#eugh my wips are so hard to look at

[ex-textura]

WIP whatever day it is today!

Thank you @sillyliterature for the tag ❤️

I don’t really have… any real WIPs. I haven’t had any motivation to draw lately. So this is all I have right now 😅 feel like they’re judging me

Again, if you wanna do this act like I tagged you! I showed you mine, now show me yours?

[hello-gloomy]

'What was your nen again?'

____________________

Phantom troupe x Gen!reader

Description: The troupe finally had some free time so you decided to meet up with them again, you happen to bring up something none of them mentioned to you which brings up a question.

Warnings: Crack taken seriously. I don't think there's any use of Y/N aside from that pretty tame some of them might be OOC it's my first time writing for so many characters.

A/N: Just something short (Maybe) to tide us all over till the first two polls are done or till I finish my other WIPs. (I should be doing work rn but I'm not.) :^

_____________________

"You need to work on your sleeping habits."

"...What..?"

"You didn't go to sleep till 2 yesterday." Shalnark looked mildly unnerved at your claims, which made you feel slightly bad for the unconscious snooping you do through everyone's memories. But you couldn't help but bring it up, how is he supposed to commit crimes on three hours of sleep all the time. Bound to make mistakes like that.

"I never told you that..." This gains the attention of Pakunoda who happens to be close by she gets up from where she was sitting in the large dining hall you and the group were staying at for their temporary break.

"Told them what?"

"What time he went to sleep." Her brows furrowed for a second while she glanced at a shocked Shalnark.

"Lucky guess?" She pondered out loud, He grimaced at that while you giggled at his facial expression.

"I peeked at his memories."

"Brother eugh." You full-on belly laughed at that attracting some more of the others to get closer.

"What's going on now?"

"Shal didn't go to sleep till two."

"Explains eyebag."

"I DO NOT HAVE EYEBAGS."

Feitan moved closer to your left side while Shalnark opened up the camera on his phone to look at his eyes to prove his point.

"How see memory?"

"With my Nen." Everyone stopped and looked at you.

"You have Nen?"

"Mmm...Yeah..?"

"So your Nen is similar to mine then?"

"Kind of, just without the gun. I could project other people's memories too."

"Show Shalnark memory."

"Do not."

With that, you summon your nen and a small eyeglass appears you scope out an open wall and find one large enough by Uvo and Nobunaga. You motion for the others to follow behind you while Shalnark whines for you not to embarrass him. Walking past the other pair they take notice and ask Paku what's happening she gives a brief explanation. You engage Gyo and through your eye, you show the memory of Shalnark on his computer and after a bit of fast forwarding through the memory, you show him passed out at the desk. The projection comes to an end and you turn around to find Machi and Korotopi have joined you as well. Pakunoda turns to Shalnark to scold him first.

"they're right you do need to work on your sleeping habits." She held her hand on the side of her face. Shalnark turned a bit pink at her remark while Uvo and Nobunaga started laughing at him.

"I wouldn't be laughing if I were the two of you considering how reckless you were being last week." They stopped immediately, and Machi's eyes were practically excited, begging you to show their embarrassing moments. You let out a quiet huff and turned around to project another moment. Showing the two men almost getting blown up on the task Chrollo had previously sent them on.

"Nice job."

"Shut up Machi!"

"Why don't you show one of her embarrassing moments!!"

"And get strung up hard pass. I like living unlike you two obviously." That had everyone laughing again. Chrollo had magically materialized and joined the theatrics of the group you had all made now.

"How far back can you go with individual memories?"

"From the instant their brain forms." "But I usually don't snoop back that far without explicit permission."

"If you'd prefer I can show memories from when you were younger?" You hold eye contact with Chrollo while the rest watch on. You get a bit nervous and start to doubt the previous forwardness you had getting ready to retract your question, Chrollo interrupts yours and everyone's thoughts.

"Just don't go back too far."

Carefully you picked a memory that you found lovely, one between The boss and Pakunoda. Everyone hushed when the light from your eye displayed upon the wall, you all heard the tune before you saw anyone, piles upon piles of trash a few giggles in between notes of the crackling song and soon enough two small figures came into view a young Chrollo and Paku holding hands arms enveloped around the waist of the other. They were beaming at one another you let it play a bit longer before it cut out. Turning around everyone was looking between Paku and Dancho. Pakunoda wiped her eyes before she looked over to a smiling Chrollo.

"That was a good choice."

[pinkfey]

WIP WEDNESDAY.

i was tagged by the lovely @corvosattano and lo and behold i actually have something this time !!

tagging: @malefiicarum @rosebarsoap @lvllns @ladyshar @shadowshearts @liurnia @astarien @kirnet @druidgroves @anoras @shadowglens @calenhads @mrs-theirin @nuclearstorms @flymmcargo @maxthetruman @necroticpetals @devilbrakers @morvaris @hylfystt @shellibisshe and you!!!!!!!!!!!!

i like to call this one "astarion is playing himself and he doesn't even know it. also he's bitchy."

“How did you learn such a skill, anyhow? Picking locks on doors you can’t enter?” she teased.

Astarion grumbled. What was that saying? Stones from glass houses?

“So many jokes from one asking so many favors.”

“One joke,” she corrected. “And one favor.”

Astarion listened close for the ticks of the lock, rolling his eyes. “Eugh. That’s how it always starts. ‘Pick a lock for me, Astarion! Hold my bag for me, Astarion! Rub my back for me, Astarion! Do all the hard work for me, Astarion, while I gorge myself on excess and watch’—Shhhhhhit!” The pick snapped between his fingers pathetically, as if retribution for his outburst.

If Ursula noticed his defeat, she did not reveal it. Gorge myself on excess, she mouthed with a slow nod. She shrugged, took another bite of her apple, and said nothing. Typical of her to let him complain. Some days he couldn’t decide whether she was patient or simply a stonewall. Perhaps both.

Astarion wormed the broken pick out of the lock, grateful it hadn’t been busted, and set to work with a fresh set.

He contemplated an apology—the use of it, that is. In truth, the situation between the two of them was quite the opposite and he knew it. She rarely asked anything of him. Of anyone, really. She defended him relentlessly and she allowed him to drink from her on the regular, and he didn’t need to ask. Picking a lock once in exchange for the kind of security and sustenance she provided seemed more than a fair bargain.

But Astarion was nothing if not frivolous, and Ursula did not mind, so he deigned to feel no shame in complaining, hyperbolic as he may have been. Perhaps embarrassingly so.

“You know you can get up whenever you wish, love,” Ursula said.

He tutted, tossed a sideways glance at her. Torchlight glinted off the recent puncture wounds in her neck as she leaned against the wall. Her good hand held the apple while she tucked the injured one close to her waist. He looked away quickly, lest he be reminded how she found herself injured in the first place. Lest he feel a shred of guilt, or worse: indebtment.

He can get up whenever he wishes.

Hmph.

Well.

The lock wasn’t exactly difficult, was it? He wasn’t doing this for her. On his knees in the dirt? Certainly not. This was a strategic move. He needed her trust. He wanted to see what was on the other side as well. Obviously.

The final tumbler clicked into place and he teased the lock to the side. He shoved the door open with a triumphant grin, only to be met with… Nothing. About ten square feet of dusty floorboards and barren wall sconces. Not even a hint of any secret passageways or loose planks. Astarion’s shoulders slumped.

Ursula poked her head inside and casually scanned the vacant room. “Huh,” she said. “Just an empty storage room. Oh well.”

“Wh—” Astarion started, but she was already marching away. “Are you kidding me?! After all that?”

[ficbrish]

WIP Wednesday

[31Jan2024]

This is from a one shot that's part of my Kinktober collection

"A Tumble"

Non-Dark Urge Vistri, Eary Act II, After deciding to "be real", but before his actual 'didn't drink the potion' lock-in

[cw - Injury, gore, grief, panic, magic first aid, food]

It wasn’t the first time Astarion saw her fall. She was a sorcerer; her type only ever brought some cloth and the raw, unlimited fury of the weave to battle.

“Vistri!” he’d shouted her name so sweetly the other night, and now it crawled out of his mouth as something misshapen and wretched. He sent a fiery arrow after the shadows and dropped to his knees beside her. The others finished the fight as he reached into his pack with trembling hands. Too many scrolls. So many fucking scrolls! There was one for poison, another for grease traps—for gods damned spiderwebs!

“Get up! Gods damn you!” he cried out, still searching through his pack. There was blood on her neck, but it was wrong. It wasn’t from him; the shadows did that to her. The dark in these woods was a different kind. It was thick and overbearing, like the moment after something horrible. The air around them clung to their throats, coating it with a heavy sort of gravity. It was hard to get used to and threw off all their senses, even as a Vampire and a Drow.

