#i am sorry this took so long and was so short

[yuri-is-online]

Hi, there, again! 🌼

If it's not too much trouble, make a second and last request, I can request:

There is a really lovely moon outside tonight that you find yourself admiring, but if you would just turn around you would find someone admiring you.

With Silver, Jack and Sebek

Take your time and at your pace, bye 🌠🌌✍️💐

11. There is a really lovely moon outside tonight that you find yourself admiring, but if you would just turn around you would find someone admiring you.

Hello again yourself! Sorry this took forever! I hope you like this I was considering not putting that prompt on the list but I did anyway because I really like the moon. She does so much for romance, we should thank her.

notes: they/them used for Yuu. I should write more Silver the glomas made me think about him more, Jack gets made fun of, and Sebek is Sebek. The other event requests can be found on my masterlist here.

Silver

It is rude to stare, but Silver gave up willing himself not to blink a long time ago. He is afraid that he will put himself right to sleep and be forced to content himself with a hazy memory of your beauty. Not that he is opposed to dreaming of you, he is sure he does already anyway, he just... can't remember it.

"Silver?" He has been caught, you are blocking his vision, but he is only looking at you anyway so he finds himself smiling. "Are you ok?" You reach to check his forehead and he sighs happily into your touch.

"I'm glad you came to see if I was alright, but I promise I'm ok." You let him take your hand in his and guide you to sit next to him, he finds his smile widening but he can't see how you react. "I wonder if humans are warmer in your world."

"Oh um," he falls onto your shoulder, eyes closed but not asleep and reveling in the completely unfamiliar feeling "I don't think we are. Were? W-why would you think something like that?"

"Because I'm always really warm whenever I'm with you." He takes your hand into his lap and places his other over it, breathing deeply and slowly. "Oh and you are getting even warmer now! That's amazing. Unless it's not nice and you are uncomfortable?"

"No I'm fine." Your whisper tickles his ear even if it's not quite next to it. That's another thing he finds amazing about you, your voice has a really powerful effect on people when you lower it. That's the only way he can think to explain his increased heart rate. But then...

"Are you sure?" He opens his eyes to look up at you, your eyes aren't on him anymore, but they aren't on anyone else. You seem to be very determined to continue admiring the moon, even when he has placed himself in your grasp. There is a strange sort of ache in his chest at the thought of your voice being used on anyone else. "I would hate to be keeping you from anyone else..." You turn, more slowly than he would like but probably completely normally, to look at him and steal him back away to daydreams with your smile.

"Don't worry Silver," you squeeze the hands that hold you and rest your head on his "I'm right where I want to be. Promise." And so does he.

Jack

"Tale as old as tiiime~" Ruggie croons somewhere off to the side and Jack takes a deep breath and tries to remind himself that this is his valued senior. "True as it can be~" Someone he deeply admires, who he wants to think highly of him. "Barely even friends~"

"Zip it." Jack growls as soon as you turn towards the noise, not wanting his reverie to be interrupted just yet only to find Leona standing next to Ruggie with just as smug of a look on his face.

"Then somebody bends, unexpectedly~" He has a surprisingly nice voice. Jack really wishes the first time he heard his dorm leader sing was not at his expense. "Aww look Ruggie he's blushing. Didn't know he could do that."

"Shishishishi. And now that you've pointed it out his ears are drooping, poor baby is embarrassed."

"Of course I'm embarrassed," he growls more than grumbles, but Ruggie doesn't even bother pretending to be afraid, to say nothing of how unfazed Leona is "you don't gotta go airing my business for everyone."

"So there is somethin' there." Leona laughs and Jack makes the mistake of looking back towards you.

You have gone back to leaning on the balcony, the moonlight glitters off silk of your costume or maybe it's just his heartsickness messing with his head. Jack rather likes the moon himself, the tales of werewolves his parents would tell had always excited more than frightened him. There was something that just felt right about letting the moonlight embrace him, like he was meant to exist under it. The way moonlight looks on you makes him think the same thing; that maybe he is allowed to want to keep you here forever basking in its glow. He moves, he tells himself it's because Leona and Ruggie have started humming that dumb song again, but the pull of the moon drowns out every word as he stumbles inelegantly to your side.

"I was wondering when you were finally going to come out here." You are enviably relaxed, moving to make room for him on the balcony he takes all of, not wanting there to any ambiguity in why he is standing with you.

"Sorry you were waiting so long." His tail briefly touches your leg before he reels it back to its proper place as he tries to keep his eyes firmly placed on the moon.  He hears you take a deep, deep breath of air and turns to see the puff of steam that you exhale.  “Are you cold?”  He worriedly asks, mind already racing for a solution that doesn’t involve too much actual helping on his part.  But despite that desire he finds himself pulling you into his side before you can say anything.

"Well not anymore." Your voice is muffled by his embarrassment more than his weight. "Stay with me? The moon is too pretty to go back inside just yet." His worry is not enough to deny you.

Sebek

His place is by Lord Malleus's side. His hard won, honored place, the only thing he is allowed to desire is his praise. Sebek is aware more than anyone how merciful his lord is, he has so far to go to be worthy of anything other than the role he has been given, even as he screams for more at every given opportunity.

That is why all he is willing to allow himself to do is look. Look, long, and admire. Sebek can stare a hole deep enough to bury himself at your side as he silently praises the moonlight that shrouds his people for how well it suits your form. He knows his words are inelegant, that his prose is crude, that his knowledge of human courtship is-

"Go on." Master Lilia has descended from the ceiling causing someone (not him certainly) to startle. "You want to, don't you? It's a ball, you're a knight. Go on, talk to them."

His feet move before his mind does, bringing him into full view of the moon as he imagines you catching your breath as you turn to see him.

"Sebek! Have you come to look at the sky too?" You speak so freely, foolishly unconcerned with decorum and yet admirably free in yourself. "It's beautiful tonight."

"Why are you mumbling?" He grumbles himself, trying to focus on the soothing, cool light as you shrink into yourself. "I can barely hear you human, usually you have no trouble speaking to me." It's annoying really, considering how loud you can be to insult him by speaking so slowly now.

"The moon." You choke and refuse to elaborate. He fumbles around in his waist coat for a handkerchief and fussily hands it over.

"Humans are so weak." Don't get sick oh please don't get sick. "You should have accounted for this when picking your costume." If anything happens to you I'll get sick myself from worry. "You should be grateful Master Lilia noticed you were alone and sent me over to check on you."

"Thank you Sebek." You manage a normal tone before he makes it clear he intends to wipe your nose himself. He almost wishes you would speak and save him from the tenderness of the moment. But you don't you just let him do as he pleases and allow him to pretend to return to admiring the moon.

And miss the way you continue to admire him.

[hoshiina]

pairing: ichikawa reno x gn!reaader

request: hii i love your writing so much abshshsaj you’re a blessing to the fandom<33 can I ask for jealous reno ichikawa?? I feel like he‘d try not to let it show, and get super frustrated as time goes on

notes: reader is v slightly oblivious at the start (?), TY FOR THE REQ its been so long omg im sorry esp considering its rather short, still hope u enjoyed !!

wc: 900

Surely, it wasn’t that big of a deal. Surely, he was just a little irritated today. Surely, he wasn't letting his feelings get the best of him.

