#but I will DEFINITELY GET THIS DONE BEFORE TWO YEARS

[genderlessjacky]

yayy finally im finally done!!! I hope we are the same timezone and I didn't accidentally submit this late 😭

Holmes!! The sharpshooting Rodger with a littleee but of trust issues and I adore him . He is the kind of dad to have Pavlov's dogs himself to say "language" whenever anyone is swearing an probably owns a swear jar. But don't worry, he loves both his children equally. He may not be able to keep up with a few of the smarter Rodgers in terms of intellect but he can hold his own in a mission decently well and he's more streetsmart anyways (Holmes says in an attempt to comfort himself)

(also , Sherlock Holmes , Holmes , get it??? I'm so funny I know)

Big brother of the year award goes too... SOMEONE ELSE because it's certainly not Shrimpo "DONT KICK IN YOUR 8 YEAR OLD BABY SISTERS TEETH" Rodger . He pretends to not care and at times he really doesn't. It's giving Dipper pines meets bakugo (which I'm not sure if that's accurate because I have only seen like , 2 seasons of MHA) meets knuckles and with a sprinkle of abandonment issues . It took him a decently long time to warm up to his adoptive family but it was all worth it (sort of)

(when I tell you I really did try my best to come up with an Augmented Ability for him 😭 I hope this isn't too OP...)

Edit : nvm , Shrimpo uses 80% of his energy instead and that it effects a whole area of twisteds around him , like it effects any twisteds who hear it even if he direct it at them , and that it can be mixed , like a twisted brightney and Gigi can run away while the rest start CHASING him

The baby of the family!! The one who Shrimpo taught how to swear!! Toodles!! She occasionally gets an existential crisis because of her ability but it's finee. She warmed up the fastest to people, this social little scumbag is the sole reason why her brother is NOT fully social inept

Edit: SO sorry that I'm changing my mind this much but I'd like to add like , she can just duplicate only parts of herself for way less energy, like she can duplicate just an arm as a emergency weapon for 7% energy and only her head to use as a projectile weapon for 9% energy ectect and ofc they will still hurt but yes she can duplicate multiple

(Another idea of an Augmented Ability I have to her is basically beginners luck in a larger scale , she can boost a random 'stat' of her fellow toons in a certain radius by 20% and it reduces her own energy by 20% but I went for this one instead but if you think the duplicate thing is too overpowered, feel free to use this :))

more beneath the cut <3 (pls read I spent SO much time on these doodles)

An idea I have for their background:

If it matches the lore , I'd say they joined an operation that wasnt gardenview, a different operation that was far more weaker and far away from said Gardenview , Holmes and Toodles and a couple of others were the sole survivors of the weaker operation after they got overwhelmed by a large Wave of twisteds and Shrimpo got kicked out of his own survivors group for being too aggressive and nearly leading them to their own death . After Toodles and Holmes wandered for about 3 months they met Shrimpo and the journey begins there . They reach Gardenview in about, I'd say two - two and a half years

Please ignore that fact that it's disgustingly obvious that I have practically never done digital art before 😞🙏

Pov: a single father of two rediscovers what coffee is (don't read the text too closely 😞, I mostly copy pasted a theory about ichor that I really liked and added a bit of details myself , I know I'm lazy I'm sorry)(also ignore that Cosmo said E-1, I rrly want him and his kids to be in D-1 🙏)

I have a mini comic I'm in the middle of drawing of how Shrimpo and Toots would work together in an actual mission and I'll reblog said comic on this post after I finish it and hope and pray you actually see it 😢

Fun facts about them (I'll probably add more when it's not , midnight)

In terms of fighting, I'd say Shrimpo is definitely melee and short ranged, if I decide to give him weapons it will definitely be very Vi from arcane coded

Rodger is defo long ranged sharp shooter, a sniper sort of guy , if he had to fight up close he could hold his own but he would mostly rely on his robot arm

Toodles is more agile think, very sonic or Spiderman esk , jumping around and dodging/ luring the twisteds

Rodger also has phantom pain sometimes and doesn't really know what it is (yet) so sometimes his arms just starts hurting a lot and he's like "oh, I guess that happens now" and doesn't tell anyone

Rodger got lost his arm during the incident where his old operation got destroyed

Toodles and Shrimpo have matching bite marks from eachother, it's how they differentiate eachother from a crowd

They are very "Dad said I can come!!" "YOU ARE NOT COMING ON MY DATE-" coded

honestly, I can Shrimpo tagging along with toodles and her new friends in Gardenview until he finds his own group

Rodger used to spend a lot his time researching ichor obsessively because he lost a lot of loved ones during the fall of his old operation (like a lot of the Rodgers and probably also A1 Rodger) but slowed down a LOT a while after he took in Shrimpo

Rodger didnt know how to take care of two kids at first , it wasnt until Shrimpo almost died because of his own recklessness that he decided "hey I already lost a lot of people, I need to take care of the ones I have" and stepped up , he isn't perfect but he tries

I'd like to think Rodger gets a lot of "you took in...a SHRIMPO????" From the group of people he hangs out with

Also their 'last name' is Rodger , like Toodles Rodger and Shrimpo Rodger , but he only uses when they are in REAL trouble like "SHRIMPO RODGER GO TO YOUR ROOM" energy

Also if it matches the lore , I also like to think , to save up energy and ichor , the people running Gardenview saw them come in , clinging onto eachother and went "huh... they seem close" and put Toodles and Shrimpo in the same room with a bunkbed to preserve energy

Small little Event!

Hey hey, hope you’re all having a great holiday.

This little event will be running until 1.6.2025.

Im sure some of you have noticed team D and E have never been mentioned- and that’s because I’ve been waiting to host this event!

I’m choosing 11- yes 11 toons that YOU GUYS MAKE to add to Operation Ichor!

Of course, other toon submissions will show up as background characters within the comic.

Q1: How does the character sheet look?

Something like this, it being colored is optional. But I mainly just need design, personality, and ability on your sheet. Keep in mind you’re mostly choosing from the 20 in game characters (No, spoiler characters aren’t accepted, only ones in game!) and adding accessories on them.

You can make a whole team if you want too, just please keep it as one reblog if you can.

Q2: Are OC Toons allowed?

Yes, but please keep in mind they have a lower chance of being chosen just because dealing with different abilities and designs gets complicated (as if the 20 toons Dandy’s world has isn’t already enough)

Here’s the sheet for those who want to join.

Please use (#opich event) and/or just reblog this post with your submission

Disclaimer:

Any toon submitted will STILL BELONG TO THE OWNER, I have no intentions of stealing your amazing creations.

Do note; with the grim nature of this story, toons die a lot and yours might as well, if you don’t want that to happen- don’t submit.

And don’t be discouraged by your art, I love all your works and you’re all super talented :).