A ragged draw of breath stopped Astarion’s heart mid-beat. Her stillness had been deceiving. Quickly, he stuffed the scrolls back in and pulled out a potion. Gingerly, he lifted her head into his lap and dabbed a bit of its serum onto her lips, coaxing her to drink the rest. Magic and dragon blood closed her wounds. A bit of color came back to her periwinkle cheeks.

Vistri coughed, “Hello dear.”

He sighed into the sight of her living eyes and bent down to kiss her. Their lips were upside down. She laughed and kissed him back as if she weren’t just ripped open and unconscious.

Astarion felt something creep behind him and unsheathed a knife from his thigh, “Wait here a moment, love.”

He set her aside gently and stood up with a twirl. His blade stuck deep into the gut of a shadow cursed Harper, leaving him staring into the blank rotten eyes of a corpse. Astarion hadn’t seen himself once these past two hundred years, and wondered in that moment whether he had those same dead eyes. One look back at Vistri relieved him of that fear.

“Come back to my side at once,” she pouted.

Rushing, he stabbed the undead creature through its skull, and as it collapsed on its own weight, it toppled over on him. Astarion regained his balance and pushed it off, “Eugh!” Then he slid over to Vistri on his knees.

“You blasted,” he kissed her about a million times, grumpily and gratefully, “Hag!”

“Hey!”

“Stop dying, then!”

“I didn’t die, exactly. I just fell over.”

“You almost died. Not that I care anything about it.”

She smirked, “There’s something so dashing about the way you pout.”

He tried his best to frown instead, “Don’t try to flatter your way out of my concern.”

“Thought you didn’t care.”

“I don’t!” he scoffed.

Wyll and Karlach strutted towards them out of the dark, obviously smug about felling the last of their enemies.

“Oy! Children!” Karlach called out, addressing them, “Lend a hand next time, will ya?”

“I’m no child! I am over 200 years old!”

“Act like it then,” she winked cheekily.

He was ready to fight until Vistri squeezed his hand—They weren’t children. Karlach only teased them out of respect—Astarion dropped his shoulders.

“You hear that, my dear?” he quipped instead, “Karlach thinks we should act more adult.”

He scooped Vistri up by her waist and had his way with her tongue.

“Ah, love,” Wyll commented dreamily.

“Don’ know if I’d call that love,” Karlach groaned, “More like bragging.”

“What is love if not life’s greatest braggart?”

“Should write that down, mate.”

“Really? You think so.”

Karlach winked, “I’d say you were a poet and didn’t even know it.”

Astarion couldn’t really hear either of them. He could only taste her, savor her existence after how close she’d been to disappearing. Her lips were warm. They were so warm.

Wyll cleared his throat, “Um, guys? Can we go now?”

Vistri hummed dreamily as she tore herself away, “If I can stand on two feet.”

“If you can’t, I’m sure prince charming down there would be happy to carry you.”

Karlach laughed as if the idea were absolutely hysterical, “As if!”

Astarion stood up in offense, “As if?!”

“Come on, Fangs! Be real about it. Carry someone? All the way back to the inn?”

Before she knew what was happening, Vistri found herself swept up and thrown over Astarion’s shoulder like a heavy sack. She squealed in a mixture of terror and delight.

“I’m not as useless as I may seem!” Astarion grumbled, tossing Vistri a bit to adjust his hold. Neither Karlach nor Wyll argued, but they did raise their brows.

Shrieking was common in the Shadow Curse lands, but the way Vistri did it was startlingly out of place. It had laughter and happy shock in it, “Your face is right by my bum!”

“Is that a bad thing, darling?”

“But what if I fart?!”

“Don’t you dare!”

“Quit tossing me about so much then!”

Wyll led the way, leaning into Karlach to comment, “Aren’t they sweet?” To which she snickered back.

Astarion actually managed to carry Vistri the whole way. She might have cast herself with Feather, making his feat a little less impressive, but neither of them cared. Astarion was determined to brag about it and change everyone’s mind regarding his strength, and Vistri was smiling the whole way over. She bounced awkwardly, but she liked the warmth of his back, and the feel of his hands on the back of her thighs. She also managed not to fart.

There was a sense of regret when he let her down, as if they’d lost something. They just stood there after, looking at each other as if they had no idea what to do now that they were apart.

“Well, thank you,” she said.

“For saving your life, or carrying you?”

“Oh, there’s a list?” she chuckled.

His smirk was equal parts mischievous and self-satisfied, “You’ve been incurring a lot of debts, my dear.”

Vistri pretended to be startled, “Have I? Oh my! How should I endeavor pay them?”

He lifted a playful finger to his chin, “Hmmm, what a dilemma!”

His mood was so drastically shifted from before, during the fight. Looking at him now, you’d never think that face held any worry. In little flashes, he was brand new. No more heaviness. Vistri may have grown up with a sorcerer’s might, but she never felt more magical.

“How about I think on it a while? The two of us are exhausted! Best not to make any rash decisions.”

She giggled, even though her bones felt hollow, and her muscles were near useless, “Take your time to think, but make it go—”

Her stomach growled loudly.

“Oh, dear,” Astarion said, “We should fix that, shouldn’t we?”

He was being uncharacteristically servient and sweet, telling her to sit by the fire as he fetched her a bowl of something hot. He even brought a blanket over to throw over their legs and sat there with her as she ate.

Vistri looked at him, startled, when he sat down and settled the blanket over them.

“What?” he asked.

She shook her head to clear it, “Nothing.” Then started eating.

It was a very plain stew with fish and beans, but it was everything on a night like this. Or was it even night? There was no sense of time in the Shadow Curse lands.

Astarion dipped her finger in his bowl and licked it.

“Hey!”

“Just wanted a taste.”

[graceisprettygreat]

Any thoughts on the relevance of the vlr characters post ztd true end as in like how do phi and sigma talk about the ones no longer with them how do they think about them does sigma try to make any of them again do they look at Junpei and think about Quark I honestly don't know how to word this I just hope you get what I mean qwq also yeah this is coming from me struggling with my wip akshsk

i do get what you mean! and i wont claim to be the foremost expert on them, my starter thoughts (i may ramble refined thoughts to you later), are these - phi i think, wants to be in control of her life again. i feel that becomes her primary motivating factor, at least shortly following the decision game. or. finding the terrorist rather, if you go with that being true. dio, good fucking riddance from her existence. i think in true end would not have any particular warmth for luna - sad as that is- being a GAULEM and a facillitator of the ab project, even if she didnt want to be. and while she was shown to care deeply for quark throughout the game - and i think she would think about quark when thinking abt junpei, and feel a pang of guilt that quark never got to experience a 'normal' life, despite the fact that they created a world where rad6 didnt get out - ultimately she would for at least a while want to distance herself from everything morpohogenetic, to feel that sense of control. i dont think that would last long however. once youre in, youre in after all. these are the only people who can understand her. those who lives were wrested away from them by this *bullshit*. but im getting off-topic. i think in her otherwise good relationship with junpei, relating to each other a lot, there is some distance created by knowing him as tenmyouji first and foremost. as for kyle, its interesting. because she never met him in the 'true' path of vlr. but she DID get all her memories. i think she would feel a pretty strong sense of. sorrow perhaps? for him. that his life was entirely FOR a nonary game. that he had no choice from the moment he was created. its fucked. she defintely thinks about him sometimes, her connection to him. and pours one out for him. luna thoughts are probably what i have to cook the most on here next ill look at dr. klim. who, oo ill have messy messy messy feelings on. i think his primary focus is two-fold. securing that this is indeed the future he strived to create. he would make sure everything is as it seems. this would include confirming his. eugh. son's assertions of the terrorist. secondarily, is spending time with diana, time that is so sorely limited. time where he looks at her and how much he sees diana and how much he sees luna, even he is not sure. i think he couldnt feel much remorse for those he involved, or would have involved, in the ambidex project. he has to hold ardent the belief that all he did is necessary. i think he mourns kyle deeply, but would make no attempt to recreate him. i think it is something that would be too painful. the person he neglected, and created as a tool, there is no way to recreate him. luna, i think he would wish to see this world, something shes always wanted, but would feel conflict, considering diana is alive and well. i truly dont know what hed do, but i think hed be very torn in half about it and last, and also least, tied for least, sigma when he returns. he is discombobulated as hell. he's back here, now in the timeline where things are solved. arriving after its all 'over' and he just has to take in, that this is his life now. his connection to diana and phi. it feels bizairre. i think unlike what dr klim must make himself not feel, feels tremendous guilt for what he would have done to alice and clover. to junpei. to quark, even though they dont even exist here. to how he treated luna. and kyle. to phi. its really hard for him to navigate every relationship here, i feel. he'd WANT to give everyone from vlr a chance at life, he thinks that would be ideal. but doesnt know if he can learn to make luna. learn to make a CLONE. if those two could even shift in to their bodies here. overall, i think his story when he returns is one of a lot of internal conflict over actions he hasnt done, will now never have to do, but still hurt people. if i got too off topic lmk and i will do my best to rein in focus and actually answer your questions haha. i also. could be so offbase! this is not my expertise! but i love to help regardless

[boots-with-the-fur-club]

20 Questions For Fic Writers

@daboyau Thanks so much for the tag!!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

15! I wrote several on ff.net too but eugh boy. Those don’t need to be read more than they have.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

454,863. And growing!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Only TMNT right now! Mainly Rise. I used to write MHA, I did one for FNAF Security Breach and Voltron.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1. Better than a hero

2. Leo Likes to Talk (Except When he Doesn’t)

3. Therapy for Robots

4. Fifteen

5. Two Sides of a Multicolored Coin

5. Do you respond to comments?

As much as possible! Especially now on Ao3 when people don’t do it as much.

