#anna writes sometimes

[cocoabubbelle-newblog]

SCOGUE-“Tember”

(2024/2025)

Day “9”; part 2 following Day “8”

After trying and failing to convince Kitty that nothing had happened in the woods between her and Scott, Rogue wound up spilling everything after the other girl would not cease her prodding.

How she and he were just chatting about upcoming christmas plans, or lack thereof in their case, when Scott suddenly pulled her against him.

How she had been startled by the sudden contact and almost flailed to either jump away or push him off out of reflex.

How after toppling onto the ground on top of him, how flustered she felt when it seemed like she could feel every muscle of his torso and arms pressing against her—deliriously recalling the moment of him dripping wet after returning with Jean from Duncan’s party, his T-shirt leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination as he wrung his sweater—

How after the initial shock somehow brought Sabertooth’s instincts to the forefront and she had just barely managed to restrain herself from cuddling and sniffing him like a cat.

How he had said he was “pretty good” but was initially too rattled to get the words out, making her mistake him as telling her she was the one who was…reminding her the first time when he called her an…well, more specifically, read out the lines that called her—no, her character as -!

Kitty had interrupted. Lines? Character??

…then before Rogue knew it, everything else had spilled out before she could stop herself…

How the blasted study session they were paired in involved reading Shakespeare, and the way he said his lines nearly caused her heart to do a 180 degree turn, almost confiding herself to the boy who was still supposed to be her enemy…

How she secretly craved his friendship as well as that of the other X-Men…even when she was fuming with resentment after Principal Dark-! er, Mystique, further gaslit her into thinking they could never be friends, almost…

…..Rogue had hesitated…then finished confessing how she nearly went through with taking advantage of having the higher ground in their snowmobile race to…hurt Scott.

Kitty’s eyes had widened, but she had remained glued onto the edge of Rogue’s bed, what was left of her ice cream forgotten in her pint as she held on every word Rogue shared.

“And then?” was all she asked in response.

And then the dam had broke, Rogue spilling out more as the tears came.

How despite everything she did up to that point, Scott STILL wanted to be her friend, how it took Mystique attempting to…for Rogue to finally…

The rest of it all came out in chaotic torrents.

How Scott immediately accepted her despite nearly falling to his death thanks to her. Protecting her and getting injured in the process. Comforting her when she was upset about the whole situation and revelation.

How excited he had been to officially welcome her into the team despite still recovering from his injuries.

How accommodating he had tried to be to help her ease into the friendship group and get used to the rules.

How her increasing, confused thoughts about him were not being helped by the small bouquet of red roses she found out he gave her after she and Kitty performed in the school’s Dracula-themed musical amidst the other bouquets the Ororo and the others gave them.

How despite how frustrating he had been trying to push them to compete with the Brotherhood during their brief tenure at the summer camp, she had such a hard time ungluing her eyes from what his surprisingly skimpy tank top failed to cover—Kitty needed a moment to recover from simultaneously squeeing and cackling at that.

How alarmed she was when Jean, Logan, and Professor X chose to LEAVE Scott and his brother on Asteroid M.

How worried she had been after the whole aforementioned debacle took place for him because 1) he had found his brother but had been manipulated by Magneto into altering both his body and mind, 2) again, was nearly left behind on an asteroid that was close to EXPLODING because he wasn’t snapping out of the brainwashing fast enough for Jean and the Prof.—which, yes, Rogue tried to understand was supposed to be the best decision underneath the life or death circumstances, choosing to leave and save the majority that would come rather than risk their lives while waiting for the altered Cyclops and Havoc to sort themselves out…but………and then 3) both brothers nearly falling to their deaths after they came to themselves but a moment too late to jump onto the X-Jet, 4) using up who knew how much of their energy to destroy the asteroid and prevent it from crashing down to earth to the point that if they HADN’T been altered…they could have……and 5) how even after all of that, Scott’s own brother didn’t seem interested in fully reuniting with him, which Scott acted like was not a big deal and seemed to be like his old self, but she could see how more introverted and lonely he quietly was when he wasn’t playing his role as the responsible older student, friend, example and leader when left to his own devices.

How he began pushing himself more into training and studies both as an X-Man and as a student of Bayville High to the point where Rogue knows he’s exhausting himself far more than he is helping himself but she doesn’t know what to say or do because the positive results are outshining the negative ones and if any of their teachers have noticed they haven’t SAID anything and if they did they aren’t making him stop or slow down if he’s not listening to them.

How frustrating it was to see his affections for Jean blossom into an obvious crush…while Jean did and continued to do nothing to dissuade him as she continued to date her jerk of a boyfriend for whatever reason…

How Rogue tried not to resent Jean for her actions towards Scott, past and present, especially after taking a glimpse at Miss Popularity’s mind when trying to help her during her unexpected power surge and gaining a better understanding of her, her jealousy cooling down by significant degrees, but unable to accept Jean’s willfully ignoring Scott’s feelings without having the decency to discourage them.

