#but alas i cannot bring myself to lol so here you are

[arkaylarts]

I've greatly taken a liking to them.

[sotvtaughtmehowtofeel]

20 Questions for Writers

Thanks for the tag @autumnwoodsdreamer 💜

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

47

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

118,647

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Prospect. I used to write for The Last of Us but alas, the rot has shifted

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Uncle Joel

Safe

Home

Tell Her

Tacos

These are all short little one shots for tlou

5. Do you respond to comments?

I really try to but I think the honest answer is no 😭 every once in a while I go on a bender and respond to like 50 comments but I get so anxious responding because I'm like hiii thank you 🧍‍♀️ the best way to talk to me is on here tbh but please please don't stop leaving me comments I love them with my entire soul

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Probably Joel. It's a death fic, but honestly it's not very good lol I have a death fic for Prospect that is mostly written that's gonna be wayy angstier, I just have to finish it

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

To see myself reflected in your eyes 💜 Cee and Ezra deserve to live a happy life thanks

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I haven't, I've been lucky. People have been super supportive and so so nice on my fics (I love you all).

tbh I don't think my writing is popular enough to get hate lol.

9. Do you write smut?

No

10. Do you write crossovers?

I have written so many crossover fics that will never ever see the light of day lol I do not have any on ao3

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not that I know of (again I don't think my writing is popular enough for either of these things to happen haha)

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Tumblr user tlouobsessed and I cowrote a fic (sobbed in our dms together). I took all the ideas we had talked about and wrote a little ficlet from them and I consider that cowriting

14. What’s your all-time favourite ship?

Oh, how to answer that. Willow and Tara (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) were my original OTP, I shipped them before I knew what shipping was. Nomi and Amanita (Sense8), couple of all time. There are more but I think those are my top two.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

No Light 😭 I have ideas but no rot left. Maybe season 2 will reignite it, but I just don't know. Also, Stolen Future, the Prospect death fic I mentioned earlier. Idk why but I'm having so much trouble just finishing it. I do hope to actually finish that one day.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think I can write some good dialogue and fight scenes sometimes

I think I do a good job with storytelling sometimes? Combining different threads across a story to bring it all together. I'm thinking of how the present and flashbacks interact in By Midnight Time and something from Stolen Future

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I cannot describe things to save my life. All of my fics happen in empty white rooms good luck I hope your imagination fills everything in. It's such a fundamental aspect of writing that I am so so bad at lol I'm trying to learn from my friends and reading published books but it's hard!

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

Prev also said this but I agree, italicize other languages. Otherwise, go for it, but do your research if you don't speak the language

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer back when I was a teenager. Didn't know what fanfic was, but my sister and I had a LOT of feelings about Buffy and we had to express them somewhere so we wrote our stories.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

By Midnight Time. Now I just need to freaking finish it 😉

Although I'm also very very fond of Blood of the Covenant and Water of the Womb, a one-shot told from both Ezra's and Cee's pov

Absolutely no pressure tags: @orangechickenpillow @blooming-gwens @dilf-din @ellies-little-gun @ellies-enrichment @outer-edges @steeb-stn @wicked--loving--lies

[yulechemist]

I just finished up act 1 of the fontaine archon quests and oh. oh my god. SPOILERS AHEAD!!!! PLEASE DO NOT LOOK AT THIS POST IF YOU ARE AVOIDING SPOILERS THANK YOU!!! Also warning ramblings ahead, my thoughts are always completely out of order and also possibly incoherent at times.

Holy shit. Okay first of all I literally almost cried when Childe showed up. I have missed him SO MUCH oh my god. AND HE TRUSTS US WITH HIS VISION????? I'M LITERALLY GOING TO DIE. I'm sad he wasn't around for long but considering he needs to get his vision back at some point I know I'll get to see him again. I'm sorry him wanting an excuse to talk to us again I'm so emotional my HEART.

And LYNEY AND LYNETTE ARE FATUI????? WHAT. That trial was CRAZY but I feel so bad for Navia because I totally want to be partners with her and unfortunately it seems traveler does NOT want that but I'm invested in these disappearances. I get it though, traveler is probably sick of having to help everyone in existence all the time when the whole goal is trying to find their sibling. However. I personally want to help. LOL.

I can't figure out how I feel about Arlecchino knowing what I do now after Lyney told us about his backstory. I really don't trust her but on the other hand she doesn't sound like she's that bad? Maybe? Idk the very idea of trusting a harbinger makes me nervous of feeling BETRAYED because I remember back in Liyue when I realized Childe was actually against us and I felt SO UPSET. Even now like, I love him, but also I cannot for the life of me bring myself to trust him. Sidenote: he mentioned fishing with Teucer and that Teucer said something and I can't be the only one so curious about what it was bc Teucer is such a sweet kid. I can't wait to go to Snezhnaya bc SURELY we get to meet Childe's family. I didn't mean to start rambling about him but here we are. Whoops?

Anyways CHARACTER IMPRESSIONS! I think Furina is really fun and cute. I really like her flair for dramatics, even if it's always a bit much. And Neuvillette, omg? I really really like him too. I was sorta expecting him to be kinda cold, just based off his resting expression and his overall design I suppose, but he was actually really polite and I thought he seemed nice. I'm definitely excited to see more of him. As for Navia, honestly? She's so pretty. Like, wow, pretty. I love her style and her personality and she seems really overeager to work with us and it makes me feel bad because she was just so disappointed. Though with how this always goes I'm certain we'll end up working together anyways. Lyney and Lynette are sweet and I really enjoyed being with them, it's a shame traveler can't trust them after learning they're actually fatui, but frankly I don't blame traveler that much. I hope we'll get to be with them again soon though. I really want to pull for Lyney but one more Benny con and it's over for me, so alas, I must hold off as long as I can. Maybe eventually though, I think he's genuinely very kind and I like that a lot about him. I don't think I've seen much of anyone else, so I don't really have any further first impressions, but I'm very excited to see where this goes next. Now I have to sleep though, I spent way longer playing than I meant to. LOL

[ragazza-paradiso]

so, semi final 2, i am very nervous and think my heart will break a little more than tuesday night

here’s my ranking, anyhow

18. 🇮🇱 “I.M” by Michael Ben David: i dislike this song immensely, and what i’ve seen and heard from the act himself in the past few days makes me dislike him personally too!

17. 🇦🇺 “Not the Same” by Sheldon Riley: it’s a nice message but it comes across a bit pretentious to me and annoying i’m not gonna lie

16. 🇲🇹 “I Am Who I Am” by Emma Muscat: this actually pains me so much bc i love emma but this song is just not good, she should’ve stuck with “Out Of Sight” at least that was a decent pop song

15. 🇫🇮 “Jezebel” by The Rasmus: i like the melody but the lyrics are just so bad i cannot get into this song. his vocals also don’t sound very good. sorry :/

14. 🇧🇪 “Miss You” by Jérémie Makiese: the studio cut is nice (although nothing spectacular) and i thought they would stage it very well, but looks like that’s not the case. apparently he missed the big note quite badly in the jury show. don’t have big hopes for this one

13. 🇬🇪 “Lock Me In” by Circus Mircus: i do like the studio cut but it gets a little repetitive and they didn’t give it the life on stage i was hoping for :(

12. 🇲🇰 “Circles” by Andrea: it’s a nice song and she sings it well, it’s just a little forgettable for me. they really gave her nothing to work with staging-wise, either

11. 🇵🇱 “River” by Ochman: i liked this song at first, but again it’s very repetitive and i’ve grown off it over time. his voice is crazy good though. not a fan of the windows movie maker effects though lol

10. 🇪🇪 “Hope” by Stefan: i looooove the studio track of this song, and i wish we could’ve seen what they would’ve done with this had the stage been working correctly, but alas, we’re left with a giant black hole and it’s just not perfect for me like i wanted it to be. still, sing your heart out boy <3

9. 🇦🇿 “Fade to Black” by Nadir Rustamli: the song isn’t great by itself, but they’ve really elevated it with the staging. he has maybe the best male voice this year in my opinion, he sounds just like the studio cut.

8. 🇷🇴 “Llámame” by wrs: the revamped version of this is great, and they bring so much life on stage. i’m really worried about how the juries will react to this but i hope he gets enough love to qualify

7. 🇮🇪 “That’s Rich” by Brooke: this is so good 😭 i’m so proud of ireland for once and i really need to see her serving in the final too. girlie deserves it

6. 🇲🇪 “Breathe” by Vladana: another big grower for me this year, the lyrics might not flow that well, but you can get the overall message, and the beautiful instrumental only enhances that for me, plus she looks gorgeous on stage.

5. 🇨🇾 “Ela” by Andromache: i love this song, it’s so enchanting and magical, and i like the staging concept they’ve used. she’s a fantastic singer, and i like that cyprus is incorporating ethnic elements and the greek language into their songs again. i think they’ll keep their qualification streak (apart from ukraine & sweden i think that’ll make them the country with the longest one? assuming israel NQs. pretty cool for such a small country!)

4. 🇸🇲 “Stripper” by Achille Lauro: speaking of qualification streaks! the smallest country in the contest shall hopefully have a 3 year one! this is just, so good. achille is a born performer and he has put on a show for europe.

3. 🇨🇿 “Lights Off” by We Are Domi: i love this as a show closer! so much energy, i love dominika and the light show for this looks so cool!

2. 🇸🇪 “Hold Me Closer” by Cornelia Jakobs: i know she’s had technical problems (here’s hoping she won’t tonight) but this is just the whole package, amazing song, amazing staging, amazing voice. i really hope everything falls into place tonight

1. 🇷🇸 “In Corpore Sano” by Konstrakta: who else would be my number one, lol? i’ve already repeated myself ad infinitum about this song, this is my fave of the whole contest. she is simply a queen.

[angelbabysimon]

✨joy list!✨

ah what a lovely tag! thank u @tooindecisivetopickaurl for this challenge our divorce will be number 1 on this list 😌

things that bring me joy...

my cat

taylor swift

people telling me i'm funny

people commenting my fics saying they're funny

being home alone so i can sing taylor swift songs as loud as possible (the rendition of all too well i did this afternoon was quite something i hurt myself lol)

solitude lol

karaoke (in which everyone around me is experiencing the opposite of joy)

getting into bed at night

thinking about becoming a teacher

iced coffee

wildflowers

Fish Scene TM

memories of this past summer

the scholarship i received from my school today lol

things with stars on them

candles

mcdonalds

when the domino's driver shows up

laughing with my roommates so hard we're all crying and can't speak

figure skating

spending time with my sister and brother in law

christmas

inside jokes that have lasted for years

people sending me glee things bc i have cursed everyone with thinking about me whenever glee is mentioned

thinking about the past six months here

the discord server antics

specifically a certain photo in it

all u homies

i really tried to make an earnest serious list but alas i am not serious and therefore cannot. i tag @cantputitintowords @starboywille @purplehoodiesimon @i-love-semicolons @royalwilmon @prncewilhelm to make a list of things that bring you joy 👼

[purplesurveys]

1309

3 things you’ve done today:

Slept in for the FIRST TIME IN YEARS. I feel incredible.

Had a dream about my celebrity crush and told my sister all about it as soon as I was properly awake.

I guess this next entry counts since I was doing it at 2 AM, but I started watching The Raincoat Killer on Netflix. 

3 things you’ve purchased recently:

I got a box of sushi last Thursday because my overtime that night was just downright cruel lmao. I made it grand and got the box with 30 pieces because I know I goddamn deserved it.

A couple of vape pods.

Blackhead pore strips not because I have blackheads but just because I wanted to experience placing it on my nose and peeling it off HAHAHA. A stupid impulse buy for sure.

3 things you’ve eaten today:

Again, all these entries are from earlier last night since I’ve barely done anything this morning but:

Chicken fillet ala king from McDonald’s

French fries, also from McDonald’s

Tuna spread canapes

3 movies you enjoy:

When it comes to movies I want to watch simply to have a good time, Love Actually takes the cake. That movie just makes me so happy lol.

Toy Story

The Proposal

3 of your favorite bands:

Paramore

HONNE - if they count?

BTS - again, if they count haha. I’m not a very big band person these days.

