#i was 19 at the start and i can say confidently coming up on 4 years in im intending to spend the rest of my life w him

[bigweldindustries]

laughin @ my mum being like "ur brother is sad he wants a relationship like yours" what am i meant to do about that bro

[flamingpudding]

Fictober23 Prompt: 19 - "What if we're wrong?"

Fandom: DPxDC

Rating: T

Warnings: -

A/N: Sort of Danny's perspective and a different side to Prompt 4, probably not as creative as the awesome reblogs and comments but hope people will still like it. Also posting this early too because I am an impatient B and going to be busy with work tomorrow again.

Danny looked nervously up at his sister who was giving him an encouraging smile and had placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. His gaze wandered back to the paper in his hands, a face with a confident smile printed largely on it. A cutout from a business magazine Jazz had happened to read.

"It's not too late, we could still just turn around and go back to Amity." Danny muttered, the paper crumpling ever so slightly in his hands. His sister sighed, wishing that her brothers best friends could have come along with them.

"Danny, it will be fine." She told him her hand moved from his shoulder to rub comforting circles on her brother's back. "Let's settle into the hotel first. We have your entire semester vacation to figure out how to continue from there."

"But Jazz, what if we're wrong? Just because I was adopted as a baby and that Ancestry thing I did in middle school contacted us about someone matching up with the DNA I sent there in middle school, it doesn't mean that he is…"

"Danny." Jazz cut in, lightly pushing her brother forward so he would start moving. "You are starting to overthink again."

"But we could be wrong!" Danny insisted once more the paper now completely crumbled in his hands. "This sounds too good to be true! And you know that good things don't just easily happen to me! I know something is going to happen to mess it all up or maybe I will mess it all up and…"

Jazz turned on her brother to make him face her, they had barely managed to step out of the airport before her brother fell into another spiral, one of many he had ever since that Ancestry Agency had contacted them. She cradled her brother's face in her hands making him look at her.

"Danny. When you had that school project about Ancestry in middle school, Mom and Dad admitted to having you adopted as a baby but not your twin brother you already freaked out then. You did that whole DNA thing with the school project as cover in hopes that your brother might have done it too. When nothing came back from it, what did I tell you then?"

"That I was an idiot to do it behind your back?" Jazz pinched her little brother's cheeks with a fond smile.

"Not that, what else did I say?"

"That I will always be your brother no matter what?"

"And?"

"And… and that I shouldn't lose hope because you would help me if I really wanted to meet him."

Jazz changed her hold on her brother from cradling his face to hugging him tightly. "That's right idiot. So if you really want to go back to Amity Park we can easily do that, there is no need for you to panic." She felt her brother nodd into her shoulder. "So do you really want to go back?"

"I guess… I could at least see if all these magazines are telling the truth and if he really is living a good life." Jazz pulled away from her brother now holding him by his shoulders and beamed at him happily. Before leading her brother to the hotel she had booked for them.

Both did not notice that their little exchange had happened in perfect view of a surveillance camera and had gotten caught by someone who had gotten interested in their movements ever since a certain someone had a little freak out in regards to finding someone that shared his DNA.

Later at night on the same day, Danny found himself unable to sleep. Feeling restless he decided to take a look at the night sky's of Gotham in hopes to calm his growing nervousness ever since he arrived in this city. Jazz was sleeping peacefully in the room next to his, so to not disturb her, he changed forms, turned invisible and phased through several ceilings until he reached the roof.

Once there Danny dropped his invisibility as well as transformation and just sat on the roof, not on the edge mind you, but by the door that usually would have led up here doing his best to look as much as a normal civilian trying to enjoy the night sky as possible. He had heard about Batman not wanting any Metas in his city, Phantom probably wouldn't be very welcomed either then.

Danny sat there staring up at the cloudy skies, frowning how with the light pollution and clouds he was unable to see even a single star. He was contemplating the pros and cons about changing form and flying above the cloud level to see the stars when he heard a soft thud not too far from him. Too silent to be picked up by normal hearing but his ghost enchanted one picked it up.

"You are not from Gotham, are you?" Danny tensed at the voice that resounded over the roof. His head turned towards where the voice came from and noticed the figure shadowed by the clouds, glad in red and black colores. "Gothamites know not to be out on roofs at night."

Danny swallowed but didn't move as the figure stepped closer. "You are Red Robin."

"So you know of me?" Danny watched how the other twirled around a bo-staff, if he didn't know better he would have said that the vigilante appeared nervous.

"My best friend kind of told me about the vigilantes of Gotham when he learned that I was going to visit the city." He carefully admitted to Red Robin and Danny wasn't lying Tucker had prepared an entire list about Gotham's vigilantes as well as all the celebrities. Danny was very thankful that he had not mentioned to his best friend that Tim Drake-Wayne might be the twin he had been looking for for years now. That would have been a whole other ordeal he didn't want to deal with yet.

"Got a favorite yet?" The vigilante asked and did Danny imagine it or was his tone weirdly hopeful?

He shrugged as answer, noting how the vigilantes' shoulders appear to drop in disappointment. Though a moment later Red Robin walked a bit closer and crouched, while Danny had yet to move from his sitting position. "So… why are you out on the roof late at night?"

"I was hoping to see the stars."

"The stars?"

"Stargazing always helped me calm down." Danny admitted turning his gaze from the vigilante to the cloudy sky. He didn't take his eyes completely off the other, his shoulders were still tense but for some reasons his body wanted to relax in the other's presence.

"You went up on a roof late at night to calm down?" He eyed the vigilante, wondering why the other was so interested in Danny right now but also wondering if Danny was really going to dumb his whole emotional turmoil on a complete stranger. What would Jazz say if she knew about this? Probably psycho analyze this whole situation and reason that Danny just wanted someone not involved to just listen to him without the objectives Jazz wasn't able to provide.

He eyed the vigilante once more, noting how the other appeared to be just as tense as Danny was, before opening his mouth. "I am only in Gotham because the twin I have been looking for for years lives here."

The vigilante hummed, sounding interested, indicating for Danny to continue. "I don't even know if he knows about me or would even want to see me. For all I know he doesn't even know I exist. Mom and Dad adopted me from the orphanage as a baby but not my twin brother."

Danny started to ramble on not noticing the sharp intake of air Red Robin took. "He may have a perfectly good life! And here I am appearing out of nowhere and possibly destroying it! What if I mess up his whole family dynamic! I mean how crazy is that? A stranger just appears out of nowhere saying he is your twin with no proof other than the stupid mail from an Ancestry DNA Testing facility stating they found a DNA similar to your own? Ancients, this sounds even more stupid when I say it out loud!"

In his rant Danny hadn't noticed Red Robin having come closer and their hand carefully hovering over his shoulder. "Hey…"

He looked up sharply at the vigilante next to him that was now placed on his shoulder, radiating a warmth that felt grounding to Danny. "I am sure it is not as bad as you think it is. If those Ancestry people contacted you, they might have contacted your twin also and who knows he could possibly be very interested in learning more about your whole situation?"

Danny blinked at the vigilante that was apparently trying to give him a reassuring smile despite the upper half of his face being covered by a mask and he couldn't help but return the smile with a small grateful one of his own.

The vigilante looked like he wanted to say something else but Danny's phone suddenly started buzzing, he hurried to pull it out of his pockets noticing several texts from his sister arriving in a rapid fashion.

"My sister." He muttered, looks like Jazz had woken up and tried to check on him like he was still a little child, he smiled fondly at the phone.

Side eyeing the vigilante, both stood up. "I uh…"

"You better hurry back in. She will probably grow more worried the longer you stay up here."

Blinking at the vigilante, Danny nodded, moving towards the door that would lead back into the building while the vigilante started to move towards the edge of the building. Before Danny could try to see if the door was locked or open he turned over his shoulder wanting to voice his thanks to the other for listening to his ranting but found the vigilante gone.

Staring for a moment before shrugging Danny let his eyes wander over the roofs of the other buildings just in case before deciding to forgo his transformation and just phase through the floors invisible without it until he reached his room.

In the shadows on the roof of the building to the side Red Robin arched an eyebrow under his mask before turning to the coms. "Meta status is confirmed. Also Nightwing, think you can help me create the most natural and unsuspicious situation for me to meet him tomorrow? I already have a couple of ideas."

"I think we can work something out easily RR."

"Good."

"It sounded like there was a whole lot more to this twin situation than we originally thought."

"Yea..."

"Chin up Red! We will get to the bottom of this!"

"He likes stargazing..." Red Robin mutter to himself, not really listening to his siblings on the coms. "I will take him to the planetarium, first chance I got."

[meazalykov]

the golden girl

uswnt x uswnt!reader

summary: what happened in a world where reader played on the USWNT in the 2019 World Cup?

part one (part two here)

Knowing that the call at eight am could change the pathway of my career, I couldn’t sleep. My mind spins rapidly as I tried to close my eyes and manipulate myself into believing that tomorrow would be an ordinary day, but that didn’t work. 

Hi! My name is Y/n L/n and I am a soccer player who plays for club Olympique Lyon. I am a forward who many people call the “next big thing,” since I am only 19 years old. 

After winning the Champions League final with Lyon, scoring a brace which involved a penalty, my career seemed to go in a great path that was unordinary for a teenager. 

I sat on my bed, criss-crossed, as I stared at the digital alarm clock on my bedside table. 4:38am. Three hours and twenty two minutes until I get the call. 

After traveling to my hometown in the United States, Virginia Beach, I traveled to the last International camp, before the World Cup, in order to “try out” for a World Cup roster spot. My mentality is great, my skills during the camp were phenomenal and I believe I proved that to the coaches, but I am young. 

