#it because i get that we all have different interests and i don’t take it personally. but i guess sometimes…

[plutondre]

Batfam civilian au hobbies

(my opinion/ideas!!!)

Steph - rollerblading or roller skating, piano

Cass - ballet, hip hop, singing

Duke - hip hop, writing, mystery games

Jason - mountain biking, writing, reading, 

Tim - skateboarding, photography

Dick - gymnastics (obviously) and acrobatics

Barbara - coding, ballet, martial arts

Damian - art, fencing, some sort of music playing

Notes + Reasoning

I just still imagine Steph as a very 80s + 90s teen and want to see her roller skating and doing tricks

I have a lot of art I’ve done of her roller skating I LOVE HER SO MUCH

Steph actually canonically plays the piano and I think if given the opportunity to continue she could get really good at it

Cass is very much a dancer and does ballet in a lot of comics (including WFA whether or not you take it as canon it is cute to see Cass’s interactions with the family and to see her dancing)

I think that Cass would pursue other dance mediums/forms(?) and hip hop would be interesting to see

Cass singing? hmmm maybe I just want to see it? Like think about it, she has spent so much of her life without the ability to speak I want to see her soar and I want to see her take the stage with her newfound voice

Duke!!! I love Duke so much and I especially love Cass and Duke as a duo, like they are a top five duo in all of dc for me. SOOOO I want to see them dance together thus why they both have hip hop, I mean honestly I can see them doing something else like ballroom dancing but I feel like hip hop is a dance form that just leaves so much room for self expression that they both could enjoy

Duke canonically is a good writer and I want to see more of it in a situation where Duke’s parents don’t get jokerized and he is instead able to spend his teen years not fearing the Riddler’s riddles and things like that

Mystery games - I mean come on? Let me have this!! I want Duke to continue his love for puzzle games and things like that 

Jason… hmmm I was originally going to put street racing or like motorbike racing, but I feel like in a civilian au where Jason still got adopted by Bruce I think he would want to do something more dangerous and rebellious like the aforementioned activities but Bruce and Alfred would push against it. They would probably settle for mountain biking as a controlled activity that also has the thrill he might be seeking

Writing and reading I feel like are pretty obvious for Jason, he likes literature! Woo! Lets go! Read and write, my boy!

For Tim, once again it is very obvious why I would pick skateboarding and photography – both are things he does in canon and seems to enjoy

Gymnastics and acrobatics for Dick – very obvious, he does it in canon and in a civilian au maybe we would see him take it to the Olympics or national competitions

Barbara I feel would still be interested in hacking, but due to her dad being the police commissioner she would only publicize her coding skills

Barbara also canonically did ballet so I think she would continue further with it and maybe eventually loses interest or chooses another passion

I mean… her dad is the police commissioner she has to do self defense!! Barbara is probably proficient in a variety of different martial arts

Damian is a manga nerd (I can relate unfortunately) so canonically and in my au he is an artist who focuses most on a more anime style, but him being Damian he can easily create photorealistic landscapes and portraits

The reason I put fencing for Damian is because in this au I feel that the al Ghul family is still very much crime focused but instead of him being an assassin turned superhero he instead is more of a royal figure so he has to go into hobbies that people would expect of a higher figure in society. Also!!! Now he still maintains a lot of skills that he is known for when he enters the Wayne-sphere in Gotham

“Bruce, your kid just challenged me to a fencing match– the fuck!?”

The instrument-playing also follows the royal hobbies thing I said before for Damian. But also he just feels like he could play a variety of instruments (Damian plays the violin and viola in canon, and the guitar and trumpet in alternate realities)

WHY ISN'T THERE A YELLOW TEXT OPTION????

I wanted to use it for Cass and Duke :(

LMK your ideas/opinions or if you think I got something plain wrong

<3

[e-vay]

Heyo! Do you have any tips for making comics? :)

I've been meaning to get back into the swing of it, but concentrating on such a commitment that takes so much time is tough sometimes haha.

How do you make it work? Are there things you avoid/make easier for yourself just to make the process more fun and do-able?

First of all, I’m very happy for you! I think it’s very exciting whenever we return to a craft we were once passionate about. I wish you the best of luck!

This is a big question and I don’t think there’s really one simple answer since all artists are different and have their own strengths and weaknesses.

One of the biggest issues I face is that I have a million ideas but I simply don’t have the time to do them all. I want to share all these ideas but if I gave each and every idea the same amount of attention and detail, I’d hardly get anything done. So here are some things I've learned through my own comic-making experience, but keep in mind it may not be what you're looking for. Also remember this is NOT career advice. I make comics for fun, not for a living. If you’re looking for professional advice I would suggest looking elsewhere 👍

1 - A comic doesn't have to be fully rendered to be entertaining. Although I love to draw and line and color my work, it’s not always necessary. If I feel a punchline is strong enough to stand on its own, I’ll just make it into a doodle comic. In fact, I’ve found that some of my doodle comics perform better than the fully rendered ones! The doodle comics are still very fun for me to draw and they also serve as gestural drawing practice, so in the end it doesn’t feel like I'm making a sacrifice. I'm still getting my ideas out there and I'm still drawing, I'm just prioritizing what gets more attention so I can better manage my time.

2 - Not every panel needs an illustrated background. You definitely need to show backgrounds for establishing shots and when characters are interacting with the scene. But sometimes the focus needs to be entirely on the character and/or what they’re saying. You can choose to have a solid color background and maybe add a few textures to keep it visually interesting. You're still putting in the effort to make your art pop, but you aren’t losing a ton of time by drawing dozens of backgrounds. Color is also a good way to convey mood. I do that a lot in my comics, like this bit from “My Gal”:

^ I was trying to show a progression in excitement here, so having the colors change from cool to warm does a better job portraying that than if I just had a standard, scenic forest background for all the panels.

3 - Use resources: That's what they're there for! Because I make all these comics by myself, I have had to find resources to help me get through some of the steps faster so I can focus more on the story writing and the artwork. For example, to help me save time on lettering, I use the Onomatopedia font and the Manero Panels, SFX and Bubbles brush set for Procreate. I’m still selecting the sound effects and choosing the appropriate bubbles and tails to suit the mood and scale of the text, but this has saved me a ton of time because I’m not drawing each individual element by hand over and over again. Personally, I purchased these resources but I'm sure there are plenty of free tools out there that you can use.

As far as making it more fun... Honestly, I just love comics as an art form so much that learning about all the 'rules' and techniques and 'SOP's behind comics makes it more fun for me to make them. I recommend checking out tutorials and tips (even if you think you already know it all) and you might be surprised at how much it might ignite more of your comic-making passion. For example, I've spent hours on Blambot's "How-To" page and on ComicDevices.com just to try and soak up as much as I can. They're full of fascinating reads that make me want to try out different things!

I hope this helps! Good luck with your comics!

[writingwithfolklore]

Writing Queer Characters

              As a queer writer and enjoyer of media, I tend to be very critical of queer characters. Many of them just aren’t done well, and carry that sort of ‘written by a straight person’ vibe, similar to the ‘female protagonist written by a man’ vibe. When queer characters are written wrong it can feel so alienating to the queer audience, and at that point, is it really representation?

While this isn’t an exhaustive guide on how to write queer people, it’s a good place to start to avoid some of the more common pitfalls and create queer characters that queer people can feel seen by.

1. Queerness is a pillar of identity, not a definition

By this I mean that when you’re creating a queer character, you’re just creating a human being that happens to be into the same sex (or not into sex or whatever, etc. etc.). In the same way that your straight characters don’t constantly talk about their straightness, aren’t built around the fact that they like the opposite gender, and don’t flirt with every other straight person they meet—queer characters shouldn’t either. It lands as flat, stereotypical, and a bit offensive.

              I’ll reiterate to make it clear: we’re human beings, just like anyone else.

              So you aren’t creating a queer character, you’re creating a character. One that still has a background, hobbies, interests, fears, personality, etc. And some of those things may connect to the fact that they are queer (maybe they go to queer clubs as one of their hobbies, or their background includes a queer relationship), but not all of them should. And speaking of background, not every queer character needs some deep queer-related trauma to form them as human beings. Some of us just have regular trauma.

2. People are still queer even when they aren’t in relationships

You’re probably reading this post because you want to or are currently writing a queer romance/subplot. Which is great. But I’d like to throw out this point as well—queer people exist outside of and beyond their relations to other people, and I’d personally love to see more queer characters that aren’t in relationships and don’t get into one by the end of the story. Who just exist—as many of us just exist. A queer person is not defined by who they date or have sex with. You do not need to create a romantic interest for every queer character you make.

3. Queer people have intersections

By this, I mean that a lesbian can also be disabled and black. A gay man can also be trans. A bisexual person can also be gender fluid and neurodivergent. This is another example of how queer people aren’t defined by their queerness, just like straight people aren’t defined by their straightness. When there’s a character who is “the lesbian” and she’s white and able-bodied and her personality is ‘lesbian’, we tend to see them as obvious diversity checks—a way to say that technically this piece of media has queer representation.

But queer people are people, and there’s so much more that goes into a person than just their sexuality. Don’t be afraid to include intersections in your queer characters—it takes more research, but it makes them more alive.