Okay, but to be fair, it wasn't even his fault. The fact that you seemed to be close to Haruichi would worry anyone if you think about it. Sweet guy. Smart. Rich as hell. Good looking.

He'd sigh and relax his subconsciously furrowed eyebrows.

It was okay. He trusted your feelings for him. A little Haruichi here and there he'd just have to ignore. He was also too old to be getting jealous. He really wasn't, but that was what he told himself. He'd tell himself that it was just in his head.

However, every time Haruichi went up to talk to you and every time you laughed at something he said the voice in his head got louder and louder. The voice that repeats his worries over and over again as if he hadn’t already thought of all that. It was getting a little harder to tell himself it was just his head.

He'd take a deep breath. In and out. It wasn't bothering him. He was sure it wasn't.

A few days had passed and his next move surprised him most. You were just chatting away with Haruichi while you waited for him by his room one morning so you could head to breakfast together. You were probably just talking about the latest episode of a show you enjoyed, but seeing you with Haruichi first thing in the morning jarred him a little more than expected.

So without a word, he took your hand and pulled you towards him.

“Reno?” you asked, slightly surprised by the sudden action, but you didn't pay much mind to it. “Morning, let's go get breakfast!”

Immediately, he snapped out of it. He let go of your hand and his eyes met yours. You could see the slight dread in his eyes. “I'm so sorry—” he started to say.

“Why?” you asked, a little clueless about the situation. You took his hand this time and you started to walk towards the cafeteria. “I wonder what they have for us today.” Reno didn't have it in him to look Haruichi’s way.

Haruichi’s eyes widened, then he smiled a little. Should've been a little more careful.

It turns out even Reno can get a little jealous from time to time.

However, Reno was letting this get to him. He was nothing short of shocked that he'd act to rashly— as if to take you away. Keep you to himself.

Okay, perhaps he was jealous. Quite jealous in fact. He'd have to accept that. So, what now? What does he do now? He was rather ashamed that he was letting his emotions get the best of him, but he didn't know what to do to stop them— because somewhere deep inside he sincerely wondered if Haruichi was more deserved of your love.

“Reno, are you alright?” you asked. “You look exhausted…”

Without thinking he looked up at you, and the genuine concern in your eyes melted his heart. Perhaps he was overthinking the wrong things. Perhaps it wasn’t something to be ashamed of.

“I’m jealous,” he said to you, avoiding eye contact.

“Jealous? Of who?” you asked.

“Haruichi.”

“Izumo?”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Because you two seem so close.”

“Me?” you asked, finally connecting the dots. Absolutely shocked. It didn’t even occur to you that Reno was one to get jealous, nor had you ever found Haruichi the least bit attractive to piece together how he'd feel. “I'm sorry I didn't realize!”

He shook his head. There was nothing for you to be sorry about.

“Sorry. I do know that Haruichi’s probably a better guy for you,” he started to say and immediately you frowned.

“Reno, why do you think I'm dating you?” you asked.

“No, I don’t mean to doubt you,” he started to say, but nothing seemed to come out right. “Sorry.”

“You think I’m dating you because you asked me out, don’t you?” you asked and his eyes widened. You were probably right. That was most likely the issue. “Reno I like you. Not anyone else. I’m dating you because I’m in love with you. Izumo doesn’t even see me like that for starters, but he could pull up with a million roses one day and I’d still prefer a spare piece of gum you’d give me, Reno.”

You were probably just exaggerating, but that meant the world to him.

“Thank you,” he said, expression soft. “I promise I’ll treasure you.”

That flustered you, but you couldn’t help but grin.

“But this was rather a surprise,” you said. “I didn’t think you were one to get jealous… flustered me a little.”

“I didn’t think I would either,” he said, embarrassed. Or maybe still ashamed.

“No, no,” you said. “It actually made me so happy.”

“Really…”

“Yes. You should just take me away one day.”

He flushed red. He’d remember those words for the years to come and take you away— just as requested.

[deoidesign]

Hello! I just discovered your blog and I immediately became captivated by your webcomic, but I'm unsure where to read all of it. I know it's on Webtoons, but I can see it hasn't been updated for a while, and you still post about it.

Are your physical novels just prints of the webcomic? Are they a continuation? Is the story complete? Thanks in advance!

Hi there!

Glad you found me and are enjoying my comic!

It's only on webtoons, and the story is not complete yet! We're 2/3 of the way through right now. It's currently on hiatus, and it's scheduled to come back in about 2 months!

I'll explain why it's been so long if you're curious, but also for my followers who might also be wondering about it under the cut. Sorry, it's pretty much just me complaining haha

I took a month off I took 2 months to get the books printed I took a month to prepare my next comic and I took 2 months to write the rest of the series (I knew the character arcs I wanted, but not the time periods or mysteries!!!) I've been working on actual episodes since then

I had to take some time off because of some pretty extreme burnout due to the sheer amount of work it was to draw over 800 pages and write 6 complete stories in a year and a half... I was getting sick almost weekly due to the overwork, it was really really bad honestly. I was having to work 60+ hours every week just to keep up...

The nature of the comic itself is also difficult... Each of the arcs is a complete, self contained story which can be read (ideally) without context, and my arcs need to be about 10-13 episodes each... And since I have an exact number of episodes to work with, it's even harder.

It takes a ton of planning and a ton of refinement, and working week to week with no breaks I was forced to put out second or even first drafts, so I just wasn't happy with the work I was doing... And to do that for the rest of the series? I wouldn't be proud of the work I did.

Plus... To be entirely honest, webtoon has treated me quite badly IN MY OPINION... They deprioritized me before I launched (I had to beg for more promotion, I'm not exaggerating), they outright denied me the opportunity to even ask for a raise, I don't make any money on fast pass and they pay me less than my partner makes working at trader joes. My first editor left me completely hanging, my second editor (who I loved) was fired... And they told me I wouldn't get a third season before my first season even finished. So it was just repeatedly completely demoralizing.

I'm sorry it has taken so long, it'll have been 10 months by the time I come back. But I realized... I won't get promotion either way. I won't get more episodes either way. I won't get more money either way. So to finish everything, to make it feel good, to make it something I'm proud of, I chose to take longer to make it better.

I am fully aware I will lose a significant amount of my readership for this and it might genuinely affect my career moving forward. But it's what I had to do! So I'm sticking to my guns on it, and I'm confident long term it'll be worth it. It never could have been this good if I didn't take this much time.

[karamazovanon]

you cannot exhume a soul

— "Either he will rise up in the light of truth, or … perish in hatred, taking vengeance on himself and on everyone else for his having served that in which he does not believe" (The Brothers Karamazov, Dostoevsky tr. McDuff, p. 837)

[sunfloweraro]

I am asking about your book!

I love your fic writing, so I’m very excited about the prospect of a book!

What’s the plot? Who are the main characters? Any fun lore details you’re bursting to share?

(Also November in Australia is evil, I’m dying, how are you holding up?)

YES okay so:

The plot:

Edwin, heir to the throne and very-soon-to-be king, is sent on a quest by his father to prove himself a worthy future king: he must journey far to the west of the kingdom and defeat a terrible evil threatening the kingdom. With the help of Meghan, a royal knight in training, Atla, a physician, and Soarn, an archer, he sets out on this quest, but the longer they travel together, the harder it becomes to keep secrets hidden. And when they finally reach the end of their journey, they discover this great evil isn’t all that it seems—and neither is the king.