3 songs you enjoy:

I’ll make it one song for each group I mentioned so it’s easier:

Pool - Paramore

loving you is so easy - HONNE

UGH! - BTS

3 things you wish for:

That weekends can be longer than two days

That I can travel to a different country, or different countries, soon

That cooking came natural to me

3 things you’re wearing:

My Sowozoo pajamas ahahaha

Underwear

My hairtie on my wrist

3 things on your mind:

What time I should go to the mall so I can buy a new phone charger cord, because my old one just died on me last night precisely when I was at 1%. I magically, MAGICALLY was able to find an angle that worked and I managed to get it to full charge, but I wanna be safe and just go to the mall and get a new one just so it’s out of my worries.

What time my mom will be back home, since she took my car out.

That my shoulders and lower back are currently bothering me.

3 of your favorite smells:

A freshly-cleaned hotel or resort room

Bacon and eggs being cooked

Coffee shops

3 words to describe how you feel now:

Well-relaxed - I got 8 hours of sleep and have forgotten how refreshing it feels. I only got 3 or 4 hours each night for this week in particular.

Hungry - Another reason why I already wanna head to the mall, so I can get something to munch on. Most likely will land in a Starbucks.

Relieved - Because it’s the weekend.

3 things you like about yourself:

It’s not a good trait to have, but I like that I’m a workaholic lol. But I like getting things done and hitting targets, so it works out for me even if I barely get any sleep and end up doing the work of people I find slow.

My memory is excellent so I get to remember what my friends are into or currently interested in, and bring it up at random moments to make them happy.

That I am finally able to give back to my parents.

3 unpopular opinions you have:

I cannot stand fruits in most contexts. I can drink powdered fruit juice and eat the mangoes in sushi, but I don’t like having them by itself.

I wouldn’t like, neglect them or anything if faced with one, but I’m not the biggest fan of cats and have always preferred dogs.

Liking balut is surprisingly such an unpopular opinion so let’s place it here as well.

3 things you enjoy doing:

Bea reintroduced me to diamond painting a couple of weeks ago when she brought her work-in-progress to Zambales. I had thrown out my own set a while back since mine had come from Gabie, but doing it again with her and Kata made me realize how much I miss it. I might buy one for myself before the year ends.

Going to a restaurant I haven’t tried and having their offerings.

Watching BTS videos until the ass crack of dawn.

3 of your favorite photos (or memories):

Continued...12ish hours later lol. Most recently, my Zambales trip with my bosses-slash-friends. It was my first out of town trip that I paid for myself and one that lasted for more than a day, so it definitely serves as a milestone.

Paramore show, 2018.

Finding out I passed UP. That night was bittersweet too, I guess, because I couldn’t celebrate it with my grandpa who passed away a few months before the results came out. But it’s a happy memory nonetheless.

3 things in your room:

I have a mug of mocha coffee beside me. It’s my second cup for the day sooooooo just hoping my palpitations in a few hours won’t be too bad.

I got a cute little Jimin-themed foldable fan as a freebie from the K-pop merch shop I frequent! I dunno where to place it in my room yet but for now, it’s here on my work desk.

I’m not actually sure what you call it but I have a tub of menthol rub(?) for my shoulders and back that hurt...pretty much 24/7 now lol.

3 things that scare you:

Turning out awful at anything I’m supposed to be good at.

Fire. It’s why I can never get to start on cooking huhuhu so much fire involved :(((

Bea recently talked about how PR is not a very sustainable career, i.e. you rarely see any mid-30s to 40-something people doing PR...so that kinda set me into a crisis. Like what WILL I be doing in 20 years? It’s just nerve-wracking to think about.

3 things that you find attractive in a person:

Being low-maintenance. I cannot deal with divas, i.e. too picky with food, gatekeeping when it comes to things like movies, music, etc.

Taking the initiative to help me with the smallest of tasks, unasked.

If they are comfortable with silence. Some people feel the need to fill it all the time and keep small talk going, and sometimes that’s just exhausting.

3 places you have traveled:

South Korea, albeit very briefly.

Singapore

Indonesia

3 of your favorite flowers or plants:

Peonies

...That’s it, really.

3 facts about your current life:

I worked overtime 4 out of 5 days this week, leaving me completely burned out. I was so happy to be completely lazy on the couch today.

I am currently eating shawarma alongside taking occasional sips from my coffee.

I’ve stopped going crazy on merch expenses because I’m finally eyeing getting insurance and a new phone, since my screen is DYING by the day.

3 books you’ve read recently:

I don’t really read anymore.

3 things you are planning to do this summer:

You mean by next year? I imagine just being drowned in work again lol.

I hope I get to squeeze in a trip, though.

...But to be honest, I have nothing set in stone this early.

3 games you enjoy - any type:

I'm obsessed with Rhythm Hive these days. I’m talking 6-hours-a-day-every-weekend obsessed.

Grand Theft Auto, but I never actually do the missions lmao. Open world games in general are fascinating to me and I always wanna see how much I can do.

Mario Kart.

3 facts about your appearance:

I have bangs that are way too long at this point, but I’m trying to grow them out so I can finally get rid of them. 

I currently have a dingdong on my left cheek, but I’m expecting it to go away in a day or two.

I had a really bad fall earlier this week (I was getting out of bed one morning and was too groggy to tell that my left leg was in the middle of a crazy pins and needles attack, so the moment that leg landed on the floor I dropped straight on my knee, hard) - which first appeared as a bruise, and ultimately ended up as a wound. Thankfully it’s starting to itch now, which means it’s on its way to healing. 

[hongism]

hi caly boo its ur 🌊 anon! i finally finished the most brilliant darkness and oh my lawd i’m in spain without the s. to put it shortly: U DID NOT DISAPPOINT BESTIE, and it seems unreal that u and ur mind and this fic even exists bc every moment is just polished to perfection, while simultaneously every character is polished to a sort of imperfect perfection(?). i have so many questions and things to say idek where to start, and tho im not good with words and even worse at deciphering hidden meanings, here are just some of my thoughts that i remember from the story.

hello my dear!!! eee im gonna answer separately since i think i’ll be very long-winded as usual but first of all thank you so much :(( this fic is actually very full of subliminal messages and hidden nuances that are weaved throughout which i think could be quite confusing so i apologize for that! if i had managed my time better, i would have adjusted when i started the fic to account for managing those aspects of the fic but alas i’m terrible at time management and i suck so. anyways.

first of all, ngl halfway into the story i lowkey forgot this was a wooyoung fic bc SANNN and also bc wooyoung appeared like 3 times lol. even after it finishing all that, i still had my doubts as to why this is a wooyoung fic, or more like why is san this significant in a wooyoung fic. im still a bit slow on these pls forgive me and im just curious why u made it like that.

i think yeah the most interesting thing about this fic is the emphasis on san over wooyoung. and when looking over it yeah i could have switched san and wooyoung’s characters and called it a day, but wooyoung really in my mind acts as the integral turning point for decisions made in the story. 

the goal with the fic wasn’t really to be hyperfocused on the pairing itself, but rather the emotions and thought processes of each character (aside from wooyoung). wooyoung was kept intentionally mysterious and a bit set apart from the rest of the fic because his role in story was moreso an abstract of hestia, the goddess of the hearth and home. wooyoung’s character appeared in times where y/n was struggling with the thought of home or adjusting to the new changes in her life! wooyoung’s pairing itself was actually intended to be solely platonic at first, but as the story went on i thought having mc develop feelings for him added another turning point in the fic!

moving on, the second biggest question i had is the whole hestia!wooyoung and cafe aurora situation. i did a bit of reading on hestia and only found out that she was the goddess of hearth, which might explain the fireplace and the kind of homey feeling to the cafe. and ‘cafe aurora not really existing to most’ part, which was already hinted at wooyoung randomly disappearing, mc never seeing the cafe before or wooyoung only bringing people he wants into it. i get that him inviting mc must suggest her significance to him, but why was he so adamant about his friends not mentioning him or the cafe to mc before that? wooyoung is quite a mysterious character i think, and given that this fic is supposed to be about him, it’s a bit odd that there’s still so many things left unknown, but its kinda cool that way nonetheless and im guessing u would also like to explain that further outside of the story too.

i think my biggest regret about this fic is the fucking summary.... i wrote that summary well before i even started writing the fic thinking it would go in that direction but it didn’t. and since this fic was for a collab, i left the summary as is because i genuinely cannot for the life of me figure out a better one. but i’m trying to figure out a better one. but i really fucking hate the current summary because it’s not at all what the fic is truly about and i hate it.

however, i don’t hate the fic itself, and the reason why i don’t is because i got to play with both my writing style and how i displayed the story. for this collab we were asked to pick a greek god and one of the seven deadly sins, and i selected hestia and sloth. and initially i had intended to have sloth be represented by the reader’s depression, and wooyoung be a more ‘real’ depiction of hestia. i shifted gears very early on in the fic but what it became is moreso abstract realizations in the characters.

san’s character is meant to be this idea of sloth, and it’s mentioned several times that he doesn’t want to move forward, he wants to go slow, he wants to stop moving so fast through life, and those things point to him being a depiction of sloth

wooyoung’s was harder to encapsulate in a more abstract way but you hit the nail on the head really with the homey feeling of the cafe. beyond that, mc talks about just naturally feeling at ease and comfortable with how things are with wooyoung and being around him, and he takes up this role of being the likeable, warm, cozy, comforting character. it all comes to a head in the last scene where he brings both y/n and san into the cafe.

and again wooyoung’s character is meant to be most mysterious and abstract, but if i had had more time to fully flesh out the fic, i think i would have liked to touch more on him. at the same time however i left it more open-ended and open to interpretation. the significance in him inviting mc in and not being mentioned by the others sooner is twofold. one; the others never really had any reason whatsoever to mention wooyoung. he was a friend outside the circle who never joined in with them when mc was around. i personally in my own friendships don’t mention friends outside the circle by name or anything, just kinda vaguely talking about them unless im certain the people know who this person is. the concept of wooyoung having to invite mc in was more nuanced and vague as well, intentionally so, but that was moreso meant to represent this idea of ‘you can’t make a home somewhere where you aren’t invited’ so y/n couldn’t fully make a home of the place she was in without being invited in and welcomed in, but again that’s something i wish i had more time to fully flesh out.

the hongjoong speech about love (and also the interaction with seonghwa after that) deserves a standing ovation of its own 👏 unfortunately, or not, im not actually going through the emotional turmoil regarding love the same way as hj or mc to be able to fully relate to his words, but the whole ‘if you dont love what u see in the mirror then u dont love it’ mentality really hit me hard, and i’d like to hang onto that when i make decisions in the future haha thank you wise caly! seonghwa and hongjoong’s story is also beautiful, and just like mc said, the more i look at it the more it hurts :’)

the hongjoong speech about love was meant to be something very jaded and specific to his worldview. it actually isn’t wholly how i view love personally, but it was a perfect description to how both he and y/n perceived the love in their own lives. mostly thanks to their own emotional turmoils. the mentality of the mirror quote is something that i think i also struggle with, which is why i included it. it’s hard to do, but even in friendships, i think it’s necessarily to stop and look at the person you were before this relationship and then the person during this relationship. if you don’t love the one you are now, then maybe it’s a sign to reflect and see the bigger picture, so that was a lil reminder to myself and i’m glad it touched you as well!!!