The coaches will prioritize other forwards like Alex Morgan, Tobin Heath, Megan Raphinoe, and Christen Press first. I am aware of that. They’ve won the 2015 World Cup four years ago and have the experience to go up again. However, everyone knows that the USWNT will need to bring on youngsters to set themselves up for future competitions, so I have confidence that I'll be the one they’ll call. 

Three hours and twenty minutes later, I sat at my dining room table in Lyon, preparing for the unexpected. 

My phone’s flashlight goes off a few times and my screen brightens at the sight of my International Coach’s number. 

“Hey.” I spoke first as my finger pressed on the green button. The nervousness in my voice was present, I wanted this decision to go my way. 

“Hi Y/n! How are you feeling right now!?” My United States coach, Jill Ellis, asked. 

“I’m- Um— I’m nervous.” I told the truth. I heard a small chuckle come from the coach which I raised my eyebrows at. The tension on my end could be cut with a sharp knife. The lack of sleep made my nerves worse too. 

“Well I have some news for you.” Jill said. I swallowed on nothing as the next few seconds can predict how my day– sorry— year will go. I know she has to call other players about the decisions for them so our call won’t last long, thankfully. 

“Let me start off by saying that all of the coaching staff, including myself, needed to consider someone who is young and has a lot of quality. We were impressed by the amount of work you've put into our international camps and we’ve kept up on your club experience at Lyon for more reference. So, we’ve chosen you to be on the roster to represent the United States in the 2019 World Cup.” The excitement in Jill’s voice grew when she announced that I would be in the World Cup. 

However, most of what she said sounded muffled through the happy tears that poured down my eyes. I couldn’t believe it! My hard work paid off. 

“Thank you!” I said. 

“No Thank you Y/n! We’ll see you soon, Bye!” Jill ended the call before I jumped in joy. 

A couple of months later, I sat on the bench in France as the USWNT was up against Thailand in the group stage. It was the 64th minute and we were up 7-0. As I sat on the bench, my heart raced faster out of nervousness. Eventually, my head turned when I heard her call my name. I am excited, but my stomach felt like there was a rock in it. The weight of expectations settled squarely on my shoulders as I looked at the ongoing game. 

We are winning the game by seven, but I still wanted to prove my best to the coach, teammates, and the fans. When I stood up, my legs felt like jelly making my way to the touchline. The crowd's roar was deafening, every step closer to the pitch amplifying my nerves. 

“You’re going to go on for Raphinoe. We are up 7-0 but use this as an opportunity to get a feel of the field and experience.” Jill spoke with empathy as she patted on my back, allowing me to do the required warmup on the sideline before standing at the midline. 

I tried to shake off the doubts, reminding myself of the countless hours of practice that had brought me to this moment. The nerves in my legs wouldn’t calm down. Maybe I can use that as a source of adrenaline. 

Running onto the field in replacement for Raphinoe, the enormity of the occasion hit me like a ton of bricks. The stadium seemed to stretch endlessly all around me, filled with thousands of spectators watching my every move. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. The ball was at the other end of the field, giving me a moment to collect myself.

Then, Julie Ertz shot the ball over the left side of the field to gain space. The ball landed on my ivory-colored cleat and I dribbled around a Thailand opponent before passing to Alex Morgan who lightly tapped the ball behind the net. Goal!

My jaw dropped in realization as Alex jogged over to hug me. Some of the girls on the pitch came to congratulate me on the assist as others clapped their hands. I didn’t take it offensively, we are up 8-0 now and there's not much to celebrate now besides the inevitable win. My first touch in the World Cup gave an assist which I later found impressed spectators. 

I glanced at my teammates when the game started again, finding reassurance in their encouraging, yet concentrated, nods and smiles. They had confidence in my abilities, even if I struggled to find it within myself sometimes. With each passing second, my nerves began to settle, now replaced by a fierce determination to prove myself worthy of wearing the US jersey.

Eventually, I found myself caught up in the rhythm of the play. My eyes were on the ball, blocking out the noise of the crowd and the pressure of the moment. With each touch and pass to a teammate, my confidence grew and my movements became more fluid and precise.

Then, in the 73rd minute, it happened. A perfectly timed pass by Samantha Mewis found my feet. At this point I wanted to be the goalscorer, not the assist. With a burst of speed, I raced towards the goal and dribbled around the defenders who were in the way of the goal, the screaming chants of the crowd fading into the background as they saw what I was doing. At that moment, there was only me, the ball, and the goal.

My right foot unleashed a powerful shot, the ball rocketing into the back of the net with a stunning curve. Goal! The stadium erupted into cheers, the sound washing over me like a tidal wave of euphoria as my teammates ran to congratulate me on my first ever goal in the World Cup. For a brief moment, I allowed myself to bask in the glory of my achievement, the weight of my nerves finally lifted off of my shoulders. The game ended in a 13-0 win for us!

Later in the World Cup tournament, I found myself on the bench as my heart pounded at the match in front of me. Thanks to Alex Morgan and Christen Press who scored in the Semifinal against the Lionesses, we were in the World Cup final against the Dutch. 

As the game enters the 79th minute, with the score being 2-0, the coach calls my name. This took me by surprise since I didn’t believe that any substitutes would join the final. When I stood up, my legs felt like lead as I made my way onto the pitch for Tobin Heath, who had an injury earlier in the tournament and couldn't play all 90 minutes. The roar of the crowd washes over me, drowning out the doubts that threatened to consume me since I am on the right wing.

With only minutes remaining, I can’t make a mistake. I have to make every second count. We are up 2-0 but the Netherlands could easily catch up if we make a few errors, they’re EURO champions and have a statement to make for the world.

As I focus on the ball, blocking out the noise of the crowd and the pressure of the moment, the 89th minute comes along. Krieger gets the ball from a Dutch forward and launches the ball in the air towards Rose Lavelle. The girl who scored the second goal in the final headed the ball over the field again before it landed onto my feet— This is my chance. 

My feet take the ball towards the goal. Veenendaal, the Dutch Goalkeeper, sets herself up in a ready position. As I race closer to the goal, my heart pounds in my chest. The defenders close in but I dribble around them effortlessly. An Oranje defender missed her chance to side tackle me as my left foot unleashed a powerful shot. The ball grazed the tip of Veenendaal’s fingers and the ball hit the back of the net with stunning precision. Goal!

The stadium erupts into cheers as I run to the corner of the pitch to celebrate. A typical knee slide that allowed my knees to slide through the soft grass before I stood up and turned to my teammates who rushed to congratulate me. Everyone on the bench got up and ran to me as well to celebrate. At that moment, the voice in my head told me that I’ve done it. My goal gave everyone the reassurance that we secured a World Cup win for the USWNT four times. 

After winning the Bronze Ball, Gold Medal, and being able to take pictures with the World Cup trophy itself, I cried. The tears wouldn’t stop after my bestfriend Mallory Pugh hugged me as she cried as well. We were so happy, I have never felt so proud of myself and my team. 

Hopefully 2023 will secure us a three-peat…. 

part two here

[tessenpai]

Kono Oto Tomare! Chapter 138 Scans and Rough TL

Disclaimer: Please DO NOT use this translation to make your own TL of the chapter!! The KOT TL group works very hard to give you the most accurate translation, that does as much justice to the original script as possible. This is a ROUGH translation. That means is faulty and there must be mistakes in certain places. This is just for impatient people like myself to get a grasp on what is going on in the chapter! You can REFERENCE my TL if you want to discuss the chapter but never USE it as it was your own.

Scans: kono oto tomare 138 raw scans

Page 1

Takezou[thoughts]: Back then, I couldn't have even imagined...

Side text: We experienced and overcame so many things together...

Page 2 & 3

*No text*

Page 4

*No text*

Page 5

Takezou [thoughts]: That this day would come.

Chapter title: #138 Tokise High School Koto Club

Page 6

Audience 1: Hey, it's the school of the incident.

Audience 2: It's finally here.

Uzuki: ...

Tsukaji[thoughts]: They're completely in enemy turf here. I already knew that but...

Page 7

Tsukaji[thoughts]: Somehow, through their performance they'll-

Audience 3: Hey, I even saw a bit of their performance on TV, but it wasn't all that impressive.

Audience 4: Totally.

Tsukaji: ...

Komaki: Ugh, everyone's just saying whatever they want! I hope they shut them up with their performance--

Tsukaji[thoughts]: To be honest, if it were Satowa's introductory solo like in 'Tenkyuu', it would surely have silenced the audience instantly with just the first note, but...

Tsukaji[thoughts]: 'Harmony' starts with Kurata's solo.

Tsukaji [thoughts]: When I heard it before it lacked confidence

Tsukaji [thoughts]: To put it harshly, it didn't come even close to Tenkyuu's opening.

Page 8

Tsukaji [thoughts]: Ahhhh I shouldn't be thinking like this! I don't want to think about it but...

Tsukaji [thoughts]: Ichiei and Meiryou made no compromises when assigning their parts...!

Tsukaji [thoughts]: I understand they wanted to be considerate with Kurata, with him being a 3rd year student and the club president!

Tsukaji [thoughts]: But that kind of kindness...

Tsukaji [thoughts]: At Nationals, it could be your downfall.

Judge Tatsumi [thoughts]: With this atmosphere, they probably won't be able to perform properly. Placing at the top is already unlikely. I just hope it ends without any major issues...

Page 9

Announcer: Program Number 13

Announcer: Kanagawa Prefecture. Tokise High School.

Announcer: Composed by Takinami Suzuka: Harmony.

Page 10

Announcer: In April of last year, Tokise High School's koto club was in the verge of disbandment, with only one member left in it.

Annoucer: Since then, one unique member after other gathered.

Announcer: Today, there are 9 members and 2 teachers.

Announcer: Altogether, it has now become a club of 11 integrants.