4. We don’t always come out—or need to

Queer narratives often have this underlying motif of making the queer characters constantly justify their own existences or explain their identities. While yes, using labels (especially bisexuality, as it’s often erased) is powerful, it’s also just as powerful and revolutionary to have queer characters just exist as they are without needing to explain themselves. In real life, many of us (especially when you’re a bit older and are already established among family and friends) don’t really continue to officially come out to every person we meet—we just exist and eventually new people who maybe don’t know will figure it out eventually.

The coming out story is probably the most common across queer media, but it leaves out so many different aspects of queerness. If you’re looking to tell a queer narrative, consider writing one beyond the coming out—when your characters are already certain of themselves and their places within their families/friends/community. When they’re allowed to just be.

Speaking of…

5. Beware stereotypes

By following the steps above you should be able to avoid most stereotypes, but just in case, here’s a small (not exhaustive!) list of some common stereotypes you should actively avoid:

- Queer people are pedophiles/dangerous/are trying to corrupt straight people - “Queer trauma”-inspired murderer - Killing off your gays (especially when they finally find happiness) - The flamboyant “gay best friend” (almost always male) - The homophobic, closeted jock - Lesbian couples have one femme and one butch, always - The transgender prostitute - The transgender surprise reveal - Bisexuals who just need to realize their ‘true’ preference/are confused - Bisexuals who are promiscuous - Lesbians are kidnappers - The over sexualized lesbian and the ‘innocent/pure’ lesbian (where’s the in between?)

I know that facing down a list of characters you can’t make often makes it feel like you can’t write any type of queer character, and so I’m here to reassure you. I know flamboyant gay guys and butch/femme lesbian couples in real life, but they’re also people with complexities and contradictions and they aren’t always consistent. If you build a person from the ground up, you may have a little bit of one of these stereotypes, but there will also be so much more that makes them special and unique.

But to be clear, let’s not keep portraying queer people as pedophiles, murderers, or serial kidnappers, alright?

6. Do your research and try your best

This post is a good start, but if you want to write a queer character, do your best to research their identities, what stereotypes that identity has, and how people in the community feel about representation on that identity.

Lastly, here’s some good vs bad examples of queer characters in media:

Any more examples you can think of?

[runecatwrites]

Hello! Your LU analyses are delightful to read, thanks for sharing them! I had a fun question for consideration, if that's okay! Previously, we've examined and gushed over the Links' bonds with each other and who gets along best with who. We know that each of them are brothers and would die for each other. But I was curious: What's your take on which Links get along the *least*? E.g. If you were to list out each of the nine, which Links don't tend to click as well with each, and why? (At least at this point we're at in the comics.) Love to hear your insights about that if you're up for it! :D

Oooooh! Thank you for the ask, this is a really fun thing to think about! Here are my takes…

Sky: Time

Four: Wild

Time: Legend

Legend: Sky

Hyrule: Wild

Wind: Wild

Twilight: Warriors

Warriors: Wild

Wild: Warriors

Explanations under the cut!

Disclaimer: I do not hate Wild! In fact, he’s probably my favorite Link. Wild is a compelling character and I love him very much. Read the whole post for elaboration on him.

Second disclaimer: I truly don’t think that any of the members of the chain strongly dislike any other members (even though they may have spats from time to time). Just because one person might not get along with another as well as they do with everyone else, that doesn’t mean they hate that person.

And now for the explanations!

Sky: this guy is so sweet that it’s hard to see him not getting along with someone. The obvious answer here would be Legend, but as we’ve seen, Sky doesn’t seem to mind Lege’s “bullying” at all and actually seems to think it’s kind of endearing. I bet he’s used to that kind of behavior from Groose and therefore easily looks past it. No, as weird as it may sound on the surface, I think the person Sky would have the most trouble getting along with would actually be Time. I don’t think he’d have a hard time getting along with him in a professional sense (they work and fight well together) but rather in a personal sense. Sky and Time have very different histories with the Master Sword and with the whole “call of the hero” experience. Whereas Sky has a very close and positive relationship with Fi and willingly went on his adventure to save his beloved, Time got thrown into his first adventure, yanked around, and aged up pretty much without his consent. Lacking the perspective to understand this, I think Sky might be offended by Time’s complicated feelings towards Fi.

Four: this guy holds practically everyone in the group at arm’s length, so this one’s difficult too. But based on what we’ve seen in LU, I’m going with Wild. These two have clashed several times, most notably over Wild’s supposed impulsiveness. I think the underlying cause is that their brains work so differently at a fundamental level. Wild is a black-and-white thinker, while Four has a much more colorful (heh) mindscape. He views the world around him as a complex one that should be met with open-mindedness, and strives to understand it using his critical thinking skills. Even while merged, his colors probably play into this way of thinking. Wild, on the other hand, has a very narrow worldview and becomes distressed - sometimes even angry - when something doesn’t fit into it. Four sometimes seems to get frustrated by that rigid thinking of Wild’s.

Time: now this is an interesting one. Time is the oldest of the group and regarded as one of the most if not the most mature. Legend on the other hand, while not the youngest, is still an immature kid. Now there’s some nuance there and there are a lot of factors that feed into that immaturity (like the fact that he’s dealt with a lot of trauma and hasn’t had a parental figure since he was like 10) but the point still stands. In recent updates especially, we see that Time appears to have a short temper when it comes to Legend’s behavior. Why? Well if you look past the obvious reasoning of the group being in a dangerous situation and Legend’s antics being ill-suited for that, personally I think that Legend is a lot like Time was in his younger days. You know how sometimes parents say “my kid got their attitude from me and now I’ve gotta argue with a younger version of myself every day!” That’s exactly what’s going on here. Time was an absolute menace as a kid and teenager, and now he’s being faced with the exact same energy and has a hard time dealing with it.

Legend: as explained above, Legend has a bit of a reputation for immaturity and an attitude to go with it. Sky, on the other hand, is the one of the most easygoing, self-assured, approachable people you’ll ever meet. Legend is used to eliciting strong and/or definitive reactions by his behavior. People get angry with him (Time), match his energy (Warriors), or redirect him/calm him down (Hyrule). But Sky? Sky just… doesn’t seem to have much of a reaction at all. He might respond with some light teasing or a halfhearted protest, but nothing beyond that. That confuses Legend, and that confusion leads to anger. No matter what he does, he can’t get a good read on Sky, and that’s very frustrating for Legend.

Hyrule: I think this is going to surprise a lot of people, because Hyrule and Wild are often depicted as twin chaos gremlins by the fandom. But if you actually go through the LU canon (both main story and bonus material), you’ll see that these two actually rarely interact with each other, and on one of those rare occasions, they argue to the point of blows and have to be broken up. Much later, Wild describes Hyrule as “stubborn”, albeit in a positive way. Now, this is where I think the fandom seeing these two as twin chaos gremlins does bear some merit: the two are so alike in many aspects of their personality, notably their stubbornness, that they struggle to get along. A similar situation as with Time and Legend, but in this situation, they’re about the same age and with the same level of maturity. Hyrule and Wild even think the same way, too. During the battle with the Iron Knuckle, Hyrule wanted to rush right in and attack the big guy head on too, but was held back by Legend. Among his companions, though, Hyrule is reputably non-confrontational, which makes the fact that he got in a fight with Wild surprising. Wild is more used to getting into disagreements, so I think that fight would have affected Hyrule emotionally a lot more than Wild.

Wind: I had the hardest time with this little guy. Despite being the youngest, he’s surprisingly emotionally stable and mature, and he gets along with everyone! Literally the only reason I chose Wild is because Wind has snapped at him a few times, examples being for treating him like a kid and for not following his advice for how to take on the Iron Knuckle. That’s literally it. Wind is a perfect ray of sunshine.

Twilight: our rancher is gregarious and gets along with everyone pretty well, but he’s not shy about calling out things that tick him off about others. He rebukes Legend for his immaturity, challenges Time on his overbearing nature, and tries his darnedest to instill some self-restraint in Wild. He’s also very protective, though, especially of Wild. He’s well aware that Wild often has difficulties getting along with others (more on that later), but since he knows Wild better than all the others, he understands why Wild has those difficulties. And right now especially, he very obviously thinks that Warriors is being way too hard on Wild. This is a tricky situation. These Links are all notoriously bad at communication, and with extremely different backgrounds, Twilight and Warriors have even more of a disadvantage. Twilight doesn’t understand Wars’ motives in this situation and thinks he’s being unfair, when in reality Wars is just trying really hard to understand Wild better (explained in my analyses). Despite that, Twi and Wars are still good friends; they were just rubbing shoulders and bantering at each other a few parts ago after all. Twilight just isn’t afraid to openly disagree with one of his friends.