How Rogue couldn’t bring herself to confront Scott and yell at him that if he hadn’t snapped out of his brainwashing quickly enough, Jean would have left him to DIE on Asteroid X even after she tried to give them the benefit of the doubt as the jet began to take off…

Because Jean was only doing what was best for the team at that moment, whereas Rogue…

“If Ah had known earlier enough that Scott and his brotha were still out of sorts,” she whispered into her knees, having pulled them up to her chin at some point during her rant, “Ah would’ve jumped outta my seat and the X-Jet ta find and bring’em to safety mahself… ‘cause after all he’d done ta help me, there would’ve been nothin’ on earth, in heaven, or in hell that would’ve stopped me from tryin’ ta save ‘im.”

She buried her face into her arms. “Not even the risk of doomin’ the rest of us…”

And if Scott had known that….Scott, who always put his needs last before the others?

Rogue didn’t need to tell Kitty which girl Scott would have respected more and which one he would have been disgusted by if he ever knew the truth of what she almost did.

“…gosh…” was all Kitty said in response. Rogue hiccuped while trying to hold back a bitter laugh. Great. All poor Kitty wanted was some fun girls’ talk about boys after finding out why Rogue was all moody and embarrassed, and this happened.

I ruin everything, Rogue thought miserably.

….After a long pause, Kitty cleared her throat. “Oh, gee, um, my throat’s all parched because of all the ice-cream, haha…hah…”

Rogue felt her gently nudge her side, and she looked up, ninety-eight percent sure her waterproof makeup was destroyed by her crying.

Kitty gave her an awkward, though genuine smile, “…so, like, wanna come with me so we can get some water?”

“…*sniff*…”

Rogue nodded.

As they both crept out their room and into the dark hallway, taking care for the door to not creak so they didn’t accidentally awaken anyone, the shorter girl gave the goth one’s covered arm a squeeze.

“Whatever you decide to do with how you feel for Scott,” she whispered, blue eyes fiercely gazing at teary grey ones, “just know that I’ll have your back.”

Despite herself, Rogue smiled.

“Thanks, Kitty.” She whispered back. “Ah—”

“Rogue?”

Both girls whirled around.

Scott was there, halfway in his room. It wasn’t clear as to whether he was just entering or leaving from the state of his rumpled clothes, but he was up and awake nevertheless.

He gave a concerned frown at Rogue.

“Are you okay? What are you still doing up, and by yourself?” He whispered from his spot.

Rogue attempted to answer without stammering, then blinked.

By herself?

She turned to look at Kitty: gone.

Just the latter’s toes peeking out from the bottom of their door after phasing right back into their room.

….so much for having her back.

Rogue turned back to Scott, pretending to yawn into her elbow whilst furiously rubbing away the obvious mess her tears and runny nose left on her face as she whispered back, “Couldn’t sleep. You?”

Scott shook his head, closed his door behind him, and quietly joined her in her spot in the hallway. “I was going to get a glass of water.” He said softly, rubbing his neck. “Want to join me?”

After spending who knows how long bawling about him until her eyes were swollen like mini pufferfishes and her throat felt rougher than sandpaper, therefore feeling and looking much worse than when they were tangled in the pile of leaves?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

Rogue tried to force a casual laugh, “O-oh, thanks, Scott, but Ah—“

A pair of hands right behind her phased through her’s and Kitty’s door and smacked her shoulders meaningfully in the tall boy’s direction without drawing his attention.

“—ah’d love to!” The words fell out before she could stop them.

Scott smile was warm enough to make a Snow Queen’s heart melt into a puddle. “Great! Don’t worry, I’ll make sure we’ll be back up before we get into more trouble.” he assured her. As if that was why she was nervous about being alone with him past midnight.

So, Rogue found herself following Scott towards the end of the hallway, taking a moment to throw a withering glare in the direction of her room without him noticing as they turned the corner.

Kitty, just her face phased out their door, merely grinned back.

[tankgotstuckinthecircusgate]

1929 — Carlo sends one last letter to his family in Sicily, writing about Xaviero's death. He asks them not to write any more

Who are we to each other? Strangers from different worlds? Or maybe we're just random victims of spontaneous impulses? Do you know how hard it is — to pull the trigger? This world is so good the second before it explodes.

cont.d: Through the anxious twilight, the smoke of cigarettes, Reflected in the mirror by the nervous flame of a candle. I'm sitting at the table — there's a gun on it I'm playing a game for strong men

I'm laughing at myself — I'm drawing a mustache, You don't know what I'm like for sure

You don't know how serious this is going to be. I have two hours until dawn And one more unresolved question:

Who are we to each other? Strangers from different worlds? Or maybe we're just random victims of spontaneous impulses? Do you know how hard it is — to pull the trigger? This world is so good the second before it explodes.

You lost your shadow yesterday by accident, And today it's not you, it's her visiting me We'll play a little game here in the dark.

The gun, me and the shadow, try to understand I, alas, don't know how serious it was, Your shadow, unfortunately, cannot answer To this simple question:

Who are we to each other? Strangers from different worlds? Or maybe we're just random victims of spontaneous impulses? Do you know how hard it is — to pull the trigger? This world is so good the second before it explodes.

We'll punish each other with the ultimate measure of despair, To erase this evening from our memories. There's only one bullet. Don't feel bad. I'm spinning a drum and that bullet is mine

And now I know for sure how serious it all is 'Cause silence is also the answer To my ridiculous question

*** Late at night. Through all the commas finally got to the point. Address. Mail. Don't worry, I'll never dedicate another line to you. Quiet. Sounds. Sounds rarely reach me at night. The letters dance. I write and never expect a reply.

