#bit of a long snippet

[quadrantadvisor]

Ranch 2 has infected my brain and I blame u lol

LMAO WELCOME TO THE CLUB, it really does just do that. Someone needs to get this boy some ectoplasm I am so serious rn.

prompt | pt 1 | pt 2 | (inspo)

You inspired me to keep going for a bit, so here's a direct continuation from what I posted in pt 2!

“Did you see that?” Tim asks. “Uh, yeah,” Duke replies, unthinking. Tim is suddenly in his space, eyes wild. He grabs Duke by the shoulders, shaking him slightly. “Duke. Duke, you have to tell me what I just ate.” “I dunno, man!” Duke is at a loss for how to deal with this. He has the training to handle freaking out civilians, but it's somehow different when it's Tim. Tim's the one with the plan, the one who's supposed to know what's going on. But he doesn't, and Duke is embarrassed to realize that it's leaving him floundering. “They're just- I mean- there's these little pockets of energy, I see them floating around Gotham sometimes, I don't really know what they are! How did you grab it? How did you eat it?” Tim goes still and serious, and grips Duke's shoulders harder. “I don't know either,” he admits, “but that was it.” “That was what?” Duke asks, still feeling unbalanced by the manic gleam in Tim's eye. “That was ranch 2.” Duke gapes. “You're messing with me.” Tim shakes his head. “That was it,” he says emphatically. “It had the spark, the zing feeling I was looking for. Whatever sort of energy that is, my soulmate needs it.” Duke gulps, then nods. “Okay. Okay,” he says, trying to calm the both of them. “Then we'll get it for them.” Some of the tension falls out of Tim in what looks life relief.

[mellohiizz]

I am still not over him... Also, I guess you guys can have a small nibble of Wifiescest just as a little treat. I found the song Real Boy by Lola Blanc after forgetting about it for years and went wait a moment... this reminds me of someone...

[arsenicflame]

It's a time-honoured tradition- every time Sam comes across Izzy (and Ed) in their travels, he asks Izzy to marry him. And every time, Izzy turns him down.

At this point, Sam is asking more for the sake of it than any belief Izzy will ever say yes, a remnant of childhood dedication touched with 30 years of heartbreak and regret- though even now, a small part of him still holds out hope. Sam's promises have only got more extravagant over the years, from a job as his first mate, to a captaincy, a fleet at his command, a whole fucking island if that's what Izzy wants- but he knows it isn't though, not really. If Izzy was ever going to agree to marry him, to leave his life and go with Sam, it wouldn't be for anything Sam could offer him. Izzy never did care for flashy shows of wealth, for a ship or to be captain. The only thing that ever mattered to him was loyalty given, and loyalty shown in return. 

It all comes to a head after Stede left and came back, after Izzy lost a toe, lost his leg. Sam hasn't seen him since before things with Ed started to really slide off the rails, before stress permanently set into the lines of Izzy’s face. So, when he sees a dishevelled man with a hoof for a leg in a no-name port, he doesn't even consider the idea that he might know him. It's only when he turns towards him, and Sam catches a glance at those oh too familiar tattoos, he realises this is Izzy, his Izzy, that stands before him.

Knowing Izzy's discomfort with pity, he doesn't treat him any differently than he would in years gone by, positioning himself in Izzy's line of sight before approaching and sweeping him up into a bone crushing hug. 

“Israel-goddamn-Hands!” he exclaims, as Izzy grumbles back a begrudging “Samuel-fucking-Bellamy”, a tradition almost as old as their friendship itself. Izzy might not hug him back, but he can’t keep the corner of his mouth from twitching, just for a second.

(If Sam holds Izzy a little tighter and a little longer than usual, well. That's his business)

By the time Sam lets go, most of the crew has appeared in the town square, drawn in by the commotion. They may have given Izzy his leg and welcomed him as one of them, but still there’s an underlying tension, with nobody quite ready to set aside everything that happened before the Kraken. Seeing him cosying up to an unknown man sets everyone on edge, unsure whether to come to their first mate’s aid, or to assume that they've been betrayed once again.

When Ed sees that the yelling was Sam, his hand goes tense where it's held in Stede's. He knows the routine, has seen it more times than he can count, but as he watches them part he realises that this is the first time in a long time he's unsure of what Izzy's response will be.

Knowing that something’s different, knowing that Izzy's feeling vulnerable already, Sam doesn't go for the same flashy proposal he’s been giving for years. He doesn't promise Izzy the world, he doesn't cause a scene (or, any more of a scene than he already has, anyway). He looks at the fractured man in front of him, takes his face in his hands, and says the exact same thing to him he said when they were little more than boys. “Israel, I have to ask you. I know what you'll say, but I have to try. Come with me. Marry me and sail away with me. I'll keep you safe”

And Izzy… hesitates. He glances over at Ed, at Stede, and says to Sam “...We’re staying in port for a week. Ask me again then”

That's the moment Sam knows there is something deeply, horribly, wrong. He's not just looking at an Izzy who got seriously injured in a fight and is struggling to cope, this is something so much bigger than that- and that Ed has something to do with it. Izzy wouldn't even be considering leaving if he didn't. Whether it was negligence or something more sinister, Sam doesn't yet know, but he intends to find out.