“do you love him, or do you love the idea of being in love with him?” - haha i see what u did there (or maybe i didnt please dont laugh at me if i didnt). its still so good everytime i see it bc i keep finding myself loving just the idea of things time and time again even when this makes total sense to me oof :/

heh yeah again with the more abstract concepts this one was more direct and ‘cliche’ but i fully wanted that cliche in the fic because i thought it suited the situation where mc was constantly struggling with a version of san that she thought she loved vs the version of san she got every time they were together

despite how enlightened she seems to be, mc still made the same choices, and i wanna smack her for it and pat her back at the same time. and maybe also bc of the fact that she feels so differently for the two men that i feel like no ending could really justify her decision, so ending in the vague is probably the best. your ending might kind of allude to someone more than the other already, and tho i still don’t think he’s the best one for her based on just my pov on love, i kinda agree with you. but again, this raises the question of, why a wooyoung fic and not a san fic?

and yeah the whole knife in the chest at the end of it all is that she was still too scared to face the music so to speak. but really i would say she made the same choices up until the conversation on the balcony with san. and you’re absolutely right, the reason i chose the ending the way i did was because either way, there’s no justification. and actually although it might seems like i was alluding to someone specific, san being in the cafe at the very end was moreso to represent that as much as they fought, he still very much loved her and wanted to be loved by her. it was kinda an open casket ending there were no nails in the coffin, the choice between wooyoung and san still stands and an argument could be made for either of them! i think this is a fic that i could see myself revisiting one day with two endings - one for san, and one for wooyoung.

something i didn’t mention earlier about wooyoung’s character being left intentionally mysterious was that he was representing a new and budding love. the honeymoon phase where you’re falling for someone you don’t even really know. you are the reader aren’t meant to really know who wooyoung is because of that beyond what you read about him, so his past and such was left out intentionally to represent that idea of ‘hey wow im in love with a stranger!’ whereas san was this gritty love that’s bad for you. and there are pros and cons to each just as with anything!!

so,,,, why a wooyoung fic and not a san fic? well i picked wooyoung for my collab so he was one of the main focuses of the fic regardless of which direction i took with it. as for why wooyoung wasn’t more forward, i already answered that but !!! i view it as both a wooyoung fic and a san fic. both are highlighted characters with main pairing roles!

i literally just woke up to write this and am going back to sleep ahaha so i apologize if this makes no sense. i somehow felt like i’ve read so much yet so little at the same time, maybe bc there are still so many things i havent fully made sense of, and that’s where i hope you come in and enlighten me. i still stand by my word that this fic deserves so much more recognition despite the lack of explicit smut bc of how much more you’ve explored through character building. love you caly and thank u for working so hard <3 — 🌊

no worries my beloved i hope you go back to sleep and get lots and lots of rest!! and i hope my response helps enlighten the not so clear things as well dgjdklfg but really thank you so much. it was a long fic and hard to get through at times, but as a whole, i’m proud of it and what i created, so thank you for recognizing my efforts and appreciating them 🥺

[merakiui]

Day Team Slumber Party

(I wrote this on a whim based off of Ethan saying he’ll get nightmares if there’s too much on his mind and if he forces himself to rest, and June suggesting that everyone should sleep together to solve the problem. lol There’s no point in this, but I want to think it’s an enjoyable read. Now I’ll get back to working on everyone’s requests!)

It’s Louis who complains about the not-so-perfect sleep he had the other night. His fellow teammates look at him, and it’s June who asks for an elaboration. Ethan wishes he wouldn’t, and Theo can only force a small smile while he takes extreme interest in his chopsticks.

“What could be giving you trouble, my brother?” June practically shouts, slamming his drink on the table. “Are you suffering from any nightmares? Is it a vengeful spirit? Tell me and I’ll make sure no one gives you trouble! We’re brothers for a reason!”

Louis, having been given an opportunity, feigns a forlorn expression, holding a gloved hand over his chest. “Your overwhelming kindness is but a mere balm to soothe my pain! Surely you understand the horrid imperfections an improper sleep brings.” He sighs, wiping a faux tear from the corner of his eye. “If this continues any longer, my beautiful skin shall be tarnished! The mirrors may crack if I walk past, and I simply cannot let that happen.”

“Ah.” It slips from Theo without his meaning to, and he figures a small explanation won’t hurt. “Louis, I’m sure you’ll sleep better if you stop worrying.”

“Worry? ‘Tis a silly implication, my handsome Theo! Alas, what shall I do if I’m not as beautiful as the sun? Which, if you haven’t noticed, must shine brighter than everything else!”

“Well, you are the sun, aren’t you?” He means it as a joke, but he knows better than to assume Louis will laugh.

June grins. “I agree with brother Theo! It is just as he says. We must fix this problem of yours so that you can continue to shine as bright as the afternoon sun. That’s what our team represents, isn’t it, my brothers?!”

Ethan rolls his heterochromatic eyes. Though these types of shenanigans are a common happening within the Day Team, it doesn’t do anything to dispel his annoyed state. “We really shouldn’t be enabling such a narcissistic fool. Don’t you have anything better to do than to weep about something so insignificant?”

“How can you say that, brother Ethan? A good rest leads to a healthy mindset!”

“And a lovely lifestyle,” Louis adds, posing dramatically before the three Reapers.

“Why don’t you drink something that’s bound to make you fall asleep? Chamomile is known to treat insomnia, so I could brew you a cup if you’d like.”

“A perfect prince such as myself would never fall victim to that disease you call insomnia!”

It was worth a shot, Theo thinks, deflating. I’m afraid there’s no getting through to him.

“I doubt you’d know what a disease is,” Ethan says, crossing his arms. “You’re quite the disease yourself.”

“Your words wound my already fractured heart!” Louis slumps against the table, woefully sighing. “How cruel of you.”

“Insults won’t fix anything either. Maybe you’re reading too much into this. Everyone’s had their fair share of sleepless nights. You’re no different, Louis. The problem might lie in the fact that you’ve been sleeping in an uncomfortable position, or you’ve had too many heavy thoughts. Whatever it may be, I’m sure you’ll be able to overcome it in no time,” Theo says, shifting so he’s slightly in between Ethan and Louis. “You just need to fix your sleeping habits.”

“That’s it!” June jumps up from his seat. “The answer to your problem is simple! We’ll spend a night together!”

“Excuse me?” Ethan raises a brow.

“Um...” Theo trails on his words. “I don’t think that’s—”

“A marvelous idea! Truly spectacular, my dear June.” Louis applauds him, all traces of sadness gone from his face. “Please tell me more.”

“I’ve heard about it from the manager. They used to participate in a tradition where their closest friends came together for an evening of fun! Something called a slumber party.”

“That sounds too noisy. I’m not going to lose sleep because someone can’t seem to turn away from his own reflection at night.”

“Ethan’s got a point. Aren’t parties a bit too exciting for a time when we should be asleep? Won’t the manager be upset if we’re too tired to work the following day?”

“Nonsense! The manager should join us! They’ll get a chance to see the flawless Prince Louis in his silken night clothes. ‘Tis a sight to behold. Manager may go blind from how perfect I am, even in the late hours of the night.”

“If the manager’s going to be there...” Theo’s cheeks redden at the prospect of spending time with the manager outside of work hours. “I guess it wouldn’t be all that bad.”

“Brothers!” June gathers everyone’s attention, which isn’t a difficult task because he’s practically got the entire cafeteria watching him. “Have you forgotten about brother Louis? We must help him get a good night’s sleep! Therefore we’ll try this slumber party the manager mentioned, and it’ll restore his well-being!”

“I’m declining, so don’t ask again.” 

“I’d rather sleep by myself, if I’m being honest.”

“A little company never hurt anyone.”

“We have to stick together in times like these. When one of us falls, the others should be there to help him up! That’s why we’re brothers!”

There’s not much of an argument here, and it’s not like either of them will give up—or listen to logic for that matter. Besides, a slumber party—whatever that may entail—can’t be entirely bad, right? Theo’s willing to give it a try if it means hanging out with June more, but Ethan refuses to even accept the idea. He thinks it’s a waste of time that’ll only make the issue worse. And he can’t be blamed for his thoughts, no matter how cold they may be. 

If only any of them knew the true purpose of a slumber party.

-----

“All right! Everything has been prepared. The futons are laid out, tea has been brewed, and we’re dressed appropriately. Let us commence our first slumber party, brothers!” June laughs energetically, pumping a fist in the air.

“Sure.” Theo already regrets agreeing. The manager is absent, and somehow Ethan’s managed to join. “I’m glad everyone’s here.”

Ethan scoffs under his breath. “What’s the point in trying to sleep alone now? I’ll just hear you from outside my door.”

“What are we supposed to do, though? I’m a little confused.”

“Good question! Allow me to enlighten you.” Louis is holding a rose between his fingers as he speaks, twirling it as though it were a lock of hair. “You are to sleep wonderfully with the deepest of dreams! Naturally, that shouldn’t be a problem for us. After all, it’s called a slumber party for a reason. With this, I’ll finally be able to catch up on all of that precious beauty rest I missed.”

“Oh. We’re just supposed to sleep, then?”

“Precisely.”

Theo turns to June for confirmation, who says, “We’ll do all sorts of things to tire ourselves out so that we can sleep without fail!”

“That sounds fun, but I’m already tired. I’ll just finish my tea before heading to bed.”

Ethan nods, agreeing with Theo’s easy escape method. “I suppose I’ll do the same.”

“That’s hardly enjoyable,” Louis states, admiring the flower’s vibrant petals while letting out his signature laugh. “Doesn’t this color match Ethan’s charming hair? Perhaps he was born amongst the rose bushes to have gained such a blessed hue!”

“You talk too much.” 

“And you hardly talk at all! We should enjoy this night to its fullest potential. I propose we admire my beauty for the rest of the evening! My face will surely lull you to sleep, as will my splendid voice. Consider yourselves lucky! I’ll sing a lullaby for you, my sleepless friends.”

Louis makes a motion to begin singing, and he’s promptly cut off when a pillow is thrown at him, hitting him square in the face. On the other end is Ethan, whose brow lowers in a fierce glare. The perfect prince is shocked, mouth slightly agape at the audacity of his fellow teammate.

“My face!” he exclaims, bolting upright to get to the nearest reflective surface. 

June lets out another laugh, grabbing the pillow and testing its softness. “Excellent aim, brother Ethan! This seems like a worthwhile game. Catch, brother Theo!” 

Theo has just enough time to set his teacup down before the pillow makes contact with his chest. “Junee, I wasn’t ready!” There’s a hint of a smile on his features. “Louis, your face is fine. This pillow couldn’t hurt even a vengeful spirit.”

“How can you be so sure? Check the material! Anything could be a hazard to my endless perfection.”

June stands up to drag Louis back, an arm slung around him. “Fear not, brother! You’re glowing!”

“If you say so, then it must be true. You have an eye for perfection, June!” He swoops down to grab another pillow, eyeing it with a hint of mild distrust. “This should tire us out thoroughly!” 

The three Reapers toss pillows back and forth with the objective of hitting one another. Catching seems to be thrown out the window in favor of playing such a childish game. Every now and then, a pillow grazes Ethan, and despite his grumbling he ends up returning the throw, whacking June in the side. So begins a worthless contest of agility, strength, and endurance between Reapers who are far too giddy to continue this strange version of a pillow fight. 

“Isn’t this great?!” June asks when the constant barrage of pillows has slowed down. “I’m proud to spend this night with my brothers!” 

He tackles all three of them at once, which results in a pile of Day Reapers landing on the plush surfaces of their futons. Louis crows about his face once more, while Ethan sighs, more so bothered by the sudden act of affection than the actual fall itself. And Theo is just glad to have tried something new, despite the arbitrary implications of the events that led up to this moment. Nevertheless, it’s oddly fun. He’s never experienced this sort of glee before, and he’s certain the others haven’t either. For once, they’re closer than they’ve ever been, and that’s not just because they’re still on the ground in a tangle of limbs.

“This is like a new type of training! Let’s do it once more!” June is the first to get up, already gathering his own arsenal of pillows. 

In the beginning, Ethan wanted to ignore them and simply sleep like any normal person. Now he just wants to get the others to settle down. Against his better judgement, he reaches for a pillow. 

Theo chuckles, sensing where this’ll lead. Thankfully, he managed to clean everything earlier, so dust and germs won’t hold him back. “Junee, let’s do this together.”

“Nothing can stand in our way, brother!”

“I’ll be unable to forgive either of you if you leave so much as a dent on my fragile appearance! Have mercy on those who are good-looking.”

“Stop whining and get a pillow. This battle won’t be in their favor.” 

There’s an air of pride to Ethan, and rightfully so, as he’s ready to put a swift end to their antics. Just for tonight he’ll team up with the self-loving prince. He must be extra tired if he’s willing to side with him and take part in such a senseless game, but there’s nothing he can do now. He’s already committed, and he isn’t one to regret his decisions.

-----

The Day Team stands before both (Name) and Nyang Lead Manager the following morning, dead tired and yearning for a few more hours of coveted sleep. 

“We received lots of noise complaints—meow. Would you mind explaining yourselves?” Nyang hisses at the quartet, a bone-deep scowl on his furry face. 

