#dyn: take my hand

[fatesown]

sioned -> tag drop

[tiderider]

tag  dump .

.     dyn .     ›     we’ll  take  the  sea  together  ──  uma  &  harry .

.     otp .     ›     resting  at  my  true  loves  door  ──  uma  &  harry .

.     dyn .     ›     marching  to  the  beat  of  the  storm  ──  gil  &  harry .

.     otp .     ›     burning brighter than the sun  ──  gil  &  harry .

.     dyn .     ›     we  will  never  part  ──  gil  &  uma  &  harry .

.     ot3 .     ›     down  on  the  ocean  floor  ──  gil  &  uma  &  harry .

.     ot4 .     ›     four  horsemen  of  the  apocalypse  ──  lost  devils .

.     ot3 .     ›     our  love  is  bigger  than  our  bodies  ──  jaq  &  nina  &  harry .

.     otp .     ›     your  heavy  heart  in  mine  ──  nina  &  harry .

.     otp .     ›     forgive  me  for  these  rough  hands  ──  jaq  &  harry .

[omgitstatertot]

I see videos where celebs read tweets about themselves and I just-

Imagine dating Bakugou, the both of you working side by side at his self run agency and a TV show asks for the two of you to come onto a NFSW episode on their show where the two of you will be reading thirst posts about yourselves together-

You accepted the request happily and basically bullied him into doing it with you (The nudge from your PR manager helped a bit, but it was mostly you.)

So here you sat, scrolling through screenshots upon screenshots of thirst posts and responding to them aloud with a sly smile, and the occasional flex from Katsuki that he has in fact been "stepped on" by you as so many posts have begged you to do, when all of a sudden he reads off a very familiar username.

"This ones by 'Dyn@mite$€umDump47' and says-"

He's quickly interrupted by a surprised yelp from you as you snatch the tablet from his hand. "NO!" Everyone on set looks at you and you can feel your entire face heat up as you clear your throat. "I-I mean- We uhm, we dont need to read this one..."

You can practically hear the smirk in his tone as your boyfriend reaches across the couch to try and take it back from you. "Why not princess? Was this one you?"

"No-" Quickly moving the tablet out of his reach you frown at him. "You just dont need to read it."

"So it was you?"

"Was not!"

"That's fine- I'll get it out of you eventually Doll..-"

"Theres no need!" The host spoke up and you both looked up to the screen on the wall to see the tweet plastered on the screen. "It says, 'Thinking about being absolutely manhandled by ProHero Dynamite and letting him wrap his big ass hand around my throat until he has me seeing stars' followed by a bunch of hearts and- Oh? The next screenshot was a retweet by the same original poster that adds on 'But also thinking about sitting him down after a long day out in the field and overstimulating him until his thighs are shaking and hes crying, begging me to slow down'."

Katsuki is silent beside you as you let out an embarrassed squeak and hide behind the tablet in your hands, making no effort to defend yourself anymore because- How are you supposed to defend yourself from that on live TV?

You finally feel him shift beside you at the same time you work up the courage to lower the tablet so you can see only to find him leaning closer to you with a smirk.

"Katsuki please-"

"Didn't know you felt that way Doll- Coulda told me, yeah?"

"Oh my god- Katsuki!" Theres a whine to your tone as you shove the tablet into his chest. "Shut up! It was before I met you ok-"

"And yet you sti-"

"Katsuki!"

[gyumibear]

⌞BLUE SPRING⌝ — PROFILES: ATZ

SYNOPSIS — In which you, an upcoming idol, are saved from a dangerous encounter by Song Mingi, a jaded, third-year delinquent who falls for you in more ways than one. However, both of your responsibilities constantly tear you apart. Years later, you reunite. Are the sparks still there or was your love only meant for that one spring?

← TO DYN♡STY | MASTERLIST | TO JUICEEZ →

KIM HONGJOONG - '98 liner, Hongjoong is the leader of the "gang" ATZ. He recruited the other members while he was still in school, but continues to do the activities even though he has graduated. He takes it very seriously, enough so that the other members say he can be very scary at times. He and Mingi go way back. Hongjoong can be nice, it's just when he's outside of leader mode, which is rare.

CHOI SAN - '99 liner, San is a member of ATZ. He was brought in through Wooyoung, who was brought in by Hongjoong. He's in his last year of school and tends to skip classes to do grunt work. San is the nicest member of the group and most of his school friends wonder why he's even there in the first place. San is close to everyone, except Mingi. He's tried to reach out, but it doesn't work out well.

SONG MINGI - '99 liner, Mingi is a member of ATZ, but in a way, you could call him a co-founder. He has an interesting relationship with Hongjoong due to their history and the fact that Mingi does not care about the group. He constantly dyes his hair but has recently gone blond to spite Hongjoong. He has a secret love for flowers that nobody but San knows about. He doesn't like people seeing his hands.

JUNG WOOYOUNG - '99 liner, Wooyoung is the second-in-command of ATZ. He constantly butts heads with Mingi because of this dynamic. He's very good at people-watching and getting information out of people. Some people around the school say he has a narcissistic personality, but he just says he knows he's attractive and he's not afraid to be confident in himself. San believes that he's just misunderstood.

CHOI JONGHO - '00 liner, Jongho is the latest member of ATZ. While Hongjoong tends to come up with most of the plans, he tends to run them by Jongho first. Jongho's addition to the group has caused their profit to skyrocket. Jongho is seen as intimidating to everyone who doesn't know him, but he's just as nice as San is. Makes you wonder why a stand-up kind of guy like him is there in the first place...

NOTE — ATZ is what they started being called by authorities, not a name they chose for themselves! They just go along with it because they don't care enough to come up with a better one. This group will also only be present for the first half of the SMAU! You will see why eventually... hehe.

BLUE SPRING TAGLIST: OPEN! send a reply or ask to be added! if bold, you could not be tagged! — @ad0rechuu @run2seob @xynokia @hearttakesworld @scarfac3 @gvnwks

© GYUMIBEAR. do not repost, modify, or translate my work onto other social media sites.