Warriors: yeah, if you’re familiar with my analyses (here and here) you know it’s Wild! I won’t rehash it in this post since I’ve pretty much said everything I can think of on Wars’ point of view in the situation lol

Wild: and conversely, Wild is having a really hard time with Wars specifically right now. That situation is outlined in my previous analyses too. But for this post, I wanted to elaborate more on Wild. Although all of his fellow Links obviously love and accept him, the poor guy has drawn the ire of practically every member of the chain at some point in time. In fact, personally I think that if not for his close bond with Twilight, Wild would have an extremely hard time getting along with the group as a whole. That doesn’t mean he’s a bad person. No, he’s a character with a very unique and compelling past, and that past makes it very difficult for him to successfully engage in teamwork. He’s also dealing with amnesia, imposter syndrome, and an inferiority complex, all of which take a huge toll on his mental health. When your mental health isn’t so great, you often have a short fuse and it can also be hard to maintain healthy relationships. Trust me, I know - I’ve been on medication for depression for 15 years. It’s a real struggle. In spite of this, we have seen significant character growth from Wild recently. He’s begun acknowledging his difficulties and owning up to his transgressions, which shows that he really does want to make things work with everyone. He feels bad for clashing with people and wants to do better, but unfortunately he appears to have very low confidence in himself. His current mindset seems to be “I’m trying really hard not to mess things up, but I’m probably just going to mess it all up anyway.” The thing that matters, though, is that he is trying. Ah, I love Wild so much. My precious blorbo. If he can rid himself of that crippling self-doubt, he can make even bigger strides in improving his relationship with everyone!

[jeonscatalyst]

Why is that you jokers are so obsessed with Taekook? Always on here talking shit, as if it was Tkkrs who went to search for the restaurant to bring a story on the TL! We didn’t have to fake a beauty salon meet up or lie about them going to a restaurant and leaving autographs. Honestly, idk why you people are so pressed about a ship that you claim isn’t real.

“Why is that you jokers are so obsessed with Taekook?”

Says a Taekooker. Are you trying to tell me that if I go into Taekook spaces right now, I wouldn’t, within the first few seconds, see multiple blogs talking about Jikook and Jokers? Anon, don’t be a hypocrite. You cannot say Jokers are obsessed with Taekook when just one look into Taekook spaces would reveal who the real obsessed ones are.

“ Always on here talking shit, as if it was Tkkrs who went to search for the restaurant to bring a story on the TL! "

First of all, I would talk as much shit as I want about anyone I want to talk shit about. If you don’t like it, come and beat me.

Second, are you honestly sitting here in good conscience trying to blame the restaurant for you and your breed looking like idiots right now? I guess every mention of Jungkook and V in one sentence automatically means “date” to you morons, doesn’t it? Because why else are you claiming that the restaurant brought a story to your TLs? The restaurant said this…

Mind showing me where they said Taekook went on dates to their restaurant or where they even said Taekook went together. Show me, please, maybe I’m missing something. If you and your breed had any sense, you would have left it as speculation..which is not weird at all���(we all do it) but of course you had to go writing Wattpad stories because you are never satisfied with what you have. (Maybe because what you have doesn’t potray Taekook as anything but good friends) And now that you’ve fallen flat on your faces, you’re looking for someone to blame. Blame yourselves for being the world’s biggest morons.

“We didn’t have to fake a beauty salon meet up or lie about them going to a restaurant and leaving autographs. "

You see, Anon, unlike most of you Taekookers, many jokers can admit that every ship has problematic shippers who lie and make shit up because they are more interested in ship wars and one upping rival shippers than actually supporting the two people they ship….But do you know the difference between this case and yours?

Jikookers didn’t see Jimin and Jungkook’s autographs at a hair salon and run with a story. Someone actually put the story out there that Jimin and Jungkook visited the salon together to get haircuts and they had autographs to “prove” it. Add Jungkook talking about getting his hair done immediately after leaving for his break during his live in December last year, and it made perfect sense. We later heard different stories from different people….(including Jimin solos who hate Jikook) some claiming Jimin wasn’t there, but Jungkook was, others claiming that neither of them were there. Till date, we still don’t know for sure what really happened because we have heard multiple stories.

But….notice how we’ve all decided to take the information with a grain of salt? Notice how no Jikooker is going around claiming that the company is threatening restaurants or hair salons to lie about Jikook or bring down their autographs like your breed here…

That is the difference between Taekookers and Jikookers. Jokers are ready and willing to change their minds when presented with new information. But that is not something you or your breed know how to do. Even now, you still refuse to hold yourselves accountable for intentionally twisting information and instead, choosing to blame the restaurant.

That is why Jokers will always be better than you and your cult, Anon. We are not the ones who have within one week harassed Umi, BT21, Iheart radio and now that restaurant.

“Honestly, idk why you people are so pressed about a ship that you claim isn’t real. "

Lol. No sane joker is pressed about Taekook. Jokers and basically the entire world know they are just friends (only your breed is still clinging onto straws). We just dislike you and your breed and find you extremely ridiculous. Don’t mistake the two.

Taekook doesn’t equal taekookers. That is a distinction many sane jokers are able to make. You and your cult should try it sometime.

[ribbonedreverie]

Can't help myself, have to request again because I was thinking about this the other day, and I need to see what you would create out of this scenario:

The men of BSD reacting to their lover calling them drunk. (reader insert) just like a mini-drabble of how they'd be in this situation because we know they'd all have drastically different takes.

If you're not comfortable with this specific scenario maybe just them reaching out to them when they need help (like they're out late at night and they're scared) just like an interesting/vulnerable-ish moment is what I'm interested to see how they would each handle.

You can do whatever men you want but I was hoping for: Ranpo (I love how you write him), Dazai, Chuuya, Akutagawa, Fydor, Mori, Fukuzawa, Oda, and Ango if at all possible. Just because I'm most curious about them. I know that's a lot though so no worries if it's less or not possible.

It was just an idea I had and was curious about how you'd handle but never feel like you have to. I know you're working on other things and if this doesn't fall within things you'd like to write about, no worries at all. I just love seeing your natural dialogue flow and wanted to see where you'd go with this interesting scenario and cast of characters.

I hope you'll consider the request <3

Whispers Between the Lines

This contains several heavy psychological and emotional themes, including psychological manipulation, gaslighting, Stockholm syndrome, unhealthy dependency, emotional coercion, control, power imbalance, toxic relationship dynamics, alcohol use, intoxication, loneliness, isolation, emotional vulnerability, implied emotional abuse, existential despair, and feelings of entrapment. (Most of these are for Mori)

Chuuya Nakahara: “Love Spilled Between Midnight Calls”

The moment he picks up, the world stills.

His breath catches, sharp, and when he speaks, his voice is edged with urgency.

“Where are you? What happened?”

He thinks something’s wrong.

But then you speak—soft, trembling, a quiet storm of love and longing spilling from your lips.

And oh—

Chuuya goes silent.

You tell him how much you love him, how he is everything, how you never thought you’d have this kind of love.

How you don’t deserve him—but God, you love him anyway, with every trembling, aching piece of yourself.

And Chuuya—

He is drowning.

His chest is too tight, his heart hammering like it’s trying to break free. He presses his fingers against the bridge of his nose, his breath uneven, his grip on the phone unsteady.

You don’t say these things often—not like this, not in this raw, unguarded way.

And you’re drunk, which means you are honest.

“Damn it.” His voice is thick, heavy with something he can’t name.

“You really think you don’t deserve me?” A breath—sharp, unsteady. “You—God, you’re my whole damn world, you idiot.”

And if your voice wobbles, if you sniffle even a little—he’s done for.

“Alright, that’s it. Stay where you are—I’m coming to get you.”

He doesn’t care if you tell him you’re fine.

He doesn’t care if you say it’s nothing.

Because the thought of you, alone, drunk and overwhelmed with love, is unbearable.

And when he finds you—wherever you are—he doesn’t speak at first.

He just pulls you in.

His arms are strong, steady, unyielding, as if holding you tight enough might press all your shattered pieces back together.

You can feel it, the way his heart slams against his ribs, how he clings to you like you are something sacred.

“You love me, huh?” His voice is low, teasing, but there’s a tremor beneath it, something fragile, something breaking.

You nod, small and hesitant, as if love could slip through your fingers like sand.

And then—he kisses you.

Your hair, your forehead, anywhere he can reach. Soft, reverent, like a vow written into your skin.

“Good,” he breathes, his lips ghosting over your temple. ”‘Cause I love you more, and I’ll remind you every damn day if I have to.”

Dazai Osamu: “Whispers at the Witching Hour”

The phone rings, slow and syrupy in the late-night hush.

A lull of static, then a voice—soft, silken, and just the slightest bit unsteady.

“Dazai~,” you purr, your words curling like smoke, slipping through the receiver in lazy ribbons. “It’s late, isn’t it? Or… early? I can’t tell. But does it matter?”

A pause—just long enough to feel like a caress, just long enough to let the silence hum between you.

Dazai leans back, the corner of his mouth twitching into a knowing smirk. He recognizes that tone, the way it drips with something dangerous, something intoxicating.

“I’m bored,” you continue, sighing, and he can hear it—the delicate tilt of your lips, the way amusement colors the edges of your voice like the last traces of dusk. “And I thought of you… Isn’t that dangerous?”

“Dangerous?” Dazai hums, fingers twirling the cord of the phone absentmindedly. “My dear, you wound me. Are you saying I’m a bad influence?”

A giggle, light as the clink of ice in a glass. “Oh, Osamu… don’t play coy. You know exactly what you are.”

There’s a shift in your tone now—something teasing, something languid. It trails down his spine like fingertips dragging over silk.

