#i don't think i can continue writing anything canon-compliant

[vagabond-umlaut]

OKAY, Y'ALL... IT'S FINAL. I'M NOT WRITING ANYTHING MORE FOR THE 'ONE DAY, THREE AUTUMNS' UNIVERSE. I'M GOING TO WRITE MORE FOR MY 'WE'RE THE SUMMER TO OUR WINTER RAIN' SERIES INSTEAD! REGARDS & THANKS, A TIRED BITCH IN DESPERATE NEED OF SOME FLUFF 😇😇

[ginnsbaker]

fic: if i bleed (you'll be the last to know) (2/?)

Part summary: Leigh goes on a double date with Jules. You reach a tipping point with Leigh's relentless hostility towards you.

Pairing: Leigh Shaw x Fem!Reader | Word count for this part: 5,072 | Warnings/Tags: None for now... smut eventually, enemies to lovers A/N: So... this turned into more than a two-shot. But it will still be a mini-series. It's also kinda slow burn for a mini series (lol). Also, this isn't canon compliant at all. Meaning, I took a lot of liberties and added stuff to Leigh and Matt's relationship, and it doesn't follow the timeline of the show. With that said, enjoy!

Masterlist | Part I | Next Part

-

The vet bills hit Leigh's bank account way harder than she’s willing to admit. 

She knew taking care of pets could get pricey, but she thought that was just for those on their last leg, like Matt's dog, Rogue. Facing those steep costs made her think twice about turning down Drew's offer a while back to bring back her advice column. So, she calls him up as soon as she pays up a quarter of the charges on her credit card for Visitor's medical expenses.

Drew answers on the second ring. “Hey Leigh, what's up?”

Leigh doesn’t beat around the bush. She never has to with her best friend. “Can we meet at the cafe? I need to talk to you about something.”

“Sure. Be there in 20,” Drew replies right away.

The coffee shop they frequent is a small local business that specializes in cold brews. Leigh’s favorite thing about it is not the coffee though, but its interior: mismatched chairs, bookshelves lining the wall, and the temperature that’s always just right. Leigh arrives first, securing their favorite table near the window. Drew walks in a few minutes later, coffee already in hand, and greets her with a warm smile.

“Okay, spill. What's going on?” Drew asks as he takes a seat.

“I've been thinking... about the column. I was wrong to turn it down. I want back in.”

The look of utter surprise on his face tells Leigh this was the last thing he expected. She senses his response won't be a straightforward yes.

“I'd be thrilled to have you back, Leigh, I really would—”

“But?” Leigh cuts in. She doesn’t need to hear a bullshit ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ excuse. She wishes Drew would just be as direct with her as she is with him.

Drew lets out a sigh. Under different circumstances, saying no to Leigh would be as easy as declining an upsell from a McDonald's cashier. However, ever since Leigh became a widow, rejecting her feels significantly harder, even though he's well aware that Leigh values honesty over pity.

“But the thing is, the new writer’s really hitting it off with our audience. She's had a string of articles go viral lately.”

Leigh doesn’t look at all impressed by that. “Yeah, I heard.”

Personally, Drew’s not a fan of the new writer's style, and honestly, he still prefers Leigh. It would just be a hard sell if he brought this up to management. As the saying goes: if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

“Look, I still think you have a unique voice. You know I’d still take advice from you over the new girl.”

Leigh scoffs a little at that, shaking her head. Drew rolls his eyes; it’s typical of Leigh to never know how to take a compliment. He continues, “How would you feel about guest writing? Maybe for the first couple of weeks, we could find a way to incorporate your insights into a series or a special feature.”

It’s not what she hoped for, but she recognizes the olive branch for what it is.

And she’ll take it. 

“I... yeah, I think that could work, Drew. I've got a ton of new ideas, and this... this could be great,” Leigh says. “Uhm, thanks.”

Drew grins. “I thought you'd like that. Let's kick off with a couple of guest pieces, see how it goes.”

Leigh half-heartedly returns his enthusiasm just as her order of cheeseburger and affogato are served.

“Anything new with you?” Drew asks, his voice taking on that tone he reserves for the really good gossip. Knowing Drew's helping her out, Leigh figures a little life update wouldn't hurt as a form of thanks.

That update is about you. And the moment Leigh spills the beans, Drew's face lights up like a Christmas tree. But his excitement fizzles out just as fast when he figures out Leigh's got nothing scandalous to say. All she mentions is how you might've missed the mark by not doing your homework on the guy you were seeing.

“What’s your plan then?”

“Seems like everyone’s asking me that,” Leigh says flatly.

“You took your stray to her place, right? So, there must be some sort of plan. I mean, you could've gone to any other vet if you wanted to avoid her.”

“Yeah, but her clinic's location is so convenient, and I didn't want to shrink my world just for her.”

Drew hums in response. Leigh admits she’s been unusually passive with you. Normally, she'd confront issues head-on, but even almost half a year later, she still hasn’t fully processed Matt’s death, let alone his cheating. She's been trying a new tactic, almost as if by ignoring her problems, she hopes they'll fade away on their own. She seems to be betting on the idea that if she pretends long enough, maybe one day she'll wake up and find those issues have lost their grip on her. 

“I don’t know Leigh, the whole thing’s weird,” Drew says, scrunching up his face a bit.

“It’s not like I’m trying to make a friend or enemy out of her,” Leigh replies with a shrug. “I’m just using her services as a doctor, and she’s getting paid for it. That’s all there is to it.”

“Oh, so that’s why you need your old job back. She’s draining your purse,” he says, smirking as he adds, “Bitch.”

“You don’t have to call her that,” Leigh chides, though the corner of her mouth twitches in amusement. Deep down, she understands the twisted satisfaction in disliking someone without having to justify it.

“The funniest thing that can happen is if you two actually end up being friends,” Drew quips, picking up an accidental curly from Leigh’s plate.

Leigh finds that scenario hard to imagine, almost impossible. She doesn’t think she can be friends with someone Matt liked more than her.

-

Leigh is hunched over her laptop, with sheets of paper and colorful markers spread out on the table, meticulously designing missing dog posters for Visitor.

Jules, leaning against the doorframe with a mug of coffee in hand, watches Leigh for a moment before speaking up. “You know, you should've done that the second you decided to take Visitor in.”

Leigh doesn't look up from her screen. “His leg needed to be taken care of first,” she reasons.

Jules rolls her eyes, pushing off from the doorframe to come closer. “And? How did it go at the clinic?”

Leigh pauses, then lets out an exaggerated sigh. “I already told you about the tests Visitor had to go through. They said he’ll be fine.”

“I mean with the doctor, not the patient,” Jules clarifies with a smirk.

There's a beat of silence before Leigh quips, “No cat fights happened, I promise,” her eyes going back to her laptop.

“Any chance she knocked off a bit of the bill?” Jules asks, moving to sit behind Leigh to take a peek of her work. It looks like an 8th grader’s art project, but she bites back any criticisms.

“Nope.”

“Told you she’s a bitch,” Jules murmurs under her breath.

“It's not like anyone's doing charity work these days, especially not in this economy,” Leigh argues weakly.

“Yeah, right. Like she needs your money, Leigh. Veterinarians are loaded, if you didn’t know.”

“If you say so.”

Jules decides to drop the subject, and Leigh can hear her shuffling and thinking behind her.  

“Hey, there's something I've been wanting to ask you. Don't get mad, okay?”

“Prefacing like that? I'm bracing myself to be utterly scandalized,” Leigh says before smiling and sneaking a glance at Jules.

“Great, you’re cracking jokes again. That’s a good sign,” Jules deadpans but a second later, she’s smiling too. 

“Ask away,” Leigh prods.

Jules takes a deep breath, and then:

“Do you think you’re ready to meet someone new?”

Leigh suddenly stops, her fingers just hanging there above the keyboard, unsure of what to do next. What’s the protocol here? If three months is usually the cooling period after a break-up before one can start dating other people, then what's the deal when it's about a husband who's not only passed away but was also cheating? How does that work?

Before Leigh can come up with an answer, she realizes she's already saying no.

Jules groans. “Come on, it's just a double date. It'll be fun. You and me and—”

“I’m really not in the mood to meet other people, Jules.”

Jules cuts in, laying it on thick. “Leigh, seriously, when was the last time you went out and had a little fun? You're practically turning into a recluse. I won't stand by and watch my sister morph into the neighborhood's infamous dog lady.”

“Dog lady? Really?”

“I'm just saying, it's either try something new or start knitting dog sweaters for fun. Your choice.”

Jules can be a real pest sometimes; it’s an endearing quality except when they seem ready to go for each other's throats.

“You think you’re hilarious, don’t you?” Leigh rests her chin on her hand, seriously considering the invitation for a second. “I don’t know how to meet people, Jules. I stopped meeting people when I met Matt. He was my entire world, you know?”

Jules softens, throwing her arms around Leigh’s shoulders. “I know. And I wouldn't push if I didn't think it could be good for you. Plus, I promise, if it's awful, I'll personally escort you out and we can ditch them for ice cream. How's that?”

Leigh senses that Jules won't give up until she gets a yes, so she decides to concede just this time and get it over with.

“Okay, okay, you win. I'll go on your stupid double date. But if this ends in disaster, you're buying me the biggest tub of ice cream you can find,” Leigh says, shrugging her sister off her.

Jules pumps her fist in victory. “Deal! You won't regret this, Leigh. And who knows? It might actually be fun.”

-

The double date goes surprisingly smoothly, except for the occasional touches coming from her date. To be fair, they are typical for a date and are executed with respect. However, for some reason, Leigh finds herself unusually conscious of every physical contact, making her anxious to move things along and call it a night.

As they step out of the restaurant, Leigh mentally scrambles to remember her date's name. She's bracing for the goodbyes, ready to retreat into the comfort of her room, when Tommy, Jules' girlfriend, suggests they cap the night off at a new bar. It turns out Leigh's date has an investment in the place. He jumps at the suggestion, clearly eager to flaunt this detail, perhaps hoping to impress her.

He does earn a sincere, “That’s cool,” from Leigh, just before she slides into the backseat of his car. Tommy quickly calls dibs on the front seat, leaving the siblings sitting next to each other in the back.

The new bar clearly wants to be the town’s next hotspot, but it seems to be trying too hard. It's got this odd vibe where you're not sure if you should be dancing or just looking around, wondering what it really wants you to do. But Leigh agreed to this, and she won’t embarrass Jules by ditching. 

“Can I get you something to drink?”

She stiffens a bit as he draws near, the heat of Patrick's breath—Jules had reminded her of his name during the car ride—making her uncomfortably aware of how close he is. She shifts, trying to put a polite distance between them without seeming too obvious about it. “Um, just a gin and tonic, please,” she says.

She practically sighs in relief as Patrick heads off to order, her eyes darting around the bar. The 90s R&B background gets her head bopping, but all she’s thinking about is her couch and an episode of Parks and Recreation waiting for her at home. Jules and Tommy are in their own little world, giggling and looking all cozy. Leigh never thought she could feel like a third wheel on a double date.

Patrick is taking his time, and when Leigh cranes her neck to peer over the bar, she catches him striking up a conversation with a blonde. Her eyes narrow into slits as she watches, both of them obviously charmed by the other as Patrick laughs at something she said, enjoying himself in a way he hadn’t all night. 

Leigh feels a prick of irritation. Sure, she hasn’t been giving him the time of his life, but they’re still on a date. Isn’t there some unwritten rule about not flirting with other people when you're supposed to be with someone?

She waits a bit longer, hoping Patrick would remember he was supposed to be getting her a drink and come back. However, he hasn't moved an inch from his spot and is even passing Leigh's drink to the woman as they keep chatting. Leigh’s mind races. She knows she isn’t into Patrick, has been giving him nothing but the bare minimum, yet she can't shake off the feeling of being slighted. It's not like she wanted his undivided attention, but this... this just seems rude.