[larkwinged]

𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐒 𝐅. 、𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐊𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓

PROFILE. a self-righteous knight who is too willing to throw their life away, and too eager to charge into battle. underneath their stubborn exterior, they are riddled with the pressure of upholding a family title that has long been lost to time.

FULL NAME. artemis elise fröhlich

PRONOUNS. they / them

GENDER. fem-presenting non-binary

AGE. early twenties

HEIGHT. 5”1

BIRTHDAY. november 12th

OCCUPATION. knight

AFFILIATION. knights of favonius

ELEMENT. pyro

CONSTELLATION. columba bellicosi

WEAPON TYPE. sword — “herald of the dawn”

Now stripped of its original purpose as a vessel to store all the memories of an ancient god king, this sword has been passed down in the Fröhlich family since the dawn of time.

Once wielded by the god of memories herself, this sword was blessed by the winds and presented as a gift to her youngest child upon the morn of their knighting ceremony.

“You, who represent the grace and bravery of humanity,” said the Queen, “take this and go. Become a pillar of hope to those wallowing in the darkness, and guide the lost onto a chivalrous path. You, the Dovewing Knight.”

And so, the first Dovewing Knight set out, protecting the people of Cairnfelle and standing tall as a beacon of hope, just as they were requested.

At the edge of the world, when the brilliance of Cairnfelle collapsed and the mountains crumbled, the sword found its way tumbling back into the hands of its previous owner to defend her honor, and upkeep her legacy until the final trumpet sang … announcing her defeat.

With no definite home, the sword lay in the ruins of its kin, preserved well by the Anemo Archon and his will — until the day it found its way into the waiting hands of the inheritor of an ancient title.

• demo music concepts. one two three

• ENG voice claim : keath ósk as cole seymour from yaelokre’s “meadowlark” project

• JP voice claim : marina inoue as armin arlert from attack on titan

CHARACTER STORY 1: eastward of eden

It is true that Artemis has long held resentment towards their older sister and past caretaker, Lilith. As a child, Artemis was refused of many things — including choosing their own clothes, partaking in certain activities, and having their own privacy. There wasn’t much they were allowed to do, and even the hobbies they enjoyed ended up ruined by Lilith’s excitement and pushy nature.

To this day, Lilith is unaware of the mental anguish she caused her siblings over the course of their entire childhood. However, in her own eyes, she has done no such thing, and has succeeded at being a “mother.”

Many citizens have told her, “My, you exercise much control over them,” and yet, she has failed to see the error in her ways. It is not entirely her fault, as she was forced into the role of a mother when she wasn’t ready for such a task. Even though she failed in many aspects of her parenting skills, there was one thing she has always truly succeeded at: caring deeply for her family.

However, no amount of love could undo the years of fighting and hurtful words thrown around between the siblings.

CHARACTER STORY 2: legacy

Long ago, in the days of yore, the archaic land of Mondstadt had been ruled by a monarch older than Decarabian. Her rule was rumored to last longer than his, and her birth is now nothing but scattered fragments along the wind.

When the Queen of the North Wind descended and claimed Mondstadt as her home, a mighty kingdom formed under her feet. Small huts grew to larger, firmer homes, and gargantuan cathedrals made of marble were erected in her honor. Trumpets blew, the wind howled, snow fell, and mountains as high as the heavens towered above humanity.

In later years, the prospering kingdom of Cairnfelle was officially born. Serving as a haven for travelers and poets alike, the kingdom sang with energy as it thrived under Queen Catalina’s guiding hand. The god of memories was exceptionally gentle, with a kind and compassionate heart that moved even the most stoic-faced men to tears. Her words were wise, her complexion glowing, and her promises true.

Cairnfelle, as much as it prospered, gained an enemy from a distant land. With no choice but to face the beast she prodded, the Queen set out to befriend the raging phoenix that had enough of her games. Ever the charming soul, the Queen did not have to do much to make the phoenix bow to her every whim, and before the citizens of Cairnfelle had the chance to acclimate to the visitor, the two were to be wed.

There is not much to say for the years in between the joining of two god kings and the fall of Cairnfelle, but this: Four inexplicably brave and virtuous souls were born from the two gods — four demigod knights who carved the way for the future of Mondstadt: The Four Archangels.

The Blair Family — the origin of the Fröhlichs, is no longer the raging flame of life it had once been, but a snuffed out ember of its former glory.

Only in passing on the titles of the Four Archangel Knights can the present day Fröhlich family hold tight to what was once a name feared and adored by all.

CHARACTER STORY 3: composition

Many questions have arisen over the years; all pertaining to a certain facet of Artemis’ composition.

“Is it a curse?” They’ve inquired, only to wind up receiving a simple, “I’m not even sure myself!”

However, that it is a small white lie they’ve grown to tell. In fact, Artemis is very much aware of the reason why they consistently find themselves on the brink of death and luckily make it out alive. It is because of the unique composition their ancestor, Lowen, was made of: pure and unbridled wrath.

The story goes as such: In the days of yore, when gods and monsters still yet walked the earth, a beast born of flame and rage took flight. They seared their enemies and allies alike, and roused the hearts of warriors all across Natlan. They utterly refused to lay their past life to rest. In doing so, they made a promise to their newfound family. The wrath that lived inside them was nothing but a blessing, and deserved to be passed on through their children, and future generations. And so, the endless wrath that boiled in their veins was passed on — consuming the lives of their children, and overtaking the brilliant flames that became their descendants.

