#my older wips just crying in their folders

[drugsforaddicts]

Sick at home so bojere it is 🤧

Downloaded new brushes so I’m just trying out stuff.

[crazysodomite]

finally gonna answer that asks thingg. long post

3. your favorite piece(s)?

i really, truly fell off since making these 😭😭😭😭 im honestly not even confident i could create something of this quality ever again #felloff

these older portraits also just go to show how much i fell off. lol 😭😭

i like some of my newer art but its nothing to really write home about. my art has become more self-indulgent compared to squeezing the most 'skill' and 'detalization' out of each piece. i think in the end the process makes me happier (?) but i don't the same pride as looking at some of my older art. to be fair i also spend far less time on art compared to spending like 20 hours straight or days on a piece. frankly im not even sure i could replicate my old pipeline anymore and replicate my skill <- because i fell off!

i cope with the fact i fell off by saying 'im just exploring my own unique artistic vision' <- words from a guy who is simply not that good anymore

4. piece you wish got more love?

idkkk i dont really pay attention to numbers. i only really care/look at comments. i want more taur fans to follow me and talk me about taurs.

7. easiest thing for you to draw?

furries and creatures

8. thing you struggle to draw?

human faces.... this is sad because humans can be so diverse and interesting to draw but personally every time i draw a human it just looks incredibly ugly and bad (unless heavily stylized and simplified) and i just don't enjoy it as much as furries animals creatures monsters etc.

11. do you listen to anything while drawing?

yes... for my own detriment. especially when i dissociate i just turn on something in the background to 'help me focus' but idk if it actually helps me focus or just makes the dissociation more comfortable

13. talk about a wip you like!

i cant show you but it's a piece with lace and hornet (hollow knight)... i think i actually have a lot of wips with angels actually but i dont wanaaa show anybody

14. whats your favorite thing about drawing?

i dont know. gets scared. i enjoy feling proud and enjoying the final product. recently i also enjoy just drawing bodies and forms and volume. the process of 'god this looks like dogshit' going to 'i actually like this :)' or 'i love this and im proud of this' (if im lucky) is very enjoyable.

17. what is something youre confident about in your art?

i dont knowwwwwwww.... im gonna say im confident about something and someones gonna just tell me that im actually really bad at it. i think maybe volume and 'ambient occlusion' !?

21. what do you think your artstyle would taste like? I dont knowww.... from what people say it would be gummies or candies. but tbh that's just my more 'cutesy' art. i contain multitudes. some of my art probably tastes like dirt from the ground at a factory.

22. do you have a favorite color palette to work with?

i pretty much use these colors (for some reason i rarely use green or yellow. the circled colors are especially common. looking at my art it's a lot of purple, pink, blue, red, some oranges. idk why i gravitate to purple so much. i guess i just like red and blue a lot and ourple is a nice middle ground

(and this doesnt mean i dont like green or yellow my immediate reaction to drawing a creature is just making it these colors. for some reason)

24. whats a compliment about your art that has always stuck with you?

I always feel guilty that i dont like. save peoples comments to a folder so i can remember them better (maybe i should do this). i have a bad memory so i can hardly recall what people say word-for-word. I think I'm very humbled and happy when people say that my art has been meaningful to them in some way or helped them or even just made them happy or more willing to explore things about themselves. I also enjoy the 'i look like this and this made me happy' on my art ❤. that's definitely a part of why i enjoy drawing bodies so much. seeing a comment like 'this made me cry because i've never seen a body like mine represented before in a positive way' is really sad honestly and i wish the world wasn't so unfair and cruel man.

25. what size canvas/paper do you use?

i usually use a preset in photoshop for A4 or A3 paper. so about 2000-5000px range

30. whats something youre proud of about your artstyle?

i dont knowwwwwwwww... i think recently i like the way i paint bodies and i've been enjoying the orb heads as a stylistic choice even if some may think its ugly and boring. i also enjoy stylizing body hair. i also also want to adopt a more elaborate brushwork style but idont really know how to do thatttt

34. whats something you still like from your old art?

im just gonna talk about my olllld baby art. i love how innocent and cute and sweet it is. like you can really see my soul was not corrupted by evil yet. sighs

[lavender-long-stories]

Van Hell

Sasuke x Hinata | Abandon from my WIP Folder

“I can’t… I don’t love you.” Hinata managed to push out. 

“What?” Naruto’s hand holding out the ring fell into his lap as he stared at her, confused. He lost the massive grin that had been plastered to his face. “I thought… I mean, you did.”

“I can’t do this.” Hinata squeaked, disheveling, feeling her face twisted up as she started to cry.

“I don’t understand. Everything’s been great. What happened?” Naruto wondered.

“Everything’s been great for you.” Hinata snapped at him. It was harsher than she meant it. “I can’t live like this anymore. We don’t know where we are going to end up, and we don’t know if we will be able to support ourselves in the next town. And you want to raise kids like this?” 

“Is the ring too cheap?” As usual, he wasn’t listening to her. He heard something about money must be the ring.

“No, it’s lovely, but I can’t be what you want. And I don’t think you can be what I won’t either.” It broke her heart, but after all this time, it had to be the truth. She was never going to be happy in this van no matter what he did to it, no matter how it ‘improved.’ 

“You left everything to do this with me. I thought this is what you wanted.” Naruto sat back from his knee, collapsing to the van’s floor. “To just be with me because you loved me, no matter where.”

“I didn’t think this was going to be permanent! I saw it as an adventure, not a lifestyle.” Hinata admitted. “You never want to be normal again, and I didn’t think you planned we could live in this van forever and have children here.”

Naruto waved his hand, flapping it on the bed. “We can get a bigger van, like a bus, one with stuff closer to a house.” Hinata fought, her eyes rolling. Like proper water? Or an oven? “You could teach the kids when they get older you’re smart.” 

“No, no. I do not want to raise kids like that. I can’t socialize children and I don’t want to raise them without a scrap of privacy.” Hinata rubbed her temples. This is what she had meant. They were different. She did love him. She just didn’t love him enough to put all this doubt and worry aside for his preferred lifestyle, especially since he wouldn’t do the same. They had never had a conversation about what she wanted or if that was even an option. She wouldn’t have hated this so much if it was part-time. If they had a small home somewhere for a few months and worked, and then when they had made enough, they headed out on the road and then repeated, but he wouldn’t even think about that.

“I think we can work it out.” Naruto sighed, looking disappointed, but he clearly wasn’t getting the idea she wasn’t going to be happy.

“I don’t think we can.” Hinata whimpered. 

Naruto got up. “Oh, of course we can.” He rubbed her shoulders in a tight hug, but she didn’t feel comforted. She felt like he hadn’t heard a single word she had said. 

“… I want to go back to Konoha,” Hinata told him.

“Like now?” Naruto looked at her weirdly. “I guess we can head back, but it’s going to be a couple-day trip you don’t want to hit anywhere else on the way by?”

Hinata sniffed, wiping her face and shaking her head.

“Alright.” Naruto patted her leg. “I think maybe with time back, you’ll feel better, and we can get back on the road, huh?”

Hinata didn’t make any move to agree. She couldn’t explain it to him. She wasn’t going to attempt to, but when she got there, she was getting out, and she would be happy to never see another van again.

--**--

Naruto spent the entire trip talking about getting a school bus and converting it to a small, drivable apartment, where they could split the back into an extra little room for at least two, maybe even three kids. He thought maybe they could get a hot water tank for a tiny shower. Maybe even a toilet

Hinata could put together what he had wanted in her head, but she couldn’t imagine herself there. It sounded fun for vacation, just not her whole life.

“It’s going to be alright.” Hinata blinked, realizing that Naruto finally noticed she hadn’t been in a good mood. He took her hand with the one he wasn’t driving with and smiled at her. She offered a neutral face. He wasn’t going to understand it was the end until she stepped out with her bag. She wasn’t going to try to break his heart earlier.

--**--

“Hinata!” Hinata was hugged tightly by Kiba and Shino, then turned to Tenten and the ever-aggressively loving Lee to be engulfed with more much-needed hugs. She smiled, feeling the first nugget of happiness she felt in weeks. 

She looked back at Naruto hugging people in his circle of friends from college, and she turned back to lower her voice to say what she couldn’t with her and Naruto’s shared cell phone. “I… I need a place to stay.”

Neji’s face immediately dropped. “Are you okay?”

Hinata waved her hand to assure him nothing was seriously wrong. “I’m fine. I just can’t live like this, and I have nowhere to get footing. Please, I will pay anyone back as soon as I get a job and move out as soon as I have enough money to put something down on an apartment.” 

Faces looked worried as she effectively sucked the warm moment dry of its happiness. Kiba started. “What’s happening…” Shino nudged him harshly. 

“I have the room!” Lee told her proudly. Hinata felt a wave of relief. Just because she had asked for help didn’t mean she would have gotten it. Neji couldn’t take her in, and her friends also had families. “It’ll be great. Since Tenten moved out, my place is too empty and needs more youth.” Hinata thanked him profusely. 

“But really, Hinata is everything okay.” Tenten was clearly checking her over. 

“Yeah, I’m fine, it’s just. Naruto-kun and I see things differently, and I can’t get him to hear me, and…” Hinata was rambling. She felt someone wipe her cheek. She hadn’t even noticed she had been crying.

“We’ll figure it out. It’ll be okay, Hinata.” Tenten rubbed her shoulders. “Do you have your bags packed?”

Hinata nodded. 

“Right after we’re all done with a happy return, we’ll grab them to not make too much of a scene, okay?” Tenten assured her

--**--

“Wait, woah.” Naruto grabbed her bags and held them so Hinata couldn’t pull them out of the van. “What do you mean you’re leaving?”

“I mean, I am leaving. I can’t do this. I told you.” Hinata yanked them out of his hands to give them to Tenten’s waiting hands out the door. 