Page 11

Announcer: Each one of them is an irreplaceable and important presence.

Announcer: The song we will play today, Harmony

Announcer: Was composed for us from scratch by our club advisor Takinami-sensei.

Page 12

Announcer: This sound is our everything.

Announcer: Please, let it reach them.

Page 13

Takezou [thoughts]: I was always scared of that very first note that was entrusted to me. Scared of a future where someone might not be there anymore.

Page 14 & 15

*No text*

Page 16 & 17

*No text*

Page 18 & 19

*All the flashbacks*

Page 20 & 21

*No text*

Page 22 & 23

*No text*

Page 24

Tsukaji [thoughts]: --It wasn't out of consideration. It wasn't a kindness.

Tsukaji[thoughts]: This is

Tsukaji [thoughts]: Sincere, straightforward and earnest to the very end.

Page 25

Tsukaji [thoughts]: That is the sound of Tokise.

Judge Tatsumi: Oh man… if you add too many sounds like this one then-

Page 26

*No text*

Page 27

Chika [memory]: I wanna join the koto club.

Page 28 & 29

*No text*

Page 30 & 31

*No text*

Page 32 & 33

*No text*

Page 34 & 35

*No text*

Page 36 & 37

*No text*

Page 38

Judge Tatsumi [thoughts]: Wait...

Judge Tatsumi[thoughts]: Wait a second.

Judge Tatsumi[thoughts]: This is--

Page 39

Tsukaji: The second solo...!

Page 40

*No text*

Page 41

*No text*

Page 42 & 43

*No text*

Page 44

Tsukaji[thoughts]: Don't cry yet!! It's still too soon!!

Tsukaji[thoughts]: We got the 1st years left!!

Tsukaji[thoughts]: Only the upperclassmen have played together up to this point, you don't want to add any unnecessary sounds to-

Page 45

*No text*

Page 46

*No text*

Page 47

*No text*

Page 48

Ousuke [thoughts]: He's tapping out the bass rythm...!?

Haru [thoughts]: So- so- so cooool----!!!!

Sentarou [thougthts]: His rythm sense is insane!!!

Page 49

Tougo [thoughts]: He's playing Yamada style, same as Kio.

Kio [thoughts]: But the strength of the sound is a bit overpowering-

Page 50 & 51

*No text*

Page 52 & 53

*No text*

Page 54 & 55

*No text*

Page 56

*No text*

Page 57

Judge Tatsumi: ----... What... is this?

Judge Kurokawa: How...

Judge Agata: Why...

Page 58

Judges [thoughts]: ...Is the level of every single member this high.!?

Page 59

*No text*

Page 60

Kifune-sensei: ...

Audience 2: Hey, I... have no idea about the koto but...

Audience 2: --Could it be that

Page 61

Audience: Tokise is... Amazing?

Side text: This is Tokise's sound!

---Kono Oto Tomare! will continue in the next issue!---

[ywpd-translations]

Ride 792: Witness

Pag 1

1: I told you before, too

2: I believed I'd get to see Mountain King's race!!

You're kidding!

It's a cheering message written with chalk on the road!!

You wrote this in a hurry?

3: Anytime now, they'll come here soon!

We can see Manami-kun running from the first day!

Amazing, a serious battle between those two...

4: “History” needs “someone who sees it”

Pag 2

1: “A witness of the history”!!

Pag 3

1: They passed the 2km left point and it seems that now the mountain stage is narrowed down to them two

It narrowed down!

They're coming!

I'm so excited!

2: It's quite a long wait

3: I was looking forward to it during last year's second day's mountain stage

4: And before that, during winter, I purposely organized a race between you two, but in the end it didn't count because of the snow

Pag 4

1: Right now Hakone Academy's Manami is ahead

Sohoku's Onoda is following

Manami

2: Four-eyes

3: You bet your whole soul for this climbing race

4: You finally did it

Congratulations

5: You really chose this mountain on the first day ad your fight's place, huh?

Pag 5

1: And I, Toudou Jinpachi, Mountain's God, will make sure to see it with my own eyes!!

Pag 6

1: After this curve, the wind's direction will change!!

Pag 7

1: The trees are becoming lower!!

5: Ah-

Pag 8

3: The wind's direction will chamge!?

After this!?

4: You noticed

But it's already

Pag 9

1: too late!!

Pag 10

1: Manami-kun did a full acceleration in curve!?

2: Sooooo

3: reeeee!!

4: Spread....

Pag 11

1: your wings to the maximum!!

Pag 12

1: Hakogaku's Manami did a super acceleration!!

The distance between him and Mountain King-

What a strange acceleration!!

What was that just now?

Did he ride the wind?

2: -is spreading!!

3: I saw a pair of huge wings on his back!

Pag 13

2: Me too

3: 1700m left!!

Mountain King noticed the timing of Manami's acceleration, but was too late and is being left behind

Mountain King, do your best!!

Pag 14

1: Amazing, Manami-kun

He read the right place to attack...!!

2: His back is becoming smaller

3: He got stronger since last year

4: And even since that time he came on the Minegayama!!

5: For an instant, when Manami-kun accelerated, I saw “wings”....

6: and they looked three times bigger!!

Pag 15

4: You're amazing

5: Manami-kun!!

Pag 16

2: Huh

Mountain King was.... smiling... !?

Pag 17

1: Hum hum hum ♪

I've prepared too

Hum hum hum ♪

2: The anime I highly recommend, “Love Hime”... this year started its third season!!

Hum hum huum ♪

3: Yes ♪

“Love Him third season” opening song

4: Mitarashi in the afternoon ♪ It's a common story ♪ The princess has kinako* and brown sugar syrup ♪

“Morning princess scramble”

*(NdT.: roasted soybean flour)

5: What's going on with Mountain King...

He's saying something... he's speaking to himself!?

He's humming a song!?

6: Somehow his pressure suddenly grew!!

7: We met a long time ago ♪ you extended your knees and looked up ♪

I listened carefully to it and watched the PV

Pag 18

1: Definitely rise!! Love Hime ♪

'Cause you're the princess ♪

And I memorized both the lyrics and the melody!!

Pag 19

1: Look at Mountain King... what's with that cadence...

2: While singing...

3: he accelerated and went!!

4: I'm breathing hard... my legs hurt... but

5: Manami-kun...!!

6: During the training camp on our first year

I couldn't catch up to you

Pag 20

1: I always feel like I'm chasing you like this

2: Your cool white bike

Your figure from behind, running so happy and confidently

3: I've always been fascinated by your attitude

4: So.... wa... it

I still want to catch up to you

Pag 21

1: Wait, Manami-kun!!

[vanderwoodlings]

how do you kill a feeling: a blair/dan playlist (x)

Tracklist and commentary under the cut:

This is also entirely country music, because, uh… I wanted to? And at least one person (hi Liz) seemed into the idea? Generally when it comes to GG, we skew more towards pop than anything else, so it was a fun experiment!

1. “Easy Silence,” The Chicks. And I come to find a refuge in the/Easy silence that you make for me/It’s okay when there’s nothing more to say to me

2. “Walkin’ After Midnight,” Patsy Cline. [dan voice] I’ve been walking around the city all night with one paralyzing, all-consuming thought

3. “Found It In You,” Tiera Kennedy. The confidence to know that I can be happy/Just ‘cause you tell me that you got me.

4. “Friends Don’t,” Maddie & Tae. [Insert obligatory aromantic disclaimer that Friends Do, Thanks, here.] That aside, this is just… so stupid best friends in pining denial dair-coded

5. “I Try to Think About Elvis,” Patty Loveless. When you’re ass backwards crushing on Blair Waldorf and you would like to not be, please

6. “Hey, Good Lookin’,” Hank Williams. This one was one that just clicked as a dair song at random somewhere—something about the I’m gonna throw my date book over the fence bit especially—and sparked this playlist into being

7. “Lay It On Me,” Mickey Guyton. I want the truth and all your lies/I want your perfectly imperfect

8. “I’ll Be,” Reba McEntire. And mayhaps Dan has a white knight complex. I’ll be the rock that will be strong for you/The one that will hold on to you

9. “Marigold,” Paisley Fields. Marigold, bold and bright/Marigold, through spring and summer/You brighten up my night, marigold

10. “After I Fall,” Lee Ann Womack. And mayhaps Blair is a bit traumatized. After I fall, where do I stand/After my heart is in your hands/And you’ve got it all

11. “cowboy take me away,” Brittney Spencer. This one is in the Vibe—because God knows neither of them want to get out of the city and get dirt on their hands—it’s more something wild and unruly

12. “I Can’t Help It (If I’m Still in Love with You),” Johnny Cash. Dan pining moments

13. “This Kiss,” Faith Hill. I always love story imagery with Blair, so of course we’ve got Cinderella said to Snow White/“How does love get so off course/Oh, all I wanted was a white knight/With a good heart/Soft touch, fast horse.”

14. “Wrecking Ball,” Emmylou Harris. This song’s got the narrator offering a first date if the other person is in, in spite of the lack of privacy she’s got/the things the other person might know, which is very Gossip Girl, but there’s also something about the Meet me at the wrecking ball (wrecking ball)/I’ll wear something pretty and white that feels very Blair

15. “Death Of Me,” Reyna Roberts. Took this barely beating heart and brought it back to life/But this love might be the death of me.

16. “Starting Over,” Chris Stapleton. Gotta give them something good. And, honey, for once in our life/Let’s take our chances and roll the dice

17. “Grow Old with Me,” Sunny Sweeney. They all said we’d never fit so well together/Grow old with me, I’ll keep you young forever

18. “Jolene,” Dolly Parton. I’ve used this as a Blair’s Serena complex song before, way back on the blairena playlist and uh… I was right ¯\_ (ツ)_/¯

19. “Milwaukee,” Wyatt Flores. Okay, yeah, wrong city, but—You can hate my eyes for watching you leave/You can hate my should have chased you down feet/…/Please don’t hate my heart

20. “What Brings Life Also Kills,” Kolton Moore & the Clever Few. Dear, I’m writing this for you/As I contemplate tomorrow/Why did it end so soon?