She catches Jules looking at her, a questioning eyebrow raised. Leigh just shrugs, not sure how to explain the jumble of feelings she's experiencing without sounding petty or jealous. 

When Patrick finally comes back with her drink, the mood has already turned sour for Leigh. She musters a polite smile, accepts the gin and tonic with a thank you, but then heads to the bar on her own without saying anything more. At this point, she's indifferent to what Patrick, Tommy, or Jules might think or say of her; she's finished playing nice for the day. 

Leigh slams her gin and tonic like it's water, the sting barely registering. She signals for another without missing a beat and strangers start sliding over drinks with cheeky grins. She toasts to nothing, to no one, letting the conversations slip away before they can get even one word out.

By drink number six—or was it seven?—everything's spinning, laughter too loud, lights too bright. Leigh’s clinging to the bar for dear life when she thinks she sees you. But as quickly as the figure appears, it's lost again, leaving her questioning her ability to handle her alcohol. Back in her college days, Leigh could hold her liquor like a champ, thanks to endless nights of partying. But now, staring down at her drink, she realizes she might've overestimated her current tolerance. The alcohol hits harder than she remembers, making her head swim more than she'd like to admit. It's been a while since she's gone this hard, and her body isn't shy about reminding her.

The worst part of it though is why, of all the faces her mind could conjure up, it's choosing yours.

Just as she tries to shake off the bizarre vision, your face appears again, this time on the dance floor, writhing in a sea of thick, sweating bodies. You're dancing closely with a man, and it’s—

It’s Matt. 

Leigh blinks rapidly, attempting to dispel the hallucination because it's impossible; Matt is dead—this can't be real. 

But the image of you and Matt refuses to go away. She continues to see the way your grind against him, the way you caress his face as you pull it further into your neck. Anger surges through her, hot and uncontrollable, and before she knows it, her last shot of tequila crashes to the floor. Before the bartender or anyone else can even figure out what's happening, Leigh storms through the crowd, pushing her way to what she believes is you and her husband, and shoves the couple hard. The moment she does it, the fog in her brain finally clears.

She saw wrong. They’re just a random couple, looking as shocked as she feels mortified.

Humiliated and more drunk than she's willing to admit, Leigh doesn't stick around to apologize. Tears start to well up as she pushes through the crowd, dodging empty faces while Jules' calls fade into the background. She shoves through the last of the mob, bursts through the doors into the night, and freedom feels just a breath away. But that breath catches, twists into a violent churn in her gut, and she can barely stagger a few desperate steps away from the entrance before her knees are on the cold pavement, and she’s spilling out onto the ground in front of her. A few groans of disgusts from the people around her doesn’t register as she succumbs to the consequences of her indulgence. Shortly after, she remembers why she’s cut back on alcohol, apart from the fact that Matt abhors it, turns him off more than anything.

“Leigh?”

The voice is familiar, even if she’s heard it only a few times. Her head's spinning as she looks up, the chilly air slapping her face after the stuffiness of the club. She blinks, trying to clear the blur of tears and the aftereffects of one too many drinks, squinting at the figure stepping out from under the streetlights.

Your face, more clearly now under the lamp post is kind of sobering her up a bit.

So, were you actually there in the club, or is Leigh so haunted by thoughts of you and Matt—thoughts she's tried so hard to ignore and bury—that she managed to conjure you as a way to finally confront her true feelings about the entire situation? It’s always the battles with herself she never wins.

“Hey, you alright?” you ask, lowering yourself to get a better look at her but keeping back a bit—just enough space for her to catch her breath or in case she needs to throw up again.

Leigh doesn't respond, doesn't even seem to see you're there. You rummage through your crossbody bag, pulling out some wet wipes and offering them to her. She still doesn't look up, but grabs what you’re offering with a little force. 

She proceeds to wipe her mouth and then her entire face as you continue talking, words tumbling out in a nervous stream.

“I saw you back there, in the club. I wasn't sure if I should come up to you, you know, with everything that's happened... with me being... well, the person I am in all of this,” you explain softly. “And then I saw what happened, how upset you got. Sorry I followed you here, I…I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

Leigh abruptly gets to her feet, and you instinctively step back, giving her more room than probably needed.

“Why?” Leigh fires at you, her tone so icy it almost makes you regret coming after her. You're taken aback, eyebrows scrunching up in confusion. 

Why what?

“Why do you even care?” she clarifies, eyeing you as if you're the densest person on the planet.

You grasp for something, anything that sounds like you're not just here out of guilt. “Anyone who knows you would be worried,” you say before you can think twice about what it could mean.

Leigh's laugh is sharp, cutting. “You don't know me,” she throws back.

“Yeah, I don’t,” you mumble to yourself. You wish you did, so you could fix this.

Leigh’s anger doesn’t let up. “You know what I think? You're playing the good Samaritan to scrub off your guilt. But not knowing Matt was married? That's on you. I bet you never asked too many questions because you wanted him to be Mr. Perfect—single, ready to mingle, the dream guy.”

Opening your mouth to argue, you find yourself at a loss. Leigh’s not entirely wrong. With Matt, you were in a bubble, caught up in the thrill of meeting someone who seemed so right, so honest. You clung to his every word, wanting to believe in this image of him you'd built up. 

The truth is, you never wanted to meet Leigh Shaw; you wanted to believe Matt's only fault was how he ended things with you, by disappearing.

But before you can admit to all of that, Leigh is already storming off. You think about chasing after her, but she spins around so fast at your footsteps, shooting you a threatening look and a low, “Stop following me,” that nails you to the ground. 

You keep staring at the spot she disappeared from, long after she's gone, wondering why Matt felt the need to find love elsewhere.

-

Leigh goes home, but not to an empty house. The second she opens the door, Visitor bounds into her arms, full of wiggles and wet nose kisses. Her mom's off somewhere, doing who knows what—Leigh's stopped trying to figure out where or why. Meanwhile, her phone buzzes with a string of voicemails from Jules, but Leigh's not in the mood to dive into those just yet. She decides they can wait till morning, along with the other missed calls and unread messages from strangers, asking for more information on Visitor.

For now, she peels off her socks and pants, leaving them scattered carelessly up the stairs before passing out on her bed.

-

Visitor’s follow-up check-up rolls around way too quickly for comfort. The moment Leigh steps through the clinic door with the dog in tow, you can practically cut the tension with a knife. Leigh's trying to keep it together, but her attempts at civility are imbued with a coldness that can’t be ignored.

With only a small ‘good morning’ from you and a nod from Leigh, you start the consultation, knowing you’d be doing her a favor if you just get right to it.

“How's Visitor been eating?” you ask as you work your stethoscope. 

“He eats fine,” Leigh drawls.

You nod, jotting down a note before moving on, “And his activity levels? Any changes there?”

Leigh’s response comes laced with sarcasm. 

“Oh, he's just peachy. Running marathons every morning.”

You clear your throat, trying to rein in your mounting annoyance at her childish behavior. “I'm just trying to get a complete picture,” you say.

But Leigh's not having any of it. Her comments grow sharper, her patience thinning, and it's clear she's more interested in taking jabs at you than discussing her dog's health.

Her last sarcastic remark has you drawing the line. “Leigh, you can be upset with me all you want outside of this clinic, but I won't tolerate disrespect while I'm trying to do my job,” you say evenly. “You're welcome to find another vet if you can't keep this professional. I have every right to refuse service if this continues. It's not what I want, but I'm not about to let you treat me any less professionally.”

Leigh goes quiet, yet she keeps her eyes locked on yours, decidedly not backing down. Then, after a tense moment, she mutters a single word, “Sorry.” It's not much, but it's something, and you decide to take it and move on.

“You mentioned something about a blood sample?” Leigh says, steering the conversation back to the reason she came in, and you're all for following her lead on this.

“Yeah, we need to check if his platelets are up and his infections are down, see if the meds are doing their job,” you explain. Then, veering a bit from standard procedure, you add, “Since this is a follow-up visit, I'm going to cut the lab test price in half for you.”

The discount evidently lifts her mood. It's not a perfect truce, but it's enough to get through the examination without any more barbs.

A while later, you're back with Visitor's CBC results in hand. “The infection's gone down, but it's still borderline,” you report, showing her the numbers. “We'll need to keep him on the medication for another week. And I'm adding some multivitamins and a specific diet to his regimen.” 

You scribble down the details, then note at the bottom of the pad about the discount—not just for the lab test, but for the prescriptions too.

Leigh takes the paper, scanning the details before her eyes finally meet yours. “Thank you,” she says, her voice softer than it's been.

“You’re welcome,” you reply with a smile before going back to your notebook, looking deep in thought. 

Leigh feels like you're back to your usual, friendly self. Yet she thinks she prefers the more raw, unfiltered version of you. The version that called her out earlier. These days, she's starving for that kind of honesty. Because having her as your client can’t be all that pleasurable. She's aware of how challenging she's been, and the straightforwardness somehow makes her feel more understood, more seen.

She wishes people would stop seeing her as Leigh: the one with the dead husband.

Then, out of nowhere, she asks, “When did you start working here?”

It's a seemingly insignificant question, yet coming from Leigh, it prompts you to close your notebook and focus entirely on her.

“I—”

“Because a year ago, I remember meeting a different doctor,” Leigh adds, absentmindedly running her fingers through Visitor’s coarse hair as he sleeps on her lap.

“You’ve been here before?”

It’s a painful memory—one that still sometimes brings tears to her eyes whenever it crosses her mind. Back then, the clinic bore a different name, and she and Matt had come together to say goodbye to Rogue.

“I have when it was still called Palm Coast,” she says.

You nod, understanding the context now. “Yeah, that was before my time. I bought this clinic on a whim after spending a few years practicing in Dubai.”

While most would latch onto the tidbit about your intriguing career history, Leigh zeros in on something else entirely, asking directly, “When did Matt start coming here?”

You shift uncomfortably at her question, and Leigh immediately regrets pushing too hard. She’s about to backtrack when you halt her apologies. “It’s okay. I’m open to talking about it, just not here,” you suggest. “How about over coffee?”

Leigh hesitates, then says, “Okay, let me just text my boss that I won't be able to lead the yoga class this morning.”

“It doesn’t have to be now. Tomorrow works,” you say.

Realizing her assumption, Leigh’s cheeks color slightly. “What time?”

Now it's your turn to feel a bit awkward. “Would 7 work? It's the only time I have before the clinic opens.”

“In the morning?” Leigh says again, making sure she heard you right.

You nod sheepishly in reply. 

“Or we could maybe—”

“No, it's okay,” Leigh interrupts quickly. She's usually up before sunrise anyway; the only change would be trimming her morning run a bit. And for a one-time chat to get the answers she's after, she figures she can make such a small sacrifice.

–

“Are you sure you want to return Visitor to his real family?”

True to form, it's Jules who breaks the two-day-long sibling spat. It's usually her who tries to smooth things over with an apology, even on days when Leigh isn't exactly the easiest person to deal with. Her therapist keeps telling her not to always be the one to buckle, especially when she's the one who's been hurt, that Leigh should be the one to step up and make things right for a change. 

But here she is, reaching out first, just like always—because waiting for Leigh to make the first move feels like waiting for snow in July.

“Oh, so you’re talking to me again?” Leigh says as if she's gearing up for another round of conflict rather than welcoming peace.

Jules ignores her and continues, “Have you actually tried to find Visitor's owners, or have you just kinda... kept him because it feels good to have him around?”

“So what if it feels good to have a dog who loves you and is loyal to you?”