I love without needing an answer.

[you-remind-me-of-the-babe]

Hello and happy coc and CORB posting! I’m enjoying seeing what everyone is sharing!

I’m not doing either because I’m still working on the WIP that just won’t quit. 😅 But I feel like I can wrap the final chapter up by the end of the year. At least, that’s my hope.

Here are six sentences out of order from the 10th and final chapter of Depth of Reason. I realized there were a lot of women in the first 3k of this chapter. So here’s one sentence or either dialog or a reference of each of them. Any guesses as to who’s who?

“Hello? Simon? Oh,” she sighs, practically sobs, and my first instinct is to soothe her even though I don’t know what’s wrong.

[Redacted] frets and Baz has to cut her off before she gets into summarizing the doom scrolling she’d been doing before he called.

Thankfully, she’s not on speaker, but I do catch certain words and phrases like eviscerate, heads up their arses, and flaming pile of dog poo.

I think that’s been the hardest part, knowing that working with her at the new school might not come to fruition.

[redacted]: And make sure he knows this is NOT the end.

“I need to buy that woman a fruit basket,” he mutters.

Thank you for the tags this morning @cutestkilla @rimeswithpurple @aroace-genderfluid-sheep @forabeatofadrum @ic3-que3n @theearlgreymage @thewholelemon @nightimedreamersworld @hushed-chorus I love seeing what you’re working on! (Also woke up to a mention from Rainbow herself saying thank you and it made my freaking morning) Tagging @fatalfangirl @artsyunderstudy @aristocratic-otter @whatevertheweather @moodandmist @raenestee @valeffelees @blackberrysummerblog @youarenevertooold @iamamythologicalcreature @facewithoutheart @shrekgogurt @run-for-chamo-miles and anyone else who sees this and wants to play 💜

[bitchdafuqyousay]

Bad Bread

Nikolaj stared at the vague imitation of a loaf of sourdough on his kitchen counter; his lips pressed into a thin line in a desperate attempt to keep himself from laughing at it.

"Niko, I'm gonna fucking die. Oh my God it's so ugly I'm genuinely ashamed of it. My hideous first born child," His guest, an enthusiastic but slightly hopeless bread baking tutee groaned pathetically, her upper half slumped onto the counter next to him with her face in her hands.

"It's... certainly an effort. So."

She made a distressed keen from behind her hands, a sound he imagined a slowly dying rodent might make, "Fuck this I'm sticking to desserts. The only bread I'll ever make is monkey. God."

That hardly counted as a type of bread in Nikolaj's opinion, but he digressed;

"Maybe not all is lost, Anna, the outside appearance is. Well. We can both see it in front of us but maybe-"

"Niko I swear to whatever higher being you believe in if you it's what's in the inside that counts me right now I'll throw a fuckin' tantrum."

"Frankly, I think you're already throwing one. A small one, but one nonetheless," He pulled a bread knife from his knife block (a recent birthday gift from the woman currently whining over his counter) and approached the almost bread adjacent lump to slice it.

Wow.

"It deflated."

Anna screeched something unintelligible and all but fell to the floor, crouching on his tiles. The crust had somehow completely separated from the actual bread, and was floating down pathetically onto the loaf like a sad, threadbare blanket. Nikolaj once again sucked his lips in to keep from wheezing out a laugh, his friend was having no such reservations however.

She'd gone from woeful humiliation to loud uninhibited squawks of laughter; stifled only by her hands that still hid her face, "Oh my god it's so bad!"

"Air bubbles happen," He was trying for encouraging, "It might be alright."

"Nikooooo-" She wheezed out through peels of laughter, "You know it's shit!"

"Not yet I don't." Despite his placating he was squinting suspiciously at the thing. Truth be told, he had zero inclinations or even a smidgen of faith that it would taste alright. He broke off a teeny piece from the slice he'd cut, steeling himself to try it.

His efforts to prepare himself were for naught, however, because Anna had sprung up whip-quick from her spot on his tiled floor and snatch the morsel from his fingers.

"No. No fucking way. I'll be damned if I let you try this. I'm humiliated as is and I'd sooner throw myself down this building's elevator shaft than let Nikolaj- premium baker savant perfectionist- Kato put this anywhere near his pretty mouth." She punctuated her (ridiculous) statement by tossing the bite of bread into her mouth and chewing quickly like there was a risk he'd take it back from her. He leaned back onto his counter, crossing his arms over his chest and watching the very impressive array of expressions cross her face.

"It's so bad. It is so goddamn bad," was the final review- delivered with a now deadpan face and rounded shoulders, "It's a good thing I brought my own ingredients instead of using yours like you offered. This is a total fucking waste. Of everything. Even air."

Nikolaj snorted and swiped a second small piece for himself, he wanted to know. He was desperately curious, ignoring Anna as she slowly shook her head no, tossing it into his mouth and cautiously chewing.

It really is true that curiosity killed the poor cat.

"Honestly, I'm impressed. It's texture in hand and on first bite is fine but somehow it turns to ash the second it comes into contact with saliva-" He wasn't able to suppress a huff of laughter this time "-it even tastes like ash. I imagine this is what'd it be like to scoop a handful of remains from the inside of a crematorium and try to eat it."

