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theothin · 11 months ago

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Okay, so.

It's 5:30 pm. As with most Friday nights, I get in my car to drive to a 6 pm Magic the Gathering draft.

It takes a couple of tries to get the car to start. I don't think much of it - the car is about two and a half decades old, and it's had trouble starting before, although not normally this bad. When I start driving, it feels sluggish - I assume it'll function normally soon, but the "soon" keeps not happening.

(I later learn that I really should have taken this more seriously.)

I get onto the main road, and start making my way towards the game store. I start to notice the car being oddly... jittery when it's stopped, particularly the steering wheel. I tell myself, well, hopefully it'll do fine to get me to the MTG event and back, then I can get it looked at over the weekend.

(Horrible idea. Never listen to this instinct.)

On the way, I stop at the red light, then the car has trouble starting back up. I restart the ignition, and it's around this point when I start to smell something funny. Hopefully something from my surroundings, I tell myself.

(Othin, you fucking idiot.)

A bit further, and the smell hasn't gone away. Also, something looks funny. Is that... smoke? Inside the car? Okay, I wasn't imagining it, that's definitely smoke. Emergency procedures, abort mission.

First things first, gotta get off the main road. I take the next turn onto a side road - and it's only two lanes, one in each direction. I go a bit up the road, looking for a proper place to park, and it doesn't take long of failing to do that before I go okay, no, enough waiting, I need to get out of here. The other cars can deal with it.

I park, call my dad, and explain the situation. He says it sounds like I'd had a big oil leak, and if I drove that much without oil, my engine is probably toast. Given how old the car is, that would probably be the death blow to it, although we'd already expected it wouldn't last much longer regardless.

I call Triple A, at 5:49 pm, to request a tow truck. They ask if I'm in a safe location - I interpret the question as being about immediate personal safety and say yes. (I later learn that blocking a two-lane road does not qualify as a safe location. Maybe if I'd said no, things would have gone differently.) It takes a bit of time to figure out how to explain where exactly I am, since I don't know which municipality I stopped in or how best to describe my street location, but after a few minutes they go sure, we'll have someone over there within the next hour, and they'll call when they're on the way.

In the meantime, I call my dad back, for more of his car expertise. He says it should be fine to sit in the car so I'm not out in the cold, I just shouldn't turn it on. It still smells horrible, so on his advice, I lower the windows, and sit there, waiting.

Around 6:30, I haven't heard anything, so I call back to see if there's any updates. The automated message says the expected arrival time is 7:21.

I don't have headphones with me, so I wait until it feels okay to put the windows back up before taking the opportunity to watch anime, and pull up the next episode of Yuyushiki. Meanwhile, my dad texts me, I mention the road, and he goes wait, that's dangerous, you should really wait on the grass by the road instead. I tell him I don't think I'm likely to get hit, but at his insistence, I reluctantly comply, after finishing the episode. Back to shivering as it gets increasingly cold.

Around 7, I call again, and the automated line still says the expected arrival time is 7:21. Around 7:10, there's still no word about the driver leaving, so I call and ask for a live rep. The rep tries to check in with the tow truck, but comes back after several minutes to say that there was no number available for the driver himself, and that he attempted to contact the company they'd contracted for the word directly, but wasn't able to reach them. The rep says the driver is showing me as next on his list, and the only alternative would be restarting the process with a new driver, which would put me further down the list. He suggests waiting at least another half hour before trying anything like that.

I am getting skeptical of these time estimates, and extremely tired of shivering outside. I call my dad and ask him to come, he says sure. He also suggests calling the police to let them know about the road I'm blocking and get their help with keeping other cars from crashing into me, but I say I don't want to do that while I'm alone and wearing a dress. He says he doesn't expect it to be an issue but doesn't push it.

Dad shows up, goes wait, you meant the straight part of the road? I assumed you meant the twisty part further up, no one's gonna crash into you here. (In other words, rather than shivering, I could have spent that time in my car watching another episode of Yuyushiki.) Still, it's getting dark, and he says we should set up the reflectors he put in our cars, for exactly this sort of situation. It turns out they're only in his car, not mine, so we set up his reflectors.

Dad goes hey, want to see if the engine got messed up enough that we can see just from looking at it? I go sure, why not. We pop the hood and, instead, see a huge fucking pile of twigs and leaves, right in the middle. Dad speculates that it's a bird's nest and starts pulling it out. While he does, we start hearing some sort of chirping sound. We both speculate that it's a bird, but he notices that it's not a bird and not coming from the car itself - it's a baby squirrel in the pile of nest he'd pulled out. Doesn't seem like it went well for it.

We wonder if that was the whole problem. Dad doesn't notice signs of significant oil spilling, and he checks the oil level but says it's fine. We give it a shot, and the car seems to start normally. We drive a bit down the street together, but I notice it still feels pretty clunky. I suggest switching cars so he can evaluate mine. He notices the light saying "service engine soon", asks if that's been on since I left home, I say yes. He says he doesn't want to drive it without checking how serious that is and goes to look it up in the manual.

While I'm waiting in Dad's car, I call Triple A again, and explain that we've moved the car slightly. By this point they've ditched the first contractor and are sending a new tow truck from a different company. While I'm talking with them, Dad comes back with a question about my car, I say I don't know and that I'm on a call. He keeps trying to get more of an answer from me but I'm not sure what else he expects, eventually he gets frustrated and goes back to my car.

I'm waiting on hold for the rep to try to get more info from the new driver, and text my dad to ask what he wants. He says I should hang up and we should just drive the two cars home. I ask if he's sure the car is safe, he says no but he doesn't want to keep waiting.

Around 8:30, we start driving in each other's cars. Dad takes the lead, and is in the middle of driving my car up a steep hill when it gets stuck. He instructs me to carefully drive past him, then turn around to meet him at the bottom of the hill. He decides it really isn't fit to drive home but that it should go somewhere that isn't in the middle of traffic, and finds an area that's blocked off for construction. Dad speculates that in addition to the nest getting caught in stuff, there may have been other issues from things like wires getting chewed on.

(While he was driving, I could smell that awful smell from his car, behind him. I swear I can still smell it.)

I call Triple A yet again, to explain where we moved the car this time. They say it might take another couple of hours for the tow truck to arrive. We go, no, we're not waiting that long. Dad asks about the procedure for unassisted towing, and we end up putting the keys with the car to leave for the tow truck to use. Dad also has me call the police's non-emergency line to tell them about the car we're leaving and why, so they won't take issue with it in the meantime.

Around this point, Dad asks about the friend I was talking to. I go, what are you talking about. He says, on that phone call. I say, I didn't have any phone calls with friends here, all my calls were to him or Triple A. He says, wait, that's who you were talking to? I say of course. He says, so when I told you to hang up, you hung up on Triple A? I say yes, that's what you insisted I should do. He says whoops.

We return home around 9 pm. I get out of the car first, spend a while waiting by the door for my dad to catch up, and remind him that I no longer have a house key with me, since it was on the same key ring. He goes wait, you left your house key with the car? I point out that really, it was both of our mistakes, since he was using the key ring as well, and was the first one to stash it.

Dad says we'll need to go back for it, after a much-needed chance to pee and eat dinner. I also use the chance to start making a document of things to remind myself to keep in mind about cars: supplies to keep on hand, warning signs to watch for, things to keep clean, and also the value of having someone else in your car every once in a while so they can point out things you've overlooked. Bunch of things he'd been trying to get me to keep in mind forever, that never seemed as important until I'd gotten a chance to really see the consequences first-hand. Once I finish the document, I'm thinking of printing it out and taping it somewhere visible while I drive, so that maybe I'll remember to think about it more often.

It's a pretty quick drive back to the car. In part, because my dad drives really fast. While zooming down the hills we'd been stuck on, he points out that this is why he'd really wanted me to be careful, because people sometimes drive like this on them. I point out that maybe he should not do that.

We get the house key back around 10 pm. While we're driving home, I get a call back from the police, saying it's fine to have the car there for now, but it will get in the way of the construction vehicles, so we've gotta deal with it by 7 am if we don't want to risk the police towing it instead. Dad points out that tomorrow is Saturday, the cop says it'll be fine if the construction isn't happening that day, but we do need to make sure it's gone by their next work day.

Back home, I call Triple A again. They say they've switched to using a third contracting company, but this one finally has someone dispatched, along with a tracker. Next time I check in, they say they've picked up the car. Around 11 pm, I get a notification saying it's been successfully delivered to the repair place we asked for.

A learning experience, in a number of ways. But also, man, what a mess.