To be a god’s descendant has always been an honor in the Fröhlich family line… Yet, Artemis — like the direct children of the god of wrath — see it as naught but a curse; For what blessing could bring about destruction and the devastation of any living being in one’s wake.

VISION STORY:

The blistering pyro vision attached to Artemis’ belt was said to be a gift from the gods, and maybe even a gift from the long gone god of wrath themselves.

What else are visions besides gifts from the gods? A tool to wield, and yet another curse Artemis must deal with.

At the young age of eleven, Artemis was sent out on their first escorting mission. It was their first mission given to them by Grand Master Varka, who was elated to test their strength and endurance. Not many were willing to accept an escort from a child — as was the case with the Fontainian aristocrat Artemis was talking their ear off to. However, the man said nothing, as the child’s directional skills were second to none. It was only when they hit a bump in the road that the man questioned Artemis’ capabilities as a knight.

“I should’ve known better than to trust a child!” He yelled, waving his fist in the air as he pushed them aside and ran off ahead by himself in the rain, leaving the young Artemis to fend for themselves amidst a hoard of abyssal monsters.

Although panic was steadily rising throughout their body, they forced themself forward — slashing at every monster with a shaky grip on their sword. The rain poured, sagging their clothes, and dragging their arms down to the dirt. The grip on their sword slipped, as did their footing, and they tumbled to the hard ground with a rough clash.

Their shoulder-piece scratched the bridge of their nose on the way down, and a thick line of blood began to spill from the open wound. A rifthound drew closer, baring its teeth and snapping its jaw as its claws outstretched, striking Artemis across the head. A clap of thunder sounded, and amidst the ringing in their ears, Artemis felt the weight of ten large wooden planks collapse on their back.

Even so, they shakily grabbed their sword, their nails digging into the wet earth, and began to stand. Their blood boiled as a wrath they were only warned about once crept up to the surface, prickling along their skin until it caved inwards, tugging at their ribcage and burning against their racing heart.

In a flash of white and gold, the hoard of rifthounds lay motionless on the grass, their bodies turning to dust as Artemis panted heavily. The wrath inside their veins bubbled, and their vision turned red. It was all consuming. It was destructive, and it was total annihilation. They struck down every monster seeping from an abyssal pylon until finally, they tore the pylon in half with nothing but their blade and their bare hands.

The rain continued to fall as they dropped their sword and collapsed to the ground in a heap of sore limbs and bloodied grass. Their eyes fell close for a moment — at least, what felt like a moment — and when they opened, a shining vision sat amongst the pool of blood left behind by their foes.

Indeed. The god of wrath, whose curse ran rampant in their veins, rewarded them with yet another “gift.”

𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒

𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐀

• hobbies: When they are home in Dornman Port enjoying their days off, they like to wind down by practicing the art of crochet. Not only is it soothing to sit by a windowsill while the afternoon breeze filters into their bedroom, it is also a hobby their late mother held dear. By partaking in this hobby, they feel closer to their mother, and can preserve her memory longer. Another hobby is sports. Artemis can often be found playing with the kids in the port during vacations.

• beliefs: The Fröhlich family have always dedicated their lives to the protection of Mondstadt, and hold a firm worship to a god king who has long been dead. Although they have accepted Barbatos as their new savior, they still hold their original god close to their hearts. Artemis has naturally followed this belief and considers their worship of the god of memories their religion. During rough times, they find solace in a temple far north and meditate there for as long as they deem necessary. Once a month, they offer up a few of their most important memories— a ritual that has been passed down in the Fröhlich family for over 3000 years.

(This act of offering up memories is akin to the way some worshippers will offer animal sacrifices to the god they serve.)

• about — fate: Artemis is a firm believer that fate will guide the worthy and ultimately lead everyone onto the path they are destined to walk. However, they do not include the meddling of gods and higher beings into this equation. They believe that fate is its own entity and not dictated by the Archons nor Celestia. It acts of its own accord, and the gods are mere victims of fate, as well. Not even Celestia will be spared.

• about — death: Artemis believes that death is a stepping stone to a greater afterlife. Akin to their many family members, they believe that life is temporary, and death is eternal. When one dies, they are not truly dead; for they are shedding their mortal shell and accepting their true form, which is the soul. The soul will live on forever in the afterlife, while the physical body is nothing more than a temporary shell to house said soul. With this belief, the Fröhlich family does not fear death, but welcomes it with open arms— greeting it like an old friend.

[centaur-dreaming]

yours is the only voice I would wake to

625 words // hurt/comfort // Jerejean

Jean didn't know what to do.

Never before had he seen Jeremy so listless. So devoid of life. Brown eyes that used to sparkle like melted chocolate now the colour of old mud.

He didn't know what had happened, just that shit had gone down at the Wilshire's and Laila had received a call from William telling her that Jeremy had gone off without his car, dangerously absent. They'd split off into three to cover more ground and after about half an hour of searching Laila had found him wandering aimlessly down some street, ages away from his house.

Naturally they'd brought him back to The Lofts with them.

So now here he sat, Jabberwocky on his lap, one of Jean's freshly laundered hoodies over his crumpled shirt and staring out of the window with such emptiness that it made Jean's heart hurt.

He never wanted to see this sort of look on Jeremy; his face wasn't made for it.