"Niko I am going to fucking kill myself right here in your kitchen."

She said it so dryly (as dry as the bread attempt he was currently spitting into his trash can) that he barked out a surprised laugh, nearly choking on what was left in his mouth. After a second or two she started laughing again, each exhale getting louder and louder.

"It was like trying the goddamn cinnamon challenge all over again!" She screeched and he started to laugh harder, remembering that stupid trend and how it'd gone for them when they tried it. He still had the video of it on his computer, two stupid high schoolers in atrocious 2010s fashion trying to swallow spoonfuls of spice and choking instantaneously- coughing reddish brown powder all over themselves and one another in her mother's kitchen. Her laugh increased in volume; interrupted by loud painful snorting as she tried to say something else. It came out more like the sound of a banshee choking and he had to lean on the counter to support himself as he choked on his own spit.

Her laugh had always taken him out, she'd start squawking and he'd bypass laughter and go straight to wheezing and tearing up. She flapped her hands, drawing his attention to the failed lump of bread on his counter- pointing and shrieking as it somehow deflated even further, the bottom flattening out like a punctured tire.

He guffawed (a very ugly sound, even to his own ears) at the pathetic thing and a sharp cackle bubbled out of Anna's chest at the sound. The high sharp, crack of her laughs merged with his diaphragm deep gasps and rumbly chuckles in the air of his kitchen and he briefly worried about his old as dirt neighbor rocking up to his door to bitch about the noise. He looked over at Anna as she leaned over onto the counter, grinning so big he thought her cheeks might tear as she tried to catch her breath.

Whatever. Fuck that old bag.

Nikolaj smiled back at her, not as big as her smile (no one could ever smile as big or bright as Anna did) but no less genuine or joyful, his own chest heaving as he clutched the counter corner for support.

"Niko, I'm telling you-" she straightened herself up "-I'm sticking to desserts." Her grin was still there, all teeth.

"Anna, I'm telling you," He pointed at the "bread" and smirked smugly at her, "I'm taking that thing to school tomorrow, and showing it to Ira."

"You will not show that to our meanest colleague!" She stomped her foot but her smile widened, no doubt imagining their friend's reaction to it. Ira would absolutely try it and the sharp witted woman would bring them all to their knees with the quips she'd make about it.

"Oh who knows. Maybe she'll like it! It might remind her of cigarette ash," He started and Anna let out a chuff of laughter, "You keep making that bread and bring it to her, and she'll be able to quit in no time. Wean her off with it."

"Ira'd beat you half to death with her office chair if she heard you say that!"

"I'll give her your attempt at bread, say it, then run out real quick to the infirmary so that way even if she does catch me I'll be able to get medical attention immediately."

"Wow, full proof plan. Incredible calculations." She turned to face the loaf completely, planting her hands on her hips and shaking her head, "Seriously though, the hell do we do with this? Put it out on the street, it's so bad I'm willing to chuck it to the birds. Leave my first born to the wilderness."

"Stop calling it that, also, what wilderness? This is a residential block, Anna. In a city. The wildest thing here is my neighbor."

"Oh yeah, for sure. That bitch bites I just know it. If that walking mummy gets too pissed about volume she'll snap and leave her dentures embedded in your arm. Septic bite type beat."

Nikolaj chuckled, "She'd pitch a fit if we chuck this outside, and truthfully, I don't even think the birds in this so-called wilderness will want this."

She rolled her eyes as he came to stand next to her, the both of them staring down at the halfway flat bread in amused silence. He nudged her with his hip to get her attention, "We'll try again next weekend."

She looked up at him and matched his smile, "Yeah. I'll bring my own shit again. Not using up your Grade A baking stuff to bring yet another ugly lump into this world."

[eiko-chatter]

🍓?

The ways you approach life (with kindness and thoughtfulness and curiosity) have always been inspiring to me - a lot of the growth I am proudest of is the ways in which I have intentionally become more like you. You're a wonderful person, and I'm so glad I get to know you.

[lover-of-mine]

Can you make this into a book please? This sounds like one rollercoaster of a slowburn if i have ever seen one!

Considering he is my biggest cheerleader when it comes to me becoming an author, I will tell you, if we end up together, I'm writing a book, use his input to write his side of it too yk. Maybe I'll do it even if we don't. Who knows. I'm too confused right now but, dude, that would be a nice romance novel, that's for sure, I would be eating it UP if I was watching it from the outside lol chronic bad timing, best friends to lovers, could be nice, could be very nice kapakpakapakaokaoa

[papers-pamphlet]

Ah I finally finished TURN

[potatoesandsunshine]

clenching my teeth trying to remember that it's okay if i don't write long fic

[ginger-grimm]

I called in sick just now, a giant weight has been lifted off my shoulder. I wish I had the stamina to keep going this time but I am so done shoving my own feelings away in favor of making everyone else happy.