The characters (AKA more detail of the above):

Edwin:

- my prince character! He’s 19, almost 20

- Speaks relatively ‘proper’ initially, until the others infect him with their speech patterns

- autistic

- Disabled, but no one except his immediate family know of it. There was an accident when he was 7 which wound up with his leg being crushed by a statue, and even though he’s healed now, it’s permanently weakened and causes him pain, either from flare ups or when he uses it too much (or both!) He blames himself for the accident.

- Best (and only) friend is Meghan. They’ve known each other since they were 4-5 and are extremely close. No romance between them, although Edwin had a little crush on her when they were very, very young, before he found out she doesn’t like men. They laugh about it now.

- Related to the above note: he also gets very jealous when Meghan is with her other friends. His father never allowed him to make other friends—Meghan pushed her way into his life anyway.

- Terrible at taking care of himself. Forgets to eat/sleep a lot

- Does not have a good relationship with either of his parents, but he is desperate to make his father proud, hence why he so readily accepted this quest.

- Used to have an older brother. When a prince from a neighbouring kingdom visited, he and Edwin hit it off quickly. Edwin snuck him into his rooms to keep playing, and when he fell asleep, the other prince stole his master keys, snuck into his brother’s room, and smothered him with a pillow. No one ever believed Edwin when he tried to share the truth. He very much blames himself for his brother’s death.

- Cannot fight for the life of him. Uses a dagger for self-preservation, but again, not good at wielding it

Meghan:

- My royal-knight-in-training character! 19 years old.

- Best friends with both Edwin and Atla

- Comes from a family of scholars. Her parents have aided the king many times and her mother is one of his trusted advisors. She was expected to follow in her parents footsteps, but she prefers to protect from the front lines, and pushed to get into knight training. Her parents do not approve of this

- A handful of months before the book starts, she ran away from home due to her parents attempting to tear her away from her training. They had a fight, and she never went home. She lives on the streets and can’t bring herself to tell Edwin when he’s already got so much on his plate

- Silly, smart and strong, she’s determined to enter into the royal guard and keep Edwin safe when he ascends. She worries about him a lot. She’s also very soft!

- Butch lesbian

- Determined to protect others to the point of self-sacrifice, and is not kind to herself when she fails (which comes from her parents never accepting this choice of hers)

- She tends to have trouble listening to others—once she sets her mind on something, that’s how they’re doing it. This causes issues between herself and Edwin later on, as well as with Atla.

- Miiiight get a teeny crush on Soarn, until she realises the other girl is aroace. (Edwin has the same issue, and they both laugh about it together)

- Fights with a sword primarily, but can use anything as a weapon in a pinch

Atla:

- My physician character! Their age is… ahem. Technically 18, but their body has been in the world for over 300 years. I will elaborate below.

- They’ve been training under the head physician since they were 13, and excelled to the point where they are now one of her assistants. Very useful on this quest.

- Nonbinary!

- They have godly heritage on their mother’s side, giving them golden eyes, hair, and two golden wings upon their back at birth. They were a cherished secret in their village, bringing good luck and always eager to help their community. They took to healing quickly, using magic granted to them from their godly wings to mend broken bones and nasty gashes. However, a terrible man found out about them and moved to the village, befriending them swiftly. They played together in the forest often, until one day, the man led them into the forest and tore their wings from their back. He then buried them alive to get rid of the evidence and used the magic from the wings to trick the kingdom into accepting him as their leader. He also uses the feathers from the wings to stay alive for far longer than any human should

- 300 years later, the gods bring Atla back to life, feeling their unfortunate ending was unjust, and Atla is deadset on revenge, but they have no way to get close to the man who killed them… until this quest is shared with them, five years after they were brought back to life

- Their wings were not brought back with them, and they now have chronic back pain where their wings used to be

- They were taken in by two loving mothers into a massive family, and they love their mamas, but… they miss their first family, and their village. But that’s all long gone now

- Best friends with Meghan, and would kill for her if need be (“I’m a healer, but—“)

- Can speak to animals. No one else knows this yet

- The cook of the group! They cook a lot of old family recipes to help themself feel close to the family they will never see again

- Fights with a hammer! A lot of rage piled up within them from their unjust death and then consequential revival.

- Has… ulterior motives for being on this quest.

Soarn:

- My archer character! She’s 17, almost 18

- Transfem! and aroace!

- She is a Desikah (a race of magical folks in my book who look similar to humans for the most part, but also… a little off. They each drift toward a certain type of magic at birth (fire, water, earth, shadow or light) and very few may wield two kinds of magic. Soarn herself is an earth- and light-type Desikah. The Desikah are very much hated due to a terrible reputation built up by the king (and maintained using magic) and hunted if they are ever caught. But they’re actually a very peaceful group, who care deeply for the world around them and everyone and everything in it.)

- No one but her father (human) knows she is a Desikah (from her mother’s side) and she will not tell anyone for fear of being slaughtered

- Has an animal friend! Her name is Maipa, and she is a Felivus (think, a cat with the back legs and wings of a raven), a magical race of creatures known for their healing abilities and intelligence. (She and Atla talk a lot). Soarn saved Maipa when she was just a kit, mending her broken wing, and Maipa imprinted on her and will stay with her through thick and thin, until death

- Her mother passed away when she was young, and her father is very cold towards her. He taught her how to hunt, however, and she wields her bow expertly, her connection to the earth aiding her in shooting true and striking her prey every time.

- She joins the quest later on, saving Edwin from a blow from a bandit that would have ended his life. She and Edwin do not hit it off well initially (entirely on Edwin’s part) but they both have terrible fathers, and they bond over that.

- She does not have a lot of self-worth initially, due to her father and the terrible community she grew up in. (the others will bash self-worth into her eventually).

Fun lore details:

OKAY SO. The king is clearly a terrible man, but it’s much worse than you think. Hundreds of different races of magical creatures used to roam the land, until the king used the magic in the feathers of Atla’s wings to cast a massive spell upon all humans in his land—one that imbued a deep hatred and distrust in any magic. The creatures were hunted nearly to extinction and banished from the lands. Why did the king do this? He felt magic of any kind was a threat to him and his rule, and he is very much a power-hungry, evil man.

Some magical creatures still live in the kingdom, one most humans don’t know of at all (Atla knew of Felivi as they were around when they were first alive). But most have been forced to other kingdoms, or into hiding—there is an underground community of thousands, hidden away beneath the desert, that the king has no idea of. And they would all love to get revenge on the man who forced them out of their homes :)

(And thank you for asking! November has been MISERABLE. We’ve been hopping between wet and freezing, and then scorching hot and humid T.T I, naturally, have come down with a cold because of the jump in temps. Hoping you’re handling it better!)

[icewindandboringhorror]

Everytime I face a new character limit on a website that didn't have them before/used to have really long ones... AUGHHhhh the modern social media world was not made for people like me (lovers of details, rambling, elaboration, thorough explanation, and nuance)

[lesenbyan]

I will not start a project with denim when I've been awake for 19 hours. I will not start a project with denim with I've been awake for 19 hours. I will not start a project with denim when I've been awake for 19 hours. I will not-

[hirazuki]

Mairon and Arien + 30 👉👈

…as comfort | Mairon & Arien

•────────────────────⋅☾ ☽⋅────────────────────•

He holds her face firmly between his palms -- the skin she has hidden herself away in is darker, a perfect contrast to his pallor, yet runs just as hot as his own -- and presses a rough kiss to her eyes, even as she pushes at him, attempting to tear away from his grasp.