“Won’t you come play with me?” you muse, voice dipping into something rich, something molten. “The night feels lonely without a little trouble to keep it company.”

Dazai chuckles, but there’s something sharp beneath it—something intrigued.

“And what kind of trouble are you looking for, my sweet?”

A laugh, breathless and honey-drunk. “Wouldn’t you like to find out?”

Dazai exhales slowly, staring at the ceiling, a lazy grin pulling at his lips. He can picture it—the way you’re likely sprawled out, limbs loose, eyes heavy-lidded and glittering with mischief. The way your lips would part just so as you speak, as if inviting him closer even through the distance.

His fingers twitch against the receiver, the weight of the moment settling over him like a silk sheet—thin, delicate, and undeniably electrifying.

“Come find me, Dazai. If you dare.”

And then, just like that, the line goes dead.

Dazai blinks. For a beat, he simply sits there, the air thick with your lingering presence. Then, a slow, breathy chuckle escapes him, rolling through the quiet like the first drop of rain before a storm.

“Ah…” he murmurs to himself, running a hand through his hair. “What an interesting little game you want to play.”

He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his mind already spinning. He should let it go—chalk it up to drunken whimsy, let you stew in your own mischief.

But where would the fun be in that?

A dangerous game, indeed.

And Dazai has never been one to resist temptation.

Ranpo Edogawa: “Dial Tone Confessions”

Ranpo doesn’t answer immediately.

His phone buzzes once, twice—persistent, an insistent little thing that refuses to be ignored. It’s late, too late for reasonable conversation, but curiosity flickers in the depths of his knowing eyes as he finally picks up, bringing the device lazily to his ear.

“Hmm~,” he drawls, the syllables of his greeting stretching like melted caramel, smooth, slow, indulgent. “It’s past your bedtime, isn’t it?”

A giggle bubbles through the receiver, unfiltered and weightless, like the clinking of glass bottles on a city curb. Ah. He tilts his head, amused. There’s a slur in your tone, subtle but telling, a looseness that drapes over your words like silk slipping off a shoulder.

“Ranpooo,” you sing, voice syrupy, teasing, like you’re calling for a stray cat that refuses to be tamed. “Guess where I am.”

He exhales through his nose, a smirk curling at his lips. “On the floor.”

A beat of silence. Then a dramatic gasp.

“Okay, that was a lucky guess.”

“It wasn’t.” He yawns, stretching an arm over his head, already sinking further into his couch. “You’re drunk, and when you drink, you get clumsy. And when you get clumsy, you fall. You should be thanking me for my genius, really.”

Another laugh, softer this time. “What would I do without you?”

Now, that’s interesting.

His eyes glint with something keen, sharp, something infinitely amused but not entirely unserious. It’s always been like this between you two—an intricate push and pull, a game of cat and mouse where neither wants to admit who’s chasing who.

But here, in this hazy hour where the world is quiet and the walls are thinner, the game bends just a little.

“You’d be lost,” he murmurs, voice dropping into something quieter, something almost fond. “Obviously.”

You hum, and for a moment, there’s nothing but the faint crackle of the call, the weight of something unsaid pressing between you.

Then—

“You know,” you whisper, conspiratorial, as if telling a secret meant only for him. “If things were different… if I didn’t—if I wasn’t—” You hiccup, cutting yourself off. “We would be something.”

Oh.

Ranpo stills, lips parting slightly.

A lesser man might have asked something what? But Ranpo isn’t lesser—he is all-knowing, all-seeing, and the answer is already curled around his ribs like an old, familiar ghost.

Something ruinous.

Something catastrophic.

Something that would burn too brightly, too quickly, until all that’s left is the memory of its light.

But instead, he only chuckles, airy, effortless, a magician tucking a trick up his sleeve. “Oh, you,” he muses, closing his eyes. “You say the sweetest things when you’re drunk.”

You whine, half-complaint, half-laughter. “You’re so mean to me.”

“And yet, you keep calling,” he counters smoothly.

A pause. Then, barely above a breath—

“Because you always pick up.”

Ranpo’s eyes flicker open, caught, for the first time, off-guard.

But then, his grin returns, sharp and knowing, curling like the last move in an unwinnable game.

“Well, of course,” he murmurs, voice lighter than air but grounding all the same.

“I already knew you would.”

Mori Ougai: A Late-Night Conversation Between a Caged Bird and Its Keeper

The world was spinning.

Not violently, not chaotically—just in a slow, dizzying waltz. Like a star drifting off course, like the ocean tide lapping at the shore in endless repetition.

You lay sprawled across the floor of your dimly lit apartment, the ceiling blurring in and out of focus. A forgotten bottle of wine rested at your fingertips, its contents long since emptied.

Drinking away the silence had been the plan.

It didn’t work.

Loneliness settled deep in your bones, unshakable and cruel, whispering the same tired truth over and over: There is no one. You are alone. You will always be alone.

Your numb fingers fumbled with your phone. There was no thought behind the action, only instinct, only the need for another voice—any voice. The names on the screen blurred together until one stood out, sharp and clear.

Mori Ougai.

A dry laugh broke the silence. What a ridiculous idea. Calling Mori was like calling the executioner when already on the chopping block—foolish, dangerous, and yet… strangely inevitable.

Your thumb hovered over the dial button.

Don’t.

Pressed it anyway.

It rang. Once. Twice. Then—

“My, my. What an unexpected surprise.”

His voice was smooth as silk, sharp as a scalpel. He didn’t sound tired. He never sounded tired.

A shaky exhale. Hanging up now would be the right choice. Tossing the phone across the room and pretending this never happened would be the safest option.

But the line remained open.

“…Mori.”

His name slipped out, barely more than a breath, slurred just enough to betray your state of mind.

A chuckle. Soft. Knowing.

“What a rare occasion. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

You press a hand to your fevered forehead, warmth from the alcohol spreading beneath your skin.

“I… I don’t know.”

A pause. He was listening. He was always listening.

“Are you drunk, my dear?”

A small, breathless laugh. “Maybe.”

“And yet, you called me.”

The implication lingered.

Your fingers tightened around the phone. Maybe this had been a mistake. Maybe a distraction was all you needed—something to chase away the unbearable quiet, not… this.

But there was no taking it back now.

“Lonely, are we?” Mori’s voice was almost mocking, but not quite.

Silence.

He didn’t push, didn’t demand an answer. He didn’t need to.

“…Yes.”

A slow inhale. Then—

“How tragic. Loneliness is such a cruel thing, isn’t it?” His tone softened, coaxing. A doctor speaking to a patient on the verge of breaking. “No one to talk to, no one to hold you. It must be unbearable.”

A lump formed in your throat.

“It is.”

“But you called me.”

Not a question. A claim.

Shame coiled in your chest. What was the thought process behind reaching out to him of all people? Comfort from Mori? A joke. A pathetic, laughable joke.

“I should go.” The words were weak, barely convincing, but you said them anyway. The phone was halfway pulled from your ear when—

“Ah, but… if you hang up, you’ll still be alone.”

Your breath caught.

Because he was right.

It didn’t matter how dangerous, how cruel, how suffocating he was—he was still the only one answering the call.

Tears burned at the edges of your blurred vision. They weren’t welcome.

“Why are you doing this?” The voice that spoke barely sounded like your own.

“Doing what?”

“Being… this.”

A pause. A smirk, audible even through the phone.

“Being what, my dear? The only one who picks up the phone when you call?”

Damn him.

“If you need me,” he continued, smooth as a blade sliding between ribs, “all you have to do is ask. You know I take care of my own.”

Your breath hitched. His own.

Was that what you were now? Just another piece in his careful arrangement of pawns?

The worst part was that you couldn’t even argue.

Silence stretched between you. Long. Unspoken. Dark.

“Go to bed,” Mori commanded, voice deceptively soft.

A quiet rebellion flared in your chest. “And if I don’t?”

A chuckle. “Then you’ll stay on the line with me all night.”

A shiver ran down your spine—not from fear, not from warmth, but from something worse.

“…Goodnight, Mori.”

The call ended.

The phone slipped from your numb fingers, clattering against the floor.

But the damage had already been done.

The call had been made.

Ango Sakaguchi: A Call at the Edge of the Night

The phone rings at an ungodly hour.

You don’t expect him to pick up.

You don’t even know why you called—only that the weight in your chest was too much, too unbearable, and for some foolish reason, he was the first name your trembling fingers found.

It rings once. Twice. Three times.

Then, a click.

“Angoooo…”

His name slips from your lips, loose and unguarded, tangled in something fragile. Something you’ve spent too long trying to swallow down.

A long silence.

Then, a sigh—one you feel more than hear.

“Where are you?”

Of course that’s the first thing he says.

Not why are you calling me?

Not what do you need?

Just the same, measured question he asks when dealing with people who have become problems—something to be contained, something to be handled.

You laugh, but it’s small. Hollow.

“Does it matter?”

You hear him shift. The rustle of paper, the faint scrape of glasses being adjusted.

You can picture him now—sitting in that dim, quiet apartment, surrounded by papers that dictate the fate of people he’ll never meet.

Maybe you’re just another name on a list to him.

Maybe you always have been.

“You probably think I’m pathetic.”