[cielospeaks]

actually idk. waiting to see for 100 percent sure but probably fuck this game and its lack of understanding of basic fucking concepts.

man i hate how f e handles the annas sometimes. like yea its a running joke ha ha they all are sisters named anna who are related thats fine enough or it would be if the h eroes version wasnt such a colossal dipshit tool, or how like. the 13/14/ect versions can literally be married to someone. like theres a difference in seeing someone and being like “oh thats so and so’s spouse” and “thats the npc who helps me sometimes”. and like yea maybe for a lot of people its not a big deal but theyre still different people. honestly. props to 17 for making their anna really distinguishable as in a lil bean, or even 16 having theirs have a different hair length and color. like now i should be excited/happy/hyped abt anna getting a cute variant but now after looking at the shitty ass meet the heroes thing i feel like its just going to be npc anna even tho that makes no sense as the theme is clearly supposed to be the robinsexuals, but itll be that bc this fucking games writers have no idea how to do literally fucking anything

[alphacrone]

Thank you @pfirsichspritzer for the tag!

RULES: Post the last sentence you wrote (fanfic / original / anything) and tag as many people as there are words in the sentence.

“I’m not asking your permission or your opinion,” Hanan said coolly. “I’m just warning you.”

tagging @ghosthorse @displayheartcode @annundriel @lockwood-ot3 @eskildit @injustspring and idk a bunch more people. technicallythis is two sentences anyway lol

[gatorbites-imagines]

I had this idea, because I was doing some crochet.

A reader who had made a lot of crochet stuff for all the X-MEN (most of it was requested from them to the reader) and Logan noticed everyone had something handmade except him. His bratty side kicks in and he wants something from the reader. (though the reader can make him a cardigan cause he is a grandpa or like a glove that has holes for his claws so he doesn't reap them apart) you can go feral with it 👀

Scott Summers, Kurt Wagner, Remy LeBeau, Robert “Bobby” Drake, Logan Howlett

Headcanons

Theres too many x-men, so I just,,,added my faves *blush blush* I also decided to write a little thing for everybody, like my CoD posts.

Crochet was your passion, something to do in your free time when mutant-kind wasn’t in danger. And with online shopping, it was so easy to get all the yarn and different hooks, patterns and recipes you might need.

So, of course you also feel the need to make stuff for all the people you care about. After filling your own room and wardrobe with all the stuff you could crochet, your yarn empire started to fill your friends closets and rooms too.

Scott Summers

For Scott you end up crocheting a couple of hats, and multiple pairs of gloves. Some you already had laying around, and just decided to throw into the pile.

What could you say? You were scared he was gonna freeze his ears when he went around in his visor. This meant you crocheted different hats depending on if he wore his visor or his shades, hats that wouldn’t get too in the way.

It was a little hard for Scott to be a leader in the colorful creations you made, but everyone knew it was just your way of showing you cared. So, it made sense for the leader of the team to get the first gifts.

After a while Scott will wear the things, you make even if it isn’t too cold outside, even working it into his everyday outfits if he needs a little bit of accessories. Sometimes a hat really helps with the look, you know?

Kurt Wagner

For Kurt you make a scarf. It was a crochet of the moment. You two were on a stakeout, which took way longer than planned, in a pretty cold place. So, you pulled out your crochet stuff and started going at it.

Before you knew it, there was a comfortable scarf in your hands. You had been smart enough to dress correctly for the mission, but Kurt hadn’t, so of course the scarf when around his neck. You may also have scolded him a bit for not dressing right for the mission.

Kurt absolutely loves the scarf, and will wear it whenever its even just a little chilly outside. It makes you want to make him even more, especially when he starts getting sad about the first one fraying apart.

In the end he has as many scarfs as Scott has hats. One for every weather, in different colors, so he can match them with whatever he’s wearing.

Remy LeBeau(and Anna Marie)

For Remy you end up making him a hoodie, in his usual colors. It had mainly been a spur of the moment creation on your end, since you just had a lot of yarn in that color laying around.

It hadn’t even really been made with Remy in mind, but our beloved Cajun was quick to swoop in and take it off your hands when you weren’t sure what to do with it. and you, just wanting to make stuff for others, are more than happy to let him.

He wouldn’t wear it every day, but you do see him snuggle up in the warm yarn hoodie whenever it starts to get chilly. Hes also more than happy to use it as an excuse to snuggle with Anna Marie, using it as some kind of silly flirt.

In the end you make Anna Marie a matching hoodie, making it a little too big for her, as well as making it the same colors as Remy, so they can switch hoodies whenever they want. Its kinda like getting to hug Remy, in a way, so Anna Marie enjoys it.

Robert “Bobby” Drake

You make Bobby a blanket, it’s as easy as that. You actually end up making him multiple blankets. You didn’t really have an understanding if his mutation made him even able to feel cold, or if it made him feel extra cold?

So, the first blanket was placed by the door to his room, since you didn’t wanna invade his privacy. Bobby may not feel cold, but he loves the blanket anyways, especially since you try your best to make it in his favorite colors, or featuring different stuff he likes.

Its actually Bobby that asks if you can make him a second blanket, since he needs to wash the first one and has gotten so used to having the heavy yarn blanket on top of his other blankets at night. And you, being the great person you are, immediately get to work.

He ends up with a bit of a collection of blankets over the years, though most of them stay in his closet since he can’t really use all of them at once. He does pull them out when the x-men are doing movie nights and stuff like that though.