“I’ll take care of it. You’ve got a lot of work to get to, so you shouldn’t have to stress over this,” (Name), their ultimate savior, offers kindly.

Nyang looks like he wants to protest, but he decides that they’ll execute a punishment per his orders. “Then don’t let me hear their ruckus again!” With another hiss, he exits (Name)’s office.

“So,” they say, analyzing each Reaper’s expression. Three out of four appear guilty, but they all seem groggy. “Now I know why June was asking me so many questions about slumber parties.”

“Manager, please forgive us. We’re truly sorry.” Theo attempts an explanation, but (Name) holds up their arm to silence him. 

“Are you kidding? You guys had all that fun and I wasn’t invited? We should hold a slumber party for the entire 14th Department! Then everyone can join in on the chaos.”

June overcomes his tired haze to nod enthusiastically. Theo looks like he could just faint on the spot, and Ethan is stone-faced. As usual for such an icy Reaper. 

“I’m just surprised Louis isn’t worried about his hygiene. You know, all of that beauty sleep and whatnot.”

“The light in here is simply horrendous!” Louis waltzes over to the windows, peeling the curtains aside so that he can bask in the warm light. “That’s much better.”

To everyone’s surprise, there’s no sign of sleep deprivation.

“Aren’t you lively today?” (Name) smiles, taking in Louis’s refreshed appearance.

“So you noticed! I slept like an infant in a castle of clouds. Ah, this is truly a wonderful morning. I’ve awoken, beauty sleep reclaimed, and have blessed everyone in the Department! Rejoice!”

Theo rubs his eyes, at a complete loss. “He...actually slept.”

June blinks twice, holding back a yawn. “Brother Louis truly is as radiant as the sun. So cool!”

Ethan sighs, already intent on moving forward from the previous night. “This was pointless to begin with.”

[lizacstuff]

SCK/EDSER asks

My inbox was full again, so questions under the cut. Some of these are from today and some are from earlier. 

(asks under the read more)

Anonymous said: Random things that amuse me: 1. When they met, Serkan didn’t seem all that mad that Eda keyed his car but was way more angered by her disdain for him. 2. I always forget about Eda’s ex because I think Eda forgot about him too. Cenk cheated on her and brought his new gf to break up with her, and Eda was more peeved that he implied Serkan was out of her league. (1/2)

The only time he’s brought up again is when Eda pretends to be texting him instead of Serkan (because Ayfer would be madder at her talking to Serkan lol). 3. Whenever Melo is supposed to be mad at Serkan in solidarity with Eda, she just cannot bring herself to dislike him. (2/2)

I LOVE THIS ASK! 

1. I have always wondered about that. Even current, softer Serkan would get PISSED at someone keying his car. He keeps all of his things pristine. You know under normal circumstances he would be infuriated by that and not let it go. The car would have had to go to the body shop and everything.  I think the fact that he didn’t seem all that bothered, other than threatening to call the police of course, is that he was just so gobsmacked by this insanely beautiful, but also beautifully insane, lady yelling at him and handcuffing him that he couldn’t think straight. The fact that she had seriously vandalized his car became inconsequential. 

Additionally, I think when he found out ArtLife had cancelled her scholarship, he became embarrassed and didn’t want to make any more of an issue about it. 

2. I forget about him too. What a tool he was. It also seems a bit out of character for Eda now.  All of her friends and her aunt knew that he was ghosting her, and they made it clear they thought it by their reactions, but Eda didn’t get it? Eda was ready to marry a dude she hadn’t seen for a year? That does not sound like the Eda we know. Independent, fiery Eda? It’s true that she’s grown a lot, but that much? It seems like they designed that relationship to put Eda in the right frame of mind to kiss Serkan on the podium and then, thankfully, forgot about it. 

3. Yes, Melo is all of us. In the early episodes especially, Serkan could be a real jerk, but I know I never held it against him for long, just like Melo.  None of us can resist him, I’m sure we were all cheering her on when she was the one to give up Eda’s Saturday morning location.  And I love it when she calls him enişte. It’s also sweet that he’s fond of her as well. 

Anonymous said: What are your thoughts about Engin and Piril? Sometimes I think they are cute and sometime I just don't think they are meant for each other. I hope Piril's father brings a new story and dynamic that will help us see whether they work as a couple or not.

My thoughts are pretty much the same as yours. In the beginning I really thought they were pretty flat and wasn’t really rooting for them.  Partly because I loved Engin’s character and I was pretty “eh” on Piril. She was so laser focused on work that I didn’t like when she would try and guilt Serkan because he was spending time with Eda. I found that annoying and I thought Engin could have a more interesting relationship (like Melo!).

Alas, that wasn’t to be, however I surprised myself by actually cheering when he proposed, and I really liked their heart to heart talk in the NY episode. On the other hand I wasn’t really charmed by their disconnect when it came to entertaining people. They were SO FAR apart.  Piril was so uptight and Engin so lacksodasical, I think they’ll end up driving each other bonkers and it’s hard to see how that will work, and I’m not sure it’s something I want to watch all that much of. 

Same as you, I’m hope that Piril’s father turns out to be interesting. What’s going on there? Will we find out this episode?

Also, honestly, I’m still pressed they didn’t call Serkan to come to the wedding. (But I assume that had more to do with how quickly they shoot and needing to have scenes without Hande and Kerem in them. H/K were in tons of scenes that episode so it was probably tight with scheduling and they were doing A and B units etc.) 

Anonymous said:  Hi Liza, I hope you are well and you and your loved ones are staying safe. SCK really helped make 2020 better and I'm glad we have the show in 2021 too! Sometimes the letter count in these asks really get to me because I feel like I have so much more to say and ask but oh well. In this ask i just want to say I hope Seyfi and Melo both get their very own happily ever afters. They're my favs and totally deserve it. Leyla too! That actress is so pretty, I wish we got to see her dress up more!

Hello! I’m well, thank you for asking.  I’m not even joking when I saw that SCK was a highlight of 2020 for me. I’m so appreciative for the happy and joyous distraction it’s been over the last few months. 

I LOVE MELO AND SEYFI.  They are two of my favorite supporting characters, and two of the only ones that have stayed at the top since the beginning. Now Aydan is up there with them, but she wasn’t in the beginning, lol! 

Those two deserve all good things. Leyla is also a great character and I wonder what her feelings are towards Erdem. Does she really like him?  

Anyway, I’m not sure what they might be planning for any of them, but I can tell you I’m more interested in how they might end up, than I am with Ceren, Ferit, Fifi, or Piril.  

Anonymous said: This ask may not be worth answering but I've always wondered about Eda's family on her mom's side. I don't think they've ever mentioned it on the show and if they have I may have missed it but it's interesting. It's most likely that her grandparents died and her mom didn't have any siblings but it would be really cool if she did have a family member who understood her and supported her and Serkan unlike Ayfer.

It would be interesting to know, you’d think she would have some relatives on her mom’s side.  We’ll have to see if the show ever mentions it.

Anonymous said: Ok it may be the overthinker in me but unlike everyone else I'm actually worried seeing Serkan wear his engagement ring. If he and Eda reconciled and he knows the truth about her grandma threatening her, wouldn't their game plan be keeping their relationship a secret and not flaunting his ring. But then that's what the fans want, and maybe the writers have a different idea. I'm freaking out with worry that maybe Serkan and Bulca got engaged! But then it looks like his original ring! let's see!

Anonymous said: I'm the one who feared the engagement ring in a previous ask. Well today's pics/videos that show Serkan, Aydan and Seyfi at Eda's home with flowers seem like they are asking for her hand in marriage. It's an assumption but I feel much better. Lol!

See, this is why I always say not to borrow trouble by worrying about the disaster scenario.  Why would he ask Balca to marry him the day after he sexed up Eda? Even if they were hiding it and using Balca for subterfuge, why would they need to go all the way to engaged to do that? 

I’m glad you’re feeling better. I agree that the video posted today with them all at Eda’s house with the flower and the chocolate looks very much like they’re doing the traditional asking for her hand for serious this time! 

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Can’t wait to see them with their rings back on, we’ve been waiting so long. 

Also, I have no idea why they are able to get away with this... maybe Eda found something while investigating that neutralized Babaanne?  At least for the moment? 

Anonymous said: Sometimes I hate being the audience, we know things that the characters don't and I want to yell at my tablet screen. I don't though because I don't want to confirm my parents thoughts that I am crazy, lol! Anyway I wanted to say that I appreciate you and the SCK community because none of my friends watch the show and I'm glad I have people to discuss this with, otherwise I'd actually go crazy. Edser & Hanker & the cast and crew make me happy! They're just amazing and I'm thankful for them!

Me too!  I appreciate the cast and crew AND I appreciate the fandom. There are some very lovely people here, and I’m thrilled that I have you all to discuss the show and ship with because none of my friends or family in real life watch either.  I’ve told many people about it, and sometimes I will drop words or phrases in Turkish that I’ve picked up watching and all they do is roll their eyes at me.  (I enjoy that) 

Also... talk back to that screen, I do. It’s fun. LOL. 

Anonymous said: Thoughts on the fan theory that Eda & Serkan are actually already working together to bring her grandma down? Not sure that I really saw any clues throughout the episode that a scene of the two of them talking together was cut out but guess we could always get flashbacks to show it. I think for me that might make a little sense because how does Serkan not suspect that Grandma flat out made Eda breakup with him? He knows she wants them kept apart, he got arrested and then magically released which coincided with Eda staying away from him, entry of a prince interested in Eda and Eda being chummy with her Grandma 🧐. Or maybe he does suspect all of that but finally understands the risk that she poses to all of them so he agreed to end things? Very interested to see how the show gets us from that heartbreaking breakup to Serkan & Eda being jealous at the restaurant.

My apologies, I know this ask was sent before some of the recent spoilers including the second promo with the... uh... explosion. (sex) So at this point I do not think they are working together, the break up appears to be real. So it will be interesting how the first 2 hours of this episode plays out. I assume the sex will be in the last 15 minutes. 

It looks like Serkan’s tact is to pretend he’s over her and moving on and let that drive her crazy. So I’d say that in order to do that, he has a pretty good idea why Eda broke up with him and knows it’s because of Babaanne and threats against him.

Anonymous said: Can I just say - I really dislike Ayfer. And I just realized that she has had like no growth at all in these 25 episodes. I guess she has an instagram business now? There is such a huge contrast between how they've developed her and Aydan, not only in how they view EdSer's relationship but on their own as well. Aydan is a new woman while Ayfer is still just a hater and a negative nancy about everything. You'd think they'd give her a better storyline with her mother in town but I don't see it

Since you sent this I’ve answered another ask about Ayfer here.  I very much agree with you.  She reacts negatively to everything, I’m not sure why the girls like to hang out with her so much, they have to hide everything and she is like a damp rag covering any bit of excitement. 

On rewatching some of the early episodes, I have noticed that she was negative  from the beginning.  She was even annoying in her first second on screen, when she was waking Eda up to go help with the soil delivery. I hate that shrill voice she uses to say Günaydın over and over again. 

You’re so right that she hasn’t had much if any growth.  Neither she nor Aydan were excited by the Eda/Serkan pairing from the beginning. Aydan was more vocal, but Ayfer was just as disapproving.  And frankly, even though between the two of them, Aydan might have seemed like the more formidable foe to the relationship, Ayfer actually always had more power.  Just because Serkan Bolat is going to do whatever he wants to do and he’s not going to be swayed by his mother’s disapproval, but as we’ve seen in episode 21 Eda is more susceptible to her aunt’s guilt and disapproval. Remember when she asked Eda if she could trust Serkan’s positive assessment of her work because he might lie if he has feelings for her!?! GRRRRRRRRR. 

The other big difference is that once Aydan saw how absolutely heartbroken Serkan was, she completely changed her tune and became supportive of the relationship. Her son’s happiness mattered to her. While Ayfer sat there last week and watched her heartbroken niece and reacted with glee.  Eda’s happiness is apparently not important to Ayfer.  

If indeed the Bolat’s have come to woo Eda, it will be interesting to see how Ayfer reacts.  Will she come around on her own or will Eda have to give her an ultimatum. I wouldn’t mind that, actually.  Give Ayfer a reality check on the way she’s been behaving, just as controlling as her mother. 