[ghostgirl-22]

i like the idea that art doesn’t masturbate without patrick, it’s some weird hang up he has, idk. anyway, patrick knows this and will go long periods of time without masturbating just to torment art <3

Oh I love your mind darling <33

CW: 18+ !NSFW! Explicit

—-

It probably started getting Pavlovian pretty quickly. Art needs to do it with Patrick at the same time or he can’t finish. Literally can’t come. It’s like Art understood everything Patrick taught him about touching himself except that people normally do it alone. Not with their roommates or friends. Definitely not in the same bed, while talking to each other about how good it feels. Patrick guiding him through it till he’s filling an old school sock with jizz, while gasping and breathing in Patrick’s ear, then falling asleep on Patrick’s chest.

But after years and years, it’s a whole thing. It might be okay with Patrick if Art wasn’t so repressed in every other fucking way. Patrick wakes up often with his fingers tangled in golden curls, legs intertwined with Art’s long soft ones, usually fully aroused. And then it’s just Art disengaging. Pretending none of it’s anything and they’re just bros. And it’s okay. It’s fine. Art has all kinds of ticks and weird hang ups this is just another one to add to the list. And Patrick doesn’t usually want to pass up an opportunity to have Art moaning in his bed even if it’s fucking frustrating after. Hell, it’d be nice if he could get a kiss every once in a while, Patrick actively fantasizes about putting his lips on Art’s, but that would mean acknowledging it. Which Art would never do.

Patrick isn’t vindictive. He swears he’s not. He just likes teasing. And Art is so high strung and easy to tease. And fine, maybe he does want to torment him a little. The same way he torments Patrick. Making it feel so intimate and sexual and then pushing Patrick away saying sex has nothing to do with it.

So some nights when Art gets in his bed, or asks if Patrick wants to put the mattresses on the floor and lie in the center of the room, usually an indication that he’s horny and wants to jerk off, because he’s never gonna be direct about it. Patrick will go through the motions, having already jerked off in the shower before bed and he’ll just pretend to be sleepy, or too caught up in the movie or whatever they’re watching and wait to see what Art will do. Patrick’s done it for a day or two in a row before, just curious about how Art would react. Usually he doesn’t do anything. He’s pretty passive. But recently Patrick’s been stretching the time.

It’s been two weeks now and Patrick can tell Art is losing it. He doesn’t even have a girlfriend at the moment so he’s got no way to release.

“Patrick,” he whines when Patrick feigns sleepiness.

”Yeah?” Patrick sighs, stretching out.

“Um…”

He can tell Art is frustrated, wants to complain but doesn’t know how without acknowledging it. Patrick smiles to himself and rolls over pretending to be so sleepy.

“Um can’t we… can’t we…”

“What?” Patrick rolls his eyes, he can’t even say it.

“I was hoping we could… you know,” he says, he sounds so whiny and desperate. He’s been dizzy all week. Barely able to focus on school or tennis. So fucking pent up. He’s horny all the time, cheeks always in full blush, eyes always dilated. So many ruined orgasms when he tries to do it alone. Near constant blue balls, erections flagging and coming back at all kinds of weird times. Like when he has to hide it during class when their 45 year old English professor walks in wearing a knee length skirt. All because he can’t make himself come unless he’s in bed with Patrick and Patrick’s doing it with him.

“What?” Patrick says.

“Patrick, you know,” Art whines. “We haven’t done it in forever.”

“Done what, I’m so tired,” Patrick fakes a yawn. “Practice has been kicking my ass.”

Art doesn’t say anything for a minute and then, “You’re fucking doing it on purpose,” he mutters, quietly.

“Doing what on purpose, sunshine? Sleeping?”

”Can we just fucking jerk off? Please Patrick, it hurts,” Art cries. The first time he’s outright asked for it.

Patrick smiles and rolls over. Art is flushed, his clear blue eyes are wet and he’s doing that pathetic shivering, sniffling thing he does when he cries. Patrick’s cock is filling up so fucking fast.

He touches Art’s swollen cock lightly, “Oh sweetheart,” Patrick says, pretending to be surprised, like he hasn’t felt it night after night. Rising and eventually flagging when Art falls into a fitful sleep. Art’s eyes flutter closed from the slightest touch, the tears pooled inside spilling down his cheeks as he sniffles and hums. Patrick watches him, Art starts grabbing at it too while Patrick slips it out and starts touching him properly. He’s moaning like it’s such a fucking relief for him, and fine, Patrick’s going to cave.

“You really can’t do this without me, can you sweetheart?” Patrick whispers.

“Mm, need it,” Art moans, lost in headspace. Patrick doesn’t usually get to touch him but now that he has he’s not sure he ever wants to stop, their hands are tangled up together sliding up and down, along the length. He gets a little more daring and leans in pressing his lips against Art’s parted ones.

Art is still, just breathing into Patrick’s mouth. Patrick teases his tongue along Art’s bottom lip and Art sighs. Then all at once Patrick feels Art’s tongue darting into his mouth and they’re kissing. And it feels so much better, so much more erotic than anything Patrick imagined. He doesn’t want to stop touching Art but he’s so hard he finds himself rubbing off along Art’s thigh.

Art barely reacts. He’s moaning, licking into Patrick’s mouth, so wet, he’s got his tongue all over the place. He starts shivering minutes later, gasping, and Patrick can feel the sudden rush of fluid along his palm where he’s gripping Art’s heated cock and suddenly Art is painting him with so much come.

It gets all over Patrick’s pajama pants, some of it on his stomach where his t-shirts riding up, thick heated ropes of it and Art is just whining against his lips as it pours out of him. He’s so loud their neighbors can probably hear him.

It’s so fucking hot, Patrick knows he isn’t going to last. Art is breathless, panting against Patrick’s lips when he’s done. And Patrick’s using some of Art’s spend as lube when he shoves his hand into his own pants and starts jerking himself off.

He comes one second after Art begins actively kissing him again. Then they’re just kissing, kissing, kissing. Slow, deliberate, wet kisses, while Art explores every inch of Patrick’s mouth with his tongue. They’re doing it for what feels like hours but is probably less than thirty minutes before Art is pushing himself up. “I gotta pee,” he says, stumbling to his feet. His hair’s all over the place, skin flushed, lips kiss swollen, eyes so bright. Sunshine.

Patrick knows Art needs to clean up, it’s another one of his things. He can’t sleep with it all over like that. So he changes his clothes while Art is in the bathroom and then uses it himself. Nothing changes after that, Art falls asleep on top of him. Patrick wakes up in the morning, all tangled up with him. He’s disappointed when Art wakes up and pulls away from him disappearing into the bathroom. Imagining that last night just made things even more fucking confusing. But then Art comes out and crawls back onto the bed to curl up with him, until it’s time to get ready for class and even lets Patrick kiss him on the cheek. And Patrick decides it was definitely worth it.