[shy-urban-hobbit]

Can I get a 94. I won’t loose you too, from the angst prompt list with lambden <3 I wonder who would say it 👀

"I won't lose you too. - Lambert/Aiden.

(C/W death/grieving). Aiden runs into Lambert after suffering a loss.

Guxart was dead.

Guxart was dead and the caravan was in turmoil. After the shock and the worst of the mourning had passed - with several Cats yet to reappear after taking themselves off into the woods to do God's knows what - the question of leadership had come into play. It had happened so quickly, the old man had gone to bed hale and hearty and then just hadn't woken the next morning, and as far as anyone was aware he'd never mentioned anything about a successor. Rifts and alliances formed and changed daily as people put themselves forward, some only interested in the power the position would bring, others seeing it as an escape from The Path.

Aiden, wanting neither of these things and having no strong feelings towards any of the contenders, had tried as best as he could to stay neutral along with a few others. Even that came with its own set of risks though as they found themselves facing more and more pressure with bribes, blackmail and outright threats to align with somebody. Things came to a head when Schrödinger barely survived a nasty gut wound he received for refusing to back Marcus' claim on leadership. Dyn Marv was no longer safe.

Aiden and his small band by unspoken mutual agreement took their time parting ways when spring came. There were no jokes about settling petty arguments next time they met incase the wrong person should overhear, no assurances that they would see one another back here in the winter. Unless they should happen to meet on The Path, for however many winters it took until the power vacuum had been filled and they knew if it was safe to return (something which would also be dependent on the outcome), this was truly goodbye.

Aiden had never been so glad when he happened to spot Lambert lingering at the back of the Inn. He made his way over, clocking the moment the other knew he was there as his nostrils flared slightly before he turned to look in Aiden's direction.

"Tell me you already have a room." Aiden said without preamble as he stopped in front of him.

Lambert nodded, his pleased smile changing to a look of concern as he stood and guided Aiden upstairs with a light hand on his arm.

As soon as the door closed Aiden was on him, mouth insistent and fingers fumbling repeatedly with the clasps of Lambert's armour in his desperation.

"Aid -Aiden. Stop, stop." Lambert said when he managed to get his mouth free, holding Aiden gently by the shoulders. The Cat kept gripping the edges of his armour, wide eyed gaze flitting around the room, "Aiden, what's-"

"Please don't turn me down." Aiden whimpered, "I just. I need this, I-" He wrapped his arms fully around Lambert's middle, the Wolf allowing it and returning the embrace as the other nosed at his neck, "Take care of me? Please?"

Lambert buried his nose in soft, dark hair as he rocked him, at a loss for what to do at seeing the usually flippant Cat so shaken.

"Ok." He murmured in the same soothing tone he used when his horse got spooked, pressing a kiss to the crown of Aiden's head, moving a hand to rest on the small of his back "I've got you Kitten. Gonna make you feel better, alright?"

Lambert rolled over onto his back taking Aiden with him, who was just as clingy as he'd been before and during. For the moment, he seemed content to trace random patterns on Lambert's chest whilst Lambert rubbed his thumb idly up and down Aiden's hip in return.

"Stay." Aiden said, not taking his eyes off where his fingers were dancing around one of Lambert's nipples.

"Course I'm staying. This is my room." Lambert said, aiming for jovial and failing spectacularly if the light slap to his pec was any indication.

"No." Aiden raised his head to look at Lambert fully, "On The Path. Stay. With me. Let's not split this year. We'll have to try and make things stretch a little further but we'll have double of some provisions and you said your brother and his human seem to manage it without issue."

Aiden's tone was becoming more and more frantic. Lambert rolled them both again when the tears started to fall, bracketing him with his arms and resting a majority of his weight on him in the way Aiden had once mentioned he found soothing, "Calm kitten. Calm." He soothed, "Let me in. What's going on in that head of yours?"

"Guxart, he's...and now Dyn Marv's... Schrödinger, Axel...." the tears were falling thick and fast. Lambert wasn't entirely sure Aiden was aware he was crying, "I won't lose you too. Please Lambert, I can't."

Things started sliding into place for Lambert as he gathered Aiden into his arms tightly. He had questions but right now he wanted - needed - to focus on his grieving lover. He kept up a low rumble that was as close to a purr as he was ever going to get as he let Aiden cling to him and cry himself out.

It was long into the night by the time Aiden had told Lambert the full story, occasionally broken by smaller bouts of crying and times where Aiden needed silence and the physical comfort of a kiss or two or Lambert just rubbing his back until he was ready to continue.

"I'll have to figure out something for the winter. I might have a few favours I can call in, or-"

"Vesemir." Lambert interrupted. Aiden made a small enquiring noise, "He and Guxart were friends for a time, right?" Lambert continued, "Someone's going to have to tell him and...I think maybe he'd like having someone else who knew the old Cat close by. If you want to."

"And here I was thinking you couldn't stand your old teacher." Aiden said drowsily.

"I can't. And trust me, it's mutual. I just know if I were him..."

He glanced down to see Aiden was dead to the world, the emotional toil finally catching up to him. Lambert carefully rearranged them so Aiden was more or less completely on top of him, legs entwined. Once he settled there was no way he was leaving unless Aiden either let him up or he jostled the Cat that much he ended up waking him.

The next morning, Lambert pulled Aiden up to sit in front of him on his own mare, Aiden intertwining their fingers whilst his own horse was led along with their packs and equipment.

[powdermelonkeg]

Fourth Choice

How should Winter pay? Try to barter with the tavernkeep, 42%

"Can I pay you instead?"

The tavernkeep crosses her arms, eyeing him warily. "Pay with what? You haven't a chip to your name, I saw your bags."

"Nesting resin," Winter replies. "It fetches a good price with jewelers. And it took me over a week to fetch. That's a service itself, isn't it?"