Anonymous said:bHey Liza! Thanks for your thoughts on ep25, was looking forward to them today cause you're always rational and I pretty much agree with all you've said lol. The number of ppl mad at Eda/saying her character is ruined is wild, did they watch the same episode?? Eda HAD to end things because of the shit her grandma was pulling, like it wasn't small things she has serious connections, obviously Eda isn't gonna endanger serkan!! I really hope the people being irrational read your answers lol. The only thing that's bothering me about the episodes is that this is supposed to be a romantic comedy and I'm missing that (gotta be honest I fast forwarded thru the Alex ayfer aydan stuff lol) but hoping for some funny Edser stuff at least lol. Also THE PRINCE REALLY DO BE CRAZY lmao

This was also sent before some of the recent schedules. It looks to me like we’re are in for a bit of romance the next few episodes. 

I’M SO EXCITED!!

Anonymous said: the prince is very specifically credited as a guest actor, so i think that maybe he'll only be here for 1 or 2 more episodes max. which makes me think that this arc at least with him directly involved won't last very long. i'm excited about the bombshell to be dropped though because as of right now neither eda or serkan know exactly what babaanne's plan for him is in regards to eda.. and not to mention his other creepy motives that have to do with his dead wife.

I haven’t seen him mentioned in any BTS stuff for 27... maybe he makes his exit is 26? We shall see. 

Anonymous said:  while i understand where serkan was coming from in his decision to not tell eda the truth, it was coming from a purely selfish reason (even he says that) eda's decision is bc of a very real 3rd party threat that would have consequences for serkan's family, business, and his wellbeing. and eda has no time to prepare a plan or anything of the sort; she's basically backed into a corner. i really wonder why serkan is granted so much more understanding in the fandom than eda's character..

I don’t agree that Serkan was coming from a “purely selfish place.”  I don’t remember Serkan saying that and if he did, I’m sure it’s because he’s attributing all his motives to the one he’s most ashamed of feeling.  Because while there was something selfish in not wanting her to know the truth and not wanting her to think of her dead parents when she looked at him, I think it’s clear he was also trying to protect her from those thoughts. He was trying to protect her from the heartbreak of dredging up their deaths, protecting her from having to make the decision to leave him. It was a lot more complicated then just him being “purely selfish.” Remember he inflicted the greatest heartbreak on himself, you don’t do that for purely selfish reasons. 

It would be nice if anytime something went wrong, there wasn’t a knee-jerk reaction to vilify one or the other characters. 

[beizhuo]

i had announced a couple of updates on the blog that I am chilling at atm , but i will make a post here as well . 

first and foremost : IN LIEU OF ASEXUAL AWARENESS WEEK - i updated my rules . i normally go through and update my rules as needed from time to time because sometimes we need that refresher , but yea . granted , i always find myself rereading people’s rules anyway because that is just common curtesy . but i do know that my rules are a bit long so i will put the new rules under the read more .

secondly : im phasing out of the name amphy . though i will always respond to the name , and if you are using the name , you can continue to do so . but i normally fall back on the second name i go by . i don’t particularly cringe at any name or nickname you give me . ghost is just definitely more fitting for me - as one of my close smite pals have said .

lastly :  this gender - questioning idiot is still ???? about their gender , but i think i may be a bit more genderfluid than anything . but it also depends on my mood & who you are . i normally prefer they ! so you can keep to they . especially if we are acquaintances or you dont really know me . but ! i have an addition , he / she is kinda only okay if you’ve asked and/or we have discussed or if its like a term that you would use on yourself . idk if that makes sense or not lol . but then again , gender doesn’t exist for me , so meh . i could be a racoon underneath a bedsheet with two eyeholes cut into it . 

anyway . the rules update and explanation is underneath .

im DEAD serious for these triggers , ESPECIALLY nsfw . i am not super fond of al/cohol*sm at all due to trauma ( im super jaded by it usually and wont care if you mention alcohol from time to time , but please do try not to discuss this thoroughly unless you can ask me beforehand ) . in all honesty , i am normally okay to discuss IF you ask beforehand . i just need a WARNING .

as for vagueing : this is something that drives me up the fucking wall . just don’t do it . i beg of you . this goes back to dealing with your issues and drama in private . it is a HUGE pet peeve of mine .

Reads as.... :

EXCLUSIVITY & FETISHISING. ⪢ I absolutely will not tolerate the excessive fetishising of queer people. Im sorry, but if I see you are being exclusive, erasing gender identity to canon muses, or just completely destroying/stripping the character to the point of unrecognition, I will not tolerate you on my dash and I don't want to write with you. This is really hard to explain and discuss, but... It's okay to have queer muses and to make canon characters queer, but don't make it to the point where it strips them of their identity. ⪢ If you are being so exclusive to a point where you refuse to acknowledge or write a cis character, then don't bother writing with me. I don't like cisswaps most of the time anyway. This also extends to people hating / ragging on male-female ships and bisexual characters. Like, deadass, do not pass go, do not collect 200. I don't want to interact with people like that. PERSONAL WARNING. ⪢ The mun is asexual and sex-replused, I will NOT understand most sexual innuendos. Please do NOT send NSFW unless I ask or you ask for permission. For the love of gods, yes, I am an adult, yes, I can engage in sexual plotting from time to time. But it is STILL a trigger for me. Please don't randomly send me stuff unless you know I am ready for it. Also, please don't treat me like some sort of baby or this innocent person for not understanding your jokes, it does, in fact, get really exhausting for me.

I cannot fucking believe that i have to actually add last and final warning too and its actually borderline disgusting ESPECIALLY DURING ASEXUAL FUCKING AWARENESS WEEK , but , alas , i am . but let me go in order .

the first one : i shouldn’t have to explain this . i will just refer you all to this post again .

the second one : idk why the fucking hell i have to like even bring this up either but like ???????? again , please refer to this fucking post again .

the third one : why this has to be brought up is honestly really sad , but once again i have to draw boundaries and fucking point and growl at it like im fucking toothless drawing something for hiccup and getting mad at him when he steps ON IT . and i have every right to be but like holy fuck . i dont care if you forget all of my other triggers but FOR THE LOVE OF FUCKING GOD please respect that i am a sex - repulsed asexaul . also . please don’t be like uwu or diminish how i feel if i don’t understand a sex joke and get concerned . this convo i had with a guild member explains this fairly well . 

anyway . please understand that if you send something sexual , you will , most likely , HAVE TO explain it to me . and don’t baby me or get upset about it either jesus christ . just because i don’t understand doesn’t mean it gives anybody the right to blow it off . 

yes i know this kills the joke . I understand that . which is why sometimes i wont ask , but please , PLEASE be patient with me . and don’t treat me like a child about it either .

[thejustmaiden]

Why do you think Sunrise did that event in with Sesshomaru and Rin's VAs mirroring InuKag? They have already done that CD Drama, do you think they did that to give hope to the shippers? What if after so many hints, if they reveal in the anime that Sessrin isn't canon, aren't the shippers gonna be disapointed? This may be a dumb question and your answers are always smart and well-articulated, but i seriously don't understand their marketing strategy, do you care to explain for me?

Oh, hey there! I appreciate all the love you've been leaving on my blogs lately. I really hope I'm able to give you an answer you're satisfied with. Sorry it took some time to get back to you. I hope this makes up for it. 🙏

I'm not gonna lie, I'm up and down about how I feel about that livestream and what it means for the future of this ship. My brain has been on roller coaster mode since basically the moment the sequel was announced. We're in the home stretch now, and we better get the answers WE WANT the second that sequel comes out. Since it's evidently not going to happen anytime sooner- welp!

Before the livestream aired, I really thought us fans were on the verge of discovering the mom and that it was going to be Rin. We still had hope she wasn't, but at the same time most of us antis were "bracing for impact." lol

Then nothing happened.

We were pretty shocked but obviously relieved. The days before it came out, I was telling others (as well as myself lol) that just because Sesshomaru and Rin's VAs had a livestream together doesn't confirm anything. Besides, why does that have to automatically mean that both pairings need to be romantic? We all know how integral these characters are/were to each other's storylines, so these pairings make the most logical sense, wouldn't you say?

In the previous livestream with the voice actors who play Inuyasha and Kagome, they discuss the new character Moroha and introduce her as Inuyasha AND Kagome's daughter. Now let's compare that to the other livestream with Sesshomaru and Rin's VAs. When they described Towa and Setsuna, they did so as Sesshomaru's daughters NOT Sesshomaru and Rin's daughters. That to me is the most telling piece of evidence.

Like how could they not use that prime opportunity to tell us Rin's the mom when her voice actor was literally sitting right there??! We were all expecting it and they still insisted on giving us nothing! What this tells me is that it's possible this mom is a new character, and it even appears she is quite pivotal to the new series. I keep changing my opinion on that part though to be honest with you, because sometimes I think she won't be important at all in the grand scheme of things. (See what I mean about being up and down? lol) Idk about you, but it seems to me like we haven't even met her character. If it was Rin, why keep it a mystery? It's not like Sessrin's popularity is exactly a secret in this fandom. Why wait until the big reveal if it's "so obvious" in the first place? How does Sunrise benefit from hiding this information?

If it does end up being Rin, it would've been better to just come out and say it. If this ain't just pure fanbait like some of us still hope it is, why hold back? Give 'em what they want already and let us antis be at peace. If they hope to think that I'll change my mind and give this sequel a go just because I've waited this long so might as well, they're sorely mistaken. If anything, I'm going to be pissed they kept us in the dark this long when they could've just saved us all the trouble. I imagine that goes for a lot of us, shippers and antis alike. Whatever way you look at it, I won't be invested in this sequel if Sessrin goes canon- period. I cannot and will not be on board with a series that promotes such a harmful and insulting dynamic.

Which brings us to Sunrise's marketing strategy. Well, I definitely think they have been catering to the fans of this ship for quite some time now. Because, ya know, money. Whether that's because they plan to make this ship canon or not remains to be seen. "Show meee the moneeeeyyyy!" *yells in Jerry Maguire*

There was first the drama cd and more recently that calendar which included art of adult!Rin with Sesshomaru, but neither of those are canon first off. Also, does anyone know if it was actually confirmed to be pro-Sessrin fan art? I mean, I know it doesn't look very good when the artist who made it is a Sessrin shipper and certain fans are fawning over their OTP, but that doesn't necessarily mean the calender automatically is either last I checked. I wonder why it can't simply be Rin as an adult visiting with Sesshomaru. I believe in one picture she's seen giving him a flower, much like little Rin would've done, or just as any child does for a loved one. So if Rin is still bringing him flowers as an adult, I would assume that means their relationship dynamic hasn't changed at all. That's what's supposed to happen, too! If an adult's relationship was established with another person while they were just a child, then that adult will always view them as a child no matter what and vice versa. Even when those children become grown-ups, that won't change. That's just how things are, or how they're supposed to be rather. In other words, a normal healthy adult-child bond does not resemble one like Sessrin.

Both Sessrin fans and antis agree there haven't been any romantic implications between Sesshomaru and Rin in the original series. That's why I can't understand for the life of me why we're even having this discussion. Alas, here we are. This is what happens when society has conditioned us to believe that the only proper (aka "best") way an adult male and a young female's closeness can evolve is with romance. So maybe it's not obvious at first (because that would be illegal), but we should EXPECT their relationship to shift in that direction. Why, you ask? Well, simply because sexualizing young girls is the norm so why not, right? No clues or foreshadowing required! Because like I just said, that would be illegal. Fiction has loopholes for this kinda stuff, so problem solved?

Nope! Aging her up counts too, folks! When you look at a girl character and the first thing you think is, "I can't wait till she grows up so she can f*ck" then, yeah, you're a part of the problem. You may not realize it, but you are. That's not to say you're a bad person or that it's even your fault, just saying that there are times in all of our lives where we start to question some of our beliefs. If you not only support but desire the idea of a romance eventually forming between a grown man- yes, 19 is an adult- and a young girl, then you should probably ask yourself why that may be and re-evaluate. Please stop using cultural differences and history that dates back almost a thousand years to justify this so-called tradition.

"You all shouldn't think too deeply about this, it's just fiction! Ugh, you're ruining the fun! Antis should all just shut up! Only we can have problems, but when you do it's just complaining!"