He sat with him though, as the minuets turned into hours. They could turn into days at this point and Jean knew he would still be found beside him.

Cat and Laila had tried several times to rouse him from his stupor. Sometimes they'd come with various food bits and snacks, sometimes a passage from a book they were reading and sometimes just themselves, but it never seemed to be enough.

Jean hadn't said a thing, though. Content to simply exist alongside the blond as his brain undoubtedly processed whatever it was he had suffered through at home.

The sky outside the apartment was dark and Jabberwocky had long since called it a night on Jeremy's lap when Jean decided it had been long enough.

Slowly, so so slowly, Jean shifted closer to Jeremy, allowing the dip in the sofa cushions to announce his presence. When the man didn't respond (as expected), Jean reached out and brushed his fingers over the top of Jeremy's hand where it lay on the sleeping animal's back.

Jeremy didn't stir.

He didn't give any sign of awareness when Jean began to trace shapes across his skin, either, but Jean found something calming about the action anyway, his fingers moving from freckle to freckle to tiny knick and imperfection methodically, entranced by it.

He was not unaware of the opportunity to stare unabashedly at the man he'd so obviously fallen for--denying it now only felt stupid and childish.

Eventually, Jean tore his gaze away from his hand and stared at the man's shadowed profile. He decided to test the waters. "Jeremy?" he whispered.

Nothing.

A little louder, then. "Jeremy?"

Still the man stared, dead-eyed into the night.

The third time is a charm, Jean had heard Cat say once. "Jeremy?"

This time something happened. The briefest, most fleeting sign of recognition flashed across Jeremy's eyes. Jean had to try again. "Jeremy, it's Jean. I am here."

...

"...J-ean?"

"Oui, it is me. You are here, at The Lofts. We are alone." he replied and slowly, so slowly, Jeremy returned.

It was like watching Cat going around the apartment and turning on their ridiculous amount of side lamps and candles whenever they arrived home.

Jeremy remained silent as he turned his attention on the backliner.

Despite the lateness of the hour and the darkness of the room, the pain shimmering in those dark eyes was unmistakable and Jean found himself moving before the could stop himself. Jeremy came easily, collapsing into Jean's embrace as his face crumpled.

"I'm so tired." he said into the fabric of Jean's sweater.

"I know." Jean replied.

"...I don't wanna......."

"....I know." Jean replied.

It was another few minutes before the tears began to soak through the thick fabric, but Jean held him through all of it. Every second, every minute, every hour until dawn broke and the birds began to sing and Jeremy was a slumbering weight, heavy against Jean's chest.

-----

Based on my post which was inspired by this post by @lazy-to-an-l

frens who I think might like dis (I am sorry if I missed you please tell me if I did):

@jordiipordii @youdontknowhowtodiequietly @zombiecowboy65 @beedragony @anxiouslyandmessily

[wikiangela]

seven sentence sunday

thank you to everyone who's been tagging me, I've been slacking on posting here and keeping up with my notifs lmao but I appreciate y'all <3

sooo... did someone say post-bucktommy-break-up saltommy? 👀 (btw they're just friends here, no romantic feelings, just an unhealthy way to deal with shit for both of them lmao)

___

“You okay?” He asks quietly, his grip firm, genuine concern in his face. Tommy must look like hell. 

“No.” Tommy admits, managing a crooked smile. “Not at all.” He turns fully towards Sal, his arm falling out of his grasp. Tommy takes a step forward, into Sal’s space. “Why do you think I’m here at this hour?” 

“Tommy.” Sal says, a hint of warning in his voice when Tommy takes another step into Sal’s personal space. “You know how it goes. It won’t make you feel any better.”

“I don’t care. Just- just shut up and kiss me.” Tommy gets so close their lips almost touch, his hands landing on Sal’s hips. “Please, Sal. If you- if you really don’t want to, don’t want me, just say a word and I’ll leave.” Tommy promises, though he doesn’t think he could handle a rejection well right now, when he’s already at his lowest. “But I need- I need you. Please.” He knows he sounds desperate, that’s because he really fucking is. He needs to feel something that’s not pain and heartache and sadness and so much self-hatred he could drown in it. For just a moment, he needs to feel good, at least physically. And it’s a guarantee with Sal.

@dr-shortsighted-owl @eddiebabygirldiaz @watchyourbuck @diazpatcher @monsterrae1 @pirrusstuff @rogerzsteven @honestlydarkprincess @steadfastsaturnsrings @diazheartsbuckley @giddyupbuck @thewolvesof1998 @underwaterninja13 @your-catfish-friend @louisferrignojr @beyourownanchor6 @weewootruck @kirkaut @jewishbuckley @doctorkinney @bucktommyscones @bucked-it-up @theotherbuckley @drcloyd @girlwonder-writes @dadbodbuck @loullaby @aringofsalt @actuallyitsellie @hippolotamus @diazsdimples @hyperfocusthusly @talktonytome @teenmaximoff @cornerofspace @tommybuckleys @kinard-buckley @perfectlysunny02

[lucabyte]

i am looking at nohats au 👀 please share more

So! NoHats! I'm going to grab you and use this to ramble. A Lot.