Her eye glances between him and his basket, her thumb rubbing over a worn spot in her patched skirt. "…Nesting resin. Show me it."

Finally having permission to move without causing a ruckus, Winter leans over to grab his basket, purposely hiding his red eyes from view when she flinches.

Calm. Easy. Don't give her any reason to fear you.

He grabs the basket off the bedpost, rummages through it, then pulls out a piece of resin the size of his thumb and offers it. The clear substance glows in the dawn light, scattering rainbows all across the room.

The tavernkeep stares at it, slowly reaching out to take it, then swiping it before he has a chance to pull it back. The gem gets a critical look up close.

Winter waits. "My room, my expenses from last night, a good word with the banner, and a meal before I go. Agreed?"

"…Agreed." She rubs the resin against her sleeve and pockets it. "I'll inform the banner. Go find yourself a table, and the staff'll take care of you." Without another word, she leaves the room.

Winter sighs in relief. Crisis averted.

…

The tavern hardly notices when Winter slips out of his room. His hood is pulled high, and he sits at a corner table, away from all the drunkards and hunters and bannered crews. From here, he can assess the colors around him.

Lavender and gold—that's Banner Em-er. Red and pink, Dyn-lye, black and green, Gha-en…

Three. Crowned. Their top ranks. In Tin-ser territory, with no battles. Why?

"You're Sashen's guest?"

He looks up quickly. A server's come to his table—dark, unscarfed hair, a gold sun patch over his right eye, just like the tavernkeep had. Winter offers a flicker of a smile. "I am."

"Order." The server pauses. "Please," he amends, with a hint of sheepishness.

Winter's smile turns more genuine. "Stonefoot sausage stew, please. And a mug of orrelane."

The server nods, jotting it down quickly. "And your takeaway?"

"Do you make raindrop candy?"

He shakes his head. "The frost's lasting long this year. No flowers."

Great. "Mince parcels then, please."

"I'll have a box ready by the time you're finished." With a short curtsy, the server walks off.

Winter sighs. He'd been looking forward to that raindrop candy; with the way things are going, he might not be able to get any before he goes home. And he'd sooner die before he lets anyone in the citadel cook for him.

"-see that snowy one over there?"

Winter snaps out of his thoughts at the snippet of conversation. He glances at the speaker out of the corner of his eye.

Red and pink cape.

"Tin-ser let him in last night," the bannered major continues, eyeing him like prey. "Think he's important?"

"No," her companion drawls. "Eat already. We need to go."

The major falls silent, eating her meal, but her eyes stay trained on the Lantern. Winter doesn't take his gaze off her once, not until the server returns with his meal.

"Here it is." The server sets it in front of him. "Suns shine on you."

"Let them warm you first," Winter replies absently, waving his hand. "Thank you."

The server flashes a small smile, then leaves, restoring Winter's line of sight.

The major's gone.

With a quiet sigh of relief, Winter turns to his meal, glad to be able to relax. It smells incredible; the aroma of herb sausage, the tang of sourroot broth, the spicy-sweet scent of orrelane… He grabs the mug first, lifts the drink to sip it—then pauses.

Atop the orrelane floats a cream-colored disk, a spiral flower burned onto its face.

Winter stares at the wafer in disbelief. Slowly, he turns to look at the front bar.

The server gives a shy wave.

Winter blinks.

What?

"Ay."

He looks up quickly, every muscle in his body tensing as the Dyn-lye major approaches his table. She gives him a feral, gold-toothed grin.

"You. Snow boy." She grabs the seat across from him, pulls it to herself to sit up close. "Tell me what you're doing in Tin-ser." She tilts her head, just enough that he can see the head of the spear strapped to her back. "And how much I'll get for a flask of red-eyed blood."

[secret-engima]

@shadowdragongem asked: So I am reading through your Nox-verse tag again.  and my brain just seems to have Blood of my Blood verse constantly In the Background.  And I got to your first instance of Nox-verse Dissidia au.  and I started wondering how that would go over in Blood of my Blood verse.  because we have all of 3 royals in blood of my blood verse, and any combination of them getting split between the sides is going to result in Angst.

Dyn would probably wind up in 'and this one is too young to be here'  if he gets chosen, and it'd probably be his dad on the other side of things.  Noctis, who is Monstrously, Extremely protective and may, in fact, have lived through this plot before.  Who'd probably be the one on Spiritus' side, because even though he's a chosen, so was Dyn, before the wipe.  And I Cannot imagine Regis being summoned by Spiritus.  Noctis, though.  Noctis, who faced his foe and basically erased him from existence.  Who is where he is because he fought his Gods.  I think that might fit Spiritus' criteria fairly well.

And there's Regis.  Who, whether he's chosen or not, would be dealing with some Trauma during this.  Because he lost his son to kidnapping once already, it being Gods who are kidnapping him and / or his son / grandson does not make it better.  He's either watching via Crystal Vision and Freaking Out, or he was summoned and these people try to tell him he has to fight his family.  That whoever got summoned on the other side as his enemy is evil.

This would probably end with Noctis and / or Regis either contemplating killing these gods or trying to kill these gods.  Because there is no scenario where this family takes this event well.

Me: this would 100% be a barely containable disaster. Noctis would definitely be summoned by Spiritus, and the only way to make this Slightly less of a disaster would be if Dyn is also summoned by Spiritus because of what his soul has been through even if he doesn’t remember. Everyone picture the OUTRAGE of Materia’s warriors when they stumble on Noctis on the field, with his tiny son in a makeshift baby backpack, literally bristling with weaponry and running on pure feral energy. Noctis is ready to obliterate ANYTHING. He’s already obliterated at least two of Spiritus’s other warriors because they got too close to Dyn/looked at his son wrong.