#cars #yuyushiki

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blueberreads · 8 months ago

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Mid-Year Book Freak Out

Thanks @logarithmicpanda for the tag!

1. Number of books you’ve read so far: 17. Last year by this time I had read about 60 books. This is fine.

2. Best book you’ve read so far in 2024: I haven’t read many good books, which probably doesn’t encourage to read more. Though I really enjoyed Something More by Jackie Khalilieh. I finished it in 3 days, which hadn’t happened in a loooong time!

3. Best sequel you’ve read so far in 2024: I have only read 3 sequels so far this year. The only one I really enjoyed was Boyfriends Volume 2 by refrainbow.

4. New release you haven’t read yet but want to: Running Close to the Wind by Alexandra Rowland. I just got it last week so hopefully I can start it soon!

5. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year: Confounding Oaths by Alexis Hall. I really liked Mortal Follies, especially the narrator, so I can’t wait to get the sequel!

6. Biggest surprise favorite new author (debut or new to you): Jackie Khalilieh. Something More was a really good surprise, that I picked up and started a little impulsively. Now I want more from this author!

7. Newest fictional crush: No fictional crush. Not even a ship I got particularly attached to. Though I liked The Witchwood Knot and always find Olivia Atwater’s character very charming.

8. Book that made you cry: I don’t think any book made me cry? The one that got me the most emotional was probably Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera.

9. Book that made you happy: If You Still Recognise Me by Cynthia So was really nice, plus it was about Tumblr and fandom!

10. What books do you need to read by the end of the year: SO MANY BOOKS! I really want to read some queer pirates books: Running Close to the Wind, Saltblood, Deep as the Sky, Red as the Sea, Sailing by Orion’s Star. I also NEED to finish the Rook & Rose trilogy with Labyrinth’s Heart! Will the love triangle end up in a polycule? I very much hope so!

No pressure tags: @traeumenvonbuechern @ghostsandmermaids @dkafterdark @songbird-is-crying @hang-on-lil-tomato

#books #tag games

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dreamtigress · 1 year ago

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Please consider streaming/watching Shadow & Bone on Netflix! It is an amazing show and cast.

From Discrod RE saving SAB...

1. Don’t cancel Netflix.

> We should __NOT__ cancel Netflix as a statement. It won’t matter. Even if every SAB and SOC fan cancelled their account, it would barely be noticed.

2. Stream Shadow and Bone.

> Netflix wants to see new viewers. They are more likely to reconsider their decision if the show gets back into the Top 10 (and stays there for as long as possible) and has unique __NEW__ viewers who are watching the show from start to finish. The easiest way to do this is by streaming the show ourselves. When it trends, subscribers will see it as well and hopefully watch the show.

3. Use the hashtags and talk about the show.

> Engage potential new viewers and spark conversations by talking and hashtagging about the show on Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok, etc. Share why you love the show and characters and why it's important we get it back to finish their stories. Talk about the representation, the diversity, what it means to you, how much the cast and crew and writers love it and want to continue with it, etc.

4. Engage with the writers, cast, crew, etc.

> Industry folks are not happy about how SAB was canceled, and they are done with keeping quiet. Conversations are being had, and Netflix is trying to calm relations, especially since they’re under a lot of industry scrutiny since the strike ended. This is a very unique anomaly that works in our favor, and we only have a small window of opportunity to make a big impact, so we have to act fast. Engage with the writers and cast (be respectful, friendly, and kind!) and keep them talking about the show, cancellation, etc. (to us and/or in their industry circles).

5. Send physical mail.

> Send (respectful) letters and physical items to Netflix HQ because those are things they can't ignore since they have to be physically sorted through (letter information can be found in <#1175231261569204245>).

6. Work as a focused team.

> We have to be a **COHESIVE** unit as a fandom. If everyone is split apart, it will not help because we won't make the impact or numbers Netflix needs to see. Prioritizing SAB over SOC (or vice versa) isn’t what will convince Netflix to save SAB or green light SOC. Netflix will make the final decision, but they won’t even consider until they realize that we as a fandom are one formidable, united force.

7. Focus on Netflix.

> At the moment, all efforts must focus on convincing Netflix to reverse their decision. Netflix does not like to give up the rights to its shows, and unless they do, other platforms can’t step in to save our show instead. Other platforms will notice anyway if we make enough noise, but focus specifically on Netflix!

Starting soon, we will be having dedicated watch parties and daily hashtag parties. We will give you more information on what 3rd hashtag to use and when.

Be vocal. Keep using our main two hashtags #SaveShadowAndBone and #SixOfCrowsSpinoff

Thank you all so much for your efforts, and keep it up!

#grishaverse #leigh bardugo #six of crows spin off #amita suman #grisha #soc fandom #crooked kingdom #netflix #shadow & bone #sab #save shadow and bone #save six of crows

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softguarnere · 11 months ago

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Fic Writer Interview

Thank you for the tag @mercurygray!

How many works do you have on AO3?

Currently 6, but hopefully that number will go up over spring break

What's your total AO3 word count?

119,136

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Like A Girl (Like A Man) - Band of Brothers

Just A Kid - The Outsiders

Bear The Burden Alone - The Chronicles of Narnia

For Whatever We Lose - Band of Brothers

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes, absolutely! I share my writing because it allows me to connect with people who share my interests. If I'm not posting replies, it feels more like a one sided conversation, imo. Also, it seems the polite thing to do

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

It's about to be Like A Girl (Like A Man)! You'll see why soon >:)

What the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

On AO3, it's probably Bear The Burden Alone, but I try to keep the fics that I post here on Tumblr kinda upbeat with hopeful -- albeit open-ended -- endings.

Do you write crossovers?

Yeah! For Whatever We Lose is actually a crossover with The Pacific, and I'd love to do more crossovers in the future

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Yep! I've deleted the comments, but some people were VERY ANGRY about the background Babe/Roe content in LAGLAM -- you know, despite the fact that the plot of the fic is driven by a queer woman's decision to cross-dress. Guess they had to draw the line somewhere, but the hypocrisy of it all makes me chuckle

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Kinda? I deleted most of it from the original LAGLAM drafts and instead just alluded to it, but things are going to be different in FWWL. Get ready for crappy ocean metaphors and religious imagery, babes!

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I hope not :( That would stink

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not to my knowledge

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but I think it would be fun!

What's your all-time favorite ship?

Everlark! (said while frothing at the mouth because they make me go insane) I've been obsessed with them since I first read The Hunger Games at age 9. I could write you a whole novel about why I think they're perfect together, but I'll spare you the ramble (unless anyone wants it?)

What's a WIP that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

Tears in my eyes when I tell you that it's probably the requests in my inbox. I keep telling myself that I'll get to them, but I've just felt unmotivated with all the stuff I've had going on in my personal life/at school. I really really do hope to get to them someday, though, because some of them will be really fun to write

What are your writing strengths?

I have no clue, lol. I tend to get compliments about how I describe settings, so I'm gonna say that!

What are your writing weaknesses?

My abuse of commas and italics.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

Personally, I love doing it. Especially in a fic like LAGLAM, where even though most people don't speak the language I'm using (Cherokee), I feel like they can still see the importance to the characters and to the story. And I like tricking people into caring about Indigenous language preservation. My teachers told me that anything can be a vessel for carrying language on, and by God, I took that to heart

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Oh boy. I was in the fifth grade. I had won many writing competitions. Two classmates approached me and told me that they wished The Hunger Games had more post-Mockingjay Everlark content, and that since I was a good writer, they wanted me to write it. I was traded many cosmic brownies and other such snacks throughout the year for my services in providing my classmates with Everlark fics on pages of notebook paper that are probably crumpled up in a landfill by now. At the time, I had no idea I was writing fanfiction, but it was the start of my favorite hobby. Look at me now, baby!

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to?

I've always wanted to write for TURN: Washington's Spies but have never had the courage haha

What's your favorite fic you've written?

I have a couple of one-shots that I'm pretty pleased with, but currently I'm going to say LAGLAM because it's been so special to me <3

Tagging (but no pressure!): @almost-a-class-act @latibvles @footprintsinthesxnd @liebgotts-lovergirl

#thank you for tagging me :)#ask game #about the author

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darlingpoppet · 1 month ago

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Fic wrap-up 2024

Fic Wrap-up 2023 here

I delayed posting this until the last possible moment because I was hoping I could get a bit more writing in under the wire so I could include it in the year total word count, but alas it wasn’t meant to be :��) I filled out this post with several more questions compared to last year, since I did see that year-end writing ask meme going around but I decided to be a bit of a rebel and just go ahead to answer all of the questions I wanted to answer. Hope that’s ok!!