Logan Howlett

It took a while for Logan to realize he was the only one who hadn’t been given anything you crocheted. And… He’s not mad obviously, why would he be, it’s just crochet. He’s maybe a little jealous though, somewhere under all that gruffness.

He wouldn’t say anything, Logans way too proud for that, but he does start hovering around a bit whenever you crochet, just to look… nothing else.

There are also of course some jokes from the others about how he hasn’t been given anything, so you must not like him, or it’s because he’s always coming and going as he pleases so he’s never there at the right time to swoop in for the kill (whatever you made).

Of course, he denies hating you, or wanting anything you make. But the jokes just reach you, and it horrifies you somewhat. What if Logan really thinks you hate him? That would be the worst, because of course you don’t. the only reason you hadn’t made anything for him was because he wasn’t in front of your face, and you were a little scatterbrained when you made stuff.

You didn’t want to be too obvious about your plans, so you try to subtly get his measurements, and just kinda go off of that. Luckily the x-men system has some stuff you can use noted down. In the end you make him a nice grey cardigan, with those big pockets on the sides. It does not go above your head that it’s the kinda stuff you’d see a grandpa wear. But you think he would like it anyway.

Logan finds the cardigan by his door, like you leave all your gifts. And no, he doesn’t jump up and down or cheer, but he does give a more positive sounding gruff noise than usual.

He may also have been preening just a little the next day when he wore it, just because it felt nice to be thought about, okay? Nothing else.

It also just makes you happy to see him enjoy it so much, so you end up making him some other stuff too. Who’d have thought he would love blankets and throwpillows so much. It ends up in his “not a nest” bed pile. He also enjoys the gloves with holes for his claws too, so they were worth all the hard work.

[hulloitsdani]

Man. I was not exaggerating as much as I thought I was. Commander Anna and Henry came in with the steel chair.

I am going on a side quest

[headkiss]

anna oh anna. i see you’re taking spencer request and was wondering if you’d be willing to write something with a childhood friend visiting spencer and the team just embarrassing him cause they can tell they have feelings for each other?

love you anna💗💗

omg erin ik this request is old but i hope u love it anyway 🫶🫶 | 0.9k words of bestfriend!reid fluff!!!

Despite nearly a lifetime of friendship, today is the first time you’re visiting Spencer in Quantico.

You grew up as neighbors, and your friendship wasn’t a slow, gradual thing. Instead, one day, as a kid, you’d knocked on his door and declared him your best friend. He didn’t fight you on it, and that was it.

Whenever he goes back to Vegas to visit his mom, Spencer never fails to visit you, too. Sometimes he stays over and you fall asleep watching movies on your couch, sometimes he can’t stay any longer than a quick meal.

You talk on the phone at least once a week, and you text Spencer every day, though he rarely manages to reply with more than a smiley face because of his thing with technology. You know he reads them all, though.

All of that and still, you’d never been to Quantico until now.

Spencer always told you it wasn’t worth it, that there wasn’t all that much to see and he’d probably get called away on a case, anyway. Selfishly, you would have liked to stay in his apartment even if he was away. To snoop at all of the books he has lying around and be surrounded by him.

After much badgering over the phone, he’d finally invited you to come for a visit and you jumped at the opportunity.

Spencer’s excited to see you. He always is. But something about you coming to Quantico had always made him nervous, like if you got too close to his job, you’d be in danger. Or, less logically, like he’d have to share you with his team, in a sense, and he really liked having you to himself.

Of course, they know about you — he’s got a framed picture of the two of you as teenagers on his desk — but they’ve never met you. Spencer loves his team, and they’ve heard him speak to you on the phone and have asked him about you countless times, but so much of himself is involved in the job, and you’re almost like an escape for him.

Somewhere safe, somewhere separate.

He traces a fingertip across the top of the frame on his desk when the elevator beeps, and the sound of your footsteps reach his ears. He knows it’s you from those alone.

Spencer stands just as you reach the bullpen, and as soon as you spot him you let out a tiny squeal and rush over. He welcomes you into his arms easier than he does anyone else, your arms tight around his neck, his supporting the small of your back.

“Hi, Spence,” you say, cheek against his shoulder, smile in your voice.

“Hi,” he returns, his mouth a breath away from your hair.

Garcia and JJ are standing by the entryway of the bullpen, watching you and Spencer with these knowing looks on their faces. Emily walks up a moment later, just as you pull away from the hug and ruffle Spencer’s hair.

“Is that…?” she asks.

“Yup,” JJ says.

“And they’re just friends?” Emily adds.

“According to them.”

“Sweet, clueless creatures,” comes from Penelope.

Unaware, or maybe just uncaring, of your audience, you fiddle with Spencer’s tie, then his vest, “Look at you. So professional.”

“I actually dress like this most of the time.”

“And look at your badge!” You flick it where it’s clipped to his pocket. “Can I have one?”

“You’re wearing a visitor’s badge.”

“So not as cool.” You scan your eyes across his desk, pausing at the picture of the two of you. You hadn’t known that was there, and your heart squeezes a bit at the thought of him keeping it where he can see it. “Did you just put that picture there for my visit?”

“Of course not,” he scratches the back of his neck lightly. “It’s always been there. They like to tease me about it.”

