting hurt, and he had to fight back somehow, someway.

After that, he got hit with objects, rather than his father’s hands. Which he easily broke, until most of the furniture in the house was ripped or torn in some way or another. That was when his anxiety hit the roof. He didn’t want to go home anymore. He’d been living off of fish for a while. Just a few here and there, being as thin as he was, he couldn’t eat much. Which meant bad things in terms of polar bear society. At twelve years old, he packed his fishing rod in his sack, took a few keepsakes, like the scarf his grandfather had given him to combat the cold. And he was gone, during the dark months of winter.

The wind was frigid then too, and for his thinner body, it affected him. He could see through the blizzard, any living polar bear could because of a special coating on their eyes. But it was cold. And that was what he was reminded of today, during this intense windstorm. Reminded of just running. Running until he couldn’t run anymore. And then, he collapsed in the frigid  blizzard, shivering, crying silently.

Scared.

But he survived. And he vowed to become the biggest, most ferocious polar bear in all the arctic. He would prove that he wasn’t worthless, somehow. And if anyone crossed his path, he’d fight. He’d kill. He’d consume the fresh meat. He hated the world. Hated people. The only thing he cared about was the beautiful world around him. And out in the wilds of the Aurora Icefields, you didn’t have to interact with any sentient people. There were mobinni animals to eat, and fish to catch.

That was all he did. He’d eat, sleep, and travel. As he got older, he really grew into the scarf. It didn’t hang so loose anymore. He grew big, as a polar bear was meant to be. He grew to be a great hunter, through a lot of trial and error. Through a lot of injury. Amaqjuaq was dead, and gone. He named himself Bark, after the intimidating growling noises he made towards any living thing that crossed his path. He didn’t speak at all, for many years. Wasn’t necessary when you lived in isolation from the world.

All he needed was food, and nature. Anything else, he’d fight against.

That was what this windstorm made him think of, and he shuddered at the foul memories that haunted his mind. Maybe it was time to go home for now. Be surrounded by the two people in the world who actually cared about him, miraculous as that was. The two people he could actually communicate with. The two people whom he would protect until the day he died.

And that put a smile back on his face.

Time to go home.

[skatinganna]

Get to know ANNA ARENDELLE who’s TWENTY- FOUR years old and works as a ICE SKATER in town  She is from CORONA and is often times mistaken for WILLA FITZGERALD while others say she reminds them of ANNA from FROZEN.

about:

death cw, boating accident cw

as a child the two greatest things in the world for anna were ice skating and her sister elsa. and honestly... that’s pretty much still the same to this day. even though she hasn’t spent much time with her sister since they were kids, she’s still the most important person in her life

when they were younger there was a bad skating accident. anna had jumped too high at too quick of a speed, expecting elsa to catch her but it just didn’t work out. anna came crashing to the ice hard and nearly busted open her head. that was the last time the sisters ever went out to skate together. unknown to anna at the time, there was so much more going on. elsa’s secret powers having started to manifest and further driving her away from anna. elsa blamed her magic on the reason anna got hurt and the family decided it needed to be hidden away from everyone, including their youngest daughter.

elsa took it a few steps further than just hiding her magic, hiding herself completely from everyone and never playing or even really talking with anna ever again.

while this type of rejection would probably be disheartening to some, it never really bothered anna. well, it bothered her because she grew up fairly lonely and she missed her sister - but it never made her hate elsa or have any other negative feelings towards her. she still loves elsa with all of her heart, even if she can’t understand why they aren’t close anymore.

her parents died when she was just a teenager. in a sudden boating accident that took both of their lives. it was hard - they had been her closest friends considering she rarely was allowed to leave the house. one of the staff members took over as the girl’s legal guardians and a nanny was hired for each of them, despite the fact that they were both well on their way to being grown already. the rules her parents created were still enforced.

anna never got as close to her nanny or their caregiver - mostly because both of them were fairly all business, no fun. 

the time after her parents died was when she missed elsa the most. not that she didn’t always want her sister around - but it was during that period that she felt absolutely alone and desperate for any type of company at all.

was home-schooled through all of grade school and high school - was rarely allowed to leave the castle and even when she was she never left  the area of arendelle and only really ever went to the skate rink. but those times were rare and only ever allowed when her mother or the nanny felt guilty watching her pretend to skate in the empty ballrooms. for the most part she did all of her skating on the pond behind their house in the winter.

speaking of skating, you’d think that almost dying would have put her off from it but nope. it’s in her veins. she loves it so much and wouldn’t ever give it up for the life of her - no matter how many times she falls or gets cut or has any other type of accident.

on those rare trips was when she met olaf, the closest thing to a best friend she had growing up. well, he was her best friend there was no deny that - she just didn’t get to see him often. until college at least! that was when the two became super close and he’s been like a little brother to her ever since, despite the fact that he’s technically the older of the two

even once anna entered college she was still kept under strict instructions to only attend classes and then come straight back home or to the rink. her time allowed ice skating was increased but that was only because her caregivers knew she technically had the right to do whatever she wanted now that she was an adult. but they assumed if they lessened the leash on her and gave her the one thing she really wanted, that would be enough for her to still listen to all the other rules they had in place for her. which it was.

even though anna definitely has an adventurous spirit, she’s always been a rule follower. she never snuck out or ran away like some other kids from tight royal families. instead she just made due with the life she had been handed - using her imagination and creativity to fill her time and occupy herself.

studied sport management in college because she thought maybe she could one day become an ice skating coach. which is still a potential idea down the line, but as soon as she graduated she was recruited by the local ice rink to be one of their performers. it doesn’t pay much considering she only goes on twice a week - but the arendelle’s have always been well off so that was no issue. it was doing what she loved and that was what mattered. honestly, if the rink told her tomorrow they couldn’t pay her anymore she’d continue doing it for free anyway.

also works part-time at spoonful of sugar candy store. mostly just for the discount on chocolate. and she loves kitty too so that’s a great added bonus. another job that if she was told she couldn’t be paid she’d probably still continue to do to help kitty out anyway. she doesn’t give out nearly as much free candy as her boss does and is a little concerned with how the business will continue if kitty doesn’t real that in snnksgd

is also an official member of the arendelle enterprise’s board but... does not really do anything with it and is usually just around for voting during meetings if necessary 

has been recruited and scouted out at least once a year by other countries and ice shows. she rejects all of the offers every time because as much as leaving corona would give her the ultimate freedom and excitement in life she’s yearned for her whole life, she loves her home. and she couldn’t imagine leaving her sister or her friends.

her college graduation was when her legal guardian stepped down and she was officially allowed to do whatever she wanted. it’s been years now since that day, but she still gets excited every time she leaves the house and knows she could go anywhere on the island she wants.

sort of wants to move out of the castle, but doesn’t want to leave elsa. even if the two still aren’t close it’d feel wrong to just move out without her.

a hopeless romantic. never really dated in college because she wasn’t allowed to stay much, but she still dreams of falling in love with the perfect person and finding her happily ever after that’s been promised to her by all the romcoms she’s watched over the years.