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

I guess the fic I wrote for the Disco prompt for Auvember. Almost everyone “dead” in a hive mind controlled by Casey sr. I usually don’t write angsty endings, only angsty middles hehe.

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

Hands down, Mama Bear. I gave those turtles no Kraang, a living Karai, boyfriends and girlfriends, you name it.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

It’s only happened once or twice. Comment moderation babyyyyy.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

NEVER EVER. I support all who do but I would be so bad at it and too shy to share haha.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I do! I’ve written several with TMNT iterations, as well as crossovers with friends’ AUs! @phoebepheebsphibs cough cough COUGH. Craziest for sure, hive mind and even more.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I’m aware of!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nobody has ever asked before, so probably not.

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

Yes! Once with Daboyau and of course with phoebs

14. What’s your all time favourite ship?

Leosagi makes me feel things. Leoichi especially, two huge dorks in love!!

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

One where sister krang escaped and started grabbing the turtles to destroy humanity. I saw someone else writing something similar and stopped lol. The concept turned into the mask fic!

16. What are your writing strengths?

Writing characters as canon as possible, dialogue, tying together concepts in a neat little bow at the end, humor I’ve been told, and hurt/comfort!

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Describing what things and or people look like. I forget all the time and it can make it confusing.

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

I did it a few times, I always add a translation, but it’s probably easier just to mention that something is in a different language.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

……Hetalia……

I am ashamed. It was a /reader.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

It is SOOO hard to pick. Either Mama Bear or No Fun in Fungus. Mama Bear holds such a big place in my heart and it’s also a reason I started talking to Daboyau which I will always be so grateful for.

No Fun in Fungus also connected me with so many people!! I really can’t pick between the two.

[lokinightfury]

For the weekend WIP, if you’re up for it, can you share a little more of Speak Now? 😄

Ooooh yes I can!

I started this one after This is Music, one of the chapters just popped into my brain one morning and then it grew from there. It's been hard to write because I've started at an event, and then I'm jumping back in a series of flashbacks to show the lead up to that day. It's lovely being able to go as far back as I want and picking which bits of the story I want to flesh out, but it's also tough because I want to tell you all everything which I just can't do!!!

I've given you two little snippets, one from the prologue, which will reveal exactly what our event is....

The envelope sits pinned by a chunky magnet to the front of his refrigerator, a malevolent aura swirling around it so vividly he would swear he could see it. If this was a D and D campaign he would absolutely want to roll for insight to figure out if there was a hidden curse. But this was real life, and he didn't need an insight check to know what this was. It’s the confirmation he never wanted, that he had royally fucked up this time.  Like every good cursed object, its power only grew when you were trying to ignore it. He should have just tossed it in the trash and been done with it. But something stopped him. So now Eddie sits sipping his coffee, trying to keep his eyes from being drawn to it. The silver embossed words on the inside of the card carved into his brain so permanently they might as well be a scar. Even without looking, he knows where and when it’s happening, down to the minute of the day.  Best friends since they were teenagers, their lives woven together like the strands of linen that the dates are embossed onto. It was a surprise to precisely no-one that Chrissy Cunningham had invited Eddie Munson to her wedding. Except for Eddie.

And then one from one of the flashback chapters, this is summer of '85ish

As she sits down, she sees movement in her peripheral vision, two bodies entangled against each other against the wall of the house, far enough away for it to be dark enough for some privacy, but nowhere near enough for how they’re acting. Eugh, get a room. She recognises the jacket before she really recognises the person. The pink one she had been watching from across the room earlier that evening, Tammy Thompson, talking to anyone who would listen about her upcoming trip to Nashville. Of course she was still here, trying to cling onto being the center of attention, a big fish in the tiniest of ponds. It’s only when Chrissy tries to look away that she sees who Tammy is with. Who’s arms are wrapped around her. Who is pulling her up against him, his dark hair spilling down over her shoulder as he kisses her. It’s not that Eddie isn’t interested in dating. Clearly. It’s that he’s not interested in dating her. She backs away, not sure what would be worse, having seen him like this, or him knowing that she’d seen him like this. She silently heads back into the party. Smiles at all the right times, laughs at all the right jokes. When Jason asks her out, like she knew he was going to, she says yes.

[esha-isboogara]

flu season

i caught a cold from my brother so i wrote this plus i needed a excuse to write for nico …this is sort of a wip but also not i just don’t know how to end it

nicolas brown x afab reader

poor y/n is sick :( luckily she has nic to take care of her

☆mentions of sickness and swearing. that’s about it

“Eugh…I see the bearer of the plague hasn’t left yet” Worrik scoffed , covering his mouth with one hand and backing away from you in a dramatic fashion.

God, he sure was pushing his luck extra hard today.

If you weren’t in such a sickly state you would have jumped off the couch and given him a good & hard punch in the gut.

But alas. You were too weak at the moment to do such a thing. Instead you flipped him off , snuggling deeper into the soft woolen blankets. They smelled just like Nic. A pleasant mix of smoke ,cinnamon and fresh rain.

It was such a familiar, comforting scent you couldn’t help but be a tiny bit obsessed. Almost like home to you.

“Shut the hell up”. You paused to cough a few times. “Nicolas said I’m allowed to stay since he doesn’t want me on my own while I’m like this”.

“Are you serious right now !? You’re just as good at fighting as the two of us”. He protested “You don’t have to be HERE. I know you have other allies around here go to someone else’s place and make them sick instead”. Worrick was visibly starting to get upset as are you.

“What’s the big deal asshole ? I’ve literally been here for like a day”.

“Youre in his T.V. watching spot” Nicolas spoke , entering the room with a cup of steaming tea in one hand and what you could only hope was a cool towel in the other.

“Well why’d the hell you tell me to sleep here then dumb ass ? I know damn well one of ya has a cot in this place I could have slept in one of your rooms”. You quipped, looking up towards him.

Despite your pounding head you sat up and crossed your arms.

[ did not want to make you uncomfortable]

“And I didn’t want to germs to get all over it. I’m the one who does the cleaning around here ya know”. Worrick huffed indignantly.

“Nic just send her home please I WANT TO WATCH MY SHOWS”.

Worrik was acting as childish as ever. Typical.

He could be quite terrifying to those in the outside world but living with him is the real nightmare. Times like this made you glad you didn’t live with him and had your own place.

“Nicolas…I’ve known you both since we were young I really don’t mind sleeping on your floor. Hell I’ll even sleep in bed with one of you I just really need a nap”.

He nodded and shot a dirty look towards his house mate. Nicolas trusted your skills as a fighter and as a former assassin but on days like these he much preferred to have you close so he could keep his eye on you.

Just in case. Normally he wouldn’t give a care in the world but seeing you so weak..it scared him

[She is staying here…I will move her to my room] Nic signed and kneeled down beside you.

Placing the items he was holding on the coffee table behind he allowed all his attention to go to you.

Your eyes met for a brief moment only for you to close them quickly in order to avoid looking like a love struck teenager.

You’re a grown women for gods sake.

Placing the palm of his hand on your forehead he nodded to himself as if he was taking mental notes. Like a doctor of some sorts.

[You are very warm. I will get you medicine and you can lay in my bed]

“Are you sure Nico ? I don’t want to make you sick too”

[I don’t mind. I want you to be okay]

You felt your heart flutter inside your chest as he scooped you up in his strong arms and carried you off to his room.

Too starstruck to say anything you stayed quiet enjoying the closeness between the two of you.