The NoHats AU is @samhainian's it's just that I'm the strange little freak who takes the words said unto me and executes on them. But I can still do a little explainer on what our overall thoughts and vibes are. (And, that we are in fact propping up a little box with some cheese under it here. 🪤 Please (PLEASE) feel free to pick up what we're putting down.)

We're far from the only ones exploring a "what if siffrin fucking died" AU, though the main difference with NoHats is the placement of the death in the timeline. Instead of being 'Mal Du Pays Wins' or 'Act 6 encounter goes horribly wrong', the death is… Just after the (literal) falling action.

(This placement is because Sam is a comic book fan who thus has become used to characters being ripped away at the cruelest times by shitty writers. THANK FUCKING GOD adrienne is not that and isat is delightful yippieee, but, back on topic.)

Giving the party the full understanding of What Happened that you get by putting the death after black hole siffrin, but before the A6 encounter leaves an interesting gap to be filled. See, making Siffrin's death very much not Loop's fault means that… this once again reads (when not read as simply a tragedy...) as the universe doing what it sees fit to fulfull Loop's wish… Thus making Siffrin's death Loop's fault again, but only in their eyes. And only in a way they could express if they were honest about who they were…

And this is where having had excuse to waffle about my general Postcanon Loop thoughts the other day comes in handy, because Sam and I have that as our canon-compliant reading to begin with, NoHats plays off of a lot of the same readings of Loop's character. Namely: Uh Oh Somebody's Lying By Fucking Omission Again. (BECAUSE TO BE FAIR THIS TIME… HOW THE FUCK WOULD YOU HANDLE THAT?)

Now, neither Sam nor I are fanfic writers, so this has been a little bit trapped in our heads and DMs (and my unfinished art but,)

But our thoughts on how NoHats like… Goes.

Siffrin's death is peaceful, but that does not mean the aftermath of it is. I can't imagine the party takes it well, especially after understanding the circumstances of the Loops. (And, of note, in A5 where nobody had the discussion on what to do with each other's bodies should something happen…) But I'd imagine it traumabonds them somewhat (understatement of the century) and now knowing how the rest of the party feels, they resolve to travel together for the forseeable future.

The party track down Loop to deliver the terrible news, since they were clearly Siffrin's friend too, and invite Loop along to travel at least long enough to (let them grieve) get the burial over with. Loop, here, can be helpful in knowing what Siffrin would've wanted where the party would be at a loss. Loop, I think, takes a bit of a lead on the funerary aspects of it all, because, um. (Performing rites on your own body, huh?)

Then, as things are after a death, life just… Kind of has to continue on as normal. The party travel, pick up Nille, and get to know Loop as this mysterious new person. Maybe in this situation they might stay in Bambouche for a while to give Bonnie more stability since. They are probably taking it the worst. It would've come out of absolutely nowhere for everyone in the party obviously but god, for a kid? For A Kid?

It should be stated NoHats is not intended to be grimdark, just y'know. An exploration of grief. This is also why it's got a bit of a lopsided focus on Bonnie vs the rest of the party because hhrrhghghhghghhhghhghhh <- incoherent

Now, a crossroads.

How does the party discover Loop to be Siffrin? How long does it take. How much have the party embraced them as part of the family (especially with something as intense to bond over as this)?

There's the Odile option. Have her put it together and have to bring it up somehow. This could also be done by Isabeau, perhaps. He's smart. (which. God. If anything's the real Isabeau Torment Nexus it's this)

Then there's the other option batted around by Sam and I. The: The Universe Dislikes Duplicates option.

The items in the house that fzzt away when inspected. The Universe doesn't like there to be two of something, at least not when they're acknowledged. But one of something is just fine…?

Which is to say. I'm not a personal proponent of 'Loop getting their body back'. EXCEPT …… except this one time.

There's only one Siffrin now, so they don't need to be obfuscated to exist.

Consider, if you will. Loop swallowing their guilt for long enough to be comfortable. Falling back into old habits. Without another Siffrin around to compete for the niche of, they actually begin to act like Siffrin again. Not intentionally, it's just… The party is as welcoming as they've always been. And the party swears they keep catching glimpses of a face under all the light.

Then, one day, while still not fully human again, the resemblence becomes undeniable. Loop having not even noticed until everyone looks at them like they've seen a ghost.

Has it been months? How long have they kept up this lie? Is it even a lie, to them? They're Loop. But they were, once, Siffrin.

Even after explaining it, does that make it better or worse?

Bonnie cuts through the betrayed, struck-nerve reactions with a sobering "I missed you."

… Anyway !

Yeah so that's the vibe for NoHats. As for LoopLoops? That's more nebulous. I think it can go anywhere really in the NoHats timeline. I err personally toward the "Loop continuously replays the last 10 minutes before Siffrin's death almost immediately after they find out and have to parkour their ass up the House in the most distressing situation possible to try and get them to hold on, just please hold on." (Remember! Siffrin can remember the contents of Loop's loop backs in the A6 fight!)

But there is the possibility that this happens months, or worse years down the road. One last Loop back. Throw it all away for the chance to just get that one thing you didn't know you even wanted but now know you NEED.

Misc:

Okay miscellaneous time.