loves to bake even though she’s not really good at it

favorite color is purple - but green is a close second 

a lil bit dumb and definitely naive - very trusting and sees the best in everyone right off the bat

rides a bike to get everywhere around the island. it’s a lavender color and has a little basket on the front of it.

has a pet duck named oaken.

connections:

elsa - sister, the most important person in her life. 

olaf - best friend, like a younger brother to her

wanted connections:

candy store regulars - this one is self-explanatory sngdks but if ur character is at spoonful of sugar a lot chances are they know anna

college friends - people she knew vaguely but never had the chance to really get close to, but maybe now she’s trying to get back in touch with them or something

new friends - people she’s met other places that she wants to befriend idk self-explanatory again

EVERYTHING

[fashionwomenover50]

10 Ways to Find Your Personal Style to Gain Confidence

Once upon a time, when you were 6 years old, you wore whatever your mother picked out for you. You never had to think about your personal style, so you probably didn’t protest when she decided to dress you up as a banana for Halloween. But then you grew older and frowned a little when she picked out a brown skirt for you instead of a blue pair of jeans. Eventually, you grew into young adulthood and gained absolute control over your wardrobe choice and style. You started buying clothes that were functional but didn’t make you feel excited. You still didn’t care about personal style, until you started paying attention to what celebrities wore on TV and social media. You realized that some appealed to you immensely and some didn’t. Then you looked at your wardrobe and see its time you discovered your personal style! Now finding your personal style is more than combining clothes and shoes and making sure they match. Finding your personal style is a very crucial step in the journey of self-discovery. Your fashion choice is a form of self-expression. It’s what will make you feel confident and capable when you step out in the street. Eventually, it becomes your identity, what people expect to see you dressed in and how people address you (‘dress how you wish to be addressed’). This makes it super necessary that you choose a personal style with care. Set up a “personal style” board Finding a personal style that will boost your confidence is a process. It might take days, weeks and even months. During this period, you are likely to find numerous sources of inspiration. You could be walking to class or work and see somebody dressed in a blouse you like or a hat you think will look good on you. You could also be watching a runway show and find numerous outfits that appeal to you. A style board can serve as the holder for your inspiration. You can sketch out the outfit you saw and liked, or simply write it down. If you wish, you can also take pictures and print them out for the board. At the end of the week or the month, your personal style board would be filled with enough inspiration for your style! Look to trends, but don’t dwell on them! Fashion trends can be a great source of inspiration when finding your personal style. They’re often functional yet creative, which is the reason they are quickly accepted by almost everyone and further explored. So, in finding your style, look through social media platforms, watch runway shows or simply browse for new/old trends on the internet. When you find these fashion trends, try imagining yourself in a number of them –long term. Remember though that while trends are great inspirational sources, there is a chance that they won’t appeal to you. Your style is inherent. It’s in you so don’t feel like you have to go with the trends if it doesn’t fit. Also, don’t get disappointed if your style doesn’t agree with any of the trends! Pair up apparels you already own Discovering your personal style could lead to changing your wardrobe entirely or buying extra clothes to add to it. Until then though, you can try using the outfits you already own to figure out your personal style. Is there an outfit you feel super confident in whenever you wear it out? Do you feel prettier in sundresses and wedges or jeans and turtleneck blouses? Would you rather wear your heels or Nike sneakers? Do you hate that leather dress your dad bought you yet you wear to every family gathering? Analyzing the clothes in your wardrobe can give you an insight into your personal style. Go window shopping Window shopping is one very exciting way to find your personal style. Your current wardrobe might not contain anything that sends the message you want. So, go out to boutiques and stores. Look at mannequins and take pictures of them. Look through dresses, blouses, sweaters, pants, shoes, and bags. Looking through these will definitely help you find your personal style. If you don’t have a lot of time for window shopping at stores, you can visit online boutiques on your mobile device! Take your lifestyle into consideration Your lifestyle should strongly influence your wardrobe choice. Your wardrobe shouldn’t just be about your preferences but also about how well it will accommodate your lifestyle. It’s also possible that your lifestyle will influence the kind of clothes you want to be seen in. So put your lifestyle into consideration. If you own a car and work in a big organization, your style might be something classy like skirts, blouses, and heels. And if you work mostly from home, your style could be comfortable clothing like jeans and sneakers. Think sizes too! When finding your personal style to gain confidence, it is important that you also discover what size of outfits is appealing to you. This is because the size of your clothes can strongly affect how you feel when dressed in them. You could buy 10 clothes in your favorite color and find out when you wear them that you still don’t feel confident in them. So, take a moment to consider clothes sizes. If you realize you feel great when wearing fitting clothes that emphasize your figure, then that could be your personal style. Also, if you feel more comfortable and confident in non-fitting clothes that conceal your figure, then that could also your style. What colors appeal to you? Colors are a great determinant of one’s personal style. There are women who love black shoes hence are almost always seen in black stilettoes, sneakers, and sandals. It becomes part of their identity, their personal style. When you see them in white or blue shoes you know they’re trying something different, maybe even changing their style altogether. So, to find your personal style, you need to know what colors excite you. It could even be love for animal prints, polka dots or checked outfits. If you have a shy personality, try out dark or neutral colors and see how you feel in them. If you love being the star of the show, there’s a chance bright colors might just be your style. When dressed in your best colors, you will definitely feel confident enough to head out of your house! Look at Accessories Accessories enhance outfits. When it comes to your personal style though, you could either prefer wearing small amounts of jewelry or lots of them. You could be fine wearing a wristwatch, a small gold chain with a little pendant and earring studs. Or you could like your accessories flashy and catchy with anklets and brooches. Either way, the only way to find out is to try both out and see which feel more comfortable. You could try it out to school/work or wear them on a short trip to the mall. Accessories play a big part in creating a person’s overall look. Even the smallest necklace can have a huge effect on a dress with a plunging neckline. Hence, it is necessary that you find out where you stand with accessories! Be ready to experiment with new things In finding your personal style, you need to step out of your comfort zone for a bit! Before making the choice to find your personal style, you probably wore the same style of outfit every day for years. To find your style, however, you need to experiment with new things. Remember that ‘personal style’ board you made? Create outfits out of it and see how you feel when you wear it out. If it doesn’t feel good, you can take it out of the board and maybe donate the outfits to charity. If it feels good, then you’ve taken one huge step closer towards finding your personal style. So, take another and another, until you find it completely! Remember that it’s about YOU Your personal style is about what makes you feel great and not about what other people want to see you in. Sure factors like your workplace/school, culture and seasons will influence how you dress but you can initiate your style into these dress codes. Your style should express your personality and send a message to people on how you’d like to be addressed. It’s all about you so don’t forget that! Finding your personal style might be one of the best things you’ve ever done. Your style not only sends a message but can also help you achieve your goals! When you feel confident and beautiful in an outfit, it boosts your overall confidence. It makes you feel capable enough to walk into any room and approach anyone with your head held high. It also encourages you to make bold decisions and take new steps in your life. So, start finding your style today! Read the full article

[lostinthewinterwood]

Chocolate Box Letter 2020

Dear Chocolatier…

  Thank you for writing for me!  I hope you find inspiration, if you need it, somewhere in this letter, but either way, good luck with your writing!