“Is this because I proposed? We don’t have to get married.” Naruto frantically concluded.

“No! This is not about getting married. It’s about living like this. I can’t do it, and you’re not going to change.” Hinata took a deep breath. “I do love you, but not enough to put up with this. I can’t push everything I want aside in favor of this. It’s not fair to me, and you are never going to compromise.”

“But I love you.” Naruto reached for her, and she let him take her hands.

“I don’t think you really do.” Hinata's voice broke. “If you did, you would see I’m not happy here. You would listen to what I had to say and compromise with me. You love this.” She waved her hand at the van. “You just wanted someone to share it with.”

“I want that to be you.” Her heart broke, and she closed her eyes.

Hinata knew that anything she said was going to go right through his ears. “I’m sorry.”

Hinata stepped out of the van. Lee wrapped an arm around her back, hugging her to him. “This is going to be so much fun to have you back!” 

Hinata could only hope he was right.

--**--

Lee’s apartment was… interesting. He had piles of projects everywhere. He showed her proudly how the couch pulled out and the fluffy blanket he had for her. She honestly enjoyed the enthusiasm.

Hinata looked around at his manikins. Lee was really talented for a guy who refused to wear much more than a green jumpsuit all through university. She honestly thought that he had put more work in with the track team coach than he did into his fashion design degree, but he was always more interested in dressing women than himself. 

They were all interesting works of art.

Lee waved his hand toward the kitchen area and jogged over, opening cabinets and the fridge. “There’s always food, healthy and filling!” 

Hinata giggled. “There is a bar around the corner, right?” 

Lee blinked in surprise. “I didn’t think you drank.”

“No, no, I don’t really.” Hinata waved her hands. “But I need a job. I’m not going to freeload here even for a day.”

Lee frowned for a moment. She was sure she was going to a lecture on how she should take a break, but instead, he smiled. “You’re determined. I like it. Seize the day! Let’s go!” He cheered.

Hinata honestly couldn’t think of a better person for her nerves right now. He tossed her coat and offered his arm. She giggled and linked with him as they headed for the elevator.

--**--

Her friends didn’t quite understand at first. Hinata didn’t know how to explain how she felt.

“I think I get it. I just never thought you would leave Naruto, of all people.” Kiba mumbled thoughtfully. “Like you thought the van thing was awesome, and you have had this crush on him since we were kids.”

“I did. I still love him in a way I’m not sure will ever really go away, but I can’t keep giving everything and receiving only what he thinks I want. I guess I got to the point where I had no more to give.” Hinata sighed.

“That makes sense,” Shino assured her.

“Now that you’re back, do you need a job? It’s not much, but I think my sister might be able to have you work at least part-time at the vet. It’s gross cleaning and stuff, but it’s something.” Kiba offered.

Hinata smiled. “Thank you. I already have a job.”

“Already? You got back yesterday.” Shino frowned. 

“There is a bar on the block that Lee-san’s apartment is on. When we were in need of cash in the van, we would work dive bars on the weekend to make cash. I would work the bar, and Naruto-kun would work the stockroom or bouncing.” Hinata explained.

“I can’t really see you in a bar.” Kiba scrunched his face.

“We’ll head in sometime to see your new skills,” Shino added in support.

--**--

Hinata slept during the day. She became a heavy sleeper early on in the van so that she didn’t die of fright. Lee’s music didn’t stand a chance, and she reminded him it was his apartment. He could sing as loud as he wanted. It was his place. He didn’t have to change for her.

She couldn’t be happier with the odd night schedule because it was a schedule. She could control it. She wasn’t at a different bar at a different time every few nights or flopping between day and night work. Lee seemed to love having her around, and Hinata was happy if he was happy.

The tips she was getting were more regular than she got anywhere else as people got used to her and knew she would get them drinks quickly. It made some of the other girls mad because she wasn’t working hard to flirt for her tips. It wasn’t like she was taking their tips because she didn’t get by guys who wanted to be flirted with. All her best tips came from guys who wanted to be left alone and to have their drink. It was usually older, grumpy men, but she found Sasuke Uchiha to be one of them. 

Sasuke didn’t look happy to see her the first night he came in, but she served him with no other word to him. She could feel him watching her around the bar. They had been in the same mutual friend group through Naruto, so she was sure he felt no obligation to be nice to her now, as she had broken his best friend’s heart. 

Sasuke came in after work, still in his suit. After the first few times he had come in, he started waiting for her to get his drinks so he didn’t have to deal with the other girls. He told them flatly he wouldn’t be tipping them, and he wasn’t interested. It didn’t deter all of them, but the majority dropped their act and moved on.

“The usual?” Hinata got out a glass for his tap beer.

Sasuke grunted his confirmation and took his drink. “What are you doing here?” 

“I couldn’t stay with him.” That was the only answer she had.

“No, not that.” Sasuke made a disgusted face. Maybe he didn’t resent her for that as much as she thought. “The Hyuga heiress, most likely to be a businesswoman or a trophy wife or both, and you’re tending a bar?” 

Hinata looked down the bar. It was a slow Tuesday, and she wasn’t being hailed so she could talk for a minute. “I tended when I was living on the road. Knowing what goes into a drink and how to keep drinks full was something I could carry from place to place and start up quickly. It’s all I really have right now.” 

“I’m surprised you put up with it that long.” Sasuke took a big swig of his beer, and she laughed. He was always Naruto’s worst critic.

“I think I was blind to the problems for a while because it wasn’t as bad as I felt at home. When I left, it definitely felt like freedom, but after no showers and no idea whether we had enough money to fix the van or eat, it got old. We did okay with the idea that we could just deal with it all until it came to the point that I realized he wanted to do that forever, and I wanted to be able to have a savings account and stability if something went wrong.” Hinata sighed, looking down at the bar. 

Sasuke made a face of disgust. Hinata grinned, noticing a drink low. She headed down the bar, feeling Sasuke’s eyes still on her.

When she ended up back after another round, she washed glasses in front of his chair. “What is it you do now?”

“I work at the family company with my brother. What else?” That is naturally what he would do. “You know it was a shit storm when you left. Your father told anyone who���d listen about you running off and whoring with a dropout.” Naruto wasn’t even a dropout. “But honestly, I don’t blame you. I can’t sit in a meeting with him and not feel like I want to punch him.” 

Hinata let out a snort. “He’s not pleasant.” 

Sasuke nodded, giving her a knowing look. “Did you ever think about turning around and using your degree?” 

“I don’t think it’s really an option right now. I have no work experience other than for my father’s company, and he, under no circumstances, would ever recommend me. I would likely have to do an internship for free, and I can’t do that right now.” Hinata explained.

“You should come to work for my family. I want to see the look on that bastard’s face.” Sasuke took another grumpy swig.

“I wouldn’t want to give you and Itachi-san the trouble he would cause.” Hinata was sure if she tried to get back into the business world, she would have to go super small and hope her father didn’t hear of it because he would make her boss’s life a living hell if she weren’t fired.

“Well, you can at least pour a beer that isn’t all foam.” Sasuke tipped his glass up at her.

Hinata didn’t know why, but the validation made her really happy.

I think when I wrote this, I was watching a lot of Van Life content, and I actually think that it's cool. I don't think you should cram 3 kids into shelves while you have a normal-sized bed and use them for content on the internet, but... moving on.

I try not to do anything internet trend-wise that is going to age my content, so this never got made. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[andrea-lyn]

@kaydeefalls is the loveliest ever for tagging me in this meme, bc it's an absolute fave, so ty ty!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

494, which definitely excludes some early career stuff I do not share. Yes, it's a lot, but hey, that's hyperfixation for you!

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

3,646,862, which means 4mil is the next big target, and knowing me, I'll get there.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Currently, my WIP folder touches the following fandoms: The Old Guard, Avatar the Last Airbender, XMFC, Interview with the Vampire, Roswell New Mexico (I very much want to write more Roy/Jamie, but just kicking around ideas rn).

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

ready for my close up, mr. dameron (Poe/Finn), aka @swingsetindecember baited me with gogurt and I wrote a fic, and the gogurt is unique, but the baiting is not (see: my entire Mag7 oeuvre)

how to fall in love with a fairytale  (Poe/Finn), aka, I got into the Star Wars fandom at the right time

what a tale my thoughts could tell (Joe/Nicky), aka, I got into the Old Guard fandom at the right time and mind-reading does well

Your Hand In Mine (Poe/Finn), aka, see above

hallelujah, you're still mine (Joe/Nicky), also above

The next couple are still Old Guard/Star Wars, but this year a few newbies have crept into the top page, including Ted Lasso and IWTV, which is very exciting to me!

5. Do you respond to comments?

Yes, always, I am a slut for positive reinforcement and I want to give thanks for that.

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

Every once in a while I like to write something that guts me to write and makes me cry. Anyway, The Time Traveling Pilot technically has a bittersweet and happy ending, except it's also super angsty? Love the ouroboros of it all!

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

....take your pick. With minimal exceptions, I'm a happy ending girlie by trade.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I had a run in Roswell New Mexico where I had to turn off guests because I was getting some really random, but vicious comments and I knew why, but it was still exhausting.

9. Do you write smut?

I've noticed as I get older, I've stopped as much, mostly because the tone doesn't seem to match what I'm doing. Don't get me wrong, I'll still include it, but it's usually more in passing than focused.

10. Do you write crossovers?

Hell yes, and I miss them, I need to write more.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, and my biggest piece of advice for any writer is to have an open policy for transformative works on your AO3, because that's how you get awesome translations and podfics!

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Yes, and I love this too, and would love to do more of it. Honestly, sometimes I think that's the only way I'll ever finish the original novel ideas I have.

14. What is your all time favorite ship?

I feel like I don't have all-time faves, but I will say that there are some ships that stick with me even after years and I'll go back to them. Right now, I'd say those two that have longevity are Ronan/Adam, and Kirk/McCoy. Obviously then there are current obsessions like Armand/Daniel and Sokka/Zuko, but those first two just stick.

