#man.... I've been reading it for almost 10 years now... I guess I started in 2015? damn... it was so long ago

[wrathyforest]

It was an amazing journey! Thank you, Horikoshi Kohei! QWQ

[pinkmoondoll9shihtzu]

Mugwort_Dreams_Report_(1)

OK so firstly i think i took too much lol because it made me feel fucking HIGH i did not know this could HAPPEN !! i made it in a large cup of tea and used the amount i would use for sleepy time tea. It is also the worst tasting tea i ever tried lmao. shortly after chugging the whole cup, i started to notice this really drowsy/dizzy feeling, And when i finally was falling asleep, it felt like i had the spins, W/o the nausea. Wasn't expecting it at all & even this morning i still feel very dizzy, Unalert, Spaced out.

Good thing i looked it up online cus i found out you shouldnt drink it more than once or twice a week Due to the psychoactive property "Thujone" which can be hard on liver/kidneys. So i will wait A few days before trying again + Use a much smaller amount Necxt time ^_^;

My dreams were really LONG & winding it's actually hard for me To remember most of what happened because It felt like they went on for days & days. The first dream from before i woke up to pee is almost lost to me but i Do remember some crucial details.

Ok this is Not meant to be concerning It Is purely for context sake But i struggled a Lot with suicidal thoughts/urges This Is Not Anything New it's a lifelong thing but I guess LAtely it has been pretty Burdensome on my mind. And before I fell asleep i was sort of Having my usual spiral about it. Then,, in my dream, i was talking to this girl I Knew from tumblr but we haven't spoken At All in over 10 years Even on tumblr we were never close She's not someone i think about you know.

But i dreamt I was talking her down from killing herself. And i was saying like, Listen, I;m suicidal too, I totally get it, I understand, But we can't do this, we just have to keep going for now, We just have to, etc etc. And there was a man with blue skin watching over us smiling, i kept thinking, Omg it's Krishna !! Krishna is here !!! He was so comforting. OK idk why i just teared up typing this remembering how beautiful & serene he looked, & his presence. I can't remember what lead up to this in the dream. But when i woke up to pee i was still thinking omg, Krishna, Krishna...

That was probably the most important thing that happened all night

The second dream was EXTREMELY long, I can only remember bits and pieces, like in one part I was at A huge shopping mall i've been to before in other dreams, I was at a Used games store, And my worst ex from 2012/2013 was in there spying on me. Every time i would catch him staring i laughed in his face And made comments about how he doesn't scare me.

Then the part i remember most is that I was at this summer camp that was like, A square island in the middle of water, lined with bunk beds as if they were a fence, and there was one small Log cabin No one ever went inside. It was me and all these other people who looked to be in their older teens, We were all wearing grey sweatsuits, and we just lived in this barren dust square island, there was no plants or shelter or anything but no one cared. The water surrounding us was very dark and freezing but there were other islands in the distance w plenty of pine trees it looked like the Vancouver islands Area.

And all I really remember about this is that one girl had written a book about the history of tumblr (Fashion & trends & Stuff) Which she was really famous for & everyone would sit around reading the book & trying to recreate All the different hairstyles And they were all wrong LOL i was like Oh this girl is so young she has No idea what it really was like But i didn't say anything or try to correct her because i didn't really care + Everyone was having fun. At one point the girl who wrote the book decided to jump into the sea & try to swim away & i thought wow she is so brave i'm much too scared of The cold black water to try that.

Then i went to sleep in my bunk bed (bottom bunk) & watched myself sleeping in 3rd person & thought wow that mugwort really knocked me out I can't believe I can sleep so peacefully with all the people & commotion going on around me. (This part is funny to me now)

IDK at some point after this i woke up but it took forever for me to come out of the dream state Rly felt like i had to claw my way out. Like i said at the top of this post i still feel really dizzy And i could pass out again at a moment's notice lol. Yes next Time i will dose is out way more frugally.

Overall i'd say very interesting experience I wonder how the dream recall aspect of it is meant to work. My sister said the first time she tried it she didn't remember anything at all but the second and third time it started to work better. The dreams she told me about from when it really worked definitely feel similar to the length of my dreams last night and how it felt like Several days past.

That's all for now. PMD9

[ell-arts]

Out of curiosity, when/where did you first learn to animate? What inspires you to make your animations?

(I'm partly asking this because the urge to animate hit me like a truck once I really got into PMATGA, lmao. I've only ever made around 3-4 small ones over the span of several months)

Good question! Long answer! :'D

I've been dreaming of being an animator since I was young, because my elder sister studied animation and that's where I learned more about it. She gave me her copy of The Animator's Survival Kit from Richard Williams after she finished studying, and I've kept it with me ever since. Mind you, I never finished it, because distractions happened XD But I've read the first bunch of pages and started getting a fletchling idea of how animation worked. This was when I was around 10-14 years old. My favourite movies were almost exclusively Disney or Dreamworks classics, and my love for them grew as I grew older. I keenly observed their animations and analyzed what it was that them so appealing, long before I actually learned how to animate properly. Through observing what made those animations so appealing and life-like, I've built up references in my mind as a benchmark as to how animation is supposed to look. So when the time came to learn animation properly, I've already had a headstart thanks to observation, which sped up my learning quite a bit.

Now, let me tell you about a man named Aaron Blaise.

To say that Aaron Blaise is an animation legend would be an understatement.

He was the co-director of Brother Bear. He worked on various Disney movies that shaped our childhoods. He animated young Nala from The Lion King, Raja from Aladdin, and he also worked on Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, Pocahontas, and the Rescuers Down Under. He left Disney in 2007, but in 2012 he teamed up with a friend and decided to start CreatureArtTeacher, a website where he shares everything that he's learned, whether that be animation from his time at Disney or just art in general. He brings aboard many other professionals in the same field and beyond, where courses are offered at the most affordable prices. Often, he'll also offer lessons on various art subjects on his YouTube for free, and he livestreams frequently!

It's thanks to these lessons that I've learned more about animation. While I didn't practice often, I did start taking my first steps into doing animation, spurred on by inspiration from Aaron's videos. This was around age 16-18. Unfortunately, I can't track down my first ever animation I've made. But I did make this sometime before turning 20;

Yes, that's a BG shot from pmatga XD

So going into my twenties, I knew enough about animation to make small little snippets such as the one above, but I wasn't yet at the point where I'd consider myself an educated animator. And here's the thing; when I went to university, I studied Visual Communication & Design, which mostly focused on graphic design. In that course, we did do a little bit of animation, but it was nothing I've already known, and it was mostly cut-out animation where you control it like a puppet in After Effects. What I really wanted to do was dive deeper into traditional 2D cell animation, but we had to preferably work in 2D cut-out animation to save time. It was a cool learning experience, but also a bit frustrating because I prefer the traditional frame-by-frame method. Alas, that would take too long, and my uni projects ran on a 2-week basis (a new project every two weeks), so I couldn't push to improve my animation skills in the direction that I wanted to. I still learned quite a bit tho, and got valuable experience with different programs, so I guess the time I got a taste of animation education was around the age of 22.

But then came 2024, age 24, when I got hired as a storyboard artist at my current job. Thanks to the company's help in giving their workers the space to learn new things, I finally tackled animation in earnest. I brought out the good ol' The Animator's Survival Kit and Aaron Blaise's courses and taught myself as much as I could, along with the support and guidance of the studio. Needless to say, sometime afterwards I could make the Rubber Pac animation I did here.

So yeah! It was a combination of things. Both my sister's influence and the influence of animated movies from a young age, Aaron Blaise's courses, university, and real-time work experience are what taught me animation <3

As for what inspires my animations, it mostly comes down to music tbh. I can always conjure a scene in my head along with whatever music is playing. Other than that, it's the desire to give life to something in an intrinsically human way, especially as art. I've always felt closest to God as an artist 💙

Told ya it was a long answer xD But hey, twas a fun answer! >:D

[cat-mermaid]

this manga has become such a cluster fuck

it had such a strong start and premise, but its shackled by the fact that it can't take the story out of the mansion. It keeps introducing new characters (remember the circus girl who turns out is like 30 and figured out the brainwashing thing right away and basically groomed her shadow to be subservient to her? And she knew Emilyko? Remember how nothing she's been to the story at all since her introduction?)

all thats been happening for the last 15 chapters is just more of the story spinning its wheels and dumping more and more names and faces at us that ultimately don't matter

the problem with the whole set up of Shadow House is that once they confront grandpa, the story is over, duh, and we can't have that while readership is still high. We gotta pad this out for all its worth. And i've written before that unlike other manga that will have fun side storys and beach arcs or what have you, Shadow House can't do things like that because of how inflexible the protagonist's situation is

everything has to revolve around figuring out how to over throw the adult shadows (and also now bitch boy Christopher/Anthony) while remaining in the mansion. And the deal with these manga is that they will throw as many spanners into the gears as it takes to slooooow the story down from reaching a conclusion, even if it means pulling a metroid/god of war and throwing the characters into super hell so that they lose all their "progress" and have to start from the very beginning again

its just starting to wear on me now becuase there are so many fucking people to keep track of, a very solvable "problem" roadblock in the form of Anothony (just killlllll him jesus chriiiiiist, u can make it look like an accident!) and now they're finally getting around to actually going after grandpa but i can't get exited for it anymore because of how bad the last few months of chapters have been

I really really want unique manga to do well and get popular, its rarer and rarer for somthing thats not "highschoolers in highschool" to dominate the seasonal anime releases

example? Paru Itagaki, who wrote Beastars? One of the most unique and engaging manga i've read in years? Guess what she's doing now?