This is where I admit that I have a bunch of unfinished NoHats art that I haven't gotten around to yet because I feel like a right tool being so obviously Loop-Centric with my fancontent (I AM . . I REALISE I AM NOT DOING MUCH TO BEAT THE ALLEGATIONS.) So like if people want to see that please say because euaghghghhfh <- the nervous.

this is like the most fucked up place to do isaloop fr. anyway.

one of Sam's mid-game observations that I'm just going to share for no particular reason is that Bonnie's hair shares a bunch of shapes with Siffrin's. The flick up at the top, the 3 pronged shape of the fringe… just something to think about.

Without 2 Siffrins around to compare each other to it'd likely be a lot harder to notice Loop's similarities. Doesn't mean that those similarities don't sting more in this context though.

If you do NoHats without LoopLoops. The concept of this all fading into memory years down the line while they just have slightly-glowy but otherwise regular Siffrin hanging out is fucked up to think about. Just like real grief. Augh

6. a peek into the original dms as a treat from us

[dahlia-tourism-board]

You look just like your father: Damien

"It's just...sometimes I look at you and see him."

Damien and his mom Sofia are close. For the longest time, they only had each other as they made their way through the world, and they knew nearly everything about each other.

The "nearly" was new on Damien's part, as he was starting to realize his interest in his favorite actors wasn't entirely admiration for their craft.

Still, their movie nights together were immutable. His mom was moving up in the magical world, and her schedule was often limited. But on the first Friday night of every month, she made sure she and Damien were on her couch, sharing a bowl of popcorn and watching the movie next on their queue.

But as she's turned on the TV, the channel was playing an old romance movie and her hand stilled. Damien looked over at her, wondering why she hadn't launched a streaming app yet when he saw her pale face and widened eyes.

Within minutes, the main couple in the movie were standing in some city streets, yelling at each other about the nature of true love. And Damien's mom, for the first time he could remember, was crying.

"Mom? Are you okay?"

"Yes," She choked out through her tears. "Yes, dear, I'm fine. Only, could you pass me a napkin?"

He does, and he watches, worried, as she roughly wipes at her eyes. Something in this movie had shaken her. She wasn't fond of romantic movies, and never cried during any type of movie. So, it had to be something tangential. Possibly a memory. Likely nothing good.

"We can turn this off, mom, if it upsets you."

"Yes, that's probably for the best."

She raises the remote with shaking hands, taking a few tries to finally shut it off. The silence sits thick between them, broken only by her sniffles as she tried to regain her composure. A few moments later, she takes a deep breath and looks over at him, her eyes scanning his face in a way she'd never done before.

"I'm sorry about that. We watched this movie together, your father and I. It's just…sometimes I look at you and see him."

She blinks, and then puts her hand over her mouth, horrified, fresh tears falling from her eyes. Damien can only stare. They almost never talk about his biological father, him having left shortly after Damien was born. He'd never been curious about him. Damien had his mom, and that was all he needed, as far as he was concerned.

She quickly set the popcorn bowl on the coffee table and then leaned over, crushing him in a tight embrace.

"I'm so sorry, dear, I shouldn't have said that. Yes, you look like him, and that can't be helped, but you're so much better than him. And you're going to keep getting better. You're going to do such great things, I know it."

She lets out one last sob and then pulled back, placing a hand on his cheek.

"And I know one day, when you're finished with your studies, you're going to find a nice girl and settle down properly."

Damien felt his stomach churn at that, but he could only nod. He was still trying to figure himself out; it didn't seem like the best time to start that conversation.

She smiled and nodded back, then finally launched a streaming app and hit play on the movie they'd meant to watch. She passed him the popcorn, but Damien's appetite is entirely gone. The movie, some war drama, washes over him completely.

A few days later, he catches his reflection. Despite himself, he wonders what parts of him look like his biological father. He prods at his arms, his chest, and wonders if more muscle would make him look different enough. He couldn't grow out a beard, a trait that apparently ran on his mom's side, but maybe he could grow out his hair. Maybe if it were longer, he could look more like his mom.

As for finding someone nice, regardless of gender, to settle down with...well, maybe when he looked more like someone worth all that.

One step at a time.

[miasmaghoul]

happy wip wednesday, so says @belle--ofthebrawl; here's a lil chunk of an absolute beast of a fic i've been chipping away at for months now bc its gonna have a little bit of everything:

mountain's in rut, and hes gonna need lots of help - and a muzzle >:)

(this one's for @forlorn-crows ♡)

[varpusvaras]

Fox: Everybody always wants a tall man...everybody always wants a tall man with broad shoulders...everybody always wants a tall man until you are having his giant baby that is in 99 percentile on everything...you don't want a tall man, you want a moderately sized man....

Bail, on the other side of the room: ...I feel like I am being targeted right now

[trombonechurchill]

wait hold on hang on 911 Star Wars au????????? oh my god I wanna read (or hear about) that so bad!!!!

Yess hi hello, welcome! Star Wars AU is a brand new venture (and like 80% @emphasisonthehomo's fault) and I love that I get to start posting about it on May 4th lol.

It's mostly a series of ideas at the moment rather than a cohesive fic for now. I suspect it will end up being a monster so we'll see what happens.

I don't know how into Star Wars lore everyone is (hopefully the actual fic will be friendly enough to non-star wars nerds to still enjoy), but here's a little bit of a lore drop if you're interested:

Set sometime in the years between Episode 3 and 4 (so around the same time as Andor, Jedi Fallen Order/Suvirvor, and parts of Rogue One as reference for anyone playing at home), Bobby's an ex-Jedi who's collected a hodgepodge of force users to help train and keep safe on his ship. And Buck. Buck is the only non-force user in the fic as of right now (Jury's still out on Karen, Eddie, and Athena I haven't decided yet...).