(some of the prompts are… rambly and disjointed; the lengths vary wildly, but dw I love them all.  I hope the rambly ones still make sense; this letter is uhhh almost 3k and my brain is Tired.)

General DNWs:

Rape/non/dub-con; non-canonical major character death*; smut/graphic sex scenes; heavy angst; hurt no comfort; graphic depictions of deliberate and methodical self-harm**; graphic depictions of suicide;  gore; heavy gender dysphoria; grimdark; complete downer endings; character bashing; incest; cringe comedy; a/b/o; mpreg; full setting AUs (canon-divergence, even significant canon-divergence, is fine); graphic eye trauma; graphic and/or permanent hand trauma (unless the setting can provide a more-or-less fully functional prosthetic or equivalent); issuefic.

*exceptions noted below.

**I don’t include things like, say, punching a wall in a fit of emotion under this. however, something like cutting would not be appreciated.

  General Likes:

I like family/friendship stories, things that play with canon in interesting ways, honestly… a lot of things.  I don’t know. articulating things I like is hard.

I’m an absolute sucker for identity porn/secret/mistaken identity drama, as well as non-sexualized/non-fetishized crossdressing (either direction, and especially if for plot-relevant disguise purposes!) and if you combine them, well, I’ll be a very happy camper.

Other things I like include wriggling into canon and exploring something left unexplored by said canon, what-if stories featuring some sort of canon divergence, and plotty fic, if you want to write something long enough for that to be relevant.

  Order of fandoms:

·        Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

·        Super Powereds – Drew Hayes

·        Tortall – Tamora Pierce

·        Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)

·        The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)

·        Frozen (Disney Movies)

·        Little Women (2019)

·        Original Prompts

·        Crossovers

    Star Wars Sequel Trilogy

Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren (Star Wars Sequel Trilogy)

So uh I may be having a slight case of Feels™ over these two, though tbh I’m not entirely sure what those feelings are exactly.  I don’t know what exactly I’d most want, though I’d be interested in explorations of their evolving emotions in relation to each other, especially through Kylo Ren/Ben’s whole death/rebirth thing.  What-ifs are another thing; what if, say, Ben didn’t die?  What happens, then, since they’d have to actually deal with what he’s done?  Feel free to retcon the kiss (which I thought was rather devoid of chemistry; in general their dynamic came across to me more as weirdly sibling-ish, especially after the Death Star duel) to a hug or something, if you want.

If you want to go to a lighter place, I can also see all sorts of shenanigans emerging after they discover their Force-teleportation skills.

Also feel free to retcon Rey’s parentage, if that is where your heart takes you: might she be Luke’s secret child?  Leia’s?  A descendant of Obi-Wan Kenobi and, say, Satine Kryze?

Apart from that I’d prefer no full-setting AUs; canon divergence is fine, and if you go that route you can pick a divergence point as far back as you want.

Feel free to include whatever other characters are necessary for the story you want to tell.

(And also do keep in mind that you can absolutely cut off someone’s hand here, or for the Star Wars crossover farther down; in this franchise it is a goddamn motif.)

    Super Powereds – Drew Hayes

Adam Riley & George Russel | Relentless Steel (Super Powereds)

I’m utterly fascinated by the relationship these two have; the interplay of Adam’s… vendetta, maybe?  I’m not sure what the right word for it is… and the fact that George also serves him as a mentor/almost-parental, in some ways, figure.  And, you know, that Adam (maybe) kills him.  We don’t actually see that; for all we know he made a different choice.

Consider this an exception to my “non-canonical MCD” DNW, since it’s deliberately ambiguous in canon; you can kill George, if that’s where your muse takes you.

  Alice Adair | Legacy & Vince Reynolds | Jack of All (Super Powereds)

Their friendship/cousin relationship is Wholesome and I love it.  Any point in the timeline, post-canon, all of it is Good and Welcome.  Do they form a legacy children/villains’ kids club? They’re secret cousins; untangling the mess that is the past; so much juicy juicy stuff to work with!!

  Phillip Adair | Globe & Charles Adair | Alchemist (Super Powereds)

Brother vs brother! O the drama! But also, they grew up together; they were once best friends; and Charles grew hard and it all fell apart—give me their childhood, maybe, or HCP years or young heroes before Shelby’s powers grew too much for her, or lean into the tragedy of what comes later…

    Tortall – Tamora Pierce

Numair Salmalín | Arram Draper & Varice Kingsford (Tortall)

Numair Salmalín | Arram Draper & Varice Kingsford & Ozorne Muhassin Tasikhe (Tortall)

Ozorne Muhassin Tasikhe & Numair Salmalín | Arram Draper (Tortall)

Varice Kingsford & Ozorne Muhassin Tasikhe (Tortall)

I love these kids, okay?  And I wish they could all just… be okay.  But of course they won’t be; we already know what becomes of them, after all.

There’s a lot to explore here, with these three in their varying combinations of course.  Right now I’m most interested in the pre-Wild Magic timeline—what was Varice and Ozorne’s dynamic before Arram came along? what little snippets of things happen offscreen during the timeline of Tempests and Slaughter? how does Arram gain his black robe; how does Ozorne feel about that? Varice? how does Numair end up in exile, and how do the others feel about that whole affair?—but really I’d also be interested in something set during or around the time of Emperor Mage, from any of their POVs.  We get all the story there from Daine, who is great! but she doesn’t know the history between the three of them, not intimately as they do, and I’d love any of their emotional reactions to being together again under such strained circumstances, so many years after everything fell apart.

  Numair Salmalín & Myles of Olau (Tortall)

He was on a mission, was he not, when he became that hawk at the beginning of Wild Magic?  (please ignore if I am Wrong there.)  So how did they meet?  Why did Numair become an agent?  All sorts of questions, here…

  Prince Stiloit Tasikhe & Varice Kingsford (Tortall - Pierce)

Stiloit seems so… calm, and level-headed, especially when compared with Ozorne who is not.  And he clearly finds Varice interesting, and her company valuable.  So maybe tell me something about that—what does he think of her?  She of him?  What if, perhaps, he didn’t die when he does?

  Keladry of Mindelan & Nealan of Queenscove (Tortall)

They have a BEAUTIFUL FRIENDSHIP and also ye gods when I reread First Test at like 19 (having first read it at 10) I was struck by how very, very fifteen Neal is in that book and it’s hilarious.  But more seriously—Neal’s PoV on things would be fantastic, since we only see him through Kel’s eyes and he doesn’t let her see everything about himself.

  Keladry of Mindelan & Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak (Tortall - Pierce)

What a beautiful mentorship relationship, I love them.  Also, how does Raoul feel about this open girl page?  Who’s so determined, and has such potential in how she could become more, in an area he knows about (that being military command)—how does he feel about her, living her best life; how does he contextualize it in his intimate knowledge that Alanna could not do what she is doing—and yet it was Alanna, with her deception, who allowed this to be.

  Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau & Numair Salmalín

The renowned lady knight-healer-mage and the black robe on the run from Carthak! How did they meet, anyway?  They’re something like the same age, I think, or at least he’s no more than ten years her junior.

  Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau & Thom of Trebond (Tortall - Pierce)

My poor Important Destiny Twins… Look I just, I want some content with poor Thom, right?  I’d rather here that we set the story before his death, or that we make it an AU where he gets to live.

    Carmen Sandiego (Cartoon 2019)

Shadowsan & Hideo (Carmen Sandiego 2019)

There’s… so little of this stated or shown overtly, really, but I’m fascinated.  I can’t get over it.  Just tell me about the brothers, please.

    The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)

Runaan/Ethari & Rayla (The Dragon Prince)

Family fluff!  Or angst!  Or turn round and give them a reunion!  All depends on where in the timeline you pick, really.

(there’s a fic on ao3 with the tag “this fanfiction written by the ETHARI LOOK IN THE FUCKING WATER gang” and honestly that is just such a mood.)

  Amaya & Sarai (The Dragon Prince)

…I don’t have much to say here really, just that I love me some sibling dynamics.

  Callum & Ezran (The Dragon Prince)

A king by birthright, a prince only by adoption, who by age/maturity would probably be better-suited to ruling… look idk just, bros okay???

Maybe something when they were younger, or canon-era, or… idk I love them.

  Callum & Ezran & Rayla (The Dragon Prince)

Friendship! Angst! The gang’s all here!  If you want you can include rayllum but for this prompt at least I’d rather it be lowkey.

  Claudia & Soren (The Dragon Prince)

I am heartbroken over these kids and just—I need more content with them.  Even if it makes me sad.

  Callum & King Harrow (The Dragon Prince)

There are a lot of complicated feelings I have about them—how clearly Harrow loves his stepson, and how even after more than a decade, Callum still isn’t quite comfortable with his stepfather.

    Frozen (Disney Movies)

Agnarr/Iduna (Frozen)

How did they get together?  Why does Iduna stay with Agnarr; why doesn’t she just go home?  How does that revelation conversation go—when does it happen?  How do they come to decide to block Elsa’s powers; when/how do they decide to sail for Ahtohallan?

  Kristoff & Ryder Nattura (Frozen)

Reindeer bros!!  What did Kristoff do while Anna and Elsa were off doing the plot stuff?  Does he go with the Northuldra?  I love the dynamic between these two; it’s adorable and there’s so painfully little of it.

  Yelena & Mattias (Frozen)

So clearly they know each other, right? It’s been thirty-four years, and they clearly have some sort of sniping thing going on but they don’t seem to be actively antagonistic towards each other.  How do they feel about each other, really? How have they interacted in the past?  Is there anything there?  What about after Mattias goes back to Arendelle?

  Anna & Elsa (Frozen)

There is just.  There’s a profound tragedy here—they’re best of friends till they’re five and eight or so, then they don’t interact for thirteen years, they have three years together, and then they go off together to the Enchanted Forest and Elsa doesn’t come back to live in Arendelle, while Anna must return… I don’t know.  Tell me about that, maybe.  Or give me sweet fluff about them as children.  Or something.

  Anna/Kristoff (Frozen)

They’re adorable and I love them and I really just want more.  Maybe something from between the movies—how do they navigate forming a relationship, when he was raised by trolls and she’s been so isolated?

    Little Women (2019)

Amy March/Theodore Laurence (Little Women 2019)

…I don’t know, they’re cute, Laurie is a disaster, I love seeing Amy grow up, I hunger for moar content with them.

  Beth March & Mr. Laurence (Little Women 2019)

This has a lot of potential for cute/sad father/daughter dynamics, I think!  And I’d love more of it.

  Friedrich Bhaer & Josephine March (Little Women 2019)

Friedrich Bhaer/Josephine March (Little Women 2019)

I just want cute content with Jo and her dynamic with this man who actually respects her and her writing okay?  Maybe something like, I don’t know, navigation of boundaries around Jo’s writing and his criticism thereof… I don’t know.  Have fun with them.  And I really don’t care if it’s shipfic or not.

  Theodore "Laurie" Laurence & Josephine March (Little Women 2019)

Theodore Laurence & Josephine March (Little Women 2019)

Laurie is still a disaster but I love him anyway, and their friendship is sweet, and I need more content™.

    Original Prompts

In general: I’m not super picky about how shippy the shipfic gets; most of the ship prompts here would, I think, work as well for gen, excepting the suitor and the princess (which is not to say I’m asking that it be gen, obviously I’m not, but if your muse takes you that direction then go for it).  Likes I put up top still apply down here.

In terms of settings, I especially like high fantasy, space fantasy, or, if relevant, Classic Superhero City Setting, but I’m open to just about anything.

I’m also not tremendously picky about the genders of the characters involved; if it isn’t stated within the prompt, go wild, but please do stick to standard English pronouns; I have a lot of difficulty reading things with neopronouns.

Most of these pairings are prompts in and of themselves, but I’ll add in some bits of commentary for each one.

  Disgraced Vampire Queen Moonlighting As A Barista/Exhausted Vampire Hunter In Search Of Caffeine

Okay, so I just think this has great potential for absolute hilarity, and identity shenanigans aplenty.

  Dragon & Human Child (Original Work)

I love dragons.  I love playing with dragon-lore, though here I’d appreciate it being a relationship wherein the dragon is not evil, at least not to the child.

  Female Crossdressing General/Female Crossdressing Enemy General (Original Work)

So uh from my general likes, it should be… fairly obvious what called to me here lmao.  But there’s such potential here!  The drama!  Do they know each others’ real gender?  Do they know that they’re on opposing sides?  How does this romance across the battlefield work?  Is it even across the battlefield—are they at war, or just generally enemies?

  Female Failed Chosen One & Female New Chosen One

Such delicious depths to delve here… why did the first one fail?  What’s her relationship with her successor?  What have they been chosen for?  The setup of this makes me think that the failed chosen one is an adult of some age that’s distinctly older than the new one, who I’ve been imagining as an older child or young adult, but you should follow your muse there.

  Female Ship's Captain & Grumpy Stowaway Orphan Rebel

What kind of ship are they on, anyway?  Sailing ship?  Spaceship?  What’s the orphan rebelling against—an Evil Empire?  The Man?  Something else?

  Female Suitor Sent As An Insult To Ruling Monarchs/Princess Uninterested In Male Suitors

This seems like… I don’t know, there’s just such potential for dancing around each other and Misunderstandings™ about what’s going on.  Is this the princess’s Gay Awakening?  Has she known for a while why she’s not into the male suitors?  Why was this female suitor selected for the insult?