Its called Sanda, its about this highschool kid in the future who can turn into Santa Claus. On paper, there is so much interesting stuff in here, commentary about japan's hyper obsession with youth, its birth rate issue and so on

But the thing is, this story feels like Paru got pressured by her higher ups to make something more "like whats popular" and more highschool focused. And the other thing? (And yeah its somthing she's super guilty of with Beastars too) she has no story planned at all, none

like it literally feels like she was told "write a highschool kid story" and she went with the idea a kid who can turn into santa and back again and had no grand narrative in mind

because of this manga is just.... really unfocused and really, really boring

and oh my god for a story about santa, there is almost no christmas stuff in it. u could edit it right now and change it to say "i turn into an old man when i wear red!" and very little would impacted

wats even worse? Theres a waaaaay better santa christmas manga out there right now

its still updating, and its really really fun! I'm only up to chapter 17 but i'm way more invested in this than the highschoolers in sad japan future and their baby drama

oh BOY did i get off topic!

TED TALK OVER

[screamlet]

2024 Tumblr Top 10

tagged by @rcmclachlan​!!! what a fun journey through time, especially because this is the first time i've been in a tumblr-centric fandom... ever.

Share your top 10 tumblr posts from last year! Visit this site, scroll down to "Find your Tumblr Top 10," type in your username, and select 2024. When you get the results, simply click "Share to Tumblr" and you'll get an auto-generated draft for a post with links and previews. Make any adjustments you see fit.

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1. 558 notes - Nov 9 2024

Another hospital room. Buck takes a deep breath and closes his eyes again, letting it out and hoping he gets back to sleep. It doesn’t happen, though, because his brain catches up to his eyes: Maddie, wearing a yellow paper hospital mask, a hand anxiously on her belly, sitting in the chair next to him with that too-familiar oh-thank-god-you’re-finally-awake face… and Tommy leaning in the doorway.

this is from break and be mended, the 4.5k bucktommy fix-it fic i vomited up literally two days after the breakup aired. the spirit (of anger and spite) moved me i guess

2. 406 notes - Sep 17 2024

so imagine: s8e1, many bees, zero tommy until another last 5 minutes of the episode, the jeep pulling up to this small house...

this little whatever from a week before the s8 premiere when we thought the bees would be something and/or tommy would do anything and/or we would ever see tommy’s fucking house. the dodgeball of apollo missed me on every count.

3. 400 notes - Oct 4 2024

“well we’re so happy the co-pilot’s awake! everything’s gonna be just fine and we can land this plane now” god don’t they know they’re in part two of a three-part season opener, they did this to themselves

this random post from an episode live blog and it wouldn’t have gone anywhere without @dadvans​ and the assist, god this still makes me laugh

4. 232 notes - Dec 8 2024

It’s not until the elevator starts moving that he hears it through the doors: “Tommy! Tommy, wait—Tommy!”

the fic post for a wolf without a foot, my 34k bucktommy fix-it fic that just... 😐 i might write a buck interstitial to this one because buck’s (lack of) presence in it continues to bug me. no promises!!!!

5. 222 notes - Aug 28 2024

The plan doesn't involve kissing Evan, this man he's met three times. Disaster rescue, work tour, basketball disaster, Evan's apartment right now—four times. This is only the fourth time he's ever laid eyes on Evan Buckley, but Evan Buckley hasn't fucking blinked since he stepped into the room. Has Tommy?

for a random wip wednesday, i posted the whole tommy pov scene of The First Kiss from what are your intentions? and it’s still getting notes four and a half months later. this poor man!!! what’s a terrified gay to do!!!!!

6. 214 notes - Dec 11 2024

Tommy has one arm firmly around Buck and one finger pointing at Sal. "I'm from LA. When the hell would I have seen a live chicken?"

aw, this cute @118dailydrabble​ where buck learns about Maurice the Chicken while hanging out with tommy, sal, and bobby.

7. 213 notes - Dec 20 2024

Buck reads to himself: If my grief is violent enough, perhaps he will come back to life again... "Mayday, mayday, mayday, companies respond to an explosion at Harbor Station."

the beginning of blow up that chopper!!!!

8. 204 notes - Nov 16 2024

"Yeah, pretty much. You got some good parts, though. The really good ones." He swallows past the lump in his throat, and means it when he says, "I wouldn't give you any less." "But I wanted all of them," Evan says. "You gave me less, Tommy. Don't think you did me some favor, here. You didn't. You gave me less."

a wip wednesday excerpt from a wolf without a foot, gahhhhhhh yes it still kills me, too

9. 201 notes - Nov 26 2024

my favorite part of the bucktommy breakup fic explosion is seeing each writer focus on THE thing that bugs them most about this breakup and/or breakups in general...

"confessions” aired almost exactly two months ago and man has this fandom been a fucking ride since then

10. 198 notes - Dec 9 2024

unfortunately kinley cafe posits a REALLY interesting coffee shop au where the fluffy gay owners break up and a whole neighborhood has to scheme to get them back together so they don't sell the cafe

where is this coffee shop au!!!!!!!!!!!

tagging: YOU, YES, YOU

[realjem]

now dear jem why r u so angry this year over your wrapped

You see, beloved mutual, the truth of the matter is that they are pulling shit out of their ass for no reason!

Not the whole thing, for me at least, but it's specifically the sections where it tells you a month and a "phase" you had for that month that's just... wrong to me.

gonna put this under a read-more cause it might get long hold up: (it definitely got Long)

okay. yeah. hi. My top 5 songs/artists were all pretty much in order, i can verify this since i have my spotify connected to Lastfm (tracks your listens/"scrobbles" onto its own website for easily checking what you listen to the most etc etc).

(I almost forgot before this, but I must mention that a few servers I'm in have music bots that scrobble tracks listened through vc. Some of the numbers will not count on Spotify due to this, but most of my time listening was via Spotify. It changes the rankings, but not by much.)

The "Top Songs 2024" playlist is where it starts to fall apart a bit. I set up my Lastfm to show me my tracks in top listening order from Jan. 1st to Oct. 31st (about the time it collects Spotify Wrapped data)

Aaaand... my top 10, everything past the 2nd song, is out of order. I give this some leeway due to the aforementioned vc scrobbles.

(i have to splice together the Spotify screenshots since the tracks are way larger)

You see that large bulk of songs from the same album? Why does it just... not count after the 5th one? The other 4 show up separated by 3 tracks each?????

(bonus lastfm 5-21 for extra comparison)

Actually, I'm noticing now too, EVERY track from the same album has that same 3-song buffer (notice the Halloween IV tracks also being buffered above)... but why? My best guess is so that you can listen to it w/o shuffle and not get bombarded with everything from the same album at once, but I personally feel like it removes the whole point of a "Top 100" playlist, no?

Anyways... onto the "Month Phase" things.

Hey Spotify. I didn't listen to Teddy Hyde on your broken app until July? Did you just cram it in there since it kinda fits the arbitrary aesthetic? For what purpose?

What? What? What? What? It takes me 18 other artists with WAY higher numbers to even get to Da Vinci's Notebook, and that's just for April. There are a myriad of other choices it could have gone for here, but I suppose it just really wanted to play Enormous Penis in my wrapped this year. Great

Okay sure whatever man. My Weirdcore Scratch Indietronica moment. Just ignore the top 3 artists, who are all queer people. Cool. Yeah man.

Just. I dunno. It's rubbing me the wrong way. They never even mention any of the queer artists unless they had to for me. Plus, I've been hearing rumors that they've laid off a bunch of people and let AI generate the whole thing, but take that with some salt as I have no evidence besides a screenshot of a tweet that was sent to me.

All in all, I just feel like it was... incredibly lackluster this year. I think I'm out of things to say by now, but it just sucks so bad. Obviously, alongside the fact that Spotify just sucks as a platform and doesn't pay their users any sort of wage unless they're in the top 1000, but that's a discussion someone else could word way way better than I ever could.

[taruchinator]

🌳 Teen Audiences

🌳 2k Words

🌳 Day 10 | Gravestone for @flufftober!

“Pete, you really don't have to do this.”

“Yes, I do. Just humor me a bit...”

It was a sunny day in Harlem; a stark contrast to the place Peter Parker and Mila Morales were currently at: Manhattan’s local cemetery.

About to ask for Jefferson Davis' blessing to marry his daughter.

So here we are 👏 delving into another one of my fandom obsessions that lay dormant ever since the release of the first game: Petemai (aka Peter/Miles)!

I've always been a sucker for the mentor/mentee relationships, so this one immediately stood out to me when playing the games.

Enjoy! 💖

“Pete, you really don't have to do this.”

“Yes, I do. Just humor me a bit...”

It was a sunny day in Harlem; a stark contrast to the place Peter Parker and Mila Morales were currently at: Manhattan’s local cemetery.

The brunet could feel a familiar unease in the pit of his stomach that spread to his arms and fingertips, making him begin to shake from nerves as he stood in front of a slab of stone that was so important, not just to himself, but mostly to the woman standing beside him.