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

There's only one. Literally, only ONE. I will probably never finish even though there's only a chapter left. It's a modern day Pride & Prejudice AU. It is literally the only fic I've ever abandoned after I started posting (pretty sure it's still on ff.net) and honestly, the only reason I'm not going back to it is because my style has changed too much.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Engaging plot, or so I like to think. I feel like I tend to have fun unique takes on things.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Not describing shit enough. I do a lot of vague things on purpose sometimes because it fits the mood, and sometimes because I'm just too lazy about my prose.

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

So I used to. And then I realized that it's too much work to scroll or highlight, so now I'll just write in italics and denote the language in the prose after.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Mystic Knights of Tir Na Nog or Charmed - I can't remember which came first, but my username comes from the Mary Sues I wrote in both of those fandoms, bc I decided that I might as well own it. And here we are.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

It's always a flip-flop between my Webgott (Love Like The Sea) and this one, Baby, I'm Howling For You (my McDanno supernatural big bang). The latter is probably winning right now because I re-read it the other day and I miss world-building like that, so I'm dying to get back to it.

TAGGING TIME! I'm hitting up @myrmidryad @inell @atthelamppost @graygiantess and anyone else who wants to ramble about fics!

[majorproblems77]

Its WIP Wednesday

Today you get a small snippet of something that I've had in the works for a while but will stay in the wip folder until I can get the writer's block out of my brain for it.

Cause my main project is making me cry. And I can't give you any of that, because it is getting INTENSE.

(I don't know why I do it sometimes. Why can't I just write fluffy nice stuff)

“Are you alright?” Time had asked him. The older man’s voice seemed muffled. Like something was filling his ears. Cotton? It felt like cotton. He scratched at his ears as he raised his eyes. Time went to one knee, looking over the younger boy gently. His eyes landed on the wound protruding from his back. And the blood dripping from his own sword. “Wind….” His voice was gentle. Not a touch of anger laced in. Just concern. “Wind. Wind I need you to talk to me.” Gentle again. Why was he being so calm about this? There was still a Wizdrobe left. Just because it warped away now doesn’t mean it won't be back. He tried to open his mouth, and he did. But his words died in his throat. When did time get so wobbly? He resorted to nodding his head. Which earned him a shake of Time’s head. “Come on now Wind. We both know that’s not true now is it?” Time gave a knowing smile. “You are as bad as I was. Now let's see if we can get you a potion.”

[umbrellajamming]

Ask Game

oh shoot I didn't get a notif for this - thanks so much for the tag @silverwhittlingknife! ♥♥♥

WIP Files Game

RULES: post the names of the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! tag as many people as you have WIPs

I don't have many proper WIPs that exist in files rather than just inside my head hghkldfs, but okay:

Baby!Tim meets Dick again (and again)

Tim is Jason's half-brother

the isekai AU

Tim wakes up from a coma and learns he was never Robin

Tim + villains = unhappy Dick

and also the separate game where you post an excerpt from one of your wips, so this is from 'Baby!Tim meets Dick again (and again)'

for context, Tim is 6 and Dick is 13 in this, and a few months before this scene, they 'met' again for the second time and had a memorable conversation. So this is technically their third coincidental meeting, at a museum that Tim is visiting with his parents.

“N-no, I’m fine,” Tim stammered, scrubbing at his face hastily. He couldn’t let Dick Grayson see him crying about something so silly! “I just, um. I lost my Mommy and Dad.” “You - what?” Dick Grayson said, and his voice was so strange that Tim risked a glance up at him. The taut, pale concern on the older boy’s face made Tim freeze up in instant horror. Oh no oh no oh no, so stupid! “I MEAN,” Tim shrilled, clawing his fingers into his cargo shorts in distress, “I dunno know where they went! That’s all! They’re fine! I think.” They just forgot me. I sat down, I told them ‘I need to sit down’, and they kept walking. They left me behind. Despite himself, he could feel his face reddening, tears starting to well back up. He looked down and wiped at his eyes again, sniffling as quiet as he could manage. “Oh!” he heard Dick say, sounding both relieved and sheepish. “You lost them - of course.” Dick kept talking, bright and determined, something about calling the front desk. Or going to the front desk? But his voice faded out somehow in Tim’s exhaustion. Tim pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and ducking down to hide his dumb leaky face. He was so tired he would rather die than move, even for Dick Grayson. And you were supposed to stay put when you were lost, right? That was good, because he ached to just lie down right here on the dirty floor and take a nap. But even more than that, he wanted to not be crying in front of Dick Grayson about having perfectly alive parents who just weren’t here right now, the moment he wanted them, like some sort of needy baby. He wanted to have not upset Dick Grayson by reminding him of the most horrible day of his life - for the second time - like some sort of - of - bad memory charm – “M’sorry, Dick,” he mumbled, rubbing his forehead too-hard against his knee. The pressure was somehow grounding against the awful tumbling knot in his chest. In his stomach? Somewhere unpleasant. Dick paused, mid-sentence. “Huh? For getting lost? Oh buddy, it happens to the best of us, believe you me.” Tim shrugged, an awkward roll of his shoulders while still curled up. “Ummmm. No? For um. For saying it like that. I know what it made you think.” “Oh. Oh, hey, hey…” Gentle fingers touched his hair, and Tim went still as a mouse. “No. You don’t have anything to be sorry for, Timmy. I’m the dummy who… Nevermind.” Dick laughed quietly. It was somehow just as good a laugh as the bright, bouncing one he’d given at the circus, before everything, even if it was a little sad. His fingers carded quick and light through Tim’s neatly combed hair - once, twice - enough to mess it up thoroughly before dropping down to settle on his back. “Don’t worry, Timmy. I’ll help you find your Mom and Dad. It’ll be okay, I promise.” His voice was so warm and steady; so was his hand on Tim’s back. And the horrible seething tangle in Tim’s stomach loosened, just like magic.

tagging (but only if you want to play, or have any WIPs for that matter!) @zahri-melitor, @alternis and anyone else who wants to play! I'm not entirely sure who else may be a writer who hasn't already been tagged for this by someone else🤔

edit: oop, just kidding, kept scrolling through my dash and I see you were tagged already Zahri! this is what I get for stepping away from tumblr for a week plus lol

[darlingamidala]

Obianidala Week 2023

Day 1 prompt: Canon Divergence

First of all, thank you so much to @obianidalaevent for putting on this event!!! I've been waiting for an obianidala event for literally years, so naturally I wanted to post something for every day. Unfortunately due to life/work, I was only able to do one new piece for it. But thankfully, I have a years long backlog of WIPs that have been lurking in my drafts folder, so this is the perfect opportunity to let some of them see the light of day!

I wrote this scene in 2018, which is part of an AU that I was never able to fully flesh out enough to write. Basically, obianidala are together during the Clone Wars, but everything still goes to shit in RotS. Padme survives the birth of the twins, and she and Obi-wan, believing themselves to be widowed, go into hiding. You can also read this on ao3

___________

Obi-wan came out of his meditation and pushed himself to his feet. He had a bad feeling about… something. It was ominous, but elusive. But then, the last thirteen years had been full of bad feelings, and for good reason. The twins were safe, at least for now, tucked into their bunks on the ship that they called home.

He sighed as he made his way down the hallway towards the bedroom he shared with Padme. He found her sitting on the edge of the bed in the half-lit room. She was tense, curled in on herself, and looked up at him with wide eyes that glistened with unshed tears. He gave her a sympathetic look as he quietly walked over to sit beside her. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. She rested her head against his shoulder, burying her face against the fabric of his shirt.

They both had nights like this, where the loss of their husband would suddenly hit them hard and the pain of what had happened all those years ago felt like a fresh wound all over again. It had been several years since he had seen Padme cry over it though.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Are you alright?” he murmured.

Padme took a shaky breath as she pulled away. She pulled her arms in towards herself with her hands curled protectively in front of her stomach as she tried to blink her tears away. “Obi-wan..” she whispered, uncertainty and… fear? in her eyes. “I’m pregnant.”

She said the word like it was a death sentence, as if she had contracted some horrible illness. And it may as well have been, for the way Obi-wan stilled, how he gripped her hands tighter as he looked away with his lips parted in a silent denial of her statement.

“It was a dream… Like the ones I used to have about my mother, just before she died.”

Obi-wan had been silenced by his own guilt about his inaction in response to those dreams.

“And?” Padme coaxed. She had always had such a way of helping where he couldn’t, when it came to Anakin.

“It was about you.”

“Tell me.”

“It was only a dream… You die in childbirth.”

Obi-wan frowned in concern as he stepped over to Anakin and placed a reassuring hand on his arm.

Padme’s hands had come up to cradle her stomach as she asked about the baby. Anakin had said he didn’t know what would become of their child.

Obi-wan opened his mouth to say something, but he still didn’t trust himself to say the right words.

“It was only a dream,” Padme dismissed with a reassuring smile, taking Anakin’s free hand in her own.

“I won’t let this one become real,” he replied with grave determination.

“You’re certain that that’s what you saw?” Obi-wan asked, having finally found his voice.

“I’m certain, Obi-wan.”

Obi-wan reached up and tucked Anakin’s hair behind his ear before resting his hand on his cheek, his thumb just brushing the scar upon his brow. “Then we will do what we can to keep it from coming true.”

It hadn’t come true then, though neither of them believed their husband’s drastic measures had been to thank for that. But now… she was older, more susceptible to complications. And they no longer had access to Core-standard medical facilities; they went to Rebellion medics when they could, but mostly they relied on a medkit they kept in their ship.

Neither of them said anything, but they both knew they were thinking the same thing: Anakin’s vision could still come to pass. She may have survived the birth of the twins, but now... her odds were not as good.