The warriors of Materia are SO CONCERNED??? why is there a teenager and a CHILD here??? Like Onion Knight is a child, but he’s also very mature for his age and wearing armor/wielding a sword. Dyn is a wide-eyed, teary eyed smol. He should not be here. Someone dares to approach from Materia’s side of the field and is probably surprised by Noctis not attempting to skin them. It’s only because Noctis knows them from the last time he did this and is willing to trust them. At least some of them, the ones he spent the most time with last time. So that would be ... Firion and Warrior of Light iirc.

I am torn on if it is more fun for Regis to be forced to watch through Crystal Vision or if he’s HERE, and forced to fight alongside his son/forced to THINK about why his son and grandson was apparently summoned by the god of *chaos* instead of order. :3

If Regis is here, Noctis cries in guilty relief to see him. If he’s not but watching on Crystal Vision, then Regis will see how Noctis reacts to these strangers from other worlds and be- concerned by how easily and quickly Noctis folds into the ranks of these soldiers, kings, warriors, and thieves. The ones he chooses to trust near Dyn probably seem very eclectic, even if Noctis probably refuses to let Dyn out of his sight.

Noctis is also a LOT stronger than he was the last time around, so when it comes time to fight the world eater, Noctis probably stays back? He has Dyn and he’s not going to frontline, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t useful.

And Regis watches with his heart breaking in his throat as Noctis raises his hands and glows so bright his skin cracks open with it, eyes glowing easily as bright as the eyes of the gods of this world as he rains ghostly blades and fire from the sky upon the world eater. Regularly pulsing out healing spells for allies that sweep like waves across the field to reach them despite the distance.

When Noctis and Dyn are delivered home, he immediately locks himself in his room and only lets his Retinue in to see him. Not even Regis allowed in until Noctis has had time to cuddle his son and cry and calm down (until Noctis can fully put away the howling dragon in his soul that is the reason Spiritus called him instead of Materia this time).

[skulltrot]

dyn any input on how the turts deal with stress? we all know leo loves to deflect but im not rly sure about the others

sorry i got this a WHIIIILE ago and had most of the answer in my drafts but i never got around to posting it. but uh, the short answer is that it's kinda situational? Like, don't get me wrong, they have consistent reactions, though their actual reaction varies with context. As it does with anyone, they're multifaceted characters not black and white. Sorry if the answer is a bit all over the place i never actually refined any of these lol just thought i should post them

Leo

Leo deals with stress by deflecting with jokes, sure, but also he's very good at taking the emotions out of a situation and assessing it logically. Generally, I'd say he makes jokes to keep a level head during a situation more often than not. His ability to stay level-headed and pull himself out of his own head (minus his ego getting in the way) is what makes him a good strategist. He's able to assess a problem and take steps to a solution.

(sorry leo self-esteem angst enjoyers, but while he has insecurities they almost always have to do with people not seeing what he sees in himself. aka, he's very confident in his own abilities, overly confident even, he just needs other people to be around to witness that and actually acknowledge it for it to mean anything)

But on the other hand, we've also seen Leo get overwhelmed to the point where he just kinda shuts down(?) for lack of a better word. This is rare for him, as he's almost always able to keep his composure (or at least get himself together and push through).

We see this with him getting nervous and stammering all over the place, when he curls into himself, and etc. I think these usually happen when he's unable to find a solution or manipulate a situation in his favor.

Raph

Raph's reaction is fairly straightforward. He smashes first, asks questions later. When he's stressed he tends to panic and start literally punching things. THAT or he gets angry/irritated at whatever is stressing him out, causing him to yell. Where Leo's level-headed and leads with his wits about him, Raph goes more off of instinct and emotion.

In other situations that don't cause him to panic specifically, where he's just nervous, he just makes himself smaller and acts really sheepish cause he isn't able to come up with viable excuses on the spot like Leo can.

Mikey

Never wrote anything for him sorry but ummm staring at my 50 minute analysis for this guy i do kinda talk about it there iirc?

Donnie

This question is SUUPPERRR context-dependent with Donnie. Not so much because he's inconsistent, as much as it's just that he's so explosively emotional it's actually really hard to take his character apart beyond some of his main components and make myself sound comprehensible, and I'm saying that as someone who relates to him the most. I really have no idea how the fandom interprets him as emotionless or reserved in any way.

Just kidding! I know why. (Hint: it's because he's autistic)

To be honest, I think Donnie's character is so hard for me to analyze articulately is because I'm coming in here with my perspective on him as an autistic person, and the way autistic people process emotions is literally fundamentally different to other people. Our brains work in a completely different way so we quite literally have a different experience with emotions. I think explaining that is hard, maybe.

Anyway, I think the easiest way to answer this is that Donnie tends to stick to routines, and when that doesn't work he just kinda... freaks out? It can mean he spirals into focusing on an entirely irrational concept (hello Pizza Pit conspiracy board) just to feel like he has some semblance of understanding over a situation.

He needs to understand things. He needs to understand things logically so he can piece them together and figure out how to interact with them. Otherwise it's hard for him to figure out the right way to approach something. The reason he needs to understand everything is so he can make a plan. When he doesn't have a step-by-step guide to stick to and back up plans on back up plans to fall back on then he's like a fish out of water floundering around.

When all else fails he has a shutdown or a meltdown. And when I say that I mean it in the autistic way, for the record. He curls up in a ball, cries, throws things, etc.

He overthinks. A lot. Like a LOT. He has a tendency to make things more complicated than they need to be, and while that works when he's dealing with a robotics project or any of his other science experiments, it's not so effective in real-time situations or when dealing with people.

Mystic powers for example. They stressed him out a lot! This stress exhibited itself in frustration turned to a bitter resentment because he didn't understand them and it made him feel inferior. His understanding of how the world works and mystic powers conflicted, so he ignores and denies any insinuation that mystic powers are somehow "better."

He's constantly stressed out because he feels disconnected from people. That is straight-up what his entire character arc is. That in itself requires its own intense analysis since it's not really said outright and I'm not going to get into that, but the stress he feels from feeling like he's out of place often drives him to trying to compensate for himself. A tendency to ignore, deny, and try to manufacture his way out of it.