(Sorry if this doesn’t make sense, it’s even less proofread than usual and I’m all over the place writing lots lol)

[rafecswhore]

lingering sparks - dad!rafe cameron x mom! reader

you had just stepped into the kitchen when you spotted rafe leaning against the counter, his sleeves rolled up, and a familiar smirk tugging at his lips. he was talking to your daughter, but as soon as you walked in, his attention shifted to you.

“look who finally decided to show up,” he said, crossing his arms.

“funny,” you said, setting your tote bag on the counter. “i didn’t realize you’d moved in.”

“not yet,” he quipped, the smirk deepening. “but don’t tempt me.”

you rolled your eyes, but your stomach tightened. he always did this—pushed just enough to get under your skin, then acted like it was nothing.

“dad’s being dramatic again,” your daughter announced, glancing up from her phone. “he thinks noah texting me is the end of the world.”

“noah?” you asked, raising an eyebrow.

“a friend,” she said quickly, glaring at rafe. “but someone won’t stop acting like he’s a serial killer.”

“i’m just saying,” rafe cut in, holding up his hands, “boys don’t text at midnight unless they have a reason.”

“and what would you know about it?” you asked, crossing your arms.

his smirk didn’t falter. “personal experience. obviously.”

“of course,” you said, shaking your head. “because you were definitely a beacon of self-control at sixteen.”

“hey, i turned out okay,” he said, looking far too amused.

“debatable,” you shot back, grabbing a glass of water.

your daughter, clearly entertained, chimed in. “you two should just get back together already. at least then i wouldn’t have to listen to you bicker all the time.”

“not happening,” you said quickly, taking a sip of water.

“absolutely not,” rafe added, though his voice didn’t sound as convincing as yours.

“uh-huh,” your daughter said, rolling her eyes. “sure.”

as she turned her attention back to her phone, you glanced at rafe, who was still watching you with that infuriatingly familiar look—like he knew exactly what you were thinking.

“so,” you said, breaking the silence, “are you staying for dinner, or are you just here to interrogate our daughter?”

“both,” he said casually, leaning against the counter. “you make a mean pasta. figured i’d stick around.”

“of course,” you muttered, turning to check the stove.

he stepped closer, lowering his voice so only you could hear. “you missed me. admit it.”

you froze for half a second before regaining your composure. “don’t flatter yourself, cameron.”

“too late,” he said, and you could hear the grin in his voice.

you turned, meeting his gaze, and for a moment, the air between you felt heavier than it should’ve. it wasn’t new—this tension that lingered, even after all these years. but it still left you breathless, no matter how hard you tried to ignore it.

“are you two done?” your daughter called out, snapping you both out of the moment.

“yep,” you said quickly, stepping back.

“for now,” rafe added, his smirk returning.

[drewdoa]

𒈔 ⸺ enforcer agenda ♡ viktor hcs/blurbs

‧₊˚ ⋅* ‧₊ a/n: hey there :)) happy new year!!! i’ve been gone for a little bit cause busy with family >.< BUT IM BACK WITH STUFF YAY!! i should be on my writing grind now that i’ll have spare time during school and such so i should be back to normal :D!! i hope you enjoy these blurbs cause they’re honestly my favorite

‧₊˚ ⋅* ‧₊ extra info: no gender specific reader!, a bit of flirtation, you’re in an enforcer uniform/gear, implied nsfw

ꕥ —

vik is so used to seeing people in uniform, but never in a billion years would he expect you to turn bluebelly! you’ve expressed before that enforcers make you feel some kind of way, you’ve seen what they’ve done to the people of zaun. however, caitlyn thought you could use some training incase something turned sideways. she suggested you train with the enforcers to learn a thing or two, which honestly isn’t a bad idea at all. so you took up the offer.

you knew viktor would get a kick out of this, you becoming stronger and in that heavy outfit. you could already hear his slick and funny comments in your head, teasing you and hints of flirting. at the end of the day, you still know he’d still have you arched like the bridge of progress.

rotting away in his lab as the sound of chalk scraping against his board travels around the sound waves. normally, viktor doesn’t bat an eye at the sound of the metal gear tapping across the halls nearby. until the sound of the tall wood doors that hide the lab cracked open, steps gradually getting louder. “you know, it’s just etiquette knocking before entering, don’t you agree?” viktor spat before turning his back and facing you. he stood there for a moment before placing down his pencil behind him.

“you-” he paused, relaxing his shoulders and taking the sight of you in. “look good. who gave you that?” the rest of his sentence flew out as he began to circle around you. “i got it from caitlyn’s closet, she surprisingly has bigger sizes but that’s probably cause of vi”

“no complaints here, it fits you perfectly” viktor follows with a laugh. this lead to you coming into his lab often when you’ve got some extra time on your hands. even if it’s just to go in there and give him a kiss :)) (where you kiss him is up to you😋)

he 100% pulls you in with his cane, especially when you’re stuck guarding the hallways and can’t be caught slipping. coincidently, viktor had a spare moment and dedicated it all to you. let’s just say when you were back on duty your uniform looked like you’d been roughing it ;).

oh you’d so catch him wearing the uniform cause it smells like you. he wants anything that resembles you at all. gotta out him here, definitely a pervert to take your underwear and stash it in a box along with all your other personal things. he just wants reminders of you all the time <3 (this is also foreshadowing him tying one of your old shirts around his cane :)))

no surprises when it comes to viktors hidden talents, he would definitely take a blank book and write all of his thoughts about you in it. he’d think of it as his prized possession, never leaving it out of his sight, and especially keeping it away from you. viktor couldn’t bare the embarrassment honestly, imagining you reading the filthy things he’s written about you sends a chill down his spine. but its viktor we’re talking about here, he’d probably enjoy that. <3

‧₊˚ ⋅* ‧₊ hello!!! i feel like this was just a bit short but i have a few fics i’ll be releasing as soon as im finished up with them ! you pt 2 in the works as well for all you viktor lovers just like me <33 and im working on expanding my writing and will be working on stuff for new characters >v< hopefully you can stick around till then, thank you for reading - drew

[crazerk]

Im thinking that when my mc gets shown to our husband along with the other new concubines he sees a thin rope around her ankle and asks why is she tied and the servants try carefully telling him I already tried to run away two times as I was a slave

Lol. This scene probably won’t appear in the books but it was fun to think about so I made a little drabble.

You stand in a line like a prized horse at auction, head bowed in proper deference as the shah makes his way down the row of girls, preening for his attention. You can feel the weight of his presence even before he reaches you, like the heaviness in the air before a storm. The silk rope around your ankle feels impossibly conspicuous, despite Orgion's attempts to arrange your skirts to hide it.

The soft whisper of expensive robes against marble grows closer. Then silence. You can see the edge of his shadow falling across the floor before your feet, can sense his stillness as he pauses.

"Why is this one bound?"

His voice is quieter than you'd expected, touched with something that might be curiosity or might be disapproval. You keep your eyes fixed on the floor, though every instinct screams at you to look up, to see the face of the man who now owns your fate.