"Stay away! Did you not hear me?" Arien cries, voice crackling like the flames when they lick at wood. "I will only burn you, too!"

"How absurd," Mairon says -- not relinquishing his grip on her -- in a manner he means to be comforting.

Most, he knows, do not understand it as such.

She is not most, however -- she never has been; his sister-spirit, his twin ember, the only other one like him left in this place -- and so he has never needed to cut off the surrounding air to temper his aura lest it be too caustic, to tuck away his edges until he is easy and palatable and unsharp. Not with her; never with her.

And he is determined that she treat with him in kind.

And so he pulls her back into his arms and keeps her there, a spark flashing wild and bright, and drops his face into the soft halo of curls that crowns her head.

"I am also made of fire."

The reminder is all it takes for her to break, and she sweeps over him like ashfall or a blaze of light, wrapping herself around him and clinging to his front, leaving him to piece together the details of what happened from the roaring fragments that flare across his mind and the strain of sobs, twisting and snapping, beneath his chin.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ☽༓☾. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Later, when limbs are tangled and words have fled and she has spent herself with grief, tears falling hot and gold until she gives into slumber, he kisses them again -- gently, this time, so as not to rouse her.

The room is dark, now, the light from the hearth and the lamps having burned low in response to her quietude.

His face, as he pulls away to study hers, is darker.

She is wasted on them, who fear her; who would seek to contain her, to control her, to dampen her fire to fit neatly within their limited notions until she is nothing more than a pretty lantern, politely lighting the paved streets of their cities.

Mairon despises waste.

He lifts a finger and softly traces her brow-bone to her cheek-line and all the way down to her lips, where his attention hovers, for a moment, before he leans in to rest his forehead against hers.

There is one, he thinks, and the very thought splits him like the fiercest bolt, leaving him cloven in half and bleeding Song, for it is something that will never be. One under whose command she would flourish.

He would let her run like wildfire in dry fields, clothe herself in the molten heat under the mountains and dance with all abandon on flaming feet upon the unmelting ice; scorch the entire sky, if she so wished. Mairon knows, because he has seen it for himself: he has visited the great forges beneath the earth and the sharp mountainsides that tumble into the pines and the grinding ice with its vast dark fogs, shrieking in its song; and he has left his heart there.

She would never agree, and he knows this as well; it is the reason he has not spoken to her of the wonders he has seen in the wilderness of the far north, new and marvelous and terrible, no matter how he burns to share it with her.

No; Arien will remain here, eclipsed by treelight, safely contained in her fana like candle-flame kept tame behind panes of glass.

And he will leave, one day. Soon.

Until then, he will stay quiet -- for her sake, more than his; close as they are, ignorance will, doubtless, be difficult enough to affirm for the last spirit of their kind remaining unallied with Melkor. He will let her find rest in her unknowing and take joy in what precious little time she is unaware is trickling out, and he will hold her, close and tight and often -- for Mairon does not plan to take anything with him when he goes, save the blinding memory of her brightness and her sweet, stinging scent and the weight of her, cradled in his arms.

These, he will carry with him across the water, to warm himself by in the coming days, in times of uncertainty, in the cold places of the world, when all other fires may prove to die out.

[lovsome]

just cried in the shower thinking about my bf !! who have i become 😳

[dangerous-advantage]

If you want, a disaster twins hurt/comfort drabble? Maybe even cuddles? You don't have to if you don't want to.

(cws: heights/references to falling from heights, discussion of canon-typical trauma, cursing)

Lightning flashed through the cover of clouds, exposing their rain-swollen underbellies. Leo counted the seconds between the latest strike and its corresponding rumble of thunder.

One, two, three...

He kicked his legs to the rhythm of his thoughts, concrete bruising his heels. The sting was grounding. Up here, above the city lights and conversation, Leo could use all the grounding he could get.

A fat droplet of rain smacked wetly on his arm. He looked up, just as the sky growled warning and unleashed it's downpour.

Leo closed his eyes and pretended not to breathe.

The rain had been worse this year. The last three days had seen scattered showers and an endless, overcast sky.

Leo liked the rain. God knows the city needed it. It made him feel cleaner than he had in a long time. Like New York was finally washing its hands of the events earlier that summer.

If he let himself, he could almost pretend everything was back to normal. That it had never been un-normal.

But the rain also brought new and unfortunate side effects. His time in the prison dimension left him scarred. Several months removed, he was still recovering.

The rain ignited his deepest aches. He'd lay in bed, clenching his jaw to stifle his whines of pain as the muscles in his legs cramped and spasmed. His shell ached, too, the cracks in his carapace lit up like a live wire. He'd popped three ibuprofen the day before, but this time, it didn't save him.

He'd hoped fresh air would do him some good, but his thoughts were as raw as ever.

If he had the energy for it, or maybe someone to tell, Leo would've joked about it. But his dramatics were never entertaining in his own head, and they weren't meant for him, anyway.

He tipped his head down and sighed out a breath. Cold rivulets cascaded down his face, tracing his jawline. They fell to his lap in scattered droplets, refracting the city lights as they rebounded.

He was starting to get a bit too cold for comfort. They weren't fully cold-blooded, seeing as they were part human, but they were still susceptible to temperature changes, especially Leo.

He didn't want to deal with a cold on top of everything else.

Leo gathered himself, shifting into a crouch. His body protested as he came to a standing position, retrieving his katanas from where he'd set them.

His bandana was soaked, say nothing of his bandages. He'd need to change them before his brothers awoke. He'd better dry off his katanas, too-- he didn't know if mystic weapons could rust, but he'd rather not find out.

Retreating away from the edge of the roof, Leo could feel his heartbeat start to settle. Heights didn't bother him, exactly. It was more about potential. Sitting on a precipice, seconds away from what could be your last breath.

It was the ultimate test of arrogance. Would you really test your luck, lean over the edge to catch a glimpse of what lay below? Just a cursory misstep and you would be sent plummeting, with only moments to contemplate before you were crushed against concrete.

Adrenaline was an effective tool for alleviating the worst of the pain. It probably wasn't a healthy practice, but what worked, worked.

Summoning his ninpō, Leo slashed a katana through the air, flinging rainwater with the sweep of his blade. The air rippled, a pool of blue reflecting in the puddle beneath him.

With barely so much as a thought to serve as a directive, the connection stabilized, pulling at his gut. Leo stepped through, shutting the gate behind him.

He emerged in their bathroom, water dripping off his disheveled form to the floor. Glancing up at the clock, he frowned. Had it really been three hours?

Leo set his katanas on the counter and foraged through the cabinet for a towel. He discarded the first two he grabbed on account of their worn texture, tossing them to the ground behind him.

His fingers closed around plush, white material, and Leo pulled out a newer-looking towel. It would do nicely.

He set to work drying his katanas with fastidious motions, guiding the towel into the crevasses where excess rainwater might accumulate. He dried his first katana once, and then a second time, before doing the same to the other.

When he was satisfied, he turned back to the cabinet and rifled through it, looking for a first aid kit. He'd had Casey restock recently, given how much of their supply had been damaged in the Kraang invasion. He didn't remember if anyone had put them away-- they might still be on the kitchen counter, for all he knew.