Right....

And by the way, most of us are not even complaining. We're being critical of the content we're watching. Criticism isn't always pretty unfortunately.

If Sunrise and Rumiko do decide to go through with this, then I will disappointed, sure, but not surprised. Romanticizing these sexualized images of young or pre-pubescent girls has been happening for far too long, after all. We've become desensitized to it sadly enough, especially when the media continues to glorify it. I wish we'd realize how many young girls- or minors in general- we're putting in danger by sending messages such as this.

To you young teenage girls and even boys reading this, you may not fully understand right now, but it's never okay for anyone to tell you that your body being sexualized is a natural and beautiful thing. It's going through through a lot changes at your age, yes, but they should never use your curiosity to satisfy their sexual needs. Don't allow some of these stories to be an example of what is acceptable to occur in your own life if you were ever to encounter a similar situation, especially if fiction is all that you have to compare it to. It is not in any way, shape, or form okay for an adult to say or do sexual/romantic things to you. Even a conversation that may seem harmless at first could have dire consequences. No, not even if you trust them and they're one of your favorite people in this world are these things ever appropriate. What they're asking from you or showing you is dangerous, and even if it doesn't seem like it they are very likely taking advantage of you. If you're ever unsure about something, don't hesitate to come to me. Or maybe you have a loved one that you can go to, that works too. 😊

Idk if I even gave you a definite answer, but perhaps it's because I'm still figuring it out myself. If I ever do, ha! I hope by allowing you to get inside my head for a little bit you got a better idea. Or maybe not, and I just made it more confusing for you. Oops! lol Feel free to hit me up again, dear, and have a nice day/night!! 👋

[ogamagirl]

WELL friendos, it looks like it’s gonna be a stressful week. I did a little think last night to de-stress myself, so I figured I’d share it here with y’all as well; maybe it’ll be fun for you to look at too.

It's been a while since I've documented The Plush Hoard, so I went through it this evening!

A few notes before we begin!

-Before the "but where do YOU sleep" comments come in - I move them around when I sleep lol. The vast majority of my plushies are up on my top bunk nowadays (which u purposefully cannot see because after I was done taking pictures I just started tossing em up there and didn't feel like making them look nice jskdhgf;;; ) - I only keep my very favorites with me. Every time I blog about my plushies I get that comment and it's not funny anymore ;; -I am not a collector that keeps my plushies on shelves or behind glass cases; one of the primary reasons I love collecting plushies is because I love soft textures, so I love hugging and cuddling with them. So some of them are pretty beat up at this point! I also have a cat and if you have a cat, you know cat hair Everywhere is just a fact of life, so if you happen to see any...sorry! I cannot possibly de-cat-hair my entire apartment at all times. -I am not a photographer and my bedroom has crappy lighting, so these pictures aren't ~the prettiest~; the point of this is for me to just have some fun talking about one of my hobbies! -I have cultivated this collection over years and years and years; as I said, it's one of my hobbies, and it just brings me joy!

That said, THIS GON BE A LONG POST LMFAO, so if you're on board, hop under the read more and we'll get started uvu

We shall start with the non-weeb plushies skdjfhldfg, which is the smallest cohort |D;;; of special note are the baby penguin from Sunshine City Aquarium in Ikebukuro, the moose my parents got for me in Alaska, the big doofy red panda my college roommates got me for my birthday one year, and the dragon. THE DRAGON IS WEIGHTED. The dragon is delightful oh my god all plushies should be weighted;;; 

Ghibli plushies! I got the vast majority of these while I was physically in Japan - the only two that I didn't were the foxsquirrel and the Totoro on top of it. The soot sprite I got at the Ghibli Museum itself uvu 

Digimon plushies! I wish there were more decently sized Digimon plushies TAT;; (I like bigger plushies because they are easier to hug ok) The Culumon and Viximon (? I think I'm remembering that name right: Renamon's in-training form, the yellow fox blob sdjfgdfg) are bootlegs I am very sorry ;;; My Digimon Plush Goal is to somehow find an official Culumon someday TAT;;; I rlly like Culumon there was a period of time in elementary school where I drew nothing but Culumon so lol. 

Random fandom plushies! Lessee, what's represented here...Sanrio, Hamtaro, Madoka, Heartcatch Precure, Higurashi, OneShot, Made in Abyss, Re:Zero, Undertale, and Deltarune! Ralsei's hat and glasses obviously come off...I, full disclosure, do not know where they are. They are probably under my bed somewhere sjkdfghsdg;;;; 

OK HERE WE GO: most of my plushies are Pokemon plushies. What can I say...they're just so much fun to collect TAT;;; first up are a couple groups of miscellaneous babbies; you will soon see I like collecting some Pokes over others... 

Miscellaneous babbies part two! See the lil Riolu? When I lived with my parents still, that Riolu was Joji's favorite plushie to steal |D;; she would semi-regularly come into my room and take plushies from me, but that one she took far more often than any other. She's such a small dog no damage was ever done, but still...Joji these are mine, not yours! 

Miscellaneous babbies part three! This was originally meant to be legendary/mythical Pokes but then I remembered Raboot and Galarian Ponyta and was like "OH NO I HAVE TO INCLUDE THEM" I am not very good at this jsdhfglsjfdg 

'pixs! (and two Ninetales) I have a very vivid memory of watching the first episode Vulpix appeared in in the anime and wanting a plushie of one so bad, but alas they were certainly not readily available to me yet, so I carried around a Simba plushie I had that evening pretending it was a Vulpix xD so if little me could see my Vulpix collection now she'd be very happy!! 

'vees! ...I like me an Eevee, what can I say. There's actually one Eevee that's missing from this pic - I told you I'm not very good at this |D;;; 

...oh there were TWO Eevees missing and I stuck them in this pic lol I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT I TOOK PICTURES OF HOORAY anyway, Eeveelutions! I obviously favor certain evolutions over others |3 Eventually I would like to get at least one Espeon, Glaceon and Leafeon, just to say I have them all. But there is one more Eeveelution that I couldn't fit here... 

...cause she BIG. My life-sized Sylveon takes the prize of biggest plushie I own. She hangs out at the foot of my bed uvu (also her ears are top heavy/don't have any wires in them so they've clearly flopped backwards...but she cute any way you slice it TAT) 

THE PIKAS. ...Somehow I thought I had more Pikas than this. (Oh wait, I DO...they're just coming later cause they're in a special category |3 ) this is still a good amount of Pikas! Detective Pika is extraordinarily soft he's very good TAT;;; also two Raichu cause I don't have enough Raichu to take a separate pic of. 

Mimis! I have a couple other Mimis that are also in the special category coming up hehe. Big Mimi was stuck in customs for a month after I got him so I'm glad he made it home eventually TAT;;; 

HERE WE GO I have...a lot of Litten. Litten is my baby. Best Poke-kitty for me. I love my Litten TAT///// 

PICHU PICHU PICHUUUU!!! My ultimate baby TAT///// Pichu so good...so happy to have so many Pichu...aaaa///// but wait, there are Absol here too?? Well, yes, of course. For I am a Pichu and my love is an Absol. So. I had to take pictures of the plushies together uvu 

Some Large Friends that got their own picture. That rolly Charizard was the first thing I ever won from a crane game; I was ridiculously proud of myself |D;;; 

SPECIAL CATEGORY: Halloween Pokes!!!! The PokeCen always has an Extremely Good Halloween campaign and it makes me angry...they're all so good...TAT//////// 

Aaand! Best for last!! SE plushies T//u//T The middle two Souls are very beat up, ahaha....I've had the smaller one for over a decade and the bigger one for almost a decade, so...they've gotten a lot of love//// (plus it is also funny to tease Soul - u know I'd give u a hug over the plushies any day baaaaaabe u3u) I really want to get Liz, Patty, and Tsubaki too, but Tsubaki is SUPER hard to find and I don't want to get Liz and Patty and not her TAT;;; there are also Excalibur plushies...............but I think I'm ok without an Excalibur plushie sjdkfghsdfg OH also not pictured; I do have a plush Shinigami glove |D

So! There it is! The hoard! If I were a dragon this would be my treasure hoard! It was nice to go through this so if you went through it with me I hope you had fun too!

[olderthannetfic]

You’ve probably heard of that film version of The Magnificent Seven from a couple of years ago. Maybe you know it’s based on a film from 1960, which is itself a remake of Seven Samurai.

But if you’re like 99% of fandom or even that guy I know who worked on the 2016 version, you probably don’t know that there was also a TV series starring, among other people, Ron Perlman.

(This came up because said dude and I were working on another Western starring Ron Perlman. A sucky one though. Alas, I cannot pimp it.)

Mag7, as it is usually called in fandom, was quite the little slash fandom in its day, yet it is nearly forgotten by newer fans. The show aired for two seasons from 1998-2000.

It’s one of those shows I bought, sight unseen, so I could catch up on older fandoms. I ended up liking it more or less, but I don’t think canon has aged well. It’s too bloodless for the era it came out in while making a pretense at covering serious, dark shit. It has neither the standing sets of old Western TV nor the big budgets of the 2010s Western revival. It’s too white. The one black lead gets relegated to token status along with all Native characters. The treatment of women is laughable, from the Happy Hooker stuff (gah!) to the time they try to teach the tomboy to be more girly so she can get the young dude in the cast (ragescream!). It feels more in line with what I’d expect a Western to look like in 1988 than 1998, especially on the heels of the far more inventive The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. in 1993.

Fanlore says that Mag7 suffers because current fandom is not into Westerns, but my problem is that I am far too into Westerns, and this show is not a good one.

OTOH, there is a lot of material here to work with, and work with it fans did!

It’s a super interesting fandom for a fandom historian because of how intensely AU-infested it is. Maybe you’ve heard something about “ATF-verse”? That’s a Mag7 thing. It’s not just regular AUs: The fandom is full of these shared universes with established rules for writers who want to play in them.

The “Seven” are:

Chris Larabee: The black-clad, taciturn loner with... wait for it... a dead wife and child.

Vin Tanner: The soft-spoken woobie, sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, who has spent time amongst the Indian tribes. (It is every bit as cringey as you think.) Fandom’s #1 fave, natch.

J.D. Dunne: Horrid little twerp with a terrible hat. I wanted to stab him every time he was on screen. x100 whenever he was interacting with a woman.

Buck Wilmington: Played by Dale Midkiff of Time Trax fame! (What? Everyone important, by which I mean me, loved Time Trax!) He is Chris’s old friend and polar opposite, a jolly, good-humored man raised by a prostitute mother. Ladies, including the working girls, love him. Also he gets fake dead more than once, so he’s clearly the BEST character, and fandom ought to have loved him the best too! >:( 

Josiah Sanchez: Ron Perlman plays a wacky preacher and ex-gunfighter. Is he haunted by his past? Does he make woo-woo philosophical proclamations about this? Does this show love its ubiquitous Western cliches? (Don’t answer that.)

Ezra Standish: If Vin is the quiet, soft-spoken woobie, Ezra is the woobie who hides his Tragic Pain under a mask of charm and cheer. He’s the one with the rapidfire con artist patter, the fancy suits, and the Southern accent. He has a complicated relationship with his con artist mother. His wardrobe is a thousand times prettier than anyone else’s, and he crossdresses at some point. Naturally, he is fandom’s other darling after Vin. Possibly the #1 darling in ATF-verse.

Nathan Jackson: Nathan is a former slave and a doctor. He has a girlfriend in the local Seminole village and not enough to do on the show.

Other characters include a sad widow for Chris to have sad dead partner angst at, the judge who sends them on missions, and, in the pilot, that guy who played Harper in Sharpe. The judge is played by Robert Vaughn, which I 100% did not realize until I was looking at wikipedia just now!

Anyway, standard Western hijinks happen. The mystery of Chris’s wife’s death is eventually solved as angstily as possible. Chris pretends to kill Buck as part of a ruse at one point, making them my ship of choice. (What?) J.D. and the local tomboy get set up by all the other characters, causing me to want to stab not only them but also myself in the eye.

COME AT ME BRO!