“Spence,” you start, eyes flicking over his face. You want to say something stupid and cheesy about how sweet he is, about how warm that makes you feel. Instead, you say “You’ve even got your glasses on. Very smart, Dr. Reid.”

Back by the entrance, Rossi and Morgan join the others. “Reid��s friend from home?” Dave checks.

“Uh-huh,” Garcia nods.

“And they’re still just friends?” Derek points between the two of you.

JJ, Emily, and Garcia all nod.

“Kids,” Rossi sighs.

You push Spencer’s glasses back up his nose gently. “Or should I say, the resident boygenius.”

“How did you-”

“Oh, I met Penelope in the elevator. She’s lovely.” You turn around and wave at her.

She waves back, beaming.

It’s then that Spencer realizes the entire team has been watching your exchange all along. He closes his eyes and huffs before taking you over to them and introducing you, even though he’s aware they know who you are.

Derek turns his charm on a little extra when he says hello to you, and Spencer’s hands twitch at his sides, his brows scrunched.

When JJ and Garcia distract you with a story that’s sure to be an embarrassing one, Morgan nudges Spencer’s shoulder with his, “She’s pretty great.”

“She’s the best person I know.”

Derek doesn’t even pretend to be wounded at that. He only grins like he knows something.

Hotch watches through the window of his office, that barely-there upward tug of his mouth on his face. He hasn’t seen Spencer smile the way he does with you in a long time.

[fine-nephrit]

🥏 Where to find good XF fanfics

👽 On Tumblr

@lilydalexf has an encyclopedic knowledge of fics and continues to be an invaluable resource. You'll find a boatload of themed fic lists, individual rec posts and helpful answers to anon asks.

@txf-fic-chicks-blog seven years of almost daily recs, with well-written blurbs and a lot of fun, run by @kateyes224 and @piecesofscully. Look out for their themed days: "Casefile Monday", "Tumblr Tuesday", "Editor's Pick Wednesday", "Post-Ep/Missing Scene Thursday", "Novel Length Friday", "Smut Sunday", and the very cool "Because You Watched"

@msrlibrary a well-tagged library of MSR fics; each entry includes a short excerpt and a nicely chosen image from the show.

@201daysofxfiles a rewatch blog by fandom veteran @wendelah. Each episode in season 1-7 is paired with its own fic rec post.

@enigmaticxbee an aesthetically pleasing and neatly organized rewatch blog that is packed with great content, including excellent fic rec lists categorized by season, story type, trope, and more. Each episode guide sometimes features related fic recs.

@thatfragilecapricorn30 posts one fic rec every Friday, accompanied by a nice writeup.

@randomfoggytiger curates many fic rec lists sorted by often fun and creative categories.

@cecilysass has a google doc titled "fics I love", which is a fantastic fic list categorized by story type, complete with thoughtful blurbs. She's also shared two episode-related fic rec lists on Tumblr: here and here.

@pookie-mulder writes a monthly fic journal with good recs.

**self-promo plug** I post fic recs on my Tumblr blog @fine-nephrit under #nephrit's fic rec. Plus, I reblog others' fic recs that I come across!

👽 Rec Communities

XF Book Club: the best thing ever, an absolute gem that deserves to be preserved for posterity. During its run, 270 fics were recced and discussed in depth here. The community's intelligent and insightful comments on this blog are sometimes even more enjoyable to read than the fics themselves.

The Fic Filter (xf tag): well-curated selections with short blurbs.

Multifandom Het Recs (xf tag): a major rec site's xf section that offers nice "why this must be read" writeups. @het-reccers

Crack Van (xf tag): another major rec site with a big xf section, featuring endless recs and blurbs

Fancake (xf tag): another major rec community's xf section boasting an extensive thematic tagging system

👽 Personal Blogs

Emily Shore aka Naraht: meta essays, fanvid recs, fic recs—great stuff aplenty

Bad for the Fish aka Scarlet Baldy: fantastic fic list paired with highly enjoyable reviews and analyses of the fics she's read. @badforthefish

Ramblings of a Mind Untamed: reviews of a dozen or so classic fics

xxSKSxx XF Fanfic Recs: still active in 2024! @xxsksxxx

X-Libris: more of a fic library, this is the best place to download nicely-formatted ebooks of pre-AO3 oldies. What I love most is the incredibly detailed and extensive tagging system.

👽 Individual Rec Lists with good writeup

Character Manifesto - Dana Scully: a character analysis and 10 Scully-centric fic recs, categorized by "best of .." selections. Amazing format and choices!

Character Manifesto - Fox Mulder: same format as above for Spooky

bachlava's awesome fic rec essays, covering classic fics and slash fics

ShipRecced blog's classic MSR fics and newer MSR fics recs

luminary's 16-fic rec post

RivkaT recs fics and writers @rivkat

Anna Otto's favorite stories

Syntax6's rec list on her site, great rec list on Tumblr and FTF rec list @syntax6

👽 90s Old School Rec Sites

The Basement Office - Musea: a treasure trove of extensive fic lists with lovely written blurbs, recced by a group of talented writers from back in the day

The Other Side - Fanfic Recs from Beyond the Grave: a large collection of 'scary' or 'spooky' story recs with nice blurbs. Beautiful web design.

the Rookery - Favorite Authors: nice commentary on a list of classic fic writers

X-Files Fanfiction 101: an intro guide to fic categories and what to read for each

The Primal Screamers: a fun site run by a mailing list that hosts fic recs with blurbs, and a 'Coffee Talk' section full of delightful discussions of canon

Idealists Haven - Elemental Fanfic Archive: an archive with rec blurbs

Chronicle X: a large, well-organized archive with blurbs, plus a 'Can We Talk' discussion section of novel-length fics, plus a total of 46 author interviews. Simply incredible!