Leo gave up, nudging the cabinet shut, and carried his katanas to his room. His body was really starting to hurt again. He perched on the edge of his bed, tensing the muscles in his body.

He let his eyes flutter shut. His body felt washed out and faded like an old t-shirt, washed one too many times. Maybe he should just try and rest while he could, before the pain returned in full.

But the medic in him eschewed the idea. Not to mention, his brothers would kill him if he risked infection by something so careless.

Heaving a sigh, Leo abandoned his bedroom, making his way to the train car that housed their kitchen. To his surprise (and wariness), the lights were on, curtains drawn.

Had Mikey forgotten to turn off the light? That wasn't like him.

(Which meant he probably hadn't.)

Leo procrastinated by the entrance, killing time locked in an internal dialogue. Somebody else was up, or had been. Most likely scenario, it was Casey, being a light sleeper.

He was also the only person that knew about Leo's midnight escapades. He'd confessed that knowing Leo was gone set him on edge. Often, Leo would return to find him sitting in his room, eyes on a distant memory.

Shaking off his indecision, Leo pulled himself up into the car, grimacing at the jolt of pain that ran up his shell. He stepped inside and froze, stomach dropping to his knees.

Donnie sat on a stool at the counter, thumbs flicking over his phone screen. An empty bowl and spoon sat in front of him on the otherwise clean surface, evidence of a midnight meal. There was a cutting board in the sink and a stockpot on the cooktop.

Donnie looked up from his phone, eyebrows slightly smudged. They knit together in confusion as he took in Leo's waterlogged state.

Leo shifted his weight. "I didn't know you were up."

Donnie raised an eyebrow. "Went for a midnight swim?" he deadpanned.

Leo moved past him, toward the opposite counter. "Something like that," he mumbled. He withdrew one of the first aid kits from a plastic grocery bag stowed on top of the fridge.

His thigh dissented, muscles contracting, and he gasped. He bent over, resting his forehead on the fridge, eyes squeezed shut.

A stool creaked, sliding back. "Leo?"

Leo gritted his teeth. A bead of water slid down his face and fell from his chin like a teardrop.

"Just sore," he groaned. "I'm fine."

He could feel Donnie's presence as he approached. He stopped a few feet behind where Leo was standing, back bowed.

"You don't look fine," he pointed out.

Leo hadn't "looked fine" since the prison dimension. He choked on a laugh at the thought, unable to smother it. He couldn't see Donnie's face, but he could imagine the expression it displayed with ease.

The tension between them grew. When was the last time Leo had talked one-on-one with his twin? He didn't remember it ever being this awkward.

The cramp in his leg let up a little. Leo gingerly placed it on the ground, testing his weight. The sooner he could get out of this situation, the better.

"I should go," Leo said finally, straightening. He turned. Donnie's arms were crossed over his plastron, examining him with narrowed eyes. Leo stepped around him, gaze avoidant.

He got halfway across the kitchen before Donnie spoke.

"How long were you out?" Donnie asked. "Your bandages are soaked."

Leo recognized the trap laid out in his brothers' casual demeanor.

"Not long," he replied, matching Donnie's tone. "Just needed some air."

"Hm, is that so? Because I've been up since midnight, and it's now--" He checked his com band. "--two thirteen, so unless you magically gained the ability to be quiet, I'm not sure your story holds water."

Leo resisted the urge to make a pun. "Hey, I can be quiet!" he protested.

His brothers (somehow) hadn't realized just how accurate Leo's ninpō had gotten in the previous months. He would prefer it stayed that way. (Raph definitely wouldn't be too happy to find out how much time Leo spent overlooking foreign cityscapes instead of sleeping.)

"Don't change the subject, Leo, I know what you're doing." Donnie placed his hands on his hips. (Did mutant turtles have hips?)

Leo held his hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. Fine." Prime example of a battle he refused to pick. "I lost track of time, sue me."

Donnie blew out a breath, and Leo knew they were entering safer waters. Works every time, he thought.

"Just tell me you didn't go far?" Donnie asked wearily. "Raph would freak."

"I didn't," Leo assured him. It wasn't a lie-- compared to his usual destinations, his trip to downtown New York was a novelty. "You aren't going to tell him, are you?"

Donnie hesitated. Leo's expression grew shuttered.

"No," he sighed. "Just-- next time you go out, could you at least leave a note or something? That way, if you get kidnapped by pirates again, we'll know where to look?"

"That was one time," Leo argued. Donnie sent him The Look™. "...Okay, two times, but can you really blame me?"

"Yes." Donnie stated the word without hesitation.

Leo hid a smile. It was easy, falling back into their familiar banter. He had missed this.

His legs gave a throb of pain and he winced. "I should go," he said reluctantly.

Donnie blinked, caught off guard. His gaze took on a hint of concern. "Oh. Uh. Right." He shifted uncomfortably. "Here. Do you... I can carry that for you." He gestured at the first aid kit.

Leo wanted to refuse, but he'd officially run out of luck. At that moment, his legs gave out beneath him. He crumpled, carapace smarting at the sudden movement.

"Leo!" Donnie knelt next to him, eyes dark with worry. "Are you okay? What's happening?"

"It's nothing, I'm fine," he groaned out. His leg gave a traitorous pulse, and he yelped.

Donnie stood. "I'm getting Raph," he decided.

"No!" Leo cried. "Honestly, Tello, I'm fine."

"Is that why you're laying on the kitchen floor?"

Leo swatted weakly at Donnie's calf. "No," he groaned. "It's just... the rain. Makes all my scars ache, and stuff."

"Oh," Donnie said. He returned to a kneel. "I... didn't think of that."

"'S fine," Leo grumbled. "Just need to re-wrap my bandages." Something he was not looking forward to.

His muscles slowly untensed, leaving a dull ache of pain in their wake. He let out a miserable sigh, closing his eyes.

In a moment, he'd need to get up and make his way to the bathroom. Though, he could probably get away with a few more minutes on the floor. Donnie had seen him through worse.

To his surprise, he could feel an arm slipping under his shoulders, helping him up. He cracked open an eye to see Donnie on his left side, bracing his arm on the wall as he helped pull Leo to his feet.

"Okay, come on," he groaned. "Let's get you to the bathroom before you forget how to walk again."

"Ugh, rude," Leo said, accepting his support. "You'd say that to an injured man? I'm on the cusp of death here, Dee."

"I'd say that to a dead man."

"What, was that a threat?"

"No, but it can be."

Leo snorted, then winced as they made their way down the steps. Donnie was careful, but not smothering, letting Leo lead. They limped their way to the bathroom, where Donnie set him down on a stool, flicking on the light.

"Thanks for leaving fucking puddles everywhere," Donnie said, lifting up his foot and shaking it. "Did you really not dry yourself off at all?"

"I dried my off my katanas," Leo defended. Donnie rolled his eyes and mumbled something beneath his breath. He turned and began rifling through the cabinet for a towel.

"Just use one off the floor," Leo said, kicking at the towels he'd discarded earlier.

"Those ones are shit," Donnie said, emerging triumphant with a fluffy, dark purple towel he must have hidden somewhere in the back. "Do you really want a sad, dirty floor rag? Not that it wouldn't fit you, but..."