You don’t mean to say it. But the words are already there, slipping through the cracks in your chest before you can stop them.

Another silence.

Not denial.

Not agreement.

Just Ango, sitting in the space between words, like he always does.

“What happened?” His voice is quieter now.

You close your eyes. Nothing. Everything.

It’s too much, and yet not enough to explain the weight pressing against your ribs.

Because maybe it wasn’t just tonight.

Maybe it was the months of exhaustion settling in your bones, the ache of always giving and never being given to, the unbearable loneliness of knowing someone cares but never quite enough.

And maybe—maybe—that’s why you called him.

Because Ango never lets himself care.

And somehow, that makes it easier.

“Ango,” you murmur, voice barely above a whisper, “If I disappeared… would you come looking for me?”

The silence is deafening.

Your heart twists.

You shouldn’t have asked.

You shouldn’t have asked because you already know how this ends.

Because you know what happened the last time he lost someone who mattered.

Because Ango doesn’t allow himself to want. To hope. To save.

Not anymore.

But then—his voice, low, steady, aching.

“Yes.”

Your breath catches.

It’s a lie.

Or maybe it isn’t.

Maybe it’s worse than that. Maybe it’s the truth he doesn’t want to admit.

You swallow hard, chest tight, fingers gripping the phone like it’s the only thing keeping you tethered.

“You shouldn’t say things like that, Ango.”

It comes out softer than you intend. A warning. A plea.

And maybe you imagine it, but for just a second, you think he wants to say something more.

But he doesn’t.

Because Ango always stops himself before he gets too close.

Before he lets another name become something more than just another loss waiting to happen.

The line goes dead.

And you’re left sitting there, staring at the empty screen, wondering why you ever thought he could be the one to pull you back from the edge.

Wondering why, despite everything—you still wanted him to.

────

Apologies for the delay; I found myself immersed in capturing these gentlemen as I perceive them. Admittedly, I might have enjoyed a drink or two while penning some of these. Additionally, I was engrossed in my psychology and philosophy classes, both demanding papers recently. I will post the remaining characters soon. ♡

[shmisky]

What if Stan had the courage to sincerely apologize to Ford during the times he called him? Ford would belivied that his brother was sorry for breaking his machine? He would have forgive Stan? Or Stan would have to "prove his worth" to him first? I only know that it would take time and work on Stan's part to prove he's remorseful and trust would definitely take a while to rebuild and that's not an easy thing to do.

Ooh, we’re talking about this scene? Young adult Stans?

That’s a very interesting question!

I actually think Ford would be way more forgiving of Stan in general if Stan was completely sincere about everything and let himself be truly vulnerable! A Stan who confessed all his feelings and bared his heart to Ford and told Ford about his struggles as a homeless person would be a Stan extremely likely to be forgiven.

The difficult thing is to get Stan to that point in the first place.

Notice how Ford briefly looks at Stan when Stan rants about his life:

A very ☹️ face. He’s probably surprised and concerned about what he’s hearing. I’ve seen people joking that Stan was not wearing his glasses in this scene and Ford’s features were hella blurry to him. Beyond the comical aspect, this would... actually explain a lot 😭 As a person who wears glasses myself, I really can’t see other people’s facial expressions without them!

(Of course, “Stan who needs glasses” is the old design of child!Stan, that was then exchanged for child!Stan who is a total firecracker. But even if you discard the original design as not being canon compliant anymore, the Stans are still identical twins. If Ford needed glasses, Stan very likely needed glasses too. We see that at least old Stan does!)

And then Stan, unfortunately but understandably, starts insulting him:

You can notice the ☹️ face slowly becoming 😠 as Stan started attacking.

Again, when Ford accidentally hurts Stan by branding him:

That’s not even ☹️ anymore, it’s almost 😩! Again, things could have deescalated and perhaps even been fixed if Stan, unfortunately but understandably, hadn’t punched Ford in the face as retaliation.

There’s a lot of things about mullet!Stan that Ford doesn’t know! From canon, namely TBoB and Journal 3, we can deduce that Ford didn’t think of him as homeless, thought he was doing well for himself, living a well traveled charlatan/adventurer’s life, perhaps even a friend/member of the mob (being in the mob or friends with the mob is very different from running from the mob):

Meanwhile, we know how badly Stan was doing:

We also know how bad Stan’s mental health can get canonically, from the script of Not What He Seems:

(This was, of course, old Stan—after the portal incident. But we have no reason to think mullet!Stan didn’t feel similarly. I’d go so far as to say mullet!Stan had more reasons to feel like that, especially because he didn’t even have “saving Ford” as a motivation to go on.)

If Stan called Ford and explained that he hadn’t broken the machine on purpose, but had punched the table, tried to fix it, etc, and apologized for it; had told Ford what was happening in his life and how much he was struggling and the kind of thoughts he had about himself, perhaps including suicidal ideation; how much he loved and missed Ford... there’s simply no way Ford wouldn’t forgive him. Ford was a petty asshole, yes, but a petty asshole who deeply loved Stan.

No need to “prove his worth,” either. Don’t get me wrong, I do think Ford looked down on Stan—on people in general. There’s plenty of evidence for that in both Journal 3 and Word of God, if you count Word of God as evidence. Ford himself admits to that after Weirdmaggedon. But the thing about Stan proving his worth specifically—that’s probably also related to Ford’s need to be in control at all times. If Ford admits to himself he is not in control, that he needs help from other people, that he is really that desperate... Well. He can’t admit that! So he rationalizes his way out of that conclusion by convincing himself he would be the one doing Stan a favor (offering him the chance to prove himself to Ford), and not the other way around. He doesn’t need Stan, he doesn’t need anyone. Stan is the one who needs him and his forgiveness! Phew 😮‍💨

And when it comes to Stan needing Ford’s help/saving in canon, even when Ford was still mad at him, Ford doesn’t hesitate at all, in both Journal 3 and the Lost Legends comics:

The biggest obstacle in this would be Stan’s own pride and stubbornness, which should not be underestimated, honestly! Perhaps if he was very, very drunk, high, or drugged with a truth serum 😭

Ford’s amount forgiveness in this case would be directly proportional to Stan’s amount of honesty and vulnerability, imo.

By “forgiveness,” here, I mean Ford letting go of his grudge and offering help, such as inviting Stan to live with him in the Shack, and attempting to rebuild their relationship. I don’t mean it would magically fix their relationship! You’re right that this process would take a lot of time and effort. As I’ve elaborated in this meta, teen Ford was already growing distant from Stan even before the science fair, so there would be more underlying issues to tackle than just their fight over the broken machine.

[nobilisseoblige]

[ 21 QUESTIONS ] The effort to learn about others goes a long way! Just don’t overdo it.  

there were a lot of gallant gentleman, and many spirited ladies all throughout the party grounds. each had their own charm, and many of them seemed confident in every piece of themselves. once such man stuck out to morgan, upon which the tactician began to note small details about him. his orange hair was slicked back, his shoulder back, and a polite smile for those who looked for him.

before the lad knew it, he was making his way to where the student stood in a rare moment of isolation from peers. "excuse me, there. you're the black eagles student ferdinand. i mean- i know because i've seen you in a few of my classes is all... anyway-" morgan paused for a minute, gathering himself and preparing a few questions in his mind.

"do you have any insecurities? how do you get to stand so confidently? is there some kinda ritual for that? i mean, i'm not really asking for myself, but you seem quite put together so and i thought i'd like to know how-" boy, he sure had been talking for quite a while. were these too many questions, was he breaking some kind of conversational taboo? it sorta felt like it when he looked at ferdinand's expression. right, just one more! "oh, hey, since it's valentine's day, what kind of traits are you seeking in a suitor?"

Morgan was it?

"Morgan." there was no need for an introduction, he already knew who this young man was. in fact, he had always exuded a sort of aptitude for studying the likes of which impressed Ferdinand deeply. it was rare to ever see him without a book in hand, spinning ink into intellect like his mind and heart were one. now, however, there was a different tint to the light that he emitted—particularly now that Morgan stood alongside edelgard as a match and partner for the night. "very pleased to speak to you at last! you and I both seem to have floated the same circles, but our boats have passed in the horizon."

his eyebrow piqued, noting that Morgan's penchant for the truth still rang clearly, as he began to probe Ferdinand with question after question.

"may I ask, are you interested in me and mine?" perched on his lips was a haughty grin, and sparks of pride for more reasons than one. "should we take a walk about the gardens?"

Ferdinand Von Aegir had no intention of chicanery. but after guiding Morgan under the stars, he began to wonder if, for better or for worse, this match would have been better than the one Morgan was set up with.

"to the first. no. I don't." not necessarily a lie. frankly, he tired of laying low in a grave, with broken bones and broken pride. he was not the kind of man to wallow in limbo.

"to the second, because I know my greatness will exceed me." Ferdinand raked his bangs, locks flipping triumphantly.

"to the third, you must say as you mean, and do as you say. a ritual I dedicate myself to is announcing my name and my intentions with enough transparency to use it as a looking glass. I am Ferdinand Von Aegir. and I certainly know my worth."

and to the last, he laughed. a full-bodied, effervescent laugh. "I need to be candid with you, before this proposition that I am about to make. edelgard is my eternal rival. but I do not find it untruthful to inquire."

