#or even better having narry carry you all but nicely

[braisedhoney]

Okay but he is NOT looking at that mannequin, he is looking at US and he KNOWS what he's doing... what a smug bastard. Rightfully so, I suppose I love him very much, he's one of the few Narrators that I'm genuinely obsessed with... don't tell him that, though, he really doesn't need the ego boost. Also, other than me literally fangirling about your Narrator, I do have some questions (cough that's just me fangirling in a different way cough): His scarf... adventure line... things... I recall you saying that they are multiple adventure lines - Does he just, take them from other Narrators? Or does he just happen to have multiple? Also I know that they are insanely heavy (we know that this man is shredded if he has to carry not only the weight of them but of his ego around) and can be sharp, but what is the texture of them? Do they feel soft or silky or..? Also, thank you for makin' art Cap'n! It's always a joy to see it cross my dashboard. Sincerely, Crewmate #[REDACTED]

if narry likes to do anything, it's break the fourth wall into teeny tiny pieces lol. he knows about the limits of his universe (or at least that there's a window between him and the player, who knows just how far that awareness really goes) and he is willing to USE IT.

thrilled that you enjoy my design for him so much though!! honestly he already knows he's infested my brain and the brains of my crew, so what can we say :'D his head's already way up in the clouds, he lifted himself up there with the arrows.

about the adventure lines: i think they're just something he has. he can make more of them too, it's just that four is usually the easiest to doodle and keep track of for individual paintings lol. if i had to guess at the texture, maybe... have you ever touched really high quality fabric that almost feels like it wasn't woven? as if it was just a substance that poofed into existence? crazy high thread count, really smooth, etc. almost like what you'd imagine melted glass would feel like if it didn't burn.

[singingcookie]

👀👀 SO. THAT LATEST CHAPTER OF DOJ 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀

👀👀👀👀 Yes. It certainly was a thing wasn’t it?  👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀 In all seriousness this chapter was really difficult for me to bring myself to work on. And it was mostly because (compared to most of my other chapters) this one was really lacking detail. I had a few moments that stood out but figuring out how to smush them together in a cohesive way was hard. With that said, I’m gonna do something I haven’t done much til now. I’m gonna share my original outline for this chapter under the read more.

I might throw in comments between sections/thoughts. I normally post my outline at the bottom of my chapter documents and gradually get rid of bullet points as I get through them. This’ll be the first time I’ve looked at the outline since I completed, so I apologize for the length this might take on lol. That said....

DOJ CHAPTER 20 SPOILERS READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

Deku’s pov this chapter.

Skip ahead to them at the thing. They’re in Tarasanudo in Kanagawa. Somewhere close to the Tokyo Bay. Last train will leave a bit after 9pm.

I like to preface my outlines with a pov if there’s a change from the previous chapter. Any ones that are continuations (so with chapters 9 & 10 for Deku, and chapters 11-15 for Ochako) don’t really get labelled like this but since it was Ochako for 19 I had to. I knew right away this had to be Izuku that we were hearing from because his thoughts--his perception of Uraraka in the story thus far--have been pretty close to nonexistent. I figured it was about time (especially put into this position) for us to glean an idea of what exactly is going on under that curly hair of his.

The second bullet point is just a point of reference for me so I don’t forget anything 😅 I’ll probably carry it on through my next few chapters too. Again, just so I don’t forget as I go since the setting will be relevant until the festival ends.

We get festival shenanigans maybe just them looking around at things at first. He keeps getting wrapped up in Uraraka. Lingering on whatever she does. Her excitement at the foods, the decorations. The way she sways to the music from each and every stall. Obviously this should be at least a few paragraphs. If not a page.

HAHAHAHA, oh man. So much for that. Deku really went damn wild at the start of this chapter. The whole introduction (before Ochako says the FIRST LINE OF DIALOGUE FOR THE CHAPTER WTF) was 2 pages long on my chapter document. And I remember being shook about it. “This much Deku??? You have this much to say?” It probably would have been less if he didn’t want to retell the whole dang story with the netsuke BUT HE DID WHAT HE DOES I GUESS!!