You hear Orgion clear his throat delicately. "Ah, your majesty... there have been some... difficulties with compliance." The chief eunuch's usual unctuous tone has taken on a nervous edge. "Two attempts at... unauthorized departure, thus far."

"Two?" There is definitely curiosity now, and something else – a hint of amusement? "In less than a week?"

"The first was during her initial examination, your majesty. She... ah... managed to evade the guards and make it as far as the outer courtyard before she was intercepted."

"And the second?"

"Yesterday morning. She had somehow acquired a set of servant's robes and very nearly made it to the kitchens. If one of the cooks hadn't recognized her..."

You fight to keep your face neutral, though your cheeks burn at having your failures laid bare. You hadn't even made it to the actual palace gates. Some great escape artist you're turning out to be.

"Look at me."

The command is soft but unmistakable. You hesitate for a heartbeat, then slowly raise your head.

The shah is younger than you'd expected, though his eyes hold a weight that goes beyond his years. They're an unusual color – not quite brown, not quite gold, but something in between that seems to shift in the light filtering through the high windows. His face is all elegant angles, with high cheekbones and a strong jaw that speaks of his foreign blood. But it's his expression that catches you off guard – not anger or offense at your defiance, but something that looks almost like recognition.

"Interesting," he says softly, more to himself than to you. Then, to Orgion: "Remove the rope."

"Your majesty?" The chief eunuch's voice rises slightly in alarm. He gaze bounces from you to the shah. "I must advise against—"

"Remove it." There is steel beneath the quiet now. "We are not savages, to keep our women in bonds."

"As you wish, your majesty." Orgion gestures sharply to one of the attending servants, who hurries forward to untie the silk cord.

You feel the rope fall away from your ankle, but you don't dare move. He is still watching you with that strange, measuring look.

"Tell me," he says, "what would you have done if you'd made it to the gates?"

The question catches you by surprise. You should lie, you know – make up some story about missing your family, play the part of the frightened girl who just wants to go home. But something in those unusual eyes compels honesty.

"I would have run," you say simply. "As far and as fast as I could."

A spark of something that might be approval flickers across his face. "And now?"

"Now?" You meet his gaze squarely. "I suppose I'll have to find other ways to escape."

Orgion makes a strangled sound of outrage. "Your majesty, you see how intractable she is! Perhaps if we were to—"

"Enough." Kaz's voice cut through the eunuch's protests like a blade. He turns to face Orgion fully, and though his tone remains quiet, there is no mistaking the anger beneath it. "Let me be very clear. These women are not animals to be leashed and caged. They are members of my household, and they will be treated with the dignity their position demands." His eyes flick to the discarded rope. "If I ever see another concubine bound like a common criminal, you will answer to me personally. Do I make myself understood?"

Orgion's face has gone pale. He bows so low his forehead nearly touched the floor. "Yes, your majesty. Of course, your majesty. I only thought—"

"You thought wrong." Kaz's gaze sweeps the room, taking in the other officials and attendants. "The same goes for all of you. These women are under my protection. Remember that."

He studies you for a moment longer, then the corner of his mouth curves up slightly. "You might want to avoid the kitchens in the future. The head cook has an unusually good memory for faces."

You stare after him, unsure whether you've just made a terrible mistake or somehow passed a test you hadn't known you were taking. But as you watch him move on to inspect the other girls, you could have sworn you saw a flash in his eye, of barely concealed mirth.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

[punkslovepoints]

✨2024 Steddie Fic Recommendations

template from Steddie Support Podcast on twitter

Summaries and links below the cut

Born Under a Bad Sign by @pinkie-quinns [27k E]

Eddie Munson lived. He lived. So why does he still feel very, very dead?

No Loose Ends by @thisapplepielife [7k E]

"Ocean air is healing, you know," Eddie says as if he's serious, and Steve smiles. "Is the gulf considered an ocean?" Steve asks. And Eddie just shrugs and grins back, shaking another pack of cigarettes out of the fresh carton Steve brought him. Steve feels like a pack mule, hauling food and smokes and beer, back and forth across several states. "Closest thing I've ever seen to one, at least," Eddie says, and Steve has the fleeting thought that someday, Steve will change that. Or: Waiting out the shitstorm back in Indiana.

Big Talk by @occasionaloverboy [29k E]

The first time Eddie flirts with him is a surprise. The second time is a fluke. After that, it gets a little hard to keep track.

Sports Performance by @entanglednow [18k E]

Steve discovers something unexpected while waiting alone in Eddie's room, and struggles to be a supportive friend.

i got your name stuck to my tongue (only call me when you're drunk) by GhostEnthusiast [22k E]

5 times Steve fools around with Eddie Munson at parties, and 1 time he invites him to one himself.

Exactly What It Looks Like by @bilbosmom-belladonna [31k E]

Steve makes a face at Eddie. “You've imagined doing stuff with a guy?” “Yeah, man,” Eddie replies, spreading his hands wide. “Doesn't everyone?” Steve tilts his head to the side as he thinks. Maybe not very often, but his freshman year when Davey Riggs had been swim team captain? Yeah, he had definitely imagined some stuff that had made trips to the locker room kinda awkward. “Yeah, that's true,” Steve answers, nodding. “I wonder why everybody acts like it's so gross, though.” In the summer of 1986, Steve and Eddie have some perfectly normal fun between a couple of perfectly normal dudes.

Path to the Rainbow's End by gayhandshake [17k M]

Eddie always believed he was getting out of Hawkins. He knew he was meant for something else, even when he thought he only had two options: a bus to the state penitentiary like his father and his father’s father before him or a plane to Los Angeles, paid for by a record executive with a fat bank account and a vision. Turns out, there was a third path, and when he left town, it was in the driver’s seat on I-90, trailing behind a brown BMW carrying the Wonder Twins, with most of their shared possessions shoved into the back of his van. The van survived the drive to Rochester, but just barely. He coaxed her along with soothing words and stroking hands until she rolled to a stop two houses down from their new place, like Flipper dying in her trainer’s arms. He didn’t cry then, because they’d done this song and dance before. He did throw a very mature, contained temper tantrum at the mechanic the next day. -- Eddie knows exactly who he is. Definitely. Probably. Maybe.

Somewhere it Hides a Well by @teddywesworl [8k E]

Eddie ducks his head briefly, a gesture that doesn’t quite fit with the guy’s overall image: buzz cut, obvious ink, scars on his jaw. A bunch of his shirt buttons are undone, and Steve can see a white tank and a gold chain underneath. “Yeah,” Eddie says. “I’m at a shop in Uptown.” It’s rote, sounds sort of disinterested. Steve might think he’s being dismissed if Eddie Munson’s eyes weren’t raking over him, lingering at his jawline, his throat, his hands when he adjusts his cuffs. Or: At Lumax’s wedding in 2003, slutty bisexual physical therapist Steve sets his eye on inked up tough guy mechanic Eddie and peels away his mask.