Fics published this year/total words:

See No ****, Hear No **** — Patrochilles (6430)

Where The Dead Forget ch 7-8 — Patrochilles (27500)

In Full Bloom — Persenyx (2838)

(Pray, Love, Remember — Mobuhan - not yet on AO3)(3966)

Liminal Spaces ch 1-5 — PZA (32026)

My Heart’s Your Future — Patrochilles (3227)

(Closest To My Heart Jp ver — PZA - not yet on AO3) (17779)

Total: 93766 (AO3 only: 72021)

(I ALMOST published 100k this year I was SO CLOSE haha)

5 fanfics with the most kudos in 2024:

Closest To My Heart (317)

Flourishing Into Greatness (229)

Strain (227)

Pressed Flowers (216)

Where The Dead Forget (216)

Did this for all-time rather than just 2024 fics since I thought it’s more interesting. Flourishing and Strain have been locked in fierce competition for the number two spot for most of the year lol. WTDF is the only one that has fallen out of the top 3 since last year but it’s still in the top 5 and might surpass Pressed Flowers soon (probably it will once I get around to updating it lol.) I also think it’s interesting that all of my top fics have at least 200 kudos now and so that really means a lot to me that new people are apparently continuing to discover and enjoy my stories! 🥹🙏

Most popular fic this year

If judging by kudos, then it’s In Full Bloom (hooray, sapphics win!) If going by comments, then definitely Liminal Spaces (hooray, erotic love triangles win!) Both are perfectly deserving, I’m good with either one =)

Least popular fic this year

If judging by kudos only it’s My Heart’s Your Future but that’s kind of understandable since it’s a side story whose broader context is in a different, longer, multi-chapter fic. Yet I was pleasantly surprised by how much feedback it still received so honestly I can’t complain AT ALL. And if judging by comments, technically I received 0 AO3 comments for See No ****, Hear No **** but tbh the only response that mattered to me was my giftee’s, so no complaints there either =)

Fic(s) you completed this year

Five of them!

See No ****, Hear No ****

In Full Bloom

Pray, Love, Remember

My Heart’s Your Future

Closest To My Heart Jp ver

The fact that Liminal Spaces is NOT on this list kind of bums me out since I spent a significant part of the year working on it… but oh well, at least it was only because it was necessary for me to complete a different cool & fun project I wanted to do before a certain deadline. Time is a construct anyway, right? 🤪

Longest/shortest completed fic you wrote this year

My only completed fics this year were one-shots 😝

Longest: See No ****, Hear No **** (6430 words)

Shortest: In Full Bloom (2838 words)

Fics you’ll continue next year

Liminal Spaces, which I can hopefully finish off by late Jan or early Feb. I tried my hardest to get chapter 6 in under the wire for the end of 2024, but as of now it’s only half edited. It’s still extremely close to being finished though, I’m hoping to have it up before my holidays are over!

And of course I’m still working on Where The Dead Forget, which after LS I’m resolving to make my priority for the time being, even if it will surely continue to be part of my New Year’s resolutions for the next couple of years 😆

Favorite character to write about this year

Always Patroclus Hadesgame!! I feel like I got to write him a lot this year and idk his voice is always in my head in a way that isn’t necessarily the case with other characters I write, so it seems easier for me to figure out what he might say in a given situation. No matter the universe he’s always a bit charming and dignified, a bit acerbic, a bit sweet, and sooooo fun!

Favorite writing song/artist/album of this year

I’m pretty sure the Hades 2 soundtrack has been on constant shuffle/repeat since May… although I also spent a lot of the summer listening to my Liminal Spaces playlist. I’m planning to curate it a bit more and then share it sometime soon… possibly when the story is finished!

Favorite closing line from a fic in 2024:

I’m sharing the whole closing scene, because the reason I like it is this narrative payoff, and I enjoy the dialogue & pacing. It’s from the end WTDF chapter 7 so SPOILERS:

“Achilles was the commander of the Myrmidons... Phthia’s own crown prince… You were his own personal companion, were you not?”

Patroclus is perhaps more surprised by this information than he thinks he ought to be. And yet, simply hearing the words spoken, there is the sense that it is true—a truth so natural and plain it would almost feel dishonest to deny it. Still, Patroclus elects to act with restraint, yearning to know more, coveting any modicum about Achilles as he can.

“What makes you say such a thing, son of Zeus?”

Sarpedon inclines his head, perhaps finding the guarded tone of his response to be unexpected.

“I apologize. Forgive me for assuming, but… is that not the son of Peleus? Just there—“ He points to Patroclus’ left shoulder. Patroclus eyes strain to follow, uncomprehending.

“Pardon?”

Sarpedon smiles gently, his kind, dark eyes filled with something akin to pity.

“On your brooch,” he says. His tone is patient, delicate; as if speaking to a beloved relative who is losing himself to dotage. Patroclus is not sure it is something he appreciates, even if it comes from a place of kindness.

“On my— what?” The angle prevents him from seeing it properly, and so he unhooks the fibula, removing it from his cloak for a better look.

“It could also be a woman,” Glaucus leans over to say to Sarpedon. There is a sly smile on his lips, the tip of his winsome canine peeking through. “Perhaps it was the symbol of their cause—the promise of Helen’s lovely visage spurring all the Greeks to battle day in and day out.”

Patroclus laughs. He cannot help it.

How did he not notice it before? The brooch is made of fine polished gold, and engraved with the profile of a beautiful youth whose striking features are framed by lovely, long curls. He can easily imagine Achilles as the same person—older and wearier, perhaps; his shade the mellowing ardency of late summer, rather than the full flush of spring—but certainly just as beautiful.

Patroclus is still staring at the image—the only thing in the world that exists—even as distracted words tumble from his mouth, barely discerned by his own ears.

“I am sorry. I must go.”

Favorite opening line from a fic in 2024:

Kind of stumped on this one again this year because I feel like the ability to write banger, attention-grabbing openings is a weakness of mine. But I think if I had to pick one, it would also be from WTDF chapter 7:

Patroclus looks up at the sound of Achilles’ approach.

Achilles stops short, a few paces away from him at the top of the stone staircase, uncertain if he ought to come any closer. He assesses Patroclus’ mood carefully. There is recognition in his face this time, but it is impassive—whether Patroclus feels joy, annoyance, or nothing at all at the sight of him, Achilles cannot say. He wonders if this is what their reunion would have been like, had none of this happened. If only he had ever tried to imagine it.

Favorite line/scene you wrote this year:

I wish I was sharing some kind of beautiful and deep prose that says something profound about my OTPs in a way that makes the muses weep but unfortunately deep down I am just a simple gooner and I’m afraid the moment from this year that brings me the most joy is this one from Liminal Spaces chapter 3:

He brings a hand between Achilles’ thighs, his upturned fingers smearing oil all over his entrance until it feels slick and wet. He then pushes in curiously, using a single digit. There is resistance at first, but as soon as he gets past it, his finger quickly slides in all the way in without any additional effort.

Achilles moans at the feeling. He sits up on his elbows to clutch at Zagreus’ wrist, controlling his hand so that he can fuck himself with Zagreus’ finger. He makes Zagreus move in and out of him at a brisk pace, rolling his hips slightly, meeting the thrusts. He bites his lip, his face taut with pleasure.

“Holy shit,” Zagreus says, mesmerized. “I need to be inside you so bad.”

Achilles pulls Zagreus’ finger out of him, and directs the hand to Zagreus’ cock, now making him stroke himself, spreading the oil around. Zagreus squeezes himself, already trying to imagine what Achilles will feel like with Zagreus full inside of him. He shakes Achilles off to regain control of his hand, and then grabs Achilles’ hips, pulling him closer. Zagreus holds onto himself as he lines them up, starting to press in.

Behind them, the kitchen door swings open.

The sound of Patroclus’ footsteps stroll past, heading behind the counter. Zagreus hears the clinking of glass, and he turns to watch as Patroclus procures a wine glass from a high cabinet shelf. Patroclus emerges from the kitchen area, approaching them with the glass in one hand and the wine bottle from his room in the other. He hefts his weight onto the dining table before pouring himself a drink. He rests his elbow on a folded knee as he takes dainty sips from the glass, the other leg swinging over the edge. He looks like a king, settling in to preside over the bloodsport he loves; ready to play arbiter over the lives of wild beasts and of men.

“Don’t let me interrupt,” he says. “I just needed to retrieve my wine glass.”

“Come on,” Achilles says. “Hurry up and fuck me.”