...Do you see where I'm going with this?

Whenever he's stressed, he tries to compensate for it by building up these (seemingly) impenetrable walls made of overpreparation thanks to his overthinking, never confronting his own emotions, and/or trying to logic his way out of something. Alas, Donnie is a god-awful liar and he is fooling nobody. All of this, more or less, makes it look like he's got an annoyingly inflated ego (he does a bit to be fair), but he's the one who probably has the worst image of himself as a person. Unlike Leo, he's actually insecure about himself as a person (not his intelligence though).

If there's a bad situation, he can, at the very least, know the odds of survival. He can, at the very least, know exactly what is going to happen. If he's about to be smashed in a tank by weird, fucked up alien vines then he'll keep his composure somewhat because at least he has data to lean on.

Data collection calms him down for a reason! It gives him something to look at in favor of the situation because knowing is better than going into it blind.

Redirecting his focus, deflecting (via ignoring or repressing), or having a shutdown/meltdown pretty much sums up his reactions.

[sitp-recs]

Here I come with another special hidden gems selection to celebrate the best among us, the wonderful and inimitable @the-starryknight! What a privilege to share this space and be friends with someone this generous, creative and kind. I can’t imagine the fandom as we know it without Starry’s warm presence and gentle encouragement. Starry is a true MVP - somehow they find time to write, beta, mod, comment, rec, check in, cheerlead, and god knows what else. They’re not only an incredibly talented creator - with a creative mind and evocative prose that gently tuck me into bed or, alternatively, keeps me at the edge of my seat with a gritty, seductive dark-ish plot - but also the gentlest soul, always available and ready to lend a helping hand or to boost our community with their fabulous TLC posts.

Starry, you are the gem. Your collaborative and generous spirit is the backbone of this fandom, and your passion for art and history make me want to experience all those beautiful things with you. I’m endlessly fascinated by the worlds you create, so rich and detailed, by your vibrant characters full of nuance and heart, by their tender falling in love and journey towards hope, friendship and self-care. Thank you for being an inspiring ray of sunshine during my moody and difficult days, for putting so much of yourself into your work, and for making my fandom experience so much more special. Your energy fuels our enthusiasm and your kindness awakes the best in us. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate your day and contributions than to highlight some hidden essentials that could get more visibility and love! The banner I chose hopes to evoke - beyond the obvious reference to gems and a starry sky - the ethereal quality of lush beauty & mystery that I see and enjoy so much in your works.

I gently invite everyone else to join me in this love fest for Starry - go check the incredible works below, leave as much feedback as you can, and feel free to share your own favorites alongside mine, I’ll love to see your picks. Happy happy birthday Starry! Here’s to many more years enjoying this chaotic but exciting fandom life 💙💜

Drarry

On Permanence (2021, M, 1.4k) - the title itself makes me immediately love this fic but I wasn’t prepared to the explosion of feels this sexy, tender, introspective fuck buddies to lovers gave me. The clubbing atmosphere full of freedom and possibilities, their easy coming together as if inevitable, the tentative way they navigate this change of pace, wanting as much as before but with so much more meaning and time to discover each other. Utterly gorgeous.

The possibility of going home with Draco is the only reason Harry comes to the club anymore. Tonight, there's a new kind of intimacy to be found outside the neon noise.

little luminaries (2022, G - E, 2.5k total) - fifty short stories, fifty new ways to fall in love with Drarry through Starry’s words. This is a spectacular sample of their genius mind and beautiful prose, exploring all the takes and tropes you could imagine within 50 concise and magical words. A delicious collection of bite-size treats for all kinds of moods and days!

Fifty 50-word Draco/Harry microfics in various genres, mostly romance/HEA.

Confessions in a Lover's Whorl (2021, T, 2.6k) - this impeccable Draco POV full of hope and longing tells the love of a lifetime within 3k. It’s so precious and moving to witness him watching Harry, a private and intimate little moment exposed to our eyes and heart only. The ending makes me tear up every time and it’s a crime this doesn’t have more comments. If you wanna read only one thing today, choose this fic.

In the mornings when Harry remains asleep, Draco tracks the stories of their life together in the lines of Harry’s upturned palm.

Could Have Been a Tragedy (2021, T, 3k) - vamp hunters husbands, that’s what I’m talking about baby!!! This has the exact brand of light and fun intimacy I need in all my established relationship fics pls, their dynamics are a delight and this concept is so cool and inventive! As always this unfolds into so much character and back story, with excellent dialogue and delicious domesticity, A+ power couple vibes.

Covens of dangerous and feral vampires require a special sort of hunter. Luckily, Draco and Harry make just the team, equipped with a frankly absurd number of silver knives and wooden stakes.

In the Garden After Dark (2021, M, 3.5k) - I am simply obsessed with this Unspeakable universe with teams of three, and by Starry’s sharp, evocative and melancholy exploration of grief and loneliness. The Drarry dynamics sharing love and pain hit me right on the solar plexus and I wanna know all about their complicated jobs and lives! Haunting and moving.

Unspeakables work in teams of three, but when Draco and Harry lost their third, Draco left too. Now he's back, Illusion magic stronger than ever, and Harry is less lonely in his arms.

Of Mirrors, Myths, and Men (2021, E, 5.4k) - imho this is one of Starry’s sexiest stories with superb UST, ballroom romance, handyman wolf Harry & Veela Draco coming together in a lush, hot and poetic way! I just love the seductive vibes here, how they quietly gravitate towards each other building anticipation, which culminates with a breathtaking mirror sex scene that lives rent free in my mind! Trust me, you gotta read this one 🔥

After years of renovations on the Manor, Draco has one room left: the Ballroom. Harry Potter’s repair skills come highly recommended. But from the moment Potter stepped foot in the Manor, something burned between them, far more compelling than Draco could have ever anticipated.