I also added the okonomiyaki scene pretty sporadically, I didn’t have it in my oultine at all. But I needed an introductory scene into them at the festival before Bakugou and Kirishima showed up. I think it turned out pretty well? I got a lot of questions about my research on that one cause it was so specific! 😅 Truth is I just look up those kinda details as I get to them mid-writing. Makes it take longer but the learning part is really interesting and fun for me!

And then there’s also the hints of them being followed by at least  two of their classmates, working up Uraraka and stemming Deku’s fear. Also added because I needed to segue naturally between the okonomiyaki and cork gun scenes.

Uraraka points to a cork gun stall nearby and says that she wants to play. They don’t fully approach the stand though, Uraraka standing back to look over the prizes to see what she wants to play for. He wonders why she doesn’t just play and figure it out later. She says that she’ll play better if she has something in mind already “don’t question my methods” she hums for a moment and he kinda playfully regards her. Maybe a mild stirring of something.

She surges forward, reaching for one of the cork guns while she holds the yen out for the vendor. “Hey, take the next one over.” Oh god Kacchan’s grabbed the same cork gun and now him and Uraraka are glaring at each other. Kirishima apologizes for the interruption, telling Kacchan that he can just take the next one over. He greets Deku who replies while still watching as Uraraka and Kacchan glare even while he complies to their classmate’s request. Both of them slam their money on the counter. Aaaaand they’re making it a competition. Great.

Thiiiiiiis turned out more of less the same, clearly. 😂 I had a different concept in my head originally of how these games worked there. Ended up digging hard for videos and photos to find out properly. Ended up altering my image to match but it still managed to work out on that front, regardless.

I knew I wanted Kirishima and Bakugou here with them (not only because I love the ship) but it gave them a chance to unwind and relax. Kind of ease off on the tension of them being stuck alone together. Not to mention that I felt it would be really good for cementing the idea of a “something more” kind of pondering in Deku.

Kirishima and Deku talk about what they’ve been up to since getting to the festival. Maybe Deku wonders about the snack that Kirishima has. It looks delicious. Some kinda meat thing. “Where’s the stall?” Kirishima tries to explain but Deku just looks lost. “How ‘bout me and--Bakugou just show you where once they’re finished?”

“That sounds--” Deku’s cut off by a whoop and when he looks back to the stand, they’re both setting the cork guns back down. Uraraka’s reveling in her victory and Kacchan tells her she only got one more point, so she shouldn’t be so excited. She says he’d be just as excited if the scores were reversed. The vendor has to remind them they have prizes to pick.

Kirishima and Deku kind of just ^^; about it. They get whatever the prizes are. Ochako maybe picked something with the idea of giving it to Inko. Kirishima says to Bakugou that he told Deku they’d show him to the stand with the meat skewers.

This got altered a LOT WOW. I think the reason this section changed so much was because I was trying to find a way to make the chapter flow. I left a lot of details out and mostly went big picture because I knew this part of the festival would involve a lot of tiny things that would be a pain to plan out. Lots of minor minutiae that I knew I’d get annoyed if I had to change a lot.

I knew I had to keep Kirishima with MEAT because he’s Kiri (hello it’s listed as one of his fav things even!) and I knew I wanted to have him almost tripped up and saying “Katsuki” just to hammer home where exactly they’re at rn in their interactions.

I extended their interactions together because saying “hey let’s walk around” only to separate them with narry another conversation felt pointless and stilted. That’s why I added the extended convo about the game (I didn’t have it in the outline that she cheated but when I thought about the game and her quirk, it was too fitting to not include!) and also the thing about their internships and things being “too calm” again. Was really trying to hammer home one last “YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL COMFORTABLE” for all you readers lol

They might get stuck together for a bit maybe up through the fireworks. They only realize after the fireworks are through. Uraraka wonders about if maybe there’s something that Deku wants to do now, especially since Bakugou and Kirishima p much vanished.

