#or at the very least take a step back and enjoy some other fandoms

[thewertsearch]

@hussianphilosopher submitted: Sally - longtime lurker, first time poster, big fan. I'm perpetually amazed by how thoughtful you are about Homestuck and how well you understand it for a first-time reader (you might be surprised how many people watch Cascade and don't actually understand that the Green Sun was just created, much less immediately put together everything Doc Scratch said and did that led up to it!). The high point of the liveblog for me was the whole arc of you being confused about how predestination in Homestuck worked, because, essentially, you had already figured out that the alpha timeline existed before the alpha timeline was introduced. You were confused about the story for a while because you understood it too well, too quickly! As someone who engages with the story similarly to you, on both the character level and the deep story/analysis level, I want to make what is a pretty contrarian argument these days: that the Epilogues are A. good, and B. canon. They're a tough read for sure, but I think someone who reads the story as deeply and pays as much attention as you do will really appreciate what they're trying to do. The Epilogues were also the last time that Hussie was directly involved with the story, and I think if you read them now it's very clear that the story is the culmination of ideas he was thinking about from very early in Homestuck (He said for years before the comic finished that he planned some kind of epilogue). The whole "dubiously canon" concept was part of a failed experiment on his part to try to step away and empower the fandom - the people who actually worked on the comic in that era always treated it as canon and referred to it as such. I consider the Epilogues the final canonical chapter of Homestuck - at a bare minimum I think it should be thought of as Hussie's take on a post-Homestuck fanfic, and I think it deserves attention. Of course I also think the story is good and interesting, which a lot of people don't, so, it's all a matter of opinion, but, as someone who's been following your liveblog and respects your reading of the comic a lot, I wanted to at least throw my hat into the ring on the subject. Incredibly excited to see what you make of act 6!

I really appreciate this honest, impassioned, genuine defense of the Epilogues. It's not the only one I've been sent, either - and quite a few of the others have also cited my analytical style as a reason why I might get more out of them than I realize. I can't pretend I'm not at least a little intrigued.

I've been thinking a lot about Homestuck's tie-in material while drafting my response to this message, and after some serious consideration, I've decided that I'm going to change my planned approach to the Epilogues.

I originally planned to read it in a more casual, less analytical manner, and potentially transition to a full liveblog if and only if I'm sufficiently engaged. Instead, however, I'm going to do the opposite, respecting the faith its defenders have in it by giving it the complete liveblogger's treatment from the very beginning.

I reserve the right to transition back to a casual read if I'm not enjoying myself, of course! But, rest assured, I'll only do that after giving the Epilogues a real, good-faith college try.

[nipuni]

Hello! Time for another blog post! I think my last one was two months ago and a lot has happened since 😊

We have been attending a ton of historical recreation events so I still have many photos to share, hope you don't hate those! It's been really fun! We are exhausted and all out of social battery however so we are taking it easy this month. Another thing that's been happening a lot is that even when we are not dressed in historical clothing we keep getting stopped by strangers on the street because of our everyday outfits, it's been like that for a couple of years now so we are no longer startled or nervous about it but it's happening more and more often now and it's so nice! we always end up chatting about the events we go to and our jobs and hobbies and exchanging contacts or they ask for photos and stuff! people are really kind and excited about it and I still find it so surprising in the best way. We grew up in a very hostile city and environment and that makes you paranoid and cynical so these interactions and response has been healing really. I know their words will stick with us for years to come 😭 Sadly the unbearable heat is starting though so that means our outings for the next three months will be limited to the crack of dawn and after sunset 😞 but at least the summer brings a lot of fruit with it so we can sit at home and eat pineapples and strawberries while we wait for autumn.

My family came to visit a few months ago too and we made them watch most of Doctor Who's season one to four and some of our favourite episodes from all the other seasons lmao. And much to our delight they really enjoyed it!! They both loved Ten the most and my step dad is now in love with Martha 🥰

We have also been watching the current season and it's been so fun keeping up with fandom theories in real time and talking about it and speculating with friends in person, it's the first time we get a chance to do it since we got into the series and we are enjoying it a lot!

We also watched season one of Jessica Jones and we loved David's performance as Kilgrave!! He stole the show for real. Kilgrave is such an incredible villain, one of the best I've seen and DT does such an amazing job portraying every aspect of him. He's detestable and volatile and frighteningly powerful and has such an intimidating terrifying presence in the narrative while also being pathetic and vulnerable and ridiculous and childish and so human with all it's worrying implications. It was just so gripping and I wish he had stayed for the rest of the show honestly!! Now we have to pick our next David Tennant series to watch! 😊

Also!! Dragon Age is back!! AHHH I wanted to thank everyone that commented on my last DA pieces, it has made my month to read the comments, I didn't expect so many people to remember my art or my character after so many years and it's so touching and flattering you have no idea 😭💘 I look forward to making more and sharing them with you all, I'm truly grateful for the kindness you've shown me both back then and now I hope you know.

I feel so spoiled lately with all these franchises that I love releasing new content!! I've never been in these many fandoms at once!! I have so many ideas to draw and keep jumping back and forth between drawings from different shows and games AAAAA it's a good and welcome change honestly, keeps me busy and inspired!

Anyway that's all for now I think! I hope you are doing well and this summer/winter is kind to you all ❤️

[captainsophiestark]

Husband, Not Handyman

Colin Bridgerton x Reader

Masterlist - Join My Taglist!

Written for Fictober 2024!

Fandom: Bridgerton

Day Sixteen Prompt: "No, I'm not okay."

Summary: Colin's feeling insecure about how self-sufficient his spouse is, so they set him straight.

Word Count: 1,223

Category: Angst, Fluff

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

I grinned and put my hands on my hips, hammer still held loosely in one, as I admired my handiwork. In a matter of hours, I'd fixed our lopsided bookshelf, realigned and remedied our sticky door, and nailed down a loose floorboard that liked to trip me at least once a day. Not bad at all for a day's work.

My husband, Colin, had been helping his brothers with some business or other all day. So, with our house to myself, I'd gotten to work on a few of the projects we'd been meaning to deal with. For me, the accomplishment and satisfaction that came from fixing something with my own two hands was almost unbeatable.

I smiled and sighed, then started to put my tools away when the door came swinging open.

I turned to find Colin standing there, a tool kit of his own in-hand. He looked incredibly surprised to see me standing in the middle of our sitting room with a hammer.

"...You fixed the bookshelf. And the floorboard."

"And the door," I said happily. "I had quite a bit of time today, so I figured I may as well just take care of it all. I have to admit, I actually enjoy being handy."

"Oh. That's... wonderful."

Colin sounded almost robotic, the words coming to him anything but naturally. His motions were jerky as he turned around, taking his toolbox and heading back towards the door. I frowned.

"Colin?"

He just gave me a very noncommital noise as an acknowledgement, and continued out the door. I set down my hammer and quickly followed after him.

"Colin!" I caught his arm in the hallway, and when I turned him to face me, he had a pained look on his face. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"No, I'm not okay." I took a step closer as Colin huffed a breath. We hadn't been married very long, and I'd never seen him acting like this before. I wasn't totally sure how to handle it. "It's just... I feel a bit... useless."

"...What?"

"Oh please! You don't need me. You don't need me to fix things, you don't need me to navigate when we go into town, you don't even need my help building a fire! I just... I don't understand what I'm supposed to do, why you chose to marry me, if you don't need me at all."

Colin stared at me once the confession was off his chest, looking frustrated and devastated. I just stared back at him in shock for a few moments, trying to let his words sink in. Finally, I shook my head and held up my hands to rest on his arms and chest.

"Darling... are you serious? I'm from one of the wealthiest families in the Ton. If I needed a man to fix things around my house, I would've called one! Not married one! Please, tell me you're joking."

"I'm not joking!" Colin huffed, taking a step back and brushing me off. I frowned. "If you don't need me, why am I here? It's supposed to be my job as your husband to take care of you, to provide for you. What am I for if I can't do that? If you're better at it than I am?"

I took a long, deep breath and pinched the bridge of my nose. I let it out slowly, then finally met Colin's eyes again. He looked as upset as ever, but I was determined to knock some common sense into his head, whether or not he wanted it.

"Colin. I did not marry you—nor would I ever marry anyone—because I needed you to take care of me. It's true that, if I never married, I'm in the fortunate position where I almost certainly would've been fine, both financially and in terms of fixing things around my house. The reason I am married, Colin, and in fact the whole point of the thing, is because I love you. You, the man who makes me laugh and who shares my love of travel and who I know I can trust with any secret, situation, or request. Not what you can do for me."

Colin shifted, his expression moving from firmly negative to a bit more neutral. But he still looked somewhat uncertain.

"Listen to me very carefully, Colin Bridgerton," I said, stepping forward and gently taking Colin's free hand. He let me, although he still watched me a little warily. "I married you because I love you. I love you because of who you are. Who you are makes me happy. That's it. Life is better and much more enjoyable when you have someone to share it with, and as far as I'm concerned, you're my perfect person to share it with. And with all of that said, if I ever do need somebody, I know you'll be there to have my back. Just like I'll be there to have yours. Okay?"

Colin bit his lip and frowned, but he stepped closer to me. He set the toolbox down on the nearest hall table, then took my other hand in his, too.

"Are you... sure? You're not going to wish for something different? Or someone different? I just feel a bit more... replacable. Since you don't need me."

"My god, no." I stepped forward, bringing my hands up to cup Colin's face. He tentatively wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me ever so slightly closer to him. I smiled. "I know you might not hear as much from your friends or whoever else, but believe me, you should be more secure in our relationship because it was out of choice, not necessity. I turned down quite a few suitors in the Ton because I didn't want to be with them, and I promise you, they were all perfectly capable of fixing floorboards and doors. But I didn't like any of them nearly enough to want to commit to spending the rest of my life with them if I didn't have to. And since I didn't have to, you, Colin, are the only person I've ever met who's passed the test. By miles."

Finally, a smile broke out on Colin's face. His arms tightened around me, holding me close to his chest, and I let my hands wander to his shoulders and the nape of his neck.

"You know, that makes me feel much better to hear."

"I should hope so!"

"I'm sorry I didn't realize. And I hope you know this already, but I would choose you every time, too. Over everyone else. You're... you're my best friend. And the best person I've ever met in my life. I love you."

I smiled, then leaned in to close the distance between my husband and I, pulling him in for a long, sweet kiss. His mouth chased after mine when I pulled away, and I put a hand on his chest with a laugh.

"I love you too, Colin. The most."

He grinned, all our earlier troubles forgotten as he kissed me again. I smiled into it, letting Colin sweep me away in the moment. Even though we'd had a few bumps in our early courtship and marriage, I really did love him with my entire heart. Hopefully this would be our last bump for a while, but even if it wasn't, I knew we'd get through that together just like we had everything else.

****************

Everything Taglist: @rosecentury @kmc1989 @space-helen

Bridgerton Taglist: @cherrybb-ily

[kanmom51]

Missing Jikook today

Not that I don't miss them every single day, but just saying...

@wonsummernight Miss your edits!!!!!! I know there isn't any new Jikook content just yet, but if there was a time we were in dire need for some heart wrenching Jikook edits, this is it!!!

Basically, this is me telling you "PLEASE COME BACK". 💜💜

So, I came today to cry a little, you know commiserating together with others takes the edge off a bit (note to self: keep telling yourself that, and you might start believing it too...), but also to remind y'all that SM is crap, a viper pit, a cec pool, where all the miserably unhappy ignorant assholes tend to flock to (this is about the assholes that have turned sm into such a place), either to create drama that will get them some much needed attention they aren't getting elsewhere, or to create a parallel universe where their dreams and wants come true, even if they have zero standing in reality. Oh, and I forgot those that are there to make some hard cash, by all means.

And why am I mentioning all of this, you may ask?