The Art of the Matter (2021, E, 5.7k) - there’s something magical about seeing Starry in their element - like in this Victorian AU featuring fancy waistcoats and hot fumbling amidst an art heist (!!!) - that leaves me in awe of their writing. The detailed historical setting, the charming flirty dynamics, the intensity of their get together (never enough time, even after seven years!), the mystery behind the painting, the exciting thrill surrounding the heist! This feels both familiar and original, fun and sexy and full of vibrant details that make the story jump out of the screen.

Someone has been casting increasingly awful curses on artworks, targeting Muggle viewers. Draco and Harry are one of the best cursebreaking teams around despite their penchant for distraction in cloak closets. Their latest case? A Muggle portrait in the Paris Salon with a virulent blood curse.

Saltwater Stain (2021, M, 9k) - @tackytigerfic and I will never stop screaming about how brilliant this dark-ish fic is - downright creepy and fascinating it will confuse seduce your mind like a siren with its contemplative and surreal atmosphere, plus the sublime devastation of Harry’s longing for Draco. Incredible setting and vibes, one of the most intriguing, disturbing and well-executed pieces I’ve ever read.

Seven days stuck on a boat investigating a rogue ghost wouldn't be so bad if Harry didn't want Draco so much. Draco has his rules and Harry's content to follow them, but the air feels different away from the shore. Is it possible that the sea could offer Harry something impossible on land?

Rare pairs

Autumn in the Air (2021, T, 1.7k) - the way I ran to check this when I saw that Starry had written DRON! This is a darling, intriguing and moving short. I love the building tension, the slow creeping realization something’s wrong, their soft mutual longing for each other. A treat to soothe my poor multi-shipper heart!

Draco had never been here before.

Surface Texture (2021, E, 6.3k) - I can’t even think about this Harry/Teddy without getting choked up, this has everything I’ve ever wanted for my favorite rare pair, and it’s a joy to experience how hot and devoted they are to each other. Artist Teddy finding his muse in this sexy and mature Harry gave me goosebumps, I could taste their want and the sexual tension as if I were right there by their side, and despite the sinfully scorching smut this has an incredible amount of introspection and tenderness, as per Starry’s brand. A masterpiece! Don’t forget to check @bluebutter-art’s brilliant art for it here.

I've drawn a hundred portraits, but none quite like Harry's. In the early hours of the morning, I lay him bare in charcoal and paper.

[fatesown]

ISOBEL TAG DROP

[milksnake-tea]

Continuation choo choo!

Mr. Yang is an enigma to you, but as far as you know he has the mind of a man who have experienced many loss and grief. He is a man with so much duty in his hands back in his universe, the Herrscher of Reason, Sovereign of Anti-Entropy, ever since he was a child he already had his life overriden by duty. But the express doesn't see his duty, they see Mr. Yang. He's kind and reliable, his wisdom may (or may not) exceed anyone in the express, he always find you coming to him, asking questions and he'd gladly go on about topics after topics. And if he stayed back, he'd receive messages of how you and the others are doing, and that brought a smile to his face.

To walk in the path of The Trailblaze is a lonely one - you come and you go - you make connections before you make another ones, with the possibility that you won't meet your past companions. Himeko is the heart of the Express, but even she can feel lonely. To be part of The Nameless one cannot form a bond too thick else you'd experience the pain of severing it, but she loves everyone nonetheless, she shares her knowledge with you and maybe learn a thing or two about the express' mechanisms, or you're daring enough to try her coffee and not sleep for a few days. But you'd always remember the day she opened her arms and take you in as part of thr express was the best chapter beginning of your life. You'd stay by her side, like a child accompanying their mother as she sets her eyes on the stars, you'd stay in the Express until it reached its final stop. The universe is big so why stop at one place?

You? Maybe you're someone that deeply loves the universe, or a curious scholar, someone with past regrets, a criminal, or you just walk the path of The Trailblaze because you have nowhere to go. For them that doesn't matter, you've done many things for the express. Wether it's helping Pom-Pom cleaning the cars or help with the Trailblaze missions, or be a friend. Caelus/Stelle loves how you'd go your way to have fun in any world they landed, maybe you both have caused some problems and dive into dumpsters to find interesting stuffs. Dan Heng could ramble about trivias from the Data Bank at any given moment if you want him to, he will fight and protect you during missions and you'd do the same for him. Taking a lot of pictures is a must go with March, you would have your poses ready the moment she unleashes her camera. She doesn't really have someone to chat to when she's bored, and you'd go to her room about how you made a weapon out of a Voidranger's remains or watch movies and maybe you guys scrapbook sometimes.

Trailblazer needs someone to remind them, they aren't alone. They have people to latch onto, a support to ground themselves as a host of a Stellaron. Dan Heng needs someone to remind him, he is loved and there is hope. He is Dan Heng, a person who's not weighted down by his past predecessors. March 7th needs someone to remind her, the unknown isn't as scary and people will be there for her if the void almost drown her. She needs something ahead of her, to see, to feel, to know that she exist, so everything won't be as scary. You need to remind yourself, the world is big, your past doesn't define you and you have people to move forward with, the kindness you offered wouldn't be left to waste and you don't have to face the unpredictability of what's to come alone. Everyday is a new adventure.

The Astral Express. The Nameless. You are the children of Akivili, traveling the universe and sing their name like the gears of the express resonating in the cosmos.