‘Jefferson Davis’—it read in bold letters. ‘A hero, a father, a husband.’

Peter never got the privilege of meeting the man outside the suit. He would only hear stories from Mila and her mother, saying how brave and kind and loving he was. Still, with how much his girlfriend talked about him, it almost felt like he knew him well enough at this point.

“She's your fiancée now, Parker…” Peter had to mentally correct himself as he turned to look at his companion.

Mila Morales stood in all her glory—short curly hair held in place by bobby pins, a red hoodie Peter bought her when they'd gone shopping after patrol one day, denim shorts and black leggings with red matching Jordans.

But most importantly of all, a simple silver band with a small diamond resting on her ring finger.

It belonged to Aunt May. She'd given it to him back when he and MJ were still dating, a sign of her blessing and also a gift that saved his wallet from having to buy one himself. If she knew who the ring's new owner was though, she'd still be proud.

“Peter?” Mila's soft voice broke the brunet from his trance, snapping his attention back from her hand to her face, scrunched in concern. “You okay? You're shaking.”

Peter couldn't hold back the smile that spread across his face. She was so good to him. He'd never get over that fact. While trying to steady his hands, he reached for Mila's and intertwined their fingers with a firm squeeze. “Yeah, sorry ‘bout that. Guess this is harder than I thought, haha…”

If anyone had told him a year ago that he'd be standing here today, he wouldn't have believed them.

After everything that happened with MJ, Peter learned that balancing the life of a superhero while trying to maintain a healthy relationship was near impossible. The two of them had come to that conclusion together after years of trying to make it work, and despite walking away with no hard feelings, the brunet couldn't help the feeling of hopelessness that was left in his chest.

The harsh reality that he'd never be able to have a romantic relationship was just another burden he had to add to the pile. Things he had to give up with the responsibility of the Spider-Man title.

That was until Mila Morales showed up and turned his world upside down.

After getting over the initial shock of having another spider person who could relate to stuff he couldn't share with his friends, Peter was more than happy to have the young girl under his wing—it wasn't until months passed that he started to notice some… odd behavior on his part when it came to Mila.

Peter could be having the worst day ever—job searching failures, villains escaping, Jonah not knowing when to shut his trap unless Peter glued it shut with his webs—no matter what had him fuming, Mila was always able to get him to smile.

It could be something as simple as her and Ganke programing a new gadget for him to try, her finally getting an A+ in Spanish because if not ‘mi mamá me va a matar esta vez, ¡te lo aseguro!’, or just a dumb joke that didn't make any sense but still had Peter holding his sides and wiping tears in the middle of their patrol.

He'd just be in an overall better mood when around her.

He'd also talk about her without even realizing it. A lot.

“Pete, I get it. You're proud of your girlfriend's progress! But I don't need a day by day update, kay?” Harry had said once when they were chilling at his apartment and Peter was talking about the Holo-Training he'd prepped for Mila.

“Peter, you're just a phone call away. With everything you tell me, Mila can handle a week on her own.” MJ said when Peter voiced his concerns about leaving the girl to look after the city.

And so, the comments started evolving from simple pointers to straight out teasing within a matter of weeks. Harry and MJ wouldn't give him a break whenever it came to Mila, and it was starting to get on his nerves.

But it also got him thinking about her.

About how brave, selfless, caring, and funny she was.

He'd compliment her more often, making sure that she knew just how amazing she was. There was nothing wrong with friends telling each other how smart they were. How creative. Heck, so what if he said she looked beautiful one day after taking off her mask on the rooftop to call it a night—with the moonlight framing her in a way that could only be described as ethereal?

Friends could acknowledge if the other was attractive! Right?

It didn't take long for Peter to analyze the facts and come to the conclusion he was dreading.

He was developing feelings for Mila Morales.

And the thought of that terrified him.

Setting aside the age gap between them (that was a whole separate can of worms he was not prepared to deal with), there were his previous romantic experiences which left him in a bad place. One where he didn't think he was worthy of love and that he only caused suffering to those he cared about.

Friendships were the only thing he allowed himself to hold onto, and even those were always at arm's length. He couldn't bear the idea of losing Mila as a friend, let alone hurting her in any way.

So, he kept everything bottled up in hopes that it was just a silly little crush that would go away on its own.

Only for Spider-Woman to beat him to the punch.

While fighting when possessed by the Venom entity, Mila said and did everything she could to get Peter to snap out of it and fight back. Including revealing her true feelings for him.

Despite wanting to brush it off as a spur of the moment deal, she told him again a week after the incident, clearing the air of any doubt that she hadn't meant it.

And despite wanting to deny her and claim that he didn't feel the same, Mila knew better. She noticed something was off and pressed the issue, stating that she didn't mind being let down, but only if it was genuine and not for ‘her sake’ somehow.

That was more than enough for the dam to break inside him.

Peter explained his concerns, his fears, his insecurities—he opened himself up and laid bare for the other to see. And all she did was listen and comfort him the best she could.

No judgment.

“I don't deserve this. I don't deserve you!” The brunet was holding back tears while Mila placed a hand on his cheek in a soft and comforting manner.

After swallowing a lump in her throat, the teen looked him in the eye and allowed the tiniest of smiles to grace her lips. “Don't you think that's for me to decide?”

And so that night, they shared their first kiss on top of the Empire State Building, with unspoken promises being exchanged between their lips.

Once they started officially dating, Peter was determined to set ground rules.

First, he needed to get Rio's blessing.

An awkward conversation was had at the Morales household in which Peter kept saying essentially the same things over and over, fumbling like an idiot, only for Rio to stop him and say that she already considered him part of the family anyways. He was let go with a hug and threat of keeping her daughter safe.

Second, no intimacy until Mila turned eighteen.

There would be the occasional kiss on the cheek, hand holding and cuddling while watching movies, but anything more heated than that was a strict no-no in Peter's book. Despite how many times his girlfriend did her best to seduce him, causing Spider-Man to have to flee his own apartment on more than one occasion.

And the third one was a secret kept to himself until recently—ask for Jefferson Davis’ blessing as soon as he proposed.

It was entirely unnecessary, and at this point, rather irrelevant to be asking that question, but Peter couldn't help it if he was old fashioned that way.

Staring at the gravestone that marked the resting place of his future father-in-law, he took a deep breath through his nose and out his mouth. Mila squeezed his hand too, showing her support in the only way she could.

“Good evening, Mr. Davis…” Peter managed the sentence without stuttering, which was a win on his book. “I'm sorry to be bothering you today, but there's something important I need to tell you. It's… about your daughter.”

He turned to look at Mila, and she smiled in return, as if to say he was doing a good job. Peter nodded and gulped as he kept going. “A-As I've told you before, Mila and I have been dating for a few months now. She brings me happiness like no one else, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration when I say she's been my lifeline on more than one occasion.”

Bringing their joined hands forward, the brunet extended the young woman's in a way that showed off her ring. It gleamed under the rays of sunlight peeking through the trees and that caused Peter to let out a breathy chuckle. It was real. “Which is why I've asked her to marry me.”

“I'm engaged, daddy…” Mila spoke to her father for the first time since they got there. Her dimples showed clearly with the way she was grinning from ear to ear. “Guess you and mama can't stop betting on Ganke and I, haha…”

Peter laughed along with her, and the unease began to dissipate. Still, his gaze remained on the stone in front of him, keeping him grounded and reminding him of why he was here in the first place. “I… I really wish I could've asked for your blessing in person, sir. Mila and her mother speak the world of you, and with good reason! I also wish… I could apologize properly.”

The image of the bombing caused by the Inner Demons flashed in Peter's mind. The day Jefferson Davis lost his life while trying to protect the people Spider-Man was responsible for—the day he met Mila under the worst circumstances; by not saving her father.

And even though his lover had forgiven him for that ages ago, Peter would carry it with him along with the tragedies that befell anyone who was involved with Spidey.

Regaining his composure, Peter cleared his throat and let himself continue with his speech. “I know I couldn't save you that day… but I swear to you, on my life, that I will make your daughter happy and always keep her safe. Not like she needs it, I'm sure you know how stubborn she can be.”

Spider-Woman lightly shoved him with a roll of her eyes, bringing a smirk to Peter's lips.

At that moment, a light breeze swept by the duo, rustling the leaves of the late autumn season. The brunet stared wide eyed as a leaf placed itself on top of Mr. Davis’ grave, almost perfectly in front of them both.

Mila must have thought the same thing as he did because she leaned upwards to place a kiss on her fiancé's cheek. “Looks like you got your blessing.”

“You think?” Peter mumbled, not wanting to break the quiet stillness around them.

“I know.” A gentle smile then replaced either a mischievous grin. “Even if he might be a bit upset I ended up with a basic white guy.”

Peter allowed himself to chuckle at that, pulling the girl next to him close in a hug. The warmth that radiated from her body was nothing short of calming, and it reminded him of home. In a strange way, she was his new home. “You think if he knew I was Spider-Man I'd score some coolness points?”

“Maybe. Though that would entail he didn't know I was Spider-Woman. Which to be honest makes me like, ten times cooler.”

As the duo left the cemetery hand-in-hand, Peter knew that the future he was heading into was filled with uncertainty. But with his partner in crime standing by his side through it all, he knew it would make it a little bit easier.