[grasslandgirl]

1-4 fic writing asks!!

xoxoxoxoxo mary ILYYY sorry im belated answering this! brain broke <3

1: Which of your fics would you keep the basic plot of but rewrite completely?

a toss up between my eldonado fake dating/tatbilb fic (x) or my d20 bb figayda hmc au (x); i have complicated and similar feelings for both, they were both the longest thing i'd written or posted at the time of finishing them, but looking back i feel like the execution leaves a lot to be desired, the ending on both of them feels rushed to me, and i don't often go back and reread either of them because i can't not think about how i would do it differently now. which, i mean, i guess that's part of growing and improving in any artistic endeavor, you leave behind the things you did before and have to look back on them with both gratitude and a healthy dose of "eugh" but like. yeah. i think i would either rework my eldonado tatbilb, or expand further on my d20bb fic in a way i didn't have the support or the time to do last year

2: Anything that you'd like to write but feel like you're unable to?

mmmmmmm. idk. nothing specific comes to mind at the moment. there aren't a lot of things i really want to write that i don't/can't. like sometimes i'll have ideas that are really complicated and involved and i know from conception i prob won't write them fully out, but they're fun to kind of plot point and consider and think about, even if they never leave a planning doc. and there are a lot of wips i start and then lose interest/inspiration in and end up leaving in a folder somewhere gathering digital dust; and sometimes i remember and come back to them, and sometimes i dont! most of the things i dont think i'd be able to write are also things that i don't have a ton of interest in writing? really heavy graphic violence and angst, porn, etc- mostly when i have an idea for a new swing at something i want to try writing, i talk to my friends and bounce ideas and i try to read things that are similiar in tone/style to what i want to attempt and work from there!

3: How would you describe your writing style?

uhhhh. meandering. too many lists. excessive use of commas and italics. heartwrenching pining and loyalty and dedication and affection. internal monologues and detailed sensory scene setting. uhh? yeah

4: Do you have any OCs? Do you have a story for them?

uhhhuhhh kind of????? a lot of people have prob seen me blog about dna/leah/adam- which are like. pseudo oc's in my mind (though casey will probably argue they're full ocs lmao <3). leah and adam (and a whole additional host of characters that go along with them) started as characters in a very unknown british play (DNA by dennis kelley) and have since, in the seven years since i ran the show, have grown and evolved into sort of original characters? it's hard to tell where the line in the sand is between character inspired by a play and character so far divorced from the original source material it's an oc, you know?

so long story short: i sort of have OC's. i have SOOO many stories (seven years worth) about them. oh my god. (you don't want to see little 16 y/o sav's dna fic though. you don't.)

ask me fic writer's questions from this list!! (my ao3 is also @ grasslandgirl and is linked in my bio <3)

[lefaystrent]

So help me, I’m not moving from this spot

Fandom: Thomas Sanders, Sanders Sides

Pairings: queer platonic LAMP

Summary: Virgil has the day off from work and chooses to spend it in true Virgil style.

Notes: I just wanted to write some qpr/qpp stuff. If you don't know, qpr stands for queer platonic relationship, qpp is queer platonic partner. While sharing some qualities, it's not a romantic relationship, but it's more than just being defined as friends.

AO3 Link

           Roman came home to find Virgil lying on a pallet in the living room. As far as pallets go, this one was rather excessive. In place of where their coffee table usually sat in front of their couch, it seemed as though Virgil had taken all of the blankets and pillows in the house and made a nest for himself.

           “You’re left to your own devices for a few hours and this is what I come home to?” Roman asked, brow raised comically high.

           Virgil didn’t show an ounce of embarrassment, remaining in his relaxed position leaned back against a pile of pillows. He was dressed casually in his favorite hoodie and sweatpants. A bag of potato chips laid on his stomach. He lazily pulled a chip out while scrolling on his phone.

           “It’s my day off,” Virgil explained.

           “Have you been here since we left this morning?” Roman asked, referring to their two other partners they lived with.

           “Yuh, and I don’t plan on moving from this spot for the rest of the day.”

           Roman stood by the side of the pallet, surveying the pile of snacks Virgil had set nearby. “My, my, you certainly have quite the set up. But whatever will you do when nature comes calling?”

           In answer, Virgil picked up and waved an empty water bottle.

           “Eugh! What the hell is wrong with you, Virgil?!”

           He laughed and tossed the bottle at Roman to thunk harmlessly against his chest. “Relax, Princey, I’m joking. I’ll go to the bathroom like a civilized human being.”

           “Your jokes are disgusting. And here I was thinking of joining you in splendid relaxation,” Roman scoffed, stepping over Virgil to go to the kitchen. Virgil immediately abandoned his chips and phone and held up his hands in a plea.

           “Wait, no, come back. I’m sorry, come lay with me, babe.”

           “I don’t cuddle with heathens.” Roman turned his nose up at him and stayed his course. He could still see Virgil’s top half from the open archway that connected the two rooms. They both knew that Roman would join him in ten minutes tops, but for the moment it was enjoyable to peek at him and see the unabashed longing in those dark eyes.

           “Babe,” Virgil tried imploringly. Roman ignored him in favor of making a sandwich. He listened as Virgil continued. “Babe. You just here for your lunch break?”

           “No, I suffered valiantly to finish up my work early today.”

           “Or you called it quits early and decided to put off the rest until tomorrow, you mean?”

           Roman put a hand over his heart, gasping in offense. “Excuse you, Amy Lee-ave me alone. I work hard you know. Procrastination is more your territory.”

           “Tell that to all your wips.”

           The offended gasping intensified.

           The next to arrive home was Patton. It’d only been a couple hours since Roman had gotten home.

           “It’s not even four,” Virgil commented. Was everyone getting off work early today? So not fair; Virgil’s job never let him off early. He demanded justice.

           But you know, it was kind of worth it, seeing the way Patton’s face brightened at Virgil’s set up.

           “Oh my gosh,” he squealed and tossed the plastic store bags he’d been holding onto the nearest armchair so that he could dive onto the pallet, landing horizontally across Virgil.

           “Pat!” Virgil grunted. Had it been Roman, he’d just be annoyed, but Patton’s giggle took all the fight in him right out. He wiggled his arms out from under Patton to lay them over his back, patting at him. “Happy to see you too, but give a dude a warning next time.”

           “Sorry,” Patton replied, sounding too cheery to be taken seriously. “Oh hey, what’s Roman’s katana doing here?”

           Virgil glanced over at the sword casually laying by the pallet. “Oh that? Apparently I said ‘fighting words’, so Roman had to wave that around to make himself feel better or something.”

           “So he is home!” he exclaimed. “I saw his car outside, but I didn’t expect anyone else except you to be home yet.”

           “Yeah, he got off early.”

           “Where is he?”

           “In the bathroom, probably taking a massive dump because he’s so full of shit.”

           “Virgil!” Patton chided, sitting up enough to throw a disapproving look at him. “Now is that any way to talk about someone you love?”

           “Who said I loved him?”

           Patton frowned and just stared at him in determination.

           Virgil averted his gaze to the side. “I’m a pit of darkness. I don’t feel love.”

           “Say you love him.”

           “Uh-uh.”

           “Say you love him!”

           “He’s not even in the room; why does it matter?”

           Patton just stared harder into his soul. Virgil rolled his eyes. “I thought this was like, an understood thing or whatever.”

           “It still makes me happy to hear you say it,” Patton said and a helpless warmth seeped into his gaze, making his stern face melt into a smile.

           Virgil covered his own face with his hands. “God, you’re too powerful. Fine. I love Roman, even if he is a huge dork. I love all my QPPs.”

           Satisfied, Patton booped him on the nose.

           By the time Logan arrived home, Roman had begun working on dinner. Patton must have been busy upstairs, seeing as Logan didn’t spot him. Virgil on the other hand was sprawled out clear as day on a pallet in the living room floor, earbuds on and listening to music from his phone.

           “No one informed me of a slumber party,” Logan commented to Roman. He looked up from his place at the stove and grinned.

           “Reminds you of the old days, right?” Roman laughed in memory of their shared childhood. All of them had been inseparable even then, staying over at each other’s houses all the time. “But no, this is just how Virgil chose to spend his off day.”

           “Is this because we’ve banned him from sitting on top of the fridge?”

           “Heh, perhaps, but all the same he’s refused to move from that spot all day.”

           “. . . not even to relieve himself?”

           Roman’s eyes took on a deadly serious glint. “I made sure he went to an actual bathroom even if I had to carry him myself.”

           “Good man,” Logan pat his shoulder approvingly. Roman caught his hand and brought it to his lips, the affection making the usually stoic man temporarily short circuit. Roman said something, but Logan had to blink and ask for him to repeat himself.

           Roman smiled knowingly. “I’ll give you a dollar if you can get Gloom ‘n Doom to move from his sacred spot.”