“Oh, Padme...” Obi-wan sighed, gathering her back into his arms, holding her tightly as if that would be enough to save her. One hand came up to cradle her head, his fingers digging into her dark curls, much shorter now than they had been back then.

She choked out a sob as she pressed her face against his chest and brought her arms up to return his embrace, clutching at the back of his shirt.

“Shh, shh, it’s alright,” he murmured reassuringly against her hair, absently rocking her as he stared out into the middle distance. Another sob wracked her body, and he continued to whisper empty platitudes, wishing that he could truly believe she would be okay.

He was choked up as well, a sob caught in his throat and tears threatening to well up in his eyes, but he willed himself not to cry. They had made a silent agreement when the twins were very small, that when the grief welled up in one of them, the other would do their best to give them someone to lean on, to not get dragged under as well. He needed to be strong for Padme.

Her tears began to die down, and she sniffled as she lifted her head to look at him. “What are we going to do?”

“What can we do?” he asked hopelessly.

“I’m worried about the twins,” she confessed.

“They’ll be fine,” he reassured her. That, at least, was something he felt fairly sure of. He did not want to take care of them alone; they were supposed to have three parents, and it would break his heart if they got down to one. But they were growing up. They weren’t babies anymore, and before long they wouldn’t even be children.

Anakin hadn’t been a child when he lost his mother, and it had still devastated him.

“I can take care of them,” Obi-wan promised. “I will keep them safe.” I will love them enough for the three of us. The last thought went unspoken. He wasn’t ready to commit to the idea of her being gone.

Padme slowly returned to leaning against him, until he was supporting her full weight. “Hold me,” she whispered, barely audible, and he did.

They sat silently for a long while, trying to gain comfort from each other’s presence and closeness as they came to terms with their new situation, until Padme pulled away to finish getting ready for bed.

[fireessie]

tell us about Brocedes thunderstorm! if you want :)

Aha this is possibly the older WIP I have in my folder and essentially its Nico having a fear of thunderstorms and he used to always go and be with Lewis but this is 2015 so he can't but Nico and Lewis are in ajoining rooms so Lewis hears Nico when he panics

*******

Normally it wasn't so bad. If he was at home he put on one of many pairs of noise canceling headphones, make a tea and read until the storm had passed. Unfortunately he wasn't at home.

He was in a hotel room, so he couldn't make his tea - sure he could ask room service but then that would mean getting out from under the covers. He'd only brought one pair of headphones and those had broken earlier in the day when Lewis had accidentally on purpose bumped into him and caused them to slip from his bag. To make matters worse the hotel curtains were thin and flimsy, lightening easily shining through and illuminating the room.

At the thought of Lewis, Nico felt his heart clench for a second.

Growing up when there'd been a storm when they were away from home Nico had crawled in with Lewis, the Brit holding him close and soothing his terror away. There had been a point when Nico only felt safe in Lewis's arms and he'd crawled in with him even when there wasn't a storm.

But that was a long time ago, times had changed and going to Lewis was no longer an option. He wasn't sure when his friendship with Lewis had started to deteriorate, when their karting dream of being teammates in F1 turned into a nightmare. The closer the rivalry got the more their relationship became distant, and Nico wasn't sure how it could be fixed. They'd always assumed their friendship would be able to withstand the challenges, as it had with everything they'd already faced but instead it was crumbling. His attempts to reach out to Lewis over the break had gone unanswered and Nico would only take that as Lewis didn't want to fix it.

In fact Lewis was probably overjoyed at the storm because he knew it would keep Nico up, making him less focused for the race. He was probably sleeping with a blissful little smile knowing his main rival was struggling.

He hated that he was reduced to a crying mess every time a thunderstorm happened. Despised the part of him that acted so childish.

"It's just a storm Nico, just get over it," he muttered to himself, echoing the many comments his father had made over the years. He'd been sympathetic enough when Nico was a child but the older he got the more he lost patience. "what are you supposed to do if a storm hits before a race or even during a race?" he'd ask. "you've got to move past this poika," he'd say when Nico arrived at the breakfast table bleary eyed and yawning.

Luckily for Nico, there'd never been a sustained thunderstorm around a race during his time in F1. Heavy rain yes, the odd rumble, sure but never a full storm. His mechanics had picked up on Nico's nervousness, but they'd never questioned it. Not that Nico would ever admit to being scared.

Somehow Nico had been able to keep his facade going.

But it looked like his luck had finally run out.

Nico peaked out of the covers, groaning when he saw it was barely past two am. The last time he'd checked his weather app it had told him the storm was supposed to blow over by five, and Nico had half heartedly hoped that he would be able to sleep through the worst of it. How wrong he'd been.

He groaned again, rolling over so he was facing away from the curtains.

He could hear the rain start to lighten and just as he allowed himself to dream that it was ending, the loudest rumble so far sounded.

Nico let out a shrill shriek as he jumped out of his skin, falling off the bed with a thump. He yelped as he elbow smacked into the side table, knocking the lamp down and smashing it, glass covering the floor. He pulled his arm close, hissing as pain shot through it, as he squinted to see any damage.

He felt fresh tears well up in his eyes as he started to tremble. He hated this. Hated that his heart was pounding so hard over nothing. Hated that he was this weak.

Nico let out a choked sob as he stayed huddled by his bed, trying to think what to do next.

[genevievemd]

The Year Between (18/?)

March 10, 2022 - In Sickness and In Health

Book: Open Heart: Third Year Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Genevieve McClure) Word Count: 3244 Rating: T Category: , Extended Series: WIP, AU Series, fluff Trope(s): 

Summary: ~Series: Following their engagement, Ethan and Gen navigate the year between the ring and wedding. ~ Chapter: Gen and Ethan attend their first session of couples therapy. 

Warnings: none

A/N: *insert Mushu “I Live” gif*.... hey.... We’re back. It’s been a hot minute. My bad. Huge shout out to @lucy-268​ for helping me finish this, I love you forever. 

March Part 1 ~ TYB Masterlist

Ch. 1 ~ Ch. 2 ~ Ch. 3 ~ Ch. 4 ~ Ch. 5 ~ Ch. 6 ~ Ch. 7 ~ Ch. 8 ~ Ch 9 ~ Ch. 10 ~ Ch. 11 ~ Ch. 12 ~ Ch. 13 ~ Ch. 14 ~ Ch. 15 ~ Ch. 16 ~ Ch. 17

Thursday, March 10th

7:30 PM

Her foot taps anxiously against the carpeted floor, the reception area of their new therapist’s office seeming too welcoming and homey. As if it’s offering a false sense of security before delivering devastating news. 

Genevieve bites her lip as she looks around again, nervously picking at the side of her nails. 

“Take a breath.” Ethan places one hand on her bouncing leg, still looking through emails on his phone. 

“I’m nervous.” 

“I know.” He pockets his phone before turning to look at her, the faintest smile gracing his face. 

“What if she tells us that we’re doomed?” 

“We’re not doomed, G.” Ethan takes her hand, squeezing it tightly. “It was a bump in the road, not a roadblock.” 

“What if she doesn’t think so?”

“Then we find a new therapist.” He leans over to take her other hand, twisting in his seat to face her fully. “Aside from death, and infidelity – which I know would never happen – there is nothing in this world that can keep me from you or tear us apart. And I’m not even certain death can do that, it tried once and failed.” 

“Yeah.” She nods, taking a deep breath as Ethan tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. 

“The only thing that she’s going to tell us, are ways to ensure what transpired last month, never happens again.” 

He is right, and deep down, she knows that. Gen has been in therapy on and off for years, since she was fourteen and discovered her father’s affair, by now she should have the routine memorized. Therapy is nothing more than a safe and neutral place to talk about whatever problems you’re facing and learn to overcome them. 

“Ethan and Genevieve?” The therapist’s office door swings open, an older woman appearing with a folder in her hand. 

“Ready?” Ethan stands, offering her his hand. 

She takes it without hesitation, clinging onto him as they walk into Dr. Hill’s office.

It’s just as welcoming as the waiting room, soft lighting and large pillows on an oversized couch. Fresh flowers and candles on the small coffee table between the patient couch and the doctor’s chair. The desk in the corner, an organized mess of folders and papers. 

Dr. Hill sits in her leather chair, pulling the pencil from atop her ear, glasses perched low on her nose. “So what brings you two in today?” 

Gen looks nervously at Ethan as they sit down, reaching for his hand. Her subconscious already clinging to her life raft, her safe place. He sees her unspoken cry for help and turns to their doctor, reading to take the lead until she’s more comfortable. 

“We hit a rough patch, recently, which ended with our worst fight to date, and we thought it would be prudent to seek some help in figuring out what happened and ways to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Especially because we’re getting legally married in two months.”

“What do you mean ‘legally’?” Dr Hill raises an eyebrow, looking at them curiously from over her glasses.” 

“We secretly eloped in Paris last August, so to us, we’ve been married for about seven months, but no one else knows.”

“I see.” Dr. Hill writes something down on the legal pad in her lap, then looks up with a smile. “Before we dive into anything, I like to have my couples do a quick exercise together. Turn and look at each other.” 

They do as instructed, Ethan’s calming ocean blue eyes looking at her as though she’s the center of his universe, and Gen can only hope that he sees the same expression staring back at him. 

“Genevieve, I want you to tell me the first three things you feel when you look at Ethan. Don’t think, just say the first three that come to mind.” 

“Loved, safe, and happy.” 

Ethan takes her hand, his smile growing at her words. 

“Ethan, now you do the same.” 

“Love, fulfillment, security.” He doesn’t take his eyes off her, his thumb stroking the back of her hand. 

“Look at that, almost the exact same answers.” Dr. Hill scribbles something down again, then looks up, clasping her hands together in her lap. “Now, tell me about this rough patch and how we got there.” 