Well, because for some reason my hopes and dreams for a fandom cleanse are being shattered as we speak.

As you may already know, I've taken a step back lately. mainly distancing myself from SM, as it's been going downhill for ages now, but has become an even uglier place to visit in the past few months, I'd say ever since it's been known that JK and JM are enlisting TOGETHER and will be serving TOGETHER, basically being in each other's close vicinity 24/7 for 18 months (even if not sharing exact same duties within the unit) and spending off time together . And to clarify once again: Same unit, same posting (base), different duties within the unit.

You'd think that 3 months in, and after the initial shock, reality and truth would set in (even with the most delusional) that these two young men CHOSE to enlist together (free choice and steps taken by both of them to achieve this). And once again me reminding they are the only ones in the group to decide they want to do this and the only idols to ever do so.

But no. Who am I kidding? Probably wishful thinking on my part. You know, that these people will either wake up, smell the roses and just cope with reality, or plain and simply piss off (that's probably me being delusional at this point).

Point being, it's gotten even worse. Like who would have believed that would happen? Yeah, probably should have seen it coming though. When you have cult behavior, when you have those that profit off it (monetarily or otherwise), I should have known it would go this way. The need to dive even deeper into the filth of this earth, to create even dumber narratives, to, of course, spew even more hate towards either of them (depending what delusional team you are on).

Should have seen it all coming.

Sadly, instead of just leaving, tail between their legs, they are doubling down on their utterly delusional beliefs regarding these young men. Not without pain, I may add. Pain, that a small part of me, someone that tries very hard to be nice and good and positive, is now relishing (I lie... not that mall of a part after all). Their twists and turns, their made up shit to compensate for whatever shit JK, JM or Tae are throwing their way... kind of priceless. I mean, if they aren't going anywhere, should we not at least enjoy their demise?

Does that make me a bad person?

Honestly, I don't think so.

And Jikook being away from most of this, lighting the fire and walking away leaving their haters behind to burn, was a nice touch.

Now we just sit here silently wait for our little travel show...

💜💜

[kinardsevan]

I find the writing of 806 absolutely wildly awful. First, we have a date that is completely antithetical to what we've been shown a week before; we had an established couple who takes care of each other like it's the most natural thing in the world and evidently spends a lot of time together, we have Tommy 100% integrated in Buck's everyday life both on their own and with the 118 (the hospital scene, the birthday party for Chris) and all of a sudden we get Buck bumbling over a hot girl who doesn't say he's on a date (100% OOC) and who doesn't even know Tommy's gay and not bi. Second idiotic idea, Buck's answering yes to Josh's questions which are evidently things you would only say yes to if you loved someone (you don't put someone's happiness above yours if you're casually dating) and then randomly regurgitating that awkward speech instead of a very simple ' I love you' which he's had no trouble using before with other people. It just DOES NOT MAKE SENSE.

i feel like when y’all send me these messages, you’re expecting the long-winded responses at this point (at least I hope so 😂😂). EIther way, you’re about to get one lolololol.

I won’t disagree with you on the writing entirely. I don’t hate it as much as others do, mostly because I feel like I ~kindof understand what they were going for, but it wasn’t perfect by any measure. It left a lot to be desired, and I think what they were doing could’ve been achieved more effectively in other ways.

I also don’t think you’re wrong about how it feels antithetical, especially when we have Buck suggesting to Eddie in 705 that Tommy is gay, and we’re supposed to believe these two are spending all their spare time together, but are apparently not having real conversations during all that time. To that end, I can’t solve that issue for the writers. However, there are parts of your argument that I have counters to. 

For one thing, I don’t think we can knock the fact that even being in a committed relationship doesn’t stop the best of us from stumbling over ourselves when we see someone we’re attracted to. People get so upset about how Buck acts in this scene that they fail to appreciate the major points that I actually enjoy about it: Buck yes, looks, (and is obvious about it), but he apologizes to his boyfriend about it in a way that makes it clear that he’s not outwardly interested in the women. Tommy also tells him that it’s okay (and we know that there’s a deleted line from this scene where he mentions finding one of the waiters good looking). To that end, we get the distinction that while these two don’t have an interest in stepping out on each other, they’re not blind. 

People also get upset about the lack of Buck’s distinction that he’s on a date. And while there are a million different reasons to complain about it (or explain it away), I’m gonna go with the obvious answer of, he doesn’t owe some random woman in an italian eatery his personal life situation, especially in a place where he may not feel ready to express exactly how he defines himself. There’s a massive difference between accepting things about yourself and actually dignifying it out loud, and the fandom has been so quick to assume one requires the other. Buck knows he’s bisexual; he even knows his feelings for Tommy are deep. That doesn’t necessarily have to mean he’s put a label on who he is. Just speaking from personal experience on reaching a point where I’m comfortably labeling myself as queer,… I even struggle with that. Because people throw around all of these terms (bi, queer, pan, etc.), and it creates this pressure to say exactly what you are, which I don’t think is fair to real people, let alone a fictional character. Some might say his decision to not dignify it verbally suggests fear to, but I don’t think that’s the issue. 

Further, I think the issue of “he doesn’t know Tommy’s gay”… I don’t think that’s the intention with the question. When watching it back, first of all, you have to remember from a writing standpoint, they have to have an entry for how Tommy and Abby were (previously) inclined. Moreover, asking Tommy if he’s ever been with a woman is not the same as asking him if he’s gay. Those are two entirely different questions. I can literally cite from a book to you that I own (Guilded Razors by Sam Lansky) which directly discusses being involved with women even though he knew he was gay. Evan first says that he notices Tommy didn’t look at the women when he did. I imagine that trying to figure out how fluid he is in his own mindset towards both sexes makes it confusing to understand someone who is strictly straight or gay. I can’t conceptualize of it and I’ve known personally that I liked both since I was in middle school. So I don’t think it’s ridiculous for him to ask his boyfriend (who he later will distinguish as someone he’s extremely comfortable with, and would be comfortable asking those kinds of questions to) about his attraction (or lack thereof) to women. I also think it has more to do with the follow-up question (“have you ever been with a woman”). Sometimes we ask questions that we already have the answer to just so we can get to the follow-up. When you intersect that with the “How do we bring Abby in to the conversation” of it all, it makes sense. 

Second, I totally agree that Evan answering those questions points to him being in love with Tommy. When I wrote up my psychology breakdown of the break-up, I referenced two things which tell us they’re in love with one another. 

-The entire “we don’t have to go that far” exchange with Josh. I think there’s a lot to be said about the fact that with Evan still figuring himself out, maybe it’s hard for him to dignify being in love with Tommy verbally. I also think that when you’re an adult and you get into serious relationships like this, there’s a period of time where you’re in love with them but you haven’t put a label on it. 

-“If I were move in with you, you won’t mean to, you wouldn’t plan for it, but you’d end up breaking my heart. And I don’t think that I could deal with that.” THIS ENTIRE FUCKING LINE MY GOD. (Just rip my heart out LFJr.) 

However, I think your argument about the fact that he skips over the “I love you” and straight to “move in with me” negates some serious engagement with the source material. First of all, we have an acknowledgment that Tommy’s clearly responding from a place of trauma. He’s responding from a place of “I love you more and then lose you; better to lose you here and now by my own hand”. From Buck’s side, we’ve seen him struggle with being in love. He was in love with Abby and never got to tell her, and then was strung along for months until he finally ended things in a letter to her. He was left by Ali when she couldn’t deal with his “lifestyle” (job). Love may not have entered the equation there, but he was clearly serious about her. Taylor was messy for him, but he clearly felt deeply for her, and even that blew up in his face. There are competing schools of thought on whether he truly loved her or not, but at the end of the day, that relationship fell apart due to issues with trust. Natalia wasn’t around long enough for him to dignify anything towards her. 

And then there’s the mess with his parents. We’ve never had this acknowledged, but I struggle to believe that Evan grew up in a house where “I love you” was actually said out loud very much (if at all). Based on how absent we know Phillip and Margaret were (and are to some degree still), I feel like they probably lived by the attitude of “we may not have always said it, but we always felt it”….which isn’t really good enough as a parent. Your kids need to hear you say it, and they need to know it’s okay to say it back. When you don’t have that foundation, it’s hard to put those feelings into words towards others, even if you do feel it, because they might burn you. Evan has been burned, and even though we don’t know a lot of his backstory, we know Tommy has too. So while you argue that he’s used those three words towards others in the past, I counter with, did it feel this real? Did stand to lose as much? Because I don’t really view the relationship as Tommy being more in it than Evan is. I think we’re kind-of getting that “grew up in the same house but turned out different” trope.  We see Tommy as someone who wants to take care of the person he loves because he hasn’t had that before, while Buck fumbles his way through wondering if it’s okay to do those things because no one has really shown him how. There’s also been commentary on the fact that he asked Tommy to move in instead of saying “I love you” because this entire relationship has been grand gestures. I think there’s something dignifying in that choice. He’s telling Tommy he sees a future with him. He talks about things like marriage, but from Tommy’s end it reads as out of left field from someone who’s still figuring out who they are in their sexuality. I think (after watching the scene back), that Evan doesn’t necessarily feel that way about himself, but the same way he railroads Tommy with the starry-eyed future, Tommy kind-of does the same thing back to him with the breakup. It’s very…. “I pushed you five steps in the wrong direction and now you’re pushing me ten steps back” (for lack of a better metaphor). And I know people argue about the fact that this entire relationship has been so key with communication from day one, but those forms of communication have never required the two of them to get down into their traumas with one another. It’s really fucking easy to have day-to-day conversations with people that stay on the surface and just keep powering through. Go back to 710 and notice how we don’t go deep into the daddy issues. They both touch on them, and then Evan changes the subject and Tommy goes with him on it. I don’t think it’s unreasonable at six months in to not have done a deep dive on major trauma. You can skate around it if it’s not something you’re ready to talk about. It’s one of my reasons for why these two will ultimately be back together in 8b, because at some point you have to flesh out the unfinished business of it all (ala Wyatt and Judd when Judd’s leg was broken). Now, I don’t know if that happens the involvement of a serial killer, or a truck/jeep/helicopter accident, or trapped in a burning building… I just know that at some point, it has to come to fruition. TM enjoys these kinds of standoffs too much to not have a plan for these two to end up in one. 

That all said, I’ve said before, the general audience doesn’t have a psychology degree or years of trauma counseliing under their belt. They’re not going to look at these two and read it the same way I can. TM probably doesn’t even realize the way he’s writing it is very direct into psychological motives 😂

But, just to cover my own skin… I could always be wrong. One of my very favorite people has a completely different theory on how b/t will be handled, and we agree to disagree 😂😂😂. as I’ve said to him “the best part of this entire scenario is that one of us eventually has to be wrong”. 

(circling back to your “simple i love you” just one last time as I looked at it again…. it feels siimple to us as an audience. however, verbalizing that shit out loud when you fear rejection and abandonment is an entirely different story. we know they had abandonment on the brain for Buck going into the midseason finale, and this obviously would’ve played right into it. So in what world are you going to expect him to give up “I love you” when he’s about to be broken up with. That would’ve been unnecessarily cruel.) 

My last little addition, to circle back to other points I’ve made… there’s a give and take in this relationship that we need (or at least deserve) to see. Personally, I feel like Buck will be the first one to say “I love you”, but my preference would be that Tommy does. It’s the whole issue of stepping beyond the fear for me that makes me feel that way.

By correlation, I feel like Buck has to give up the loft. He asks Tommy to move in, but we’ve had many discussions about the fact that Tommy has a house with a car lift and a muay thai set up. those are not things that would translate well into a loft. Having that trade-off would show a meeting in the middle on things that they both hold close to the vest. Tommy allowing himself to love and be loved would be a major point for him, while Evan giving up the loft would suggest that he’s not just in things for the short-term, because he can also give things up for Tommy. (also, the loft is very bachelor-esque, and these two are not bachelors when they’re with each other so….) 

sorry not sorry. you’re welcome for my rambles lol

[vilevenom]

This has become a series of non-chronological one-shots of Shadow living with Stone, lol Also, this was vaguely inspired by this adorable comic here, because Shadow deserves an emotional support animal.