(I'm so normal about them [cries])

-🪽

🪽. 🪽. SHAKING YOU BY THE SHOULDERS BRO THE BRAIN YOU HAVE ????? ARE YOU OKAY DOES UR BACK HURT FROM CARRYING THAT HUMONGOUS THING BC WHAT THE GRRGGRRGRGGRGRGRGRGR SOBBING INTO THE FLOOR GOD I LOVE THE EXPRESS FAMILY SO MUCH ????? HIMEKO MY MOTHER I LOVE YOU i wont drink ur coffee bc maam i cant do black im sorry im weak BUT SOBS

no because ???? THEIR DYNAMIC YOU CAPTURED JUST ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFULLY HELLO ??? THE WAY THEY ALL JUST RELY ON EACH OTHER AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER AS THEY TRAVEL EVERYWHERE AND THEYRE NEVER ALONE AND AFHIJOWKHADFOJSNDISUJK

also "You are the children of Akivili" idk why but on god that is such a beautiful line ily

[defensivelee]

Can you do The Menhera au and the Alien Alien au??? I think it’ll he fun!!

anything for you my dear Wivew <333

You would be right, it does look like fun! I think I would use the plot and setting of MENHERAMEN, but the general worldbuilding of Alien Alien. I think that'd be interesting, exploring that world with modern dynamics.

CW: mentions of addiction, abusive relationships, kidnapping, torture, objectification, and death.

William isn't stadtholder or king here, he's a simple Defender hybrid with the same issues he has in MENHERAMEN (addiction and PTSD). When he was younger and in the foster system, he was given a little android friend to cheer him up and bring everywhere, which would be given to a lot of kids here to help them with any issues they may have (therapy substitute, in their words).

His android, Bentinck, grows to be much more protective here than he is in Alien Alien, in a sense going down this path of bloodshed and darkness because of his own insecurities and uncertainty of what his destiny should be. In the original MENHERAMEN, he's never found any joy in his life other than when he is with William, and never shows himself any respect because he believes that's up to William to decide. In this AU, that's amplified by...a lot, considering he was quite literally made just for William. He follows Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics with pride, but he also won't hesitate to switch his First and Second Laws should William be in any danger.

Something added to his insecurity in this AU would be his worries that William may no longer need him once he grows and recovers from his trauma. Normally he wouldn't mind, in fact he takes pride in the fact that William decides when he dies...but oh, no. He's in love with his master, he doesn't want to leave him, he wants to be here to protect him forever.

So, of course, the overdose happens, and Bentinck kills Charles as he does in the original MENHERAMEN. From there the story would be pretty much the same as the original (for those of you who've read it), with just a few added dynamics that I think would be interesting to explore.

In MENHERAMEN, Bentinck is portrayed as a killer who has no idea what he's doing. He wanted Charles' death to be painless, but he just couldn't stab the correct artery...!! Things like that. Here, however, he uses his database to figure out how to make it as painless as possible...and by the time he kidnaps Marly, he can also know how to make it as painful as possible.

On that note, there are so many new ways a robot could mess with a biological being. In MENHERAMEN, he has a little fight with James, and that happens here too, of course. James tries to bite him, infect him with his venom, but there's just no way to make Bentinck back down. In addition, he wouldn't need to smack James on the head with any old stick-- he could just use his fist as it is, and if he swings hard enough, it can kill James. Also, of course, tail-snapping!! In Alien Alien, Bentinck accidentally breaks James' tail, but there's nothing accidental about it here.

When Marly is in Bentinck's possession, he can scream and fight all he wants, but a huge metal hand over your mouth is better than any average gag. He's also insanely strong-- a little human can't do much against that massive metal creature. The size difference would be a fun thing to explore, as well.

The romance between Keppel and Bentinck could also be fun! Keppel wouldn't be as much as an expert with robots as he is in Alien Alien, but he'd know some stuff here, enough so that Bentinck feels unsettled by just how much Keppel knows about how his body works.

But Bentinck wouldn't be the only one unsettled here. Keppel's aware of just how big and dangerous Bentinck can be, but he doesn't dare believe it at first-- Bentinck's the sweetest robot he knows, a gentle giant. Slowly, though, as Bentinck turns his violence against Keppel, he realizes that every time they're alone, he is in so much danger. Of course, that's a dynamic in the original MENHERAMEN, but here, just looking at Bentinck's hands sends shivers down Keppel's spine.

In Alien Alien, Bentinck considers himself inferior to the Asterothiriots. But in MENHERAMEN, he grows to consider himself superior, a hero, to everyone around him. What if I work with that dynamic here? While his confidence in his identity is shattering, he comes to believe himself superior to these nasty, feral little creatures-- he's smarter and stronger than they are, after all. Is he, then, not justified in doing what he pleases to them just because he can? After all they've done to him?

Add that to the Hansijoost dynamic! Humans are the most inferior species of all. Keppel doesn't deserve respect from Bentinck.

M&W would be interesting! Bentinck is not only threatened by the love Mary shows William, but by her species as well. She's fucking HUGE....and with a single bite, she could end William. Ironically enough, Bentinck's afraid that because of the inclinations of her species, she may snap the same way he did. He sees her as a far more plausible threat here than he does in MENHERAMEN and seeks to eliminate her as soon as possible.

Another threatening factor are her visions of the future. Not everyone has visions as precise as hers, thus she was the one who knew immediately, even before anything happened. But she held onto the hope, the thin thread where she stops him...sometimes following the dark paths where Bentinck ends her life. Later on, she's consumed with guilt over the knowledge that there were many times where she feels she could have stopped him, but didn't, all because she wanted to follow the unlikely timeline where she maybe could have stopped him and maybe everyone would have been safe.

In Alien Alien, there are times where something unexpected, but very small, happens and throws Mary's timelines off. By the time it's happened, she doesn't know what it is, because she can't look into the past. But...the day William overdoses, she just feels a twinge...something is wrong, and she notices immediately when William starts acting off.

Oh, and another thing I just thought of: she could have known the night Charles was going to die. She wanted to tell him, but she knows how dangerous Charles is (and by addition, his terrifying brother), so to protect Bentinck, perhaps she follows him downstairs and tries to talk him out of it. Ooh, yes, in fact, why not make that a dynamic? She knows, and he knows that she knows, and they play around with that until their final confrontation.