"if I said you and yours, would you take me on a date instead of edelgard?"

[straypineneedle]

A few marauders hot takes:

-i feel like we especially villainize snape far too much. for example, in atyd, his whole personality is being a dickbag, and in a lot of fics, he’s turned into a pureblood, posh, and pampered little jerk. he was a half-blood, poor, and abused at home by his father. i read this fanfic the other day with trans remus, and our only snape interaction is snape being transphobic, deadnaming remus, and calling him a she. snape is perhaps one of the most queer-coded characters. he’s bullied, abused by his father (i’m pretty sure for being “different,” A.K.A. being a wizard, but we all know what being “different” can also translate to), he’s one of the more feminine characters, like having long hair, being quieter, and not being a total macho man. (as compared to sirius and james, who were literally macho men who treated women horribly.) J.K Rowling put her quill on paper, (or whatever the fuck she used to write harry potter) and wrote the words: “He wanted Lily, and he wanted (Bruce) Mulciber, too.” WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU THINK THAT MEANS?

-people say snape was obsessed with lily, but james harassed her for 6 years until she agreed to go out with him. snape didn’t ask her out ONCE.

-ok enough about snape, i think atyd isn’t good because of how remus is characterized in it.

-remus is one of the most trans-coded characters in the franchise. for one, he dresses like a gay english teacher, for two, he has a monthly problem he solves with chocolate, and for three, he’s been a werewolf since age 5, which caused his father to quite literally commit, which is also a parallel of him being queer. when snape outs him as a werewolf, he resigns because people don’t want “someone like him” teaching their children.

-we really should stop calling the DE “wizard nazi’s,” it’s offensive, and we shouldn’t compare the biggest scums of the earth to fictional magical villains.

-excluding peter in content makes 0 sense. he was their friend, that was why the betrayal hurt so badly.

-walburga and orion never PHYSICALLY abused sirius and regulus.

-fancasting any of the members of the noble house of black as attractive makes no sense because they’re all products of inbreeding.

-the fandom as a whole excludes the girls, and uses them like accessories. especially lily. he’s not a girl, but we also do this with regulus.

-we ignore much more interesting characters we could get into. like bruce mulciber, charity burbage, etc.

-the marauders fandom is toxic because they tell people to get into the fandom by reading fanfiction and not reading the actual books.

-basically every ship makes no sense. (yes im looking at you, wolfstar & jegulus.) if anything, prongsfoot has the most chemistry of any queer ship you could come up with. and also, jegulus is just jeverus for cowards. i rest my case.

[punkrockmlchael]

Best Friends

Masterlist | Corroded Coffin Masterlist

Jeff x Gareth ; Platonic Eddie x Gareth

(Both Jeff and Gareth are in their early 20s)

This fic is for: it's complicated pop-up event by @corrodedcoffinfest ; the prompt is "it's complicated"

Prompt: It's complicated | Word Count: 3861 | Rating: E | POV: Jeff | Relationships: Jeff/Gareth | CW: Confessions of feelings, Explicit Sexual Content | Tags: Corroded Coffin, Best Friends, Are we really Best Friends?, Why'd you leave me?, Guys discussing their feelings, Feelings Galore

Warnings: 18+ mdni, Feelings galore, Lots of sappy and sad/awkward conversations and so many confessions, Smut: Oral (Male Receiving), Cum Eating

Synopsis: Jeff and Gareth were supposed to be best friends forever. Unfortunately, Eddie Munson came along and ruined their friendship real quick. Finally, Jeff has had enough.

Word Count: 3.8k

“Best friends forever!” 

Those were the three words that Jeff and Gareth had uttered to each other when they were seven years old, camping in Jeff’s backyard for the night. They sat beside each other in their superhero pajamas bundled into their sleeping bags. A small electric lantern in the corner of the tent was their only light source, illuminating the small one person tent that was still big enough for the two young boys. That very night they did everything together—they declared they’d be best friends forever, they shared laughs, they shared screams and tears as they jumped at the sound of the wind rattling a tree branch, they shared a blanket, they even stayed up most of the night talking.

Not a deep talk, really, I mean, how deep and meaningful of a conversation could two seven year old boys actually have? No, they just discussed the books they had to read for school, they discussed how funny it was that Grant tripped and fell on his ass on the playground in front of the girls, they discussed how the girls in their class were gross and had cooties. You know, all the typical things boys their age talked about. Oh, those two were so innocent and cute—time was so different back then.

Gareth giggled while Jeff laughed, the sound of their laughter and giggles filling the small tent they sat in. The two boys were side by side that entire night as they stared up at the top of the tent, cracking jokes only a seven year old boy could find funny. At some point Gareth yawned and sighed, moving closer to Jeff subconsciously. The little fluffy haired boy turned his head, looking at his best friend with a small smile. 

“Are you sure we’re going to be best friends forever?” Gareth asked softly, watching the shadows of the night dance across Jeff’s face. Jeff turned his head slightly, catching Gareth’s eyes. 

“Why wouldn't we be?” Jeff asked, looking at the other boy in the tent. Gareth shrugged, looking back up at the top of the tent before closing his eyes.

“I don’t know, just, you know… making sure.” Gareth mumbled softly, snuggling under the blanket more.

“We’ll be best friends forever, I’m sure of it.” Jeff replied, nodding as he did the same thing, getting comfy under the blanket next to Gareth. He sighed, staring at the top of the tent thinking over their conversation. 

Surely they were best friends, and they would stay best friends forever.

Right?

…

Wrong.

Because, Eddie Munson swooped in when Gareth and Jeff were freshmen in high school and put a damper on their friendship real quick. And, poor Eddie didn’t even really know what he did or that he did it; he had no intention of coming between two best friends. He was simply just trying to become friends with the younger boys because they all shared the same interests—the same music tastes, the same nerd hobbies of dungeons and dragons, the same stupid and immature humor.

Eddie just saw so much of himself in the younger boys. That’s really the main reason why he befriended them; he wanted to take them under his wing and show them the ropes of Hawkins High and beyond. Eddie wanted the younger boys to know that they had a friend in him whenever they needed it.

Unfortunately, Gareth had fallen under Eddie’s spell both fast and hard. Turns out the slightly older boy had a contagious and carefree attitude; he was a freak and he wasn’t ashamed to show it to anyone around him.

And, Gareth admired that about Eddie; he admired that no matter who came at Eddie for how different he was, Eddie just didn’t care. Eddie was Eddie, through and through. 

Not to mention, Eddie Munson was just—everything Gareth wanted to be and more. 

In Gareth’s eyes, Eddie Munson was perfect. He was funny, he was witty, he was charismatic, he was just… Eddie Munson. 

And for all the reasons Gareth loved Eddie, Jeff hated Eddie. Well, hate is such a strong word… more like: Jeff hated that Eddie took his best friend from him. 

It was always Gareth and Jeff against the world, and it was supposed to be like that until the end of time. 

Gareth and Jeff were supposed to share the awkward and fun parts of life together. They were supposed to have their first beers together, cringing at the taste of the poor quality alcoholic beverage that Jeff had stolen from his dad’s collection. They were supposed to have their first smoke session together, struggling to roll a joint while they sat with each other getting high. They were supposed to talk about the girls in their class together, discussing who they liked and how they wanted to do them. They were supposed to have all the dude and bro talks through highschool, discussing the new stupid thing that made them both pop a boner. They were supposed to be college roommates that got drunk together, laughing about their most recent hookup mishaps. They were supposed to graduate college together and move into an apartment together because, of course, they would still be single after college.

You see, Gareth and Jeff were supposed to be inseparable—together forever. Best friends forever. Only now, just a short five years after highschool they were so disconnected it was painful. If it hadn’t been for Corroded Coffin, Jeff truly wondered if he would still be seeing Gareth this far into his life. There were days where it seemed the two had really only interacted due to the band itself, and even those interactions were forced and limited. It hurt Jeff, really. 

Jeff just wanted his best friend back; he wanted things to go back to the way they were when they were kids. He wanted to yell at Gareth, to scream at him for abandoning him and leaving his side when he needed him the most. But he also wanted to hug Gareth tight and never let him go because he missed him that much. It’s funny, really, Jeff didn’t know it was possible to miss a person you still occasionally saw but then it finally hit him one day: Jeff missed the old Gareth. The Gareth that would drop everything to spend time with him, the Gareth that wanted to stay up late talking music and stupid jokes, the Gareth that would pop in from time to time just to ask Jeff how he was doing. Yeah, that’s the old Gareth; the Gareth that Jeff fell in love with. 

And now Jeff was stuck, because how do you overcome this feeling? This pain? This… betrayal? Jeff wished he could quit the band; he wished he could move back home and never see the boys again… but he knew he couldn’t do that. It didn’t matter how much he hated what was happening in his shitty life at the moment… he knew he couldn’t be the reason Corroded Coffin disbanded. That would have been a harder pain to live with.

Tonight was hard, though. Because tonight Corroded Coffin was playing back at the Hideout in their hometown of Hawkins, Indiana. They had played this venue countless times before, they knew it and the crowd that showed up there like the back of their hands. They knew how to play with that crowd and with each other… but the last few shows have been a little, well, lackluster to say the least. And Jeff might have been the one to blame for that.