Heart Still Made of Gold

Fandom: Sonic the Hedgehog (movie universe)

Pairing/Characters: Agent Stone & Shadow

Summary: Shadow hated rainy days. Or, Stone's apartment is rapidly becoming a home for wayward souls.

It was the sort of day that Shadow had come to loath since being woken up from his fifty year slumber. The sky was overcast in shades of drab gray, while rain didn't so much as fall, rather it wafted through the air on the wind, making it nearly impossible to avoid, no matter how much rain gear you wore. The only saving grace, in the dark hedgehog's opinion, was that it was far enough into April that the truly bitter, biting cold that accompanied the rain in late winter wasn't also present to make the day even more miserable. All in all, it made him all the more grateful to be sat indoors, reading in the corner of the Mean Bean, rather than scouring around in such weather for food and shelter.

"Shadow! Can you take the trash out from the cafe? I've got a line of customers, and could really use your help," Stone called from the front counter with a wave. At least half a dozen people were milling about the cafe, obviously in various states of waiting for their order, illustrating Stone's inability to step away from what he was doing to empty the very obviously overflowing garbage can on the cafe floor.

Shadow let out an exasperated sigh, but carefully tucked his borrowed book mark into the novel he'd been reading, while sliding down from his spot on the overstuffed wingback chair he'd claimed that morning when they'd come down to the cafe to start the day. It was Shadow's favorite spot in the Mean Bean, with how it was angled towards the front window, rather than the main cafe floor, and allowed him at least some semblance of privacy away from prying eyes with the way the wings blocked most of his face, despite his shorter stature. It was also in such a position in the shop that it was easy for him to slip to and from the back of the cafe without having to maneuver through the mingling customers that stood around sipping at their overpriced lattes. He debated leaving his book on the chair to save his spot, but ultimately decided it would be best to hide it in the back, instead. Stone was beginning to look haggard as he worked the till and the machines, so Shadow figured he should probably help his host by cleaning and restocking what he could, so the ex-agent would have less to do later.

Unlike his blue counter-part, who would most likely zip through the cafe haphazardly to get as much work done as quickly as possible, Shadow opted to tend to the cafe at a regular pace, enjoying the meditative relaxation being useful and helpful often brought. He started with replacing the garbage bag in the cafe, as he'd been asked, setting it near the back door to take out later. Once that was done, he moved on to the other garbage bags behind the counter and back room, then after a quick wash of his hands (Stone had explained to him in great detail the importance of washing one's hands before working behind the counter, and cross contamination), he moved on to refilling coffee beans, syrups and the ice machine. He then took up the bussing tub and headed into the cafe, pointedly ignoring the soft coos and quiet comments several of the customers failed to stifle behind hands as he cleared the tables of dirty dishes and trash. He and Stone had both been somewhat surprised by the amount of customers that had begun to come to the Mean Bean because of the 'cute mascot', given Shadow's very public destruction of part of Tokyo, but it seemed that certain people really didn't care. However, since even the most enthusiastic of Shadows fans hand yet to try and touch or approach him, and Stone got more business, the hedgehog decided he could suffer the quiet murmurs that followed him around.

Once the dishwasher was loaded up and running, Shadow turned to the garbage with a sigh, already dreading having to go outside. Luckily, though, with the chores he'd done around the cafe, and the afternoon rush all but over, he would be able to go upstairs to the apartment once he was done and get comfortable on the couch with the blanket Stone had gifted him, where it was dry and warm.

"Let's get this over with," he grumbled to himself, gathering up the bags and shoving his way out into the damp, chilly alleyway with a grunt.

He'd nearly missed the sound as he let the lid of the dumpster drop once the trash was inside, but his keen ears were better than most, allowing him to pick up on the pathetic sounding mewl that emanated from under the dumpster. His ear swiveled in curiosity as he tilted his head, standing stalk still as he strained to catch the sound again, taking a short step back as it happened again. With a light frown, Shadow knelt down, tipping sideways until he could see under the dumpster (his quills regretfully dipping into a puddle) where a tiny black kitten sat, drenched to the bone. It stared back at Shadow with huge yellow eyes, letting out another sad little meow as a water drop fell onto its head from the bottom of the dumpster.

"Hello, little one," Shadow breathed, not entirely certain how he should approach getting the kitten out from its hiding place. It was too far back for him to reach, but he couldn't just leave it there. It was cold, and it was wet, and the back alley was no place to live. He happened to know that for a fact.

He chewed on the inside of his cheek, heedless of how the rain was soaking his quills straight through as he wracked his mind for what he could use to lure the kitten out. After a beat he pushed himself up and trotted back inside, only to reappear not a moment later, slices of ham pilfered from the cafe's back kitchen in hand.

"I bet you're hungry," Shadow murmured, tucking himself as close to the dumpster as possible, his arm outstretched beneath it with his offering, "C'mon. I promise it's good."

Tentatively the kitten sniffed at the air, its ears perking forward at the smell of food nearby. It mewed quietly, slowly uncurling from where it had been huddled against the cold, before it began to inch towards Shadow.

"That's it," Shadow whispered, fearing scaring it away if he spoke too loudly, watching in rapt attention as the kitten crawled towards him at a snails pace. "Well done," he hummed with a soft chuckle, a small smile gracing his muzzle as the kitten made it to him hand and began to gobble up the bits of ham after a few hesitant sniffs. Once the meat was gone, the kitten gave a tiny, inquisitive trill, before it began to meander towards where Shadow was laid on the ground. The dark hedgehog dared not move as the kitten butted its little head against his arm, while it gave off the faintest of purrs, its affection obviously easily bought with food. But Shadow really couldn't care less, as the tiny thing crawled over his arm and wandered up to his face, giving his muzzle an affectionate lick.

With slow and careful movements, Shadow shifted until he could cup his hands around the kitten, gathering it to his chest as he sat up. Water dripped from his quills, his own fur soaked through, but he hoped that even the small shelter of his hands would help warm the kitten in comparison to the cold underside of the dumpster. He let his thumb brush over the kitten's head, his smile growing minutely as its purrs grew louder. "The world forgot about you, too, didn't it?" he muttered, licking rain water from his lips, "Don't worry. I won't."

"Shadow? Shadow! Where did you go?" Stone's voice came from the propped open door to the back room of the Mean Bean, his head poking through the opening a moment later. "There you are! Why are you sitting out here in the rain? And without your rain coat?"

Shadow didn't grace Stone with a verbal answer, instead rising to his feet and opening his hands just enough for the ex-agent to see what he held against his chest.

"Oh," Stone stared at the two for a moment, leaning against the door frame with a slight frown on his lips. For a brief moment Shadow was worried that Stone was going to tell him to put the kitten back where he'd found it, only to perk up at the exasperated sigh Stone let out, instead. Shadow was beginning to recognize that sound as one the ex-agent made whenever he was about to give in to whatever strange or ridiculous situation he found himself in. "Make sure to add kitten food and a litter box to the grocery list," he hummed, before stepping away from the door, "Now, come inside before you catch a cold."

"You'll let it stay?" Shadow asked, his tail giving a little wag as he stepped through the door.

"You two match. How could I say no?"

At that, Shadow glanced down with a confused frown, only to finally notice the kitten wasn't entirely black. A tuft of pure white fur puffed out from his chest, easily mimicking Shadow's own chest fur. He grinned, even as a towel was tossed over his head.

[nebbyy]

Omg I’m so excited you’ve decided to start requests!!!

I was wondering if you vibe with the idea of an Aang X f!reader. Where Aang kind of explores his anger? Maybe a little jealousy and rage but still a nice guy. Very much like Percy Jackson being a powerful rage guy but when relaxed he’s like a skater boy with no stress?

Aang x reader - That voice in his head

A/N: thank you so much for the support! I honestly didn't expect for one of the first requests I was gonna receive was gonna be of a fic for any character from AtLA, but I'm not surprised at all because I haven't interacted with this fandom in a long time!! I absolutely LOVE your idea and it was so fun writing it! 

Also really important, the pic I choose for this fic is from pinterest, I have no idea where it comes from, who made it, whether is a photoshop or a cosplayer,.... if you've got any information about who to crediti for the pic lemme know so that I can give credit to whoever made it!

Summary: you and Aang have been together for some time now, and all seems to be absolutely perfect. All, except for that little voice in the back of Aang’s head, one that made him think- overthink actually, and that made him act...

Warning: actions made out of jealousy, Aang acts in a way that might be considered as self destructive but it's nothing worrying don't worry. also the amount of fluff in this one might be considered to be a warning itself lmao

Word count: 2001

The day had started in the best of ways. Having all been so tired the night before, no one even noticed that you and Aang were snuggled up next to each other in front of the small bonfire, wrapped in the warmth of Appa's fur. And so the two of you were able to enjoy some well-deserved rest, in each other's arms.

Waking up had also been sweet as honey, as you had woken up first and had had all the time in the world to prepare a meagre breakfast to share with each other, before your friends and companions woke up as well. And even when they had joined you to eat a little something too, the feeling that reigned in the air was one of pure peace.

Or at least, it was until Sokka approached you, one hand on his hip and the other wielding a spear. "Hey Y/N, do you want to come with me to go fishing for something?" You smiled enthusiastically at your friend, not wasting a moment to follow him towards the body of water that lay not far from your temporary camp. You did not realise that you had left behind you a rather dumbfounded Aang, who watched you with slightly wide eyes as you walked away with your friend.

Aang… didn't understand what he was feeling. He didn't understand that strange twisting of his stomach, as if something was twisting him from the inside. He didn't understand his throat suddenly becoming dry, and his breath becoming heavy coming out of his lungs. He could not put a name to what was happening to him, yet he could put a face to it,….

Sokka.

It had all started a few weeks earlier, when after the umpteenth time he had been forced to call his friend's attention to himself, distracted by gazing into the distance, Sokka abruptly grabbed his friend Aang by the shoulder, forcing him to look him straight in the eye as he spoke to him: "If you don't take the first step with Y/N, I will." An innocent provocation, mainly aimed at spurring his friend to stop wasting time fantasising about the girl and get a move on declaring himself, although Sokka couldn't deny that if it weren't out of respect for his friend's crush, he would have already thrown his shot with you. Aang's face turned red, partly from embarrassment and partly from the growing jealousy within him. "H-hey isn't that cool, Sokka!!! I've liked her the longest, you can't just come and steal her from me like thi-" "Then you better hurry up, genius." And with that mischievous smile of his, which at such times makes you wquasi want to slap him, he turned away from Aang, heading to Katara.

It was not long after that little dialogue that Aang found the courage to declare his feelings, and he later thought he owed some of his luck to those very words Sokka said to him that day. Yet in that moment, as you saw him approach you, he brushed against your back to direct you into the right position to fish more effectively. At that moment he wondered if those words Sokka had said to him were really just a joke to tease him, if there was no ulterior motive, that of warning him that one way or another, he would try to make his move on you.

Aang's hands were clenched into such tight fists that his fingers were already leaving small cuts on his palms, but the strong emotions he was feeling at that moment prevented him from feeling anything other than the frantic throbbing of his head. With his head still clouded by this inexplicable rage, Aang turned away from the scene, marching towards a sort of circle formed by various rocks and trees.

Once he arrived in front of the first boulder, he did not even have time to take a breath to prepare himself for the earthbending, when already his right fist had moved as if by instinct, planting itself on the hard surface of the rock, leaving a groove where the impact had occurred. His fingers pulsed, his knuckles, but he felt as if he felt nothing, if anything that pulsation mixed with all the emotions he was already feeling. And in that pain, which at that moment he was not even able to metabolise, he found a further drive, which made the voice in his head even louder, more insistent. Y/N is gonna choose Sokka over me..