You Could Call Me Nancy by @pinkie-quinns [5k T]

Steve and Nancy get back together. And Eddie, well. He does what any respectable person would do in that situation. He drinks about it.

Restorative Violence by @anniebass [30k E]

Unlike his uncle, Eddie still dreamt of bigger things, the fame of a musician, good cars, big-ass mansions, talked about it in the hospital bed, as with the trailer’s ruin came hope of relocation, the first step toward betterment, maybe a house a touch less vehicular, one maybe not so weiner-shaped. Still, his new room failed to convey a fulfilled dream; the unpacked boxes stood in unstable towers, dust covered the guitar, only the dirty dishes seemed to be a movable component of a life sustained, not lived. It didn’t seem like Eddie was fine at all.

Late Bloomers by @arimakes and @mojowitchcraft [65l E]

Two men walk into a gay bar. One thinks he’s straight, one thinks he’s vanilla. Both of them are idiots.

Steve & Robin by @audacityofbird [120k M]

It's 1995. Two sets of best friends find themselves in Chicago and in each other's orbit as they try to figure out how to best navigate the world, work, relationships, family, and friendships in their mid-twenties. Chrissy is starting a new job in a new city with only an old friend to help tether her. Eddie tries to help his band find their big break. Steve tries to get his matchmaking family off his back and Robin hatches a plan to help him do that in an unconventional and seemingly logical way. They're all finding themselves and their way to each other. So, who cares if they stumble along the way? At least they have each other.

Don't Hate The Player by orphan_account [6k M]

Steve Harrington doesn't really play video games. Not his thing. Somehow, however, he's ended up in an utterly delusional, one-sided relationship with an NPC.

The Fire And The Flood by @entanglednow [6k E]

Steve's already spent half a day dealing with the kids misbehaving, he really doesn't need Eddie making his life harder.

would you be my friend? by @their-we-go [8k M]

"Honourable Justice Harrington, I have perjured myself on this stand today, and I would like to recant.”"Honourable Justice Harrington, I have perjured myself on this stand today, and I would like to recant.” “Dude, what are you—” “I lied, man. I fibbed. I told a story. I—” “Alright, okay. I get it.” “I don’t read, uh. Gay porn for the articles.” “Okay.” “I more read it for the, you know.” He scrubs a hand over his face. Wishes he could hide. “Gay porn.” (Or: scenes from Eddie's life after the world doesn't end.)

let's exchange the experience by @jamiethegardener55 [22k E]

"I propose a game," Eddie announced. Steve zipped his coat back up, wincing. "I'm not playing your dungeon game." "Not," Eddie said, "a tabletop game, thank you, Steven. A challenge. A bet." He felt his eyes gleam. Steve gave him a wary look. "What kind of challenge?" "I," Eddie said, clapping his palms together, "will be Steve Harrington. For a whoooole day. And you will be Eddie Munson." -- Eddie and Steve play a game. They have to do whatever the other says for the day. Neither of them has ever heard of BDSM. Things go really well.

Big wheel keep on turning by prufrocks [28k E]

A few months after Starcourt, Steve moves out of his parents' house and into a friend of a friend's empty RV. What follows is a long six months of unintentional minimalism, scraping by on two bucks an hour, and staring at the specter that haunts the other side of the trailer park. Meanwhile, Robin gets a song stuck in her head. A season four rewrite.

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

Then mine from this year:

Pebble [5.4k words, Rated: T]

“Right, well when the male finds a female penguin he likes, he brings her a pebble. It shows the female that he wants to build a nest with her, that he wants to have her as a mate. So I thought -” Steve raised an eyebrow, “You want me to be your mate?”

flood water (a series) [17k words, Rated: E]

“Nothing says last day on earth like trying to fuck your straight friend before disappearing the next day.” Eddie skips town a month after he gets out of the hospital.

how to wake a dead boy (with art work by @bleedingoptimism) [33.4k words, Rated: M]

Steve’s been able to bring dead people back to life since he was a child. It’s a secret he’s managed to keep from everyone, hiding his power under a layer of detachment from the world around him. Then Eddie dies and Steve has a decision to make. A Stranger Things canon-compliant story based on Pushing Daisies lore.

Queer Lodgings [WIP, Rated: E]

After almost dying in the Upside Down, Eddie wakes to a high school diploma, a place at community college, and - yet another surprise in this new sunshine and rainbows existence that is somehow his life - Steve Harrington as a roommate. It's a double bi awakening!

[peachhcs]

okay i would love to explore more of grace and sammy’s relationship!! i feel like her life is pretty testosterone filled so i’m sure samy always appreciated grace’s advice and support <3

HAHA “pretty testosterone filled” is soo funny but soo real poor girl didn’t know anything else but being around boys which is why she really loved having grace there in the summers and holidays :)

i feel like i don’t talk about their relationship as much so i’m glad someone brings it up!! she’s very big sister core, even to quinn and jack even though she was younger than them she still acted like an older sister to them which was always funny.

but yes!!! she definitely goes to grace for boy advice, talking about her first time ever with a guy when she was 16, advice about will, advice about college, etc. etc. (p.s. i’m going back to school soon 😔 so that’s why i’ve been posting so much and grinding these requests out bc i know i’m gonna be super busy when i start college again)

au masterlist

“so how’s that one guy..what’s his name? tyler?” grace asked the younger girl when it was just the two of them in the kitchen one morning because the boys went golfing.

samy flushed, “he’s good.”

“you’re blushing. it must be good,” the blonde teased when she saw samy’s pink cheeks. the brunette quickly brushed the comment off and shrugged.

“he’s nice and i like hanging out with him,” the girl said briefly.

“you guys have been hanging out a lot this summer..” grace wiggled her eyebrows to imply something that made the youngest hughes’ cheeks flush even more as she quickly hid her face.

“we just watch movies,” the girl mumbled.

“yeah, watch movies. i’ve definitely heard that one before,” grace couldn’t help but laugh because she’s used that so many times on her mom when she left to hang out with a boy.

“okay, we just make out and..sometimes we take our shirts off..and then sometimes he takes his pants off..ALL consensual of course,” samy’s blush burned to her ears talking about this in the open space of her kitchen where her parents could walk in at any second. grace quickly poked her arm though.

“okay, i see you. you’re getting in there,” grace grinned.

“ew, stop. do not say that to me,” the brunette cringed.

“okay, sorry, sorry. do you think you’ll take it to the next step?” grace genuinely wondered and samy shrugged. “i mean, i dunno.. maybe? i think we want to? i’ve just never..like..done that before,” the younger girl’s face burned again.

“that’s okay. the first time never has to be perfect. you just go with what you’re comfortable with and let the rest just kind of play out, you know?”