Jules shakes her head in a condescending manner, which only serves to irritate Leigh further. As soon as her popcorn is done, she heads out of the kitchen, flops onto the couch, flips on the TV, and kicks her feet up on the coffee table. Jules follows her, opting to stand next to the TV, poised to yank the plug out if necessary.

“Leigh, you do understand that taking care of a dog isn't something to take lightly, right?” Jules starts, but she breaks off when the dog in question trots over, tail wagging, trying to coax Jules into picking him up.

Leigh acts like she hasn't heard a word, her eyes glued to the TV screen.

“I thought you'd learned something from what happened with Rogue—”

That hits a nerve. Leigh's quick to fire back, “Oh, and jumping into a serious relationship is super responsible, right? Especially when staying sober is part of the deal.”

Right after the words leave her mouth, Leigh regrets them deeply. She's painfully aware of Jules' long battle with alcoholism, a struggle that began in college and required more than a couple of tries before Jules could claim any sort of victory over her addiction. Leigh knows it's still a sore subject for Jules, still fighting her demons, making her comment unfairly harsh.

Though the retaliation didn’t come out of nowhere. Leigh caught Jules at the club, discreetly sipping a drink she swore off, and chose to keep quiet then to avoid causing a scene in front of Tommy. She had plans to bring it up later, but then her own slip-up with drinking, bailing on her date, and the fallout with Jules spiraled into one of their nastiest rows in a long while.

“Jules, I’m sorr—”

“Just save it, Leigh.”

Jules heads for the door, her hand clenched tight, barely hanging onto her emotions. Leigh feels the situation slipping further downhill, and she can't just stand back and watch things crumble even more. She's about to chase after Jules when the doorbell rings, stopping both of them cold.

But Jules doesn’t even bother with the door; instead, she veers off, storming upstairs with that telltale slam of her bedroom door echoing down. Leigh sighs, stuck in the aftermath, while Visitor starts barking at the door. Dragging her feet, Leigh heads over to open it, half-expecting another problem but hoping for a distraction.

Leigh definitely wasn't expecting Danny, and seeing him there, she gets the sinking feeling that this storm swirling around her isn’t going to blow over just yet.

[antimony-medusa]

Okay this is 100% discourse, so maybe avert your eyes if you don't want to see me wail at the heavens, but for a fandom so anxious about boundaries, we haven't actually been very good in practice at respecting the actual stated boundaries the streamers put down, and I think it shows what we're actually policing, which is not things to make the streamers comfortable, it's stuff to make us comfortable.

This ranges from inventing new boundaries for people (you can't use neopronouns for ranboo, their pronouns are he/they; there's no boundaries on dark content for streamers so obviously we have to invent and enforce dark sbi rules ourselves) and then harassing people based on those boundaries that we just made up, to ignoring the actual things that the streamers said if we don't agree with them (cc!dream said he was uncomfortable with gore art back during the revolutionary war/exile but he's a villain, right, so we can just do whatever we want with the character, right?) and just doing whatever we want.

This is a recurring problem, with people violently policing boundaries that the fandom has all agreed on, to the point of doxxing and harassment and death threats, and ignoring boundaries that they have decided "don't make sense".

Like here's the example I put in the tags earlier, which is Technoblade related. Everyone knows that family dynamic is great and shipping is a no-go, right? But if you actually go looking for the clips, (or listen to streams in the background recursively while you're doing other things), you'll find that what Technoblade said about shipping was that it was "kinda cringe" (I think the list of things he said was cringe included reading percy jackson books and talking like you're better at video games than you actually are), and he was MUCH stronger in saying that he didn't like family dynamic in canon, saying that he didn't like it, that it was non-canon, and he'd never betray his family like that.

But if you look at the entire "found family" tag on Ao3, 19,860 stories, Technoblade is tagged into 29% of them. That's 5,760 fics just blowing right past what Technoblade said. Boom. Taking that character from his political anarchist setting and setting him right down in a royalty au w. younger siblings.

Because obviously a family dynamic isn't actually going to hurt someone's feelings or make them feel weird, the fandom has agreed, so what he must mean was that saying that family dynamic was actual literal canon is the only bad thing (I have been clotheslined by family dynamic written into stuff tagged as "canon compliant" multiple times as well,) and we can continue with the fun family stuff, right? Because someone saying they don't like family dynamic doesn't make Sense, in the way that I like it, the fandom has agreed, so we can just ignore that clip. Honestly I think that a ton of people have no idea that Technoblade ever said anything negative about family dynamic, because that clip is never brought out or talked about. I literally only know about it because I've watched that stream.

Meanwhile, the much less firmly stated boundary when it comes to shipping is absolutely doubled down on and brought out to justify mobbing people off the internet, because everyone already knows that shipping is bad and terrible and tainted and horrible to do and we don't like it, so even the slightest indication that it's out has to be grabbed and used to police people. So that everyone can be very to sure themselves that what they're doing is not weird, and the streamers are okay with it, and if I showed them my fic they'd say they liked it.

They're not going to give the Ok to your fic, because the fic isn't FOR them, and it shouldn't be. It's for the other weird fans who can't stop thinking about the block men characters, it's not for the actors. The actors have their own lives, leave them alone.

To be clear, I am not saying that we should stop writing family dynamic to respect Technoblade's feelings. Among other things, I don't think he's checking his character tag on Ao3 right now. But like, I've talked before about the way that boundaries culture ends up working in practice, and how constantly bringing problems up to streamers just ends up showing them all the things that are the most weird to the streamer. You only have to look at what most of Benchtrio has done in terms of boundaries, which has been transitioning from very explict boundaries with details on everything to just saying "just use your manners," stopping answering questions, and telling people to actually think about what they're showing the streamer instead of expecting someone to weigh in on it for them.

But even when it comes to the boundaries that we do have, that we know about, the way people enforce them seems to be less about actually respecting what the creators like, and more about making sure we're morally pure and never have to see something that we personally don't like, and we don't happen to have any of that nasty boys kissing content in our work, because we all know that's terrible. (And as someone who's seen crackdowns on LGBTQIA content several times, that certainly has unfortunate overtones.)

As long as it's all kept away from the creators, I really think that fluffy cuddly family dynamic and kissing fic and hardcore whump all falls into the category of "not for the creators, they might find that one weird, but you do you". Like keep it away from the streamers, use your brain, but like, it's all a bit weird and for fun. Let it be weird and for fun in a secluded part of the internet, keep it away from the streamers, tag your shit for people who don't want to see it, and go to town.

So just like, I really think that "creator boundaries" should be more about using your brain as to what you show the streamer, and less about harassing someone off the internet cause they drew kissing art.

[shadowthief78]

Lyney/Reader

Genshin spoilers under the cut, for 4.0 Fontaine Archon quests.

Containes unexpected kissing and the barest slightest tiniest slight yandere Lyney, might not be canon compliant bc I got stuck halfway through trying to do quest stuff and came to write this instead.

I thought I was in a bit of a dry spell but it turns out I just needed some catboy coded manipulation to get back in the swing of things. I think all three of them would be subtly manipulative like this and I love it. Hopefully I can write more of them soon :D

This came out a lot cuter than I pictured. I don't really think Lyney would be an overtly violent or threatening lover.

The first time Lyney kisses you is right after Crowell dies. Your eyes widen, still focused on Lynette's, while her brother presses his mouth against yours in a kiss decidedly not appropriate for someone the prime suspect in a murder trial. The basket of food you brough knocks awkwardly against your knees, tilting you forward at an uncomfortable angle.

The supervising garde coughs. Lyney releases you. You steady yourself against him.

"I brought you food. Freminet was worried you would get hungry," you say, uncovering the dishes. Lyney's little brother had practically thrown bowls at you while you struggled to fasten your cloak. "Some might be a little wet. It's pouring out there."

"Thank you," Lynette says, taking the basket. "I'm going to the dressing rooma to share."

"Sorry it's mostly leftovers," you say, watching her bow bob as she leaves.

Her exit leaves you and Lyney in the half-light of backstage, the spotlights casting eerie shadows on the props. The garde moves a few steps away.

Lyney seems to realize how stiffly you're holding yourself. "Sorry," he says, releasing your elbow. "Overwhelmed, I guess. Crowell..."

You knew Crowell—were the one to reccommend him for the job, in fact. You glance at the curtain covering everything.

"Freminet's worried about you. Says there's too many visitors for him to handle."

Lyney sighs. "Poor Freminet. He didn't have anything to do with this. I feel terrible about it all, I'm not there to support him..." He catches sight of you again and gasps. "Oh, archons, what am I doing? You're soaked through and through. I was so busy worrying about this I completely forgot my manners. I'll find you a change of clothes somewhere."

Someone in the dressing room offers you a blanket and a cup of hot chocolate. Lyney continues hovering at your side, fussing. "I don't deserve you," he says, once his troupe has largely wandered off to rest. It's closer to dawn than sunset and you've mostly dried off. He sits at the edge of the pile of cushions you're propped up on, fiddling with his shoelace.

"I haven't done anything," you mutter, eyelids itching to close.

"That's not true," he says. "You keep the house in order, take care of Freminet, patch up all our costumes, organize the troupe, bring us food..." He trails off looking at you. "The kiss."

You look away. "Overwhelmed?"

He makes a frustrated noise. "Yes, but- Ah," he sighs, collapsing backwards closer to you. "I really did mean it. I just... probably should have waited for a better time. I hoped, after today's show, that, you know..." He dissolves into groans again. "Freminet adores you and so does Lynette. After this is all over, do you think maybe we could perhaps, ah, continue that?"

You see his face pressed to the cushions, rough fabric against his smooth cheek. He looks at you softly, like a dream, poised like a cat about to pounce.

Him. Lynette. Freminet. They all want to catch you somehow.

[honeyydrunk]

I NEED SOMEONE'S OPINION !! i'm going to write a satosugu fic, but i have two options of the fic and since i'm REALLY busy, i can't do both. so can someone please 🙏 help me decide which to invest my energy on?

just dm me w a request or anything !!

option 1: bittersweet a slightly angsty 'confession on the tip of your tongue but never said'. very canon compliant bc i really love writing as cc as i can and there is something about ooc i despise. i'll write like cute pre plasma arc slice of life scenes ofc. but smth about a symbolic bittersweet 'i love you' but never said is so appealing. i want to write something so horrifically bittersweet you don't know whether to HATE me or not.

i'm the strongest after all, is it wrong i'm hurt by the fact that a goal you'll never achieve was more important to you than me. be lucky that my love for you is more than my want. you knew i never cared about jujutsu society or for the weak. but i'll never tell you that you were all that mattered. as i saw you standing there like you never cared i realised i prefer cherishing my memories of you than to risk ruining them for you

after all, i'm the strongest

option 2: cute high school fall in love okay the plasma vessel arc will happen, but instead of it all going wrong and sour (i'm still killing that girl) they continue on with their days but eventually there's a confession. they talk things out? i get to finally say how IDIOTIC geto's whole ideology is because i've got annoyances for days.

i perhaps just want to use every trope i get my grimy long fingers on and yank it in there because i'm nasty like that idk 🤷‍♂️ (ex: 5 + 1 things, they end up at the gojo mansion for no reason at one point, "cherry flavoured. want to taste?", basketball but there's flirting, gojo wearing crazy outfits for attention, truth or dare,)

love makes you do crazy things. he used to be the easiest person to be around. but gradually, without me noticing, it's no longer comfortable. wanting him to like me, no longer not even thinking about it because i knew he did. is he tolerating me now because we"re friends or now i'm wondering if he's even friends with me because he likes me or because i'm 'the strongest'? whatever that's meant to mean.