He threw another punch, incredibly even harder than the previous one. Small red cuts were beginning to appear on his hand, but Aang still paid no attention to them. It was as if he refused to see the reality around him, that voice in his head had taken hold of him, was isolating him in a dimension where there was nothing but him, his anger and the image of you with Sokka etched in his eyes.

Another punch followed, and another, then another. One by one, the stones arranged in that sort of circle disintegrated from the force of his blows. Aang did not really know how long it had been since he had initially gone there to vent the river that was his emotions, he only knew that the sun was about to set, and that a voice in the distance was calling his name.

It was you, worried sick about the sudden disappearance of your boyfriend.

Aang could not move a single muscle, it was as if your voice had brought him out of his trance state, and now the weight of reality was falling on him all at once. He did not have the courage to answer your call, or even to turn around to look at you properly. He looked down at his hands dripping with his own blood. With the adrenaline diminishing in his body by the second, he began to feel the searing pain of his wounds, finally realising the gravity of what he had inflicted upon himself in that state of rage.

What would you have said seeing him like that? You would certainly be disappointed seeing what he had done, and why. Who knows how worried you'd been about him, maybe you'd been looking for him for hours and he'd been selfishly on his own, voluntarily away from you, as if you were to blame for him feeling that way… even he didn't know how. Or again, you had not come there to know how he was. Maybe you had come to him to tell him that it was over between you, that you preferred Sokka after all, that while you were fishing something had clicked, that he was no longer good enough for you,….

"Good God, Aang what happened?" you run in his direction, taking his bloody hands in yours. You tried to meet his gaze, but he seemed to be working hard to avoid it. You didn't pay much attention, instead throwing your arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. "I was really worried about you, you know? You seemed to have disappeared off the face of the earth" He didn't answer, but he felt his throat tighten and his eyes become moist. How could you miss him when you had Sokka? "Come on, let's get you fixed up, I bet your hands must hurt like crazy right now, but how did you get them like that?" You began to guide him towards your camp holding him by the arm, careful not to touch his wounds. "I… I-I was training and I think I got the hang of it a bit," he replied in a voice so light that you almost didn't recognise your Aang. There was something underneath that he didn't want to tell you, of that you were certain. But at the same time you couldn't and didn't want to force him to speak, you just wanted to be there for him.

Once you had entered one of the tents, I gestured for him to sit on the stacked blankets, while you took the necessary to take care of his cuts. Your hands worked gently on his skin, the hands you had always loved to hold in yours so much.

It took him a few minutes of tension-filled silence before Aang found the strength to open his mouth, "Sorry, Y/N, I didn't mean to worry you so much. It's just that…" he interjected, swallowing the lump in his throat, "…I don't know, I just had something on my mind" You frowned as you listened to him, intrigued and concerned by his words. You said nothing, and he took that as a signal to continue.

"See, I don't know what I was feeling before, but ever since I saw you with Sokka, in front of that lake, so close, looking like you were having so much fun,… it was like something was eating me up inside, that's it." He made to lower his gaze again, but you wasted no time in gently grabbing his chin to make him look at you. "Aang… were you jealous?" if it wasn't for his injuries and the saddened look in his eyes, you would have found it funny. I mean, how could he think you would ever choose anyone over him, the most handsome, kind, funny, strong and unexpectedly wise guy you've ever met.

He hesitated for a second, before nodding slowly and lowering his head again. His voice came out weak and shaky: "You're not angry with me?" At his words you huffed, completely incredulous at his question. "Why would I be angry about that? Aang, jealousy is something normal, you don't have to feel guilty if you feel that way."

He cocked his head before continuing to speak, "It's not just that, it's… I always take so much care to control my anger, but today… I don't know, it was like I wasn't in control of my body anymore. I was so caught up in my anger that I couldn't contain myself…" A moment of silence, he looked up again to look at you, and you noticed that his eyes were red, as if he was about to cry, "…I'm sorry, Y/N, I know I must have disappointed you-"

"Absolutely not!" you interrupted him, grabbing his forearms. Your eyes were full of concern for Aang, and your tone though stern was full of love and concern for him. "Aang, for as long as I have known you, you have never allowed yourself a moment to vent your emotions. Despite everything that has happened to you, despite the losses, the physical and emotional wounds, you have always tried to keep smiling. But that is not good for you, sweetheart, you are still just a human being and you need to let go, let out all your emotions, even the ones that scare you."

As you continued talking, Aang felt his heart tighten and his chest warm. You did not stop talking, one of your hands coming up to cup his cheek. "I understand that after everyone you have lost you are afraid of losing me too. But I can promise you, you won't get rid of me so easily, you fool." He let out a shuddering sigh and let himself slip gently into your arms. You wasted no time in wrapping your arms around him, resting your cheek against the side of his head. "Thank you baby, this- it means so much to me." After Aang's words, spoken in a soft, hushed tone, a comfortable silence fell.

You stayed like that for some time, then you spoke, chuckling softly, "Maybe next time come talk to me when you're sick before you shatter a dozen rocks and your hands" He moved his head from its place in the curve of your neck to place his lips on yours in a gentle kiss, then pulled away from you to look into your eyes, smiling apologetically, "Yeah, I think you're right."

[jerzwriter]

Ethan and Kaycee have a little secret... there's a big reason to celebrate Father's Day this year. But when Kaycee's plans go awry, she learns Ethan's were just falling into place.

Story/Fandom: Open Heart (Post Series) Pairing: Ethan Rasmsey x Kaycee (F!MC) Rating: Teen Words: 1,600 Summary: Please see above A/N: Last year, I wrote Mother's Day fics and left the poor dads in my world unloved. lol This year, I switched that up a bit (sorry, moms!) I hope you enjoy this! :) Participating in @choicesjunechallenge2024 - Threshold/new beginning - I didn't have much of a chance to edit. I hope it's not dreadful! :)

Kaycee had locked herself in the bathroom. A pretty drastic step for remaining undetected, considering Ethan was still fast asleep, but she wasn’t taking any chances. Confident her emotions were finally under control, she attempted to stand up from the bathtub’s edge where she had been perched, only to sit back down when another wave of tears washed over her.

“This is ridiculous,” she mumbled as she wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her bathrobe.

She was never out of bed before ten on a day off, but that had changed lately. Ethan finally respected her sleeping habits; based on the snoring she heard coming from down the hall, he had even adopted them for himself. But morning sickness was something else. Morning sickness had no respect, so being awake at 8:00 on a Sunday morning was no longer very strange.

Six weeks earlier, they celebrated Mother’s Day – at least Kaycee did. She had told her parents Ethan couldn’t get time off of work, but that wasn’t entirely true. Mother’s Day was difficult for him – he sold it as his disdain for Hallmark holidays, but Kaycee knew better. What she hadn’t known was a reason to change his mind already existed. Something she’d discover a week later, alone, in this same bathroom, and she still found it hard to believe it was true.

It was still early—so early that the only others who knew were Kaycee’s parents and Sienna. Based on the side-eye and attentiveness received by the rest of her team at Edenbrook, Kaycee was pretty sure they suspected, but she and Ethan had decided that until the first trimester ended, no one else was to know.

They had no way of knowing last Mother’s Day was of significance to them, but their baby-to-be made themselves known early enough for Father’s Day to be viewed differently, but Ethan put the kibosh on any celebration.

“It’s too soon,” he whispered, with his hand protectively laying on his wife’s stomach. “I don’t want to jinx anything.” “Jinx!” Kaycee sputtered. “You’ve never been superstitious! Not once, and now you decide to be!” “Maybe I finally have something to be superstitious about,” he smiled.

She had wanted to argue the point, but exhaustion took over, and when sleep was possible these days, she took it. But as the day got closer, Kaycee couldn’t let it go by without acknowledgment. Ethan Ramsey was going to be a dad! And as much as she wanted to scream that from the rooftops, she would respect his wishes and refrain. But the man wouldn’t deny her making the day special for him, of that she was sure.

So, she set her alarm for 7:30, just in case the nausea didn’t come through. Her goal was to make him a special breakfast—his favorite: eggs benedict with Hollandaise, rosemary-roasted potatoes, and mimosas—at least mimosas for him.

Kaycee being in the kitchen was a rarity – as much of a miracle as Ethan’s pending parenthood, some would say. But as she quietly took out the pots, pans, ingredients, and utensils that would make her husband’s first Father’s Day breakfast, she couldn’t have been more excited or relieved.

The waves of nausea that had become commonplace were nowhere to be seen until she attempted to drop that raw egg into the boiling water. Poaching an egg, how hard could it be? At another time, perhaps not hard at all, but during her first trimester, the faintest smell of boiling eggs sent her running to the bathroom. By the time she was well enough to return to the kitchen, the potatoes had started to burn. Tossing everything in the trash, she gave up. At least she could order in.

But that didn’t go as planned, either. The order had been placed, and instructions were to leave the bag with the doorman. The app notified her of their delivery, and she rushed downstairs, only to be disappointed again.

Henry, her favorite doorman, saw her face fall and was full of concern. “What’s the matter?” he asked.

“These aren’t eggs benedict! They sent tofu scrambles!”

“Well, that doesn’t sound anywhere near as appetizing!” the old man empathized.

“Ethan would hate it,” she said with a sigh. “Would you like it?”

Henry crinkled his nose. “I’m afraid I’ll have to side with Dr. Ramsey on this one – a true rarity,” he chuckled before offering to give it to someone in the maintenance department who would appreciate it. Grateful it wouldn’t go to waste, Kaycee got back into the elevator. But by the time she reached their floor, her hormones took over again, and her thoughts began to race.

She couldn’t get anything right. Why had she even attempted to cook? Everyone knew her skill set was best served outside of the kitchen. Would she be able to cook for her baby? She was going to be a terrible mother. She had already ruined Ethan’s first Father’s Day, after all, no matter that he was still sleeping. When she stumbled in the condo door, she headed right to the bathroom again. That’s how Kaycee found herself here, perched on the bathtub with a face full of snot and tears. Her only consolation? Ethan was unaware of any of this, but a knock on the door changed all that.

“Kaycee, honey? What’s going on in there? Are you OK?”

“Uh, yeah,” she said, splashing cold water on her face. “Just uhm, going to the bathroom.”

“Why are you in the guest bathroom?”

“I, uhm... didn’t want to wake you.”

Ethan always understood Kaycee, even when he was determined not to. But after their years together, she couldn't fool him.

“Kaycee, open the door, please.”

She opened the door, her face red and eyes puffy, and fear struck his heart.

“Kaycee...”

“I'm fine," she reassured. "Come with me,” she said, taking his hand and leading him back to bed.

“I’m sorry,” she cried into his shoulder. “I just wanted to do something nice for you.”

“Nice... for what? What are you even doing up this early? You know if you’re sick, you should get me.”

“I wasn’t up because I was sick, well, at least not at first. I wanted... I wanted to make you a nice breakfast, but everything went wrong!”

She relayed the story of the eggs that betrayed her – no wonder they’re called Benedict! – then the burnt potatoes. She attempted to rectify it with delivery, only to receive a tofu scramble. Ethan waited patiently, rubbing her back soothingly until she was done.

“That’s terrible,” he acknowledged with a half smile.

“I know!”

“First, it appears the alarms I set up to keep you out of the kitchen failed miserably, and then... a tofu scramble? No wonder your morning sickness returned after that!”

"Ha-ha-ha," she jeered, poking his chest as her tears turned into laughter. “I know you said you didn’t want to celebrate Father’s Day; you think it's too early, but I wanted to make the day special for you.”

“Well, you’re wrong about something. I did want to celebrate it in my own way. In fact, I already had plans on how to do it.”