Still taking the lead, Ethan quickly dives into their history - the complicated and sometimes treacherous love story that started four years ago. Genevieve stays silent through most of the beginning, only adding simple nods and one word answers until she feels comfortable. And once she does, the flood gates open. Offering the elder doctor every thought and self doubt she’s had, all her fears and hesitations, until they get to the part of the story they’re in now. 

Genevieve’s spiral, the distance and the worries she had over telling Ethan what she had been feeling. 

“And why were you afraid to tell him?” Dr. Hill smiles reassuringly, flipping back a page full of notes to start a new one. 

“Because…” Gen takes a shuddering breath, letting go of Ethan’s hand. “All my life, anytime I felt anything in a way that wasn’t ‘normal’ or I’d fixate on a thought, I was told I was stupid and wrong, or dramatic. Mostly by the men in my life: my dad, my brother sometimes, even boyfriends. My ex — not the bad one, the one between him and Ethan — I tried to explain why I couldn’t sleep with him yet and that the way he spoke to me sometimes made me feel unsafe, and he basically dismissed it all and told me I was stupid and making a fuss.” 

“I see, and so that had made you afraid to voice those thoughts with your partner. But has Ethan ever dismissed you like that?” 

“No. But this was also the first time I was fixating on something this badly or it wasn’t a normal reaction and…” Gen looks down at the candle on the table, watching the small flame flicker, as she tries to find her words. A way to express the small bit of anger and disappointment she’s held onto since February. 

“G, I’d never dismiss you like that. How you’re feeling, what you’re feeling, is important to me.” He’s quick to take her hand again, like he’s trying to keep her steady.

But there is no way to be balanced and secure when tiptoeing through a potential minefield. She learned that a decade ago, the delicate dance one must do to keep things copacetic. To keep the peace and not disrupt the rhythm. 

And she’s always been too clumsy to stay on her feet.

“That’s great and I know that, but you did. The night of our fight.” She takes a breath, blinking rapidly as the tears begin to form. Her heart beating rapidly as she barrels through, avoiding Ethan’s eyes the best she can. “I told you how I was feeling and you said ‘you’re hysterical’ and that I was being ridiculous. And then didn’t try to understand. And I know, I know, my anxiety can be over the top and that I was off the rails, but…” 

“No, don’t dismiss yourself, Genevieve.” Dr Hill interrupts, leaning forward in her chair. “Your feelings are valid, even if they are driven by your anxiety. It is okay to feel that way, and it is okay to be angry with him. Just as he had every right to be angry at you for insinuating he was thinking of stepping out on you.” 

“G, I’ve said it already, but I am sorry for dismissing you like I did. For not seeing that you were struggling, it’s my job as your husband and I failed.” Ethan’s the one to break their connection this time, hands clasped in his lap and head hanging in shame. “She kept saying, since her ex died and then her grandfather — she kept saying to me, ‘I don’t want to lose you’ or ‘Please don’t leave.’ And I just brushed it off as nothing serious, just her grief talking… I should have realized that was something she was actually worried about.” 

“Is it, Genevieve? Are you afraid he’ll leave if you aren’t, as you said, better?” 

“Sometimes. I can usually talk myself out of that thought or he’ll unknowingly do something that reminds me he won’t. But then sometimes I can’t.” 

“When?” Both Ethan and Dr Hill speak at the same, both eyes on her in an instant. 

“Sorry.” 

“No. Talk to her. I’m merely here to guide and offer wisdom. This is a safe place for you both, talk to her.” 

“When?” 

“When we’re apart. For a long time. Like the last month or so, you were so busy and canceling plans and I tried so hard to tell myself nothing was wrong because I knew it. I knew we were okay and that you just wanted to be the best chief you can be. But then you didn’t come home until late and I was already asleep and then you’d leave before I was up. And we just weren’t ever together. And I need that, I need you.” 

“Baby, you have me. Always.” Ethan speaks as though there has never been a statement more true. As if he’s belonged to her since that first day. 

And maybe he has. They’ve both said their lives began when they met, that every dark cloud was blown away when their eyes met in that waiting room. When they kissed under the Miami moonlight. 

When they made the promise to be open and honest with each other, to stay no matter the struggle.

Genevieve takes a breath, feeling ashamed for not only having kept her darkest secrets from her husband, but also for the thoughts that created them. 

“I know. But when we’re not together and I don’t feel that closeness with you, it’s really easy for the monster in my head to take over and convince me otherwise. Like when the hospital was shutting down, and we lost our momentum and never discussed trying to stay together, I kept thinking you changed your mind. That it was the end of us.” 

“But it wasn’t, was it?” Dr Hill smiles again, knowingly. 

“No. He asked me on a real date the minute we knew the hospital was going to be fine and I didn’t have to transfer residencies.” 

“And you’ve been together since?” 

“Yeah. Every day since.” 

“And did you ever talk about why you avoided that conversation?” 

“We did.” Ethan interjects. “The night of our first date. I told her that I had wanted her to focus on the best opportunities for her career, and not let me be a distraction from that. And that I’d have simply followed wherever she got accepted to.” 

“So even then, you knew she was the one.”

“Yes. I’ve always known. I think that’s part of the reason why I ran off and tried to put distance between us in the beginning, because I knew in my heart she was the love of my life and that thought was terrifying. But now…“ 

“But now?” 

Ethan turns to Gen, taking her hands in his. “Genevieve, you are everything to me. I’m not afraid of that anymore, and I haven’t been since the night I almost lost you. There is no one else and there will never be anyone else for me. You are my heart. I will never change my mind, do you understand? No matter how busy I am, or how distant I may seem, or if you’re going through a rough patch. I’m in this, G, for the long haul, until the day I die. The only thing I’m afraid of now, is losing you.” 

“Me, too.” 

Dr Hill taps her pen against the notepad still sitting in her lap, head tilted as she studies them. After what feels like an eternity, she finally speaks. “A lot of what I’m getting from the two of you is a difference in attachment style.” 

“I don’t know what that means. Like love language?” Gen instinctively squeezes Ethan’s hand, chest tight as she awaits what she’s certain in impending doom.

“Almost. It’s the way you attach yourself to your partner, and the relationship. For example, the reason you both reacted the way you did was because of that difference. Genevieve, your anxiety plays a big part in your attachment to Ethan. You need a constant reminder that his feelings haven’t changed. Whether that is by words or action, and when the distance between the two of you began, you lost that. Which is why you fixated on the idea that he no longer loved you, even though we all know that you knew in your head that it hadn’t changed. While Ethan is the opposite, he pushes people away until he realizes they won’t leave. And once he knows that and has accepted it, he is confident in that knowledge. He knows he’s in love with you, he knows you’re his wife and nothing could ever change that. He knows that you will be by his side no matter what. So he was able to put your relationship on the back burner, focus on his new position, and still feel that confidence in what you have.” 

“So what do we do? I don’t want to ever go through something like that again.” Gen looks away from their therapist, looking down at her hands. Smiling as Ethan lets her trace the lines in his palms with her fingers. Letting her take whatever comfort she can from him. 

“Knowing now what the other needs will help. Gen, when you feel that way or have that thought and you can’t talk yourself out of it, you go to him, immediately, and say ‘I’m having this thought or feeling and I need reassurance.’ And Ethan —“ 

“Will happily and patiently reassure you, like I should have. And I promise, G, that if you tell me when you’re feeling out of sorts, we will either address it immediately, or we will set a specific time to discuss it.”

“Precisely, and he’ll work on not putting your relationship in the back and completely out of focus. But also… you’ve been through a lot, Genevieve, in the last 6 or 7 months, and there have been a lot of changes happening in rapid succession, and that is playing a huge part in your anxiety being as high as it’s been. Grief takes a long time to fully heal, you’re still healing. From your ex, your grandfather, and I’d argue even the post traumatic stress you had from the bio weapon attack. Be patient with yourself, the same way you are with others.” 

“Yeah.” 

“She has moments…” He shakes his head, realizing his mistake and turning to face Gen, “You’ve had moments in the last few months, where you’re so confident in yourself and in us, and it was amazing to see that side of you again. I want you to always feel that way.”

“I mean I am, I do. Most of the time.” 

“Here’s what we’re going to do,” Dr Hill closes her notepad and tosses it onto the table. “The two of you are going to use the tools you learned today for the next month, and then I want you to come back after that month is over and we can talk again about how things went.” 

“We’re not doomed?” 

Dr Hill laughs, “No, Gen, you are not doomed. Honestly, the fact that you two came in and saw that you needed assistance, shows how much you love each other. And how much you both want your marriage to work and thrive. You two have a very strong foundation that you’ve built, which leaves me with no doubts that you two will have a happy and unbreakable marriage.” 

“That's all I want.” Ethan brings their still joined hands to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to the back of her hand. 

“Me, too.” 

“See, you were on the same page. Just on opposite ends. Now, get out of here, schedule another appointment for a month and then take each other on a date. Spend some time just being with each other. No phones, no outside influences, just be together.”

“Doctor's orders?” Ethan raises an eyebrow, smiling. 

“Yes. Though I suspect you two don’t need a prescription for that. I can already tell you enjoying being alone together.” 

“We do.” Gen smiles proudly, rising from the couch. 

“Alright you crazy kids, get out of here.” 

“Thank you, Dr Hill.” Ethan stands, reaching over to shake her hand. 

“You’re welcome, I’ll see you next month.” 

Ethan wraps his arm around her as the exit the office, both feeling a weight lift off their shoulders. 

“So, what would you like to do on our date, love?” 

“We’re near the diner, can we get food to go and then watch a movie at home? Our quiet, lowkey dates like that are my favorite.”

“Mine, as well. Let’s do it.” 

8:37 PM

The bell above the door of the diner jingles and as they enter. The oddly comforting smell of fried food filling the air. They haven’t been here in almost a year, not since the last time they attended the opera. 