"hey what would you do if i said i love you?"

my final opinion:

this was originally going to be a kfc breakup but gojo tweaks out and goes "nah uh". because i couldn't actually fathom how someone how went crazy insane when dealing with toji round 2 just let geto go like that. but what changed my mind was that if i was gojo, i would've acted the exact same way he did. so i was going to write the bittersweet one showcasing what gojo wanted to do, but never ended up doing. however then i thought about the fact that i was him, i would've badly confessed during high school.

i'm also REAL sick of people mischaracterising the both of them. getting this close 🤏 to making a whole new post about how i think the should be characterised and why everyone should follow suit with my opinion.

(if this whole post looks messy it's because it is. i wrote this with no editing no proofread just whatever i managed to somehow manifest. i'm actually listening to she a wolf by wayv and growling like taeyong did in the tiger inside superm)

(did you know i know like japanese to a certain level?) (i watched jjk in sub)

[keepmycandleburning]

So the last few weeks I've been writing Peter Pettigrew's perspective of the first war in my same universe because my favorite ao3 reader mentioned the possibility of it while reading KMCB. Peter in my opinion is a character who gets misunderstood very badly, I mean he's clearly a very competent wizard and the conversation he has with Voldemort in the Riddle House where he essentially sasses him multiple times is not the person we're supposed to think he is.

The other three Marauders though are characters I don't really understand or care about that much. I've tried to find fics where they're portrayed according to their canon personalities and relationships but I have failed, or I don't know what I'm looking for. I asked for recs a while ago and nobody replied. I've meant to read ATYD because of how much people seem to like it but it's too long (and don't even...) and whenever I start looking at ch 1 I immediately x out the tab. The Sirius and Remus I most often see online don't resonate with the books. Nor the James that is hooking up with Regulus. I've just been looking for metas on them which is more helpful.

What little we see of James in canon he seems like a huge asshole. He gets talked up a lot after death but really generically, and of course he is considering what happened to him. How can I write this person nicely?? I can't! So I'm writing him as a huge asshole. How could his relationship with Lily possibly be healthy? There's no basis for that at all. Well I looove morally gray characters so I'll try to make him ambiguous.

Is the idea that Sirius and Remus could be romantically involved something that stems from something in canon (like how Drarry comes from the fact they're both canonically obsessed w each other for years) or is it made up? If so, what?

Obviously much of the Marauders lore is made up and contains things that are very unlikely like half the Order being at Hogwarts with them. So I'm just ignoring pretty much all the existing stuff that I'm aware of.

Also, I forget if I said this in my author's note or in a comment reply but I also have a continuation of KMCB if Voldemort had won, like the following year after the battle of hogwarts. I was embarrassed of it because it was initially like really going off the rails and reading too much like a fanfiction so I took big parts of it out and filled them in with other things and it's better. I'm writing them both simultaneously.

Anyways does anyone have any thoughts on: Can you recommend any fics or metas on the Marauders? What are James's positive qualities, other than being willing to give his life for his family? What in the books hints at what his relationship with Lily was like? What points to Wolfstar in canon? Is there anything I should make sure to put in or leave out to ensure it's canon compliant as hell?

It's going to be some Hogwarts era and then probably, unless I develop a much higher interest and knowledge level on the Marauders, mostly Hogwarts grad-Halloween 1981 and increasingly Death Eater based with my DE characters and Voldemort making up much of the story. I like them way more. I don't really give a fuck about the marauders map or whatever

Some snippets. Don't worry it's perverted as hell but I want that to be a surprise

[sandersontheside]

thought i would give some options (or multiple in one if ur feeling ambitious lol) from drabble list 5 + prinxiety ! 6. "We need a strategy." 41. "Don't you want some advice?" 59. "If there is a problem, I don't want to hear about it."

Thanks for the options! I ended up using them all and writing some romangst. I've never really written canon compliant stuff before, but that's where my brain went with this. Hope you enjoy! (prompt lists: 4,5,7)

Roman appeared in his room still trying to hold back the tears that were pooling in his eyes, and immediately curled up in his bed. It was foolish, he knew, how upset he was. He was being a drama queen, as usual. Poor Roman, can’t handle things not going his way, too used to being the center of attention. 

But in his defense, Thomas was planning a music video. If any of them should’ve been in charge of this, it should have been him. It was his idea, his song choice, his artistic vision. And they were all more than happy to take his ideas at the start. But now that it was in the practical planning stage? Suddenly it was “colorful lighting and smoke effects are too expensive, Roman” and “maybe Thomas should just sing the song in his living room”  and “it’s not fair to always ask Thomas’s friends for help.” 

Roman wasn’t stupid. He knew that his big ideas would have to be pared down for practicality. And he knew that paring them down was Logan’s job. But it still hurt, the way he was completely shot down time and again. Patton tried to reframe it as encouragement–“Don't you want some advice, Kiddo?"---and maybe Roman would have believed that before. Things change. Heroes fall. And no matter how much Patton insisted he was trying to help, Roman still felt stifled, even as he continued to rattle out ideas to be scrapped for parts. 

“We need a strategy,” Logan had eventually snapped. “Not a daydream.” 

That shut Roman up for a long time, as the others went back and forth on the aforementioned strategy. Eventually, he got tired of being ignored and passed over, and decided there was no point in sticking around. He didn’t even say anything, just raised his arms and began to sink out. None of them even noticed. 

Or that’s what Roman thought, until he pulled from his self pity by a familiar, low voice. “Trying to slack off, Princey?” Virgil’s tone was light and teasing, but Roman wasn’t in the mood. 

"If there is a problem, Dark Knight, I don't want to hear about it,”  he snapped, sitting up. 

“Woah,”  Virgil put his hands up. “There’s no problem. Except maybe with you. Why’d you leave?” 

“No one’s asked for my opinion in the last ten minutes,” Roman shrugged, feeling guilty for lashing out at his—at Virgil. “I don’t think I’m needed up there.” 

“Well, that’s stupid,” Virgil shoved Roman over on the bed and squished in next to him. “As soon as you left, so did Thomas’s desire to work on the music video at all. All he had to listen to was Logan pointing out the impracticalities and me worrying about his audience hating it. We need you to balance us out, Roman. You know that.”

Roman huffed. “That may be the case, but it doesn’t change the fact that Logan and Patton won’t listen to my ideas. Every single thing I said got shot down.” 

“Come on,” Virgil leaned against him, warm and solid. “You know your ideas can be a little out there sometimes. We all have to compromise. That’s what balance means.” 

“I know, I know!” Roman threw his arms up. “Intellectually, I know that. But lately, it all just feels like an attack. Like they all hate me.” 

“You know it’s not, though, right?” 

Roman didn’t say anything. 

Virgil reached a hand to cup Roman’s cheek, tilting his head and forcing him to make eye contact. “Look at me. It’s not. Patton loves you. Logan loves you. I love you.” 

Roman blinked, feeling his eyes mist over again, and pressed into Virgil’s touch. “I’m just—I’m tired. Ever since the callback, everything with Logan and Patton has felt off. I’m always walking on eggshells around them and it’s exhausting.” 

Virgil sighed. “I know, and believe me, I have been on them to make it right with you. It’s going to take time before things feel normal again. But I promise they still love you.” 

Roman sniffed. “Thank you. I guess I’m just not doing well with all the changes. Janus getting accepted, my brother getting acknowledged. God knows he’ll be accepted next, and then Thomas won’t need me at all.” 

“Ro,” Virgil wiped a stray tear away with his thumb. “Even when Remus is accepted, Thomas will still need you. You’re more than creativity—you’re his passion, his drive. I don’t think Remus has any of that.” A pause. “Well, maybe ego.” 

Roman snorted. 

“As for De-Janus, I really don’t think he’s out to get you. He’s just….Like That.” 

“I really don’t like that guy,” Roman shook his head. 

“That’s what you said about me once, Princey.” Virgil smirked. “Look where that’s gotten you.” 

Roman couldn’t fight a smile at that. “I think it’s gotten me right where I need to be.” He kissed Virgil softly. “Thanks for coming after me, Stormcloud.” 

“Anytime, Princey.” Virgil wrapped his arms around Roman and pulled him in tight. “I know things are difficult right now. But you’ve always got me.” 

“I know we still need to work on this music video,” Roman leaned back, taking Virgil with him until they were fully horizontal. “But can we cuddle for a bit first?” 

Virgil laughed softly, repositioning himself so his head was on Roman’s chest and their legs were tangled together. “We can.” 

[serenefreakgeekao3]

Chocolate and Pining

Jim Halpert x GN!Reader

PART ONE

[TABLE OF CONTENTS]

Check Table of Contents for entire fic summary and Key!

Summary: The cameras arrive and begin their rotation through the office. What will their shiny lens and intrusive questions uncover?

Warnings: canon-compliant cheating (if you count Pam flirting while engaged)

Author's Note: First post of the new rewrite, and Im kinda glad I only post two chapters of this previously because I went through and changed the entire thing from third person pov to first, to match along with the rest of the xReaders i’ve been writing.

[ ֎” ]

"Alright," You begin, your legs crossed while you tap one hand on your thigh. "What do I even say?" You huff a little laugh, shaking your head. You sat on an uncomfortable grey plastic chair, blinds slightly drawn behind you to block the view of the rest of the office working. You turn around and glance back, looking through the small opening available and noting three different cameras roaming the office and zooming in on people.

"What do we do here?" You repeat the question you're given, turning back toward your own interview camera. "Well, this is Dunder Mifflin, Scranton branch. We're a paper-pushing company." You stop for a moment before the producer behind the camera does a sort of wave as if urging you on. "Uh- well, I'm the receptionist here. I took the job almost a year ago. I transfer calls to the department they need to go to, write notes during our meetings- I'm basically Michael's secretary." You awkwardly laugh, glancing at the wall of the conference room shared with Michael's office as if he could hear through it. You wouldn’t doubt it if someone told you he stood there with his ear pressed to the wall.

"What's the most interesting thing about this job?" You furrow your brows in concern, uncrossing your legs and sitting forward. "Look, I don't know what you guys were expecting when you came here with a whole film crew, but we're a paper company. There's literally nothing interesting about working here."

[ ֎” ]

"What's interesting about working here?" Oscar asks, glancing through the blinds before leaning closer to the camera, waving his hand as he speaks quieter, "Now I'm not one to gossip, but the big thing going around is the office romance right now. And I'm not talking about Kelly and Ryan getting back together for the fifth time." He laughs shortly at his own joke before continuing. "See, Pam is engaged to Roy, he works here in the shipping warehouse downstairs. They've been together for years and they finally have a wedding date set for about a month or so from now.

"However, Jim has the biggest crush on her, everyone can tell. Before Y/N got here, Pam was the receptionist and Jim was always jumping up and going over to her to flirt constantly. Now, some believe the flirting is still going on while their desks are right next to each other, but I think it's gotten tamped down a bit since Pam scheduled a date for the wedding.

"And then there's Y/N. They started here when Pam was finally transferred to sales, and the position opened. They actually became quite close to both Pam and Jim pretty quickly, which makes some sense considering Dwight and Michael basically attacked them their first day here." —

[ ֎” ]

"Attacked Y/N? Please," Dwight scoffed, shaking his head, "I was merely preparing the new employee. If you’re not ready for a surprise stab from a ninja on your first day on the job, then I really don’t think you’re ready for work at all.” Dwight huffs out a breath, crossing his arms. “Besides, Jim made me use the dull blade.” He looks away from the camera in a strop, shrugging his shoulders. “If he hadn’t taken my sharp one I wouldn’t have had to pull out the dull one. I had to put extra force behind the attack for it to do anything, so really it’s Jim’s fault for the bruises.