Oops. I’m supposed to be promoting Escapade, not starting fights about old tv shows. Anyway, I think the canon has some issues, but the fic... let me tell you, there are no words more likely to attract me to a fandom than “presumed dead”, and Mag7 fandom delivered, not only in the slash but in the gen. I have no idea, years later, where to find any of those fics or even which ones I read, but I remember there was self-indulgent melodrama and it was GREAT.

Sweet, sweet idfic, come to Mama!

I would link you to a vid, but as Fanlore hilariously confirms for me, there are like no good vids in this fandom. They did eventually release it on DVD, but the image quality is... uh... not great. Oh, wait, I did love this lulzy het vid about ladies being thirsty for Buck.

Actually, that’s a total lie. I have gone looking for Mag7 vids repeatedly for the Escapade dance party. Excavating my old spreadsheets, I see a bunch of interesting ones, like this slash vid of Nathan/Ezra. The Southern gentleman and the black guy are an obvious cliche teamup for Westerns, but the fandom rarely went there. This vid is great though! The only reason I’ve never played it is that no one at the con ships this.

Past Escapade panels include:

2001 - True pairings and permutations (Who are the "right" couples, and what other combinations are remotely possible? Video excerpts for newcomers.)

2003 - AUs! Crutch or creative lifeblood? (Are ATF stories a creative extension of the universe or a cop-out by folks too lazy to do their historical research?)

2004 - The Multiverse (Where canon is a formulaic retread of a remake of a classic, the critical mass of fan creativity has exploded in fascinating and bizarre ways. Often, richly textured parallel universes seem more attractive than stories based on the original source material. From conflict over "closed" AUs to creative in-breeding, what's really going on in the Mag 7 multiverse?) [HAH, EVEN YOU GUYS AGREE WITH ME.]

2005 - Where has the Old West gone? (Magnificent Seven has it all! Seven sexy men, horses, the old west, guns, adventure, right and wrong, you name it! So why isn't there more Old West fic? Why all the modem and future AUs? Where do we go from here?)

2006 - Cowboys- Real Life v. Fantasy (From Magnificent Seven to Brokeback Mountain, from John Wayne toughness to curtain fic. What's reel? What's fun? And how much reality do we want in our fun?)

2007 - Chris Larabee: Tragic Hero or Pig-Headed Bastard? (How worthy is Chris to lead the Seven? Does he lead them because he believes in protecting the weak an innocent, or because it strokes his ego? Does he truly value Buck's friendship and support? Vin's? Anyone's?)

2008 - M7: Need Topic! by Megan Kent [LOL]

2011 - Mag 7: Deader Than a Beaver Hat (They're gorgeous. They're archetypes. Lots of other fandoms have less to work with. So, what the hell?)

2012 - My Paring is OK. Your Pairing Sucks! (In a fandom famous for pairing wars, let's get it all out in the open and put it to bed. Come and defend your pairing of choice, and enjoy others doing the same. Inflatable lightsabers, laughter, and the ability not to take yourself seriously. All welcome.)

2013 - What holds the gang together? (The deal was simple: a dollar a day, plus room and board, for a month. And now they've been together *how* long? What holds these seven loners together over the long haul? All pairings, all points of view. Bring story recs to share.) [Duct tape. The answer is always duct tape.]

Mag7 on Fanlore (including links to many smaller archives)

Mag7 on AO3

Mag7 on FFN

[queenofthefullmoon]

An exhaustive list of Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin bosses I would or would not date

The Last Giant

Listen… The Last Giant has No Face. I like dating people who have faces. Also, his arms detach and he’s like, at least 10 meters taller than me, so I think that would be a hazard. I think he’s more in need of a friend than a romantic partner. I’d gladly sit down with him and discuss his feelings, but we are not meant to date.

The Pursuer

The Pursuer is great because he’s just so… Rotund. He’s shaped like a friend. Or maybe… More than a friend… He’s got a biggass sword that glows blue, which is great if you need to get up at night to get water or a snack, and a big shield he can use to protect you from the hot Drangleic sun when you’re on a date. You never have to worry about losing him because HE WILL FIND YOU. I think he’s a catch.

Dragonrider

He almost didn’t make it in the list of bosses I would date, but encountering him so often made me have a soft spot for him. Plus he’s a little bit round and I’ve gotta say. Rotundness is where it’s at. He’s fun to fight so I feel like you could have some fun jousts together and then chill… And go, like, I don’t know, ride dragons*? Fun couple activities.

*although dragonrider is his name I’m not sure we saw any dragonrider ride a dragon so this is a shot in the dark

Old Dragonslayer

The Old Dragonslayer has a very sexy armor, I’ll give him that, but he 1. Has a furry mask (a terrible fashion faux pas that I cannot forgive) 2. Is just sitting in the Cathedral of Blue while a DRAGON is outside, unslayed, which says something about the quality of his work. I had to kill the dragon myself, while the Old Dragonslayer was sitting around… Being old, I guess. Not for me.

Flexile Sentry

DISGUSTING AND WRONG.

Ruin Sentinel

The Ruin Sentinels are arguably the sexiest armor bosses in all of Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin. Something about these long lads and their eldritch identities and behaviors just tickles me the right way. The shape of their helmets looks a little bit like a turtle which gives them just enough cuteness while not taking away from the fact that I’m absolutely terrified of them and that they are in fact very scary (which is good). They’re also very tall which means they can carry me around and make me feel tall too. Definitely a good thing in a partner.

Belfry Gargoyles

I wouldn’t date the Belfry Gargoyles, but I’d be friends with them. I feel like they’d be fun at a sleepover. Girl’s night! Girl’s night!

Lost Sinner

I’d date the Lost Sinner. It might be a little bit controversial because yes she is a little bit nasty, I’m aware of that, but I think she just needs a little bit of company. I don’t want to change her, I love her right like she is, but if she wants me to teach her how to shower, I might just do it! I am a little bit biased because she’s got a big sword that looks really cool? Perhaps.

Executioner’s Chariot

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO

Skeleton Lords

I think the Skeleton Lords are neat but I don’t really see myself dating them. Firstly, I’m not a skeleton fucker, so that puts a little bit of distance between us (given that they are in fact skeletons). They also have an army of skeleton children, which I’m just not ready to raise. I’m trying to find a date, not to become a skeleton mom. I feel like we’d be great friends though, I’d probably invite them over so they can practice their standup routine at my house while they leave their 30 skeletons children with the babysitter and we can like drink wine or something.

Covetous Demon

I would not date the Covetous Demon, but I would keep him as a mean dog in my yard to discourage my enemies from entering my property.

Baneful Queen Mytha

I’d be all here for the sniddies if Mytha kept her head on her neck but alas she is headless. 

Smelter Demon

Mh… Yes. He’s big and large and he’s got horns. He could put me up on his shoulder and walk around and I’d be warm up there. Sounds like nothing but a good time.

Old Iron King

Ngghghhh….. I wanna say no but he is Ripped… Absolutely jacked! I’m also a hoe for horns and wings! What can I say. Call me out if I ever make fun of scalies again? (im gonna do that like in a few paragraphs anyway)

Scorpioness Najka

Given the fact that her own fiancé, made miserable by her, asks you to murder her, I don’t think Najka is a fine romantic partner. In addition to that, even though I was here for sniddies, scorpions are scary and gross me out, so no, I would not date Scorpioness Najka.

The Duke’s Dear Freja

She’ll remain dear to the Duke only and she is NOT invited in my yard.

Royal Rat Authority

Wouldn’t date the big rat that makes all of the rules, but similarly to the Covetous Demon, having him on my property to scare people away would be pretty neat.

Prowling Magus and The Congregation

Prowling Magus has a SICK aesthetic I can absolutely get behind (« look at my cool sorcerer boyfriend wearing his goat helmet ») and I’ve stated before I Am a Hoe for horns so we could have something going on.

The Congregation is however BANNED from this house so since they’re probably his buddies that would most likely be a point of tension. Ultimately it might be better for me to keep a platonic relationship with Prowling Magus, as I do not want hollows to crawl on my floor when he invites his friends over.

The Rotten

Oh no lol

Looking Glass Knight

NNNYES absolutely I would date the Looking Glass Knight. He’s not only really cool looking and a Very Dramatic Man (standing in the rain when you meet him… the scenery… the atmosphere… he knows how to make an entrance), but he’d also be a great person to bring with you for a night out.

Exhibit A: he’s really fucking tall and scary which would dissuade anyone from approaching you uninvited

Exhibit B : he carries a FULL BODY mirror around everywhere which means you can fix your hair and/or makeup at any time without needing a shitty pocket mirror or going to the bathroom

Exhibit C : if you need help he can summon a limitless amount of people through his mirror

Just a great partner all around.

Demon of Song

Ohhhhhh noooooo Lord nooooooooooooooo please! Please spare me

Velstadt, the Royal Aegis

Velstadt is very loyal (a real man for following Vendrick all the way to the Undead Crypt) and he’s also very tall, very large, very strong, and very stylish (see the scales cape he wears). I would’ve put him at the top of the date list, but he’s no dating material — he’s husband material. A little downside is that he might put his job before me but I get it. It’s career before everything. I will not limit my husband’s ambitions.

King Vendrick

Vendrick is taken by an eldritch entity and still very much in love with her despite the fact that she destroyed his kingdom and brought the entire civilization down and also caused him to become a war criminal and kill a pacific race of giants all on his own like a big boy so I’m not very interested in him.

Guardian Dragon & Ancient Dragon

I’m putting them together because they essentially boil down to the same thing : I’d offer them a home but I wouldn’t date them. The Guardian Dragon can stay outside and be feral with everyone else that I put in the yard, while the Ancient Dragon can have his own room and like is invited for tea sometimes, but that’s all.

Giant Lord

See Last Giant

Throne Defender & Watcher

I’m a little bit torn on this one because I’m experiencing bisexual panic. We’ve got cool large dude with a beard ; cool slender lady that jumps around everywhere ; they could both beat me up and they both look hot, help me. However, I have to say if I had to pick I’d got with the Throne Watcher because she is hot and looks slightly cooler. I’ve always wanted a very tall wife who could suplex me into the sun, which she could do in a heartbeat.

On the other hand, they do look like a power couple that I’d love to have for dinner and I’d hate to break them up while there are so many fish in the sea and they look so great with each other.

Nashandra

Human Nashandra looks pretty and soft, however anyone who witnessed my first blind playthrough of Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin will tell you that she did not have me fooled and I was very wary of her from the beginning. Anyone who has witnessed my first fight with her looking very skeletal will also tell you that I screamed « WHAT IS THAT » for at least 5 minutes, so that probably gives you an idea of if I’d date her or not.

Also, her weapon of choice is a scythe, which looks cool, but is very unpractical, and just for this fatal mistake, she becomes undatable.

Darklurker

Wings… Four arms = twice the hugs… Cool hood… Yes…

Elana the Squalid Queen

She’s nasty and told me I was undeserving of the mire, which is pretty mean of her. Even if she thinks it, she could at least be nice about it. I would not date her.

Sinh the Slumbering Dragon

Sinh is BANNED from this house because he’s not just feral, he’s RABID and POISONOUS and if I let him live in the yard he could poison my entire property and I do not want that.

Fume Knight

Alas! The Fume Knight looks really cool and has a pretty sexy armor, but tales say that he was infatuated with another woman (whether he met her when she was already an Ashen Idol or not remains a mystery but I’m no one to judge his taste in women). I respect people’s crushes so I will let him be in love with whoever he fancies and they may come over for dinner, as long as they behave.

Aava, Lud and Zallen, the King’s pet

They are very welcome to live in the yard. They may come inside the house, but they are not allowed on the couch.

Burnt Ivory King

No… He loved his wife very much… I’d invite them over for dinner and MAYBE try to seduce one of his knights (they have sexy armors, what can I say).

Aldia, Scholar of the First Sin

Aldia is a weird dude and I wouldn’t feel safe around him. I think he’d probably kidnap me while I’m asleep and go do some experiments on me in his cursed mansion. It’s a no from me chief. Not to mention the fact that he’s a… tree?

Afflicted Graverobber, Ancient Soldier Varg, and Cerah the Old Explorer

I wouldn’t date them, even though their armors are pretty sexy, simply because they seem like a good group of friends and I wouldn’t feel comfortable inserting myself in the group. I think I’d even be too shy to befriend them, but if they wanna come by my house and have a good time, they’re welcome to do so.