After all, who was Spider-Man without Spider-Woman?

[andmaybegayer]

Last Monday of the Week 2025-02-10

I do make the rules and I also enforce them

Listening: Two songs have been stuck in my head all week, #1 is I Got My Tooth Removed from 10,000 gecs by 100 gecs.

If I'm honest I've primarily had this sequence stuck in my head

My head's like a ton of bricks, but this dumb bitch still learns new tricks I fuck with fire, burn my dick, play violin on sinking ships I woke up and was down, horrendous, think I need to see the dentist

#2 and I think the theme here is "attractive use of rhythm and rhyme" because it's Vampire State off Your Majesty by Michael Guy Bowman

I know this one has featured already. As mentioned, I make and enforce the rules. I like a lot of the stupid puns in here! It's a very smug song, very self-satisfied. Also making me so badly want to get a bass guitar.

Watching: Busy week! First up Macbeth, the 2024 West End performance film release.

It has been a hot second since I have seen Macbeth although I pregamed this with the Ian McKellen and Judi Dench one from the 70's which I kind of half-listened to while making dinner.

Macbeth is not as dense with like Good Lines as Hamlet but it is tied for like, how fun it is to watch. Relies very heavily on your Lady Macbeth driving everything forward.

There's a lot of gender in here! Everyone is constantly saying whether they're a man or a woman and they're totally not lying they promise.

Also, at Bad Movie Night: Flash Gordon, which. Is not like Macbeth.

Flash Gordon has some really killer outfits! My only knowledge of Flash Gordon is secondhand through parody and I was not prepared for how all out the sets and costumes went, thank you movies.

Multiple lost technologies on display here. We don't make t-shirts that tight anymore, and we also lost this kind of big semi-earnest comedy sci-fi technology. The closest thing to this is I guess Jupiter Ascending, which is Very Tropey in a similar way but that's like, ten years old now?

Reading: Going back and forth between Pale Fire and other things, mostly the little Nabokov collection I picked up. Little to say, Pale Fire continues to be fun but in the same way as before.

Making: Printing around the house, more design stuff around the TV. Starting to work on a lapboard-ish thing. Currently I use the steam desktop mode which is very good, like, genuinely quite handy, which combined with being able to send links from my phone to the handheld is pretty much complete, but it would be nice to be able to a) type and b) play 3D games without having to learn how to use a controller. I am not a picky gamer when it comes to my keyboard and mouse, I've beaten Star Wars Republic Commando on a trackpad more than once, but I do want a mouse.

This involves figuring out what I want to do with Galena. I've run into problems! Galena suffers from "not the same kind of layout as the keyboard I type on all day at work", a problem that has two possible solutions, 1) build a Galena copy for work, or 2) build a work copy for home. I kind of like my work layout (Logitech K860) more than the strict ortho of Galena so it's possible I'm going to tear her down and rebuild her. If I do do this what I might do is figure out how to get time on the makerspace CNC mill so that I can build a swoopy complicated case out of wood, I do like having a wooden keyboard, but it'll probably at least start out as a printed project. It's also possible that much of Galena will become the lapboard and I'll build something new for the desktop.

Additionally: remembered I have that whole LED project. Got save slots working on the API and backend side of things.

Playing: Cyberpunk, I am presently in Phantom Liberty which is a very sharp change of pace, much more focussed, it feels almost like a linear campaign in many ways. Enjoying it but hoo boy that division feels artificial. It doesn't help that I basically waited until everything else was wrapped up to go there, although I am enjoying having some latitude to deploy my top level skill tree in the wild.

Tools and Equipment: I got a really really long wool coat the other day and I cannot overstate how good it is for cold weather because it covers your legs. Combined with my ridiculous chaps this is perhaps the most comfortable I've been outside all winter.

[esssteee]

Thanks for the tag @yletylyf <333

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 13

2. What's your total A03 words count? 351,919

3. What fandoms do you write for? grishaverse and castlevania. i'm still a baby writer, having started actively contributing to fandom works not quite 2 years ago.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

we are the wild youth chasing visions of the future (gv, aleksander/alina), young liars (gv, aleksander/nikolai), with the sun against our back (gv, aleksander/nikolai), winding and unwinding (gv, aleksander/nikolai), i will eat you alive (gv, aleksander/nikolai)

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

yep, almost all! if i receive several in a row, chapter after chapter and by the same person, than i will more likely just respond to the last one, but i do like giving an answer to any feedback and show of love i get!

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

um, good question. i don't think I've written a true angsty ending. i have several open/ambiguous endings, but the ending for me and the devil (gv, aleksander/alina) is the most ambiguous of the bunch just because it can be interpreted as alina just going stir-crazy from being alone and forgotten for so long and imagining aleksander by her side and staying with her, so it can be angsty if you take it that way.

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

with the sun against our back (gv, aleksander/nikolai) cause they end up pseudo married and ruling together (yay!)

8. Do you get hate on fics?

nope! too small a fandom writer for that and i'm ever thankful for it!

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

me? smut??? XD just look at the rating for each fic and the associated tags, i guess i do love developping characters through the very intimate act of them falling in bed together. no real kinky sex or anything, but there's often lots of hidden (and not so hidden) feelings behind the act. most smut i've written can be considered rough and/or passionate, since there's a kind of desperation born out of the characters thinking they only have that one single time to be with the other so they're giving their all. i do love exploring the vulnerabilities that come from that for sure!

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

no i haven't. it's never really been my fav thing, but if done well, it'd read one.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

i don't think so, not to my knowledge.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

i had someone asking to translate one, yes.

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

no!

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

that i've written? aleksander/nikolai in gv for sure, aleksander/alina a close second. but as a reader, i just love love love the perfect OT3 that is alucard/trevor/sypha from castlevania (if you haven't read baba by crownofpins, GO READ IT NOW)

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

none, i'm just terribly slow right now. life is throwing a ton of shit at me (dog being very sick, work is horrible, energy at the lowest point), but i keep daydreaming about each fic and slowly coming up with future parts in my head if not on paper.

16. What are your writing strengths?

ah man i don't know, getting into the character's head for which i'm writing the pov from, making their thoughts and feelings just as important as anything going on. i guess because of that i strongly favour inner conflict storylines.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

too wordy. also pantsing my way thru a fic instead of really sitting down and coming up with a plan ― we are the wild youth chasing visions of our future really forced me to come up with a strong plan, which i never would have been able to do without @theonewiththeory's immense help, girl i never would have been able to achieve what i did without you!! it is my first fic in english, the first one i wrote as an adult, and it shows, but i'm still proud of it! but i definitively continue to struggle with planning and too often i fall into the bad habit of vibing along with it. also, big external-conflict plotting is a hard thing for me, tho i wish i could become better at it since it's always so fun as a reader and i'm always impressed by writers who pull an intricate plot so flawlessly!

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

i'm not a fan of it. so often the other language is plain up butchered, and there are ways to do it without having to juggle the hassle of writing a dialogue in another language and needing to translate it so the reader knows what's going on. but as all things, they are exceptions to the rule and anything can be done well!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

oh man the lord of the rings (with a very mary sue oc even! but i remember having such self-indulging fun with that oc and all the research needed to flesh the story out) and the legend of zelda/ocarina of time (at least i went with link for my mc in this one!)

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

when i was 12, i started a complete rewrite of ocarina of time which i of course never posted online. it was in french and i was only doing it for fun. but i still have one version of it and oh boy is it cringe-worthy XD big fail, i read that question as the first fic written ― my brain is really elsewhere these days. my fav fic is definitively with the sun against our back (gv, aleksander/nikolai) which became a comfort reread when i need to feel better by reading about familiar and intimate characters. the whole series (of monsters and men) is something i'm really proud of, even with its faults and misgivings, but that third and final part has left me with the biggest impact personally.

Tagging: i'll tag a few people (no pressure, it's only if you want of course!), but anyone else who see this and wanna do it too, have fun with it (and tag me! i wanna read about people <3)

@theonewiththeory, @ladyverdance/@greensaplinggrace, @inahandful-of-dust, @aloveforjaneausten, @fantomette22, @goatsandgangsters, @zizygy, @itsnotunfinisheditsmystyle

[futuremrshoran09]

Catfished

Pt 2 : It was you all along?

I fiddled with my thigh high boots while holding the phone up to my ear, "i don't know what I'm thinking Mel, i just know that whether he shows up or not i have front row seats to see Niall Horan and I'm taking this opportunity whether i end up kidnapped later or not" my best friend sighed on the other end of the phone. "you stress me out, make sure your location is always on okay?" "yeah yeah i mumbled" cursing myself for wearing these stupid boots. I wasn't much for getting dressed up but tonight i actually put some thought into my outfit. A short black mini skirt white tank oversized leather jacket and black thigh high boots. I stood in line waiting to get my ticket scanned nervously looing around for Adams dark hair and green eyes. i texted "where are you I'm almost at the front of the line" nothing. This has got to be a fucking joke i think to myself. Then anxiety took over my mind, what if Adams really a weirdo and he snatches me up after the concert, what if the tickets are fake or stolen and i go to jail, what if he shows us and... my anxious thoughts were cut off by the big guy in the security hat yelling "next" at me. "I guess I'm about to find out if these are real or not" i muttered to myself.  He scanned the ticket and looked at his screen for a second. "to your left all the way down to the first row" no fucking shit the tickets were real, so if the tickets were real did that mean Adam was too?