Jeff just couldn’t get out of his own head no matter how hard he tried. He couldn’t stop thinking about their fluffy haired drummer with the bright blue eyes and dorky crooked smile who always had such a look of concentration on his face while drumming. 

Jeff just couldn’t stop thinking about Gareth Emerson.

“What are you doing?” Jeff asked Grant as he walked onto the Hideout stage for soundcheck. “And, where are Eddie and Gareth?”

Grant shrugged, tuning his bass while he waited for the others. “Who knows with them,” he said, swearing to himself as his bass continued to strum out of tune. “Last I knew they talked about getting lunch or something, they asked if I wanted to go but I declined… I figured they would have asked you to go with them.” 

“No, why would they?” Jeff scoffed, reaching for his guitar. “I’m surprised they asked you,” he added bitterly. Grant looked up from his bass with a sad smile, it was almost as if he could read Jeff’s thoughts before Jeff even had them. 

“To be fair,” he started, “I was standing next to them as they made lunch plans; it very well could have been a pity invite.” 

Jeff slung his guitar over his shoulder, looking up at Grant. “There it is,” he mumbled to himself, beginning to strum some cords. 

He got to work meticulously tuning his own guitar as he walked around the small stage, reminiscing on the memories the four boys had shared in this venue years prior. Usually those memories would bring a smile to Jeff’s face, but not today. Today he didn’t want anything to do with those memories. In fact, he even rolled his eyes when he heard Eddie’s voice and Gareth’s laugh ring through the stage area. There was a time when Gareth’s laugh would bring a smile to his face, it used to be able to light up even his darkest of days, but right now? All Jeff wanted to was play the show and head back to his house to drink and sleep in his own fucking bed. It had been far too long.

“Hey, guys! Ready to soundcheck some songs?” Eddie asked, walking onto the stage. Grant looked up at him and shrugged while Jeff’s back continued to face them all, strumming along to his own beat in his head. “Jeff? Are you ready to soundcheck some songs?” Eddie asked, walking towards the other guitarist.

Jeff turned slightly, looking at Eddie. “Sure,” he mumbled, ceasing his strumming. “Whatever gets us closer to our show.”

Eddie smiled, not really picking up on Jeff’s feelings. He walked towards the microphone stand center stage and turned to the drummer, a smile on his face. “Hit it, Gare!” Gareth took his seat behind the drumset and clicked his sticks together gently before he started the beat of their most popular song. During the entire soundcheck, Jeff had kept his distance. 

And that continued through to the show. Despite all the old friends and family that had come to see them perform tonight, Jeff just couldn’t do it. He didn’t have the energy to put into his performance so he played along on autopilot at his microphone stand. He strummed along to the music perfectly while he glanced up at Eddie and Gareth, watching as Eddie moved around the stage. He moved towards the drumset gracefully, continuing to sing before he walked over towards Grant and leaned against the bassist without missing a word. Eddie eventually made his way towards Jeff, smiling as he rested his arm on Jeff’s shoulder, watching him strum along to his guitar solo perfectly. Eddie nodded and smiled, making his way back towards the center stage while Jeff turned around slightly, taking a deep breath before he walked around the stage while strumming. He never stayed in one spot for too long, though. And, he made sure to stay away from the drummer—especially during their drum and guitar duet. Normally, Jeff would be right up next to the drumset, strumming his guitar with so much passion while Gareth drummed in perfect time, smiling at Jeff. 

But, not tonight. Tonight Jeff was avoiding Gareth like he was the plague.

Jeff felt like he had been successful in avoiding Gareth all night, both during and after the concert. It had become like a second nature superpower recently—Jeff would look to the side, avoid eye contact with Gareth and make a beeline in the opposite direction whenever the drummer even thought about coming near him. Jeff assumed he would be able to stay away from Gareth all night; he assumed he would be able to keep his distance all night, drinking his thoughts and feelings away before he was finally able to crawl into his bed for the night.

Jeff thought and assumed it would work. Unfortunately for him, it didn’t.

“What the fuck is your problem, man?” Gareth finally asked, cornering Jeff in his kitchen. It had been days, months, hell, maybe even years since Jeff and Gareth had had a one on one conversation without Grant or Eddie around to moderate it.

Jeff shrugged, swirling the amber colored beer around in his cup before he downed the rest of it, looking up at Gareth. “I don’t have a problem.” He replied, moving to pour more beer in his cup. Gareth finished his beer, glaring at Jeff.

“Yes, you fucking do.” Gareth snapped, following after with his arms crossed. “You’ve been nothing but short with me all day, and it’s been like that for at least a week. You’ve literally been ignoring me. What the fuck did I do to you?” 

“Nothing,” Jeff took another sip of his beer, his eyes trying to land on anything other than Gareth.

“That’s bullshit and you know it.” Gareth spit out, glaring at Jeff. “Dude, what happened to us? You’re my best friend.”

“Am I?” Jeff spit back, looking at Gareth. “Because it actually seems like Eddie took that role from me years ago. We’ve actually been so distant that I actually don’t even know at this point if I can call you a friend, let alone my best friend.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, you’ll always be my best friend. I’m allowed to have other friends, you know.”

“Yeah, well, you’ve changed, Gareth. I don’t think I want to call you a friend.” Jeff said, downing the remainder of his beer before he set the cup on the counter and moved towards the stairs. He walked up the stairs to his room, with Gareth hot on his trail. 

“I’ve changed because we’re supposed to, Jeff!” Gareth scoffed, following after him. “We’re not fifteen anymore; we’re supposed to grow up and change; that’s the point of life!”

Jeff stopped, turning towards Gareth. “While we’re supposed to change, it’s typically meant to be for the better. We’re not supposed to forget about the people that actually care about us along the way!” He snapped, glaring at Gareth. “You completely threw me away for Eddie. We were in high school and you threw me to the side because you thought being with Eddie would be better for you.”

“Is that really what this is about?” Gareth asked, staring at Jeff. “So, what? Are you, like, jealous that I’m close with Eddie now? That’s a new low, Jeff. Even for you.”

“I’m not jealous of Eddie!” Jeff groaned, opening the door to his bedroom. “I would never be jealous of that freak.”

“Then what the fuck is your problem?” Gareth questioned, following Jeff into his bedroom.

“Oh, yeah, no, come on in.” Jeff walked towards his bed, flopping down while Gareth stood in the doorway. Gareth closed the door behind him and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“You didn’t answer my question.” Gareth said, moving closer to Jeff’s bed. “What the fuck is your problem?”

Jeff sat up on his bed, glaring at Gareth. “You want to know what my fucking problem is?” He shouted, “you’re my fucking problem.” 

“I’m your problem? How the fuck am I your problem?”

“Gareth, my problem is you! You left me, you tossed me to the side for Eddie and it fucking hurt! Do you know what it feels like to be second best? Do you know what it feels like to think your best friend doesn’t want you anymore? Do you know what it feels like to be forgotten?” Jeff snapped, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I never forgot about you!” Gareth replied quickly, looking at Jeff. “I never tossed you to the side!”

“Yes—you did. And, you know what? I don’t feel like having this conversation so, just, go.”

“No.” Gareth shook his head, stepping closer to Jeff. “I’m not leaving until you talk to me.”

“Then, get comfy. Because I’m not talking to you.” 

Gareth pursed his lips, looking at Jeff. He took a seat next to him on his bed and leaned back against the headrest. “I know you’ll talk to me. I’ll just sit here until you do.”

Jeff rolled his eyes, glancing at Gareth. “Good to see you're still a stubborn little asshole.”

“You love it,” Gareth mumbled, smirking slightly. 

“Yeah, that’s kind of the fucking problem.” 

“The fuck do you mean by that?” Gareth asked, looking at Jeff with a raised eyebrow. 

“I mean—that’s my fucking problem. You’re my fucking problem. That’s the problem. The problem is that I love you.” 

“You love me?” 

“Don’t act so fucking stupid.” Jeff replied, looking away from Gareth. “I think you know it’s pretty obvious that I love you.”

Gareth thought for a second, looking back at Jeff. “What if I told you that I loved you too?”

“Yeah, right. You know you don’t need to spare my feelings here.”

“I’m not sparing your feelings,” Gareth replied, rolling his eyes, moving closer to Jeff. “I’m telling you the truth. I love you too. That’s the reason I pushed you away—I felt like if I pushed you away then maybe I would lose these feelings for you… I was wrong.”

Jeff looked up at Gareth and raised an eyebrow, “you love me?”

“Yeah. I have loved you since we were in high school,” Gareth responded, leaning closer to Jeff. His lips brushed over Jeff’s gently, a sock of electricity flying down Jeff’s spine. 

“You have?” Jeff spoke softly, looking at Gareth. 

Gareth nodded slightly, moving closer. He pressed his lip against Jeff’s fully, embracing him in a soft and warm kiss. Jeff sighed, his lips moving against Gareth’s in a slow motion as he tested the waters. Jeff’s hand moved up to find Gareth’s face, caressing his cheek gently as he pulled him closer. Gareth’s hands rested on Jeff’s chest as he moved closer, running his tongue over Jeff’s bottom lip gently. Jeff gasped into the kiss, pulling away slightly.