“You did?” She marveled.

“Yes. The plans were me, and you, home alone with me spoiling you as much as possible."

“But, it’s Father's Day. Shouldn't I be spoiling you?"

“Not at all, without you, I would have never even imagined being a father, yet look at me now. So I’m going to spoil you rotten today, and you're going to let me."

“Ethan," she sighed.

“Ethan, nothing. If all goes well, you have years of making cards with handprints, buying gifts, and preparing meals with our child – God help them..."

"Hey!" She said with a smack to his shoulder.

"This year is extra special, but you’re doing all the work to get our little one here, so let me spend Father’s Day the way I want to... by showing you the kind of husband I am and the kind of father I intend to be."

Kaycee broke into tears once again.

"Are you OK?"

"No! How dare you say something so sweet to me when you know my hormones are a freaking mess!"

"Come on," he smiled. "Let's get you in the bathtub and I'll make breakfast for you. What do you want?"

"I have to think on it, but not eggs benedict, and definitely not a tofu scramble."

“Well, whatever you decide? I'll make it happen."

A short time later, the couple sat on their balcony overlooking the Charles River. Kayce, in a fresh new bathrobe, with her attentive husband at her side.

"You really don't have to eat this, too," she said, biting into her breakfast.

"Why not?" he asked, trying to swallow his bagel with peanut butter, bananas, greek yogurt, and lox. "This is a delicacy in some... you know what, I can't even lie. This is horrible. The thought of eggs benedict made you sick, but this doesn't?"

"Hey, I don't make the pregnancy rules! If we did, we’d both be otters and then you would be the pregnant one!"

"Kaycee, you're being otterly ridiculous."

"Kaycee, you’re being otterly ridiculous."

"Thank God you're gorgeous and a brilliant doctor," she laughed. "Because you would have never made it as a comedian."

"I love you," he smiled, then leaned over to kiss her cheek.

"I love you, too," she replied. "Now, what do you have planned for the rest of the day."

"Easy. Romcoms. If your emotions can handle them."

"You're watching romcoms with me! Willingly!"

"Mmm-hmm, until we cap the day off with watching the Eras Tour again."

Kaycee let out a soft gasp. "The world has no idea what a big softie you are, Ethan Ramsey."

"Shhh," he whispered. "Let's keep that our little secret."

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Perma: @alj4890 @annoyingmillenialnewbie @crazy-loca-blog @justyourusualash @kingliam2019

@kyra75 @secretaryunpaid @stars-are-within-me @tessa-liam @thosehallowedhalls

@trappedinfanfiction @jerzwriter-reblogs-asks

Open Heart: @coffeeheartaddict2 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @liaromancewriter @peonierose @rafasgirl23415

@tveitertotwrites

Ethan x MC: @brycesgirl @cariantha @custaroonie @cryomyst

@mrs-ramsey @youlookappropriate

[thenameswinter99]

I saw in these days some moots’ posts that talk about the good and bad things that happened in this year, and the expectations that are hoping to achieve e in the new year.

I wasn’t sure to do this myself, even because there are a lots of things that have happened this year and most of them are not positive at all. But I’ve decided to take this “leap of faith” and share my 2024 with you, and to thank all the people that stood at my side until today.

If you want to read my little rambling, then here’s everything under the cut.

Let’s start by saying that this is probably one of the worst years I’ve had since the pandemic broke out, if not the worst. I’m struggling to over come a neverending sadness, anxiety and panic attacks, and this effects my mood swings between overstimulation and exhaustiation, often leaving me crying unexpectedly. I have done a lot of damage to myself, both physically and mentally, and I struggle a lot to get out of it.

This year, university has been overwhelming, and I’m at risk of missing my March graduation and facing extra costs as an off-course student. I’m exausted and I’m considering dropping out to focus on the job I’m currently doing, which saldy there is no contract guarantee.

On the other side, relationships have been challenging as well, and now I’ve left alone and broken. I don’t trust people on a romantic side anymore, and if I should ever stay with someone again, it would be a hard process.

This year I had to give up a lot of things, including two events I was eager to attend to meet my favorite actors. Now those events are gone, and I’m still devastated and heartbroken. I had to renounce to enroll into an acting school I hoped to attend this September, but I couldn’t and this caused me another wave of distress.

I've tried to shake off these negative feelings by at least staying positive here, enjoying all the little things and conversations we've had here, and not putting my burdens on anyone else. But after months of bottling up my feelings, I exploded and now I feel trapped by my negative emotions.

This has led to my various in-offs on this site over the last few months, but I still haven't found the inner peace I was looking for. I still feel like an outcast in the fandoms I belong to, and I always feel that I'm unwanted and unwelcomed.

However, I would have been an ipocrite to say that there hasn’t been positive things this years.

I won the “Ticketmaster battle” (as I like to call it) and I’m going to see the Imagine Dragons live in June. It’s my very first concert and I can’t wait to see them perform.

I’m going to attend some acting courses in a little theatre near the place I live. It wouldn’t be the same of the one I wanted to attend, but I would like to see it as a small step to achieve my dreams and what I want to do in my life.

And most of all, I have met here lots of friends with whom, some more some less, I’ve forged a strong bond that goes beyond the simple like and reblog of our things here on Tumblr. I love you so much, thank you for sticking with me and being the little lights in this year of pure darkness. I know I’ve been terrible in following your contents later and being a whining mess in private, but know that I appreciate all of your advices so much and I tried to use them: there are some days the sadness is literally unbearable, but it’s thanks to you that I’m still here and alive today.

I don’t want to make plans for the New Year, because every time I do them they either don’t happen or it happens the opposte of what I’ve planned, but I just want to focus to give love and attention to the only person that needs it right now but always been denied: myself. I want to use this new year to heal and to come back to the person I was before this mess, and I hope I could be here to tell you about my “redemption arc”.

With this, I would like to wish to all the tagged moots (but also the other moots and friends that follow me, because I know I will be a moron and forget some of you) a happy new year. Hope you can live a new year full of adventures and satisfactions and to achieve everything you want to achieve in your life. Hope we can be here all together to talk about all the good and bad things that will happen in this 2025.

I love you and I’ll always carry a piece of you in my heart forever. 💜

@sylasthegrim @lord-aldhelm @synintheraven @zaldritzosrose @legitalicat @foxyanon @whitedarkmoonflower @sihtricfedaraaahvicius @sihtricsafin @gemini-mama @alexagirlie @ladyinred2248 @errruvande @leftoverp1zza @thelettersfromnoone @aneurins-barnard @kingslionheart @holy3cake @volklana @ms-oswald @arcielee @st-eve-barnes @towriteloveontheirarms @volklana

[the-soraya2004]

Grieving for Buck and Tommy on 9-1-1

I knew this week was going to be a dark one, because I predicted two things would happen:

Trump would get re-elected; and

Buck and Tommy would break up on 9-1-1.

Never have I wanted to be wrong so desperately on both counts, yet here we are! :( I'm leaving the first one alone for the sake of my continuing sanity; as for the second, it is deeply disappointing. And for those thinking that this frees up Buck for a relationship with Eddie, I don't think it's great news for them either!

It's hard to put into words how much I have enjoyed watching Buck and Tommy's relationship unfold. Despite the relative scarcity of their time on-screen, I found myself genuinely enthralled watching the two of them take those first tentative steps along a new relationship. They truly were beautiful together, and their love story drew me back to watching 9-1-1 regularly again. Each week, I found myself excited to discover what lay in store for them as a couple. Some that joy was tempered after stumbling across instances of, frankly, utterly hateful speech and ugly behaviour directed online at the actor who plays Tommy (Lou Ferrigno Jr). It's one of the reasons why I tend to keep my distance from fandom and unregulated, unmoderated social platforms. But, ultimately, what frustrates me about this ending is that, from my observation, it doesn't appear to fit with the narrative set up. It felt akin to one of those franchise movies where a character is abruptly killed or written off because of some behind the scenes issue, like the actor is too expensive or contract negotiations have failed. I'm not necessarily suggesting that is what has happened in this case, just that this abrupt left turn doesn't appear (to me) to fit the story that was building, so logic would dictate that there's some other driver. One could speculate ad nauseam, but ultimately that serves little purpose.

It's a shame the showrunners either weren't willing or able to proceed with the Buck/Tommy love story, but honestly I can't say I'm surprised. And objectively, I don't think it spells good news for fans who want to see Buck and Eddie get together either. My reasoning is:

If you look at the main characters, Hen, Bobby, Athena, Chimney and Maddie are all in serious long term relationships (married). Therefore, no hottie-of-the-week for them, unless the writers plan to go full on soap opera to break up these established couples

Buck and Eddie are the attractive single men, who can be available for relationships with a revolving door of characters played equally attractive actresses. This allows for fresh eye candy for the sort of viewing public that wants that sort of thing

Eddie, as a character, is more reserved and therefore less likely to jump from relationship to relationship each week. Which leaves Buck as the main engine to drive the hottie-of-the-week cycle. If Buck were to go off the market (semi) permanently like the other main characters, the engine/cycle breaks (or at the very least slows down), which means less eye candy for the viewers who tune in for that, etc. and so on.

If you suddenly had Buck and Eddie dating each other long term seriously, then the show would likely need to bring in new characters to fill the "attractive single man available for relationships with hotties" void - all of which is a different sort of behind the scenes issue for showrunners.

Overall, while the Buck/Tommy love story may be gone from our screens, it can and will (I hope) continue to thrive in Fanfic. At least there our beloved characters can go where studios are unable (for whatever reason) to tread. Sincerely, I wish Lou Ferrigno Jr every success in whatever projects come his way, and even though he'll never see this post, I want to thank him for helping bring to life a little piece of screen magic that brought a lot of light and joy into my world.

[littlebluentebook]

Alastor x Sewing!Reader

Hi everyone! This is my first ever fic but I have read far more than anyone should in a lifetime! Please let me know if theres any criticism. Im open to other ideas and fandoms (that I will eventually make a list for.) I'm merging some chapters I have just because they're short or make better sense that way and tried tot keep things gender neutral. If I slipped let me know and I will go back and edit! This is probably super out of character but I did my best! Hope you all enjoy :)

Chapter 1 <3

You and your husband had always gotten along like a house on fire.

Every other week a client would come in asking for costumes and repairs for a speakeasy she sung and danced at.

"-just say Anne invited you love n' they'll be bound ta let you in!" she exclaimed while picking up her newest order for the night ahead.

"Well darling I'll just have to see if I've got any sort of plans." You said knowing full well you were going to come up with new patterns until eventually falling asleep.

"Come on Y/N, Ive been coming to you for months! Don't you want to see where all your heard work goes to?" Anne was definitely pulling your strings taking advantage of your curiosity. She had a point.

"I suppose you've gotta point Anne. What time are you starting tonight?"

"Nine!" She was bouncing up and down in excitement. " I've got to get going now doll! See you tonight!"

The jingle of the bells on the door signified she was gone. You started to realize what you agreed to and panicking.

"Oh my goodness gracious!" you stressed out loud, "what even am I going to wear! Im going to look ridiculous- I don't know a single soul there! What if I make a fool of myself?!"

Your thoughts battles for longer than you would like them to eventually grabbing a paper riddled with measurements no longer needed and started writing pros and cons of visiting Anne.

Pros: Cons:

Meeting new people! Showing up alone

Can make friends Looking like a buffoon!

New possible clients

Deducting that embarrassment is temporary, your cons list could easily be eradicated by breaking out of your shell and talking to others. Plus, Anne would be there and she was your friend... kinda? You considered her a friend but was unsure if she felt the same way. Well, she did invite you to visit her tonight, at the very least she will introduce you to her friends! There shouldn't be a worry.