  Injured Male Superhero/Male Supervillain Who Saves His Life

I love superhero identity shenanigans, and ambiguous morals, and I’d love to dive into the emotional turmoil that results from this rescue decision—why does the supervillain do it?  How does the hero feel about being saved by his enemy?

  Musician/Dancer with magical powers (Original Work)

Another trope I love that I didn’t mention before is magic music and magical arts in general, so this here is right up my alley.

  Portal Fantasy Protagonist & Their Mentor In A Trade Useful In Both Worlds (Original Work)

…Look, idk man this is just sweet and wholesome and I Want.

  Retired Male Superhero/Male Supervillain Who Keeps Seeking Him Out Because He Misses Him

Is this not just the plot of Megamind?  In all seriousness, though, I feel about the same here as I do in the injury situation; I love me some hero/villain dynamics in general.

  Witch & Witch's Apprentice

Mentor and student!  Always a fun time.  I’m picturing this as some pseudo-historical or straight alternate-world setting more than modern, but follow your muse here.

  Wounded Werewolf/Female Apprentice Witch who Begrudgingly Rescues him (OW)

Honestly I feel like the dynamic here will probably scratch the same itch that the hero/villain pairings do.  Clearly I have a Type.

    Crossovers

Oliver Queen (DC's Arrowverse) & Matt Murdock (Daredevil(TV))

Local Vigilante Man With Many Issues Meets Counterpart From Another Universe would be the headline here, probably.  I don’t know.  I think they’d be fun to bounce off each other.

For reference though I haven’t watched all of either show: I’ve seen the first four seasons of Arrow in their entirety and some of what comes later, and I’ve seen the first two seasons of Daredevil.  You can reference later events, I’m not currently really following either show and am not particularly worried about spoilers, but without some degree of context I’ll be fairly lost.

  Shmi Skywalker (SWPT) & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren (SWST)

How do these two meet?  Is it time travel nonsense?  Shmi as a Force ghost?  Both of them in the afterlife?  And if it’s before Ben’s redemption but after his Fall, I do rather hope she’s Disappointed™ in him.

  Vince Reynolds | Jack of All (Super Powereds) & Midoriya Izuku (My Hero Academia)

Look.  Look.  All I have ever wanted since I started watching My Hero Academia (which… I haven’t seen much of, but don’t worry about spoilers I legitimately do not care) is to see Vince meet with the character who I immediately internally dubbed tiny green Vince.  How did this happen? Frankly I neither know nor care.  I just want to see it happen.

Thank you for writing me fic!!

[maybeicansleeptomorrow]

A Guide to Writing: Characters

In writing, we obviously need characters. Whether it's a character that simply appears for a handful of times, or your protagonist or antagonist, every character is thought through, and is riddled with their own little quirks and personality ideals and flaws.

So, how do you make a good character? This is a step-by-step guide to creating a well-thought and very realistic character.

The Basics

The Name

So, you're trying to create a new character. First, they obviously need a name. Sometimes, names can be out there and far from ordinary. But, it's also totally okay to come up with a first name like Joshua or Frederick or Candace.

Then you'll need a last name. (You probably don't need to make a middle name unless it's a main character, and even then, it's not always necessary.) Last names can be a little more crafty. I tend to make them cool-sounding, like Crestworth etc. Fun things to include in last names are Wood or Worth or Son or Smith.

For the name, you can just Google it. For earthly, human names set in non-fantasy settings, you should usually try not to get overly creative, or it isn't realistic and sounds odd as a reader.

And lastly, try and think of something that feels like your character. That's something that you should decide, but it should feel right to you.

Personality

Your character obviously needs its own personality. Making a personality is a little harder than it sounds.

First, think about the very basic elements.

Is your character more nonchalant or is he/she serious/emotional?

What are your character's hobbies?

What are your character's goals? (What do they want to be when they grow up/what do they want in life?)

What does your character think of themselves and others?

How does your character treat life? (Other people, responsibilities, etc.)

What are your character's flaws? These can be hard to make, but every character has them.

What makes your character unique, or, adversely, why *don't* they stand out?

Follow this checklist of questions, and any that you might ask. This helps you understand your character, and makes them more of a person to both you and the story.

Answer these questions with answers that don't contradict each other. If one of your character's flaws is that he/she is super lazy, don't say that they like to do all kinds of chores and tasks to help out with expecting nothing in return.

Draw Your Character

The last of the basics is to "draw" your character. I mean, if you're super good at art, by all means physically draw your character. But, what this means, is figure out your character's features.

These features will also go along well with your character's personality. Like, if my character is athletic, chances are, they like to where shorts and tennis shoes.

Here's a handy checklist...

What do they like to wear?

When do they wear it?

What color is your character's hair?

What about eye color? (Please don't give every character blue/green eyes. It's an overused cliche.)

Body height/shape?

Special features like scars or bags under eyes?

Other small things like untied shoelaces

The Advanced Stuff

Backstory

This one's important. This has a whole lot to do with personality. If your character grew up in a rich family, then they might be entitled or the opposite, might hate rich life and will be serious and cynical.

The backstory IS your character. It is your character's story, regardless of whether it's told. Think of your character's family or where they live. Consider their school life, if they had and have friends, what their friends and family were like.

Backstories can have family ties as well. Maybe a character had a family who owned a huge business that made a huge mistake or kept a huge secret, which then dishonored the family name. This had nothing to do with the character, but it'll follow them for the rest of their life.

Be sure not to make it overly dramatic for every character. Some characters might just have standard backstories, but something like their aspirations or goals in life might make them what is unique as a character.

But, at the same time, it's okay to give your character a drastic or scarring or very "out there" backstory. When that happens, a character should have bigger goals and more flaws as a result of that backstory.

Remember, a backstory can be as empty or eventful as you like, but make sure it all fits in with your character.

Plot Relevance

How does your character tie into your story's plot? Again: their personality and backstory should have a lot to do with this. If your character is evil, or has a scarring backstory, they might be the antagonist and/or villain of the story.

Think of things such as how important he/she is to the story. Think of their influence on the events around them. Think of their decisions or mistakes, or of how their flaws might make a part of the story go wrong.

For example, if the previously mentioned character came from a dishonored family name, maybe they want to prove themselves to the world and live their own life. So their influence on the story could be that they go too far to prove themselves and instead ruin something important to the story.

Character relevance is important. Most characters that you give a name and have more than 15 lines of dialogue should mean SOMETHING. If it's just casual dialogue that inadvertently gives a character an idea or answer a question they're trying to figure out, then that's plot relevance.

Bloodline

This one isn't always necessary. "Bloodline" really entails the character's family. Answer questions such as:

Who are the character's parents?

Who are their friends?

What is their family history?

Was the character adopted?

What kind of money or traditions are in the family?

These questions at first appear pretty unnecessary, but they mean a lot to the character's backstory and personality.

Coming from a poor family would create a drastically different character than one from a rich family. A character with parents who were never around would be quite different than one with ones who were.

There are many things to consider when it comes to their bloodline. All of it ties into the character's personality and backstory.

Affliction

Every character should have an effect on other characters. For example, a very negative character could anger or discourage the characters around them.