It had become a tradition, over the years, to come to sixties themed diner after every show. Sit in the back booth, order the same meal, and enjoy just a little more time together as Ethan and Genevieve. 

“Look who the cat dragged in.” Pauline, their usual waitress, smiles from behind the counter. “I haven’t seen you two in almost a year.” 

“We’ve been busy.” Ethan leads Gen to the counter, one hand placed delicately at the small of her back. 

“I know. I follow you guys on pictagram.” The waitress smirks, then holds out her hand, and expectant expression on her face. “Let me see that ring.” 

Gen beams, lifting her hand to show her engagement ring.

“Oh, my my my, Ethan, you did well. That’s a quite a rock.” 

“She deserves the best.” 

“Can’t argue with that.” Pauline smiles again, “So, I’m assuming it’s the usual? Two burgers, two milkshakes and poutine?” 

“Yes, but make it to go, please.” Ethan hands her his card, as he and Gen settle into the worn bar stools. 

“You go it. Give me fifteen.” 

“Thank you.” He puts the card back in his wallet, before looking over at Genevieve. Her eyes still trained on her diamond ring, lips turned up in a whimsical smile. “What’s that face for?”

“I haven’t gotten to show it off like that in a while, you know cause it’s almost been a year since we got engaged and everyone we know knows. It was kinda fun to flaunt it, you know?” 

“Mm.”

“Speaking of a year, you know it’s also been almost a year since we’ve gone to the opera and come here after?” 

“I do. We should rectify that.” Ethan leans over and kisses her sweetly. “How about, for our engagement anniversary next month, we go to the opera? We can recreate my original proposal plan.” 

Gen smiles at the idea. While she loves their proposal, a small part of her has always wanted to experience Ethan’s original plan. The one where he was going to pop the question in their private box as the curtain closed. 

She takes his face in her hands, thumbs caressing his cheeks. “I would love that.”

A/N: again, I apologize that it took me like ten years to get back to this beast, but we’re here now and I thank you for being patient. 

Also.... I am both sad and happy to tell you that there are only 4 chapters left to this baby. That’s right, I said 4. And all of them are fluffy AF. One for April, and three for May. 

Also also... I am currently without a laptop, both my macbook and my back up Dell are currently broken, so I “stole” my mom’s to finish this chapter. With that being said, I don’t know when I will be able to get the rest of March’s edits out. Hopefully soon, but I can’t make any promises. So, sorry for that. If it’s going to be awhile before I can do the edits, I may finish the series in fic form first, aka the last four chapters, and come back to the edits once I have my computers back and working. 

Either way, I’ll let y’all know before I do anything. 

K, that’s it. Love you all. 

(Tagging Separately) 

[rurousha]

WIPs

Rules: Post the names of all the files in your wip folder regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet of it or tell them something about it! And then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

I like talking about my WIPs because sometimes it gives me motivation to work on them.

Detroit: Become Human

I am Deviant - 2/? on AO3, nearly done with chapter 3. Connor deviates early, rescues Simon, and has to make it up from there. Hank meets way too many deviants. Connor/Hank and Markus/Simon

Dragon Age

Fade Rescue - Fenris (established LI) and Anders (forever pining) team up to rescue Hawke (male mage) from the Fade. Fenris/Hawke, possible OT3 endgame

Arrowverse

laugh 'til you cry (laugh 'til you die) - The Joker comes to Central to team up with Captain Cold. Leonard is in way over his head and doesn't realize until it's too late. light coldflash

Untitled - Leo and Ray of Earth-X find an emaciated Vandal Savage in one of Dark Arrow's old bunkers. Leo/Ray

Coldflash in Panama - 1/? on AO3, sequel to From Fox River to Central City. Michael of Earth-29 meets his world's Barry Allen. The two have a lot in common. Barry/Michael

DC

Untitled - inspired by RileyC's story As You Wish on AO3. Krypton wasn't destroyed. Kal-El goes through a traditional rite to find his soul mate. Batman gets teleported to Krypton. Batman flees, security is called, Kal calms everyone down and promises to help Batman return home. Jor-El identifies Earth as the place where he once established contact with a human called Thomas in his dreams until the connection was suddenly ended. Bruce reveals his identity as Thomas Wayne's son. Connections are made. They are stunned to learn that Bruce has been in pain managing the higher gravity the whole time. Bruce rejects the whole "soul mate" thing. Kal, who wasn't thrilled with the idea at first either, understands and helps Bruce get home. Likely sequel where Kal, Jor, and some others kind of illegally travel to Earth to establish interplanetary relationships and end up with superpowers. Superbat endgame.

Genshin Impact

Continued Good Health - Aether helps Childe recover after Toucer leaves Liyue. Aether/Childe

Geralt and Jaskier's Adventures in Teyvat - crossover with The Witcher. These boys deserve a change of scenery. These are just written as little blurbs on Tumblr as I think of them. some Geraskier

Merlin

Merlin, in all his forms - slight DC crossover, longfic. Merlin from the future (lookin' hot and evil) shows up season 4 with a bunch of students and followers. He's decided to not let things fall where they may. He apprehends his past self and, in a blatant show of magic and power, takes complete control of Camelot. He tells Arthur that he will not allow the one he's loved to die. Merlin calls Arthur out on their relationship, the token from Arthur's mother, and his passivity towards the laws about magic. But he loves him. Definitely some sexual tension, and Merlin makes his motives clear. Arthur is angry, hurt, but intrigued and no longer in denial. Even older Merlin (old man form) sneaks in to rescue his youngest self, and he has had a spy in the ranks they whole time.

Stargate

Follow My Stars - mostly complete, prequel to Far From Home. A single, unimportant wraith's early life.

Close to Nowhere - sequel to Far From Home. John Raythe rescues Todd from San Francisco. They try to get home, and Todd learns a lot about the Milky Way. eventual John Raythe / Kylie Sands and maybe some John Sheppard / Todd.

@broosepayne, @coldtomyflash, @crimsondomingo, @dracogotgame, @fangirleaconmigo

[homebody-nobody]

WIP game!

tagged by @largedenominationsplease

Rules: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them and then post a little snippet of it or tell them something about it! And then tag as many people as you have wips. I have deemed that this isn’t just for writing either. Sketch titles? Comics? DnD campaigns? If you have an unfinished project, it counts!!

okay so here's the thing. I've been using my google drive to write original fic and fanfiction since I was fifteen, so. This is gonna be lawwwwng.

FANFICTION

outer banks

Engineering School AU notes home(where your heart is set in stone) home outline Jiara AUs Jiara week JJ's Lesbian Older Sister Meta katie's bday smut sincerity is scary outline the Parcels of Tannyhill

bellarke

"I got a dog" (She Returned) More Broken than Before All These Words I've Heard Before An Unexpected Guest Begginings of wicken fic (YOIKES) Bellarke fwp Bits and Pieces and To Be Used Clarke's Greek Pantheon Photography project Dancing in the dark devil's backbone - the civil wars domestic!bellarke bc im trash fire and stone (and a swingin trombone) Hot Boys and Indie Music (Make for a Pretty Great Summer) I have to tell you these flowers are for a dead person I'm Hers and She is Mine Library AU Library crush - bellarke fic more 30 minute fictions with the best friend Museum!Bellamy Rebel!Clarke hs au Silent Warrior, Screaming Youth SingleDad!Bellamy so go ahead and make your mark on me so go ahead and make your mark on me (REWRITE) Soulmate Words sweeter than sugar (colder than ice) the Bellamy Thing when the door sings closed you held my hand (and called me darling)

fleeting hyperfixations

beth x benny bones OC jatp college au jerin shoni fic ideas WayHaught Z nation

Percy Jackson

PJO lesbian Athena thing Solangelo??

Star Wars

Jyndor Lex and Gage

Voltron

klance high school AU shallura dancer au cause i have no self control Voltron Voltron AU#1 Young - The Chainsmokers

ORIGINAL WRITING

DnD

Cadogan Druhaven

other

A writer in venice throws his typewriter out the window one day Ace and Arthur Apparently sleep hates me Ari and Mel Band story Blacksmith Boy Brett and Nia Calliope and Wren long Castor and Pollux Chance and Ezra Denim and leather; Fire and ice Draconic Novice Draconic Novice Notes Dystopian society Elias and Charlie Ellie and Aaron Escape For Ryn's Birthday happy lesbians Henry, Tial, and Ellia Honos et Veritas I don't know what this was supposed to be but it was gay Isabelle the Ghost Whisperer Kira and Nell Kisae Dwellden Kyto and Petr Mark and Joanna start Men of the Moors Modern Magick modern magick Development Journey Modern Magick Trilogy Plot Outline Modern Magick Worldbuilding Modern Magick: Fire Modern Magick: Water Morgan and the Witch's son Nell doesn't look like a mafia princess Notes-Draconic Novice Paige and Katie Parker and Rae pirates story quarantine podcast Reece tells Kai that Jason is alive and he starts to cry Richard and Gabrielle? Runaway Mage Sign language zombie killers Some of Us Alive Stub The first thing he notices about her is her left hand The Four Suits the hill that grew the lindstrom sisters (bank robbers) the Rider General this is sad This wasn't where he wanted to be vegas motorcycle gang Vyvinuly wars beyond men wars beyond men rewrite (? third person ?) When War Comes white-Collar Trash wolves

so yeah there's a lot lol

tagging: @jojameswinter @a92vm @jiaraisinthegoodplace @smileymikey and whoever else wants to!!

[tsarisfanfiction]

I Promised

Fandom: One Piece Rating: Teen Genre: Angst/Tragedy Characters: Law, Shachi

“Promise me,” Shachi had said once.  “No matter what.“  Law wished he hadn’t.

So this has been kicking around in my wip folder for literal years - I think I actually wrote most of it in 2018 - and those of you who pay attention to my side pages on my blog might have seen this teased under Tales From The Heart.  It’s technically Tales-verse, and will be archived under the series, but due to a character death, I’m posting it as a separate fic.  However, it references chapter 94 “Immortal” of Tales From The Heart, and actually I believe the idea for this fic came from a throwaway comment I got for that chapter?