My phone finally buzzed with a response, "running late love, be there soon, oh and have that kiss ready for me" i couldn't help but smile at his message. But now i was getting nervous, Adam was really coming... would i really have to kiss him? i mean not that i would mind, he was cute and we have been flirting for a few weeks but like what if i didn't like him in person. I walked up to the bar "long island" i asked the bartender "make it a double please" $22 fucking dollars for a drink i muttered, i fucking hate New York. I made my way down to my row, all the way to the front. i couldn't help from fangirling internally, the idol I've had a crush on for like 10 years would be right there, right in front of me in just a few minutes. at this point i didn't even care if Adam showed up in a few minutes Niall fucking Horan would be a few feet away from me singing like the angelic Irishman he is. I texted Adam again " 5 min to show time where are you :(" no response. i take a sip from my drink quickly remembering why i stopped ordering doubles as my chest started to burn. The lights dimmed and the intro to "meltdown" slowly started playing. "NEW YORK CITY HOW ARE WE TONIGHT" a loud Irish voice yelled. i could literally feel my heart start to race as THE Niall Horan walked on stage. "Fuck me i think I'm gonna faint" i said to myself.

I smiled looking up at Niall singing his little heart away, but still no Adam. At moments it felt like Niall was pointing, looking, or smiling right at me i was literally living out my teenage dream. "slow hands" started and i freaked, i didn't expect to hear this song so soon into the concert. I watched as Niall jumped from the stage onto the floor everyone freaked but my phone buzzed. "I'm here love" it read .i looked down at my phone and around, looking to see who was walking towards me. I didn't even notice Niall directly in front of me singing straight at me, a grin across his face. i could feel myself blush, as i stared at him, i was directly in front of the man who i fangirled over for year. Niall's hand reached out grabbing mine interlocking his calloused hands within mine but not for a second did he stop singing or looking at me and not for a second did the smirk leave his face. I watched as he almost laughed at me, he took out his phone and did god knows what i was too busy taking it all in, his eyes, his voice, that smile, i felt like i was 15 again. At that same time my phone began to buzz, "Adam" it rang i answered the call finally breaking my gaze away from from Niall "hello" i said looking looking around. it wasn't until i looked back up at Niall that i understood. in front of me he stood with his phone facing me a big grin on his face "priscilla" the called ID on his phone read. My phone dropped to the floor.. i didn't understand Adam was Niall?? Niall was Adam?? The Niall Horan Niall gave me a little wink before running back around and up onto the stage. I didn't know what to think, i mean should i be mad? i had a gut feeling that the person i was talking to wasn't really Adam but for that person to be fucking Niall Horan was a whole other thing. I mean was it him the whole time? Was this some kind of prank? my thoughts were interrupted by a tall man dressed in black signaling me to follow him, i looked up to see Niall shaking his head yes, telling me to follow the man. i frantically looked around the floor for my phone, fuck me i thought hoping nobody had snatched it up, after a few seconds i found it underneath the seat next to me. i stuffed it into my purse and started exiting the row following the strange man. i stood at the edge of the row and watched as he opened the gate signaling for me to walk through. "what the actual fuck is going on right now" i thought to myself as i walked up the stairs. back stage was full of random people running around doing various tasks some yelling others untangling wires and some looking through a rack of clothes. "OUTFIT CHANGE READY UP PEOPLE" a lady with a short pixie cut yelled. "excuse me" i say signaling her "why am i here?"" I'm sorry what?" she asked "are you not supposed to be here are you a fan?" " Oh no she's supposed to be here" i heard a  deep accented voice say behind me. I turn around and was met with brown hair blue eyes and a smile that could turn a nun into a hooker. "Holy fucking shit" was the only thing that came out of my mouth. 

Niall was immediately bombarded with 2 women holding clothes up to him trying to decide between two outfits for the other half of the show." You're Niall fucking Horan" i said," and you're priscilla" he smirked. "How the fuck do you know my name", at this point i was full on anxious and i began to pace back and forth. I turned back to face him "are you fucking Adam" i almost yelled. i watched as his smile faded a bit, "yes I'm Adam" he said " BUT i promise i have a good explanation for this i swear."  Without even thinking my arm flew across hitting him right on the shoulder," a good explanation for what ?! catfishing me !" " i didn't mean to" he said as he pulled a new white tank on," i swear." i crossed my arms and looked straight into his eyes, i wanted him to know that i could see right through his shit. "back on in 30 seconds" someone yelled in the back. Niall grabbed his guitar and looked back at me, "listen i know this might all seem fucked but stay, just stay okay? just let me explain everything. please". between the way his blue eyes twinkled at me and the sincerity in his voice i couldn't help but fold. "UGHHH fine!" i yelled.  a smiled crept up on his face and as he turned around and started walking away. i yelled after him "you're explaining this over a bottle of tequila" he turned to face me walking backwards to the stage with that big ol goofy grin he's always had and hit me with a "and you still owe me a kiss" 

[aniron48]

20 questions for fic writers

Thank you for the tag, @anyawen! These were so much fun!

Answers under the cut, and tagging @sweetbabyangels, @mr-iskender, @stinastar, @aprettyspy and @thestalwartheart, in case you haven't done this already and it's of interest!

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 30! That number seems astonishing to me now, considering I started writing fic in earnest like a year-and-a-half ago. 😁

2. What’s your total A03 word count? 138,358

3. What fandoms do you write for? James Bond, Glass Onion/Knives Out, and I just wrote my first fic for The Old Guard fandom, which has pulled me in by the lapels and refused to let me go. And the very first fic I ever wrote was for Stardew Valley.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos? 1. A Good Man (Benoit Blanc/Phillip) 2. rain (00q) 3. open line (00q) 4. The More Loving One (00q) 5. Must Love Cats (00q)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? Ok yes I definitely do and I love to *and also* I'm so sorry, I'm 288 days (yes I just checked) behind in responding to comments, because this year has been...something else. So, taking the opportunity to say that a) all of your comments are incredible bright spots for me, and b) I am working my way steadily through and enjoying your comments all over again as I re-read and respond to them.

6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? WELP (eyes my pile o' fics warily). If we go based off the fics with "Major Character Death" as a warning, for a certain value of angst, it's a tie between offering and and the wind at their backs. But both of these fics deal with grief, and the complicated emotions that result from the persistence of love even after the object of that love is gone, and there's some hope in that, too, I think.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? lmao most of the rest of them other than the two in number 6? 😂 this is a hard one to answer, so I'll list my RomCom-iest fics for now (Must Love Cats for 00q and in a space that they belong for The Old Guard). Special shout-out to 'tis the damn season, though, because the happiness at the end of this fic feels like some of the hardest fought, to me, and some of the tenderest I've written, I think.

8. Do you get hate on fics? No--I've gotten a few less than diplomatic comments, and a couple people making unflattering notes in bookmarks that I don't think they meant for me to see, but nothing terrible.

9. Do you write smut? ::offers you rain and for the age of the earth, and after as if I am a sommelier presenting you with some very fine wine:: "this one has notes of--" you know what I'm just going to stop there.

10. Do you write crossovers? I haven't yet!

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? No, thank goodness (knocks on wood).

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? Not yet! #goals

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Use. Your. Words., which was a collaborative poem for 007 fest 2023. 😁

14. What’s your all-time favourite ship? I spent about five minutes hemming and hawing about this but you know what, it's impossible to pick. 😂

15. What’s the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? Like Anyawen, I have aspirations of finishing all the ones hanging out in my Scrivener app...someday. Probably the one I have the most doubts about is a 5 + 1 fic where Bond tries out different activities post retirement. I still love the idea and some of the vision I had for this one, but it lives almost entirely in my head, still.

16. What are your writing strengths? I think maybe I have a good ear for language, both in terms of the rhythm of sentences and paragraphs, and for conveying a character's voice or accent. But it's hard to assess your own strengths, sometimes, so that's just my best guess!

17. What are your writing weaknesses? I'm actively working on trying to be better at descriptions, especially in giving details about setting or background. I realized I give these things short shrift, sometimes, and want to change that!

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? I'll do it with languages I'm fluent in (and have done it with Spanish, since I'm a native speaker).

19. First fandom you wrote for? Stardew Valley, in What Dreams May Come.

20. Favourite fic you’ve ever written? Omg, another one that is almost impossible to answer! I think I have to go with all the flags we've hung. This is one of my least popular fics--it's a rarepair, the love depicted in it is complicated (though no less real), and it deals with light topics like, you know, structural racism in the United States. As one does. But it's a fic that's incredible close to my heart, for many reasons, and I remain so proud of this one.

Phew! If you have read all of this you deserve a cupcake. 💜

xoxo, Ani

[sunshinechay]

Im glad I made you laugh, i've read the tweet like 10 times trying to dissect it. Im assuming this is a love triangle and these are their ship/their names? Info dumping is welcomed

Yes hello, I apologize for how long it took me to answer. I was spending time with friends and completely forgot this was in my inbox.