21. “Buddy,” Willie Nelson. S6 dangina hours!!!!

22. “Why’d You Come in Here Lookin’ Like That,” Dolly Parton. Exists in the theoretical Dan slut era of my dreams. He’s out slow dancing with every girl around/I’m a soft-hearted woman, he’s a hardheaded man/And he’s gonna make me feel just as bad as he can

23. “Foolin’ Ourselves,” Evan Honer. Welcome to the dairfair! We get a little chronologically blurry here for the sake of the Sound being right, but I trust y’all to follow along

24. “On the Other Hand,” Randy Travis. On one hand, I could stay and be your lovin’ man/But the reason I must go is on the other hand.

25. “Summertime,” Orville Peck. You and I/Bide our time/And I miss summertime

26. “Satin Sheets,” Tammy Wynette. If Serena gets “Jolene” (or even, sort of, the pseudo-honorable “On the Other Hand”), Chip gets this. Blair canonically sings Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man” about him (which really fucks me up), so I knew she had to be on here somewhere, but I wasn’t expecting something quite so suitable to jump right out. But your money can’t hold me tight/Like he does on a long, long night

27. “Your Someone,” May Erlewine. I thought that I was stronger/I willed myself to be/But love can be so tender/I feel a tenderness in me

28. “To June This Morning,” Ruston Kelly, Kacey Musgraves.

29. “Love is Alive,” The Judds. Love is a man and he’s mine/Love is alive/And at our breakfast table

30. “Love Is A Wild Thing,” Kacey Musgraves. There’s no way to stop it, so don’t try to

[a-star-that-burns-brightly]

Man sometimes I just think about how Haruka's newfound confidence had very, very little to do with his forgiven verdict.

MILGRAM Portal Timeline (2020/12/15, Kotoko's Birthday) Haruka: Um, Koto-Kotoko-san. I h-heard that it’s your birth, day…… Kotoko: Ah, that’s right. ……what about it? Haruka: !! A-ah, no, um, it’s, uh, nothing…… S-sorry for, bothering… L-later……! Kotoko: ......what was that about??

MILGRAM Portal Timeline (2021/4/19, Fuuta's Birthday) Haruka: U-uh, um, Futa-kun! Um! Um!! Fuuta: Huh? Shut up already… Didn’t I already say not to make a big fuss about my birthday. I’m not some kid who gets excited by stuff like that anymore! Haruka: ……?? Ah, er, i-is it your birthday……? Th-that, ah, um, h-happy birthday…… Fuuta: ………… You will tell nobody about this conversation.

Both of these conversations take place after Haruka's verdict was set-in-stone in September, and in both of them (mainly Kotoko's) he still shows an immense amount of nervousness and low self-confidence. You could say that he slightly improves in the Fuuta conversation, but Haruka has always liked him because he gives him attention, so I think it could be chalked up to him just feeling more comfortable around Fuuta

(x) Haruka: The ones who often talk to me are Yuno and Mahiru and, uh, Mikoto. Haruka: Also Fuuta. He's a little scary, but he pays attention to me. I sometimes speak to Muu as well.

However, things really start to take a turn for Haruka when...

MILGRAM Portal Timeline (2021/06/22, Haruka's Birthday) Muu: Haruka-kun, are you awake……? Happy birthday. Haruka: M-Mu-san? I… I-I’m awake…… Th-thank you, very much. I’m… glad…… Muu: ………… Shall we talk? You know, recently I’ve been pretty interested in you. Haruka: ……!! I-in me…? Hehe, hehehe…… interested, in me.

This timeline conversation marks the true beginning of Haruka and Muu's friendship to me. Even though they had talked before this point, this is where their relationship began to form, and also when Haruka really started to change.

MILGRAM Portal Timeline (2021/09/02, Yuno's Birthday) Haruka: Y-Yuno-san. Good morning! T-today’s your birthday, right……? Ha-happy birthday……!! Yuno: Oooh…… Thanks? You’ve definitely changed a bit huh, Haruka. You speak a little louder now, and actually look people in the eyes when you talk. Haruka: Eh, ah, i-is that so…… I wasn’t, aware of it myself, but…… Heh, hehe. Is that so. Yuno: Ding ding! My sensor is telling me…… this is probably a girl’s influence. Well, everyone here is slowly changing, I guess. Even me.

Haruka's change doesn't come from being told he's forgiven, it comes from being shown, for the first time in so long, what it's like to be loved and cared for by someone. And this love that Muu shows him is what makes him continue to improve himself, to the point where in his most recent interacts with the prisoners, he is not stuttering at all and speaking with much more conviction.

MILGRAM Portal Timeline (2023/12/15, Kotoko's birthday) Haruka: …Please be quiet about this. And you, please don't get involved. All I can do is ask this of you… Kotoko: Fufufu, fufufufufu. You're thinking some outrageous things. To be frank, it's abnormal. But I don't dislike it. If only all sinners were like you. Haruka: No… That's not it… I don't mean it that way… This isn't for me… it's to protect… so, Kotoko-san… please… Kotoko: Eh? Yes, yes. Well, I promise not to interfere with your plans. Even though I'd like to do it myself, I'll leave it to you. What happens after that… depends on Es, doesn't it?

Comparing this to the first timeline I shared in this post, it's so clear to me that Haruka's confidence was not motivated by the verdict, at least not as much, but was instead motivated by the love that Muu showed him. And I think that's very important for two reasons 1) It highlights how truly unhelpful the Milgram prison system is even towards the ones it chooses to forgive, because Milgram as an institution disavows rehabilitation 2) Even though this system continues to fail in helping these prisoners with what they really need, which is a chance to improve, that chance can still be offered by the ones they grow close to as exemplified by Haruka here (and though not the point of this post, Fuuta and Amane are also a good example of this). And that is so damn important to me

[thalialunacy]

[a wee character sketch interlude for the @calaisreno May Prompt Party]

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15) (16) (17) (18) (19) (20) (21) (22) (23) (24) (25) 26: manipulate (27) (28) (29) (30) (31)

-440-

Orchestras always tune to ‘A’ on the oboe, because every string instrument has an ‘A’ string. Oboes can play sharp or flat, just like any other instrument, but modernly every oboist uses a little electronic meter to ensure that their ‘A’ is exactly right.

As a child, his violin instructor had made him start every lesson by vocalising A4 out of thin air. Or, at least, attempting to do so; Sherlock has always had excellent intonation, but perfect pitch -- the ability to name the frequency of sounds one hears and vice versa -- is not on his resume.

So the exercise always felt fruitless, and aggravatingly so, because of course he never actually got the correct pitch. Close, and closer with time, but never close enough.

Years later, watching a tiny human named Rosamund drag herself to her feet just to fall back down time and time again, it finally occurs to him: That was the point.

-415-

Baroque: relating to or denoting a style of European architecture, music, and art of the 17th and 18th centuries that is characterised by ornate detail.

He finds himself in a tiny overcrowded music hall watching a small early music ensemble (3 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello, 1 contrabass, 1 recorder, 2 bassoons, 1 trumpet, 1 harpsichord, and 1 very murderous theorbo player) and it takes him far too long to realise why he's uncomfortable. Why there is a little twitch below his left eye.

They are actually using a historically accurate tuning.

Sherlock blinks, feeling around his jaw to see if it could be something else, but no, a part of his overly-trained brain rebels against all the sounds being pitched slightly lower than modern sensibilities. It's like a phantom toothache.

It's like before, when Sherlock would glance up from his microscope and observe John feeling poorly. In those days, Sherlock had nothing to offer, really, so he'd just had to let John's unhappiness bury itself under his skin as something else to ignore.

Now, though. Now he can do something about it.

-432-

Some theorists and musicians claim that the 432 Hz tuning has better effects on the human body, but there are no scientific studies that support the hypothesis.

He brings an exhausted John a late night (and therefor unattractively decaf) cup of tea. 'What happened?' he asks quietly, settling in across from him.

John shakes his head vaguely. 'I couldn't… I couldn't convince a mother to respect her child's pronouns.' He coughs. 'I am an old man who is shit at not stumbling over such things, but… She wouldn't even try.'

He meets Sherlock's eyes over the rim of his mug. 'Please remind me of this when Rosie is a teenager and I want to throttle her for reinventing herself every two days.'

Sherlock pauses, then sets his tea down and leans in until he can palm the soft pyjama fabric covering John's knee. It's a small gesture, but it works-- the creases in John's brow lose a little of their severity. 'I have no doubt she'll try our patience and sanity severely. But, John… You are already a far better parent than yours were.'

John stares at him and breathes out heavily. 'Fuck.' His free hand comes down on top of Sherlock's, absently palpating his knuckles one by one. 'But you can't-- There's not exactly scientific evidence, is there, to support that.' 

Sherlock clears his throat. 'Yes, well. I'm confident there will be.' 

John's lips twitch. 'Sherlock Holmes, are you saying you have faith in something?' 

Sherlock tuts, then decides he doesn't care about propriety in this moment. He moves until he's kneeling before John, holding his face in his hands and focusing on the tiny freckle under John's left eyebrow, knowing John will understand.

'Yes,' he says simply. 'Just one thing.' And then he leans in. 