“Law!”

Exhausted as he was, Law couldn’t move fast enough, his eyes tracking the blow headed straight for him as he stumbled back half a step and braced for the impact that seemed likely to kill him.  Once upon a time, he wouldn’t have cared at all, but with a crew that meant more to him than life itself he realised he didn’t want to leave them, not now and not ever.

The collision was solid, shoving him backwards until his back hit something hard; some rubble debris from the fight, probably.  A weight followed him, crashing into his chest and pushing all of the air from his lungs.  His back hurt from the rubble, blood soaked his front.  There was no pain at the point of impact, but that was probably shock.

He opened his eyes to see the damage – when had they closed? – only to gasp as his throat choked up. Ginger, a colour unmistakable even in the battlefield, clouded his vision, alongside askew shades and weeping eyes.

Shachi’s eyes were green. Law had never been close enough to tell before, even in thirteen years.  Once upon a time they were probably striking, before being ruined by snowblindness.  Moisture welled up in them and Law moved instinctively to fix his shades, a trembling hand wiping away the tears.

The act drew his attention to the blood dripping from Shachi’s mouth, the laboured breathing. The fact that the blood soaking into his own top was coming from elsewhere, wasn’t his.

“Law,” Shachi croaked, voice weak and trembling even as his lips pulled into a pathetic excuse for a smile. Law’s eyes widened in horror as the situation started to sink in.  “Are you okay?”  Law was numb, trembling as his nakama tilted forwards before his hands moved on autopilot, catching the ginger’s weight.

“You-” he tried, feeling the blood coating his hands in seconds.  So much of it; they needed to stop the bleeding now but he couldn’t even draw on his Room and conventional treatments wouldn’t be fast enough.  “Shachi-”

The ginger coughed, blood splattering Law’s face.

“It’s okay,” he wheezed, as though he wasn’t painting Law’s world crimson with every passing second. “It’s okay, Law.”

It wasn’t okay, wasn’t okay at all.  Law tried to move, to do something even though his bones felt like lead, only to be brought up short by quivering hands on his face, wiping away tears he hadn’t realised he was crying.

“No.”  The voice was broken, cracking on the single syllable and barely louder than a whisper.  It took Law a moment to realise it was his.  He didn’t have any stamina left, the muscles in his arms trembling from supporting the ginger’s weight and his knees trembling in warning that they couldn’t keep him standing much longer.

That didn’t stop him from dredging up whatever he could, pushing out the Room from his heart and ignoring the burn that warned he was draining his own life.  The blow would have been enough to kill Law, and Shachi was weaker.  He didn’t even have Armament Haki capable of absorbing any of the attack.

“Don’t you dare die on me,” he managed, letting gravity take over and pull them to the ground.  He needed his hands free for this, even as Shachi gave him a bloodstained grin.  The crimson stained his lips and cheeks in a way that was all too similar to Cora-san’s eternal grin; his final grin.

Law was a doctor.  He didn’t need his abilities to tell him that Shachi’s wounds were fatal, even as he shoved him over to lie on his back – roughly, but he didn’t have the strength to use any finesse.  Shachi was beyond feeling the pain, anyway.

There was only one thing he could do, short of letting Shachi die and that was not an option, was never an option.  Law had suspected that one day things would come to this: exchanging his own life for his nakama, just like Cora-san had exchanged his life for Law’s all those years ago.  Unlike the Ope Ope no Mi’s other abilities, this one didn’t need any stamina to use. It would take its payment at the end.

A hand grasped his own, pale where it wasn’t stained with blood, halting him with strength it didn’t seem like it should have had.  Dead man’s grip, the back of Law’s mind whispered in despair, and he tried to tug his hand back, to continue the operation.

“You promised,” Shachi rasped, somehow managing to sound strong even though his voice was faint. “No matter what.”

Of course, Shachi was the one that had found him the day he’d learnt about his ability to exchange his life for another’s.  He wasn’t the only one that knew Law could do it – such a thing, while kept close to his chest, couldn’t be hidden from Penguin or Bepo for long – but he was the only other one that had read the papers detailing how to do it.  No-one else would have known until it was over.

“I won’t let you die,” Law snarled back, tugging furiously at his hand to no avail.  “What would that do to Penguin?  To the others?”

“The weak… don’t get to choose how they die,” Shachi quoted, reminding Law of the phrase he’d said more than once.  “Law… Captain…  Am I that weak that I don’t get to choose?”

“No,” Law admitted, unable to even imply that Shachi was anything other than strong – in many ways, stronger than him.  “But-”

“Everyone dies sometime,” Shachi cut him off, his grip increasing further.  Law wished that was because his strength was increasing, and not because his muscles were starting to seize.  “For a pirate… I can’t think of a better death… than saving my nakama.”

“Shachi-” Law wanted to complain, scream about how it wasn’t fair and that he refused to let Shachi die, requests be damned, but one look at the content look on his face, marred only by a furrowing of his forehead that Law knew was Shachi’s concern that he wouldn’t be listened to, and he couldn’t do it.  Not to Shachi.  “You idiot,” he mumbled around a suddenly too-thick tongue.  His vision blurred, but despite that he could see the moment the ginger relaxed, realising that yet again – for the final time – he’d out-stubborned Law.

“Law... look after Penguin, would you?” Shachi asked, and Law’s heart seized.  Penguin.  How was he supposed to face the older man?  “He’ll… understand.  A-and, Law?”  Law made a noise of recognition, no longer trusting his voice.  “Look after yourself.  You probably know… this already, but j-just this once… I’ll say it.” He paused, taking as large a breath as his rapidly weakening lungs allowed.  The rasp cut through Law sharper than any scalpel.  “I love you.”

He was smiling.  Law wanted to shout at him, to tell him he wasn’t allowed to say that and then die smiling, but before he could gather his thoughts into enough coherency and get the first word on his tongue Shachi’s chest – heaving weakly since the blow – stuttered and then stopped.

The noise that escaped Law’s mouth instead was a cry of anguish.  Tears blurred his vision, but not enough to hide the fact that even in death, Shachi was still smiling.

[rataltouille]

for the wip folder thing.. they lied about the gold??

MY MOST FUN STORY!!!!

[this is my original work, do not use / repurpose / plagiarise in any form]

so this is a very lighthearted treasure hunt adventure story that's literally just 90% found family and 10% terrible inside jokes. the main cast consists of six [technically seven?] people: val, danny, rufus, maple, anya and one more character who doesn't have a proper name yet! there’s also the seventh character, astatine, who is the narrator but he’s kind of. not exactly a proper character by virtue of never being physically present.

all of these characters are so important to me because i’ve had them for a really long time— val, danny and rufus were characters from this contemporary ya romance idea i’d had, while maple, anya, nameless child and astatine were characters were from this high fantasy story [all of them had very different names, ages and stuff then]. these characters have been in multiple different versions of older concepts, both separately and together, but over time they’ve naturally settled into this current adventure story and i think that's where they're going to stay!! they are such an excellent found family.

concrete details:

the world is vaguely magical except there is no system to it: things happen and you just deal with it. there is no logic. if you try to unravel how it works you’ll probably start crying.

a very fun pov where it's an omniscient first person narrator, whose name is felix, who also goes by astatine. he’s a very snarky child [like,,, he’s only 12 lmaooo] who narrates the story while following around the main six! the story mostly reads as third person, with occasional first person tangents [i like to describe it as “lemony snicket-esque”]

as the title suggests, the treasure is a lie lmao and astatine makes this clear from the start, which just makes the story more hilarious 😭

all queer, poc and disabled + neurodivergent cast! it’s the one i’ll do the most research for among all my wips but i’m so excited to do it and learn more and write this and it just makes it more dear to me!! i love these characters to death okay you do not understand.

this is probably also my most fleshed out wip by virtue of me having known the characters for so long. they’re like my besties and i love them so much!!

ask me about my wips!

[sarsaparillia]

fic writer meme

it’s been a while! thanks for the tag @boshtet-juggler

How many works do you have on AO3?

between two accounts, 51

What’s your total AO3 word count?

701823 words which uh is not... anywhere close to my actual word-count, but we’re not gonna talk about what my word-count ACTUALLY is because it is frankly embarrassing

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

once more with feeling | OXENFREE, Alex/Jonas

Fifteen Acres of Broken Glass | MCU, fem!Tony Stark

take my hand (so i know you’re the real thing) | DRAGON AGE, Alistair/Bethany

where in the world is carmen sandiego | OXENFREE, Alex/Jonas

The House That Fear Built | AO NO EXORCIST, Rin/Shiemi

Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

when i remember to, yes. sometimes i get so overwhelmed by the nice things that people say that i end up hyperventilating and then kind of. short-circuiting? i PROMISE i am not ignoring you, i am just very bad at accepting compliments

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

from her lips to god’s ears, for the basketball anime, which i wrote solely to hurt dicey @emersonwatts

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

on the nature of daylight, for SOUND! EUPHONIUM, and the whole fic is “kumiko and reina buy a house on a cliff by the sea and live happily ever after”

Do you write crossovers? If so, what is the strangest one you’ve written?

seashells and silver water, which is an SPN/Angel Sanctuary crossover that i am, to this day, weirded out about. why did i write that? HOW did i write that? what is GOING ON, there?!?

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

who hasn’t?

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

i’m very bad at writing smut, so i tend to avoid it. we’ll just stamp this with a great big NO, and move right along

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

lmao yeah

Have you ever had a fic translated?

a couple of times? Vietnamese, Russian, Italian, and French, once! i still have the links somewhere, i’m pretty sure. i think. maybe.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

points @persephonesnow please meet my best friend emily

What’s your all-time favorite ship?

hm, that’s a hard one, because i tend to go through cycles, but like. listen. f!hawke/isabela makes me cry. it’s been half a decade, and it still makes me cry, so like.