The show I’m talking about it Only Friends or Only Friends The Series (ofts for short). Which is about a group of messy gays being messy bitches who live for the drama. It’s directed by a man named Jojo Tichakorn, who is an amazing writer/director who is himself gay. It’s been compared to Queer as Folk a lot which I think is fair because it does have some similarities though there are a lot of differences too.

It is and it isn’t a love triangle. That being said, it consists of three characters

Sand my beloved doe eyed boy and resident furious bisexual™️ (also sassy and hiding pain)

Ray, the resident asshole with a heat of gold and self esteem issue self destructive alcoholic

And Mew, the only one capable of keeping a plant alive

To make a very long story short,

Mew and Ray have been friends for a long time (it is not mentioned how long) and 2 years prior to the series beginning, Mew saved Ray from dying by suicide (after Ray calls Mew to leave his suicide note). Ray has been in love with Mew since then while Mew had exactly 0 romantic interest in Ray, which Mew had made very clear to Ray more than once.

At the beginning of the series, Mew is introduced to Top while Ray meets Sand. (Side note, Top and Sand have their own history with each other that is not relevant right now but goes to the messy gays being messy). Top is Mew’s first serious relationship and a good deal of their relationship development revolves around the fact that Mew is a virgin while Top is the “top-tier” aka the Chad. Still they end up dating and falling in love and having sex, only Mew finds out that Top slept with another of his and Ray’s friends, Boston (both before the series starts and again just as Mew and Top are ending the ‘casual seeing each other’ stage of their relationship. Needless to say, Mew breaks up with Top.

Meanwhile Ray meets Sand at the beginning of the series. As stated, Ray is an alcoholic with a bucket load of self esteem and self worth issues that Sand decides to help take care of because he is just like that and also Ray is cute. The two end up forming a sex friends type relationship that is clear to everyone and the moon could very easily turn into a romantic relationship if the two would ever actually talk about their feelings, which they don’t, instead they dance (and fuck) around their growing feelings for each other until their budding relationship gets torpedoed by aforementioned friend Boston (Boston is gay and slutty and bitchy and kind of the worst and I love him so much!) when Boston reveals to Sand that Ray is in love with Mew (while also lying that Ray and Mew have hooked up in the past, which has not happened. They did kiss but that’s it and it was years prior to the start of the series).

This most recent two episodes has Mew finding out about Top and Boston having sex via a secretly recorded audio of them fucking nasty in Boston car (which was recorded by Boston friends with benefits/sex friend Nick which is it’s own can of worms. When I said this show is wild I fucking meant it). Mew ends up getting a bit of revenge against Boston by almost showing a different sex tape featuring Boston to Boston’s dad (who is also a politician). (Side note, this show is really attempting to hammer home the even horrible people don’t deserve to have bad things happening to them as yes you counted right Boston has been recorded without his consent, having sex, twice. One audio, one video. It’s creepy and gross and Boston 100% does not deserve it at all).

By the end of the most recent episode, Ray decides to shoot his shot by confessing to Mew (third times the charm I guess), despite Sand being there. Sand had been taking care of him early in the episode after Ray got into a car accident while driving drunk due to him calling out all of his friends at the end of the previous episode…at Mew’s birthday party no less. Ray has a lot of issues and one of them is that he’s a rich selfish asshole that you love anyway because his actor (Khaotung) is just that charismatic and because you have to feel for Ray because no one (but Sand) really treats him well at all. Mew accepts him this time in a very lack luster fashion that you can tell he is only doing because Mew is upset and angry and just wants to let go.

So the tweet essentially is saying that if Ray and Sand stand a chance at being any kind of couple, Ray has to get with Mew and it has to end badly because Ray needs to actively make the choice to be with Sand instead of being stuck on Mew, which Ray has already proven that he isn’t going to be able to move on any other way.

Ray and Sand as a couple have a hell of a lot more issues to work through but Ray’s love/gratitude towards Mew for saving his life is one of them. (The other being that Ray is, again, a rich asshole who needs to learn that you can’t buy everything and while Sand is poor, he has still a person who has value and is worth of respect, which Ray doesn’t give him much of because again rich selfish asshole. They are the anti Cinderella and I love it and I need Ray to learn this lesson, not because I want Ray and Sand to end up together, I’m on the fence about whether I want any of the couples in ofts to end up together all, but because no matter what it’s a lesson Ray needs to learn anyway).

…Have I mentioned it’s only episode 7 of a 12 episode series? We aren’t even close to being done. Like I said, messy gays being messy. It’s so much fun to watch this toxic af “friends” ruin lives, both their own and each others. Honestly if Top and Sand were smart, they’d be running for the fucking hills but alas, they are not smart.

The show is free to watch on YouTube if you like. It does have a fair amount of sex in it, nothing too explicit though. Jojo have talked repeatedly about how he wants it to be true to life and how it’s not really a romance but rather a drama about gays being young and messy and gay. It’s pretty fun so far and isn’t shying away from the things it wants to focus on, such as sex, addiction (both alcohol and drugs) and friendship.

In conclusion, Only Friends is messy and Ray, Sand and Mew are locked into a love triangle that none of them are even really aware exists. Mew and Ray need to happen for Ray to be able to move on, though most fans are on the fence about whether or not SandRay should end up together or not. I lean towards maybe, but only under highly specific conditions that I doubt the show will meet (which is not a knock nor shade on the show, it would be hard to do even on a drama that is dedicated to it). None of these characters are really actually good people and there is lot of drama I’m leaving out.

…Also this happens

[partly-cloudyskies]

tagged by @big-meows always happy to talk about mah storeez

How many works do you have on AO3?

29. seems like a lot, where does the time go?

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

630,542 where??? time??? go??????

3. What fandoms do you write for?

lessee we got ur ducktales, ur gundam with from mercury, night in the woods, amphibia, outer wilds, xcom and deltarune. man i really forgot about that single xcom fic i wrote. i really did intend to write something in that fandom. i still might maybe idk

4. Top five fics by kudos?

There Will Be No Dancing i've always been really happy with this one. i feel like I really caught the energy of the characters. i'm glad people seemed to catch that energy y'know

Hypothesis i wrote this almost immediately after deltarune came out i think it was like the 2nd one with that pairing and i always kind of felt like it got kudos mostly cuz it was so early. i mean it's not bad but idk, i think it just got out the door early and that's why it got attention. my favorite part is the bit with berdly

Under the Shadow of the Snack Falcon the first fic i posted when i started writing fanfic again after, like, over 20 years. i'm glad it's in the mix

Orbits imo this is my most, like, technically accomplished fic. in terms of structure and theme and that. there's another outer wilds fic i wanna write. been sitting on it for a while. hope i get to it someday!

Rite of Spring my night in the woods magnum opus (that i completed, sorry glass factory). i named it after the stravinsky ballet. i felt like it was thematic, idk. i really had fun writing for lori

5. Do you respond to comments?

i try to. i mean people make a stink about comments being important so i try to reply to the ones i get, even if it's something innocuous like 'thx for reading!'

some fics i don't respond at all and it's usually cuz of any number of badbrain circumstances i am under at the moment. always feel a lil bad about that. not enough to make a stink of it, bad in the sense that you see a banana that you left out too long and now it's all brown and mushy. that kind of bad

well, all any of us can do is try

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

the view from mars, i suppose? or maybe it's monument. or quests! i kind of liked quests.

view from mars is kind of a bog standard teen crush melodrama, but i liked writing the girls from amphibia so i thought i'd give it a try. would like to do another amphibia story someday.

monument is an outer wilds fic, so everyone dies (spoilers i guess) and it's about, like, your work outliving your life and then even your work eventually disappears and then what's left? and maybe asking what's left isn't even the right question. you know. existential stuff. play outer wilds

quests is me indulging myself cuz i have a thing for pairings where one half is gonna have to take care of the other half and like, is lena really up for that and what happens when she gets in over her head cuz webby gets in over her head. idk i'm too much of a sap to take this to its angstiest conclusion and it gets resolved p quickly which might make it seem a little pat but the story did what i set out for it to do so i'm cool with it

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

there will be no dancing, probably. it's got a pretty sweet ending. just don't read the stories in the rest of the series. it's fine it's cool

8. Do you get hate on fics?

not that i've seen. i did see a comment where someone was asking a leading question like they wanted to get into some Discourse but i just ignored it and nothing came of it and we all lived our lives

9. Do you write smut?

ya when the notion strikes. if we're examining the ways characters interact with each other sex is one of those ways and it'd be weird to exclude it over all the other imo

10. Craziest crossover?

i never actually tagged this is how we grow as a crossover huh. but @big-meows was the one to initially conceive of a stardew/ducktales crossover so i ain't taking credit. i guess the only other option is red brithright, my current wip: star wars and witch from mercury

it's not really a crazy crossover tho. they're both sci fi franchises that started in the 70s and prominently feature protagonists with complicated relationships with their parents and have laser swords. kind of an obvious crossover

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not that i know of. it's hard to know if i'd care even if someone did. i guess i'd be miffed if someone were making money off of it somehow

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

i have had requests, never saw if they actually did it but i always said yes

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

i've had some beta-ing but idk if i'll ever co-write. i've got a pretty light presence in fandoms so i doubt i'll get involved in anything more collaborative then, like, prompt weeks

14. All time favourite ship?

idk man i mean i wouldn't devote days of writing to any ship unless they were my all time fave to some degree. weblena's always gonna have a place, sulemio is the new hotness but i think there's something enduring in it. i'll always have a soft spot for barrisoka

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

i like to think i'll finish all wips eventually. yes i know that's dumb but i still like to think it

16. What are your writing strengths?

idk i like to think i'm p okay at juggling an ensemble. like when there's a lot of characters and giving them all a little moment to characterize themselves. even if it's just a single line. i hope that comes across. and i love to have a sense of place, like an environment that feels authentic. i love a good place and want others to feel like they can see it. who knows if that works

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

i think i tend to get bogged down in details to the point where i have to step back and ask myself if i've lost the thread of the story. like i'll get preoccupied with how characters get from point a to point b when that shit don't matter

18. Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

don't think i've ever done

19. First fandom you wrote in?

starcraft. used to be part of a writing group that did varying degrees of starcraft. all ancient history by now

20. Favourite fic you've written?

hm. probably there will be no dancing. like yeah again i feel like i was pretty on for that one. punchy and funny and written deep in the perspective of the pov character. i really do wish i could keep that kind of writing for long projects! but alas

if you see this feel free to do your own!