It's helpful to consider how other characters affect your character as well. The people your character is around should bring out personality traits in them.

Keep in mind how your character treats people. If your character is negative and brash, they might insult other characters often. If your character is shy and not good with people, they might just nod off what others say, and dwell on it in their own time.

Scenarios

The best way to finalize your character is to picture them in certain scenarios. This will help you get a feel for your character as a person and it'll help you understand them.

The more you can understand a character, the better you'll write them, making them more relatable and attaching to readers.

The more details about each scenario you can come up with, the more your character will come alive, until you can think of every single detail about them.

A Sandwich Shop

Your character walks into a sandwich shop. It's about midday and the place has a fair amount of people.

What is your character wearing?

What are they doing as they walk in?

What do they order?

How do they talk to the waitor?

For example, a character walks into the shop. He's dressed in casual work attire. He is talking on the phone, and has his laptop and some papers in his arm. He sits down at a table, seeming flustered and busy, and continues to talk and tap his foot as he sets up his laptop and waits for someone to take his order. He orders a simple sandwich, the same one he orders everyday. When he does order it, he puts the phone to his side as he speaks, putting on a hmf smile and talking quickly, as though he were rushed and also as though he knows exactly what to order.

An Unkind Stranger

On the street, your character comes across a very unkind person. They are saying rather brash things to someone else you don't know. How does your character react?

Keep in mind that this is your character's reaction, and it's okay if the character has a different morality than yours. So be sure you don't give it YOUR reaction.

Coming Home

Your character has just had a long day, be it work or school or something else, and is finally able to relax. What is everything that they do?

Does your character change clothes?

Do they watch TV?

Do they sleep?

Do they get food?

What order do they do the things that they do?

[klaineanummel]

eighteen going on extinct 14/20

Kurt Fabray just wants to relax after a tough week at school, but that is shown to be impossible when he realizes that his absent father has once again blown into town. Not wanting to spend more time around him than necessary, Kurt goes to his old babysitters house, the one place he feels safe when his father is in town. While there, he stumbles upon a secret he knows he was never meant to find out - one that could change the entire course of his life.

An AU very loosely based on Mamma Mia.

Another shorter chapter, but this one is a super important one. Hope you all enjoy <3 

Previous Chapter |  Read on AO3

Over the course of the weekend, Kurt’s mom texts him exactly seventeen times. Kurt knows, because he refuses to read them, and so the notifications just keep piling up.

He doesn’t want to read them just yet, though. Not until he has at least the slightest idea of how he plans to answer them.

Because of them, he spends most of the weekend away from his phone. He leaves it in the back when he goes to work on Saturday (something practically unheard of at his job), and then puts it in his room when he gets back to Finn and Rachel’s, leaving it there while they spend the evening playing board games and watching some action movie Finn has apparently been dying to see. He does the same on Sunday as well, only opening his messaging app when he happens to see a text from Blaine telling him he finished the cheesecake and feels like exploding.

Unfortunately, by the end of the weekend Kurt still has no idea what he’s going to do about his mom. He really hates being mad at her, and he hates that he isn’t currently living with her, but he can’t see any simple solution appearing in the near future.

He knows he needs to come up with something soon, though. Burt could call him at any time over the next week to let him know that Puck’s bike is ready to be picked up, and once that happens he’s going to be forced to contact his mom. He knows he doesn’t want the first thing he says to her after almost a week of not speaking to be, “Hey, Puck’s bike is fixed,” but he really can’t see a way around it playing out that way.

There’s also the fact that his paternity test results are supposed to be arriving sometime this week. His heart flutters in his chest just thinking about it. Soon, he’ll have definite proof that that man has no business being in his life. Soon, he’ll be able to officially call Finn ‘Dad’.

He knows he shouldn’t be so optimistic about the results, but he also feels like he has to be. He needs some good news. After everything that’s happened lately, he thinks the universe kind of owes him.

Both Rachel and Finn are busy around when school gets out, meaning Kurt has to take the bus.

“It’s kind of stupid because I literally see you all day every day,” Blaine says as they wait for his bus, “but I miss taking the bus with you.”

“I’m sure I’ll be back on the route soon enough,” Kurt says, shoving his hands in his pockets. It’s the first chilly day of the year, and idiot that he is, he forgot his jacket. “I miss it too, you know.”

“Sap,” Blaine says, bumping their shoulders together. Kurt sticks his tongue out.

“Honestly, it’s a pain in the ass to get to Finn and Rachel’s on the bus,” Kurt says, shaking his head. “Stupid fucking Lima, with it’s four bus routes.”

“I’ve lived in worse,” Blaine says. “When I was fourteen I lived in a city that had no bus system.”

“Christ,” Kurt says.

“Oh, here we go,” Blaine says as the bus pulls up. “I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? Text me when you get on the bus!”

“Yes, mom,” Kurt calls, though the barb ends up stinging him a little. Blaine laughs, though, which makes it a little bit worth it.

As soon as the bus is packed and has rolled off, Kurt crosses the street to wait on the other side for the bus going downtown. He pulls his phone out to text Blaine something lame like ‘don’t drown in the sweat of ten thousand teenagers’ and finds that his mom has sent him three more texts.

He unlocks his phone, then locks it immediately, ridding his screen of the previews of the texts. He shakes his head as he pulls his earphones out of his backpack and plugs them in.

He knows he should really deal with this. His mom is clearly making an effort, and he does hate not talking to her.

He just… isn’t ready. And he has no idea when he will be.

Turns out the universe doesn’t really care if he’s ready or not.

He sees her before he even reaches Finn and Rachel’s house. For a moment, he considers turning around and running away. Then, she makes eye contact, and he realizes how stupid that is.

She’s his mother. He’s never gone this long without speaking to her. He supposes he can’t really blame her for showing up like this.

“Kurt,” she calls him over as he continues the walk to the house. She’s got another plastic bag with her, though also seems to have forgotten her own jacket.

“Hey,” he greets when he’s finally close enough. He stays off the porch, looking up at her, unsure of what to say.

She looks him over with a frown. “Aren’t you cold?”

He shrugs. “Aren’t you?”

“Yeah,” she replies. “I’m freezing. That’s why I asked.”

Kurt shrugs again, knocking his foot against the bottom porch step.

When he doesn’t say anything, his mom says, “You’ve been avoiding my texts.”

“I didn’t really know what to say,” he says.

“Kurt,” she breathes, and Kurt looks up to see tears welling in her eyes. “You’ve never – We’ve never – I hate not talking to you, honey.”

“Me, too,” Kurt whispers. “But, mom, I’m just – I’m so goddamn mad at you.”

She looks down at her shoes, arms wrapping around herself. “I figured,” she says. She glances back up and says, “You know he’s been better. He hasn’t come home drunk since you left, and he’s been asking about you all the time. He really… he’s been better.”

“That doesn’t mean anything to me, mom,” Kurt says. “You know it doesn’t.”

“I know,” she whispers. “Can’t blame me for hoping, though, right?”