Blue Smelter Demon

See Smelter Demon, but with more vigor because this one is blue.

Sir Alonne

Yeah… he’s got the eldritch factor that I like in the Ruin Sentinels while also seeming more human and he’s also a pretty stylish man. I feel like he’s one of the strongest contestants in the game and he wouldn’t mind my long nose, as he’s got one himself. Pretty sexy armor and he is a man of honor. Definitely a yes.

[lunam00na]

Top 5 mistakes I made when moving cross-country

So, I figured this would be a good enough introductory post as any. I'm going to start off with a little back story just to clue you in on how I came to make these mistakes, and hopefully you'll be more prepared than I was if and when you do the big move.

In 2018 I decided to move from a very rural town in the Eastern United States to Finland. Keep in mind I had lived in this same town my entire life; my graduating class was only a few hundred people, and I had NEVER flown on a plane before. Yeah.

Yikes.

Why move so far away, you ask? Oh, don't worry, I'm getting to that part. In December of 2017 I met a guy online, from this website I had been using off and on since middle school. He and I clicked instantly, and we both fell down the deep dark rabbit hole you call love. Yep. Twitterpated.

So a few months after we had been dating, we jumped the gun and decided I would fly there to meet him and if all went well, meaning I didn't get chopped up into little bits and sent back in a suitcase (as my friends and coworkers teased), we would get married.

Picture it, Sicily 19... Something rather... Small town girl from rural farming area meets Finnish city boy. Anyway, enough about that, it can be a blog for another time.

So there's how I came to make these mistakes...

1) FOOTWEAR

- Guys, I cannot stress to you enough how much this matters. I wore FLIPFLOPS throughout my ENTIRE journey to Finland. In total I believe I flew for around 18 hours.. Went through like 4 different airports. By the time I made it to my husband's apartment my feet were basically nonexistent. For a frequent flier this may not be an issue, but for someone who doesn't fly or travel often... For the love of God don't wear sandals.

2) LUGGAGE

- Travel lightly, but not too lightly. Originally before the move I had purchased a gigantic pink wheely suitcase from Walmart. Had full intention of stuffing that bad boy to the brim with clothes. But a couple days before my flight was leaving I realized if I had this huge suitcase I would have to check it on every single flight and drag it around through every airport, and risk it getting lost or tampered with during the process. So, I took the big pink monster back and heavily downgraded... To a backpack. Yup. Just your avaerage sized backpack with one or two zipper compartments. Needless to say I had to be very choosy with what I packed, so I packed some jeans, leggings, a few nice shirts and some undergarments. Along with my makeup bag, which had been thoroughly sorted through beforehand, and a hairbrush. Somehow throughout all this I had forgotten to pack my toothbrush, so my husband brought me one to the airport so I could brush my teeth as soon as I landed. LOL. Great first impression. Anywho - admist all the chaos and nerves I didn't take into account that I would probably be sweaty after all that walking.. Running... And panicking... Through the airports. So I didn't bring any shampoo or soap with me, and honestly probably wouldn't have had any room for any either because of my downgrade. After struggling to catch each flight I was a complete mess when I finally landed in Helsinki. My hair was greasy and I was sweaty and had changed into every single article of clothing that I had packed into that backpack. So if you want to make a good first impression on your potential spouse, do not be like me. Use a larger suitcase or backpack and pack your items more efficiently.

3) RESEARCH

- This one is fairly short and to the point. Do your research!!! Google the airports you will be using, the airlines, the countries you're passing through and their currencies! I did very little of this prior to flying and boy did I make a mistake. I was completely at a loss in each airport I visited. If it weren't for kind strangers and the airport staff I probably wouldn't have made it onto all my flights. I had 0 idea how airports worked. Google is your friend!

4) AIRPORT FOOD

- By now you all probably know I'm an idiot, so, I have no shame in telling you the rest at this point. If you can at all avoid it... Don't buy the food from the vendors inside the airport. Legitimately everything inside these airports are overpriced. I had very little emergency/travel money with me, so I tried to save as much as possible during my trip. Alas, I was hungry and weary from my journey so I decided to try some weird, over-priced, turkish food that I'd never before seen or heard of in my life... And some fancy ice cream... And some cool looking soda from some small convenience store... And a steak dinner from some restaurant from NY. I was stress eating, okay. Not to mention the fact that when I landed in Oslo my phone was dead and upon looking for a charging port I discovered that all the outlets were shaped differently. I had no clue that outlets were shaped differently in EU, so I had to go and spend like 20 euros on an adaptor for my charger. Refer to number 3(do your research).

5) DON'T ASSUME

- This is probably the most important one. Don't assume that everything is going to go smoothly or be easy. I assumed a lot of things about moving to Finland and I was wrong about most of those assumptions. I assumed once I was here it would be easy to find work and start studying. It wasnt. I am still searching for a job or a university to study at and it is now 2020. I assumed that I would be fine traveling for the first time by myself to a foreign country. I assumed that my then boyfriend and I would have the same connection in person that we did online - thankfully I was correct about that one. But it all could have gone so wrong. I could have missed my connecting flights or got stranded in NY or Oslo. I could have actually gotten chopped up into little bits and shipped back to the States in a suitcase, just like my coworkers and friends told me. But thankfully I didn't. All in all, I wouldn't change being here with my husband for anything. Despite how difficult and stressful... And exhausting my travels were to get here. Hopefully you won't make the same mistakes as I did when you decide to take your journey.

Thanks for having a look, will be posting more blogs soon! If you have any questions or suggestions for my next post, shoot me a PM. Would love to hear your suggestions.

Until next time, Lunam00na

[flyswhumpcenter]

Φάρμακον [Whumptober 2019 - Day 21: Laced Drink]

Summary: φάρμακον (phármakon): substantive neutral, Ancient Greek. Remedy, poison. A queen must have means to protect her own power and person. For Selena, whose rings shine like stars in the starry sky, it's what her jewels hide behind their flare.

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V (Royalty/Ancient Mediterranean Sea AU) Relationships: Very implied Serena & Ruri friendship, also very implied Peregrine

Wordcount: 1.052 words

Content Warnings: Deals with poisons (y’know, considering the prompt, it’s predictable).

Notes: I have a question: are you familiar with a manga called Aoi Horus no Hitomi? I bought it under its French name and edition, "Reine d'Egypte" (a lame translation, compared to the original Japanese title, if you ask me) kind of by chance and it's since then become one of my favorite manga series of all times with Cardcaptor Sakura, Pokémon Special and FMA. I buy every new volume as soon as they come out. It's about the first female pharaoh, Hatchepsut, and how her rise to power and reign were... tumultuous, to say the least. Also it looks super fucking good.

If I bring up Aoi Horus no Hitomi, it's because this is the inspiration for this AU oneshot. I suddenly wanted to write about an Ancient Times-inspired queen and how she expressed her authority. This may be more Greek than Egyptian-like necause I'm more comfortable with Greco-Roman codes (blame it on my major), and used Serena's already Greek name (y'know, the moon, the goddess Σελήνη, etc.). Now, I have no excuse for having Ruri and Shun roam around with their very not Greco-Roman names, but fuck it, my AU my rules So in short here Selena is a moon-themed queen officially endorsed by the moon goddess Hecate, Ruri is her childhood friend-slash-servant-slash-maid and Shun is her dedicated scribe. You'll easily be able to tell where the Aoi Horus no Hitomi inspiration kicks in there if you've read the manga lol. Implied Peregrine here I come. (It can be read as just deep friendship, tho, I think).

And the title of the story, which is the first thing I actually came up with when filling this prompt, is absolutely a play on the term because φάρμακον can translate to either "remedy" or "poison" depending on the context. 

---------

A queen cannot let her guard down, can she? In a world where enemies keep rising against her, both from the inside and the outside, she must keep a careful and watchful eye on everything possible. Alas, she does not have the eyes of the gods, cannot see through all of the lies and the darkness and cannot ride on the boat of the sun; she needs to take care of this with her limited human abilities. It is but part of being a mortal in a cosmos ruled by the deities.

Like any queen, she wears bright and luxurious jewellery for most of her days and nights, earrings complementing her hair, crescent-shaped headband and crown to show her social status to all, golden necklaces and shining gems decorating her breast, bracelets colouring her wrists in bright and regal colours, rings armouring her fingers. These are more than simple, superficial decorations: they are weapons in their own right. She can scratch an assassin with the claw-shaped accessory on her right index finger and has the most efficient powders in the other rings she wore, contained under the pretty gemstones making her hands shine like the early rainbow sky.

People of the court want her dead or alive, to exert their authority on her and, in then, get the country’s power in their filthy, egotistical hands. Alas, she was raised by a cunning pedagogue and taught by the winner of the Olympic Games of his youth: she knows her environment and how her high-ranked officers act. She prefers young, low-class citizens to serve her, as they’re more diligent and more deserving of her attention, having struggled their way to the top instead of inheriting from their parents’ status to her ancestors. The son isn’t always as good or bad as the father, after all.

A noble-blooded accountant flatters her too much with empty-sounded words and verses she’s already heard or read somewhere else, gratifies her with gifts that smell like dishonesty and future treason. She sees the sharp, bright blade tied around his waist, clean and yet poor, handle made out of wood. His clothing is unnaturally crimson, colour of power in another city they have contacts with, he told her when she asked about it. Still, despite the flags this rises, she invites him to sit down at her table and invites a maid to serve them both a cup of strong-flavoured tea, waiting for him to turn an eye away during their conversations once the fuming cups are set before the both of them.

He glances at his blade, irises filling with a dark shine; she pours the powder hidden behind a sapphire into his drink.

Their conversation resumes. His words still sound empty, flatters that mean nothing, and she only listens with half of her mind. Instead, she focuses on the cup, drinking her tea with slow gulps, attention focused on the noble. He eventually puts the treacherous drink to his lips and, in a slow move of his wrist, takes a sip. His last, she knows it, as his hands go limp and he passes out. In a complacent nod of her head, she gets her maid’s attention and claps in her hands.

“Ruri, please,” she asks, the girl rushing to her side, “can you get this man to his new cell?”

“Absolutely, your Majesty.”

“I told you already, you can call me Selena when we’re alone like this. Now, if you will excuse me, I have a scribe to check on.”

The maid bows and runs out of the room, diligent as always, as the queen eyes the tea still drippling from the table. He should have known a woman endorsed by the moon would have Hecate by her side to protect her, her starry sleeves shrouded in the dark filled with tricks.

In the palace’s office, a man is slouched over a desk, a hand writing down accounts and books for the royal archives. She doesn’t need to glance over his shoulder to know this is what he is doing, because she assigned this task to him last week, and he’s been nothing but serious about it since then. A bit too serious, it’d seem.

“In how long have you not slept, Shun?” She asks as she enters the room, a sly smirk on her face, her guard slightly down despite the blade she has tied around her waist and hidden away by the precious clothing and the jewels.

The scribe rises from his slouched position, obvious dark rings under his eyes, hand almost hitting the cup of water he has next to him. She slowly walks up to him, bracelets tingling, stones shining under the gentle, dim light of the candle lighting his workspace.

“Ah, your Majesty,” he replies. “I’m almost done with this manuscript. It should only take a couple of hours left.”

“I appreciate your dedication, but your queen is ordering you to bed, so could you please do so right this moment? I am afraid you have, in fact, not slept for a couple of days.”

“I have frankly not seen the sun enough to judge, your Majesty.”

“This only gives me more reasons to order you to bed, Shun.”

“I swear on my life that I’ll do so once I’m done with this manuscript.”

Selena opens her emerald ring’s cache over his cup of water while he looks over his handwriting again. For someone who seemed as rough as he was when she first hired him, his is smooth and clear. People are full of hidden talents and traits, it gladly seems.

Shortly after she’s laced his drink, he grabs his cup it in his hand and almost drinks it, only to wince when it gets close to his nose. He glances back at her, a familiar smile on his face.

“Ah, I guess that Her Majesty very much wants me to go take a rest. I’ll execute myself without making her wait any longer.”

“I prefer that.”

She gives him her hand, which he takes, his head spinning for a moment. She didn’t say that for her own good, after all, she expected that to happen. Still, she got proven right, and that’s enough for her, for now, when it’s about her personal scribe.

She blows out the candle before leaving.