[❤️]

[music to which this was written: Britten's Violin Concerto, Op 15, which I'm certain Sherlock would hate, but he's wrong]

[whumped-by-glitter]

WOW's Birthday Event Day 3: Crying / Parting Words Regret / “Why…"

⚠️ No CWs today I don't think. Also, I ran out of generic names..... sooo, Claudio 🤣

Day 2 Here < > Day 4 here

Youngest team member took the video harder than Leader expected. He had been prepared for Caretaker’s reaction, but not Youngest’s. Holding the sobbing youngest in their arms right now made Leader realize just how young they were, how innocent.

It was an easy fact to forget sometimes, despite their childish antics. Youngest would fight fiercely right along side the rest of them. Their superhuman speed was an asset to their team, as was their optimism and quick wit. However, seeing them now reminded him they were still just a child underneath everything.

Youngest finally pulled away from Leader after some time of crying. Their eyes were glassy from tears, but brighter.

“I’m going to rescue Whumpee,” the 19-year-old announced resolutely.

“You absolutely will not!” Leader exclaimed. “I miss them too, but we cannot risk going in ill prepared. This man is a cartel arms dealer.” Youngest was naive and reckless for even suggesting it.

“So, what? You’ll just abandon Whumpee? Let them die?” Youngest argued, incredulous at Leader’s hesitation.

“That is not what I’m saying and you know it!” Leader growled, anger stirring at the boy’s accusation. The guilt was eating him alive as is.

“Then why?! Why won’t you let me go?! I’m fast, I can be in and out!” Youngest was confident they could do it.

“you were there that day, Youngest! Breaking into that place was a failure for all of us combined! Don’t be an idiot!” Leader yelled, “I forbid you from going and that’s final!” Leader was starting to lose their temper. Youngest was reckless, naive and he could now add overconfident to the list too.

Youngest shook their head “I refuse to follow your orders this time Leader. I can’t, I won’t.”

“If you leave and something happens to you, I will not waste the manpower to come after you!” Leader practically screamed, finally snapping. He instantly regretted the words as they left his mouth. The pressure of the failed mission, now Whumpee, was too much.

“It’s your fault Whumpee is gone in the first place!” Youngest bit back before storming out. Leaving Leader sitting alone in silence and guilt.

---

Youngest stormed to their room and started packing their mission bag. They would rescue whumpee with or without Leaders blessing, thy resolved in their head.

Once packed Youngest snuck out of the window and into the inky night. From there they started sprinting, if Youngest calculated it correctly they would be at Whumpee’s last known location by morning.

---

Leader sat alone, stunned, Youngest’s words felt like a sharp slap in the face. It was his fault, he was supposed to look after Whumpee. In hindsight whumpee shouldn’t have even been on that mission, their powers had not come in fully yet. Leader had been too obsessed with throwing everything into taking out the weapons dealer, Claudio, he ignored the fact that Whumpee should have been benched to easier missions to awaken their abilities.

Quiet tears fell down Leader’s face. He thought about the letter and the flash drive. Now that he was past the shock he could fully process the events of that morning.

Something did not add up. That, what they had just seen, was not Claudio’s style. The man was ruthless, sadistic, and cruel, but that, that back there, that was deranged. As he turned it over in his head more Leader came to the slow horrible realization, Claudio did not have Whumpee, someone else did…..

---

Youngest made it to the edge of Claudio’s compound by morning, as they had predicted. They proceeded to sneak around the fence, trying to stay out view of cameras, trying to find a way in. Finally the found a gap under the tarpped, barbed wire topped chain-link fence that looked big enough to squeeze their wiry frame through.

Youngest scanned the area one more time to check for cameras. When they were certain it was clear they put on all the gear they thought they would need. They elected to leave their bulky mission bag hidden for later retrieval. With another glance around they began to push their way under the fence.

The 19-year-old just pushed their arms through when they felt cold metal snap around their left wrist. They tried to immediately pull back, but was too late. Whoever was on the other side grabbed them and pulled them the rest of the way through. In the process a of Youngest being dragged under the fence a hood was put on over their head as soon as it was on the other side.

Once through Youngest’s arms were wrenched behind their back and the other cuff snapped onto their right wrist. They could also feel shackles being placed on their ankles, preventing them from running.

In the moment Youngest should have felt panic and terror, but strangely, all they could feel is immense regret. They replayed their final words to Leader, they were awful. Now exactly what Leader warned them would happen, happened.

‘Why had I been so stupid? Why hadn’t I listened?’ the thought played in Youngest’s head like a broken record. Then it hit them like a punch to the gut, ‘will the team even come rescue me?’ Leader’s words rang through their head, louder than a gunshot.

---

Leader decided to check on Youngest that morning. He felt bad about the things he had said, and wanted to make sure the boy was okay. He knew that Youngest likely didn’t mean the things they said either. They were all just highly emotional and stressed over Whumpee.

He knocked on Youngest’s door, there was no answer. Leader knocked again, louder, there was still no answer. Panic grew in Leaders chest and he began to pound.

“Youngest!” he boomed out, the name tearing out of his chest. “Youngest!” When there was still no answer, his gut twisted.

Leader busted the door. As he was terrified that he would discover, Youngest was gone. Leader Collapsed to the floor, his trademark stoicism, completely gone.

“Not you too! No! Why?” He cried out loud.

Leader sobbed, washed with regret and guilt.

@whumperofworlds

Event Prompts Here

My Event Masterlist

[sinner-sunflower]

P.2 HH Lucifer-centric AU 8/?

STORY 1, PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5, PART 6, PART 7, PART 9, PART 10, PART 11, PART 12, PART 13, PART 14, PART 14.5, PART 15, PART 16, PART 17, PART 18, PART 19, PART 20, PART 21, PART 22, PART 23, PART 24, PART 25, PART 26

-----------------------------------------------

When Keekee suddenly showed up at the hotel without her dad, Charlie had a slight moment of panic. Thoughts of 'oh my god, did they kill him?', 'is he locked up in Heaven???', 'I knew I or someone should've went with him', and 'please don't be dead dad!' went through her head.

Thankfully the cat familiar took pity on her and relayed her master's message and whereabouts. It didn't really stop Charlie from worrying but it eased her just a little bit to know that her dad is safe back home.

Charlie: I should go to him, right? To make sure he's really fine?

Angel: Toots, I think short king just needs a little time to himself. Just cos he said you can go doesn't really mean you have to go now.

Vaggie: I hate to say it but I think Angel is kinda right, surprisingly.

Angel: Oh fuck ya! I can give sound advices too, yaknow.

A chuckle from Cherri Bomb is what started a whole roasting session that they will surely laugh about later.

Cherri Bomb: Pfft, sure.

Angel: I do!

Husk can't help but join in on the teasing too.

Husk: Angel, just give up. You're gonna give that Fizzarolli guy a run for his money telling those jokes.

Angel: Gasp! Huskie, you too?! Betrayed by my own boyfriend.

Husk: I'm not your boyfriend!

The blush on the bartender's face could rival Alastor's outfit's shade of red. It became redder when Nifty let out a sinister-like gremlin laugh that no one in the hotel would like to hear if they can help it.

Nifty: Hehehehe. Not yet~

Angel: Husk, baby, have you been talking to others about your feelings fo' wittle old meeee?

Husk: No!

They continue to bicker and Charlie can't help but look at them with adoration. All of them have come so far and she can confidently say that they have evolved into somewhat of a family unit. A bit dysfunctional but she won't have it any other way.

Vaggie: Why don't you let the man sleep for a bit.

Charlie: I just worry, Vaggie..

The soft look her girlfriend gave her would've melted Charlie into a lovesick puddle if she wasn't so preoccupied with her dad.

Vaggie: I know, babe.

Alastor: I do have to agree with them, dear.

The ex-exorcist yelped in surprise at Alastor's sudden presence beside them while Charlie had grown accustomed to the man's nasty habit of sneaking up on people. Maybe she should invest a bell for him. Hmm... She wonders if her dad can make Al wear one.

Vaggie: Jesus, Alastor!

Charlie: You too, Al?

Alastor: Why don't you join us for a meal first, hm? That should give your father enough time to rest. I seem to remember that it was your turn to set the table, isn't that right, Vagatha?

Vaggie grumbles something in Spanish that Charlie is sure is a curse word but doesn't argue anymore.

Vaggie: Everyone, dining hall. Now!

And just like that, everyone stopped talking and went straight to the kitchen, leaving just Keekee, Charlie, and Alastor in the lobby.

Charlie absentmindedly pets Keekee who climbed up in her arms while looking at her family fondly. She takes notice of Alastor next to her sporting the same look as hers.

She's glad that he's opening up bit by bit. She wonders if her dad had anything to do with that or if Alastor just learned to trust on his own.

Speaking of Al and her dad. That's a can of worms that she was, at first, afraid to open. She's happy for her dad, don't get her wrong, but there's still days where she misses her mom. Sometimes, if she's in a really bad place, she imagines her mom coming back and all three of them living happily ever after again.

With Alastor in the picture, she became a bit afraid. Of being replaced as the most important person in her dad's life or how her once dream happily ever after will never be reality, she doesn't know.

But seeing Alastor's genuinely care for her dad; never leaving his bedside after the Roo debacle, leaving Marigold's everywhere (how romantic is that, Vaggie!), and providing solace for her dad that she knows she can't always give. Those actions told her that maybe despite not getting her original happy ever after with her mom and dad, she can always dream of a new one.

There's something different about Alastor right now, though. He looks more stiff than usual but sagging at the same time. It could be also be worry but Charlie thinks she knows Alastor enough to tell that he's irritated. And he's definitely leaning into his cane more.

Alastor, probably feeling her stare, sighs.

Alastor: What is it, my dear?

Charlie at least had the decency to be flustered for staring.

Charlie: Sorry, Al. But um... are you okay?

Alastor: Whatever do you mean?

Charlie: It's just- you look, I don't know, irritated? Or like annoyed? I know I sound hypocritical but dad's gonna be alright.