The whole thing just cracks me up so bad!!! The mental image of Patroclus casually coming into the room and walking past where this dude is about fuck his boyfriend, taking his time to get a wine glass, and then the first thing out of his mouth is this really obvious statement about what he was just doing. Meanwhile Achilles is so impatient, because of course Zag had to stop and stare at Pat the entire time 😭 idk it is just extremely funny TO MEEE

Fic I’m most proud of in 2024:

I feel like I tried a lot of new things to challenge myself this year that I’m proud of: fics about ships I haven’t written before (Persenyx and Mobuhan), a multi-chapter fic (Liminal Spaces) with a more substantial, but still self-contained plot (and managing it to keep it pretty much within the word count I was expecting for it), and translating one of my fics based on Greek mythology into Japanese, which was really fun but also required a lot of extra reading/research so that I could do it properly… not only did I play Hades in Japanese but I also kept my Japanese translations of the Iliad and The Song Of Achilles close by and all three of them influenced my translation choices in various ways!

BUT idk, if I based my criteria on what I think is nicely composed prose as well as something I like going back to reread for myself, I actually think it’s See No ****, Hear No ****. I just enjoyed the whole concept & challenge of describing the same erotic encounter from two different perspectives which are deprived of their sight and sound respectively, and how relying on other senses affects the experience for them in different ways (but also giving a reader the complete picture when they finish reading both.) I was amused by my own little inserted Easter eggs and parallels, and if you read them side by side, the events more or less lineup (because I actually did write them physically side by side from one another!)

A fic you didn’t expect to write

My Heart’s Your Future. Its existence is definitely a case of the story evolving as I write it… I keep looking for more opportunities to insert references to classic/influential vaporwave songs as I write Liminal Spaces, and what happens in chapter 5 was always in the outline, but I wasn’t sure what music would be playing, other than the fact that it would have particular nostalgic/sentimental value for Achilles & Patroclus. And once I figured out what it would be, I wanted to explore that a bit more, especially since LS is from Zagreus’ POV so he often doesn’t understand what’s going on in A&P’s little world :) It’s just a bit of a bonus if someone read chapter 5 and was confused, or wants a bit of context going in. Or it can just be for anyone who wants a quick fix of Patrochilles banging… because I mean who doesn’t want that?? (Don’t answer that.) :3c

Fics you wanted to write but didn’t

Oh god lmao… there was this one pza fic that I was getting off the ground in a fit of inspiration and literally as I was typing in the document, Hades 2 Early Access dropped and distracted me away from it completely 😂 and then a couple of days after that I was made a group leader for an event at my kid’s kindergarten so it was a one-two punch to not only that fic but also I wouldn’t get any writing done at all for the next month afterwards 💀💀💀 Hopefully I can revisit it again sometime next year!

Something you learned this year

It’s actually ok to split up chapters more, they don’t have to be so long… it’s easier to edit and easier for people to read :)

(But will I take this to heart? Unclear.)

Current number of wips

Number of wips already published and currently being serialized: 2

Number of unpublished wips: uhhhhh I have 12 additional projects in my scrivener program… whether the docs are blank or have decent progress made on them, who can say 😂

Any new fics to start next year

I have a fic due in a couple of weeks for this year’s Hades gift exchange event that I’ve already started working on, so idk if that counts exactly but it’ll certainly be my first newly published fic of 2025!

I think once Liminal Spaces is done, my plan is to just work on WTDF for a while until inspiration compels me to either complete one of my other WIPs or start a new one completely… and as a lot of you probably already know, inspiration striking for a new story is a “suddenly, at any moment” type situation. Who knows what I’ll have done by this time next year! I sure don’t! Kind of an exciting thought, though :)

#emica chat #my fics #fic wrap-up #where the dead forget #liminal spaces (pza dreamers au)#doing another fav fics from this year post too!#not sure when I’ll have it done though #LS & my gift exchange fic keeping me busy!#patrochilles #pza #persenyx #mobuhan

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sniigura-archive · 2 years ago

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i know you and i like you anyway (2)

chapter 1

tw/cw: drugs implied, slight violence (against nathan), parentification, tell me if i missed smth

nathan prescott x reader ; warren graham x reader

pulling all nighters was part of warrens everyday routine. he wouldn’t sleep for 3 days straight, finishing some school project or movie marathon, only to pass out for the rest of the weekend.

currently it was 6:30 AM and he was on his way to the canteen, wanting nothing more than to grab something to eat. warren couldn’t help but let his mind wander to the new students, or more like one new student. he was beating himself up, because he forgot to exchange numbers or socials with you. how creepy would it be if he showed up at your room?

thankfully, for once the universe was on his side. once he entered the canteen he saw you. if this isn’t a sign from above. you stood infront of the menu, probably trying to decide what to get.

“oh hey! nice seeing you again. how’s it going?” warren skilfully approached you. having you as a friend would probably be good, especially against nathan. another plus was you being actually somewhat nice and cool.

you quickly turned around and looked at him, “..warren, right? i’m doing ok…do you have any recommendations?”

warren shifted from one foot to the other, “hmm, usually i just eat cereal. between us two,” warren shifted closer to you and whisperd loudly, “the food here isn’t so.. radical. if you’re up for it we could grab breakfast at the two whales diner. they got the best food in town!”

you giggled slightly at his antics, “uhh, yeah sure. why not?”

warren gave you a smile which was pure sunshine. oh no, he’s precious. “that’s great! lets go, i will drive.“

shit, ok, you can do that. you can make friends. even if the guy has a cute smile. and a cute face. and a cute personality. god, you’re weak.

you were more than thankful that your scholarships cover more than enough. you appreciated nothing more than the fact that you don’t have to work, and that all your school expense and free spending money have been taken care of. free canteen food is another perk you love. but going out to eat won`t kill your wallet, hopefully.

a feeling in your gut told you that a certain sean prescott has played a huge part in the money you got. your brother has gotten the same perks. lucky bastard.

it wasn’t even you who applied for this school, it was your family who applied everything for you. being away would be good for you. yeah, as if. your mind was constantly buzzing with worry over everyone. the countless dislikes, allergies, appointments and play dates ingrained onto your brain. walking with warren to the parking lot was at least calming you down somewhat.

“so…are you a fellow night owl?” warren asked.

“no, i’m boring. i go to sleep at 9:30 and wake up at like 5 am.” you grabbed the straps of your tote bag tighter, then looking into it to make sure you really have your wallet with you.

“damn! healthy. i wish that was me. i haven’t slept for a second yet.”

nodding along to his confession, you furrowed your brows, “are you sure you should drive? i can also drive, you know.”

warren rubbed at his neck nervously, “no! it’s alright, really. i like to think i’m a pretty decent driver…if you feel unsafe tho! you can drive, of course, or we can reschedule! no stress.”

“it’s cool. i’m starving anyways. if i don’t get anything to eat soon i will get cranky, and i will make it everyone else’s problem.”

chuckling at your words warren continued the conversation, “well, i don’t want to keep you waiting and starving!” you guys reached the parking lot. with big strides, because warren was a long stick, you reached his car. he opened the passenger side for you, dramatically bowing while doing so.

“your majesty.”

you couldn’t help laughing at him, “finally, someone treating me like i deserve it.” sitting down on the seat, warren also closed the door for you. he quickly sprinted over to the drivers seat, and sat down. checking all his mirrors, he started the car. the ride was filled with mindless chatter and questions from both sides.

“i grew up here in arcadia bay, my parents moved away tho. so now i stay in the dorms and can fully live the student life.”

“i’m from florida, i like to blame that on my craziness.”

“i’m an only child. i don’t know if i would like to have siblings, not having to share is great. but being constantly in the focus of my parents also sucks.”

“i’m the oldest. if oliver says he is the older one he’s lying. besides oliver i got another 5 younger siblings. 3 boys and 2 girls. yeah, i hate and love them all deeply.”

“i love watching movies, no matter how bad. same goes for video games. hey! if you’re up for it you can come over to my room and we can play a good ol round of mario kart, or whatever else you want. i can even lend you my flash drive, it has a hundred movies on it.”

“oh that would be very nice. i’m down for movie and game night. i do in my spare time..uhh.. baking and reading..yeah. sorry, once again i’m very boring.”

(who were you if not a substitute parent?)

warren, the angel, assured you that you’re pretty cool in his eyes, “you’re fucking badass, dude! i have never, ever seen anyone stand up to nathan like that. even victoria is sometimes scared of him. she tries not to show it, but i think it’s pretty obvious.”

“..what’s he like?”

“nathan? he’s a fucking bully, man. no offenes. you know, when we were younger he was actually someone everyone picked on. kill the rich kid! but, i don’t know. he changed even before this senior program.”

simply nodding at warrens words, you said, “he..well, he always had…a problem with his temper. it just got worse and worse. i don’t know. i wish i could have done more, but i can’t really break into his head and like, re wire it, you know?”