           “Amazing, a whole dollar? Wherever would I spend that much money?”

           “Anywhere your heart desires. Possibly a vending machine.”

           Logan smiled a little despite himself. “Is dinner almost ready?”

           Roman absently brushed his thumb across the hand he still held. “Yes. Patton brought home stuff for pasta. Should only be a few minutes.”

           “Very well.” Logan slipped away to go to the living room. He returned to the kitchen not even a minute later, expression pinched.

           “Logan?”

           “Hm, my first attempt proved unrewarding. I tried to tempt him with dinner, but he asked for his plate to be brought to him.”

           “We could deny him, leave him to have to come join us at the table,” Roman suggested.

           “Hm,” Logan hummed again, rubbing his chin. Patton popped into the kitchen. Seeing Logan there, he scuttled over and hugged him from behind.

           “You’ve got your thinking face on,” Patton noted.

           Roman threw an answer over his shoulder while he stirred the noodles. “He’s brainstorming ways to get Virgil to leave his pallet.”

           “Yes, Roman bet me a whole dollar as compensation.”

           “Just one dollar?” Patton asked. “Well that doesn’t make a lot of cents.”

           Logan groaned to cover up the urge to grin. Patton just nuzzled into his neck, tickling him enough to get him to laugh.

           “So why are you guys trying to get Virgil to get up?”

           “Because he presented us with a challenge,” Roman said. “Plus, I go to the trouble of preparing dinner and he doesn’t even have the decency to want to join us? Rude.”

           “He’s not joining us?”

           “He requested for his plate to be brought to him,” Logan told him.

           “Oh, well we could just all eat in the living room.”

           “Seeing as we are eating spaghetti tonight, that would be ill advised. The sauce could make a mess on all of those blankets or the carpet. It would be better to eat at the table.”

           “So we bring the table to him!” Patton suggested with a broad grin.

           Roman snorted. “Do you think our little emo would get up then, if we set the table over him?”

           “If anything, he might bite our ankles in retaliation,” Logan pointed out.

           “This is too hilarious. Yes, we’re doing this. Patton, darling, the table.”

           “On it!” Patton saluted and hurried over to the table.

           “Patton.”

           Patton froze, hands on either side of the wooden tabletop. He looked up from behind his glasses at Logan’s strict posture.

           “Come on, Specs,” Roman groaned, turning off the stove and moving the noodles to a colander in the sink.

           “Patton should not be moving the table like this,” Logan stated before moving over to the other side of the table to place his hands in a ready position. “It’s rather heavy and could cause strain to his back were he to move it alone. I shall assist.”

           Patton beamed at him.

           Virgil tensed up when a large thing moved over him. He flinched, dropping his phone and ripping out his earbuds.

           “What the fuck, you guys?” he demanded as Logan and Patton moved their dining table over his spot on the floor.

           “Sorry, not sorry,” Logan said. He made sure the table legs didn’t knock into Virgil as they sat it down with him directly under it. “If you insist on remaining in this particular spot, then we have no choice but to resort to drastic measures.”

           “Okay, who’s idea was this?” Virgil asked. He sent an accusing glare at Patton who merely smiled at him.

           “Dinner time is family time,” Patton said cheekily and bent down to kiss the top of Virgil’s head.

           “I’m running away,” Virgil threatened, voice monotone.

           “Falsehood,” Logan denied, bending down as well to place a kiss on his temple. “After all, you’ve sworn to not move from this spot for the rest of today.”

           Virgil hated the smirk he wore when he said that.

           Roman brought the food in, and Patton and Logan went back for the chairs. They began to eat while Virgil bemoaned their presence. Once he realized they weren’t going to hand him his plate, he gave up and crawled out just enough to sit up on his knees and eat at the table.

           Joke was on them though, ‘cause he still didn’t have to move from his pallet.

Tag list:  @spectralheartt @a-pastel-pan @notalwaysthevillian @rose-gold-roman @ijustrealizedhowdumbmynamewas @katie-the-noble-fangirl @yourroyalydramaticanxiousness @aroundofapplesauce @merlybird500 @beach-fan @jemthebookworm @whats-going-on-kiddos (let me know if you want to be added or removed from my general tag list)

[bookenders]

11/11/11 Tag Game: 16/17/18?

Back again to spill the tea about myself for all you lovely people.Thanks @cataclysmic-writer, @maybeillwriteit and @aurisadventure for the tags!

My answers are under the cut. 😊

Rules: Answer the 11 questions of the person who tagged you, make up 11 questions, then tag 11 people to answer them. 

Bilbo Taggins: @brittanyisart, @quilloftheclouds, @brittanyisart, @brynwrites, @creatvrae, @elisabethrosewrites, @elizabethsyson, @ren-c-leyn, @yetmorestories, @pinespittinink, @timefire25

My Questions:

What are your thoughts on throw pillows?

Do you have any podcast recommendations? How about TV shows?

What month would you be on a calendar, and what would the picture be?

What is one book that you absolutely love, no matter what anyone else has to say about it? 

What’s your favorite kind of scented candle?

What’s your favorite urban legend?

Would you ever go on an arctic expedition?

What’s the furthest from home you’ve ever been?

What is the best snack?

How purple do you allow your prose to be/get? What’s your purple limit? Is there one?

What’s one word/line/scene/character that you want to put in a story, but you haven’t found the right place for yet?

@cataclysmic-writer‘s questions:

What do you eat or drink while writing? It varies depending on how I’m feelin’. Usually a big giant glass of water. I used to have coffee and/or tea, but it always got cold because I forgot about it. That’s actually how I used to measure my progress, by how cold the drink was.  And coffee got me too jazzed to sit still, so I stopped drinking while writing. Good for academic papers, though.

Best piece of advice you ever received? Like... ever? Okay. People are more interested in themselves/absorbed with themselves to really care what you’re doing. Very empowering for someone with real bad social anxiety (like myself heyooo).

Which book inspired you to write the most? I’ve talked about Laurie Halse Anderson’s Wintergirls before, and I’m gonna mention it again. And that I went to a signing for her new book Shout and I got to thank her and my life has been enriched a thousand-fold.

Which author do you try to emulate when you write? Oh, man, I do not do this at all. Okay, well, not at all, because I find it to be a valuable writing exercise to practice with. But I super don’t. I’ve done projects where I’ve emulated Walt Whitman, Philip Levine, Tolkien, Dostoevsky, Poe (eugh), and Anne Valente. Those were super fun. I like imitating styles and I’ve gotten pretty darn good at it. Sometimes I tell myself to put a Gaiman-like twist on a section, though, or describe something like another author if it fits the tone for funsies. But I like writing like me! 

Where did you get the idea for your current wip? I’ve already talked about Heart to Heart, so I’ll talk about “Fish Food!” This one happened when I was pondering superheroes, James Bond, tropes, evil monologues, and the like. I had the image of a hero tied up and dangling over a pit of piranhas while the villain detailed his evil plan. But the hero didn’t follow the script. And then, like every one of my short stories, it spun way out of control. I started to think of what heroes would inhabit this world that erupted from the fertile soil of my brain and suddenly I had a big complicated story that I was excited about. And it was funny, which is a change for me.

Do you have a go-to beta reader/writing buddy you bounce ideas off of? I do! One of my goodest friends is a fellow writer and she’s my spaghetti wall if I need assistance. We went through the same creative writing program one year apart and had different teachers, so we offer each other pretty different advice, and it’s great. She’s super into fae lore, too, which is ridiculously helpful for me, a nerd who is writing a light fantasy story with fae in it. We operate in different styles and genres, though, so sometimes idea-bouncing is a little tricky.

Which of your WIPs is your favorite? Of the ones I’m working on right now? Probably “Incarnate.” Partly because it’s closer to my usual writing fare, partly because it’s weird and disturbing in my favorite ways, partly because the ending is really cool and surprising in a way that hits you long after you finish it. I also like it because it’s hard for me to write. Yay, challenges!

Tea, coffee, or soda? Tea for chillin’, coffee for workin’, soda for pizza times.

If you could have any fantasy creature as a pet, which would you have? A brownie to clean my house, or a domovoi to act as a weird home security system would be neat. For non-practical purposes, I’d also say a pegasus. I can ride pretty well and it’d be so convenient to just fly everywhere on my awesome horse buddy.

Do you like creepy/scary movies? NOPE. I am a big chicken shit when it comes to spooky things. As a kid, I was terrified of E.T. That’s how bad it was. 

What genre do you have yet to write in, but want to write soon? Hm. Maybe historical fiction? I already play with it a little bit without actually going into the history part of it too deeply. Maybe I’ll give it a shot in the future.  I’ve always wanted to give magical realism a good try, though. It’s always been hard for me to write. 