Leo snorted, hiding a grin in the back of his hand. Donnie leaned over and swaddled him in the towel, wiping off his plastron with quick motions.

"What are you, some kind of towel elitist?" He leaned away, grabbing the towel for himself and pulling over his carapace. "smh, can't believe you were holding out on me." He rubbed his hand over the plush fabric. "I might be stealing this."

"Did you just say 'smh' out loud?" Donnie asked. "And absolutely not, I will destroy you."

"Then you gotta tell me who your dealer is, at least." Leo buried his face in the cushy material. When he spoke again, his voice was muffled. "This is exactly the kind of wasteful bullshit I need in my life."

"Frivolous luxury would suit you," Donnie mused.

Leo simpered up at him. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Do you even know what that word means? And don't fucking simper at me."

Leo simpered even harder.

Donnie grabbed one of the towels from the floor and threw it at him. Leo raised his hands with a laugh, shielding his face.

Donnie snatched his purple towel back. "Shh! You're gonna wake the others."

"I'm not the one who decided to commit a hate crime." Leo took off his mask and placed it on the sink.

"I threw a towel at you," Donnie deadpanned. "How is that a hate crime?"

"Because you were being mean to me." Leo wore his best pout.

"That's not a hate crime."

"It is if you hate me."

"I don't think you know what that word means, either." Donnie opened the first aid kit, setting it on the sink. "Okay, sit tight."

Leo stuck his tongue out, but kept quiet as Donnie leaned over him, inspecting his bandages. Neither of them spoke as Donnie took one in hand and carefully began to peel it off. He grimaced as it exposed the puckered scar beneath, gently dabbing it with a clean pad of gauze.

Leo didn't bother to wince at the soft prick of pain. It was so minuscule compared to everything else he'd gone through.

The thought was a depressing one, draining the small amount of humor he'd managed to recover out of his chest. He slumped a little, studying the floor.

Donnie seemed to notice the change. He paused for a minute, thinking. Leo could nearly hear the gears in his brain turning as he puzzled out what to say.

"...I hope the rain stops soon," he finally settled on, cautious.

"Yeah," Leo sighed. He glanced at the wall, his jaw working. "I used to like the rain."

"Yeah? Oh, that's right," Donnie remembered. "You would always beg papa to take you up to the surface when it rained. And then Raph."

Leo nodded mutely, turning his thoughts over in his head.

"Its... I just..." Leo glared at the wall. "It makes me angry."

Donnie replaced one of his bandages with a new one and started re-wrapping his shoulder. "The rain?"

A sudden wave of emotion rose in him, and Leo's hands clenched. "No. The Kraang. That they-- that they took that from me." He glared at the floor willing his mouth to not wobble. Damn it.

Donnie didn't speak, but he rested his free hand on Leo's shoulder.

"It's just-- it's so stupid." Leo tried for a bitter laugh, but it came out wetter than he'd intended. He sniffed, trying to get a hold of himself.

"It's just fucking rain. But it's like-- every time it rains, I'm not gonna be thinking about how much I like it, or drag you guys out to stand in it. 'Cuz all I'm gonna be thinking about it the stupid fucking Kraang."

Donnie had gone still, but his hand remained on Leo's shoulder, a silent show of support.

Leo swiped a hand over his face. "And it's stupid, because-- we got rid of them! The Kraang are supposed to be gone, or whatever." His voice broke on the word 'gone,' but he persisted.

"But they're still here. Everywhere I go in the city, I'm reminded of them. They're like... a shadow, or something, looming over me. All the things I like, they've infected." He barked out a wet laugh.

"I mean, did you know the reason I gifted all my Jupiter Jim comics to Mikey is that I can't read them without thinking about the Kraang? And it's-- so stupid because I love Jupiter Jim. But now I can't even watch our favorite movies, because every time it feels like a punch to the throat!"

Leo was about to cry, something he really didn't want to do right now. He took a tremulous breath. "I mean-- isn't that stupid? I know it's stupid." He let out a shaky laugh.

"...I don't think it's stupid," Donnie offered quietly. He returned to his previous task of changing Leo's bandages. "I think it makes perfect logical sense. We went through something traumatic. Of course it's going to affect us negatively."

Leo laughed, sharp and bitter. "Yeah." He glared at the floor.

It was quiet for a long moment.

"I get it."

Leo looked up, confused. "What?"

Donnie worried at the edge of his mouth, intent on his task. "Do you remember when I took control of the Technodrome?"

Leo swiped a hand across his face. Guilt twinged in his abdomen. "Mhm."

"In order to create a connection, it had to--" Donnie cut himself off. "Um. It had to. Physically connect to me."

Leo froze. "Like... how?"

Donnie tapped a repeating pattern on the edge of his shell, before reaching for the medical tape. "It was... through my shell."

"Oh." Leo said. Then, "Oh."

"Yeah," Donnie sighed.

Leo scuffed his feet on the floor. "Shit, Dee, I'm s--"

Donnie flicked him firmly on the forehead. "Don't."

"Hey!" Leo cried, rubbing at the spot.

"If you're gonna apologize, apologize for something that was actually your fault." The words were spoken with the tone of one who is used to speaking them. "And anyway, it was my choice."

"You wouldn't have needed to choose it if--"

"Nardo, oh my god, I will smack you." Donnie pulled back. "I am trying to empathize with you here, why are you making this so hard?"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Leo mumbled.

Donnie sighed. "It's-- well, it's not fine, but. It's a topic for another time."

Leo nodded.

"As I was saying," Donnie continued, "It was not the most pleasant experience, going into it. And-- well, I didn't particularly enjoy the hasty removal, either.

"But... I didn't mind it, being in there. It's just... it made me realize how much I'm missing. How weak I am, with my shell." Donnie rubbed an absentminded hand over the strap of his battle shell. "Sometimes I'll wake up, and I'll..." His voice dipped into a whisper. "I'll miss it."

He paused as if waiting for Leo to react. Perhaps with disgust, or anger. Leo did neither, covering Donnie's hand on his shell with his own.

"I know it's not a perfect correlation, but. It makes me... feel. Emotions. Things I don't like." Donnie rummaged around in the kit for another piece of gauze. "And I just. It's. Ugh."

"'Ugh.'" Leo agreed. "That's a pretty good word for it."

Donnie scowled at him.

"I'm being serious!"

"Ok, enough being nice to you," Donnie announced. "I'm leaving. Suffer."

"But Dee," Leo whined, dragging out the 'e'. "You didn't finish wrapping my shell."

"Urgh, fine." Donnie rolled his eyes. Leo resisted a smile, secure in the knowledge that he wouldn't have actually left.

They lapsed into silence again. Far above, Leo could hear the rain slowing, the downpour giving way.

Donnie finished wrapping his shell. He pulled back, considering. There was an edge of hesitation to his expression. Leo knew that look.

“What’re you—”

Donnie leaned down and pulled him into a hug.

Leo tensed for a moment, caught off guard.

Donnie was very particular about touch. He didn’t like casual touch, unless he was the one to initiate it. That, plus with the invasion, had made him even touchier about it than usual. Well, less touchier.

When was the last time they’d just. Hung out? Slung an arm over the others’s shoulder?

Leo closed his eyes and let out a shuddery sigh. He melted into the embrace. God, he was tired.

Donnie pulled back. He placed a hand on the back of his neck, mouth hanging open as if he’d had something to say, but had forgotten it.