“Michael? He couldn’t hurt a fly.” Dwight scoffs, then scoffs again for emphasis. “The fact that he tripped and fell that day means nothing, he was merely catching himself from falling with the closest available thing to grab. Which happened to be Y/N’s body, which he then happened to pull down with him. An honest mistake, that.”

[ ֎” ]

— "Now," Oscar continued where he left off with a smirk, "You'd think Jim flirting with Pam, and her egging it on while engaged, should be drama enough for you. But, then you have to figure into the equation that Y/N also likes Jim. I have a pretty good view of the receptionist area when Y/N sits in a certain spot, and I can hear whenever they talk to each other... Sometimes.

"Now I don't know if Jim realized he's a little flirty," Oscar wiggles his fingers with this, "But certainly not as much with them as with Pam. But- man, it's almost painful how hopeful Y/N's voice gets when they talk with Jim. Almost, but mostly just entertaining. And of course, none of the three know about this. It's basically the office soap opera at this point, and no one wants to say anything to disrupt the saga."

Oscar leans back, chuckling to himself before glancing at the camera, "Oh, almost everyone. Don't tell Dwight or Michael either, they're sure to give it away." He pats his leg for a second before smirking, "I'm team Pam. Now don’t look at me that way! I would love for Y/N and Jim to get together, but he’s just too obsessed with Pam! And that woman really needs to get herself a new man, that Roy is a real piece. of. work."

[ ֎” ]

"Team Pam or Y/N?" Phyllis asks, her smile soft as she raises a hand to cover a giggle, "Now I don't like drama, but absolutely team Y/N. Pam is engaged, it's inappropriate."

[ ֎” ]

"Team Pam, all the way." Meredith nods, smirking to the camera. "She was here first. Gotta be loyal to the branch."

[ ֎” ]

"Oh! Team Y/N!" Kelly squeals, wiggling her body in excitement.

[ ֎” ]

Jim sits in the seat, smoothing his pant legs down and sighing. "So, uh, what exactly do I say?" He places his chin in his hand, his fingers tapping restlessly against his bottom lip.

"Anything interesting?" Jim repeats, glancing out the window in the general direction of Pam and Y/N before looking back. "I mean, there's nothing really interesting about this job. Toner prices, how much each piece of paper weighs or costs-" Jim sighs, shaking his head and dropping his hand, "Honestly, the only reason I'm still here at this point is probably my friends. Pam, my desk-mate over there, we've been here for a while together. And then there's Y/N, the relatively new hire. Or, are they new?" Jim tilts his head to think about it, squinting his eyes toward the ceiling. "Has it almost been a year already?"

Jim shrugs, smirking before tapping his leg, "Oh, and also pranking Dwight. Gotta make your own fun here."

"What the- Jim!" Dwight suddenly yells, drawing half the office's attention. The other half continued blandly on with their work, used to their antics it would seem. Jim glances wearily over toward Dwight as he lugs something up from his bottom drawer, placing a plate with yellow jello and a stapler floating inside onto his desk. "What did you do?"

Jim struggles to hold back a laugh, his hand curled in front of his face and chin resting on his palm. Instead, he shrugs, leans back and crosses his arms while trying to maintain a poker face. "Nothing, Dwight. By the way, what happened to your stapler there?"

"You should know, you did it!" He sits there for a moment, glaring at Jim before bounding up, running and calling out, "Michael!"

You were half standing behind your reception desk to get a good look, sniggering to yourself about this prank- it was a good one. You look over to Jim and see him give Pam a high-five, mumbling something to each other before Jim looks in your direction and shoots you a full smile instead of the smirk he had been wearing. You smile back, sitting back down in your chair and scooting up closer to your computer.

The camera swings around closer to Jim, listening more in on their conversation. "How did you even do it?" Pam asks and snickers quietly before straightening up suddenly, grabbing her phone to press to her ear in an attempt to look as if she was doing her work as their boss exits his office.

"Let me see, let me see-" Michael finally lays eyes on the prank, laughing loudly. "Wow, just- wow!" He laughs some more, patting Jim on the back. "This is a creative one, good job Jimbo!" Dwight scoffs, moving to be in Michael's line of sight. Michael jumps slightly as if remembering he's the boss before clearing his throat and looking at Jim. "Oh, but don't do it again."

"Do what again?" Jim asks, playing dumb still and raising his eyebrows at Michael. Michael barks a laugh in return and pats his back again before wandering back into his office, mumbling about jello under his breath. Jim turns toward Dwight with a victorious grin while you stand, carrying your lunch box toward the kitchen. You tap Jim's shoulder twice in passing as if to say good job, and Jim barely has enough time to lift a hand to yours as you gently pull away to continue to your destination.

"Get it out," Dwight demands, standing near Jim and glaring at him.

"Get what out?"

"My stapler!"

"Well, it is your stapler, Dwight." Jim turns back toward his computer, chuckling under his breath.

"Oh, and how am I supposed to get it out?"

"I don't know, eat the jello?" Jim suggests, causing Dwight to scoff loudly as he plops in his chair.

"I can't just eat the jello, Jim. I wrote my name in whiteout on the stapler so everyone would know it's mine." Dwight pauses for a moment before narrowing his eyes. "Unless you knew that, and you'd assume I'd eat this. You're trying to poison me!" Jim sighs loudly, widening his eyes toward the camera before shaking his head.

"Ok, and with that, I'm going to take my lunch." He stands, turning to make his way toward the kitchen.

"If you need something to eat, I have a whole plate of jello right here for you Jim!"

Jim enters the kitchen, watching you press a few buttons on the microwave to heat your lunch. He dons a small private smile before sneaking closer behind you, reaching out and grabbing your sides while calling out a quick, "Boo!"

You jump heavily and yelp, turning around quickly with a hand pressed to your chest, panting out your breaths. "Fuckin- Halpert!" You yell out, smacking his arm before slumping against the counter behind you. Taking a few more breaths as Jim bends over laughing, you call out, "Unfair!"

"Oh? Unfair?" Jim replies, grinning toward you, "This is just payback for that email!"

"Hey, I sent that yesterday!"

"And I just opened it today." Jim grinned, not at all sorry, as you remember the jumpscare chain email you had forwarded to him, hoping to see his reaction.

"Well, that's unfortunate. I wanted to see you jump, I must've missed it." You pouted slightly and Jim's face did a small change, becoming softer and crinkling slightly at the eyes. You don’t seem to notice as you turn toward your food once the microwave beeps.

"Yeah, you were being harried by Michael, something about new shoes?" At which you groan loudly, holding up a finger with an eye roll.

"Don't even get me started on that." You thought back to that same morning when Michael came in with muddy shoes, whining about how he had just bought them even though you could’ve sworn you had seen Michael wearing them for the last half a year. How exactly did time pass in Michael's world, you wondered? And how had they gotten muddied? It wasn’t even raining outside!

"If you need to talk about it, I'm here," Jim said, sounding oddly sincere, but then continued quickly, "Although if the opposite is true I'm also very willing to go into detail about the newest book I just finished of my series."

"Oh? You mean your nerdy novels about swords and dragons?" You reply, raising your eyebrows and smirking at Jim as you stirred your lunch. “Aren’t you supposed to be a jock or something?”

"Don't pretend like you don't love the series, you listen to me ramble about it every week," Jim replied, never losing his smile and never looking away from you. His focus felt like fire on you, and there was nothing you could do to put it out. You weren’t even sure you wanted to. “And it is possible for someone to like sports and reading at the same time.”

"Hmm." You hum, pretending to think about it. It really wasn't a hard choice- while the stories sounded interesting enough by themselves, it was Jim telling them to you that made the whole week worth it. Listening to Jim become so passionate about something he found interesting was almost infectious, you practically waited for these days just to gain inspiration for your own writing. And if you happen to write fanfiction about the stories you've never actually read- well, Jim didn't need to know about that. "Alright, fine, if you insist. So what's new with Salamander and Patterson?"

"It's Sally and Parker," Jim began in disbelief, rolling his eyes fondly as you pick up your lunch, the both of you moving to the break room. You had known that, of course, but watching Jim try to explain for the seventh time why Sally is absolutely not a salamander and is, in fact, more like a snake than anything else just brings a smile to your face and a warm feeling to fill your chest.

You sat down at a chair, thankful for the empty break room as Jim wandered over to the vending machines. He put in some money and roughly pushed a few buttons, complaining all the while about his book characters. He ends up chuckling and shaking his head as he states that he needed to 'start from the beginning.'

A packet of double chocolate chip cookies lands in front of you, and you grin brightly while reaching for the gift. "My favourite, how did you know?" You look up to see Jim looking quickly away, not noticing the red starting to stain his cheeks and the tops of his ears.

"You eat it every week," Jim replies quietly as if that explains it, fetching his own lunch. "Anyway so then Parker-"

It was later in the day, and you sat bored at your desk, a word document pulled up on your computer that was half written with a personal story. Though you weren't actively typing it, instead spinning a pen in your hand as you stare in the direction of the sales associates.

"I honestly don't know what I'm looking for here," Jim speaks lowly, chuckling as he held Pam's hand in both of his, her palm facing upward. He looks up into her eyes as she giggles, shaking her head.

"No, look closer, here," Pam takes one of his hands, taking a finger and tracing a line on her palm as if this would help him read it, "This is the life line. Or- wait, maybe it's the heart line?" Pam giggles again, though misses Jim's almost yearning gaze as he holds her hand a little tighter.

"I don't know what either of those mean, Beesly," Jim replied, his voice low, and Pam finally looked up. Their eyes met and you finally had to look away, the pain in your chest becoming almost too much to bear.

And, almost as if on cue, Roy pushes in the door to the office, walking forward with his hand holding a leather jacket over his shoulder. You glance up quickly, about to start your usual introduction before realizing who it is and clearing your throat loudly, throwing a worried glance toward Jim. He glances over in time, thankfully, yanking his hands back as if burned when spotting Roy turning the corner. It seemed as though Roy hadn't noticed, smiling at his fiance as he approached before leaning down and kissing her forehead.

You watched the pained expression cross Jim's face for just a moment before he managed to school his features into a poker face. You felt for him, honestly. You knew how it felt when the person you liked, well, liked someone else. You just wanted him to be happy above all else, and you knew pining after Pam was not it. If only Pam wouldn't egg it on constantly, maybe he'd have a chance to get over her.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah, let me just pack my things and print out one more file, I'll meet you down there," Pam replied to her fiance, smiling blindingly bright at him before they kiss once more. Roy turned around, passing the reception desk before grabbing a few pieces of candy that you kept out on the top of the desk. He popped one in his mouth before choking dramatically, turning around and coughing a few times before looking directly at you.

"M&Ms? Really? I liked it better when it was Skittles."

"I've never put out Skittles, I like chocolate."

"It doesn't matter what you like, it's for the guests, isn't it? Pam used to put out Skittles and no one complained." He tossed the remaining few pieces onto the floor beside him before walking out of the office. Pam ran up quickly, a worried look on her face.

"I'm so sorry, he must've had a bad day-"

"It's fine, Pam, really." You paste on a smile, annoyed not just at Roy but at Pam for earlier. Pam nodded slowly, her smile regretful as if knowing how you felt before turning around and pressing the last few clicks on her computer to shut it down. She gathered her things in silence, sliding her newly printed paper into a file on her desk. Meanwhile, you stared at your computer screen, not really reading what was there.

"Bye Jim. Bye Y/N, see you tomorrow!" Pam called out, and you replied with a little wave before pressing save on your word document, downloading it to your flash drive. The door to the office hadn't even closed before a new presence was at your desk, leaning over to try and spy on their computer. You looked up to see Jim smirking, looking directly into your eyes.

"Did you close that document just 'cause I came over? Hiding something from me, Y/L/N?" His teasing tone had you smiling against your better judgement, leaning back and crossing your arms.