________________________________________

@aurisadventure​‘s questions:

1. Who is your favorite oc? Why?

Right now, it’s Lithium from “Fish Food.” She’s just so fun. I also just figured out a big part of Jill’s character that I’m excited to add to H2H!

2. What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not writing?

I got into cooking a while ago, and that’s pretty fun. I do yoga sometimes. I read a bunch. I also like putting things together. Honestly, I’m a big giant nerd who likes learning in their spare time.

3. What is your least favoured genre?

Hard sci-fi is really hard for me to get into. And some contemporary stuff, but it’s not as bad as hard sci-fi.

4. Top three favorite video games? (Any console)

DRAGON AGE: ORIGINS (with Awakening DLC, obvs) (except for the goddamn Mage Circle Fade part I hate it and it deserves to burn in hell)

Ori and the Blind Forest (I’m stuck on the last stupid fire volcano level and I’m so mad because it’s hard but this game is beautiful)

To The Moon (so many tears, such good story)

Honorable mention to Assassin’s Creed 2. 

(I love RPGs.)

5. What’s the craziest thing you’ve done for inspiration?

Hm. I don’t really go out and seek inspiration like this. I just consume a whole lot of art in varying mediums. 

I went to a poetry slam one time. Does that count?

6. Buggy or Cart?

Horses, buggy. Oxen, cart. As much as I’d like to be Gandalf...

7. Have you finished any of your wips?

I am so goddamn close to finishing “When Your Song is Over and Done” I can taste it. I’m hoping to write that last stupid scene this week. It’s been the one WIP that’s been kicking my ass lately. How rude.

I’m a short story writer, so I finish a lot of my WIPs. It’s kinda nice. That’s also why longer projects scare me.

8. But like… can I read it?

😉

In the meantime, you can read these!

9. What is your favorite animal? Why?

Highland Cows! Just look at them. 

I’m sure I have a more interesting answer for this, but honestly, cows are all I can think of. I love cows. 

10. Name one place you want to visit more than anything.

Norway! Not sure why. Seems like a really cool place to be.

(I lied I love space and want to go to the observatories.)

11. What is your most cherished childhood memory?

Saturday mornings curled up in my grandfather’s armchair watching TV and eating Burger King before we go visit the animals at the farm.

________________________________________

@maybeillwriteit‘s questions:

1. Which oc would you most like to go for a drink with?

I don’t drink, but I think Treena would be an excellent conversation partner. 

2. Where do you like to write? Bed? Desk? Cafe? etc etc

I have a desk in my room. Not that I usually write at it. I’m good anywhere I can sit up straight and rest my arms.

3. Which of your ocs do you think people are most likely to make fanart for?

Eventually, I hope Mel. I love her character design. Or the superheroes and villains from “Fish Food.” They all have really distinct appearances and cool costumes/uniforms.

4. Favourite piece of writing advice you’ve received?

Probably the time my mentor also admitted he hated writing dialogue, but that sometimes you just gotta. 

5. Which place in your stories would you like to live? (i’ve read this sentence ten times and i ain’t convinced it’s grammatically correct lol)

(maybe: In which place/where in your stories would you most like to live? I dunno this one’s freaking my brain.)

Linsay would be the best place to live, I think. A very chill small town that has everything you need, very supportive soon-to-be friends, an apothecary on stand-by, and lovely weather. Its residents are fiercely protective and are very willing to look the other way where the law is concerned if it helps someone.

6. Do any authors/books influence your writing? Which ones?

Oh, tons. Jim Butcher, Laurie Halse Anderson, George Saunders, Anne Valente, Tolkien, Gaiman, Matt Bell, Aimee Bender, and a whole bunch more authors. And, if you wanna get all heartfelt about it, every single book I’ve read has influenced my writing, whether it’s learning how to do something, learning how not to do something, or finding a new technique that jives with my style.

7. Pick one song that represents your wip.

I’ve done a bunch of song stuff with H2H, so this is for “Fish Food:”

Honestly, my first instinct is “Superboy and the Invisible Girl” from Next to Normal. But it’s not quite right.

I also wanna say “Super Friends” from Holy Musical B@man. 

But in my heart, I know the true answer is “Under Pressure.” How could it not be?

8. Favourite thing about being a writer?

The feels! I love writing things and getting my own feels out, then making other people feel things. It’s so satisfying. 

9. Characters or plot, what came first?

Characters! Oh my God, always characters. And before characters, concept and theme(s). Sometimes a scene just pops into my head and I have to figure out who these people are and why they’re there.

10. Do you like writing prompts?

I do indeedy. They’re pretty helpful when I’m stuck. I only write for the ones that instantly spark an idea in my brain, though. All the ones I’m getting for my 800 followers celebration are insanely good. 

11. Part of your wip that you’re most excited to write?

Oh, man! So many!

H2H: The climax! Well, one of them. The one of the magic incidents and Mel and Gemma’s relationship, to be specific.

Fish Food: When my main two dudes meet Lithium! And figure out what’s going on with her. Or anything about Lithium’s real life. Her story is wild.

WYSiOaD: The goddamn rooftop scene that’s been kicking my ass for a month. It’s gonna be so emotional and poignant and great and I can’t wait for it to be over.

[butteredonions]

get to know the author

Tagged by both @velkynkarma​ and @bosstoaster​ (and @sleepyhunk​, i saw that shout-out ;) you’re too kind <3 )

1. How did you come up with your username and what does it mean?

My best friend @itachitachi​ helped me come up with it! We were sitting in computer class in middle school, reading fic paying avid attention and creating new email addresses for the first time. “buttered onions” was a swear in one of the books we were reading at the time. Rebellious teenage onions latched on to the ridiculous sounding phrase with giddy glee. It stuck.

2. Which fanfic of yours has the most feedback? (bookmarks/subscriptions/hits/kudos).

In those categories, The Size Of Our Actions blows all of my fics out of the water.

3. What is your AO3 profile icon, and why did you choose it?

It’s the same onion-icon as here. I chose it because my friend @gitwrecked​ doodled an onion for me as a joke, and I seized on it and she made it into an icon for me :) she has since made other onion icons for me and i love her.

4. Do you have any regular/favourite commenters?

Absolutely, and you know who you are. <3 The regulars are some of my absolute favorites, and even though I’ve been too busy to reply to comments lately, I see your consistency and my heart warms so much every time.

5. Is there a fanfic that you keep going back to read again and again?

Yeah, and they’re all sick!fic. guilty pleasures leave me alone

6. How many stories are you subscribed to? How many do you have bookmarked?

47 work subscriptions, 9 series subscriptions, and 30 user subscriptions. 78 bookmarks. I use these things like candy.

7. Which AU do you find yourself writing the most?

HA

hahahahahahaha

you’re funny

I do find myself coming back to three of those more often than all the rest, though.

The rest below the readmore!

8. How many people are subscribed and bookmarked to you in total? (you can view this on the stats page)

179 user subscriptions, 902 work subscriptions, 1322 bookmarks. That’s pretty cool.

9. Is there something you’d like to write about but are afraid of people judging you for it? (Feeling brave? If so, share it!)

....sick!fic. still. I read so much of it because when it’s done well it’s so good I’m weak and I’m so scared of doing it wrong. There’s at least five sick!fic pieces I’ve started but never finished. I’m not afraid of being judged for it as much as I am afraid of trying and failing. 

10. Is there anything you would like to be better at? Writing certain scenes or genres, replying to comments, updating better, etc.

Endings. I have ideas for how to wrap up all the pieces, but somehow I just can’t get there. It’s much easier to flit off to new ideas than it is to finish old ones.

11. Do you write rarepairs or popular ships more often?

I write gen most often :) beyond that I have one rarepair I write and one popular ship I’ve just started poking at, but honestly, still gen.

12. How many stories have you posted on AO3 to this day (finished and unfinished)?

34 works. Only 3 of them are active WIPs (with Incomplete markings), though there’s a handful in the AU series I would consider WIPs even though they’re currently posted as one-shots.

13. How many stories do you have saved in/with your writing program?

I’m assuming this question is asking about how many incomplete WIPs I have at the moment?

A lot.

14. Do you write down story ideas, or just keep them in your head?

It varies. By and large, if I don’t write the idea down or yell it at a friend immediately, it’s gone, so that’s the habit I’ve found myself in for the sake of preservation. Sometimes I keep the juicy parts in my head and mull them over for a while. The really really good bits - sometimes if I write them down in an outline, they lose some of that flavor. It’s like “oh hey I wrote it already, so it’s done”, even though that’s not the case.

15. Have you ever co-authored a story?

Yep.

16. How did you discover AO3?

I thiiiink a friend recommended it to me as an alternative to ff.net.