With your mind finally set you heard the clock strikes four. Ashamed of how long you let your thoughts get the better of you, you got back to work. The task was to complete a keepsake blanket from a wedding. You created the dress for the newlywed, sitting for hours with her finding the perfect materials and creating patterns and designs for her. In the family, it was a tradition to create a quilt from the dress of the bride using the grooms suit as a border. All the pieces were cut and you could not wait to sew them together and create a stunning memento.

Chapter 2 <3

you knocked on a door two streets over from your shop. A short lady opened the door raising an eyebrow.

"And who might you be?"

"Im Annes... friend," you tried. "She comes to me for her outfits and graciously offered me the opportunity to come a view her performance tonight."

The lady's gaze hardened, staring at you intensely.

"It looks like I have got the wrong place then, I am so sorry to waste your time," you stammered taking a step back away from the door.

"Oh Mimzy! You mustn't be giving anyone trying to see me a hard time now!" Anne's bubbly voice spoke from behind the short lady who must be Mimzy. "Y/N is a good friend of mine! Works far too hard for me and deserves a break, plenty of time to relax!"

Mimzy bursted into a smile and reached for a hug. "of course! Welcome! Sorry for being all prude- just had to makee sure you weren't anyone coming tottery and ruin what I've got going for me here" she drawled.

"No ma'am of course not! Im just here to watch my friends performance then I'll be outta your hair, away from your 'do," you explained to Mimzy while she dragged you from the door to the bar.

"Nonsense my dear! Please have a drink and stay awhile!" you sat at the bar with Mimzy talking about how difficult it was to be a female business owner. No one takes you lot seriously!

The lights dimming and shinning on stage caught the room's attention effectively hushing all conversation. Anne sauntered to the center of the stage, dress shimmering. You recognized it as the most recent dress that you crafted for Anne. It was stunning on her.

"My oh my! Look at the handiwork that went into making that dress. Must of taken days!" a familiar voice chipped. You were unable to put a name to the voice but luckily Mimzy did it for you.

"Alastor," Goodness! The radio broadcaster! You had always loved his voice, you would have his station playing while sewing- waiting patiently for songs to end just to hear him speak. "Our dear friend Y/N made that specifically for our lovely Anne!" Mimzy exclaimed.

She admired your work while Anne sung and waltzed around the stage. You were incredibly proud of your work. Every detail of that dress took so much time and effort and turned out beautifully. The fringe was all hand cut, the lace took countless hours of stitching for the perfect design and finally the beads. Each bead had to be placed individually in the right spot on the dress to shimmer. It was a fine dress indeed.

"Y/N, how would you like to make dresses and suits for the rest of those who preform for me?" As soon as the song ended Mimzy had dropped the question, ensuring she wouldn't tale any attention away from Anne.

"Oh my! Why I would be honored and ecstatic to! Thank you so much for the opportunity Mimzy!" You were so excited! Sure the flapper dresses were hard work and time consuming, but now, seeing how they looked on a stage, in front of an audience, made you realize you didn't mind all the time and effort it took into making them.

Mimzy left her seat in an excited hurry to go get paperwork for you.

"You know," the broadcaster- Alastor leaned over Mimzy's now empty seat, "she goes on and on about how beautiful Annes dresses on stage are." The comment caused you to blush but he continued, grabbing your hand gently. "I must agree with her, although the lady behind the creation of this wonderful attire is much more beautiful than what she creates."

With that Alastor kissed the back of your hand with his lips. You were speechless.

Mimzy came back with paperwork and Alastor smiled at you. The three of you spent hours conversing, telling both jokes and stories.

"Oh my!" You glanced at the nearest clock- almost one in the morning. "I have got to get going! I have to open the shop in the morning."

"Do you ever take days off darling?" Alastor asked softly.

"Only Sundays. No one is out on Sundays!"

"Goodness! -at least let me walk you home. You know its not safe for a lovely person such as yourself to be out alone this late."

"Are you sure? I don't want to inconvenience you at all Alastor."

"Of course I'm sure dear, its not an inconvenience if its you." The words were rolling off his tongue and you blushed so hard it could have matched his vest.

"Your performance was amazing Anne! You are so talented, I have definitely been missing out, I am going to come back to watch you! " Enthusiasm and pride towards your friend took over. You wanted to let her know what you thought before you suddenly ran off.

"Thank you for coming out tonight for me. Sure was nice seeing a friend in the crowd!" A jittery wave of happiness washed through you at her last statement.

"Im so glad to hear you enjoyed yourself!" Mimzy gushed to you giving a farewell hug. "Blessed to know you'll be coming back doll."

"Of course! You have an amazing place Mimzy. This is a pleasant change of scenery compared to what I'm used to!"

With your goodbyes concluded you walked out the door arm in arm with Alastor.

[baileypie-writes]

~Their Good and Evil Friend~

The Smile Pretty Cure + GN!Sunshine!Villain!Reader

This is a sequel to these headcanons!

~~~🎀~~~🎀~~~🎀~~~

Fandom: Smile Pretty Cure!

Fanfic Type: Oneshot(s)

Reader: Gender neutral, a villain

Relationship: Platonic

Genre: Fluff

Word Count: 1,438

Synopsis: This is a three part oneshot. You’re a villain from Bad End, though your personality is very kind! The first part is when you meet the Pretty Cure. The second part is fighting them for the first time. And the last part is about hanging out with them after they know you’re a villain.

Warnings: None!

Requested By: @kaymerx

A/N ~ I hope you enjoy this! I ended up not having enough motivation to write the last part, and it was getting too long anyway. So sorry about that!

~Masterlists~

~Smile Pretty Cure! Masterlist~

‼️Glitter Force stans DNI‼️

~~~🎀~~~🎀~~~🎀~~~

~Meeting Them~

“Good morning class.” Miss Sasaki greeted. The students quieted down after a few moments. Normally, it took at least two tries, but this time, they were eager to hear a specific announcement. “Good. Now, before I start today’s lesson. I have some news.” Everyone leaned in. “We have a new student joining us today.”

Curious murmurs erupted through the classroom. They had heard rumors of someone joining, but they weren’t sure if they were true. But now that it was confirmed, they were excited.

“Quiet down, please.” Miss Sasaki asked. Once again, the students obeyed. “Come on in, (last name).” She motioned with her hand for you to come forward.

The sliding door opened, and in you walked. Immediately, the room seemed to become brighter. A cheerful, happy aura radiated off of you. Taking hold of a piece of chalk, you wrote your full name on the board. The other students all watched your hand as it moved from top to bottom. Once you were done, you stepped out of the way, so that they could read it. “Hello! My name is (full name)! It’s nice to meet you all!” You greeted with a bow. Once you popped back up, you smiled to the class. Everyone smiled back. It was as if yours was contagious.

“Great. Now, your seat is behind Yayoi Kise; the blonde right there.” Miss Sasaki pointed to the shy looking girl in the front.

Said girl jumped a bit, seemingly started from the sudden attention. But she quickly did a little wave to signal to you. You happily waved back.

After sitting down if your assigned seat, Miss Sasaki turned to the board, erasing your name. “Alright, now let’s get on with the lesson.”

~~~~

After the lesson had concluded, you were bombarded with questions from all of your new classmates. You were happy to answer all of them, though. Everyone seemed enamored by your kind personality, and they just kept asking more and more questions.

“Come on guys, let’s not overwhelm Mx (last name).” You heard a voice from the back of the crowd. The crowd split, and revealed a girl with long, dark blue hair. She walked up to your desk, and held out her hand. “Hello, (last name). My name is Reika Aoki, and I’m the student council president. I hope you’ll feel welcome in our school.” She gave you a gentle smile.

You shook her hand, all while smiling back. “It’s nice to meet you Aoki! And you can just call me (first name)! I’m already feeling really welcome!”

“That’s good to hear. I’m glad.” She responded.”

Now that the crowd had died down, you finally had the chance to talk to the girl in front of you. She was drawing in a sketchbook, so you tapped her shoulder to get her attention. After jumping, she looked over to you.

“Hi Kise! I can’t wait to get to know you! You seem like a really nice person!”

“Oh… thanks. You too.” She said quietly. You frowned a bit, worried that you had done something wrong.

“Don’t worry, Yayoi’s just shy.” You heard a voice behind you. After turning around, you saw another girl, this time with red hair. “I’m Akane Hino, one of Yayoi’s friends. Put ‘er there!” She held out her hand to shake, to which you did. You had probably done more handshakes that day than you ever had your entire life.

“And I’m Miyuki Hoshizora!” A pink haired girl popped up from behind Hino.

“And that’s Nao Midorikawa.” Hino pointed to the girl in a ponytail who stood close by.

“Hey! I was gonna introduce myself!” She complained.

You just laughed. They all seemed like an interesting bunch of people. You were gonna do your very best to befriend them. But you were prepared for a potentially difficult journey. Because you knew that they would eventually find out about your current secret.

~Meeting Them as a Villain~

You squeezed the packet of ink of your hands, and it burst all over it. You opened your book, and smudged the black goo over its pages. Immediately, the sky went dark, and the people below dropped to the ground in despair. You could feel the negative energy all around.

“Hey!” You heard a familiar voice shout. Looking down from your place in the sky, you saw Hino and her friends.

“Oh! Hello!” You waved.

The girls all looked at you with shocked and confused expressions. Hoshizora and Kise even waved back a little. “Uh, okay?” Midorikawa said. “Anyway, let’s go!”

“Pretty Cure, Smile Charge!” They all shouted, and began transforming. You just stood by, watching the mesmerizing spectacle. Seeing all the sparkly powder poof their outfits into place was so magical! But it only lasted for a moment.

“Oh, yeah! I forgot!” You pulled out a red clown nose from your pocket; given to you by Joker. After glancing around for a bit, you decided on your target. “Come on out, Akanbe!” You commanded, hoisting the nose into the air. That summoned the Akanbe, who took the form of a nearby cherry blossom tree.

Immediately, the girls began fighting it. You just watched, curious to see their power. And you were definitely not disappointed! They kicked and punched it, knocking it over with ease.

“Wow! You guys are so strong! So cool!” You said in awe.

“Um… thank you?” Cure March said, confused.

“Do they seem familiar to anyone?” Cure Beauty questioned.

Shoot. You couldn’t reveal your identity! “I-I shouldn’t! This is our first time meeting!” You stuttered nervously.

As you fumbled around, trying to convince them, your Akanbe was defeated, and the world reverted back to its normal state. “Oh, look at that! You guys won! Great job!” You clapped.

“Thank you! Wait, why are you congratulating us? You’re the bad guy.” Cure Happy said.

“Yeah, now that I’m thinking about it, you do seem familiar.” Cure Sunny pondered.

“Uh- I- Gotta go!” And with a snap of your fingers, you left the awkward situation behind, and went back to Bad End.

~Hanging out With Them as Friends~

(This is after they found out you’re a villain)

“Oh look, it’s (last name)!” Miyuki pointed out to her friends. She then waved both her arms while calling your name, all to get your attention.

It didn’t take long at all for you to notice. You happily waved back, and jogged over to them. “Hey guys!” You greeted, to which they all responded with their own greetings.

“We’re gonna go get some ice cream! Wanna come?” Miyuki offered.

“Well, I was supposed to fight you guys today and collect some negative energy… but getting ice cream sounds way more fun!”

“Thank goodness. I really didn’t wanna have to deal with anything Pretty Cure related today.” Nao let out a sigh of relief.

You just laughed, and followed them to your destination.

~~~~

After a bit of a walk, you all arrived at the ice cream shop. It was small and cute. The interior decor was completely in pastel colors, giving off a sweet, gentle atmosphere.

“What flavor are you guys gonna get?” You asked.

“I think I’m gonna get mango.” Akane said after browsing the menu for a moment.

“I like lemon.” Yayoi said.

“I think the pistachio looks good!” Nao added.

“I’m gonna get strawberry! Pink is my favorite color, after all!” Miyuki said.