“yeah, dude, mental illness is a fickle thing. you were also just a kid. i don’t doubt for a second that his life isn’t always fun, but it’s not an excuse to treat others like shit.”

“agreed.”

warren took a turn and drove into a parking lot, “welcome to the best diner food you will ever eat!”

“i don’t think i have ever eaten actual diner food.”

“no way. you’re wayyy overdue.”

and with that you left the car and followed warren into the dinner. since it was pretty early into the morning, it was mostly empty. a police officer and a trucker sat at the front, but they paid you no mind. warren lead you to a booth in the back and you sat down. taking a look at the menu, you tried to decide what you wanted, “do you now have any recommendations?”

“everything, dude. i mean it when i say nothing disappoints here.”

a tired waitress approached, ready to take your oder. warren started, “i would have a coffee please, and the homestyle eggs and bacon, with toast.” she nodded along, while writing down the order. “i would like a hot chocolate and uhhh waffles, with a creamcheeese bagel. thank you.” the waitress left shortly, only to return with your drinks. while she was filling up warrens cup, the door rang and a group entered.

of course, because you are the luckiest person alive, the group consists of nathan, victoria, your brother and 3 strangers. 2 girls and one guy. out of habit and because you knew you needed it, you dumped 1 and a half sugar packs into your hot chocolate. you gave the rest to warren.

the group sat in a booth right beside yours. when you looked up, you could make direct eye contact with nathan. your brother sat besides nathan, he turned around and made the phone symbol with his hands, grinning at you. him being happy never meant anything good, you preferred him to be miserable, because then he didn’t get on your nerves. shaking your head at him, he started dramatically pouting. even going as far as clasping his hands together, in a begging way.

rolling your eyes, you took out your phone to actually check your messages. some where from your parents and siblings left behind, some how are yous and where is the vacuum cleaner, where’s my favourite t-shirt? you love do not disturb, it’s the only thing keeping you sane.

oli

RECIEVED: yo u wonnt believe whhat a lil birdy just told me

RECIEVED: hey

RECIEVED: yy

RECIEVED: ok i will tell u because u asked soooo nicely

RECIEVED: and since im ur fav siblin

RECIEVED: im ur fave right

RECIEVED: right???

RECIEVED: anyyways guess. whoo misses u and is like madly in luv with u

RECIEVED: nathen

RECIEVED: btw are we fraternal or identical twins i keep forgetting

SENT: are you stupid?

looking up from your phone you glared at oliver. and you could see and feel nathan starring at you. ok creepy. whatever. as long as he didn’t follow you, like into the bathroom you were good. you looked over to warren, who looked a bit worried. probably because it looks like nathan wants to rip his head off. warren for your own peace of mind, don’t turn around.

covering the most part of the text conversation with your hand, you showed warren the twin question, “sometimes i wish i was an only child.” you whispered, warren couldn’t help but start laughing, “that’s a joke, right?…right?” shaking your head slightly, you both giggled at the stupidity.

getting up from your seat, you excused yourself and left for the bathroom. you had to take a break, anymore starring from nathan and you were going to die. literally. sitting on the toilet, with the seat down, you scrolled mindlessly through your phone. trying to recharge as best as you could. while you looked at a post from your 16 year old brother, zooming in and tryign to figure out if that was a vodka bottle in the background, you heard the door open. ok that’s cool, other people use the bathroom. but the person didn’t enter a stall, but seemed to wait something out. or more like someone: you.

you couldn’t help but sigh, betting 20$ that it’s nathan out there. fucker. getting up, you flushed to at least make it somewhat believable that you’re a normal person who does not need to hide away during social interactions to avoid being overwhelmed. you can do things like, talk to people and make friends and be normal. totally.

leaving your stall of safety, you saw nathan. who would have thought. looking away from him, you went to the sink to wash your hands. hearing nathan scoff (from where does he get the audacity?) he walked towards you. deciding to ignore him, you didn’t spare him a glance.

“what? can’t even look at me? i’m trying to have an adult conversation here.” nathan said, spoken with the audacity only a rich, white guy could possess.

“are you messing with me? you’re the one trying to have an adult conversation? where was that energy when i was calling and texting you like crazy. only to have goddamn kristine tell me you don’t want to see me ever again! go to hell, prescott.” at your answer nathan nervously wen through his hair, this was going as bad as it could.

“fuck, i’m sorry, alright? i know i messed up. i didn’t…i never wanted to leave. my dad and then also my useless fucking psychiatrist, they just, they kept pushing and pushing. leaving you behind is my biggest regret. believe me.” nathan saw you thinking, alright, this is going to be his lucky day.

“then why did you never contact me? anywhere? i think you had enough time to regret your actions.” right nevermind, this was the worst day nathan ever lived through and he nearly died of an overdose, twice.

“i..i don’t know. i was scared. being rejected by you is the worst possible thing that could ever happen to me.” wow nathan, being so vulnerable. hopefully this tugged on your heartstrings, “i will give you anything you want. you want money? to beat me up? want me to hook you up? cmon, say it and you will get it. you want the moon, baby?”

at the mention of him giving you cash you actually looked low-key disgusted, “i don’t want your money, or anything else. and don’t call me baby. jesus, dude.”

nathan nodded, “forgive and forget?”

“yeah, forgiving and forgetting jesus style.”

“thank fuck. give me your number.” you handed your phone over to nathan, “hey, this won’t be like a thing where you’re too embarrassed to be seen with me, so we never interact in public, right? because i’m not about to be your secret or change myself to fit into your friend group.”

“don’t worry about it, most of them aren’t even my friends. only victoria and rachel are the only real ones. and you, of course. maybe oliver too. he’s realll fun to have around.” nathan handed you your phone back, and with that you were about to leave. before nathan could open the door, you called out to him.

“hey, nathan.”

as he was about to fully turn around towards you, you sucker punched him in the stomach. hard. his knees were bent while he leaned against the door, making him smaller than you. grabbing him by his jacket you pulled him up.

“you ever leave again, without saying goodbye, i will kill you. i mean it, nathan joshua prescott. i don’t care where you are in the world, i will find you and i will shove your camera so far up your ass that you will be coughing up pictures for the rest of your short and miserable life. do you understand?”

nathan nodded wildly at you. you slammed his head against the door, “speak up.”

“y..yes. i won’t leave, ever again. i.. i promise.” at his response you smiled at him and let him go. nathan straightened up, trying to ignore the pain in his stomach. one thing he forgot over the years is the fact that you’re simply terrifying. god, he will probably have a bruise.

your hand petted over his jacket and shirt, making sure he looked presentable and not like you just punched the soul out of his body, “even though i think you’re a dick, i still missed you.”

nathan mumbled out an “missed you too.” and with that you guys left, finally.

yes, you’re scary with possible hidden anger issues and a control freak who just punched him, but why was he so attracted to you? that was like the hottest thing that happened to him. it was also a good thing he was in therapy already.

walking back to your booth, you saw that oliver took over your place. he made eye contact with you, while taking his first sip of your hot chocolate. he made a face at the overly sweet taste, “yikes, i always forget you’re trying to invent a new type of diabetes with your sweet tooth. the fact that you still have teeth is a blessing, man.”

sitting down besides him, you took the mug from him. “go choke.”

“wow! so rude. who raised you? anyways, i was actually about to join you guys in the bathroom. i was scared you were going to kill him. did you punch him? please say yes, i made a bet with rachel. she said no one would dare to punch a prescott, but you’re like, insane. so i said you totally would.”

“congrats, you just won 20$.”

“ha! see! i told you!” oliver climbed over you, while stealing your bagel. rachel got 20$ out of her wallet, or more like frank did. sucker. nathan was back at his seat, actually looking content for once. victoria frowned at you, she then turned to nathan and whispered with him.

warren leaned towards to you, “did you actually punch him?” he whispered. you nodded while

taking a bite of your well deserved food. nothing beats grease and sugar. his teddy bear brown eyes widened at the information, “you’re actually my hero.” you laughed with a mouth full of food.

the rest of the time spent in the dinner was relatively quite. once you finished up, you paid and left with warren, who drove back to campus.

“man, if i could punch nathan i would be the happiest kid alive.”

“you actually have to let it go, dude. i have other personality traits, besides punching nathan. like, insulting him and being his number one bully.” warren chuckled at you, “you’re actually a badass. how do you do it?”

“uhh, i don’t fear most people so i just do whatever goes through my head. i also have never lost a fight and i think that’s doing horrible things to my ego.”