Alastor: I appreciate the sentiment, Charlie, but I have full faith in your father. He is not the source of my... mood. Not directly, anyway.

He accidentally said the last part instead of just thinking about it but thankfully it was quiet enough that Charlie didn't caught it.

His answer just made Charlie more confused. Tilting her head, she looks at the radio demon quizzically.

Charlie: So you are in a mood?

Alastor: Nothing for you to be worried about, my dear! It might just be my cravings.

Charlie: For... human flesh?

He gives her one of his more sinister grins, the one she's seen when he's hungry for blood (and not the cannibal kind). He's just being silly, she thinks to herself. She made a note to ask her dad about partner choices later.

Alastor: Fried fish.

And with that, Alastor disappears into the kitchen. Keekee purrs in Charlie's hold as her eyes trail the retreating shadow.

Charlie: What a creepy guy, huh.

Her pet only meows in response.

-----------------------------------------------

This wasn't how this chapter was supposed to end but I decided to cut it in half anyway.

Tomorrow is some meal moments and Charlie going to see her dad.

Don't worry, we'll get back to Luci in a bit!

[takeariskao3]

So, full disclosure

chapter 16 of the path from you has been hanging over my head for months and i think most of you have guessed why... for those who haven't or who are curious to know more about why it's taking so long, i've decided to be pretty open and candid below the cut. there aren't any outright spoilers but more just an explanation about the process i've been going back and forth on since.... february ?? (ffs)

this isn't directly in response to that anon from last night but they did make a valid point that i have been promising an update and failing to deliver so, if you're wondering why, keep reading

i very much realize that this is my hobby, and i do it for fun, and i don't owe anyone an explanation but i still feel like i can give one anyway. most of you have probably guessed that the next 3-4 chapters of the path from you are harry and ginny reaching their boiling points and finally having it out (in more ways than one)

my problem has been that i have a very specific order of events in my head about how it should all unfold but everytime i sit down to write, harry and ginny jump ahead three chapters and start ruining all my plans. i think they, and i, are ready for some conversations to start happening, however, if they break one wall, then they all come crashing down and to be honest, i'm a little bit attached to what i've already written in 17-18-19 to truly be able to blow it all up again.

now, with that being said, i also think i've gotten to the point where i know it's time for some reconciliation. unfortunately, my ego/pride/self-confidence is getting in the way a little bit because, in my opinion, a well-executed emotional payoff separates a good writer from a great one, and in the spirit of full honesty, i want to be great.

this version of harry and ginny, and all of you who have stuck with me for this long, have earned a damn good moment and i really *really* want it to be the best possible unfolding of events it can be. full of heart and vulnerability and passion.

the people that i talk to almost everyday about this fic (@narukoibito, @fairsquare16, @corneliaavenue-ao3, @herblazinglook, @ginwhisky, @brightlybound, & @valfromcall) can tell you that i have been laboring and struggling and agonizing over this chapter for months. this is not something i take lightly and this fic means a whole lot to me in a lot of really personal ways, so i have been taking a massive amount of time getting us to where we are because i want to get it right. i want harry and ginny's reasons for ending up where they are to feel honest and i want their resolution to feel cathartic. and maybe this is where i'm crippling myself, by trying to make it perfect, but dammit HARRY AND GINNY DESERVE PERFECT

thank you to everyone who reached out last night and over the past few weeks with love and encouragement and support. you guys mean more to me than you will ever know. any good vibes you can throw my way while i write tonight would be much appreciated. chapter 16 is close. i had a revelation a couple nights ago about why i kept getting stuck so hopefully this newfound direction will finally get us to the finish line.

i guess i'll end by saying this, if ever you are curious about what i'm working on or what's coming up next or why an update is taking so long, just ask. i am an open book. i swear i'm not intentionally holding out on you. and if i promise an update and come back a few days later saying its not ready yet, please remember that i am trying to put out the best possible version of my stories and i am just as disappointed as you are that i'm not updating.

as always, thanks for reading and for allowing me the space to create this version of h/g's love story.

[nativestarwrites]

Tagged by the lovely @jamietarttsnorthernattitude thank you!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

106

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

258,188

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Ted Lasso and Macgyver. I've dabbed in a couple others.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Unwritten Rules (Merlin) Running Through Emotions (Ted Lasso) Unexpendable (Endeavour) Side by Side (Ted Lasso) The Unknown Variable (Macgyver)

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

Yes, I do try to, it might be somewhat delayed but eventually I do respond! I like to say thanks for taking the time to leave what are often very lovely comments and sometimes chat about canon or plot points.

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

That's a tricky one, most of my fics end on a positive note, even if everything is not okay, there's hope that it will be eventually. A lot of my fics are full of angst though, it just gets resolved by the end.

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

Living Death? This might be because someone left a new comment on this old fic last week, but it does end with Mac and Jack taking the GTO out for a joy ride and I don't think you get much happier than that!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

No, I've had the occasional odd comment that I can't figure out but no one has really been hateful.

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

No, I'm ace, it doesn't really interest me.

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

Not really. I have one tiny fic that is a crossover between Merlin and Macgyver though.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yes, I've had a fic posted to Wattpad without my knowledge. They did acknowledge that it wasn't theirs and was written by me. But it's still theft.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No.

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

Not yet.

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

USS Voyager NCC-74656

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

I don't want to say never to anything but I've been saying I'll finish my Garden Fic for years and it's still not done.... :(

16. What are your writing strengths?

Bringing the angst! I like to think I'm fairly good at puzzling out plot problems and coming up with creative solutions. I generally get characters voices pretty good too.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I could definitely do with getting tighter on my grammar! There's loads more I want to learn about being a writer and I'm far from perfect. I want to try out and learn from different genres, build my plot structure skills and develop my writing tools. And of course I have a bunch of bad habits. (I do like to start too many sentences with 'And...')

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

I don't think I've ever done this but I'm not opposed to it, but I'd want to do it very carefully and be very confident in the translation!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Pretty sure it was SPN in 2007...

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

How can I choose between them?! It might be When Darkness Falls, I'm having so much fun with this, I've been working on it for a long while now and I'm still not bored, I'm so excited to show everyone the rest of the story and what happens! It's my longest fic by a significant margin and in it I can see all the fics that came before, the ones that built my writing skills to be able to write it, so I'm also fond of it for that reason.

I don't know who's already done this, feel free to ignore but I'm going to try tagging @rosieblogstuff @abubblingcandle @thirteenemeraldcats

[saras-devotionals]

Quiet Time 4/4

What am I feeling today?

Pretty relaxed and feeling good. I prayed some more than I normally do and it was refreshing. Today will be a good day I think and I can’t wait to get started!

Luke 18 NIV

(v. 1) “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”

Just this line encouraged me to pray first before I continued reading🙏🏼 a really good reminder that we should never give up in our prayer life, God always wants us to talk to Him.

(v. 7-8) “And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?””

Basically, if we continually come to God with everything, He’ll bring us justice, He’ll work for us because we’re relying on Him. But we need to fully submit in all areas of our life.

(v. 9-14) “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.””

I never understood having that high and mighty mindset. We all fall short and we all sin. There’s nothing that is worse than the other, they all disgust and hurt God so we must repent of everything and be humble before Him, asking for mercy.

(v. 15-17) “People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.””

It’s sweet that he cared for the children and I think this is something that reflects on someone’s character. How willing are you to care for children? I think it says a lot! Also, that excitement and wonder we have as children is something we need to maintain while in the kingdom!

(v. 19) ““Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.”

This right here!! I can call other people good or even myself but truth is, none of us are actually good.

(v. 24-25) “Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.””

Basically, money can’t be an idol or master of your life. Of course you need money in order to survive but you don’t need to be rich. Getting money shouldn’t be your motivation. There’s no point of building up wealth here on earth.

(v. 29-30) ““Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.””

Basically, when the time comes, we will be blessed for having given up everything for the sake of the kingdom🤗

[ywpd-translations]

Ride 723: A brillian finish!!

Pag 1

1: In a race they can't lose....

3: they declared “complete victory”!!

Pag 2

1: Keep up as much as you can, please

2: And watch from behind

3: Sohoku's complete vctory

Pag 3

1: Sohoku jumped ahead!!

It's foru people!! They're chasing!!

Don't let them get away!!

What's with that acceleration!! Dammit!

Pag 4

1: Sohoku is making their move now!!

3: Now

4: Don't get shaken off, first years!!

Pag 5

2: We'll catch the lead!!

Yessir!!

Yessir, teh!!

Pag 6

2: Rokudai!!

It's gonna be a “complete victory”....!!

3: Yeah!! Kinaka-kun

It's hard... and painful, but

4: Can you do it, Rokudai!? After all you worked so hard on the mountain

Yeah.... but, I.....

5: I want to see it too, teh!!

Pag 7

1: This overwhelming finish line!!

Then let's go!!

2: Yeah!!

Pag 8

2: They're here!!

They're finally here!!

3: I finished the mountains, and cleared the tight downhill, and now I'm back on the coastland!!

4: Only a little more until the finish line!!

5: Kamo High!!

The local Kamo High!

Do your best!!

And the cheers for me won't stop!!

Pag 9

1: Kamo High, keep it up!! Come on!!

Show us our hometown's pride!!

Do your best, pedal!!

Don't give up!!

My confidence in victory makes everyone raise their voices!!

2: Uh? There was one cheer that was weird

Oi oi, “don't give up” it's wrong

3: Because it's not like

4: I'm being chased by someone and I'm about to ….

5: lose!?

6: Ahh, no!! No!!

My dream!! My hope!!

My vision!!

7: I'm running ahead alone, I jumped ahead at the best of timings

I'm the man who'll win this quaolifiers and go to the Inter High, without letting anyone get close

Pag 10

1: It's important, so I'll say it a second time!! I'm the man who'll go to the Inter High!!