What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

honestly, any of the oneshots sitting in my WIP progress folder. the older i get the more leery i am of posting shit before it’s finished-- i hate leaving fic to rot. of the things that are posted, i am most concerned about not being able to finish cradle my heart (and i’ll follow you home)

What are your writing strengths?

colours. i think i’m very good at colours. and i do also think that i’m pretty decent at having my writing come out a bit like a song; my goal is always to write poetry-turned-into-prose, and i like to think i manage it!

What are your writing weaknesses?

oh man, that’s a loaded question. i’m terrible at a lot of things! world-building. keeping continuity. FINISHING shit, man, i am TERRIBLE at finishing shit. there is ALWAYS a several-month gap between the second-last chapter and the last chapter, no matter what it is i’m writing. bad at smut, too.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

depends on the fic. is there a translation at the end? that’s important, my dude, i need a translation at the end.

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

inuyasha, when i was eleven years old. the first fandom i POSTED for, however, is naruto, and none of you will ever, ever see it, that account is ROASTED

What’s your favourite fic you’ve written?

i. i really love take my hand (so i know you’re the real thing). it’s so close to my heart for so, so many reasons. but actually, i think my favourite is something that hasn’t ever been posted in it’s entirety? it’s called ankle deep, and it lives right next to my soul.

erm, i think most of you have been tagged? but, uh, let me think. @persephonesnow @misterpointy, @onewhoturns, @swingsdown, @fandomn00blr, @smutnug, @barbex and fuck i know i’m forgetting people anyway anyone else who wants to is super welcome to go for it! dicey and mori @temarisnara if u see this u 2

[bereft-of-frogs]

37 and 38 for the writer asks ♥️♥️

37. Talk about your current wips.

Looks at WIP folder. Sobs.

There are...so many of them. So many. The folder is chaos. I really need to apply some order to it, go through and see which ones

But here are the ‘realistically these I might actually finish’:

- the lingering whumptober prompts. I really only have one scene left to write in ‘15. Into the Unknown (possession)’ but it’s the most like...magical action-y scene, and needs a complicated emotional bridge so I’m a bit stuck. I have not been able to think about pwp so those ones are on hold indefinitely. (along with the sort of perpetually almost-done ‘grotesque fic’ that I will finish someday, but it also keeps getting longer and longer and I get no closer to the end.)

- I had an idea for the ‘hallucinations’ prompt as well, and then I scrapped almost the whole thing and started over. but things are going much smoother now. It’s going to end up being an...unexpected thematic trilogy with ‘spare me over’ and ‘where is your sting’ (I just need to pick the next folk song about death to snag the title from lol)

- I just did a pretty detailed outline for the next fic in ‘the nine in the tree’, which is meant to be like...a genre challenge. A magical mystery in the style of a Nordic Noir. So that should be pretty fun, and I’m hoping to get it out before the next Doctor Strange movie comes out, so I have some time.

- God, I really want to finish my pretentious-ass ‘death gods magnum opus’ Supernatural fic, but the research for that is getting complicated (because, as mentioned, it’s going to be fucking pretentious, no one should have told me that you can use footnotes on ao3)

- there’s also a...collection of a few fics that I’ve been working on and...I’m not quite ready to share because they might turn out to be nothing, might just be like other self-indulgent snippets that never find their plots and live on my hard drive for a decade just for me to read over occasionally, but things are going rather well...so there’s hope there ;-)

I haven’t updated the WIP List in a while, but there are more in there that are at varying stages of completion/motivation to complete. I’ll probably update it at some point this week. (Along with possibly updating my theme...I’ve never quite been a fan of the color scheme and it’s been a couple years since I changed it.)

38. Talk about a review that made your day.

Ah, well, usually all of them make my day. But like, especially when I get comments on older fics. Like, never feel that it’s too late to comment on a fic you enjoy, I always love getting them on older fics. Especially because it’s often ones that I feel like are underappreciated. So yeah, even if it’s been a couple years, please feel free to comment! I especially cherish those ones! (I mean, if the last time the fic has been updated is sometime in 2006 and you point out that you were 3 years old at the time of that last update......okay the writer doesn’t necessarily need to be reminded of the passing years in such a way. That might be okay to let lie. That one was on my old ffn account.)

But tbh, the single review that made my day was the first time someone gave me a frog in a comment. I’m pretty sure I have it screenshotted somewhere, it absolutely delighted me. I felt bad too, because on the same day, someone had left me this amazing two part review and I was nearly crying and then I got the frog and I was just like *GASP* A FROG. There have been several frogs since, but it was that first one that absolutely slayed me.

[writing asks!]

[the-passenger-if]

because you’re the first (and my favorite) cog blog i follow, i was wondering if you had any tips on how to get into the coding and writing for my own story? any direction would be greatly appreciated! and of course sorry to bother you if you get a lot of these asks!

No problem at all :) This one will be a long answer, so I'll break it into two. Also, this is sort of a short break for me, I'll answer the other asks later.

Alright, I'll assume you have no idea about choicescript so sorry if I sound condescending or anything.

What you need:

- Notepad++

First the easy (ha!) part: coding.

Go to this page and read everything, DON'T download anything yet. That's the introduction to choicescript and it's pretty easy to follow (I mean, I could follow it and I have zero coding experience and half of my neurons might as well be mashed potatoes).

This page contains explanations to what each command does (it's shorter than it looks, I promise).

Once you have some idea of what does what it's time to talk about the pain in the butt that's been mozilla firefox latest update. You see, mozilla was the only browser that played nice with choicescript, any other will show you an error page if you try to run your game outside of dashingdon.com (the page that hosts the forum WIPs) and you need to test your game in private before uploading it for everyone to see. Then update 68 happened and it screwed us all (they could've waited until update 69, opportunity lost there, mozilla guys) so Dan (one of the creators of choicescript) found a workaround and I'm sure it's awesome for people whose brain cells aren't half brain cells, half mashed potatoes but for me it's like fifth grade math: impossible.

So here's the branching part of my explanation (how very interactive-fictiony of me) you can either go with Dan's way (best way) or you can go with mine ("easy" way). If you choose Dan's, you can read his posts, try to make sense of everything, then go back to the tutorial page and download node.js, and the choicescript source from github.

If you want to try it my way download an older version of mozilla, install it somewhere where it can't auto upgrade like some freaking skynet creep—I have mine in a USB stick. [NOTE: never ever use this downgraded version to browse the web unless you want an orgy of trojans all over your PC] Go here and download the file. It's a RAR of my own choicescript folder (hopefully I'm not doing something I shouldn't, but it's for educational purposes and I'm not getting anything out of this so idk). Extract it, go to your neutered mozilla and drag index.HTML (it's inside the 'web' foder) into it. The test "game" should run without problems.

There are 2 other HTML files that will be your best friends—if pretty dense sometimes; quicktest and randomtest. Just drag them in the same way you do with index. Here is where Notepad++ comes in handy since quicktest says stuff like: QUICKTEST FAILED LINE 1408 SHOULD BE A REPTILE BUT IT'S A TURTLE (quicktest you dumb dramatic bitch). Then you open the troubling scene in Notepad++ and look for the specific line that's making quicktest cry.

And that's all for the basics, then there's stuff like multireplace (awesome when your npcs can be either non-binary or binary and it looks something like this "Roach blows you a kiss" vs. "${r_they} @{r_plural wink|winks} at you") but all that is extra stuff that you learn as you realize you need some specific piece of coding for your game.

Now go out there and practice practice practice. Go to the forum and try different WIPs and every time one does something that has you like "how did they do this?" take a look at the code, try to figure it out, learn from what other people do. [To see a game's code you need to add /scenes after mygame/ so, for example, The Passenger's would look something like this https://dashingdon.com/play/pime/the-passenger/mygame/scenes/]

Also, always ask the author if you can use their code before adding it into your game (imho the way Malin coded Ortega's and Mortum's genders is the best way to go, so I sent him a pm asking if he was ok with me stealing his code and he said there was no problem, and now you can pick between three options for Roach and Horizon thanks to Malin. Malin deserves all the love).

Part dos. The fun/stressing/i'll-kill-everyone-and-myself part: writing.

Read, read a lot, find whatever you fancy and suck the marrow out of it. Read books, comic books, manga, whatever. Watch movies, watch documentaries about those movies. Find what you like about them—a scene, a style, a tone, a piece of dialogue—and think about why it resonates with you. Listen to sad music, listen to upbeat music, feel things. Talk to your friends, see people interact. Think about why you love them. The awesome thing about being an artist is we are lucky to be always learning, improving our craft, even when we're at the cinema or getting drunk with friends; everything can be used in a story later on. A mathematician only improves when they are doing stuff with numbers (also known as magic), a fisher only improves when they are fishing; we improve just by living and going through experiences (there's also a lot of work involved in writing, but you get my drift).

Write, write, write, and when you aren't writing think about writing [here's a bunch of cool people that know what they're talking about]

Don't stop if your first attempt ends up in nothing; I started two different stories on this format before The Passenger. The first one was about a hacker and I wrote 10k words before realizing I knew nothing about hackers; the second was a story about a soldier getting killed off in the first chapter, then coming back from the dead thanks to some otherwordly being and looking to get revenge on the ones that killed them—so creative very original. This time around I managed to finish one chapter (20k words). Then The Passenger happened and it was love at first keystroke. Writing MC's inner monologue always brought a smile to my face and so I thought, Hey if this makes me happy, then maybe there's someone out there that will enjoy it too. And now here we are, who would've thunk it?

Once you're happy with your story, upload it to dashingdon.com, then create a new topic on the forum. The cog forum is super chill and 99% of people there are super chill too.

I think that's it, good luck and happy coding/writing :3