"Well, I wouldn't want you discovering my master plan. It's a secret for a reason, you know." Jim laughed at your joke, leaning back and taking a handful of M&Ms to pop into his mouth. Watching this, you felt their face deflate just slightly before you hear Jim’s whispers.

"You know, I think I prefer the M&Ms over Skittles any day." He winks, then dumps more from his handful into his mouth, walking back to his desk to finish up his day. You once again couldn't help the small smile that adorned your face in response.

[ ֎” ]

"I've always had a thing for chocolate," You said, shrugging, "I'm the one who sits there all day anyway." You bite your lip for a moment, trying to suppress a smile. "Besides, who cares what Roy thinks? Other people in the office like them, that's all that matters."

[ ֎” ]

"What kind of person do I like?" Jim makes a baffled face, blinking a few times before resituating in his seat. "I don't know why that's relevant, but if I had to choose..." He trails off, his eyes taking on a far-off look, "Someone sweet, smart- someone who laughs at my jokes while also making me laugh. Someone who will help me with my pranks and listen to my ramblings." He looks back up to the camera with a small smile, "Someone with a sweet tooth that I could spoil."

"You coming, Y/L/N?" Jim calls out, the office dark. You're the last two in the building now, it seems, and you glance up from your desk where you're standing to smile at him.

"Oh, I just have a few more papers to print, you go on ahead."

"Don't work too hard, Y/L/N. The effort isn't worth it." You laugh in response, waving him off. You both exchange a quiet goodbye before you wander over to the copier, which was printing multiple copies of what looked like Dwight's face on the 'Scranton Strangler' wanted poster. The camera swings between the pages and back to you, where you only shrug and smirk.

"It'll be funny," Is your only excuse as you take the pages and start hanging them on the pillars of the building around the office, sliding an extra copy into Jim's desk as a memento.

[littleshysheep-at-da]

i had an au idea.

so you know the whole time dilation thing between earth and siassw world? what if that was there to an extreme extent with siassw world and wherever they were in the epilogue (presumably hell?)

so shiraori finishes the Hell Training. does duties out of terror for a bit. then D lets her loose as a distraction so D can play dolls live among humans on earth again for a bit.

so shiro heads back, and despite feeling like an eternity, it's been like 3 months.

she gets to meet sariel, probably with gulie looking after the weakening ariel as a family. the puppets get new bodies maybe.

vampy's retired to the north. shiro visits maybe.

she finds wrath and ronandt training in conjuring, as the last two with memories of reigar, the great swordking.

YOU GET THE IDEA!!!!!

MWHAHAHAHAHAHA You've given me an excuse to FINALLY Post my "Post Ending Canon Compliant AU" that is basically what i Personally believe to be Canon and you can not change my mind.

Basically I partially agree with you but with some very different details. I don't really think Kyouya would super want to hang out with Rondant (I feel like Shun and Hyrince are Rondant focus/unwilling victims) and I don't think Sohpia would willing leave everyone without fanfare. BTW I had to open my Computer to Post this instead of from Mobile because it was too long. Also HEADS UP Spoilers for the entire Series. Sorry for any confusing structured Text this is from my Notes Doc where i just had to get my thoughts out.

Edited after seeing your Tags again: basically I REALLY love Hurt/Comfort and KumoDesu is PERFECT for it because the Series has so much Hurt I get to Write all the Comfort! Also I think Ariel should have a longer life Span, Shiro will still outlive everybody but come on let her have this.

START HEADCANON TEEEEXT

-After Volume 16: (sort of Canon Complaint AU or just Ideas for a Canon Complaint Continuation) (This is Canon in my Head Basically)

So this is actually prime for all my Ships to work out??? I don’t know if after the fight they all get teleported to the same place and get to make plans before going their separate ways (OT3 getting to talk stuff out like they wanted here? So Kyouya’s not as depressed when he goes on his way? Katia and Shun both force him to keep in contact because they’re worried about him and he’s just so floored they still care about him even after everything. He sort of goes off the radar for a while to clear his thoughts but promises to visit once he’s had some time. Also Ariel settles some Political stuff with Hyrince, Dustin, Rondant, and Balto so she can leave Human-Demon relations in their hands). I like to think everyone that is stated to “disappear” after the Story lives in Sophia’s Castle (though Hugo and Felmina do more work underground for the Demon-Human peace stuff and don’t live at the castle all the time). Like they all originally lived separately but we're close enough in proximity to visit a lot and then just ended up living together. Sophia is out causing chaos and ruling with Mera, Wald, sometimes Felmina, sometimes The White army, and Puppet Taratects. But everyone else is living their slow peaceful life.

I like to think the Castle is in the Mystic Mountains (Sophia convinces Ariel and Kyouya to live in her castle because it’s not like she missed them or anything! It’s not like she picked this location because she knew they would both be nearby!!! Part of her reasoning was just because a Vampire's Castle just had to be on a Mountain). Ariel had gone with Sariel and Gulie. Though Sariel ends up having a peaceful death but for some reason (Shiro’s interference because she refuses to let Ariel die without at LEAST seeing her again and D taught her how to extend Ariel’s life at a price of doing more stuff for D of course) Ariel doesn't die after the time they thought she’d live to. Gulie and Ariel travel around and one of the places they stayed ended up being on the Mountains with the dragons so that’s how they joined (she’s not dying and had her time with Sariel so ends up deciding staying close to the others is a good idea), it’s not like Sophia was keeping track of Ariel and particularly planed this or anything!!! She did. I think Kyouya had gone back to the Mountains to live in the remains of the Goblin Village he grew up in so runs into them (at first they’re just neighbors but after a while it’s like we’re so close just move in) and is forced to join but it’s good for him (he also gets some Goblins to be part of the Castle area because there were some Goblins Villages close by that are sort of within radius, so the house is made up of Goblins and Dragons all on the Mystic Mountains). I would think after Kyouya has stayed with Sophia and Ariel for a bit he feels confident enough to face Shun and Katia (he misses them a lot and they have a big heart to heart then decide to keep in regular contact). I also like to think they keep in contact with the others and Fei and the other Dragons are responsible for transport to and from (so Fei and Sophia become friends).

I’m still on my OT3 nonsense (again you can’t even pry this Ship from my cold dead hands) and I like to think eventually Shun and Katia get publicly Married but Kyouya is sort of their Secret Lover that they go visit for vacation and whenever they can to get away from work (the rings they get are a set of three and after the stressful very formal public wedding the three of them have sort of their own more private ceremony). Kyouya gets to live his peaceful life as a farmer (also helping Shun and Katia where ever he can plus Ariel) and occasionally sees Kunihiko and Asuka when he goes with Mera to sell vegetables (which is awkward at first but then they become something like begrudging friends). Yuri and Sue cause chaos about this but Sue can’t do much and Yuri gets more focused on her Religion (dragging Shinbou along). Hyrince cleans up after Gulie and sort of takes up leading the Humans and he and Balto work out peace with the Human-Demon Relationships (Rondant plays a big part helping as a reputable Human Kingdom Figure and Hugo is dragged along in this a lot but does more on the underground management with Felmina). Shun helps Leston by handling all the Paperwork mostly (he’s finally become a Salaryman) and Katia helps with a lot of Politics. Miss Oka also deals mostly on the Political Front but does also get her peaceful life after setting things up. Miss Oka stays in touch with Shun and Co, occasionally visits Sophia’s Castle, and keeps tabs on all the Reincarnations.

I like to think they manage to keep Ariel alive. White intervenes in Godly ways to keep Ariel alive. So eventually I like to think White manages to get away from D and Teleports to Sophia’s Castle and reunites with her Crew (frazzled maid teleports to the middle of the foyer hallway scaring everyone before they all get to hug it out). She visits whenever she can (if she finishes all her work Maido lets her and D can not complain because D didn’t finish her own work and Maido is going to rip her a new one).

END NOTES TEXT

Please picture me panting with feral and insane energy as if I have given this as an epic presentation without taking a breath lolol. This is at this point what i believe to be Canon to the point that the fact that it isn't doesn't exist to me, I've gone full delulu. Join me (also join my Ships). Seriously more people need to Ship Shun x Katia x Kyouya because once you see it you can't unsee it. And there is not enough Shiro x Ariel Content which is straight up criminal actually.

The "D totally has methods to keep Ariel alive and would make Shiro work for them" comes from me joking with my Sister "(My Sister’s joke) D: 'I know you want to save your dying wife Ariel, sooo I’ve Game-ified it for my amusement! It’s a Gacha lolol.' Shiro: *Pulling out her wallet* 'fuck you D.'" because like okay I know she was a sickly child and through living very long her soul is at capacity but like Shiro is a GOD she can fix that. But I don't think Sariel could really extend her life any more because of how worn down her soul probably is.

Okay I think this is Formatted correct enough (checked over once for Grammar and Details) Please enjoy!!! If Tumblr breaks anything because of the length I'm Sorry. Also if I Edit this a TON as I remember more Details I forgot to Write down I’m not sorry lol.

Thanks for finally giving an excuse to Post this!!! I was considering just Posting it without any Prompting but y'know. I'm both terribly Self Conscious (especially about Opinions and Headcanons) but also trying to have more "FUCK IT" Attitude so I'm aware I probably read like I'm Fishing For Compliments and Super Annoying but I try to keep that to a minimum... BUT ONWARD AND UPWARDS.

[lemonlyman-dotcom]

New fic now live on Ao3

TK Strand’s Sweet 16 (times 2) (minus 2)

G | 7k | Tarlos, canon compliant

Six months after a loss that shook the Reyes family to its core, the entire extended family gathers to throw the blowout party of all time for its newest and sweetest member, TK Strand.

I want to express my sincere gratitude to @freneticfloetry for giving this one a beta and sensitivity read, and to @carlos-in-glasses for reading a very early draft and reassuring me that the vibes were vibin’ and the jokes were not just funny to me 🩷✨ I am honestly honored and humbled to have such lovely friends in this fandom who believe in my writing and offer up their time and encouragement. Seriously, it means the world.

Official Party Playlist

Official Party Invitation

This is how he’ll remember TK Strand. Forever. Years from now, when he’s in his 80s, sitting on a porch swing reminiscing on his prime. He’ll think about his gorgeous husband. In this moment. On this night.

Call me good

Call me bad

Call me anything you want to, baby

On the night of his thirtieth birthday. The silver chain snaking out of his white button down, unbuttoned dangerously low for all the family they’re surrounded by. Shining with sweat, smile as big and bright as the moon.

Gyrating in-time with the beat of the Wham! song thrumming through the backyard speakers. Singing along with the words, a finger pointed at Carlos where he stands in shock-induced stupor.

But I know that you're sad

And I know I'll make you happy

With the one thing that you never had

It’s their song. Well, not their song their song. It’s become something of a special song over the last few months though. One that TK plays when he’s subtly trying to cheer Carlos up. Dancing around the loft in his skimpy blue shorts, Carlos’s own personal George Michael. He’s not as subtle as he thinks he is, but it melts Carlos’s heart every time. Heals it a bit too.

Baby, I'm your man (do do do that, don't you do that)

Don't you know who I am?

Baby, I'm your man

“That’s your husband, mijo,” Andrea says from Carlos’s side, a fond smile on her face as she shakes her head.

Six months after the wedding it still sets his heart fluttering, hearing TK referred to as his husband. He glances around the yard, primos mixing with friends and coworkers, Owen directing his sisters into a Charlie’s Angels pose so he can snap a photo with his Polaroid camera, TK and his friends in the center of it all, dancing like idiots. He feels an uncontrollable laugh bubbling out of his chest as he puts an arm around his mom.

“That’s my husband.”