17. Do you consider yourself to be a popular or famous author in your fandom(s) on AO3?

In my niche, I guess so, yeah. If you’re not into AUs or smol!Shiro or sometimes Uliro, though, then no.

18. Do you have a nickname or fandom name for your readers?

No. You’re all great.

19. Was there an author who inspired or encouraged you to write?

Yes. I read a ton of Mercedes Lackey books when I was younger, and her imagination and creativity inspired me to try my own. Since then I’ve discovered several excellent fic writers, some of whom I can now count among my closest friends. That’s been really, really cool.

20. What writing advice would you give to a beginning author?

It’s cliché, but it’s the truest and best piece of writing advice I’ve ever been given.

Only you can make your words go.

To an intermediate author? Two things:

Get the words out. When writing, set that time aside as Writing Time and not as Editing Time. If you stop to edit, you’ll never finish writing. My trick for this is to [bracket] any word or phrase I know I’m going to need to look up later, and then keep going. Need to name a planet? “The characters landed at [planet] and then continued on.” Can’t remember the one specific adjective? “Shiro did [the thing] [with the adjective that meant this/this/this] and moved on.” It makes for a sloppy rough draft, but it’s always easier to fix what’s on the page than what’s still in your head. The point of the brackets is that I can get out the gist of what I want, fast, and easily find it again later when I feel more like fine-tuning. In the moment I have to worry about nothing but getting the words down.

Cut out your filter words. It’s hard at first but invaluable on the back end. And it makes such a difference! I was rereading an old fic yesterday that I distinctly remember as the first one where I made the conscious effort to remove the filter words, and I remember how hard it was to do that. I never finished editing it, and on the reread yesterday I was so surprised at how easily I could spot the filter words - so that’s a huge sign of progress to me. Hard, but worth it. 

Happy to provide further examples of both of those tips, just ask.

21. Do you plot out your stories, or do you just figure it out as you go?

Plot them out, absolutely. I have a handful that I’m winging for one reason or another and I feel so lost.

22. Have you ever gotten a bad comment on a story? If so, what did you do?

Yeah. Not very often, but I’ve had a few. It’s part of the nature of putting things out there. So far they’ve been mild enough that I just kind of cock my head at them, eep a little, and move on. Everyone’s entitled to their opinions. 

23. Is there a certain type of scene that you have a hard time writing? (action, smut, etc..)

Romance is really hard for me. :|

I also feel like I struggle with - not with Revelation scenes, but the scenes a few steps back from them, where the pieces are just starting to slot together but aren’t quite there yet. They’re tricky to lay out just right.

24. What story(s) are you working on now?

Oh god. Actively? Smol, Collision, and at least two of the AUs. Maybe three. Plus another surprise or so. And a long-overdue thing. And I also found my old Star Wars fic and was poking at that the last day or so. 

Eugh, I don’t know. Lately every time I sit down to settle on what to work on, I make up my mind and then flit away to a different idea instead. And then away from that one. I can’t settle and it’s frustrating.

25. Do you plan your next project(s) before you finish your current ongoing story(s)?

yes to the yes.

26. Do you have a daily writing goal set for yourself?

I used to. Grad school has really pushed fic and writing to the backburner.

27. Do you think you’ve improved as a writer since you first started?

Yes, indefinitely. In same ways I think I’ve gone backwards, but overall there’s been incredible growth.

28. What is your favorite story that you’ve written?

I have to PICK?!

I like all of my fics for different reasons. I love what The Size Of Our Actions is doing for me as a writer and for fandom. I love what Unafraid and First Steps did in terms of mixing narratives, styles, and two distinctly different types of canon. I love the pacing of Collision and can’t wait to get back to it.

Overall? The Throne In The Hall. for many reasons. it...fits me.

29. What is your least favorite story that you’ve written?

There’s two I wrote in the last year that I ran out of time on, thanks to deadlines and life. I’m not as proud of the end results as I’d like to be, and so I’m not naming them.

30. Where do you see yourself (as a writer) in 5 years?

Still writing. Maybe with something published, though I’m going to get through school first.

31. What is the easiest thing about writing?

Dialogue and imagery.

32. What is the hardest thing about writing?

Editing, sometimes. Letting something be Good Enough instead of Perfect. Endings.

33. Why do you write?

Corny as it is: because writing fulfills a part of my soul that I didn’t realize was missing until I stopped. I have to. 

Tagging: @ashinan, @andriseup, @paladinpuppypile, @flusteredkeith, @atimelordswife, anyone else I may have missed who would like to do this <3

[jaeyulliehyung]

I’ll Have What He’s Having - chapter one

The kid is sitting in the far corner of the cafe, eyes fixed on his phone across his drink. His lips are on the straw, but he’s not drinking, just frowning at his phone. He looks confused, a little bit frustrated, and goddamn adorable.

Well. Shit. It’s only Monday morning and already Tao’s found his crush of the week.

My lovely friend Sacha has very difficult assignments to write. She's going to get a chapter of this fic as a reward every time she needs an incentive to finish one.

XiuTao, first meeting, 1.5k (WIP)

The kid is sitting in the far corner of the cafe, eyes fixed on his phone across his drink. His lips are on the straw, but he’s not drinking, just frowning at his phone. He looks confused, a little bit frustrated, and goddamn adorable.

Well. Shit. It’s only Monday morning and already Tao’s found his crush of the week.

He eyes the kid all the way up the queue, until the cashier has to call a third hello in his direction to get his attention. Tao orders his peppermint mocha and retreats to the pickup counter to wait, still eyeing the kid. From this angle he has a better view of his profile, and he observes the slope of the kid’s nose, the pout of his lips, the curve of his jaw. There are no angles to his features - everything about him is gently rounded.

Watching him tap away at his phone, Tao amends his assessment: the kid isn’t just adorable, he’s positively beautiful.

His drink materialises on the counter next to him, and Tao murmurs a thank you to the barista. He glances back at the kid, then checks his watch and sighs. He needs to get to class.

He sends a silent whisper of thanks to the kid for gracing his morning. He’ll be thinking about that face all week - or at least until he spots someone else cute on campus.

-

By the end of his last class Tao is absolutely wiped out. His brain is six different kinds of scrambled, and he still has an essay and three hours of exam study to do.

He needs more coffee.

He’s halfway up the queue when he glances across the room and does a double-take. Not even three hours of Database Management could erase that face from his memory.

The kid is still sitting at the same table, still with his phone in his hand, still frowning at whatever’s on it. The only difference is that now he has two empty coffee cups beside the one he’s currently got a straw in.

What has the kid been doing on his phone that’s kept him glued to his seat all day? If it weren’t for the empty cups on the table Tao would almost believe he hadn’t even moved for the last eight hours. He looks more frustrated than he did this morning, and somehow even cuter for it.

Tao reaches the front of the queue, and the cashier asks him what he’d like.

“Whatever he’s having.”

The cashier follows his gaze, surprised when he indicates the kid.

“He’s had three of them today,” Tao reasons. “It must be good.”

The cashier shrugs and keys in his order. Tao pays - whatever the kid’s drink is, it’s a damn sight cheaper than a peppermint mocha - and steps over to the pickup counter to wait. The whole time, the kid keeps tapping away at his phone, the crease between his brows deepening as Tao watches.

“Here you are,” the barista says.

“Thanks.” Tao doesn’t even look at her, just takes the drink and turns to the kid. He’s glaring at his phone now, his lips pressed into a thin line, the straw chewed flat between his teeth. He looks pissed as hell, but there’s still something magnetic about him - as Tao realises when he finds himself somehow across the room, pulling out the empty chair and sitting down opposite the kid.

“Hey.”

The kid glances up from his phone. There’s an air of incredulity to his frustration now as he runs an eye over Tao’s face and goes back to his phone. “Hey.”

It’s not much of a conversation starter, but Tao’s worked tougher audiences than this.

“Are you in first year?”

A smirk flickers into the corner of the kid’s mouth. “Uh, yeah.”

At least he’s gotten a smile out of him now. Foot in the door, Tao thinks.

“You’ve been sitting here all day?”

“Yyyyep.”

He’s still focused on his phone, which Tao thinks is a little rude now that they’ve established that the kid is a first year and Tao is clearly not. He would have expected the kid to show a little more courtesy to his elders. Perhaps he’s just shy.

“You’ve been on your phone the whole time?”

“Mhm.”

“Drama in the group chat?”

The kid raises his eyebrows. “No.”

“What are you doing then?”

“Working.”

“Oh.”

There’s a moment of silence then, while the kid taps furiously at his phone and Tao searches for something else to say. After a minute the kid takes a sip from his chewed-up straw.

“What are you drinking?” Tao asks.

“Iced americano,” the kid mutters.