“what if hurts? or what if i bleed though?” the girl cringed again and ducked her head around looking for any indication that her mom was near.

“it’s relatively normal for it to hurt the first time, but once you get going the pleasure will kind of overtake the pain. if it keeps hurting though, don’t force yourself to keep going. bleeding is also normal too,” grace wasn’t a huge expert, but she knew a thing or two and hoped what she was telling samy was helpful.

“what was your first time like?” the younger girl’s couldn’t help but ask. she’d never ask her brothers any of this stuff, so she felt like having grace was her only chance to ask and asking her mom was just way out of the question.

“i was seventeen, so around your age. it was with that guy i was with, remember griffin?” samy nodded. “we were in his basement and we started making out and then we both were ready so..we just did it? it didn’t last that long, but we both enjoyed it,” grace explained.

“woah, griffin was your first time? i remember him. he was cool,” samy thought back to three years ago when griffin would be at thanksgiving and christmas.

“yeah, he was cool.”

“why’d you guys break up again?”

“we were just heading in different directions i guess and didn’t wanna hold each other back,” the older blonde shrugged some.

“would you ever think about..getting back together with him?” amicable breakups were always so hard sometimes.

“uh..i don’t know. i haven’t really talked to him awhile. plus, we’re talking about you, not me,” grace flushed and spun the conversation back to samy.

“i’m just scared i might regret having sex with him, but i really like him,” samy’s head fell into her hand and she sighed.

“well, don’t do anything that you aren’t 100% sure about. maybe just let things happen and if it starts happening and you don’t like it, you can always say no.”

“right, yeah. i guess that makes sense,” the brunette mumbled and grace reached forward to squeeze her arm.

“you’re so grown up, wow. i wish you were still six,” that made both girls laugh.

—

as soon as samy hung up the phone with her brothers, she immediately called grace hoping the older girl wasn’t busy. it rang almost four times before the call connected, “hey?”

“hey, gracie. sorry, am i bothering you?” samy worried she caught the older girl at a bad time based on the outside noise she could hear through the call.

“no, no. what’s up?” the background noise faded and samy guessed she was stepping somewhere more quieter.

“i just..i need some advice,” the brunette bit her lip as she toyed with the ends of her shirt.

“okay, what’s up?”

samy took in a deep breath before laying out everything she just did with her brothers a minute ago about how much of a hard time she was having with deciding on where to go to college and who’d she possibly disappoint if she picked one school over the other. grace listened silently until samy was finished and blew out a long sigh.

“wow,” grace said first.

“yeah, wow.”

“well, what do you want, sam?”

“that’s the problem, i don’t know,” the brunette groaned, falling back onto her bed.

“have you weighed pros and cons?” grace wondered.

“i’ve done about everything under the sun and i still can’t make a decision. going to mich would keep me close to home, but going to boston would give me a new perspective i don’t see a lot, you know? plus, i’d be with will and all of them.”

“well, you know my brother is gonna support you whenever you go. he wants you to be happy, samy. i know your brothers want the same and so do your parents. what do the soccer programs look like?” the youngest hughes blushed hearing grace tell her how happy will would be for her no matter what.

“they’re both really great. i mean, great as in i love the team atmosphere and the coaches. the programs could be worked on,” the brunette shrugged.

“i think you should go where your heart leads you. you’d have a lot of support wherever you choose because of my parents in boston and your parents in michigan,” grace said softly and samy rubbed a frustrated hand over her face.

“i know it’s a given how you chose, but can you tell me besides your family legacy what made you choose boston?”

“i guess..i just really liked the values boston college had. i loved how the campus looked and even though it is a fairly big school, i still felt a very strong community within it and i just knew i could picture myself here for four more years even though i literally grew up here,” the older blonde laughed a bit. “i guess you just gotta pick the place that feels like home to you.”

“what if both feel like home to me for different reasons?” samy admitted, rolling to her side to look out the window.

“what are the reasons?”

“well michigan obviously because of my brothers and my family’s tie to here. i’ve always loved the school whenever i watched quinn and luke play in the yost. for some reason i could always picture myself in the student section when i was older cheering the team on. but with boston..it just holds such a nostalgia to me since we only visited to see you and will. i love the city and well..will would be there and i guess..technically..will is my home in some ways?” samy cringed a bit hearing that come out of her mouth because she never would’ve thought in a million years she’d say that about the blonde.

“well, isn’t someone feeling sappy,” grace teased.

“shut up. i still find him annoying as hell,” that made both of the girls laugh.

“speaking of my brother..how are you guys?” grace changed the subject for a moment figuring samy would wanna get her mind off of college decisions for a bit.

good thing the older girl couldn’t see samy’s face because the brunette blushed hard.

“we’re..fine. i guess. i don’t know,” things were feeling really complicated between her and will recently and samy didn’t exactly know how to feel about it. “kevin and i are still together if that’s what you’re asking.”

“samy.”

“i know, i know i need to talk to him, but…i just can’t. i don’t know grace. the idea of liking will as something more than a friend..it’s crazy. i’ve only known him as another annoying brother,” grace knew all about samy and will’s drunk little kisses they shared in the past year and the confusion the youngest hughes has been having about her feelings towards the boy.

she was hoping being with kevin would help her forget thinking about kissing will in the bathroom when they were drunk, but it was actually doing really little.

“i just feel like this is gonna end badly for all of you. kevin will be hurt, you’ll be hurt, will be hurt.”

“i just don’t even know how one would even bring that up? hey sorry, i’m kind of leading you on because i’ve been kissing my best friend but only when we’re drunk and we never talk about it after and i act like it doesn’t happen, so i started dating you to forget about it? yeah, sounds real great.”

“well, don’t say it like that, but..i just don’t want you getting hurt, samy,” grace said.

“plus, i don’t even know if will even likes me like that. he probably doesn’t because liking your best friend is crazy,” samy went on and grace stayed silent which made the younger girl’s ears perk up. “do you know something?”

“no, i don’t. even if i did, i wouldn’t do my brother that dirty. i’m just saying, sam. it’s an awkward conversation, but it saves a lot of hurt in the end.”

“i know. i’ll..work on it.”

“on a different note, i am really surprised how close you and will have gotten in the past year. i remember when you guys used to hate one another,” the older smith giggled.

“we still kind of do,” samy snickered.

“either way, i’m glad you guys have worked out your differences and are close. it’s good he has someone being so far away from home,” her words made both of them smile.

“well, he’s become my rock so i don’t think our friendship will go away anytime soon,” the brunette grinned. “which is why i’m having a hard time choosing schools because what do i do when i’ve spend two years seeing will every single day to not seeing him for months on end?”

“yeah..i don’t really know honestly, sam. do what your heart wants on the inside. the first place that comes to your mind whenever you’re thinking about this,” grace said and images of michigan flashed in samy’s mind which quickly seemed to be her answer.