[mjparkerwriting]

15 Questions 15 Mutuals

Thanks to @squarebracket-trick for tagging me!

Rules: Answer the questions as yourself or as an OC of your choice. Some people have done both which is cool.

Gently tagging (I'm sorry if you've been tagged in this already): @sarahlizziewrites @distinguishedgentlemanswritings @ryns-ramblings @btranscrolls @harps-for-days @nightlylaments @alnaperera @kckramer @thewardenofwinter @karolinarodrigueswrites @kaiarchives @the-stray-storyteller @maiwritesbooks @inkspellangel @cabaretofwords

Using Seth, one of the main POV characters in my WIP.

Are you named after anyone?

Not that I know of. I've never thought to ask and no one has said anything about it.

[Both of my parents' grandmothers had the same name so mine is just a version of that. My middle name is a combination of my parents' mothers' middle names.]

2. When was the last time you cried?

I'm not gonna pretend like I'm some macho man dripping with bravado. I cried in that swamp. Before that, I cried in my bed because...well, for reasons. It happens.

[LMAO just cried like two days ago. It will happen again.]

3. Do you have kids?

I'm literally 20 years old. A child would ruin everything for me.

[I am a 24-year-old teenage girl. One day I'd love to, but today is not that day.]

4. Do you use sarcasm?

No. (Note: That was sarcasm)

[I can't not use sarcasm. It's a problem.]

5. What's the first thing you notice about people?

Their hair. How it's styled. How clean it is. How neat it is. Hair is important in my culture. Mine probably looks like shit now, but usually, I take good care of it.

[Clothes and shoes. I'm big on fashion. I love collecting shoes and trying new styles. I'm always curious about other people's styles.]

6. What's your eye color?

Brown. Dark, dark brown.

[Also dark, dark brown.]

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

I love movies. I make movies. I don't think you can compare the two, though. Scary movies are a different form of art that not everyone gets. It's more than just the scare. It's the tropes. The characters. The score. I will say that I don't always like a happy ending, so I guess my answer is scary movies.

[I love scary movies. BUT, I'm a sap and I cry at almost everything, so a good happy ending is always nice, too.]

8. Any special talents?

Can it truly be considered special, if I'm good at everything I do?

[I don't know. I like to bake cookies lol. Not to be that person, but I don't know if I have a special talent. I've done a lot of different things, so maybe just a Jack of All (a few) Trades.]

9. Where were you born?

Oklahoma. In a hospital close to the rez.

[I'm from the US.]

10. What are your hobbies?

Watching movies. Making movies. Reading.

[Besides reading and writing, I like collecting things and watching movies and TV. I don't know if this is a hobby, but I like trying new foods.]

11. Have you any pets?

I mean, there's the rez dogs. That's about it.

[I have a cat <3]

12. What sports do you play/have played?

I played basketball in high school.

[I played basketball for about 4-5 years. I used to fence and I was in marching band (it's a sport. don't start).]

13. How tall are you?

Are you trying to be funny? Haha, we get it. I'm not tall.

[5'6, but I wish I was just a few inches taller. Just 2 inches would be nice.]

14. Favorite subject in school?

Debate, of course. After that, probably Psychology.

[English. Creative Writing. History.]

15. Dream job?

Movie director and/or producer would be a dream, but we have to be realistic here. I'm getting a degree in PoliSci so I can have a real job that'll pay real bills.

[I've wanted to be a teacher since I was like 16 and I'm doing that now, but of course, a writer. I think I can do both, so I'm kinda living the dream?]

[mediocres-writing-blog]

Requiem Mirror; Chapter 7: Midnight stroll

10 p.m., Billie sits near the bar at the Black Dragon fight club, sipping a drink while still shaken up after the event that took place a week or so ago. Soon enough, Kano comes in to check on his daughter. He pulls up a folding chair and sits by the dragoness.

Kano: Hey, you good, girl? Still shaken up about what happened in that arena?

Billie: Huh? Oh uh, yeah, thanks. I'm fine, don't worry.

Kano: Ya know, I went through something simmilar in my day.

Billie: When did ya become a gandpa?

Kano: (chuckles) I'm serious though. But hey, there's a reason I gave you that knife for keepsakes.

Billie: Thanks for lookin' out, pop.

Kano: It's aight. Now go to sleep, you need to rest.

She heads to her room and waits for a couple hours for it to be completely silent. She looked at her phone to see a message by the caped crusader that reads „Meet me @ the bridge near that fast food when u can“ she responded with an „OMW“ and climbed out of her window and went to the place they're ment to meet up. Sometime around midnight, Nico is leaning on the side of the bridge and notices Billie walking down and waving him hi.

Nico: Maybe you could have came over before the police hour?

Billie: Maybe I would've made it sooner if I didn't have to get here from 2 miles away.

Robin: Alright, sorry, no need to get your green steamed.

Billie: So, why'dya called me here for?

Robin: I, don't really know. Guess I want to know the other side a bit better. Plus, you didn't tell me everything.

Billie: Sure.

They walked down the street, with the city lights glimmering bellow them. The two spitball questions like „how's it going?“ and such, and it was like this for the fifteen minutes, but then bird man started asking more in-depth things.

Robin: So, is there something you didn't tell me the first time we talked properly?

Billie: I'm not getting into this scar on my neck. Not in a thousand years, ya bird-fucker.

Robin: Alright, playing hard to get i see... Hey how 'bout this? I tell you my story that i've never told anyone ever, and in exchange, you can consider telling me about that scar. Deal?

Billie seemed anoyed, but intereseted where this could go. She shrugged and responded.

Billie: Sure, shoot.

Robin: I, never really had someone to rely on. As a kid, my folks and I lived as slaves under Shao Kahn's iron fist. I managed to escape, but when i came back with these blades (tugs his jacket, revealing his two daggers), I was too late. They were killed and, my spirit was broken, and I slain every living man in that outpost. I've got my revenge, but at what cost?

Billie's eyes grew wider, as she didn't know this tragic story of her new found friend.

Nico: I started hunting and killing one or two crimminals, like a hyper-violant web slinger that  I almost completely am.

Billie: Jesus Christ... I'm, sorry I didn't...

Robin: Hey, don't worry about it. I let my almost childish nature take over, it dulls the stress. And helps me cope with how thing are currently.

Billie was shocked, as she didn't know someone like Robin could have such a dark past.

Billie: I... Never really gave much though to other's stories. I guess I've been blinded by my own demons that I didn't know how some people can be so scarred.

Robin: There's nothing wrong with not knowing those around you. It's wrong to judge by purely first impression. Or not asking without knowing someone in the first place. That was bassically our first meeting a year back.

Billie: Oh yeah, I forgot 'bout that whole fiasco. And uh, sorry I tried to kill you durring the whole other-world tournament thing.

Nico: Hey, i'm sorry you had to almost relive through the neck cutting thing, speaking of which...?

Nico said, as he gestured toward the scar on the dragonesses neck.

Billie: Alright... my pops, mum and I were on a mission, and during an intervention arc bullshit, was done by some Reiko bastard.

Robin: General Reiko? He's just a menace through and through, huh?

Billie: Don't worry about it. Decapitated him afterwards.

Robin: You?

Billie: Yep.

Robin: Killed Reiko?

Billie: Yeeep.

Robin: By decapitation.

Billie: With a spear I made up from blood magic.

Nico: I'm impressed. Even i didn't dare stand up to the likes of Shao and Reiko.

Billie: They really need to learn to stop jobbing.

Robin: Absolutely, they needed some new hobbies.

They lived and laughed as the snow started to fall down and the lights bellow shimmered. They even grabbed a coffee on the way back. Robin even explained Siris why Tremor and Kabal left the B.D.

Billie: so, what you're saying is: Tremor left because Smoke convinced him that he doesn't belong to me dad, and uncle Carlos dipped all those years back because he got fed up with doing crime and shit. Right?

Robin: Where theres Smoke, theres drama, and now they're both retired. Tremor went to find some place called „the Dream realm“ and Kabal has retired permanently. Who knows? Maybe be got married with the woman of his dreams and is living happily. But thats just a theory.

Billie: Kabal married? That's a mental image I never thought I needed.