“Oh, me too!” Tao holds up his own cup, then brings the straw to his lips and takes a sip.

Oh, what the-

“Eugh!” Tao shudders and recoils, just barely resisting the urge to spit out his mouthful of poison. “What is this?”

The kid bursts into laughter. He drops his phone on the table and leans forward, his shoulders shaking as he presses a hand over his eyes.

“What the fuck?” Tao glares at the cup. “How can you drink this awful stuff?”

“Very easily!” the kid hiccups, picking up his own half-empty cup. “Serves you right for letting a stranger choose your drink for you.” He’s still laughing as he toasts Tao with his cup and takes a long drag from the straw.

Tao glowers at the coffee. “This is disgusting.”

The kid shrugs. “I like it.” He sets his cup down and wipes the tears from his eyes with a giggle. “What’s your name?”

“Tao - Zitao.”

“Nice to meet you, Tao-Zitao. I’m Kim Minseok.”

“It’s a pleasure. I wish I could say the same for the coffee.”

Minseok grins and takes another gulp from his cup. Tao can’t believe he’s managed to drink even one of those, let alone three.

“What do you study, Tao?”

“Software Engineering. Third year.” Tao slides his Programming textbook partway out of his bag, and Minseok nods.

“Fun stuff.”

“Yeah, it’s alright. What about you?”

“Music,” Minseok says.

“Oh, cool. Is that what you’ve been working on today?”

“Yep.”

“Is it hard?”

Minseok shakes his head. “Not particularly.”

“Then what were you so annoyed about earlier?”

“Some idiot in the queue who wouldn’t stop staring at me.”

Tao opens his mouth to ask who that was, then snaps it closed again, his face flaming at the sight of Minseok’s grin.

“My bad,” he mutters.

Minseok just laughs at him.

“Anyway,” he says, “I gotta get going to my tutorial in about ten minutes, but I just want to finish this first.” He picks up his phone and unlocks it again, and Tao gets a glimpse of the screen. It’s a page of music, only half the staves filled, and as Tao watches Minseok taps a note from the bottom of the screen and sets it on the page - the tune is his own creation, Tao realises, then with a further shock notices that there are no headphones plugged in; Minseok is composing entirely in his head.

“Woah,” he breathes. “What kind of shit do they get you doing in first year music?”

Minseok smirks at his phone. “You’d be surprised.”

“Minseok!”

The shout comes from the front of the cafe, and Minseok’s head jerks towards the sound. Tao follows his gaze and sees a man he recognises from last year’s prizegiving as one of the music department’s esteemed graduate scholars, briefcase under his arm, nodding towards the door.

“Junmyeon!” Minseok shoves his phone into his pocket and jumps up. “I’m just coming! You get a headstart, I’ll catch you up.”

“Junmyeon?” Tao stares at him incredulously as he slings his bag over his shoulder. “What are you doing calling your senior by his first name?”

Minseok snorts. “Junmyeon ain’t my senior.”

Tao scrambles to follow him as he saunters over to the recycling to dump his empty cups. “What do you mean? I thought you were a first year?”

“Uh, yeah.” Minseok turns and smirks at him. “First year of my PhD.”

Tao’s jaw drops. “What? How old are you?”

“Twenty-eight.”

Tao would have bet his left shoe that Minseok was at least ten years younger than that.

“Anyway,” Minseok says, “I’d love to stay and chat, but I have a tutorial to teach. Third years. They’re a good bunch of kids.” He grins up at Tao, glittering with wicked amusement. “I’ll see you around, Tao-Zitao. Enjoy your coffee!”

He skips away, leaving Tao standing there staring after him. In the doorway, Minseok pauses and turns, catches Tao’s eye, and blows him a kiss. Then he’s gone with a laugh, absorbed into the bustle of students outside. Tao blinks at the doorway for a moment, then takes a sip of his coffee.

“Oh, gross.” He pulls a face at the cup and drops it into the bin. “I don’t understand how anyone can drink you.”

As he heads for the library, he wonders what Minseok thinks of peppermint mochas.

[ficbrish]

WIP Wednesday

[29Nov2023]

This is from a one shot that's part of my Kinktober collection

"The Cave"

“Ugh, jus’ leave it, Vis,” Karlach groaned.

The cave dripped with echoes and stalactites; its wet air swallowing Karlach’s booming voice within layers of soft stone. Her frustration burned hot enough to cast dancing shadows across the others’ faces.

She spoke directly to Vistri’s wriggling butt. There was something shiny she’d spotted behind a spiderweb that Vistri just had to have. Karlach almost regretted mentioning it.

“Hang on,” Vistri said with reaching effort.

Astarion sighed, “You know just how she has to get her hands on everything. We’ll get out of here faster if we don’t argue.”

Gale shot an eyebrow over at Astarion, “You’d know that, wouldn’t you?”

Karlach threw her head back and howled. Her laughter shook the cave.

“Do you want to get us all killed?” Gale shushed her urgently.

“Spiders are fucked mate. We’re the only ones left.”

“We don’t know that for sure though, and I’d rather not be taken by surprise.”

“Astarion, darling?” Vistri called, still a floating butt to the three of them, “Do me a favor and hold my bum? If I could reach just a little further…”

Gale wiggled his brows again, “Go on, Astarion. The bum awaits!”

“Grab her bum!” Karlach chanted, “Grab her bum!”

He rolled his eyes at them before walking over to take hold of her hips.

“Aaaaay!” Karlach and Gale cheered.

Astarion pouted, standing behind her. There was no way to steady her that wasn’t suggestive.

“Now, really!”

The other two were losing it.

“Ah HAH!” Vistri cried out triumphantly.

She shot up so fast, and so completely covered in spiderweb, that webbing splattered all over Astarion.

He spat, “Augh! That went inside my mouth!”

“Worth it!” Vistri said, showing everyone her prize: Forearm wraps that were embroidered all over with silver thread. They were made of a hard, dark leather and laced up along the sides.

“Oh, those are quite lovely,” Gale commented, stepping closer.

“No!” Vistri pulled them back, “I won’t let you eat these!”

“I wasn’t!—I wasn’t going to eat them. And I don’t eat magical items, I absorb them.”

“These aren’t magical anyway, they’re just pretty.”

Gale sighed, “I wasn’t…”

Astarion grinned, “Not as pretty as you, my dear.”

Vistri flipped one of her braids, “Aw, stop!”

Karlach frowned, “Eugh, they’re being all mushy again! Gale, tell them to stop. It’s too much cuteness, I can’t take it.”

“Why do I have to tell them to stop?”

“Cuz you’re like a dad.”

“I’m not—“

“You are!” Vistri laughed, “You’re just like someone’s dad.”

“Not the Daddy vibes you hoped to give off, eh?” Astarion teased.

Needless to say, Gale pouted the whole way back to camp.

When they got there, Karlach announced, “Gale is everyone’s dad!”

“Oggy! Oggy! Oggy!” Wyll chanted.

Karlach pumped her fist in the air, and Gale had to duck as she shouted back, “Oi! Oi! Oi!”

Astarion noticed the way Vistri made a beeline for Shadowheart. He watched them chat as he “tidied up” his tent area.

“You’ll never guess what I found inside of a spider web,” she said as the others fussed over Gale.

Shadowheart raised a brow, “Lolth’s chosen?”

“No, and how dare you,” she brought the armor out from her pack, “I found these beautiful things.”

She didn’t look too impressed.

“They’re… Nice.”

Vistri narrowed her eyes, “Well, thank goodness they’re not for you.”

Astarion watched her leave to show off her new find to Lae’zel, and then Wyll and even Halsin. She started to walk towards Withers but seemed to think better of it halfway and doubled-back to him.

“It’s because of the undead thing, isn’t it?” Astarion smirked as Vistri approached him.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Right. Do you sew?”

“What?”

Vistri held up one of the arm bands, “The thread is loose here. Look!”

Astarion smirked, “Are you asking me to fix it?”

She rolled her eyes, “No.”

“It seems to me that your new treasure is soiled and I’m the only one you trust to mend it.”

“That isn’t un-true.”

“So you’re asking me to fix it?”

“No, silly!” Vistri looked into his eyes, “You’re going to offer.”

Insolence was the word that came to mind. Her blinking grin said, I have a need you’re lucky enough to fulfill, but her eyes were not so sure. There was something weak in them, like slipping fingers. They were on a precipice that hung on his answer, Was she worth it?

“Would you like me to fix it?”

Vistri smiled warmly. It reached her eyes, “Oh, darling! How kind of you! Of course.”

She shoved the object into his hands. He didn’t let her go just yet.

“Say thank you,” he demanded softly.

Vistri held her breath, her eyes grazed over his lips.

“Thank you.”