“so cool..”

once you reached your dorm doors, you exchanged numbers with warren and said your goodbyes, for now. he said he would show you around more, once he actually slept for a bit.

#nathan prescott #nathan prescott x reader #warren graham #life is strange #life is strange x reader #warren graham x reader #x you #x yn

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melodygatesauthor · 1 year ago

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Weekly Update

8/20/2023

Announcements

- A Bit Dodgy is almost finished -

The chapter coming out this week is the second to last chapter for the series. It’s such a bitter sweet thing, ending a series, especially one that I’ve built such a community around. I’ve written 5 novel-length fics over the course of the last year, and A Bit Dodgy will be number 6. On 09/04/2023 it will be my one-year anniversary of writing fanfiction since coming back after not writing for about a decade and l can’t believe it. Holy CRAP. I’ll take the time to reminisce about my numbers and statistics on my one-year mark, don’t you worry lol. There will definitely be a celebration.

That being said, ending a series never gets easier. Even though I write for these characters all the time, Steven, Marc and Jake in this case, I’m still closing the book on this version of them. It’s sad, but I’m also very ready to move on to other stories and other versions of these characters. I also think I’ll write some headcanons and one-shots as I feel the desire to just to take the edge off when I’m missing them. I’ll talk more about this when I finish A Bit Dodgy. <3

- Requests are officially closed -

I’m not sure if I’ll ever be in a position to take requests again or not. My WIP list is a mile long, and right now (summer) is a VERY busy time for both of my jobs. I’m lucky if I get one day off a week. All this to say, it’s not feasible for me to continue taking requests when I can’t even handle the fics I have currently in the works.

I’m not saying I’ll never do requests again, it’s just not realistic right now. There will still be follower celebrations and birthday events and things like that in which I may take limited requests, but as far as the regular ones go, I gotta stop taking them for now. - THIS IS THE LAST TIME I'M MAKING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. PLEASE READ IT.

Fic Updates

Disclaimer - I never know which way the winds of inspiration will blow. Timeframes aren’t a promise/guarantee, they’re a goal.

Fic Updates Legend:

Blue - Update this week

Pink - Update in progress

Red - Backburner Fic (not currently working on. See WIP list for status)

You can find my current WIP list here

Chaptered Fic Updates

A Bit Dodgy - Chapter 17 is coming this week, but I need more time. So it won't come out tomorrow, it will be out Tuesday or Wednesday instead! Thank you for understanding!

Always Yours, Never Mine - Chapter 3 is done! Just need to finish editing! I'll be putting it out Saturday bbs <3

The Fractured Moon - My primary focus this past week has been getting A Bit Dodgy finished, and also working on getting the requests and stuff for my 2k celebration done. I'll be working on part 4 of TFM this week to hopefully post next week!

Mini-series Updates

Feeling You Can’t Fight - Chapter 3 is done! I just need to finish editing and posting hehe.

All on the backburner for now but will get additional chapters soon:

Not a Doctor - Part 2

Worth the Risk - Part 3

AI Character Bot Updates

I currently have the following bots on my list that I’m working on. If you have any suggestions or additions you’d like, please feel free to ask! I won’t make every single one I get asked for but I’ll make some of them as I get time!

DBF Jake and Steven (I already did Marc...did I ever post him? I thought I did but maybe not)

Patient Steven and Marc

Moon Knight Rescue scenario

Miguel AI Assistant Scenario (inspired by @missdictatorme's Halo fic).

Am I missing any? Don't see one on the list that you want to add? Send me an inbox or private message! No promises, but if I like the idea I'll make an AI bot.

Requests

I'm finishing up all the inboxes from my 2k Follower Celebration! I'm almost through those so please bear with me.

There are 2 regular requests I have that will both be released this week! Exciting! - Those are the last 2 I have. Starting next week, the "request" category of my weekly update will be gone!

I think that's all for now! Much love!

Don't forget to follow my other blogs:

@melodymakesart - My art blog

@lockandkeynovel - The blog for my original fiction novel, Lock & Key

@melodyreadsfanfiction - The blog where I reblog works I intend to read, a good place for fanfic readers to follow!

@melodygatesupdates - This is where I'll reblog any chapter updates for my fics and whatnot. This is what I use instead of a tag list!

#moon knight #steven grant #jake lockley #marc spector #melody talks #melody gates weekly updates #melodys weekly updates

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foibles-fables · 1 year ago

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20 questions for fic writers

Snagging this one from @mehoymalloy, tagging @tjerra14 @finrays @poetikat @saltygirafe and anyone else who'd like to do it!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

75!

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

348,609

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Currently Horizon, Stray Gods, Control, and [fingers crossed] HOPEFULLY BG3 soon...lots more in the past, and potentially again in the future! (Warrior Nun, Legend of the Seeker, Critical Role, the list goes on. That tends to happen over 18 years of fic writing.)

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

I'm gonna turn this question around a little and pick the top by kudos in each of my current- and/or most-active fandoms....if I went purely by numbers, the power of Avatrice would overrun the results, hahaha.

Because the Light Is Close (Warrior Nun), The Weight of Us (Legend of the Seeker), rest like you belong here. (Horizon), the veins grow in slow (Critical Role), and brave this time (Stray Gods).

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Absolutely, to every single one! I appreciate, cherish, and return to every single kind word I get--and I gotta make sure that appreciation is known. Nothing makes me feel better than taking the joy of others and reflecting it back with gratitude!

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Oh man uh....I think waiting through daybreak (Stray) (yes the cat game) fits the bill here. That, or so i'll stay half away (Horizon).

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

Oh no, SO many!!! Lemme pick just one here....today I'll toss embodiment (Horizon) into the ring.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not to my face, which I'm glad about!

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

Hell yeah I do. Primarily/exclusively F/F, mostly of the very soft variety. But just because it's soft doesn't mean they're not fuckin' Nasty™

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

I actually have never written a crossover.

....oh I LIED, I definitely crossed Grey's Anatomy over with Private Practice back in the day. But does that even REALLY count?

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I hope not!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I've been asked a few times, and I've accepted, but they're not complete yet!

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

Not in earnest!

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

HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME. FORCING ME TO PICK ONE FAVORITE???

I won't choose between Aloy/Talanah and Cara/Kahlan. They can tie.

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

I am holding them in my teeth and growling. I am refusing to let any of them go.

16. What are your writing strengths?

prose-craft with evocative syntax, emotional immediacy, identifying parallels, descriptive introspection, character voice, strength in narrative POV

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

PLOTTING. Can't plot my way out of a paper bag. I am working on this.

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

Totally would if 1) it actually fit within the fic/fandom itself and 2) if I had a trusted resource/knowledgeable person to reference and check my work!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

the Xenosaga series, so many years ago.

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

This is always the most difficult question to answer, and I feel like it changes by the day. I'd say it's either rest like you belong here. (Horizon), for the pure nostalgia of being The First fic I wrote for my current and long-lasting brain rot--or Because the Light Is Close (Warrior Nun), as a product of the exhilarating fandom time in which it was written.

#this was fun!!!#fanfic asks

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thesharktist · 1 year ago

Note

May I perhaps request some more info about your OCs?

My OCs, mainly all dragons, live in their own world, of course, a land far far away. It's a lot of magic arcano tech so it's semi-modern, semi-high fantasy medieval. The world is still unnamed because I'm indecisive as all hell but it's a number of kingdoms all on one continent though I've been working on other continents. The dragons in my other post are 5/6 heirs of the dragons on that main continent. They're of the oldest kingdoms, more powerful and such. A lot of things are unnamed, actually, I'll be creating a full map hopefully soon!

They're all dragon shifters, meaning they have essentially two forms: A human one and a dragon one, as seen on their reference sheets. This is part of their innate magic, though they have the ability to study and learn magic if they please. All shifters have some sort of breath magic, like fire, which is unique to their species typically. If you guys are curious, I can go into their species in another post. (PLEASE my autistic brain put such genuine scientific thought into them)

They live for long periods of time, so it's common for older dragons to dabble into magic at some point in their lives, but it's a passive thing. Mages are common, just more common among elves and humans.

As for THEIR STORY

My dragons are all young adults, heirs to their throne. They sort of grow together, a group of friends their parents set up to ensure peace across the kingdoms sharing their continent. They get sent off to this boarding school in Celest and Luna's kingdom, further away from the castle that's meant to help raise heirs and prepare them to eventually take the throne. It's a high school through college type deal, so they're all young adults in the exact story.

At the boarding school, they're mentored by the high mage of the continent who tends to remain super neutral on everything. His name is Fitz and he actively took all of the heirs in to train them with everything they'll need to run the kingdoms in their parents absence.