Deku says something offhandedly. He hadn’t really been pulled toward anything in particular. Maybe they could just walk around, see if they find some of the others. Maybe some kinda casual conversation. Ochako has them stop because she sees a yo-yo fishing game and she really wants a water yo-yo.

As you can see, the fireworks scene (which apparently everyone adores?) was very much not planned LOL. Nor was Bakugou clearly and purposefully ditching them. I don’t really have much in the way of explanations other than it’s what felt right. I considered including a time skip or two during this chapter...but then I realized how silly that would be over such a short time period. So I ended up including the ditching (including Bakugou literally yelled that “Nope!” and it was like “oh okay that’s what we’re doing cool thanks for the memo?”) and then the fireworks was a clear “time is passing while he’s wistful” kind of moment. I think it went over well and segued pretty naturally into this.

Deku just watches, musing to himself over how nice this has been...how nice she looks...she said something about wanting to give the stuffed animal in his grasp to his mom. As a thank you for the yukata. He still can’t believe that Inko never said anything to him about it. But honestly...what would he have said. What would he have done? He’s seen her in it for a while now and he still hasn’t commented about it to her…yeah, okay, he did try twice. Once at school and once with Eri but since then he hasn’t bothered to try again.

Maybe it’s pointless. Maybe the fact that he did try twice was the universe saying that it was dumb and he definitely shouldn’t. That he would make her uncomfortable so don’t bother.

Or maybe it wasn’t about her. Maybe it was the universe scolding him from trying to say it around other people… Embarrassing her around her friends and their former teacher...yeah. Yeah, no. It was definitely that. He needed to say something. She deserved to hear it. He couldn’t tell her about her kimono during that New Years celebration. Shouldn’t he tell her now? Respect both her and his mother’s efforts? Yes. He should definitely say something now.

As you can see....pretty much nothing here changed LOL. I knew this was exactly right but some stuff got clarified and extended, I feel. Made it feel a lot more stream of conscious like as a result of that.

Side note Deku has a big tendency to repeat himself mentally when I write him....idk why this happens but it does lmao.

Uraraka comes back over with her water yo-yo. She says something idk what. But Deku starts to try to say something about her thing. Bringing it up very slowly and awkwardly but before he can explain properly she interrupts him. “Deku-kun, do you hear that?” He goes quiet as he listens. Then……screaming. 

Then they hear someone exclaim that it looks like the bonfire is out of control. They look and...that’s not a normal bonfire. Those are blue flames.

LOL “She says something idk what” is such a staple of my outlines I cry. 😂 That and “Idk something else needs to go here figure it out later”

Anyway though another case of extension here. I knew I was gonna have to with “bringing it up slowly and very awkwardly” that’s vague and I had to show that happening so it was bound to be. I actually struggled on whether or not to let him say it. But ultimately it felt dissatisfying to let him say it and not give Uraraka or the readers the chance to dwell on it. It needs a moment to itself. It needs to be a heavy, impactful moment--but the problem is the League reveal was heavier so it would have knocked it away just as much as him not saying it at all.

Obviously my reveal (the last bullet point) changed a lot with how I conveyed it...also Uraraka’s line. But when I was writing it I realized that Uraraka would be more horrified than my outline which, as you can see, is really calm in comparison. But I knew the only way to reveal it all was Dabi blue flames. A staple of the League... But having Deku’s last line was a better ending line.

ANYWAY, sorry that took so long but. There you have it. Deeper thoughts and perspective from the planning of the chapter. I hope this was interesting seeing the difference between my outline, but I apologize if my commentary was at all boring lol

Thanks Kat!! Always happy to talk!!! 💖💖💖💖

[mildlymaddy]

Tagged by @akai-coat (thank you <3) to ramble on about five current wips. So I guess I have to choose five.

Mind you I mean if we only talk about things I’m semi-actively working on, there’s probably less than that.