“That’s kind of the thing,” he says, stepping up onto the first step. “I do blame you for hoping. You hoping is what keeps getting us into these binds with him. You hoping is why he keeps coming around, even though he obviously doesn’t give a shit about us. You hoping is how he knows he can take advantage of you.”

“He doesn’t take advantage of me,” she says, but the excuse sounds weak.

Kurt shakes his head. “Yes, he does, and you know it. I know you love him, mom, I do, but what I don’t understand is why.”

She holds her arms closer to herself. “Haven’t you ever felt connected to someone? Like, no matter what happens, you know they’re it for you? You know you’re meant to be together for the rest of your life?”

He nods without a second thought. “Yeah, mom, I have,” he says, stepping up one more step. “With you.”

Her face crumbles, and within moments she’s in his arms. He hugs her tight for a moment, but then pushes her back up onto the porch, trying to ignore the hurt in her eyes.

“But you clearly don’t feel that for me,” he says.

“Of course I do,” Quinn replies. “You’re my son, Kurt. You’re my everything.”

“No,” Kurt shakes his head. “Puck is. If I was really your everything you would have realized a long time ago how terrible he is for our family.”

“He is our family, Kurt,” she pleads.

“Why, though?” Kurt asks. “Why does our family have to be a mother, a father, and a child? Why can’t our family just be you and me? Or you, me, Finn, and Rachel? Why does he have to be a part of it?”

“He’s—”

“I think you know that what you’re about to say isn’t true,” Kurt cuts her off.

She sniffs, wiping under her nose with her hand. “I want it to be, though,” she says. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted. You, me, and Puck, together and happy.” Tears well in her eyes and she looks up at the sky.

Kurt kicks the step above him, and admits, “I used to want that, too.”

She looks back at him, frowning through her tears. “What?”

“I know,” he says, shaking his head. “It was a long time ago. I asked Santa for Christmas for my mom and dad to stay together this year,” he shakes his head at his own ridiculousness.

“How come I never saw that?” she asks.

“I knew you read my letters, so I gave it directly to the Santa at the mall. Finn took me,” he chuckles. “It’s funny, actually, because when the Santa read my letter he gave Finn the dirtiest look. Obviously assumed he was the dad I was referencing.”

She chews on her bottom lip, then quietly asks, “What changed?”

“I grew up,” Kurt says, knowing his tone is a little snappish. “I grew up watching him leave us. I grew up watching you fall apart every time he did. I grew up seeing your face every time we got the mail and his parent support check wasn’t there. I grew up hearing him ask you for money every goddamn time he came into town. I grew up watching you end perfectly good relationships because he snapped his fingers and decided he wanted to fuck you for a week,” he shakes his head, looking away. “I grew up watching him take advantage of you, mom, and I hated him for it.”

She sniffs again, then quietly asks, “Do you ever think that could change?”

He shakes his head instantly. “Never,” he says. “I will never forgive him for how he’s treated you. And honestly… I’m having a hard time forgiving you for continuously letting him treat you that way.” She looks away again, and he says, “Because you know better. I know you know better. You just keep getting sucked into his games and I don’t know why.”

“I love him, Kurt,” she says, voice just as snappy as his had been. “I. Love. Him.”

Kurt steps up the final step. “You know he doesn’t love you back, right?” he asks. “Because when you love someone, you don’t treat them like this. You don’t walk in and out of their life. You don’t fuck them over. You don’t come home drunk and scream at them for hours in front of their nine-year-old son. You pay your goddamn child support!”

She takes a step away from him, cheeks streaked with tears. She says nothing, though, lips pressed together.

“I know you know that, mom,” Kurt says. “You’re smart, I know you know he doesn’t love you.” He feels his throat close up. “Why—” he chokes back a sob, tears suddenly springing from his eyes. “Why can’t my love be enough for you?”

“Oh, baby,” she hurries to him, and this time he lets himself be wrapped in his mother’s embrace. He cries into her shoulder and she cries into his, and he doesn’t even care how angry at her he is, all he wants in this moment is to be held by his mother. To be reminded that, even if she will always put Puck before him, she does still hold love in her heart for him.

“I wish I could be enough for you,” he whispers. “I wish you could see how much I love you, mom. How much I’ve always loved you,” he tucks himself closer into her body. “How I’ve always tried to love you enough that you wouldn’t need his love anymore.”

“You don’t have to, honey,” she says, patting his hair like she used to when he was a kid. “You don’t have to love me any more than a son should love his mother. You’re already the most amazing son in the world, you don’t need to try and be more.”

“It never mattered,” he says, her words going in one ear and out the other. “I could never love you enough. You always wanted him, always needed him. I was never enough.”

“Listen to me, Kurt,” she says, pulling him away from her and cupping his face in her hands. “You will always be enough for me.”

“No, I’m not, because if I was you wouldn’t still be with him. You wouldn’t come crawling back to him every time he deigned to show his face. You wouldn’t—”

He freezes, eyes catching on a large white envelope hanging out of Finn and Rachel’s mailbox.

“Holy shit,” he whispers, extracting himself from his mother’s hold and going to it. “Holy shit,” he repeats when he sees the DNA lab’s logo on the envelope.

“Kurt?” his mom asks, but Kurt barely listens. He pulls the envelope out of the mailbox and tears it open. He doesn’t care that he should wait for Finn and Rachel to come back. He needs to know.

Now more than ever, he needs to know.

He pulls the papers out of the envelope and quickly flips through them until he finds the one labelled ‘Noah Puckerman.’. Beneath it is a chart full of whatever the company got from his DNA. Kurt, of course, doesn’t give a shit about that. His eyes go to the bottom of the chart, where in a single column, in bold black letters, six absolutely magical words are printed.

No DNA match with Kurt Fabray.

“It’s negative,” Kurt breathes. “Oh, my god,” he reads the words again. Then again. “It’s negative.”

He looks up at his mom, tears in his eyes, a grin on his face so wide he could split himself in half.

“It’s negative,” he repeats. “It’s negative! He’s not my father.”

His mom brings a hand to her mouth, a sob escaping her lips. “Kurt…”

“I can’t believe it,” he says, looking back down at the page. “I hoped, I almost prayed for this, and here it is. Right on the page. No DNA match with Kurt Fabray.”

“Kurt,” she tries again, but he doesn’t care.

“Finn’s my dad,” Kurt says, moving Puck’s page to the back of the bunch and revealing the page labelled ‘Finn Hudson’. “After all these years, I can finally—”

He freezes, hands clenching tight around the page as he reads the bottom of Finn’s chart. He reads it again, and again, way more times than he read Puck’s.

He looks up at his mom, who is still concealing her sobs behind a hand. He then looks back down at the page because it can’t be. This can’t be possible, this isn’t happening. Puck isn’t his father, so it has to be Finn, there has to be some kind of mistake.

There isn’t, though. It’s right there, in bold letters, staring up at him the same as moments before.

No DNA match with Kurt Fabray.