—

“god, i can’t believe you guys are going to college already,” grace was in town to help samy and will pack their things up for college. while will was out, the older blonde drove to ann arbor to see the brunette and catch up before school started.

“me neither. i didn’t think i’d be this sad about it honestly,” samy laughed while labeling her bins.

“you guys grew up way too fast for my liking, but i’m really proud of you guys. you’re gonna do really great at mich,” the blonde smiled.

“i’m really excited. we already have a groupchat for soccer and all the girls are so excited to welcome us freshmen in.”

“that’s really sweet. you’re gonna flourish, i just know it and i’ll be watching like i always do,” grace’s words were sentimental and it was taking a lot in samy to not burst out into tears these past few days as she said her goodbyes and packed her room away.

“how’s will’s packing doing? he was making progress when i saw him two days ago,” the brunette giggled.

“he’s getting a lot done with my help and mom’s. you know, he keeps talking about you, like, every conversation i swear he brings you up,” the younger hughes’ cheeks burned hearing that. it still felt so foreign to her to have this side of her will’s relationship unlocked and hearing him talk about her like that from other people.

“how surprised were you when you found out?” samy wondered while grace took a breather for a second by sitting on samy’s bed.

“surprised, but i did kind of see it coming. plus, i knew he had crazy feelings for you,” the blonde laughed.

“yeah, i’ve heard. i guess ryan and gabe’s teasing really was true.”

“it was also really obvious to everyone but you guys. we all basically knew,” that made samy flush even more. “but i’m really happy for you guys. i’ve never seen will so smiley and happy about someone before.”

“it sucks that we’re only getting together at the end of summer basically. i’m gonna really miss him,” samy admitted with a small frown.

“i know it sucks, but i think long distance will be good for you guys because you can grow into yourselves outside of your relationship you know? be your own person. plus, you guys already know everything about one another so you’ve already made it over the hardest part,” the oldest smith sibling hummed.

“i guess so. i just wish we had a little more time together. feels like i just got him and now i’m losing him for months on end.”

“knowing will, he’ll beg you to fly out,” that made them laugh.

“it’s so cliche, you know? childhood best friends fall in love with one another later on. we really hit that one on the head,” samy giggled.

“i don’t think it’s cliche. i think it’s cute. i always feel like the relationships that were friendships first always work out the best because you already know everything about one another, you know?”

“yeah like how he always pooped his pants when we were like five,” the girls laughed again.

“it will fly by, i promise.”

samy thought of will out with some of his friends right now. he wondered what they were doing and how she was gonna see him later tonight when she drove back with grace after packing some more.

to no one’s surprise, will was also thinking of samy. anytime he looked at his phone, he saw the lockscreen of the two of them together and the blonde always grinned seeing her there.

[thekoalapastriesbakery]

Yaknow what would be funny? I bet the entire time otter!hybrid franco was talking to tiger!hybrid alex up until he was lead to reader and dog!hybrid logan he was flirting because its like his go to way of getting out of trouble and alex just thinks its really cute this little pup is trying to seduce him to get out of nonexistent trouble, he just has to show the pup to his boyfriends they'll love him, franco who has by now realized that he's not going to be let go but he also hasn't done anything wrong is now kinda worried he's going to be eaten by tiger!hybrid alex (which does not happen) until alex opens his drivers room to show dog!hybrid logan and what he can only assume to be a fennec fox!hybrid reader, and wow he thought that alex and logan were pleasing to the eye but wow reader is gorgeous then out of nowhere he gets dumped on reader and logan's laps with what he swears is alex telling you both that franco is your new kid, franco tries flirting with all of you after his little mental freak out and all any of you can think is 'aw our new pup is cute' like a parent would their child, later franco is talking to the media after a race and the reporter asks him somthing mean about logan and he frowns at them telling them that they can't talk about one of his new dads like that and to please refrain from doing so and the rest of the grid is side eyeing franco trying to see if they heard that right, alex ever the proud new papa he is comes up to franco hugs him and gives him a kiss on the forehead and tells him that he's proud of franco for dealing with the reporters questions so maturely, they are later seen with logan and reader in some ice cream shop or restaurant with fans taking picture and speculating wether or not franco has actually accepted being your child.

Don't knowif you actually likr this just thought that a different perspective would intrigue you.

–🍑

i'm a sucker for hybrid!drivers and found family trope <3 i am definitely intrigued peaches!

otter!franco is utterly unprepared for when tiger!alex approaches him. he's dealt with bigger hybrids before, of course, but a tiger? never. so he tries his default setting that almost always gets him out of trouble. he flirts.

he's right in the middle of batting his eyelashes at alex with a cheeky grin when alex lets out some sort of rumbling chuckle and grabs franco by the scruff of his neck. in alex's mind, he's just found the perfect pup to complete your little pack. but, as always, he doesn't bother telling everyone involved. like franco. for example.

speaking of, poor franco is now silently panicking as he's dragged around by tiger!alex. he's both a prey and predator species, so half of him is screaming to fight and the other is telling him to run far far away. all that really manifests as is him squirming in alex's grip and letting out indignant squeaks. he's half-scared he's about to be eaten by alex. he knows it's irrational—predator hybrids almost never eat prey hybrids—but there are still a few creeps who do. every orchard has a bad apple or two.

but then ... then alex opens the door to his driver's room. and there on the little sofa is dog!logan, who franco already feels awkward about replacing mid-season, and you. your ears almost comically large. franco still thinks you make it work. momentarily, he's been distracted from tiger!alex basically kidnapping him. he barely even blinks when logan's tail starts smacking against the sofa.

alex deposits franco on your lap, right beside logan. it's eerily reminiscent of about a year and a half ago. by now, you've learned not to question it. you just sigh and allow otter!franco to sniff you before he curls up on your lap and starts fluffing his tail. he's not in the water, and it's not even forecast to rain, but he's very diligent about keeping his coat waterproof.

"new pup?"

"new pup!"

adding franco to your little pack was easier than you thought it would be.

nothing against him, of course, but alex had a habit of sniffing out hybrid!drivers who were just as chaotic as he was. like logan, or even his friendship with deer!george. you couldn't help but be a little skeptical of otter!franco.

he is just as chaotic. you're not surprised about that. what you are surprised about is that franco happens to be a perfect mix between mischievous overgrown tiger cub!alex and oblivious happy-go-lucky dog!logan. and, even better, franco loves to play hunting with the two of them. as long as he's not the one being hunted. you'd had franco for less than a day and you'd already had a crying otter pup on your lap because your boyfriends weren't quick learners about how rough was too rough to play.

after his first race, franco is in the media pen. he's no stranger to the media, of course, but he certainly underestimated how vicious they would get when he stepped up to f1. most of the questions are mundane or easy to ignore. but then comes the one he's dreading. a reporter asks him if he's glad to be replacing logan because now there's "an actually talented driver in the second williams". franco lets out a few angry squeaks before he speaks.