“Sorry,” Gareth mumbled, looking up at Jeff with a slight blush on his cheeks. 

“No, you’re fine, just… wasn’t expecting that,” Jeff admitted, leaning in again. He kissed Gareth’s lips again, pulling him closer. Gareth smiled slightly, kissing Jeff back. He ran his tongue over Jeff’s bottom lip again, only this time Jeff’s lips parted slightly, allowing Gareth the access. Gareth’s tongue found its way into Jeff’s mouth, exploring every inch within as their tongues danced for dominance. Eventually, Gareth’s tongue won. 

Gareth pulled away, leaving soft kisses down Jeff’s jawline and neck. He moved slightly, pushing Jeff back on the bed before he crawled on top of him, playing with the hem of his shirt. Gareth pulled Jeff’s shirt up gently, pushing it up over his toned stomach and chest. Jeff helped him, throwing his shirt to the side in a hasty move. Gareth looked down at Jeff, running his calloused hands up his body gently.

“You’re so pretty, you know?” Gareth murmured, leaving soft kisses on Jeff’s neck again. “Can I show you how pretty you are? Can I show you how much I actually do love you?” Gareth whispered into Jeff’s ear.

Jeff’s breath hitched slightly, a soft moan escaping his lips as Gareth’s hands continued to explore down his body while his lips left soft and sweet kisses over the sensitive skin of his neck. “Yes, please,” Jeff replied softly, his eyes closing slightly as Gareth began trailing kisses down his neck. Gareth took his time, kissing down every inch of Jeff’s body. He kissed down his neck, over his collarbones, down his chest and down his stomach making sure to show Jeff just how much he really did care and love about him.

Gareth looked up at Jeff, watching his reactions to his kisses. Jeff’s eyes were half lidded, looking down at Gareth with a small smile. Jeff ran his calloused fingers through Gareth’s fluffy hair, pushing it out of his face gently as he leaned down to leave a couple soft kisses on Jeff’s hard erection through his jeans. A moan escaped Jeff’s lips as he watched his friend, tugging on his locks of hair gently.

Gareth unbuttoned Jeff’s jeans gently, unzipping them as he tugged them down his body slowly. Jeff raised his hips slightly, giving Gareth some help. Gareth tugged Jeff’s jeans and boxers down gently, watching as his rock hard erection sprung free, hitting his stomach. Jeff groaned as the air hit his sensitive cock. 

“Fuck,” Gareth moaned, looking up at Jeff. “God damn, you’re even prettier than I thought you’d be; so big too,” Gareth commented as he wrapped his right hand around the base of Jeff’s cock gently. He pumped it a couple times before he leaned down, leaving soft kisses on the overly sensitive tip. Gareth wrapped his lips around the tip of his cock, sucking it gently as he looked up at Jeff.

Jeff groaned loudly, his fingers curling on Gareth’s locks tightly. “Fuck, Gareth,” he moaned out, looking down at him, “god, keep going.”

Gareth smirked slightly, bobbing his head gently. He moved his head down slowly before he bobbed his head back up, repeating the process a couple of times. It was true that Jeff was too big for Gareth to fit all in his mouth so he used his hand to work on the part of Jeff’s cock that he couldn’t fit in his mouth. Gareth used his left hand to fondle and massage Jeff’s balls gently as he continued to move and bob his head.

Jeff groaned loudly, tugging on Gareth’s hair harder. “Fuck, Gareth,” he sighed, closing his eyes ad his hips bucked up, causing Gareth to gag around him slightly. “If you keep doing that I’m gonna cum,” Jeff groaned, looking down at Gareth. 

“Mm,” Gareth hummed around Jeff’s cock before he pulled away slightly. “Yeah? Come on, cum for me. Cum in my mouth,” Gareth mumbled, moving back to suck on Jeff’s cock. He swirled his tongue around the head of his cock, looking up at Jeff with a smirk.

Jeff moaned loudly, twitching inside of Gareth’s mouth. He thrusted his hips up again, whining as he released ropes of cum inside Gareth’s mouth. Gareth groaned around him, swallowing everything Jeff gave him. He bobbed his head a few more times before he pulled away, leaving kisses on Jeff’s inner thighs. 

“Fuck, Gareth,” Jeff sighed, watching Gareth kisses his way back up his body. Jeff shuddered slightly, his body feeling like it was burning with each kiss Gareth left. Gareth kissed his lips softly. Jeff sighed, kissing Gareth back gently. “I love you,” he mumbled against Gareth’s lips.

Gareth smiled into the kiss, pulling away slightly. “I love you too.”

tagging some people I think may like this! @keeryhours ; @the-witty-pen-name ; @the-unforgivenn ; @hawkinsmafia ; @iitsmandii ; @pupwrites ; @writhingg

[turtleblogatlast]

One of the biggest things that makes me see Leo as trans is absolutely the size of his carapace in comparison to his brothers’.

And I’m not talking about height! I’m specifically looking at his shell here, because when you compare him to the others, particularly Donnie who is nearly the same height as Leo, it’s very clear that Leo’s carapace is much longer in proportion to the rest of his body.

Like - standing side by side, even though Donnie is shorter his carapace ends noticeably higher up than Leo’s does. And I like this not only because it really helps push the idea that Leo could very likely be trans (or intersex!), but it’s also just a fun design difference between them.

(It also lends way to future scenarios of Donnie eventually getting taller than Leo, but sitting down still has Leo being the taller one haha.)

[camgoloud]

look it’s not really that i wish i was in a relationship because the last couple of years which i have spent firmly and resolutely single after finally getting over the All That which went down between me and the last person i had any serious romantic interest in have been without question the happiest years of my life. and it’s also not really that i wish all of my friends WEREN’T in relationships because i want them to be happy et cetera et cetera. but this whole thing where both situations are happening at the same time (i.e. me: single; literally every one of them: not) does have me feeling a little. weird i guess.

[idkaguyorsomething]

The Scott Pilgrim Takes Off treatment being defined as the movie being advertised as a more faithful retelling of its story, then going completely off the rails to shift focus and tell something different and new.

¡Reblog and explain your pick in the tags!

[waugh-bao]

*

[freetheworms]

@petrowriting your tags are too good to lose inside the tumblr machine

Would you like to talk about what happened to Frederick Chilton?

[themirokai]

I got this comment on a story from my Other AO3 Account this morning.

(Info redacted because I prefer keeping these accounts separate but no one follows me on the side blog I have for that account.)

The story was posted almost a year ago and is relatively “popular” by my average statistics even though it has tropes and themes that are big turnoffs for a lot of people (hence separate accounts). This popularity is undoubtedly because it’s a Marvel Loki story and that fandom is massive.

So there is obviously an algorithm or a bot scrubbing ao3 statistics and leaving this comment on fics that meet a certain metric with the main character of the fic inserted into the comment.

I had a little time to kill this morning so I decided to investigate further. And y’all this is so predatory. Come on this journey with me. It made me mad. It may make you mad.

First, if you go to Webnovel’s website, you HAVE to choose between male lead or female lead stories before you can go any further. WTF?

And that’s weird, but this gets so much worse. This is basically a pay-to-read site that has different subscription models. Which… okay BUT! The authors don’t get paid! Look at that comment again. They’re promising a supportive and nurturing community, but zero monetary compensation. It’s basically, “post your stuff here so we can get paid and you can get… nice vibes?” I mean look at this Orwellian writing:

Using the phrase “pay-to-read model” in the same sentence as “qualitative changes in lifestyles for authors” deliberately makes you think that you can get paid and maybe even make a living on this website. But that’s not actually what it says and authors will not receive one red cent.

Oh but wait, the worst is still to come. In case this breaks containment (which I kind of hope it does) this is where I mention that I’m a lawyer in the US.

I don’t do intellectual property or copyright law but I do read and write contracts for a living. So I went to look at their terms of service. It was fun!

Highlights the first, in which Webnovel gets a license to do basically whatever they want with content you post on their site. This is how they get to be paid for people reading authors’ writing without paying them anything.

Highlights the second, in which Webnovel takes no responsibility for illegally profiting off of fan fic. This all says that the writer is 100% responsible for everything the writer posts (even though only Webnovel is making money from it).

Highlights the third which say that by posting, the author is representing that they have the legal right to use and to let Webnovel use the content according to these terms. So if a writer posts fan fiction and Webnovel makes money from people reading the fan fiction, and the House of the Mouse catches wise, these sections say that that’s ALL on the writer.

So that’s a little skeevy to start off with but the thing that is seriously shitty and made me make this post was that these assholes are coming to ao3. They are actively recruiting people in comments on their fan fiction. And they are saying they are big fans of the character you’re writing about and that they share your interests.

They are recruiting fan fiction writers and giving every impression that you can make money from posting fan fiction on their site and hiding the fact that you absolutely cannot but they can make money off of you while you try, deep in their terms of service which no one but a lawyer who writes fan fic and has some time to kill will read.

I see posts on here regularly from people who don’t understand how this stuff works, don’t understand that they (and others) can not legally make a financial profit from fan fiction. And there are tons of people who will not take the time to dig into the details.

Don’t deal with these bastards. Fuck Webnovel.