“I think I would enjoy blueberry the best.” Reika stated.

“What about you, (name)?” Nao asked.

“Hmm.” You skimmed through the menu. “I’ll get (favorite flavor)!”

Everyone ordered their ice cream, and sat on the tables outside. The umbrellas above them provided a nice, cool shade.

You all enjoyed your sweet treats, all while talking about miscellaneous things. Occasionally, Miyuki would get a brain freeze from eating her ice cream too fast, which everyone laughed at. It wasn’t as funny when Yayoi nearly cried from getting one herself though. After that, Reika monitored everyone to make sure they ate at a reasonable pace.

Akane would always try to sneak a spoonful of someone’s ice cream while they weren’t looking. But you allowed her to a bite of yours, no thievery needed. She eventually stopped once she took a bit of Nao’s though, as she found out that she thought pistachio flavored ice cream was disgusting.

It was nice that even though you’re from completely opposite sides of the battlefield, you can still be friends with the Pretty Cure! It’s always fun hanging out with them. So fun, that you don’t care about being scolded for not doing your job when getting back to Bad End!

~~~🎀~~~🎀~~~🎀~~~

~~baileypie-writes

[steddieunderdogfics]

Today is all about @oh-stars! In today's Mod Spotlight, we're highlighting Jo and all they bring to this space!!

Jo created this space back in December and handles most of our regular fic recs and scheduling Fic Fridays! As well as making graphics, scheduling the event announcements and calendar, Jo steps in to help where she's needed!

Jo (she/they) has been a fic writer for over ten years, and a mod for seven years. Over the years, she’s written for other fandoms, such as Marvel, but now primarily focuses on Stranger Things — specifically Steddie. She mods the Stranger Things Reverse Big Bang, the Steve Harrington Big Bang, the Eddie Munson Big Bang, and created Steddie Underdog Fics back in December.

As a part of our mod spotlight, Jo answered some questions from you all and our team! You can read them below.

Be sure to stay tuned for more recs and future mod spotlights in the future!

What drew you to Steddie?

Truthfully, I couldn’t tell you. I’m a Steve girlie through and through, have been for years, but it’s something about his dynamic with Eddie that just clicked. It’s the same way I feel about all my major ships over the years. To me, and this isn’t a fresh take by any means cause I know I’ve seen others make the name connection, but Steddie has the same energy as Stucky from Marvel, Buddie from 9-1-1, and Superbat from DC, which are the other three big ships I’ve consistently the past few years. I’m a multishipper, can really see the beauty in other ships and dynamics for any of my fandom characters, but there’s something special about Steddie that I just don’t have the words for.

What is your favorite thing about modding this page?

This is so cheesy, but the community! I adore how everyone supports one another and discovering fics and authors I’ve never come across outside of the bubble I’ve found myself in. It’s such a joy being able to uplift authors and share their fics, it trumps all the headaches that can come with modding a page.

What are your favorite tropes to read?

I’m a sucker for kid fics, secret relationships, and hurt/comfort – especially heavy angst with happy endings.

What’s your guilty pleasure trope?

Omegaverse is the safe answer, lol, but probably darker fics? Angstier fics that I have to be super careful with the tags or else I can’t read lol. It’s not something I engage with all the time, but every now and then I go down the Major Character Death tags.

What is your preferred way to read and find fics?

I go through the tags very methodically, especially for a new fandom. With Steddie, it was a bit different since it’s the first time I’ve been around for the start of a ship – or at least paying attention to the ship as it’s forming. So usually I’ll either sort by date updated or word counts, then go through the tag I’m wanting page by page and read back to back. And if I make it through a whole tag, thats when I go to recs to see if I can find something to spark my interest for a new tag. Or for a tag I’d never really read on my own.

What makes a fic an instant yes for you to read?

Word count is a big one, the longer the better, especially if you add in a slow burn tag with a six digit wc. Otherwise, it’s a combination of things like a high word count, mix of slow burn, misunderstandings, happy endings tags, and it being completed, I’ll rarely hesitate.

Anonymous - Is there any older or lesser-known Steddie event from the past few years that you particularly love (if ongoing or recurring) or loved? Did you participate in any?

I really enjoyed the community over at @steddieholidayexchange (and the summer one). I’ve participated in many events over the years, from Steddie BB 2023 and a few other exchanges to ones I’ve modded like the Stranger Things Reverse BB, but that community was special.

@sidekick-hero - What makes a fanfic stand out for you?

How well rounded it is! With fanfic, I don’t want it to just focus on moving the plot forward all the time. Take the scenic route and let the characters breathe as they explore a number of side quests and plots as we navigate the main plot. Give me good dialogue, prose, interesting twists or interactions, and good character moments and I’ll be happy.

@worldswcollide - What advice would you give to someone who is interested in becoming a mod in the future?

Organization is everything and take notes!! Staying consistent with your organization and keeping records of everything will really help keep everything running smoothly. For events like big bangs and reverse big bangs that happen annually or semi-annually, it’s really important to keep a list of what works and doesn’t to improve the next run. Listen to feedback from your participants and see what you can adapt to make it work. Not all feedback has to be followed, but it’s good to try and see how you can improve your event or space. That’s where the records and notes will also come into play so you don’t have to start from scratch on the next one and you can back up what is working with evidence if you need to defend it within the team. Otherwise, just have fun. Don’t take it too seriously. Modding fan pages and events is volunteer work and meant to be fun, so if it isn’t anymore, don’t let it suck the joy out of fandom for you!

Anonymous - Do you participate in any other fannish activities, like making playlists, gif edits, fanart, podcasts, Pinterest boards, etc?

I’ve definitely dabbled in a lot – playlists, fan edits, fan art, animations, book binding, etc – but none that stick around as much as writing. I spend so much time modding I don’t really have the time to do more outside of it.

@sidekick-hero - What motivates you to mod for steddieunderdogfics?

My team and the continued support we get from our loyal supporters! We see the same names reblogging the call to action posts and engaging with the posts, so it’s really encouraging to see that our work has an impact in the fandom!

@worldswcollide -  Are there skills you’ve learned as a mod that have helped you in your everyday life?

I have literally used my modding experience in job interviews. I frame it as event planning and management, with an emphasis on customer service and organization and usually that’s a great talking point for interviews. That being said, it’s really broadened my spreadsheet abilities and organization and I view teamwork in a different way now. As a burnt out gifted kid who took on the brunt of team projects in school, letting people take over work has always been tough so having a trusted team that shows me I can hand things over, its really refreshing. And now I’ve been able to do the same at work!

Anonymous - Have you had a particular favorite Challenge Monday or weekend theme so far (maybe because of the theme, the recs, or the engagement, or for some other reason)?

Okay so a little BTS, but we totally have handpicked some themes for each mod. For my birthday back, we did kid fics for that theme weekend since it fell on that Sunday since it was my favorite trope – and the same has been extended for the other mods’ birthdays. Outside of that, I really like the ones that I don’t expect to get a lot of submissions. And the comment ones, since we try to encourage those submitting the recs to also leave a comment.

@sidekick-hero - What do you like best about fandom?

I’ve said it a few times already, but community. I don’t have the biggest community outside of fandom, so it’s always touching to see how amazing and supportive everyone has been. Social stuff is tough for me, but no matter where I look in fandom spaces, there’s always someone willing to be patient and kind. It’s really changed my life, introducing me to some of the most incredible, impactful people I’ve ever met like @karadanverss, @sparkstar-trash, and @lady-lostmind -- and so many others. No matter how cringe or whatever opinions people have about fandom, I’ll never be shy about my experiences in fandom and with fanfic because of the people I’ve met over the years.

@worldswcollide - If you absolutely HAD to choose—enemies to lovers or friends to lovers? (At least when it comes to Steddie)

This is actually super easy to me, but friends to lovers all the way. I prefer that over enemies to lovers anyway, because that’s a really tough trope for me, but there’s something special about friends to lovers. I love how sweet and gentle it is, especially on a longer slow burn as things trickle into place in a way that just feels right because it’s meant to be. Enemies to lovers, though, is tricky. Rivals are always fun, but actual enemies is a hard line to toe. For me, I feel like the reason they’re enemies is either too light to be true enemies or too heavy that it’s kind of impossible to realistically get past. I like writing both, but I think in the end, I prefer friends to lovers.

Anonymous - Have you seen any interesting or fascinating trends in the ST or Steddie fandom that you'd like to talk about?

For ST and Steddie specifically, no. I think it’s really fun to see how the fandom shifts as a wave. Like post S4 drop, we were all about the fix-its and canon fics, time loops were massive and the kas theory was really hitting after the last two eps. Then I feel like we’re constantly going in and out of tropes as a whole, while the staples are always constant. But all of that is pretty standard across any fandom so it’s hard to really pinpoint.

@sidekick-hero - What made you create Steddie Underdog Fics?

Steddie Big Bang 2023. That was a monster of a bang and between how big it ended up being as well as the nature of how Steddie exploded, I felt a little helpless. I was super lucky to have gotten a lot of attention on one of my fics, but I really attribute that to timing, length, and how quickly I got it written. Do I think it deserves how much love and attention it got? No, there are so many other amazing works that feature new ideas and concepts, with interesting takes on canon or the characters, that should have just as much attention as that fic received. But the bigger the ship got, the easier it was for fics to slip under the radar. I’m still very lucky to have dedicated readers on my works, but at the time, I was really struggling with my Steddie BB fic. I was struggling with some negativity on it and seeing other authors worry about their own fics because they weren’t getting feedback, then one thing led to another and I was creating the blog before I could really process it.

Anonymous - Have you seen a rec method like it in other places before or was there just a general desire to help highlight things lost in the large growth of the Steddie fandom?

@steddieficfind’s format of crowdsourcing helped shape how I wanted to go about this space. At the time, while I was reading a lot, most of the fics I was reading were ongoing updates or from the same few authors, and a lot were oneshots. So I would go on rec lists and @steddieficfindto find new fics that I may have missed when going through my usual tags, because summaries aren’t always accurate. I know I struggle with my own fics’ summaries, but seeing how a reader sees a fic versus the author can really help bring in new perspectives. Thinking about that, I decided that having other people share their recs and highlight fics in a new light other than the author’s summary could be an interesting take on the rec space.

@sidekick-hero - Do you look for different things in fanfic when you're reading it than when you're writing it?

Oh yes, I’m way more critical about my own fic than the ones I’m reading. With my work, I’m trying to get to a destination while my reading choices are about the journey. I just want to enjoy the fic and see what happens, I’m not criticizing word choice or looking at the craft as a whole. Sometimes its hard to shut that off, but I really try to separate the two.

@worldswcollide - How did you transition from writing fic to taking on such big projects?

I’m a bit of a workaholic when it comes to fandom stuff. I’ll do the bare minimum in my jobs (because they’re super low stakes, let’s be real) so I can devote a lot of energy to writing and modding my events and this page. That being said, I usually hyper focus on the newest project for a minute before I take a more balanced approach. It helps having teams that can support me, especially with ongoing projects like this one. There were so many times where I nearly deleted this space because it got too overwhelming on my own, even as I added more and more to it. I couldn’t be doing this without @spicysix and @verdantcactus. They’re willingness to help, earnest interest, and brilliant ideas on how we can work the space has been a game changer. I can’t thank them enough for taking on this project with me, for continuing to absolutely nail it week after week. So thank you both so very much!!

Anonymous - What is it about Bang events that draws you in, especially as a mod?

It’s addicting. Genuinely. I’ve been doing them for seven years now across a handful of fandoms. Modding is just so fun for me, it helps me engage more with new people in ways I’m too intimidated to try as just a participant. And again, the community is really nice within events, especially with everyone cheering each other on as we hit milestones and deadlines. I really appreciate that support and getting the opportunity to support others to try new things.