Chapter Fifteen

[remindme2breathe]

NO- it’s not an option

I am in the process of Selling my home (beyond the process I guess, we are in the middle of closing escrow!!! Woohoo!!!) I’ll be honest, it took 4 days to sell my home, so I hope what I’m saying doesn’t sound like a complaint, this entire entry should be the complaint, ha, ha, just kidding- kinda. My home is smaller then my next home (which is also in process, 3 weeks!!) but it doesn’t lack comfort. Although I have never been a true fan of this particular home, it has allowed us to experience a lot of family-like ‘adventures’ (don’t worry, you’ll hear about some of those sometime in the future). My new home is sitting pretty on 4 and a half acres of clean, flat land! My home has enough bedrooms for EVERYONE to have their own space! This next home is a blessing that I can never describe with all the words in the world. Not only is it gorgeous, but thanks to the help of my parents, I got it all on my own! All they really did was sign, but I managed to save, fix my credit and get approved all on my own. Being grateful doesn't even begin to compare to the actual feeling! What did I do to accomplish that? Refused to let anyone convince me that NO was an option. 

There are 3 things I’ve said to my kids more then necessary. 1. Quiting is not an option 2. Being rich doesn’t mean your successful 3. Always be of service to people

What do I do for a living? You’d be surprised how many people actually thought I was involved in something illegal... no, really... You’d be surprised! It’s gotten so old that now all I do is smile and nod. I’m not telling you this to make anyone think I’m showing off, no, it’s not about that. I don’t like to struggle, I hate to work, and I don’t understand financial technical terms like dows and percentage and whatever other fancy words they wanna use to shine up the real process. Let me tell you what I did, but first let me give you the scale in which it’s impacted my family. 

I grew up with working parents, both held full time jobs, their own businesses, investments, and had the ability to raise my siblings and I with the little luxuries we wanted (the occasional toys r’ us runs, little things like that). They were financial STABLE, but not rich. They opened their own business about 10 years ago and now both are worth about 3 million each, or so says their business person. I saw first hand the struggle my parents went through when they started up their business, my mom even said that there was a handful of times that they didn’t even have money to buy us food. But when success came for them, it came fast! 

When I turned 16 I took a dab at DJ-ing. Yes, I really was THAT cool back then! I did that for about 4 years. I worked for an actual radio station when I was 17 1/2, I did all their overnight programming and special events. At 18 at these big events I thought I was at the top of everything! My paychecks I spent on myself! All of it! Every dime. It was as through I was allergic to money and needed to spend it quicker then when I got it. My dad then brought it to my attention about my non-existent money management skills. He was right. What was my solution? Open a savings account? No, I’d still spend it. Save hard cold cash? Nope, I’d spend that too. I had to do something. At 18 money beckoned me. I decided to start doing side jobs; weddings, quinceaneras, anything! All that money I’d hand over to my dad and asked him not to give me a dime no matter what I tell him. WHO KNOW HE WOULD TAKE THAT SO LITERALLY! But it worked, I would save about 2800 every month, give or take. And some months he wouldn’t see anything- com’on! I had to have a life too! At 18 I graduated High School and started school to get my nursing degree. At age 20, with only 10 months left to graduate I got pregnant. I worked as long as I could and tried to do as much in school, I didn’t want to be a statistic! I will not be a number on the ‘’lets blame the baby’’ list! I was determined. AND I FINISHED! Once my baby was born I quit the radio station because it was more important for me to be with him then to be in clubs at night. After he turned 1 I decided to get into my field. I was lucky and got into an ER right away. It was exciting, super fast paced! The problem was the 12 hour shifts! I wasn’t being a baby... I wanted to be with my baby. While I worked there I continued to give my dad cash to hold, it wasn’t as much as before (because raising a baby comes with extra costs). But it was imperative that I saved because now my fear was providing for my child. But the hours were tough, mentally and physically, I went part time after 3 years. One day I had a patient that completely changed my life. PUT A PIN IN THAT!!!! He’s worth the story! Anyway this patient ended up influencing me way more then I could have hoped for! This man was put in my path for a reason. 

Closer to today: Last year I asked my dad how much I had finally saved. I never asked him because I was worried I’d be tempted to use it wrongly. Mind you, this was a savings I have accrewed over a span of about 22 years. I never kept track, I never wrote it down. This money had to be OUT OF SIGHT AND OUT OF MIND. I saved $264,464.10, that means I managed to save almost 12,000 a year! A little over $1,000 month! AGAIN!!!!! I didn’t do it religiously! I remember when the $0.10 happened: I TOLD YOU! Sometimes I wasnt able to, but my system was the following: I would carry $60.00 in cash every week on me for any little thing we might want, eating out, treats, toys, medicine, etc. A WEEK! That number went up when I had more people around me. I kept 1,000 in my bank account after bills at all times (this was also never garenteed: THESE BILLS CAN GET A LITTLE OUT OF HAND! If I had over 1,000, I would withdrawl and give it to my dad, no matter the amount. All the change that was under $5 (bill) I would save in an envelope I kept in my dresser and would seal and turn that change over to my dad at the end of the month (that change adds up QUICK!). Any extra cash- tax refunds, these stimulus... it is wasn’t I always had like a paycheck, it was considered extra and I would send it on its way. HOWEVER!!!!! YES I’VE BEEN TEMPTED! I STILL HAVE THAT TEMPTATION! My dad said to invest it to make money on it. Yea, that’s nice but no. I’m too impatient to wait for someone else to put my money to work. Well, I guess I kinda ate those words: here’s what I did. I have a close family friend who has tons of friends all of which could use a job. I made 3 businesses with $10,000 each. THIS WAS A STRETCH! But it’s do-able for WAY LESS!!! I just couldn’t help over buying, geez! 

Long story short, I started a gardening company. I do nothing but cover costs and pay wages. I collect on that and let me tell you- AMAZING. If you intend to do this let me disclose the following: People can be shitty! People CAN steal from you especially is the customers pay cash. PAY YOUR WORKERS WELL AND THEY WILL TREAT YOU WELL! I supply them with the extras. My kids fill refrigerators with snacks and waters or sodas. We supply uniforms at no cost, they get paid time off of two weeks, and rain or shine they get their salary! My son also said MOBILE CAR WASH is good too! There we went, now him and his friend run that truck. They make money, I make money. The 3rd one is a Pool Cleaning Service. This one was a little work because most people with pools have friend references. But this actually holds up pretty good. All three trucks are on my property by 8 pm, my son will fill the tanks, check the interiors, and supplies for the next pick up date. It works out. 

Doing this has allowed me to stay home with my kids. I have been a house mom for the last 8 years. And now, I’m buying my 4 acre property! Thank God! 

It’s tough, especially because I like expensive things! I love to spend, I love to travel. And believe it or not, I was still able to.

Wow, if this wasn’t an epic RAMBLE, I don’t know what would be! Sorry in advance. I’m so excited! I can’t wait to move! Hopefully someone has a small savings that they want to put to work and maybe this helped you get your mind thinking.