By the end of it, Bentinck is supposed to turn himself in. But there is no prison for androids, only deactivation. By that time, he thinks it's more than he deserves, as he's always believed death to be a more of reward for him rather than anything to be afraid of. But he doesn't complain. As it is, androids have no heaven.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

The Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Workshop summer fundraiser is almost over! I am an alum, instructor and volunteer board member for this nonprofit workshop whose alums include Octavia Butler, Kim Stanley Robinson, Bruce Sterling, Nalo Hopkinson, Kameron Hurley, Nnedi Okorafor, Lucius Shepard, and Ted Chiang! Your donations will help us subsidize tuition for students, making Clarion — and sf/f — more accessible for all kinds of writers.

#20yrsago Washington Post embarasses itself with WiFi FUD article https://web.archive.org/web/20040820233734/http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A51284-2003Jul26

#10yrsago Zero tolerance schools and cops: kids are not perps https://www.techdirt.com/2013/07/26/zero-tolerance-policies-put-students-hands-bad-cops/

#10yrsago Notes from the ducking stool: wget as evidence of guilt at the Manning trial https://jacobin.com/2013/07/bradley-manning-on-trial/

#10yrsago Who is America at war with? Sorry, that’s classified https://www.propublica.org/article/who-are-we-at-war-with-thats-classified

#5yrsago Disneyland will raise park employees’ minimum wage to $15 https://money.cnn.com/2018/07/27/news/companies/disneyland-workers-pay-15-an-hour/index.html?section=money_markets

#5yrsago Ghanaian parliament erupts into giggles as MPs learn about towns called “Vagina is Wise,” “Penis is a Fool” and “Testicles are Sad” https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-44982570

#5yrsago The future of “fake news”: Pepsi gets Facebook to censor jokes about plastic in its Kurkure corn puffs https://gizmodo.com/facebook-forced-to-block-20-000-posts-about-snack-food-1827892990

#5yrsago Universal basic income vs jobs guarantees: which one will make us happier? https://timharford.com/2018/07/the-secret-to-happiness-after-the-robot-takeover/

#5yrsago The housing market in America’s most expensive cities is imploding https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-07-26/american-housing-market-is-showing-signs-of-running-out-of-steam

#5yrsago Voice assistants suck, but they suck worse if you have an “accent” https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2018/business/alexa-does-not-understand-your-accent/

#5yrsago The ACLU showed that Amazon’s facial recognition system thinks members of Congress are felons, so now Congress is taking action https://www.aclunc.org/blog/amazon-s-face-recognition-falsely-matched-28-members-congress-mugshots

#5yrsago Four Thieves Vinegar Collective: DIY epipens were just the start, now it’s home bioreactors to thwart Big Pharma’s price-gouging https://www.vice.com/en/article/43pngb/how-to-make-your-own-medicine-four-thieves-vinegar-collective

#1yrago Dashcam repo: Cruising the streets with a license plate camera to win debt-collector bounties https://pluralistic.net/2022/07/27/boricua/#looking-for-the-joke-with-a-microscope

#1yrago “War Against All Puerto Ricans” https://pluralistic.net/2022/07/27/boricua/#que-viva-albizu

Libro.fm is the indie-bookstore-friendly, DRM-free audiobook alternative to Audible, the Amazon-owned monopolist that locks every book you buy to Amazon forever. When you buy a book on Libro, they share some of the purchase price with a local indie bookstore of your choosing (Libro is the best partner I have in selling my own DRM-free audiobooks!). As of today, Libro is even better, because it’s available in five new territories and currencies: Canada, the UK, the EU, Australia and New Zealand!

[causalitylinked]

[FOOD] + dyn @ ryuto

                         simple actions. » still accepting!

    "Ah... thank you. I take it you have been making good use of the kitchen during my absence?" For once, a soft smile plays along his lips while he grips the fork Dyn'lo had so graciously set aside for him. Honestly enough, Ryuto hadn't expected to be handed a snack this soon after returning home from a long day at school, but either way, it was much appreciated, considering it felt like he had spent the whole afternoon, dealing with one idiot after another.

    On top of that, Kobato wouldn't stop complaining about how finding a parking space proved so damn difficult, due to how everyone and their mother showed up for the swim meet that took place at Kitaouji Academy, so he's really quite thankful to have something sweet to replenish his energy.

    "Regardless, I am pleased to learn you are a talented baker. Tell me, Dyn'lo... did the servants teach you how to make this or were you always adept in making such delectable treats?" came Ryuto's eventual inquiry as he pushes his fork through a thin slice of tiramisu cake.

@strywoven

[saiakv]

🕯️you already know verona would... she can scry his thoughts anyways, consider her curious ( feel free to ignore tho )

send to hear my character's inner thoughts about your character ( might be meta, might be drabble, depending on dyn uwu ) || accepting

During the day, an aura of dreary white fills the hallways, the kind of vacant stagnancy often found in hospitals or temples like this one, where the people's agony coagulates. But during the night, the compound becomes lively - masterful fingers have swiftly orchestrated it so. Offering respite from Suguru's pitiful attempts at the koto, the resident tigress has taken over entertainment for tonight. Violet eyes warmly drink up the sight; Verona's smile is all teeth, her eyes crinkling, the apples of her cheeks dusted red from the liquor. He takes a moment to marvel upon the full image - Nanako singing along, Larue's applause, the collective laugh when Negi hits the wrong chord on the complimentary shamisen ( an unusual mix, for sure )

Suguru finds himself in repose, sinking in the cushions with a warm palm on Mimiko's head as she lies on his lap. For the first time in a long time, his eyelids are weighed down by a sweet fatigue, lulled by the company and the relief of having everyone there - in one room. Fingers mildly stroke the sleeping girl's hair, lips crease with the ghost of satisfaction on his smile.

I am grateful. No matter how scant my chances to grant you the world you deserve are, I know your songs will be filling my mind. In spite of our differences and the times we clash, with your firm hand on my back, your unabashed honesty and your roaring laughter — in your own ways, you took care of me, Verona.

He latches onto each glimpse as the dark space between his blinks grows longer.

Even if all you had to give me was this moment, that would be more than enough.