@sidekick-hero - What's the best feedback you've ever gotten (could be about your writing or being a mod)?

This is really tough! It’s one of two, both were from my favorite writing professor. It’s more advice than feedback about my work specifically, but it’s something I’m constantly thinking about, especially now when I’m a bit stuck writing wise as a whole. The first is that writing is a muscle, not a talent. You can always improve and get better the more you practice, but in the same vein that it’s harder to lift 50lbs when you don’t lift that much all the time, you can lose it too. Writing a little bit each day, even if it's a sentence or two at a time, will be better than letting it rest, because you can’t edit a blank page. And as long as you’re thinking about the story, playing around with what you’ll do next, what worked in a past scene or you want to change in another, that counts too. It’s still writing even if you’re not getting actual words down. The second is that if you’re blocked, look up the page. The answer is almost always two or three paragraphs before you stopped, or in bigger works, sections ahead. Finding the problem may be harder than expected, but it’s always there.

Today, all of our recs are from @oh-stars specifically! You can always see their recs on our Fic Fridays by checking our #mod stars rec tag.

[imthepunchlord]

Just a random question, but do you like adrien and marinette being the main duo, or do you think two other people would've been better?

Yes and no.

It's kinda complicated.

So, with my long break from Miraculous, clearing out my salt mines, and doing a gradual rewatch of the show with fresh eyes and enjoying the nostalgia of what used to be, I can say I am reminded on why, we as a fandom, enjoyed them as leads and as a pair.

There was some yin-yang potential in their dynamic, specifically playing off Lady Wifi introducing the Head vs Heart idea.

Marinette's an Empathetic Head. She's observant and perceptive, the planner and quick thinker, typically, she responds logically to what's presented to her. But she does feel deeply for others, and that empathy and kindness drives her to step up and help others.

Adrien in turn is a Reasonable Heart, at least, meant to be. He works off his feelings, goes with his gut, his wants; but he's also meant to be the emotional reason, knowing what to say to ground those that are getting caught up in themselves, offer support and direction, one they didn't consider or see before.

It nicely places off that theme that there's a little bit of the other in the counterparts, which is why the two halves have those dots, a little bit of yang resides in yin and vice versa.

And between the fluff and the snark and the support/loyalty they do offer each other, that potential for them as partners and users for the Cat and Ladybug is there.

Unfortunately, the writers' bias and stubbornness ruined that dynamic. What's meant to be a partnership of equals never becomes equals. Adrien never steps up as a leader and shares the weight of responsibility, and Marinette never feels like she can ease back and trust others to handle things, making her feel like she has to solve everything and be THE solution.

There's also the factor that they decided to prioritize the romance over the friendship, which did not really help Adrien as a hero as he focused more on his romantic pursuits than being a hero, flirting at the wrong time, not taking anything seriously... it was a bad look. And then Adrien and Marinette as civilians, despite being stated to be friends, I kinda question if they truly are. Adrien never actively goes to hang out with Marinette on his own, most of the time, there's a social expectation for them to hang out as civilians, or a favor is involved.

One of the aspects that has a romance work is having a good friendship to be that foundation. But the writers don't value friendship, not between actual friends and not between the love interests.

And the third issue is their means of growth.

Thomas, unfortunately, echoed the idea that girls grow through suffering. So Marinette's growth is just having the narrative against and giving her a hard time and she just can't win no matter what she does. Damned if she do, and damned if she don't. And I got to see that she developed anxiety and has an Atlas Complex and is very stress and just...

And with Adrien, he's just stagnant. He doesn't get involved in his own plot. He doesn't step up to the responsibility of being a hero, nor does he seek to share the weight of leadership. He's handed things on a silver platter, is allowed to be upset and petty and recklessly use his power.

And all of these factors just throws a big wrench into the potential of their partnership and them as leads and as the Cat and Ladybug heroes.

Better writers can make them work. And I bet there are a lot of good fanfics out there that have made them work.

I can see that potential and promise there. It's just really poor execution that ruined it.

I also will say, personally, I do think narrative wise things would flow better if they had a kwami swap at the start. Though, this is largely working the direction canon did go and I can see how a kwami swap could've combated that.

Plagg is set up to be the ideal foil to Marinette and have her grow, as she's too much of a giver, overthinks, piles too much on her plate, and struggles to put herself first. Extra bonus that they could've been a hilarious duo to see.

Tikki's big appeal with Adrien is that she would've gotten him involved in his own plot. Would've pushed for him to figure out who he is, what he wants to do, to be more involved if not be the leader, and to think more before he acts. And there could've been some good fluff as Tikki fills the void his mom left, as she can be very affectionate and supportive.

There's also the factor that Adrien needs someone to straight up tell him when he did something wrong or uncool. Anything that's a vague hint that Plagg occasionally gives just goes over Adrien's head or is ignored.

And there is that big appeal of shifting up the dynamics. Canon's issue is that Marinette and Tikki are initiators, while Adrien and Plagg are reactors. Mixing up these dynamics would've done wonders for their characters and interactions.

So, yeah over all, they can and could've worked as leads and holders of the Ladybug and Cat. The writing just really screwed them over. Though, I will say, doing different leads for Ladybug and Cat isn't an impossibility either.

[randoimago]

Hi there can I please have headcanons for sylvain bernadetta yuri and dorothea with a deaf s/o who speaks with sign language and can read lips please and thank you very much I don't why but I can't help but imagine both sylvain and dorothea would try to flirt with the reader but then they'd ignore them on accident cause they can't hear lol 😭

Fandom: Fire Emblem Three Houses

Character(s): Sylvain, Dorothea, Bernadetta, Yuri

Note(s): This took me way too long to get out and I'm sorry about that, I hope you enjoy what I wrote!!

Bernadetta

She does her best to learn sign language so she can speak with you. Honestly, talking to other people is so intimidating so she likes being able to use sign language instead.

Her only issue is that she flails her hands a lot when she's panicked and messes up on signing a bit (and then she panics because she messed up and really hopes she wasn't accidentally rude to you).

Can't help but worry for you. She knows you're strong since you're in the academy, but she's afraid that should an ambush happen or monsters show up or just something goes wrong, no one will be able to tell you in time and it scares her. You'll have to calm her down because she panics too easily over the "what if's".

Dorothea

She did pout a bit at you seemingly ignoring her the first time she tried flirting. When she found out you're deaf, then she does her best to apologize to you, having to repeat herself since she talked too fast the first time for you to read her lips.

Dorothea finds herself enjoying learning sign language with you. She's a bit saddened that you won't be able to hear her sing, but she still tries her best to describe the lyrics and tone to you.

Dorothea is staying by your side if you're on the battlefield with her. She doesn't particularly like fighting in the first place, so she'd like to be by your side and stay in the back or use some magic instead to fight. Of course, if you prefer fighting up close and personal then she's happy to throw some fire to enemies that try to hit blind spots.

Sylvain

He heard that there was a student that's deaf at the academy, but he didn't realize it was you. Honestly, was taking you ignoring him as you rejecting his constant flirting.

But then he stepped into your view and saw you get startled. Sylvain began apologizing and felt a bit like an idiot, but honestly, now that you're his S/O, it's a fun thing to think back to and laugh about.

Sylvain, of course, worries about you when it comes to training or should you have to be on the battlefield, but he also trusts you that you'll be okay. Or, at the very least, you know how to get yourself out of any situation that could occur. Just maybe try to stay close to him. You can ride on the back of his horse with him if you want.

Yuri

It was one of the times that he had gone to the academy just to roam around and gather information. He saw you in the distance signing to someone in a conversation. Yuri easily put two and two together, and he couldn't help but be intrigued.

Yuri hadn't meant to end up dating you when he approached you to learn about your situation, but he's not complaining now. He just makes sure you're able to read his lips when he teases you. Or he just does it with sign language since he likes seeing you respond with the facial reactions you give him.

Yuri prefers to stay on the sidelines or be sneaky when it comes to the battlefield, so he'll stay with you and make sure you're alright with him. You're his S/O so he has full confidence in you, but he still has some healing ready should you need it.

Taglist:

@unhelpfulnpc

[tonberry-yoda]

Congrats on the 900!!! I would like to request okuyasu👀 from jjba. I don't have a prompt in mind but I love fluff and romance!

if you haven't already, I hope one day you play twisted wonderland, the fandom would totally thrive with you❤❤❤

Again, congrats!! 🥳🥳

Falling - Okuyasu

notes: AHH OMG THANK YOU!! You are so amazing and supportive and super talented thank you for being nothing but kind <333 I loved writing this and I really hope you enjoy it!! And I will totally look into playing twisted wonderland because ive seen a lot about it and all of the characters are chefs kiss, so you'll be the first to know if i play it <3

word count: 670

When you met Okuyasu, it was a funny moment. You were taking your dog on a walk and nearly dropped his leash when you saw an open garage. He was in a sweat covered tank top, doing bench-presses. The way his biceps would flex every time he pushed up the bar, you couldn't help but stare. He nearly dropped the weight on his chest when he saw you staring and you jumped.

"S-Sorry," you told him, starting off with your dog.

Okuyasu stopped you, jumping up. "No! It's fine. Uh..." He didn't know what to say now that the two of you were standing nearly feet away from each other.

"No," you finally spoke up, your face heating up. "I was staring, I'm really sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," Okuyasu rubbed the back of his neck, his voice soft. "I'm Okuyasu."

He stuck out his hand and you took a step forward, shaking it. "I'm y/n."

"Cool... y/n.... Uh... Are you usually walkin your dog around here?"

You nodded.

"Sick. Well, see you around!" Okuyasu waved at you and ran back into his garage.

You honestly thought that would be the end of the two of you interacting, but you always found yourself back at the garage whether just to visit Okuyasu or just walking by with your dog. You would never fail to stay for a drink at least.

Then meeting Okuyasu led to you meeting his friends too. You became very close to Josuke and Koichi. They were a funny crew.

But the more the three of you hung out the more you realized that you were actually developing feelings for Okuyasu. You wanted him to know, but at the same time, you didn't want to ruin anything if he didn't feel the same way. You were too scared to say the least.

But Josuke quickly caught on.

"Hey, y/n?" He finally was able to pull you aside while Koichi and Okuyasu were ordering some food for all of you.

"What's up?" You asked, your eyes never leaving Okuyasu.

"Are you gonna tell Oku?"

"Tell him what?!" Your eyes finally got off of Okuyasu and met Josuke's.

"That you like him?"

You froze. You knew it was obvious. "I can't." You sighed, putting your hands in your lap.

"Why not? He's totally into you!"

"What if he isn't?!"

Josuke gave you an unamused look. "Really, y/n? Oku talks about you ALL THE TIME!"

"But-"

"I'm not gonna rush you, but honestly, you look like you need to get it off your chest."

You thought about what Josuke said all day. He was probably right, even though you were terrified. The rest of the day went really well though. You all got food and hung out at an amusement park. It was really late when you all decided it was time to get heading home.

"I'll walk you," Okuyasu said as Josuke and Koichi went seperate ways. "It's on the way and pretty damn late."

He locked his arm with yours and you had fun giggling about the day and getting excited for whatever everyone would do together next.

"What about..." your heart was pounding and your cheeks were dusted pink. "What about next time we hang out, it's just the two of us. Without Koichi or Josuke."

"What do you mean?" Okuyasu tilted his head, his blue eyes locking onto yours.

"Like..." you were definitely shaking, but you pushed through. "A date... or something,"

"Me and you... a date?!" His eyes lit up.

"Yeah. We could uh... go bowling or something?"

"A date?!" He threw his arms around you in a big hug, your feet lifting up off the ground.

"Only if you want." You giggled as he put you down.

"Of course I want to go on a date with you!! You're like the prettiest and coolest person I know!!" He gave you a big kiss on the cheek.

The bright red face you got from the question was totally worth it.

~~~~~

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