Robin: May even sound dumber if he were married to a demon woman and got a puppy.

Billie: (laughing hysterically) I don't Know what's funnier, the fact you just said that, or the fact that i imagined him living in a highly weaponized mansion while monologuing...

The crusader laughed along, as he held onto the steel railing of the bridge. They exchange insults, as they deside to call it a night and say their goodbyes.

Billie: Hope to see ya again, ya red fuckwit!

Robin: You too, blood-bitch. Whoops, recycled jokes!

They wave goodbye and head back to their factions base's. Billie, not awakening anyone, heads back to bed. Robin, almost perfectly quietly sneaks back to the bedrooms through the lounge, but was eventually caught by Sonya.

Robin: (whispering) Do you ever go to sleep?

Sonya: (whispering back) Do you ever stop sneaking around? What were you doing out there?

Robin: (smirking) Just taking in the night air. You should try it sometime.

Sonya: (raising an eyebrow) You're up to something.

Robin: Just enjoying the peace and quiet. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got beauty sleep to catch up on--

Sonya: You're terrible at lying.

Robin: What do you mean?

Sonya: I've known you long enough to see when you're hiding something.

Robin: I've worked here for less than 5 months, the fuck you mean?

Sonya: You've got that look, like there's more going on in that head of yours than you let on.

Robin: (giggling) Maybe I'm just a mysterious guy.

Sonya: (rolling her eyes) Mysterious, my ass. Don't get into any trouble, or you answer to me.

Robin: (jokingly) Kinda doing that right now, and I'm losing minutes of sleep because of it.

Sonya: (unimpressed) You're always finding a way to test my patience, aren't you?

Robin: Part of my charm, captain of zero f's.

Robin went back to his room. Johnny eventually wakes up to this commotion, holding his pre-heated mug of coffee, looking higher than a kite.

Johnny: (yawning) What's going on? Did I miss something?

Sonya: Oh, nothing much. Just your protégé sneaking back in past curfew. You know, the usual.

Johnny: Which one, Cassie, Takeda or Robin?

Sonya: The outworld one.

Johnny, taking a sip of his coffee, raises an eyebrow.

Johnny: Oh, the new kid? What he do?

Sonya: He keeps sneaking out without anyone's permission, like some teen in a phase...

Johnny: Hey, reelaaax, hun. I'll talk to him when I can, you just go to sleep.

Sonya seems sceptical, but does trust her husband. She goes to sleep and Johnny finishes his coffee, as he heads to Robin's room.

Johnny knocks on Robin's door.

Johnny: Hey, Red! Mind if I come in?

Nico: Yeah?

there was a small pause, followed by light chuckles.

Nico: Sure, Mr. A-list, come on in.

Johnny walks in, looks around a bit before setting his gaze on Red Robin.

Johnny: So, the mysterious night wanderer, huh? What's the deal? I thought Sonya was the only one pulling late-night stunts around here.

Nico: Yeah, about that...

Nico looked around, making sure Sonya wasn't around, closing the door.

Nico: Mr. Cage, you've got to promise me you won't tell this to anyone.

Johnny, at first confused but interested, nodded.

Johnny: Sure, wassup?

Nico: Well, I might've had a little rendezvous with someone from the Black Dragon. You know, just an informal chat on a bridge.

Johnny raises an eyebrow, intrigued.

Johnny: Black Dragon, huh? What were you doing chatting with the enemy?

Nico: Relax, relax, it's not what you think. We just had a casual exchange of stories. You know, the typical hero and villain bonding over a juice kind of thing.

Johnny: Hero and villain bonding? Never thought I'd hear that one.

Nico smirks.

Nico: Yeah, well, sometimes the lines between hero and villain get a bit blurry.

Johnny chuckles.

Johnny: You're telling me, kid. So, what's the story? Bonding with the enemy?

Nico starts sharing the details of his conversation with Billie, including the exchange of personal stories and the deal about revealing secrets. Johnny listens, nodding at times.

Johnny: Well, well, well. You're playing the diplomat, huh? Just don't let Sonya catch you fraternizing with the enemy. You know how she is about protocol.

Nico: Trust me, I'm already on thin ice with her. I don't need more reasons for her to chew me out.

Johnny laughs.

Johnny: Good luck with that, Nico. Just be careful, okay? Not everyone in the Black Dragon is as friendly as the one you met on that bridge.

Nico: Thanks, Mr. Cage. I'll keep that in mind.

Johnny pats Nico on the shoulder.

Johnny: Alright, now get some sleep. We've got a world to save or something like that, right?

Nico grins.

Nico: Right, Mr. Cage. World-saving duty calls.

Johnny leaves the room, shaking his head with a smile, while Nico gets ready for some well-deserved rest.

Johnny, walking back to his room, he passes by Hsu Hao's cell. (Hey, remember that guy!?)

Hsu Hao: Hey, Cage.

Johnny: Hey, Hao.

Hsu Hao: You know, it's been ages since anyone acknowledged my existence. What's the occasion?

Johnny: Just doing my nightly stroll, you know, keeping an eye on things. How's the cell treating you?

Hsu Hao: Oh, you know, the usual. Cold, lonely, and the view sucks.

Johnny: Can't say I feel sorry for you, considering the stuff you pulled back in the day.

Hsu Hao: Fair enough. So, what's the gossip around here?

Johnny: Well, we've got a mysterious artifact causing chaos, and we're teaming up with the Black Dragon to sort it out. You'd love the drama.

Hsu Hao: Teaming up with the Black Dragon? Now that's a plot twist. What's the catch?

Johnny: You sound like my wife. Anyway, long story short, our kids got dragged into some interdimensional mess, and we're all trying to clean it up.

Hsu Hao: Intergenerational drama, huh? Classic Cage.

Johnny: You know it. Anyway, don't get too comfortable in there. I'm sure Sonya will find some mission for you sooner or later.

Hsu Hao: Oh, joy. Can't wait for that.

The night continues, Johnny goes to bed, and Hsu Hao looks up at the ceiling, falling asleep.

[cookinguptales]

SO THOSE ARE MY TAGS.

I've seen this post go around several times now and have watched with wide-eyed amazement as the notes just piled higher and higher so like?? Might as well actually talk about this in the notes??

To start with...

there's not a word yet (for old friends who've just met) The Muppet Show | Bunsen/Beaker | 12k | PG

Beaker's sure there's some kind of heartwarming moral in all this, but all he wants to do is get through this safe, sane, and intact. The Muppets may have other plans.

It's been almost 10 years and I still love this fic. I loved writing it, I love having people read it, I love what came out of it.

Anyway.

I won't go into detail rn, but I first starting writing Bunsen/Beaker when I was 24 and I was going through a pretty rough period in my life that involved a lot of physical and emotional pain. I wasn't getting around much due to a fairly persistent injury and I ended up being in an unexpected country over Christmas, so I decided to drown my sorrows in the Yuletide fic exchange. I offered up The Muppets because they've always been a comfort canon for me, and the person I got as a recip asked for "anything".

So... I ended up writing this 12k word Bunsen/Beaker fic that was all about finding your place in the world and meeting someone with the exact flavor of crazy that complemented yours. Meeting a whole found family of lunatics that understood you in a way no one else ever had. It was all about burnout and rekindling your love for your passions, and I guess in that respect it was a very personal fic. But I had a ball writing it, the recip loved it, and it ended up doing very well that Yuletide. (People... will put up with some very weird fic at Yuletide. I had to create the B/B tag on AO3 for it.)

I got some followers after reveals, but things were relatively quiet for a little while. I was thoroughly enjoying the Muppets web shorts that Disney was posting at the time and talking about them online with my friends, but the fandom was still practically nonexistent. Then Flowers on the Wall was put on YT and I was like ???? wait is my ship about to be canon???? and a bunch of other people were like WAIT, IT'S OUR SHIP, TOO????

So the fandom really kicked off around then, though I think it had been lying dormant in our hearts up until that point. We talked about all the B/B subtext in older media (and there is a lot), we talked about the queerness of Beaker's original performer, Richard Hunt, and the way that the Muppets had always made us feel seen when we were young and queer and alone.

And then the new ABC series came out and the pairing went canon and things got A Little Crazy for a while, lmao.

I ended up writing more ficlets for people who wanted to read them (though nothing as involved as there's not a word yet) and had a lot of time playing with the rest of fandom! I ended up drifting out of the fandom, partially bc I was writing other things and partially for... I guess some reasons that don't have to be aired publicly. I had some uncomfortable experiences.

All in all, though, it's a period in my fandom life that I look back on very fondly. I had a good time! I enjoyed myself! I wrote some good fic! (Not... all of which I've actually put on AO3, oops.) And I actually spent a fair amount of time interacting with Muppets creators on social media, which was fun, too.

So uhhh I know that it sounds weird if you weren't there, but it was a very natural and fun part of my life and I'm really happy it happened!

(Also last year I got to see some of the original Bunsen and Beaker puppets in San Francisco and I cried. lmao. I went to take a selfie and a nice young man was like, "Do you want me to take a pic?" and I said yes, then took a picture of him in return. And he shyly told me that he was a scientist IRL and he loved those two Muppets and I didn't tell him why they were important to me, too, but we had a nice little bonding moment over how much those puppets mean to so many of us for such intensely personal reasons. Love that for us.)

ok sure fine