“You’re bandages are done,” he said finally.

Leo glanced down. “Oh. Thank you.”

Donnie nodded stiffly, and backed off. “We should turn the lights off before anybody else wakes up.”

Leo nodded in agreement. He was surprised Casey hadn’t woken yet. He made to stand, the full-body ache in his limbs intensifying. His feet landed in a puddle of water.

"Hold on, I have to clean the water off the floor," Leo said, reaching for a towel. Donnie intercepted him.

"I will clean it up," he contended. "It's time for you to get to bed."

"Don't act like your sleep schedule is any better than mine," Leo returned, but silently, he was grateful.

Donnie switched the lights off behind them and walked with Leo to his train car. It wasn't necessary by any means, but Leo didn't mind. The sick, weary feeling in his gut had been replaced by something warm and safe.

He paused at the steps to his train car, turning back. "I think I can go to bed by myself," he joked.

"After tonight, I truly doubt that," Donnie said drily, but Leo could hear a hint of fatigue in his voice. No doubt he was bone-tired.

Leo shuffled his feet. "Um, sorry. I didn't mean to keep you up."

Donnie stared at him, letting the silence stagnate long enough for Leo to remember their earlier conversation.

"Please go to bed," he said finally, exasperated.

"If I must," Leo sighed, putting on an air of melodrama.

"You must," Donnie deadpanned. Leo stuck his tongue at him again.

With little fanfare, Donnie turned and began to walk away. Leo watched him go, mentally preparing himself for the strain of getting up the steps into his train car.

“Oh, hey, and Leo?” Donnie looked back.

Leo frowned in confusion. “What?”

Donnie smirked at him. “I changed my mind. I’m not cleaning the floor.”

Leo gasped, adopting a scandalized expression. “Liar! How could you?”

Donnie smiled evilly and disappeared up the steps into his train car.

Leo went to bed smiling.

In the morning, he checked the bathroom floor and found that it was clean.

[princess-of-purple-prose]

i wanna get into ORV but i still don’t understand it 😭😭

CACKLES SO FUCKING LOUDLY (Caps: cackles so fucking loudly). Ahem. [cracks knuckles]

Okay so ORV (Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint) is a webnovel which is currently being adapted into a webtoon, and I really enjoy both!! But if I had to pick one, it's the webnovel no question <3 I talked about accessing both here!

I went into it completely and entirely blind except for the main character's name, which was probably the best thing I've done for myself all year, but my summary for you (which I had to stop myself halfway through and cut down for size THRICE):

ORV follows Kim Dokja, an isolated and lonely office worker whose contract is expiring and whose only (and I mean only) joy in life is a massively long, horrendously convoluted webnovel called "Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World". He is the only reader in the entire world of this novel, as everyone else had long since fallen off about ten chapters in due to the fact that it fucking sucks-- but that means that when his subway ride home is interrupted by the world ending in exactly the way it does in his favorite story, he's also the person with the best chance in all the world to see the apocalypse through to a happy ending.

The novel, as indicated by the title and premise, is SO meta, and never in a cheesy or grating way-- ORV chews you up and spits you out with how incisively, brilliantly, and beautifully it works its themes, and every single character and character dynamic will grip you by the motherfucking throat. It is the funniest thing I've ever read and I've almost cried about it in public multiple times and I keep zoning out and staring into the middle distance during dinner because I keep having new belated realizations about its ending. It may look long and intimidating, but it doesn't FEEL long because the pacing is incredible, and also it constantly lampshades itself by acknowledging that the in-universe apocalypse is incredibly stupid and by having multiple scenes where the characters lay out past plot points in great detail and then go "wow this sucks and is stupidly overcomplicated." ORV is complex and beyond intelligently written, but it never takes itself too seriously, and it's better for it <3

ORV is hard to explain because it is so much all the time. In the best possible way, half the time it sounds like a fanfic-y fever dream. Kim Dokja IS bisexual and he IS autistic and he IS INSANE. It is impossible to encapsulate because everything I could say about it would fall short of its actuality, and Tumblr functions on recommending things through hyperbole but ORV is literally just like that. ORV is about the power of fiction and it's about meeting your blorbo in the flesh and immediately annoying him so bad he tries to kill you and it's about staggering, world-defying love of every kind and it's about your friends kinkshaming you and it's about learning to live with the fact that you deserve to live. I will, very genuinely, never be the same after reading it. This is the worst rec post in the world and I sincerely apologize. Please read ORV

[the--highlanders]

Hi :) favourite 2 era books? (im looking for some to read and you seem v knowledgeable about them lol) thank you :)

hey!! honestly I'm not sure that I'm super knowledgeable on two-era books?? I feel like there's a WHOLE bunch I haven't read. but I'll have a go!! & if anyone else wants to add on more recs then please do <33

the roundheads is my personal fav - it's a no-aliens historical with two, jamie, ben, and polly finding their way through 1600s london, & honestly the plot has always been secondary to the character moments crammed into it, especially with two and jamie. if you've ever seen people talking about them going to a frost fair, this is the book it's from. it's a good read as a whole but also for going back and reading specific cute/funny scenes imo

the wheel of ice is also good (though it does have two referring to jamie as 'boy', which. always throws me off every time I read it ngl gfdjskh). the overarching plot is pretty standard iirc, but again there's a bunch of cute moments (including some parental stuff with two and zoe), so it's a fun read!!

if you're just looking for stuff to read in general rather than new content specifically, I'd also recommend reading the target novelisations! they're not always perfect, and I find that they struggle with writing jamie a lot?? idk I find that some of them make him dumber and. hm. hypermasculine in a way he's not on screen, if that makes sense. but also sometimes they add a bunch of background detail to the stories and especially the secondary characters, which can be fun! like, iirc the underwater menace novelisation gives ara (the servant girl they befriend) a whole backstory with her father having opposed zaroff), which just adds a nice bit of depth to an otherwise pretty bare-bones character.

but in terms of written content my go-to is usually the big finish short trips books. which may be somewhat harder to find (I saved my copies literal years ago, so idk how available they are these days?), but definitely worth it if you can get hold of them! something about the format of short stories on specific topics seems to push them into being a lot more character-focused than some of the novels can be, and doing some interesting/thoughtful stuff. there's quite a few of them, though not all of them have two-era stories - some of the ones with the most memorable two-era stories for me are:

destination prague - my all-time favourite for personal reasons but also because I genuinely think the stories in this one SLAP. there's two two-era stories in here, both of which are probably 6b (in the sense that they're not explicit about it, but two and jamie are travelling alone, and I think thematically/character-wise they work best there). they both deal a lot with grief and how two in particular copes (or doesn't cope) with it. and they're super easy to read through a two/jamie lens if that's your thing!

the quality of leadership - jamie meets william wallace. what more do you need to know. slightly dubious historical content aside, this is a GREAT jamie character study, having him deal with meeting one of his heroes and being disappointed - imo it really gets into what jamie values and admires in people, and there's a Lot to get into there. there's also another two-era story in this (with jamie, ben, and polly) which I haven't read in ages but which I think has some really good ben and polly characterisation, so I've been meaning to reread!