👽 Special Mention

The X-Files Lost and Found: a fic finder message board that is miraculously still very active today—How wonderful! Its FAQ page hosts a huge collection of well-categorized themed fic lists (not recs), including "Classics (or, Your Fanfic Education is Not Complete Until You've Read ...)".

Where do you find your next read? What did I miss? Reblog and share your favorites!

[mesetacadre]

hi, i hope you dont mind me asking this question! i often come across lists of reading recommendations for communists, and they are usually focused entirely on communist theory. which is important and im already on that, but i wonder if you also have recs for learning about history? especially the history of the soviet union, but also other past and present socialist states. i sometimes find myself reading theory and understanding the concepts in a vacuum, but with very little understanding of the historical context they were written in, if that makes any sense. and id like to get a basic grasp of the history of various socialist projects that isnt just the typical western "the ussr was evil!!!!" thing

Hi, historical context is indeed very important for works of theory, especially if it's more than a hundred years old. Lenin's What is to be Done, for example, is very conditioned by its historical context of Russia still being predominantly feudal, with only a timid appearance of the proletariat in St. Petersburg and Moscow, and therefore the very first trade unions, which he talks about. The understanding of these texts is amplified, and quite often enabled by knowing at least the basic historical context. Below I'll list the historical works I've read (and others) with some commentary, but I encourage anyone who has something to add to do so, since I am as of only recently getting more into historiography.

Anything by Anna Louise Strong (I've read The Soviets Expected it (1941) and In North Korea (1941), there's also The New Lithuania (1941), The Stalin Era (1956) and When Serfs Stood Up in Tibet (1959) for example). Her works, which I'd consider primary sources since they are written from her own experience witnessing events and talking to a lot of people, are extremely useful if you wish to form an idea about how some aspects of socialist states worked. The limitation of her works also resides in this specificity and closeness, these are not works that present a broad view of long processes, but a slice of the present with the sufficient historical context. They are still very, very good.

The Open Veins of Latin America (Spanish versrion), by Eduardo Galeno (1971). This one is focused on the history of imperialism in Latin America, how it evolved from the moment the first Spanish foot touched ground to the time it was written in (It talks about Allende before he was assassinated but after achieving power, for example). Perhaps it's not exactly what you're looking for, but it contains very important general context for any social movement that has happened since 1492 to 1971

The Triumph of Evil, by Austin Murphy (2002). I have mixed feelings about this book. While it insists on this weird narrative of absolute evil, which IMO takes away a lot of value from the overall points made, it is an astonishingly in-depth analysis of the economic performance and general merit of socialist systems against their capitalist counterparts. Most of the book is dedicated to comparing the GDR to the FRG, and both the economic and social data it exposes was very eye-opening to me when I read it about 2 years ago. If you can wade through the moralism (especially the beginning of the introduction), it's a gem. I've posted pictures of its very detailed index under the cut :)

Blackshirts and Reds, Michael Parenti (1997). Despite the very real criticisms levied against this book, like its mischaracterization of China, it is still a landmark work. Synthetically, it exposes the relationship between fascism, capitalism and communism.

Red Star Over the Third World, Vijay Prashad (2019); The Russian Revolution: A View from the Third World, Walter Rodney (2018). I'm lumping these two together (full disclosure, as of writing I'm about four fifths of the way through RSOtTW) because they deal with the same topic, Prashad being influenced by Rodney as well. Like both titles imply, they deal with the effects the October revolution had on the exploited peoples of the world, which is a perspective that's often lost. Through this, they (at least Prashad) also talk about the early USSR and how it functioned. For example, up until reading Red Star, I hadn't even heard of the 1920 Congress of The Toilers of the East in Baku, or the Congress of the Women of the East.

From here on I'll link works that I haven't (yet) read, but I have seen enough trusted people talk about them to include them

How to Cast a God into Hell: The Khrushchev Report, by Domenico Losurdo (2008). This one talks about how the period of Stalin was twisted and exaggerated through destalinization.

Devils in Amber, by Philips Bonoski (1992). This is about the Baltics and their historical trajectory from before WW1 to the destruction of the USSR (I'm not very sure on those two limits, perhaps they fluctuate a bit, but it definitely covers from WW1 to the 60s)

Socialism Betrayed, by Roger Keeran and Thomas Kenny (2004). This one deals with the process leading up to and the destruction of the USSR itself.

The Jakarta Method, Vincent Bevins (2020). This is about the methods the US used in the second half of the 20th century to stamp out, prevent, or otherwise sabotage communist movements and other democratic anti-imperialist movements.

I know some of these aren't specifically about socialist states, which is what you asked, but the history of its opposition is just as important to understand because it always exists as a condition to these countries' development and policies chosen.