Continue reading on ao3

You’re invited to the party, taking place on ao3 now 🎊

Tagging some folks who might be interested @carlos-in-glasses @chicgeekgirl89 @ambiguouspenny @lightningboltreader @liminalmemories21 @ladytessa74 @never-blooms @welcometololaland @alrightbuckaroo @rosedavid @iboatedhere @rmd-writes @freneticfloetry @basilsunrise @bonheur-cafe @mikibwrites @heartstringsduet @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @thisbuildinghasfeelings @goodways @reasonandfaithinharmony

[sendpseuds]

What fueled your transition into Obikin? How does writing about our boys compare to writing Obitine (the loveliest most badass woman).

Hi!

Thank you for the ask 🖤

Now, please forgive me while I ramble.

First of all, I love Obitine. I absolutely adore the love and respect they have for each other. Their relationship is complicated and nuanced and also just so so tragic and I've adored every fic I've written for them.

When I wrote my first Obikin fic [The Resolute Theater Presents] it was a complete departure from anything I'd written before. To that point, not only had everything been Obitine, but also in-universe AND all part of the same series [Even if You Wanted to]— the same story I'd been telling every week for almost a year.

I had just finished a fic that, if I'm being honest, really fucked me up [Bound and Broken]. I love this story so much, I'm so proud of it, but FUCK did it put me in a bad place. I needed something light and unserious and this silly Broadway AU was just looping through my mind and I decided to go for it.

While writing Resolute, something — I don't know — something happened. Something changed as far as how I was thinking about the stories I could write.

Instead of always thinking about what came next in an ongoing story, and holding myself to someone else's plot points, I was thinking about entirely different worlds.

Basically, I realized I could write anything.

That's when Haunted Heart happened and it just sort of blew the doors off my brain.

I owe a lot of this change in perspective to fellow writers like @yourfavoritefridge and @palfriendpatine66 whose continued support and encouragement have pushed me to write a lot of things am deeply proud of and would never have had the courage to write without them cheering me on.

IN SUMMARY

I would say it was less of a shift from Obitine to Obikin, and more a shift from one long canon-compliant story, to… whatever the fuck I wanted to write?

That being said, let's address the Obikin of it all.

I think it has way more to do with the dynamic than any actual shipping or subtext. As I said earlier, the Obitine dynamic is based on respect. But Obikin? That's something a lot closer to obsession.

There's something about the unhinged nature of their dynamic that tickles my brain in a specific way that I can't quite explain?

​​And, I'll be honest— the popularity of the Obikin ship certainly doesn't hurt, but I think what's more important is that the community is SO supportive. There is so little pressure or expectation, with a real emphasis on writing what you want. Like I said, the kudos and comments are great, but— I can write a fic that’s basically just a rant about AI, or a weird smutty first-person dissociative thriller, or a story about Obi-Wan literally fucking himself and I know it will be met with nothing but positive energy and encouragement. That’s something that keeps me coming back to Obikin.

Clearly, I still love Satine, she's shown up in my AUs here and there and I always enjoy having her around. I really love including her as someone Obi-Wan feels safe with. A friend he knows will always shoot him straight and always be there for him.

I’m sure I’ll write more Obitine when the right idea appears in my mind, but right now, I’m just chasing stories.

x

[joycieillustrations]

Hello! Although I respect the choices made by the writers and directors of HotD, I regret the lack of explanation and development of characters and situations. That said, I would like to know if the positions and choices of the show will affect your stories and if so, how they will affect the work, if there have been changes in plans, etc. With Rhaenys' death, we can only continue reading about her through fanfictions and yours are, without a doubt, among the best ever written about them. Thank you.

Hello there! Thanks for the ask ❤️

This is quite a lot to answer and I'll do the best I can. I still am sorting my head out re. a few things and in all honesty, I'm also not in a particularly good headspace personally right now, so I don't have quite as clear a view as I would like.

Yes, the show has affected my plans - somewhat. Honestly, as soon as it was confirmed that Abubakar Salim was playing Alyn, I knew they were going to make the Hull boys Corlys' bastards, simply because his resemblance to Steve is so striking. I don't particularly like it, particularly because show!Corlys is quite a different man to book!Corlys, and also because I don't think the Hull boys being Corlys' makes much difference to the story in comparison to them being, say, Vaemond's or even a distant Velaryon cousin's or even just two random fatherless boys Corlys claims as his heirs (because hey, what does it matter to Corlys, they'll have his name and Alyn's kids will have his blood through Baela). Honestly, I'd have been more invested if Corlys - who evidently doesn't care about the bloodline so much as he does the name - had simply picked Alyn out of his crew and said: hey, you're a good sailor and I see great things in you. Let me give you my legacy and all I ask in return is that you carry on my family's name.

But I digress: that's the fix it AU I'm not writing. Regardless, it's show canon that they're Corlys'.

With that in mind, I'd mentally plotted out the sequels to Ex libris knowing that Corlys fathers bastards at some point. I also started to pepper things into the later chapters of Ex libris that could be interpreted to be about the boys' mother (e.g. Corlys tells Alysanne that he's loved before in Ch. 13 and mentions having had lovers in Hull in Ch. 23). From Steve's interviews, the show isn't going to confirm anything about their origin in Season 2 (and I think Ryan Condal's lack of information and guidance in this regard - to Steve, to Eve, and to the directors - has been a very poor and inconsiderate move on his part, but that's another post), so instead I have my own timeline of how I think things have happened and I'm going to commit to that because, frankly, the series will never get written otherwise. I've sat here for six weeks waiting for answers and not got any. I want A Song of Sea and Sky to be as canon compliant as possible, but there's only so much I can do while the show is airing; and that's OK, if it ends up being an AU, fingers crossed it's a good one.

Ad amorem will touch upon Corlys' ideas about fidelity. Rest assured, we're not going to immediately see him go out and cheat on Rhaenys; but I am going to explore that this is a source of conflict. I'm not going to sweep it under the rug, because part of the joy of writing these two is the complexity of their emotions and their relationship. They're not always perfect, they do make terrible mistakes, they do hurt each other.

The way I've spoken with my friends about the two halves of Corlys and Rhaenys' journey to marriage is that Ex libris is their love and future idealised, the excitement and prospect of it all; Ad amorem is the reality settling in, the realisation that all will not be perfect, that they have their differences and foibles and ugly traits that they do not like in the other, but they can still endure it and become stronger for it and that, ultimately, their marriage will always be built on love.

I don't want to say much more than that. Overall, the plot hasn't really changed all that much. The same overall arc I had originally planned still happens, just some scenes will just be expanded to talk about this issue.

With regards to Salt and Smoke, it hasn't changed anything plot-wise, though I am considering going through and tidying the fic up a bit. I think I've grown as a writer since I first started that fic two years ago (and then got distracted by Ex libris) and I would like it to match the rest of the series a little better. I'm undecided yet as to whether I'm going to publish the last chapter first or if I'm going to edit the previous chapters before finishing the fic off.

As for my AU fic Office Hours, that hasn't changed. I have other things I want to talk about in that fic before I potentially talk about Addam and Alyn, but I had already figured out how they fit in in this universe if I do change my mind and want to explore it.

Thank you for your compliments about my work. I truly didn't expect to get the response I did and it's both wonderful and overwhelming. I feel an immense amount of pressure for Ad amorem to surpass Ex libris and I do have to admit that currently I am struggling to write Ad amorem because of this. For the time being, I'm writing Office Hours and only dipping my toes into Ad amorem when I have scenes in my head.

I hope that answers some of your questions! Do feel free to ask more, my inbox is always open.

[tears0fsatan]

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ⊹ ༺ COMMISSION ♱ ANNOUNCEMENT ༻ ⊹

thank you for the past year and a half. i can't say it enough. turning this blog into what it is today has changed my life in a myriad of ways that i am forever grateful for. its made me realise that maybe my silly ramblings are worth writing and that there are folks out there that actually like the string of words my brain puts together.

as a gift from me to you, in honour of my (late) year anniversary and 700 followers, i've decided to open my commissions. at the moment, i can only guarantee a total of 10 slots before my brain starts to turn on itself. if this goes well, i'll consider opening comms again in the future and increase the slot amount :)

once again, thank you so so much for continuing to support me throughout this past year, it's been a joy to share my work with you lovely people. the love i get on every one of my writings is one thing that keeps me going and motivates me to continue.

ᓚᘏᗢ . . more info under the cut !

status - open !

‧₊˚ ✩ SLOTS AVAILABLE : [10/10]

— PRICES

500 words : $3 / IDR 44K / AUD 4.50

1500 words : $5 / IDR 73K / AUD 7.40

2000 words : $8 / IDR 117.5K / AUD 12

2500 words : $10 / IDR 147K / AUD 15

anything longer is negotiable though i don't go over 4k

if i exceed the word limit, i won't charge extra (think of it as extra love from me ^_^)

if you cancel while i'm halfway done, there will be no refunds.

i do not offer revisions after i'm done writing a piece and if you would like to make changes, please message me at most up to a week after our initial conversation.

i can only accept payment through ko-fi unless you prefer directly sending the money through paypal.

i will only start working on your commission after i've recieved the payment.

please check out the carrd before filling out the google form.

— FANDOMS

you can see the main characters i'm open to writing for on my rulez page ⎯ it also includes the things i am not okay with writing.

★ ₊˚ additional medias i'm comfortable writing for include;

omniscient reader's viewpoint

trash of the count’s family (platonic & familial)

honkai: star rail

good omens

★ ₊˚ under no circumstance do i write about minors unless it is for a familial commission of; obey me, omniscient reader’s viewpoint, trash of the count’s family, or honkai: star rail, nor will i age up any characters for nsfw content. if that is what you are looking for, my service is not for you.

— RULES

i only write x readers and character x character(s). poly ships are okay as long as they aren't incest or pedofilic.

hard nos are listed out in my rulez page but i would like to emphasise that i do not write pregnancy, this includes creampies and breeding.

either no or specific descriptions of appearance (up to you). i will need details on your appearance and your personality, everything that you feel is necessary for your piece.

your commission doesn’t have to be canon compliant and can be an au or canon divergence. continuations of works that i've posted are also okay.

if there are works that you would like me to reference or base my piece on, don’t feel shy to send them to me.

works will be shared as a pdf through email or discord. if you would like it shared as a different medium through different means, do inform me in our initial conversation.

while i am open to accepting sfw commissions for those 17 and under (hopefully no one is younger than 16 ㅠㅠ), i won't take any nsfw commissions. this is not negotiable. i don’t feel comfortable with doing so and it is illegal for me to sell sexually explicit content to minors.

for nsfw commissions : please specify what anatomy (either afab or amab) or simply put 'gender neutral / gn' if you'd like me to keep it vague, as well as the dynamics between the characters. you must provide a picture of id along with your url / name written on a piece of paper beside it. as long as i can see your date of birth, everything else can be blurred out.