life science - if you enjoy victoria, read. the. age. of. ambition. I am absolutely unable to be normal about this story I swear to god. just. the image of jamie being unable to shoot someone and victoria having to step in and do it for him. it's also got a bit of victoria backstory which is always fun

but there's a whole bunch of others!! ranging from 'two takes zoe to work at a soup kitchen over christmas' to 'jamie gets turned into a literal bear'. so, you know, probably something for everyone's taste.

back to actual novels for a second - I wouldn't necessarily recommend the indestructible man unless you're prepared for something REALLY heavy (like, 'this feels more like a dark au than a doctor who novel' sort of heavy). it occupies this weird space between 'this has so many two/jamie moments' and 'this needs to come with about 50 different trigger warnings'. but if you're into that sort of thing, it's there!! & I would not recommend combat rock at all, it's just. a racist sexist mess from the bits I've seen. absolutely not worth it

[angels-archival-office]

hi! could i perhaps request a playlist for a dsmp!technoblade kin? featuring homely/vaguely feminine vibes and including something that could be interpreted as a positive relationship w syndicate niki? no worries if not :]

✧ — c!technoblade kin playlist ; with homely / vaguely feminine vibes, and what could be interpreted as a positive relation with niki

✧ A Good Song Never Dies - Saint Motel

✧ mother tongue - liana flores

✧ I Think I Like When It Rains - WILLIS

✧ Her and Her Friend - TV Girl

✧ Mrs Magic - Strawberry Guy

✧ Locket - Crumb

✧ Homage - Mild High Club

✧ Pleaser - Wallows

✧ Hey, Kid! - Phoneboy

✧ Get to You - Ricky Montgomery & The Honeysticks

✧ Sweet Tooth - Cavetown

✧ Stay Soft - Mitski

[violixs]

hello..

[scribbling-dragon]

writing shorter oneshots has actually been so much fun recently. like, seriously, i love doing them. it’s great! im having fun, and being able to sit down and write something short n sweet has been super nice

[reikunrei]

Hiii

questions 2 and 3 of any Free! pairing olus makorin 🤭

oohohohooo yes!!! thank you thank you!

2. Who’s the messiest? The cleanest?

makorin:

I think that, for the most part, both makoto and rin are relatively neat and tidy. rin being tidy is something we’ve had canonically confirmed, and he has that sort of vibe about him, especially for stuff like clothes, the kitchen, and the bathroom. makoto also seems like a relatively tidy person, but only because he used to be more of a mess as a kid. and not even like stuff everywhere, food left out, dirty laundry everywhere, etc. it’s more like things getting put in the wrong place, leaving something out to be noticed later but growing around its presence instead, and a big one for him would be buying food and then forgetting it’s in the fridge because he can’t see it and then his poor batch of apples have gone rotten.

when he’s especially stressed, it leads to piles of stuff stacking up, which, of course, makes him even more stressed and suddenly it’s “oh no I need to find this important paperwork but I have 7 different stacks it could be in!” and now there’s paper everywhere as he tries to search for it and he’s near tears about it.

in the end, I could see rin buying him sticky tabs and label makers and folders and shelves to keep everything organized. sometimes things still get misplaced, but rin would take it upon himself to just casually pick up something out of place and go “yo, makoto, where does this live?” and makoto always finds the right spot for it. his favorite thing is the little blank magnets rin bought for them to doodle their produce on to indicate when something’s in the fridge so they use it before it goes bad.

and for my second pairing let’s dooooo hmmm momotori!!

now, hear me out, I know people would want to say that chaotic momo would be the one who’s the mess, and while he’s not necessarily neat and tidy, ai is the one who’s a total mess. similar to when we had it confirmed that rin is very neat, it was confirmed that ai is not a neat person. he tries to be! but as the week goes on, more and more stuff stacks up. the weekends are his time to clean up, but it gets awful before then. he also definitely tries to justify it with “it’s an organized chaos!” which is more or less true, but also… not. like if he’s searching for something on his own, he can find it pretty easily and without stress. if someone else asks for something specific from his tower of shit? the room will be a mess before he finds what they’re asking for, and he’ll be an apologetic nervous wreck about it the whole time. he definitely needs someone to kick him into gear in order to get things cleaned up, and for him to stay on top of it. and he definitely needs someone to say to him “no I promise you can throw this instruction pamphlet out, we don’t even have this device anymore.”

sadly I do not think momo is entirely that person, but! momo makes cleaning fun! he might gripe about it if he’s asked to do it, but when he’s the one suggesting it, he ends up going on a tear and makes the whole place spotless. he’s probably messier by way of like. food. not to any gross levels, but he’s left out a few too many dirty plates before and got way too excited about the cockroaches that ai was trying to scold him for. he’s also definitely neat about his interests, like stag beetles and other insects!! any jars and terrariums he has are super well kept and don’t have any buildup of grime, and all their food and supplies are super organized so he can treat them with the best care possible! that especially makes ai happy, because while he doesn’t dislike pyunski, he definitely does not want loose critters climbing all over the place.

3. Who fixes the vehicle after a breakdown?

makorin:

this is kind of a tricky one! because I can totally see makoto taking initiative and working it out, but also, god bless him, he’s kind of a moron. like, he could fix it, but it would take him 10x longer than rin bc he’s looking at the manual 17 times and can’t tell what’s what and keeps second guessing himself and getting scared because “what if I make it worse! what if I make the car explode” and rin sighs and says “you’re not gonna make it explode, makoto.” I think rin being basically on his own in australia at a young age made it easy for him to take charge and fend for himself, so he knows how to wing it and figure things out as he goes along.

honestly, I’m very tickled by the idea of makoto being unable to do the easy stuff like change a tire or refilling the wiper fluid etc. like it’s meant to be easy so he psychs himself out about it! however, if it’s something trickier than that, as soon as he gets over the immediate panic of the car breaking down, he can sit there and work out some fairly complex stuff, at least enough to get it going until they get to a mechanic. rin, on the other hand, I think handles the simple stuff like a pro. changes tires super fast, changes the oil frequently, is always ready to jumpstart a battery, but if it’s even slightly more complicated than your average mishap, he gets that deep furrow between his eyebrows and starts grumbling as he reads the manual and curses and gets all pissed off and frustrated. that’s when makoto’s “I need to take care of you” instincts kick in and his nerves completely dissipate as he helps rin through it step by step, leaving rin gaping at him like “he can’t even change a tire how did he figure this out.”

and let’s just do momotori again bc they’re cute!!!

I honestly think that, on their own, the both of them would be hopeless. ai is too much of a worrywart and momo would get distracted and be like “wait what’s this!?” and ai has to slap his hands away like “no don’t touch it we’ll never figure out how to put the pieces back together!!” like, maybe momo would try to brute force things, and think he totally fixed it, but in a way that’s like “you got the right answer but the process was completely wrong” so they still have to take it in to the mechanic to do it properly or else it’s going to be even worse later. ai would probably be fine for simple things, but he even struggles with changing a tire, so he usually just calls for a tow lol.

in the end, if they do like a cross-country road trip (by momo’s insistence) and if they broke down, I could see momo being stubborn and insistent on figuring it out on his own, like a fun crazy puzzle, and ai humors him while the tow company is on speed dial on his phone, and they end up stuck on the side of the road for hours but at this point ai is in too deep and he has to let momo see this through to the end, because he thinks he might actually do it! and he does! and momo scoops ai up and swings him around and they yell and cheer and get funny looks from the few other drivers that whizz by but ai is proud of momo and neither of them care about the looks!!