"you can't talk about one of my dads like that! he's more talented than you'll ever be, so please keep your ... opinions to yourself."

every other driver in the media pen pauses and looks at franco in disbelief. there are a few other hybrid!drivers. but even they had never joined or created a pack/herd/etc as quickly as franco seemed to have. then tiger!alex strolls over and he's ruffling otter!franco's fur around his ears and acting just like any good papa would. and then it makes sense. alex has a reputation—he spots someone he likes, and they'll have joined his pack by the end of the day.

you, alex, and logan take franco out for celebratory ice cream after the team debrief. they have special hybrid-safe ice cream because of course they do. none of you are really thinking about the media or the fans' reactions. you've all got your little pack, and that becomes all the more clear when photos of both dog!logan and otter!franco (somehow) curled up on your lap and fast asleep plaster the social media sites the next day.

[violets-emotionalbreakdown]

Something important for us all to remember is that we've had 3 years to make these characters our own, to internalize them. Fanon is not canon. My Vi is not your Vi is not my mutual's Vi. My Caitlyn is not your Caitlyn. My Jinx is not your Jinx.

We've had 3 years for them to grow and change, to identify with them and project on them, to mold them into what we need them to be.

We've had 3 years with an amazing starting point where we could veer off in so many different directions, not constrained by knowing what comes next.

We're about to know what comes next. All those possibilities, those dreams for what we wanted, are going to be unequivocally canon divergent (except for every fic writer who called Vi being a street/pit fighter, they get to be smug as hell).

There is only one canon.

I've fallen prey to this before, where after a long gap and making a character mine, she didn't react in the new canon to things like my version of her would have. That's ok. It doesn't make it bad storytelling on the actual writer's part. That doesn't make it out of character.

You get me? It doesn't make it bad or ooc if the characters in the new season aren't the way you predicted or want them to be. You will have time afterward to incorporate the new information, possibly re-evaluate your view of them, and make them your own again. (For good this time, bc it's the last season.)

So just watch and let things play out and let them settle before you get upset, ok?

[james-spooky]

this is a test

[jasontoddstherapist]

PSA |

Yes this is a Jason Peter Todd centric blog, but it's also 100% supportive of Talia al Ghul. There will be no slander here. No perpetuating of the racist, misogynistic bullshit that drove the narrative divebomb of her character.

[polkadotpatterson]

okeydoke as I have not had much energy for working on stuff lately (but lots of motivation) I'm not gonna do proper NaNo with a wordcount or anything, BUT I am gonna make it a goal to get some amount of work done on a writing project every day (at least until I go away on the 24th). Main priority blaseball projects are, in no particular order:

Fic about the ending

Abner fic

Simon's Quest

secret fic(s) :)

get the Talkers exchange set up

Aside from that, I've been poking at more non-blaseball stuff, which is a good excuse for me to plug my writing blog @cyndakip! All my fics get posted there, so if you're interested in my writing beyond just blaseball (especially if you like pokemon), I recommend following me there, since I don't post non-blaseball fics here.

[autisticblueteam]

I think... I've actually finished part 1 of the gL re-write?

Rounded out at about 99.2k, I was expecting it to cross the 100k line but as it shook out a scene that was going to go in chapter 14 is actually getting bumped along so that trimmed it down a bit.

Which means 14 more chapters to go for part 2. I'm torn between starting to upload it before finishing the whole thing and waiting until I'm completely done. Because these first 14 chapters have already taken me like two years, but also publishing after it's all done is better for continuity edits and... wavey hands.

I'll probably see how the next few chapters go and decide after based on that. But! Progress!

[famewolf]

got back from the lake last night

it was a ton of fun and we spent most of it zooted out of our minds. but it also really hit me how much has changed in the last 8+ years. seeing a bunch of people that I hadnt seen since my teens or early 20s. it strangely put a lot of things into perspective for me, especially considering I feel like I lost time due to the pandemic.

all in all, a lot of relaxing and chatting and eating good food!

[sheliesshattered]

The sequin fabric for my I-am-determined-to-make-this-happen cosplay arrived the other day, and since I am still up to my eyeballs in handsewing for my Rhaenyra dress, all I did was open the plastic bag the fabric shipped in so I could check the red color against a few other pieces of the costume. Didn’t even take it out of the bag, just unfolded it a tiny bit so I could see the front of the fabric.

And yet somehow there are already sequins all over my house.

[musashi]

i want more nuance to be entered into the discussion of the green girl sorority and how differently cynthia plays elphaba in comparison to those who came before her because while a lot of people are rightfully like "why was elphaba not black from the beginning" and celebrating that she is now being played by a black woman, i think we need to be careful in just writing off all the elphabas of the past as Random White Girls when the role was championed (and often followed/succeeded) by a jewish woman

the pop culture archetype of the Wicked Witch has deep roots in antisemitism stretching faaaar far back. there is a level of reclamation happening in casting idina menzel, a jewish woman, to play the Misunderstood and Maligned young girl who is branded as exactly that. and stage!Elphaba is also written and acted with jewish stereotypes in mind--she is loud, aggressive, no-nonsense, blunt. she is quick to advocate for herself and shut down the discrimination she faces. all of this is very intentional! her personality is abrasive from years of abuse, and that makes propagandizing her easy. this is literally the thesis statement of the musical--it's not about aptitude, it's the way you're viewed.

cynthia's performance of elphaba is fucking INSPIRED despite going in a completely different direction. she's much more reserved, analytical, one of her key character traits is how well she can read people (see her calling out Galinda as insecure/putting on airs in their first scene together, clocking that Fiyero is using his party guy persona as a shield for his own depression) elphaba's attempts to blend in and make herself smaller all fail simply because of her existence, if not that then because she feels empathy so strongly she often struggles to hold back from acting, protecting.

personality wise, though, cynthia's elphaba is very quiet and closed-off, not at all the bullet-to-the-face that she is in the stage show, and... she still gets propagandized and maligned. though this seems to contradict the other interpretation, it tells of the other end of the spectrum of propaganda, one that black women watching (and many, MANY other marginalized folks) are sure to identify with--it does not matter how "nice," how reserved, how small a black woman makes herself. a racist society will still scrutinize her every action for a way to parse ill intent from it, brand her as an angry black woman who is dangerous and wicked, and write off any humanity she has in the process.

these two very different interpretations tell of the lie of assimilation. the fact of the matter is, when you are marginalized, there is no way to sand down your edges enough to make the people oppressing you "accept" you. that is why wicked is a tragedy at its core. whether loud and aggressive or quiet and unimposing, there is nothing elphaba could have done to make the people of Oz see her as anything other than a scapegoat to blame all their problems on.

so while i definitely appreciate that people are excited for black girl era elphaba, i would encourage us all to still show appreciation for what came before--that was not white girl era elphaba. that was jewish girl era elphaba. two houses, both alike in dignity, two stories both worth being told.