₊˚✧ if you are interested or have any questions, my dms here, and discord are open at all times. however due to timezones, i can't guarantee i'll answer immediately but i will get back to you as soon as i can.

feel free to check out the carrd & kofi i've created, it's highly appreciated <3

please please please don't feel like you have to buy me a coffee or ask for a comm to show your support!!! a reblog (on this post or any of my works really) and likes already make me feel luvedddd <33333

i would also like to reiterate that it is illegal for me to sell and distribute explicit content to minors and if you are underage you may not commission a nsfw piece ^^

that's all for now, if i get commissions i'll def prioritise those but i'll do my best to occasionally pump out a thirst or a drabble here and there ^^; (might even finish off the joongdok fic i have hidden in my docs on ao3..)

thank you for the amazing support over the past year,

一 juno /ᐠ - ˕ -マ

[suzyq31]

Hi! I wanted to say thank you again so much for the work of «Breathe». It's such an emotionally powerful text. I will not tire of repeating that you convey the essence of Harry and Hermione's relationship so subtly…… You really are better than Rowling. What she said about them, about the tent, about dancing in the interview… you embody in the text what she failed to do. I admit, your text made me cry, so I felt their pain, confusion, fear of losing everything again. I'm waiting for the continuation. You are such a talented author that even I am calm about unloved characters. And then I had a question…. Have you thought about writing some kind of story where Harry and Hermione develop as a secondary couple, and the main one is someone else. To explore the dynamics of other characters?something like "Blank slate" where Jily turned out to be alive, but with memory loss. And now they need to fit into their son's life. About Ron or Ginny (I'm not a fan of Ron and I am a hater of Ginny, but I really like YOUR Ron), how their life develops after the "broken heart", about the next generation, where new characters with their problems, but in the background we see the life of adult Harry and Hermione.

Hi! Thanks for the lovely comment, I’m so glad you’re enjoying Breathe. I personally don’t think I’m better than JK Rowling haha, I just don’t think romance was really the focus of the series. Sadly 2024 has not been a great year for my writing life, I’ve been focused on other things and haven’t thought much about any future stories. My main goal is to hopefully finish some of my WIPs or maybe write the James/Lily fic I have outlined in my google docs! 

I don't think I’ll ever write a second generation fic other than what I’ve done with Found, they aren’t really something that interests me. I prefer to follow Canon events or Pre-Canon. The James and Lily live concept has always fascinated me though. I remember thinking of scenarios while reading the books as a young kid about how they could possibly come back to life haha. The best ones I’ve come across are canon compliant other than Fourteen Days and I don’t think I could write anything as good as that one! I’ll have to look into Blank Slate as that isn’t one I’ve heard about. Maybe someday some idea along those lines will come to me and demand to be written, but I’m feeling quite tapped out creatively right now. Unsure what 2025 will bring writing wise, fingers crossed I get some of that creative spark back and can close up some of my projects.

[after-nine-at-the-oasis]

Well. That episode hurt me xD

Accidentally wrote scared instead of hurt because I was thinking about how they were one of the couples of my shows I was most scared about and here we are xD but scared is also accurate lol. Scared me for weeks and here I am now lol xd. All throughout as well xD. Anyway!

Time for the. . .

REVIEW

Not as official as my 911 or tgd ones but yk, just saying that format for fun and because it deserves it :))

I really enjoyed this episode!! It genuinely was a super good episode, even if it did cut me deep in a way that will never heal :). xD But seriously, there were a lot of funny moments, as well as genuine emotional ones, and I had a lot of fun watching it :').

Now, first of all, to get it out of the way (aka it's the longest section, and I still probably won't say everything I want to, but I also want it the freshest in my mind): Jacob and Zach breaking up. I think I've made my feelings in that pretty clear lol, but just in case you missed anything: I hate it. I hate it I hate it I hate it I hate it and how could they do this to me 😭. But genuinely, the reason wasn't awful (like nobody cheated or anything, thank goodness), we got to see Jacob's growth and non-growth through his being honest and his avoidance, and we got some super funny while also super heartfelt moments (mostly separate). I just really wish they didn't break up xd.

A big thing for me is that most of the time, especially if it's something that happens earlier in a show, and that show is still airing, I don't like not following canon. I like to think in ideas mostly canon compliant. But here's the thing: I probably won't really write anything with them broken up, at least right now I don't want to. But if there's ever something I want to write about in the future, I'll want to put them in there as together, and that changes things, and it's just a whole complex thing that I'd rather not deal with. It's a lot of emotional work for me for some reason and it's just annoying lol.

Because like, I have WIPs about them. I've written about them and just never finished or posted anything, and I want to continue writing about them. But it feels weird now, especially because of the anger in the breakup xd. Sometimes I process ways to make me feel better about decisions I don't like through fic, by writing how it works out in my head. I might do that for a getting back together fic, because I really think they deserve not to break up :((.

Anyway, about actual canon now: I am glad they can be happy on their own now. But I still really wish they were together xd. I also saw someone mention how the headcanon that Jacob's parents didn't like each other (which I agree with and have as a headcanon as well, maybe even because of that person lol) seems to fit his whole "honeymoon, hell, married and die" stages thing, and I think that if I do write a getting back together (cough cough coming to your senses-) fic that'll be a big part of the breakup reasoning. Anyway, right, canon xD.

I still really loved this episode, it just hurt me beyond compare lol. Sighh, I honestly don't know why, I just really loved them :'//. I'm honestly still in denial about them breaking up at all, it doesn't feel real and canonical yet xD. I really started to convince myself it would be okay, despite being scared :') xd. But, that's how it goes sometimes. I really do hope that some day they get back together, but I think the writers kind of burned that bridge (maybe purposefully - also, I say the writers because Jacob and Zach could become more amicable in the future lol).

Anyway, I'll probably have more feels later, but that breakup scene was raw man 😭. Honestly, I'm glad the jokes were there to lighten to the mood, but at the same time, I'm like "they deserve to have seriousness for their breakup". This was a four year relationship, man, you know? And they did get some genuine emotion, joke-free, which I appreciate <33. Speaking of, their ACTING was phenomenal!! They really gave us that :D. Their emotions were so real and accurate, it was just really good overall :). Also, if it must be his exit, that was on awesome exit for Zach/Larry xDD (as I saw someone say). Lol, I love these two idiots <33.

I do really hope one day they'll get back together, but like I said, I'm not holding my breath. I mean, I probably am anyway because I love them so much and I want them into be okay, but nonetheless lol. Especially with the anger in the breakup - it's hard to get past that narratively xd.

Anyway, long story short: I wish they didn't break up, but I'm glad they got the focus they deserved when they did. An episode titled for their storyline, an actual breakup scene and no cutaway, the entire conversation, and not even at the very of episode! Still, I already miss them so much <33. I love my boys 😭😭😭😭❤️💔💔💔❤️🥰🥰 <333.

Anyway!! Seeing Gregory be there for Jacob was really sweet :'DD. If we can't have Zach and Jacob, and least we have Jacob and Gregory's bestiesm :DD. They are so sweet and adorable y'all 😭😭😭❤️🥰. I love them going out together <33.

Janine and Melissa were great this episode xD Oh my gosh, I loved Janine this episode xDD. It was so good lol, so many funny moments. Also I loved the nonbinary sub 🥰🥰. Just that little bit of representation was so nice 🥰🥰 :'D.

Mr. Johnson being jealous and angry about Gregory and Jacob spending time together was great xD. Poor guy lol xd.

Ava helping Barbara out this episode SLAYYEDD :DD!! Also I'm so proud of Barbara for standing up for herself :').

The feeling of being ostracized a bit because of being too progressive is one I know and will probably know even more in the future xD. Also her saying a part of it is being friends with "some of the more colorful people" at Abbott 😭. I'm so not okay <33. She's talking about Ava, Jacob, Melissa, even Mr. Johnson, Gregory, and Janine to a point. I know that feeling as well and it is a scary and isolating one. I'm so proud of Barbara for standing up to them, and showing what she believes in, and I'm so happy for her :'D. Also she SLAYEDD that performance :D. And even though it sucks the shade the church ladies were throwing was good. But anyway, I loved the Ava and Barbara friendship :DD!! It was really great, and interesting angle to look at things from :). Also, Mr. Johnson being ex LDS is not what I was expecting on my bingo sheet for today lol /lh. Wild xD, but funny lol.

I am very tired lol, sorry if not all of this makes sense. Probably more later too, don't you worry :)

Overall, I really did enjoy this episode. It had some super great moments, and even though it broke me, I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Whether I'm happy with the decision they (characters and writers) made or not lol xD. Still, super amazing episode :)). I loved it :D.

So, yeah! I loved this episode. It hurt me, but I'm still so excited for the next one. This has been my review of. . .

Abbott Elementary, Season 3, Episode 5: Breakup

It absolutely killed me - wiped me out. But I am interested to see what happens next time, and what stays relevant from this episode. I'll be back next week for my review of. . .

Abbott Elementary, Season 3, Episode 6: Willard R. Abbott

See you then!!

[gascon-en-exil]

Could you do 2 and 3 for the ask meme? What about 37?

2. Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at, but really want to?

Not exactly a trope, but I'd like to branch out from the semi-canon-compliant work I've been mostly sticking to in my first fic. I feel like the later chapters, which are mostly set after the story canon has all wrapped up, are where I got to be among the most creative in terms of ideas and with what I actually wanted to see from these characters.

That's a big reason that I think that I might actually be able to follow up on this and turn it into a series, now that I've laid the groundwork for where and how this continuity does and does not adhere to canon. That's been fun on a meta level, as a (hopefully subtle?) way of working through issues I have with Octopath Traveler II's story aside from just writing meta about it like I would with Fire Emblem or most other properties, but eventually those issues run out and one is left looking at these characters and wondering where they should go next.

3. Is there a trope you wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole?

Omegaverse springs to mind. I can understand the appeal of it intellectually, in part thanks to @theeeveetamer who writes Omegaverse and talks about it regularly, but I've determined that it's not really for me. If you know anything about some of my other interests you'd think it might be...but nope. It might be a bit distasteful to pull my - as someone once derisively described it, specifically referencing me - "man in fandom" card, but I think a big part of my indifference to Omegaverse is that I do have an unfair advantage over many readers and writers in M/M erotic fic spaces. I'm actually gay and have quite a lot of sexual experience to draw on because of my offline work, which happens to align closely with the standard profile of (cis) gay smut in transformative fandom. As such I always look at Omegaverse and find myself thinking about comparatively more mundane kinks that accomplish the same goals, kinks that can fit more readily into a variety of fictional contexts and don't require a hyper-specific AU to function.

That said, I do find many of the common arguments against Omegaverse - that it replicates heteronormative dynamics, that it's adjacent to bestiality - to be quite dumb and not worth entertaining. Even when kinks aren't to my taste, I don't see much point in judging them.

37. Talk about your current wips.

I appreciate that you separated this one, anon, because it's one of those that's pretty awkward for me to answer at the moment. The fic I'm working on is only a WIP publicly at this point; I finished it around the time I posted the first chapter, and have only been making edits intermittently since then because I've been told that staggering chapters is better for engagement. Still, it's what I've got - so let's go with that.

Putting this story together and publishing it have certainly been interesting experiences, and I've gotten some positive feedback from the approximately ten other people who ship Osvald/Partitio. Part of me is annoyed that I chose to start writing for a rare pair in such a small fandom as OT2, and that I didn't start out with something like Dimidue or Ferdibert instead...but FE's settings just don't speak to me in the same way. (Also, back when Houses was the hot new thing I was writing meta and fending off fan wank, and later getting a feel for YouTube, so I was quite busy elsewhere.)

I discovered pretty quickly that I have two preferred modes when writing fic. The first is the same sort of meandering, almost fairytale-esque disassociated narrator voice like what you'd find in my ship meta that actually verge on short fics themselves, ex. my attempt at building the crack ship Diarmuid/Tristan. The second is dialogue, to the point that for several scenes, particularly later in the fic, I sometimes felt as though I were writing a play. I'm not great with action scenes, which is one reason I skipped over most of the ones that had to be worked around in canon. I did come up with a rather cheeky way to nod toward that in the epilogue...though whether anyone else finds it funny remains to be seen.

But yes - it's been educational, and I am now firmly in rare pair hell. There's an entertaining spitefulness to it: that while YouTube's algorithm has pushed me into being a dedicated FETuber with only the occasional vanity project on the side, over on Archive Of Our Own I'm becoming known for my work in a completely different fandom.