Bobby was a grey Jedi who's severed himself from the force after he was swayed to the dark side post Order 66 and who swore he's not the one to be teaching anybody. Of course the Force had different plans for him...

Hen is very strong with the living force, making her highly emphetic with a knack for Force healing (and also regular healing), but her emotion ties to the Force make it hard for her always stay in control and she's often wary to use her force powers unless absolutely necessary.

Chim gets force visions and premonitions. It means he's often keyed in to what the rest of the crew is doing or thinking about even if he plays it off. Chim's watching you... It also means he tends to have strange dreams, including dream conversations and visions of one missing in action Maddie Buckley.

Maddie has telemetry, the ability to access memories and emotions from items and echoes left in the force. It's a rare, highly valuable ability and made her a prime target to getting scooped up by the Inquisitors pre-fic canon.

Buck's not force sensitive and instead makes up for it by being more tech proficient. He helps maintain the ship, it's tools, and has a massive soft spot for droids. He's been searching for Maddie since they were separated and with Chim's help they've finally narrowed down her location to a dangerous nebula. One they have no hope of navigating on their own.

Unless they find a really good pilot.

You'll never guess who's the really good pilot Chim knows...

Meanwhile, Eddie is a Mandolorian bounty hunter hired to catch Bobby and the other force users aboard the 118, but in following them (or specifically Buck and Tommy), Eddie is starting to think maybe he could have more in his life than cold space, and fear. Especially since his son Chris has started showing signs of being force sensitive as well...

So uh yeah. Many thoughts! Very little to show for it as of yet but... Watch this space I guess...

[hedwig221b]

Hello 👋🏾, are you really going to write the sterek twilight fic? 😳😁

Hi! 💗

I mean, I guess so? Everyone is so excited at the prospect.

Besides, I really struggled with writing since Yes To Heaven came out. Nothing sparked joy and writing felt like a chore and it saddened me to no end. This Twilight au idea came suddenly and I feel excited. I think I need to write this now firstly to heal this weird writing block and secondly, because everyone apparently wants it very much 😅

[thestarfishface]

Something a little different, but I've been toying around with prose recently and wrote a little short story about Verity's old crew!

What's currently posted is the first half of a rough chapter idea I have planned- I gotta hash out exactly what I wanna do for the back half, but I think the first part stands okay on its own! Look out for a continuation in the future, though :>

[leifyposting]

New Jarch celebration ask! If you were to write a modern (<-optional) AU inspired by your own life/hobby/passion/whatever activity you practice yourself, what would it be like? (This is meant to be Jean centered, but information about other characters are more than welcome too!)

fun fact about me is that i’m a marketer by trade but a journalist by training. so…

KoF newsroom au okay hear me out

jean is the managing editor of a failing newsroom. public trust in journalism is down. half her staff has left for more stable jobs in PR and marketing. her editor-in-chief is off on a sabbatical to barbatos-knows-where and keeps posting gorgeous beach pictures on his instagram story

she looks at the accounts and comes to the realization that they’re bleeding money. they’re running on a skeleton crew with no room for layoffs and she’s already slashed her print issues from 6/year to 4/year. if they don’t get subscriptions up by the end of the year they’re going to have to shutter operations

to save the newsroom she loves, jean and her motley crew of reporters are going to have to put on the biggest talent show break the biggest story this town has ever seen

meet the cast:

jean, the managing editor, is a rising star in the journalism world. she honed her reporting and investigative skills at international gigs in liyue and sumeru before returning home to pick up an editor position at the mondstadt times. she isn’t technically supposed to be in charge of the finances… or of the editorial direction… but with her editor-in-chief on sabbatical and her director of operations off to greener pastures, she kind of just does everything that needs doing. you can often find her and her red pen at the newsroom long after everyone else has gone home

amber is the newspaper’s one and only reporter on the breaking news beat. the times moved away from breaking news a few years ago to focus on more longform stories but amber has stubbornly stuck around. this beat is particularly gruelling because of how quickly news moves - you have to be on your toes all the time, filing sometimes 3-4 stories a day - but amber works tirelessly and with so much enthusiasm that jean sometimes wonders if she’s found something stronger than coffee to get her through the day

lisa is technically the features editor, but since they’re so shorthanded, she’s taken up the responsibility of working with the freelance fact-checkers as well, which jean is desperately grateful for. she doesn’t pull the long hours that jean and amber do, but she gets an incredible amount of work done in her 7-hour workdays. noelle is one of their longtime fact-checkers who’s incredibly meticulous and good at her job - she’s been gunning for a full-time position forever but jean just doesn’t have space in the budget to bring her on

albedo, the lightly mysterious science-prodigy-turned-reporter, heads up the investigative journalists. journos in general tend to be driven by curiosity (read: they love drama) but this bunch in particular loves to stick their noses in things. half their sources only offer information “not for attribution” (their quotes must remain anonymous) or “on background” (they cannot be quoted directly at all). sucrose is a relatively new addition to the team who’s been killing it (somewhat to jean’s surprise) because her inoffensive demeanour makes nervous sources more likely to want to speak with her