It starts out an innocent slice of life, but political tensions are rising between some of the kingdoms (and the dragons) because Zircon's, that 6th character reference I haven't finished, parents are trying to get more land and power over the continent. This caused a rift between the friend group, too, with Zircon's parents urging him to cause problems. Eventually, they urged him to "get rid of them."

One day, he's finally brought to act and Zircon invites all of them to meet up in Fitz's study and magic lab, where they frequently group up for lectures and such. Instead of killing his friends, which he can't bring himself to do, he is able to banish them to another world.

This is where the fun bit comes in!! Essentially, my dragons must try to blend in as humans in a more modern world while also working to find other magic beings and get help figuring out their way home, avoiding being hunted down by humans (and even other non-human beings).

Aaaaand, yeah!! That's all for this ramble :3c pleaase ask more questions, I'll hopefully get art up soon, maybe try a comic? I probably won't have time but there will be frequent art of them.

#art #ocs #oc #original character #original character art #oc artist #oc worldbuilding #worldbuilding #dragons #dragon oc #high fantasy #Emelia's characters

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so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed · 1 year ago

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20 questions for Fic Writers

I was tagged by the ever wonderful @londonfoginacup and @reminiscingintherain thank you so much!!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

94, though I think one is a collab and one is a translation. But 90+

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

I am gonna do some math here and take off the translation because that adds 220k to my wordcount and that doesn't feel fair, lol. So that leaves 1.243.681 words. Minus about 12k that I didn't write lol, that's still a lot.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Currently just 1D but I am talking about writing a Lestappen fic so I might branch out!

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

a game that I'm destined to lose [1449 kudos, but it's from 2012] midnight doesn't last forever [1190 kudos, but it's from 2013] you've set my soul to dreaming [1162 kudos] room for your love underneath this tree [1151 kudos] some things fade (some never do) [1047 kudos]

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Um. Theoretically yes. Realistically, I haven't caught up since March and the number in my inbox is too high to look at.

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

I usually write HEA but I guess the one that I remember with more of an ambiguous ending is and there's no one to blame except then Sus made me write a follow up so I guess it has a happy ending now.

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

All of them? I mean, I put the characters through some serious angst, but after that, they all get their very deserved happy ending.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not that I know of. If I do, it's not in my face.

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

Occasionally. I write either quirky smut, or I write stuff for wankersday, because the only smut I write is stuff that doesn't involve other people directly apparently.

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

Not really, but I have a HP AU I should write at one point.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yep! Someone tried to sell TNFIF online on Amazon. With a really ugly cover. Thankfully writing Tumblr came together and sent in so many bad reviews that the seller took it down.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, a few!!

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

I've done a round robin a few years ago, which wasn't really my style. I've started writing an advent fic with @evilovesyou but we never got around to finishing it. I will hopefully write a fic with @chaotic-bells soon!

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

For as much Larry as I write, my first true love was Ziam.

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

I am stubborn enough to believe I will finish all my WIPs. Eventually.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Emotions, I think. I've made people cry, so that's nice!

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Mostly I think I struggle not to make everything too in depth. A 5k fic probably doesn't need 3k of worldbuilding.

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

I've come across it a lot in Lestappen fics and I don't mind it as long as the translation is right behind it, and as long as it's not google translated stuff (or as long as it's google translated stuff in a language I don't know).

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Possibly Gilmore Girls. I've written for a ton of fandoms, though I've been a 1D only writer since 2012.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

That's like asking me to choose between my non existent children. If I have a favourite, I can't say it out loud. (But it's this one, for all it brought me)

I'm not sure who hasn't been tagged at this point, so I am gonna tag @jacaranda-bloom and @beardyboyzx and anyone in the @1dcreatorclubhouse who wants to do it!

#20 questions for fic writers #writing questions

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elsiebrayisgay · 1 year ago

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20 questions for fic writers

thank you @purlturtle for the tag; i'm honored to be thought of! The questions!

1. How many works do you have on ao3?

just one right now but i think it's extremely good! i worked very hard for a long time on it. more of these queer feelings (https://archiveofourown.org/works/43759465/chapters/110039971) is a college AU of phyrexian praetors sheoldred and elesh norn! i also have a second that is very soon to be posted once beta is finished!

2. What’s your total ao3 word count?

currently 25,912 and yes i do know off the top of my head :3

3. What fandoms do you write for?

i don't know if i'll write more magic: the gathering but i would like to; beyond that baldur's gate 3 has had a huge impact on me in basically every creative work i do and i keep going back to it!

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

there is only just the one i've posted but i will take the opportunity to talk more about more of these queer feelings! it spawned from my girlfriend and i talking about phyrexian high school/college AUs and the fact that magic doesn't have a lot of canon disabled characters; i thought (in my opinion) sheoldred would not be able-bodied in a human au and it is essentially an exploration of two characters who are brutal and terrifying but who get to learn vulnerability if they are just normal humans on earth.

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

i used to let my girlfriend and co-writer do all of this to remain aloof and cool but i've decided that everyone is cringe in the end and so every commenter will receive all my undying gratitude (as long as it keeps being a reasonable number.)

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

i think my current WIP, which is shadowzel ballet academy AU has a lot more potential for an angsty ending; shadowheart is pretty set from the start to be on a very limited clock to keep being able to dance and probably will not have any prospects to by the time it ends but i think negotiating the gap between expectations for the future and what reality brings you still has a lot of potential for growth and learning and self-acceptance so it's probably not going to be super brutal if i'm being honest. i like to give queer girls at least happy-ish endings if i can.

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

in the middle of writing more of these queer feelings i decided i wanted the very end to be sheoldred and elesh norn, now happily girlfriends, saying they love each other but specifically because i want anyone who feels they relate to either character to know that they are loved and cherished if not immediately then at least through me, through the act of love of sharing parts of myself through my writing. the ending of that fic is about solidarity and love for queer women and disabled women and ND & mentally ill women. absolutely the most earnest happy ending i've ever written.

8. Do you get hate on fic?

i never have and hopefully never will but know this: if being a shadowzel blog means i am a karheart anti, i will take up arms in defense of what i believe is good and right.

9. Do you write smut?

haven't yet, probably won't, nothing against it, just isn't for me i don't think, for a number of reasons.

10. Do you write crossovers?

i find that a lot of my inspiration to write fic is in the intersection of a piece of media and the au i want to write. i don't know if college aus count as crossovers but while i haven't written anything including many media franchises, i think there is a transformation and a fitting-together of pieces that feels very similar in my great enthusiasm for a modern/period earth AU, which has been a lot of what i've written.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

no but i would be kind of honored, honestly. if what i've written is so good that someone else tries to put their name on it, i'm flattered! (uh but please don't though it's still probably bad ;-; my girlfriend said she would beat you up if you stole my writing.)

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

oh lord no, but the above answer times a thousand. if someone was to go to that effort i feel like i'd need to send them a special gift basket with seasonal fruits and everything.

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

yes! more of these queer feelings was co-written from the very beginning with my now-girlfriend, and though i think we probably would have ended up together anyway by knowing each other, i don't think the writing process did anything at all to dissuade us from our mutual romantic interest.

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

before bg3 i don't know if i would have had an answer, maybe like mailee or katara/yue or something but i didn't have particular ships i was super into. that being said, shadowzel has hit me full force and even when it isn't being nominated for goty those ladies are still going to be living rent-free in my head.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but probably won’t?

i've been messing around with some wolfic (FFXIV player character, for those unaware) that is probably either just for me or only to inform my roleplay in that game; i have a document but it's probably never getting posted anywhere. still, i think about it and add things sometimes.

16. What are your writing strengths?

i think images and ideas or concepts are my strong suit. i'll have ideas for characters or a scene or a description of something, and try to develop my writing around what i feel is a strong central idea.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

actual narrative structure and more traditional prose fiction skills are not where i developed my writing skills. my english literature education focused largely on poetry, and my extracurricular writing was almost all text-RP so there's a lot of stuff i haven't practiced.

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

i am a mostly monolingual american and while i have retained some french from speaking it at home with family and from school, it's conversational and jokes at best. that being said if i can get a « qui me frappe avec ce poisson ? » in anywhere i will absolutely try.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

i don't want to talk about the atla OCs RP beyond "those happened, and for a lot of other fandoms as well" but more of these queer feelings was the first time i gave anything a serious go with the intention to produce something good enough i'd be proud to post it.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

i'm going to copy john darnielle and say of course i'm always the most invested in the new thing when i have something new i'm working on, so most of the thoughts i'm having are about hoping other people like shadowzel ballet AU because i'm proud of it, but queer feelings will always have a place in my heart. maybe it's trite but i think i've done a good job with the writing i've put serious effort into; i hope any readers think the same.