3: I don't see ….. I don't see anyone!!

4: No yellow jerseys!!

7: I don't see them....!

Pag 11

1: Sohoku High School!!

Pag 13

1: Even Naruko is here!!

2: D.... dammit, the bottles!! H.... how!!

3: They were delivered to us!!

By the first years!! They worked hard!!

5: Still!! You got me!! But I'm the third of the Honda siblings, Honda Ryouzou

6: And truth is that I'm especially confident on flat roads.....

Pag 14

1: Waaa- they passed me so easily....!!

See ya!! Honda from Kamo High!! The timing for your attack was perfect!!

2: My dream.....

3: We passed him....  the guy from Kamo High who was in the lead- and so easily!!

Yeah, Kinaka-kun!!

4: The Inter High qualifiers..... for Chiba prefecture

There are.... 3km left.....

Pag 15

1: The five people from Sohoku are inthe lead now!! Amazing!!

2: Wh- what aazing cheering, teh

Yeah, Rokudai

3: The Inter High is kinda like this

Na-Naruko-san!!

4: Pfui

5: And this guy turns those voices into strength, like an idiot

I- I- I- Imaizumi-san!!

Idiot is too much – Hot-hey-shot , you should say “he receives everyone's support and gets a power-up”

What's that “Hot-hey-shot”

A new nickname- nice, isn't it

Pag 16

1: Now starts the real race

2: Yeah

3: Uh- huh!?

Ra... race!? Teh

4: Uh!? Huh!?

But we passed the Kamo High guy earlier, we should be at the top....

5: There are no more opponents, teh!!

So

Yeah, you're right, so next

6: We'll see “who's going to take the finish line first”!!

Yeah!!

Pag 17

1: Huuuh!?

But.... but I heard that road racing was a team sport, teh!?

Woah, a race between those two!?

2: But there are also individual matches!?

Where do we start?

From that sign

3: Oi, Rokudai, look! You rarely see this!!

Huh

4: In basket, fighting your own teammates during a match is....

5: Look closely

6: Se-se-se- senpai!!

7: Winning a road race is a special thing

8: and especially for those two!!

9: “Special”....!?

Pag 18

1: Kakaka, I'll win for sure!!

No way I'll let you!

2: Their bikes go so quickly, with a vigour and a speed I've never seen before!!

3: You were too eager on the mountain and you're already exhausted, you should just step back

The entered the final sprint!

You too, you ran away on your own so you mst be tired, just stop pedaling!!

4: It's Sohoku vs Sohoku!!

Oruaaaagh

Uaaaaagh

5: Waaaaaa

Pag 19

1: The winner of the Inter High qualifiers for the Chiba Prefecture is Sohoku's number 103

Pag 20

1: Naruko Shoukichi.....!!

2: Yeeeah!!

Yees.....!! Kakaka

4: Surprisingly, he attacked first, escaped, and then won!!

Kakaka...!! The birth of a legend...!!

Your expression is so annoying

Pag 21

4: You were both incredible!

5: Waaa it was so cool!

6: This is road racing, this is the finish line....

Amazing

This is Sohoku!!

Pag 22

1: It's overwhelming!!

2: Chiba Prefecture's representative in the Inter High has been decided

It's Sohoku High School!!

[puckinghischier]

400 follower celebration!!

i’m absolutely floored that in the short amount of time i’ve been writing on here that somehow there’s 400 of you that enjoy what i write enough to follow me and keep coming back for more.

i didn’t do any celebrations for any other milestones because i wasn’t confident enough to commit to it at the time, but i know the only way to truly get over my fear of being a bad writer is to keep writing.

so, with that being said, i’m going to put this out there. if you want to, if you don’t want to, it’s up to you, but i’d absolutely love if you guys sent me requests for the prompts you want to read!!

if you want to send in a request, just send me the number and the person you want me to write it for!

as i get requests, i will be marking out the numbers that have already been requested, in order to avoid duplicates

i currently write for:

- Nico Hischier

- Luke Hughes

- Jack Hughes

the only other player i would consider writing for is Quinn, but i’ve never written for him before, just given him a few cameos in other fics. if you really just want a Quinn fic i’ll consider it and try, but no promises.

i just don’t feel like i have enough knowledge yet of other players and their personalities off the ice to commit to writing a fic about them.

i grabbed these from another blog, but I cannot find the post again for the life of me, so credit to whoever originally posted these. if i find the page i'll tag them here later

Angst/Emotional:

1. “All I’ve ever wanted is for you to see me.”

2. “Just please open your eyes.”

3. “Wake up. You have to wake up. Please. For me.”

4. “Just please, don’t leave me.”

5. “Why does everyone always leave?”

6. “It hurts so much. Why does it hurt so much? I just want it to stop.”

7. “Forget it. Just like you forget everything else.”

8. “I never ask for help because I’m not sure I know how.”

9. “It’s alright to feel broken every once and a while. And it’s alright to take time to heal.”

10. “What is it about me that isn’t good enough?”

11. “I wish I was brave.”

12. “You almost died and you’re making jokes?”

13. “I’m scared.”

14. “I don’t miss you. I miss us.”

15. “I can’t lose you.” “You already did.”

16. ‘“You weren’t there…why weren’t you there? I needed you! I needed you! And you weren’t there!”

17. “All I wanted was a happy ending.”

18. “You don’t have to hide your tears from me.”

19. “I’m not leaving you here.”

20. “You left without saying goodbye.”

21. “For once in your life, do what you want! Be selfish!”

22. “Being strong doesn’t mean never asking for help or admitting you’re in pain.”

23. “You said you wouldn’t leave, and then you did.”

24. “This is the third time you’ve broken a promise to me, I’m starting to think you are doing it on purpose.”

25. “Whatever you do, do not make a sound.”

Fluff/Romantic:

26. “I just cant see myself ever living without you.”

27. “If there was ever anybody meant for me, it’s you.”

28. “The closest thing to love at first sight I’ve ever experienced happened when I first laid eyes on you.”

29. “I didn’t believe in soulmates until I met you.”

30. “Did you just tell the person I was gonna go out with that we’re dating?”

31. “You owe me a kiss.”

32. “Go with me?” “Only if you hold my hand.”

33. “I’d feel much better if you’d let me walk you home.”

34. “If I asked you to stay, would you?”

35. “You make me feel alive. For the first time ever, I feel like I can breathe.”

36. “I’ve never felt this way before, and truthfully it scares me. But, the idea of never trying scares me even more.”

37. “You’re telling me you believe in love at first sight?” “I’m starting to.”

38. “I promised to love you forever, and that is a promise I intend to keep.”

39. “Is that my shirt?” “You mean our shirt?”

40. “You give me a reason to be better, to do better.”

41. "All I’ve ever wanted was a place to belong. Somewhere I could call home. And you gave me that. Because you are my home.”

42. “They don’t compare to you. No one does.”

43. “I thought I had the worst luck, until I met you.”

44. “I could see the worst parts of you and still think you are the most beautiful person I’ve met.”

45. “I think I’m in love with you.”

46. “You brought me breakfast?” “Well you said you always forget to eat before you go to work, so I thought I’d make sure you ate something.”

47. “Everything feels right when you are with me.”

48. “I don’t care what others say, I want to be with you and that’s all that matters to me.”

49. “You bought me flowers?” “Yeah, well I noticed you’d seemed kinda down, so I wanted to cheer you up.”

50. “I’ll be damned if anyone makes you feel like you aren’t worthy of being loved.”

51. “I wasn’t sure what love really felt like until I met you.”

52. “You owe me.” “I owe you $20 not a day of pretending to be your partner to get your parents off your back.”

53. “I can braid your hair for you- I mean, only if you want.”

54. “Maybe if you stopped staring at them and actually talked to them, you might have a chance.”

55. “You said you wouldn’t fall in love with me.” “I lied.”

56. “I want you. All of you, and not just halfheartedly, but wholly. And maybe that’s selfish, but I don’t care.”

57. “Can you stay? Just for tonight, please. I don’t want to be alone with my thoughts.” “'l’ll stay for as long as you need.”

58. “You are my family.”

59. “We’ve been by each other’s sides for years, you think I’m gonna leave now?”

60. “Take my jacket, I don’t want you catching a cold.”

61. “I’d wait a thousand lifetimes for you, because you are worth waiting for. So when you are ready. I’ll be right here.”

62. “I will never stop fighting for you. I will never stop protecting you.”

63. “I can’t stop thinking about you. No matter how hard I try, you’re always on my mind”

64. “Don’t go on that date.” “Why?” “You know why.” “Say it.”

65. “Can I kiss you?”

66. “I can’t remember the last time I laughed like this.”

67. “How long have you had this planned?” “Since the moment I fell in love with you.”

68. “You came all the way here for me?”

69. “Why are you staring at me?” “Because I think you’re beautiful.”

70. “I think I’m falling in love with you.” “I think I’m okay with that.”

71. “What are you doing here?” “I wanted to see if you were okay.”

72. “The world gets a little brighter when you’re around.”

Miscellaneous:

73. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone screw something up that fast before.”

74. “I’ve never told you that before.”

75. “You come here often?” “Well, I work here. So I think I’d have to say ‘yes’.”

76. “I’m too sober for this.” “You don’t even drink.” “Maybe I should start.”

77. “You couldn’t handle me even if i came with instructions.”

78. “Wake me up when it’s over.”

79. "Abort mission, I repeat abort mission.” “What? Abort what mission? All you were doing was introducing yourself to your neighbor?” “Yeah, and they’re too attractive. I can never speak to them again.”

80. “At least I kept my promise.”

81. “I saw you looking at it last time we were in the store together, so I got it for you.”