eula works the politics beat, which was itself a big headline when she joined the times. no one trusted a lawrence, scion of one of mondstadt’s oldest and most corrupt political dynasties, to report accurately on national politics. but eula has proved herself an invaluable addition to the newsroom - she’s earned a reputation for tough questions and hard-nosed reporting, and has gotten herself thrown out of city hall more than once for refusing to back down from a line of questioning. mika is a younger reporter on the international news beat - he doesn’t have eula’s doggedness, but his head for geopolitics is unparalleled

kaeya is in charge of the lifestyle section - he writes (or assigns) all the fun fluff pieces on celebrities, culture, fashion, food and wine, etc. despite leading the lowest-stakes section, he’s been known to bring jean massive political stories before eula or albedo even catch wind of them. jean suspects he maintains contacts from his time on the crime beat - but when she asks he always just blinks innocently at her and doesn’t respond. he’s also unofficially in charge of babysitting klee, who at the tender age of 8 is the times’s only unpaid intern (mostly because, when alice dropped her into jean’s care, it was easier to give her a title and let her hang around the newsroom than find an after-school program capable of keeping her from causing chaos)

[static-radio-ao3]

sunday snippet !

waited so long that i am back on track hehe thank you @messymoony and @itsjaywalkers for the tags <33 i absolutely devoured your snippets <33

“Okay, well, just because I wear glasses doesn’t mean I can’t take care of myself!” “The glasses have nothing to do with this. Sybill wears glasses and none of us think she’s incompetent,” Barty says. “Incompetent? What do you— You guys think I’m incompetent?” “It’s just—” “You freeze, James,” Frank cuts in before Barty says something he shouldn’t. He tries to keep his voice kind but it does nothing to soften the blow of his words. “Don’t you guys ever get a little scared?” James counters, defensive. He moves to cross his arms in front of his chest, but the crossbow he’s holding gets in the way so he ends up awkwardly putting one hand on his hip in a poor approximation of a power pose. Evan quirks an eyebrow at him as if to say, see? “Sure we do,” Dorcas says easily. “We’d all be dead if we didn’t get a little scared now and then. But you get really scared, James.” “And that’s okay! We all have our strengths and weaknesses,” Alice continues. Marlene nods, picking up right where Alice left off. “Your weaknesses just happen to put all of us in danger, too. So we think it’s best if you just play to your strengths.” “Which include, but are not limited to, making dinner and manning the radio,” Lily adds. “We love you, James,” Peter says, clapping a hand on James’ shoulder. “We really do!” Pandora confirms. “But you’re a bit of a liability,” Frank says with a nod and a mildly self-satisfied smile. James eyes all of them warily. “Why did that speech feel so rehearsed?”

no pressure tags: @carniferous @residentrookie @poetskings @lifeisabitch-butimcute @chericheribaby

[wikiangela]

tease tidbit tuesday

it's Tuesday somewhere so starting it off early lol

after 7x09 I had like 4 new ideas (plus maaaany more non-episode related ideas, istg lately there's so many, I don't know what to focus on lol my brain feels loud, and I feel like I'm writing a hundred things at once, I've been a chaotic mess this month istg) but for now im trying to focus on this one fic, and trying to finish whatever this is before the next episode

for now, here's a bit of bucktommy at the medal ceremony after the encounter with gerrard

___

He could punch Gerrard in the face. He really wants to, and if it was a couple years ago, he probably would – but he’s at a work event, the guy is a Captain, unfortunately, and Buck just got a medal, he’s not risking his job right now. He’s not the same impulsive kid he was seven years ago. He’s heard enough stories from Chimney and Hen, and recently some vague ones from Tommy, to know that he hates their old Cap. Tommy seems to want to open up to Buck, to let Buck truly know him, but talking about that past, about himself back then, about the whole environment is not easy, and Buck gets that. They have time to get to know each other, neither of them is going anywhere. Buck’s certainly not planning to, and when Tommy says he isn’t, either, Buck finds himself trusting him, which is very new but so exciting.

“It’s- well, it was to be expected.” Tommy shrugs, his face a careful, neutral mask that Buck’s just starting to learn to see past, then sits down when they approach the table, putting his plate down – they’re sharing it with Eddie, Marisol and Christopher, but the three of them are still at the buffet getting food. Buck takes a seat next to him, then scoots his chair closer – close enough that their knees touch, but far enough that they still appear professional. “It just threw me off. Actually, threw me twenty years back for a moment.” he huffs an unamused, bitter laugh.

___

no pressure tags: @shortsighted-owl @eddiebabygirldiaz @watchyourbuck @loserdiaz @ladydorian05 @diazpatcher @monsterrae1 @weewootruck @spagheddiediaz @rainbow-nerdss @epicbuddieficrecs @pirrusstuff @nmcggg @rogerzsteven @bidisasterevankinard @giddyupbuck @sunshinediaz @honestlydarkprincess @911-on-abc @jesuisici33 @steadfastsaturnsrings @buddieswhvre @fortheloveofbuddie @daffi-990 @hoodie-buck @aroeddiediaz @thewolvesof1998 @exhuastedpigeon @underwaterninja13 @spotsandsocks @hippolotamus @your-catfish-friend @dangerpronebuddie @neverevan @loveyouanyway @tizniz @theotherbuckley @diazsdimples