#fanfic #writer's game

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fandomloverangel · 1 year ago

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Long-fic writing

LINK: https://archiveofourown.org/works/37474960

This is my first "serious" long fic, and MAN is it way more work than I planned on it being. (serious is in quotes because I've made long fics before (that I've then abandoned), and this is the first one that I've actually continued to either write, think about, or plan) I originally started writing it because I had posted a ton of prompts on AO3 (didn't know you couldn't do that until later on) and no one was using them, especially the one for my now WIP fic. It was a long prompt with tons of ideas, so I decided to start writing it in a casual way. BOY OH BOY did it NOT stay casual.

I have only posted 6 chapters so far on AO3, totaling up to around 12106 words according to the site (no clue if that counts A/Ns or not, I assume not). My doc with my writing that I copy and paste from has 13537 words, plus my comments to the side adding 407. My original prompt (that I have continued to add to) has 2032. My outline to chapter 25 has 5518, plus comments adds 49 words. My chapter by chapter supply list (that I'm still making. and is why I haven't updated. there were some SEVERE inconsistencies, so I have to finish the list so I can update the published fic, and then continue writing the next chapter. If I hadn't, due to messed up math, they would have died before chapter 5 ahahahahahaha whoops) has 558 words, plus 7 in comments. And last but not least, my deleted scenes, OSs, deleted A/N's plus extra info doc, adds up to 876 words.

So, in total, I have written:

12106+1431+407+2032+5518+49+558+7+876=22984

Which is, comparatively, a small number. But I'm only on chapter 6. And most of that is typed up research and extra info, and doesn't count in the hours spent doing math, googling, referencing, and editing everything I've written.

This post is mostly a progress tracker for me, since I don't know of any website that does it exactly how I want, including NaNo. My main goal with all of my fics that are multichapter is for each chapter to have at bare minimum 1000 words, actual minimum goal 2000 words. Currently, I'm hitting that, though for a few chapters that missed the mark, I'm averaging with the AO3 word count stats.

I haven't updated in over a year, but I'm hoping I will soon. Engagement with this post would be nice, but not necessary. I'm almost done procrastinating on the supply list, and will (fingers crossed, knock on wood, et cetera) hopefully be finishing writing chapter 7 and updating soon! Wish me luck!

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bell-gryffin · 10 days ago

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I’ve just finished rewatching Italy, so this is my final Noorhelm ranking. I still have wtFOCK to rewatch, but there’s no competition because it has been number one from the start.

I forgot how short some of these Italian episodes were. More than one were less than 20 minutes. I was worried about a possible s2 of Croatia due to the short episodes s1 had, but Italy proves you can do it. I do wish there was more though, you know. Some of this did feel rushed, and it really seemed like a lack of the girl squad. And some dialogue could have been done better.

Another great use of a Billie Eilish song. I dont think it’s an official Skam remake unless they use one of her songs at some point. (Seriously, is there a remake that never used one of her songs? Austin and NL both did and they were the short ones.)

My top Noorhelm kiss is the Incantava rain kiss. There’s no comparison. I’m an elder that remembers the ‘Delena rain kiss’ movement. A rain kiss will always get to me.

1. wtFOCK

2. Italy

3. Skam

4. Austin

5. France

6. NL

7. Druck

8. Spain

Hopefully we get Nora and Roko soon. And hopefully my memory lasts long enough I know where to put them on the list. I can’t rewatch all of these again so soon 😆

Okay! I finally get to rewatch wtFOCK!

#skamverse #noorhelm

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pineforphantompain · 29 days ago

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2024 Drama Year In Review

I didn't watch my first drama of the year until July, but it's been pretty productive since then.

Movies: (K) Dog Days (2024) Dogs + Lee Hyun Woo how could I not watch? Rating: 7.5/10

(K) Lucid Dream (2017) Rating: 6.5/10

(K) Familyhood (2016) Rating: 8/10

(J) Till We Meet Again on the Lily Hill (2023) I don't even know how I feel about this one. Rating: 6.5/10

(K) Forbidden Dream (2019) It wasn't bad, but it wasn't particularly interesting or worth watching either. Rating 7.5/10

(J) Analog (2023) I really liked this one. It isn't groundbreaking or anything, just a solid romance melo. Rating: 9/10

Dramas:

When the Phone Rings (2024) (currently airing) 10/12 eps watched Good, but I don't love it the way others seem to. Chae Soo Bin is captivating and beautiful, though. Projected rating: 8.0/10

Cinderella Game (2024) (currently airing) 22/100 watched Sometimes I watch daily dramas.

Who Is She? (2024) (currently airing) 2/12 watched I liked both versions I have seen of the movie and as soon as saw both Jinyoung and Kim Haesook were in a Miss Granny remake I knew I would have to watch it. Too soon to tell, but hopefully it doesn't disappoint.

Dog Knows Everything (2024) 12/12 watched A mystery slice-of-life drama starring veteran actors and a dog (plus Gong Chan who is also a puppy to me). Easily my favourite of the year. Rating: 9.0/10

Mr. Plankton (2024) 10/10 watched The cast is excellent and it was well-made, but I didn't really like it. Even Woo Do Hwan can only pull off swarmy yet charming so far. Quirked a little too close to the sun for my taste I'm afraid. Rating: 7.5/10

Parole Examiner Lee (2024) 12/12 watched Rating: 8.5/10

And now on to the older dramas I watched this year:

Love Frequency 37.2 (2014) 6/6 watched The first drama I watched this year (in July…). Cool concept, but the actual stories were unremarkable. I had started watching this years ago, but idk how far I got then and just started over.Rating: 7/10

New Tales of The Gisaeng (2011) 32/52 watched We have a serious contender for one of the worst male leads ever… I still intend to force myself through the rest of this, but I don't know if I have the strength.

Flower Boy Ramen Shop (2011) 8/16 previously watched —> 16/16 watched There is some great comedic acting and it has its entertaining moments, but whatever early tvn romcom charm it has does not save the overall ickiness. One of the worst "romance"s I've ever seen. Genuinely made my stomach turn at some points. Rating: 5.5/10

Tree of Heaven (2006) 10/10 watched Beautiful scenery, and yay for Park Shin Hye in a classic melo. Unfortunately, it was very repetitive and frustrating to watch. So much of this drama was just yelling/crying and running after cars. Rating: 7/10

Pale Moon (2023) 10/10 watched It was good. Rating: 8.5/10

(J) Kami no Tsuki / Pale Moon (2014) 1/5 watched I really want to watch this (and am convinced it would be my favourite version), but couldn't find it fully subbed anywhere. :(

Exactly What's Going On? (2015) 10/10 watched Well… Considering the premise it could have been much worse. Every now and then I am just compelled to watch something that seems weird and/or bad. Rating: 6.5/10

The Most Beautiful Goodbye in the World (2017) 4/4 watched Rating: 8.5/10

Equator Man (2012) 14/20 previously watched --> 20/20 watched Finally finished the drama I've left on hold for the longest. When I noticed I was at 99 completed dramas I knew this just had to be number 100. Jumping back in without rewatching the previous episodes and without benefit of dramabeans recaps I had forgotten many characters and plot points. It was fine, but I really just wanted to get it done. Rating: 7.0/10 ?

Solomon's Perjury (2016) 7/12 previously watched --> 12/12 watched (Thankfully I had recaps for this one so I could refresh my memory) It was good. Gave it the same rating as the movies, though I liked it just slightly less. Rating: 8/10

Sweet Savage Family (2015) 7/16 previously watched --> 16/16 watched Good as casual viewing, but kind of messy and nothing special. Rating: 7/10

The Snow Queen (2006) 16/16 watched (1/16 previously watched but I restarted)My final watch of the year. I did have to push through some tedious episodes and have some other complaints (like the lack of attention to the relationship between Bo Ra and her mother), but it was pretty good. It's a winter-themed classic sad drama starring fluffy baby Hyun Bin and prominently featuring math — how could it not be great? Rating: 8.5/10.

2024 Goals Review

3+/3 movies

5+/5 dramas including at least:

1+/1 new drama

1+/1 pre-2010 drama

2+/2 from on-hold Quite successful, but I don’t want to push my luck, so I’ll keep this next year’s simple as well

2025 Goals:

5 movies

5 dramas including:

2 new releases

2 from on-hold

1 rewatch

#drama year in review #my thoughts #kdrama #asian dramas #film #2024 drama watching

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