82. “…Did you just sniff me?”

83. “Of course I noticed, I notice everything about you.”

84. “Are you alright?” “Yeah, why?” “You look mad.” “That’s just my face…”

85. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

86. “You don’t actually have to like me, you just need to pretend you do.”

87. “Since when did you open a bakery in your house?” “Since I got bored.”

88. “You’re bleeding.” “No shit.”

89. “For the most part, I am, in fact, an idiot. But I fully admit to it, which should count for something.”

90. “Stop grumbling and just tell me where your medicine cabinet is.”

91. “Close your eyes and hold out your hand.”

92. “I hate that I let you convince me to do this”

93. “We really need to stop meeting like this. "Then stop breaking into my house!”

94. “Why are you creeping outside my bedroom window?!” “I thought it would be romantic if I climbed up here.” “You gave me a heart-attack!”

95. “What are you doing here?” “I got locked out of my house.” “Again?”

96. “Run.”

97. “I can’t stand you!” “Then sit down.”

98. “Where are we going?” “It’s a surprise.” “I hope the surprise involves food.”

99. “You wont regret it!” “Already am.”

100. “I am nothing if not consistent.” “Yeah, a consistent pain in my ass.”

101. “What happened?” “Do you want the long version or the short version?” “Uh, short?” “I made a mistake.” “Okay, long version.” “I made a very very big mistake.”

102. “What happened to your hand?” “I hit my hand on something.” “On what?” “Your ex’s face.”

103. “I heard that!” “You were supposed to!”

104. “I’ve been thinking-” “Uh-oh”

105. “If I survive this, I’m killing you.”

Scenario Prompts:

*For prompts with Characters A and B; you can choose who is who in your request (who is reader and/or character)

106. Huddled together to keep warm.

107. Fall asleep in same bed, on opposite sides, wake up in each others arms.

108. Character A comes to talk to Character B, pretending to be B’s s/o when a stranger is making B uncomfortable. Leads to them asking B out on an actual date.

109. Continuously running into one another for days after having a meet cute.

110. Hands brush as you stand next to each other, you think it’s on accident until their hands gentle wrap around yours.

111. Shielding the other with their body to save/protect them.

112. Caught staring too many times for it to be a coincidence.

113. Size difference hug; they engulf you.

114. You refuse to leave so they pick you up and throw you over their shoulder.

115. Character A can tell Character B is getting nervous in a big crowd, so A slips their hand into theirs to help them calm down.

116. Character A teaching B to ice skate/roller skate.

117. B taking care of A when they are sick.

118. Holding hands underneath the table.

119. Bandaging the other and then kissing the injury gently.

120. A surprises B with a picnic.

121. Getting stuck at the top of the Ferris Wheel.

122. B sitting/standing behind A and leaning into them as they show/teach them how to do something.

123. As you begin to fall asleep, you feel a gentle kiss pressed to your temple and a blanket draped over you.

124. B comforting A as they wake up from a nightmare.

125. A realizing that they have feelings for B when they see them with someone else.

126. B bringing A hand-picked flowers.

127. Thinking you are alone in the house but you hear a noise upstairs.

128. B buys A’s dream house and surprises them.

129. Sharing an umbrella.

130. Walking together and it starts to rain, so they grab your hand and you start running until you can find somewhere to escape getting wet.

131. Fake date to a wedding; leads to confession.

132. A game of 20 questions that ends with “Can I kiss you?”

133. There’s a big storm going on outside while A is at B’s house, so B insists they sleep over.

134. A hears that B got hurt and rushes over in a panic to see if they are okay.

135. B just moved to town and really only knows A (just met). B is being followed or is lost and calls A for help. Of course they come to help and it turns into a date of sorts.

136. A falling asleep while sitting next to B, as there head falls onto B’s shoulder, B stays as still as they can, afraid to wake A.

137. Cloudgazing or Stargazing together, as you lie next to each other, their hand slips into yours.

138. Looking around for the shirt you left at your s/o’s house; only to find it in a drawer with other clothes and items you’ve left.

139. B get’s so nervous about their dinner date with A that they accidentally make enough food to feed ten people.

140. A hand written love letter left at your doorstep.

141. B dancing to music as their cooking or cleaning, and as they spin around A suddenly appears, grabbing onto B and continuing to dance with them.

142. A grabs B’s hand instinctively out of surprise or fear, and continues to hold it.

143. B helping A step down from a high place by taking their hand, and then not letting go as they continue to walk.

144. Comparing hand sizes, then linking fingers together.

145. Dancing around the living room of the first home you’ve bought together.

146. A asking B on a date until they say yes.

147. B asking A to attend a wedding with them, to get out of going with someone their parents tried to set them up with.

[floralegia]

4, 19, 27, 29 for the writing ask game! 💜💖

EEEEE thank you!!

4. How many WIPs do you have right now?

OH GREAT SO YOU'RE COMING FOR MY HEAD RIGHT FROM THE START

Well, I counted 29 for this post, but as I noted there that doesn't include the plot bunnies chilling in my ideas doc (aka The List™) or either of the two bingo cards I currently have out, which between them have I want to say 32 prompts? So, you know. :'''')

19. Give us a small teaser from one of your WIPs.

There's important stuff being said, probably, but the only thought Pete's brain is capable of processing right now is this one: Oh my God, he's such a fucking DILF.

Well, okay, that's not exactly true, because as soon as that thought slides through his psyche, it butts right up against the answering one that shouts Patrick! That fucking DILF is fucking PATRICK!, and then he gets sort of stuck in that loop for a little while, until at last the DILF thing overpowers the shrieking confusion of the fact that up until a couple of minutes ago, he'd only known Patrick Stump as a sort of sweaty, scowl-y, angel-voiced teenager, and the whole thing starts over again with the urge to drool dramatically over the glasses and the beard and the fucking build of him, Jesus fucking Christ.

Suffice to say, it's been a challenging few minutes.

27. Is there a fic you were nervous to post/share? Why?

There have been a couple of notable ones in recent memory, one that I won't name because I ended up posting it on a sock account and then this one. In both cases, I was essentially scared of being harassed over the content of the fics; the unnamed fic contains a couple of noncon scenes, and obviously the linked fic is Waycest, lol. Both have been received pretty well so far (touch wood), so, I mean, I'm definitely building up confidence, I think? I very strongly believe in the idea of writing whatever and who cares what people think, but also I am very small and very frightened lol. It's a whole thing.

29. Share a bit from a fic you’ll never post OR from a scene that was cut from an already posted fic. (If you don’t have either, just share a random fic idea you have that you don’t plan on getting to.)

Random fic idea, under the cut because it's a bit long: P2 RHPS AU feat. Bandom At Large!

Due to watching the video of Patrick's performance of "I Can Make You A Man" for the 2020 RHPS charity livestream--which, oh my God, by the way--I was struck by the idea of a Rocky Horror AU. To be clear, I don't mean an AU based on the movie the Rocky Horror Picture Show, I mean an AU about the boys putting on the Rocky Horror Picture show. So really, I suppose, it's a college community theater AU of some kind, but it's focused around RHPS. Not that I've been involved in a production myself, other than at CTY, I suppose, but having done community theater generally and attended RHPS productions, I think I can make a fair attempt.

So, anyway. Pete is running the thing--whole thing is his idea, he's the director, etc. I feel like this is likely not the first year, and in fact Pete likely inherited the production from an upperclassman. But they had a lot of people graduate last year, and they're having trouble backfilling those roles, so in addition to directing he's reprising his role as Rocky. They're advertising hard for musicians, too, because Pete--being a go big or go home kind of guy--ALSO wants to perform with a live band this year and do a proper Rocky Horror Show production, rather than perform in front of the film as they've typically done. That's how Patrick gets involved: he shows up to inquire about playing in the pit, because he's always trying to pick up odd musical jobs here and there to pay for school, and in true Fall Out Boy fashion he ends up singing a little bit and Pete's like, wait, no, holy fuck, sing this, throws the book at him, Patrick sings a bit of one of Frank's lines, and that's all she wrote. They've been having a particular amount of trouble casting Frank, and Pete decides Patrick is perfect for the role, which kind of baffles everyone else, especially Patrick, but Pete's like... distractingly pretty, so against his own better judgement Patrick agrees.

Beyond that, I'm not sure what the actual, like, plot would be. I think Patrick has a passing familiarity with RHPS but definitely not intimate knowledge, so partially he has to get up to speed. Partially, too, he has to overcome his stage fright and particularly his aversion to appearing on stage in front of a bunch of strangers while wearing sexy outfits and doing a lot of slutty slutty things, so there's that, but idk if that's a "plot" per se. There's also the implication/background of the production being sort of scrappy, but I don't know that that's a "plot" either, really. Hmmm.

Well, in the meantime, other notes that I had in my head include Gabe Saporta as Brad because I think that's really funny given his everything; Joe and Andy are definitely involved, I think with Joe playing Meatloaf and Andy drumming, or maybe Andy's Meatloaf and Joe is Riff Raff???? General DCD2/bandom cast... Uhhh, Ray should definitely be in the band/pit, Hayley Williams and Gerard are Magenta and Columbia (not sure which is which--I like Gerard as a sexy maid, so maybe he's Magenta???), and then that leaves, what, the criminologist??? Oh, and Janet, obviously. Maybe Greta from the Hush Sound is Janet? Or Vicky-T, that would make a lot of sense. Frank is either in the pit or he's the stage manager or something. Or crew. He kind of has insane stage crew energy. Mikey is... there. Possibly pit as well. Possibly just hanging around and the joke is everyone's always like, Mikey what the fuck are you doing here???? and he just shrugs and the answer is that he tends to get dragged into things Gerard's involved in and this is no different, but really he's just hanging around.