1. is obviously puppy/kitten lilo, in which Louis wakes up as a kitten, and Liam wakes up as a puppy, and basically they wreck havoc in Niall’s hotel room. I wrote a good chunk of it yesterday, and there’s still quite a bit to write, but I’m feeling way more confident now than I did two days ago. The puppy/kitten part is easy. It’s getting them to kiss once they’re back to human beings that’s probably going to take me the longest (even though I already know how I want it to happen).

They thought it was a prank, which Louis couldn’t begrudge them for. It would have been an awesome prank. He was a bit sad that he would never be able to do it now that it had actually happened. It just wouldn’t be as funny the second time around.

“I'll give them until tonight,” Terry, their new chief of security, said. “Then I'm calling the cops and putting their asses on the line.”

Louis hissed at him, safely sat in the hollow of Niall’s elbow. Terry took a step back, startled, and Niall started petting Louis between the ears to calm him. Two birds with one stone, Louis thought smugly, closing his eyes with pleasure and tickling Niall’s arm with his tail in a friendly way.

“I'm sure they'll be back,” Harry said from his spot on the floor of Niall’s hotel room. He'd been throwing a balled up sock for Liam to catch for the past ten minutes and Liam still hadn't tired of fetching it, his thoughts an uninterrupted stream of This is so fun Harry’s so nice Louis you should play too this is so fun!!

Louis stared at Harry intimidatingly, willing him to stop throwing that stupid sock, but Harry didn't seem to care. Louis was definitely going to throw up a furball in Harry’s ridiculous golden boots later on. As soon as he could figure out how furballs actually worked, at least.

  2. I’m also still working on the 3rd installment in the Another Man lourry verse, which is basically porn with feelings, in which Louis goes to Harry’s place a 3rd time and Harry more or less throws himself at him because he’s not about being subtle in this verse. The only problem I have is that almost all of it is written in my head but there’s barely anything on paper, so every time I trick myself into thinking it’s nearly done but it’s actually barely started.

“I didn’t get any cake,” Harry mumbles against Louis’s cheek, and Louis can feel his lips stretching into a smile as he adds, “Was kinda counting on me being the dessert, to be honest.”

“Oh, did you?” Louis teases, his heartbeat picking up so fast it gives him motion sickness.

“Yeah,” Harry whispers, before trailing his lips back to Louis’s mouth, one hand slowly fisting around Louis’s sweatshirt.

  3. I’ve also started a silly Narry fic about Niall helping Harry bond with his guitar, because what this verse really needs is some Narry, obviously. Probably need people to shout things at me to get me inspired, or for Niall to post more pics of himself gently cradling Ruby’s body.

When Harry shows up on his doorstep with a guitar case slung on his shoulder and a carry-on bag at his feet, Niall doesn’t ask questions. He didn’t know Harry was coming, hasn’t really heard about him in five months, but he’s not about to willingly jinx his luck.

“I’m putting together a proper band,” Harry tells him excitedly fifteen minutes later, both of them sitting on Niall’s patio, a glass of beer in hand. “And I wanna play too, at least on some songs. I want to really be a part of it, you know?”

“Singing lead is a pretty big part of the band, mate,” Niall says, even though he understands what Harry means. He always loved playing guitar during their concerts. It wasn’t about having something to do with his hands as much as feeling like he was an actual part of the cogs and gears.

“I’m still pretty bad, though,” Harry says, nervously twisting his bottom lip between thumb and forefinger. “I’m looking for a way to be more… you know when you look at really good guitarists and it feels like the guitar’s just part of their body? They don’t even need to look at their fingers or anything, and they get the sickest notes out, like the guitar’s… alive. That’s what I’d like to be like.”

Harry’s leaning forward, eyes shining with eagerness, and Niall feels himself getting a little hot under the collar, despite his better judgement. It’s just… been a long time since Harry’s looked at him like this. “Got your ambitions up, Hazza,” he says, clearing his throat when the words come out strangled.

Harry nods, then shakes his head, looking upset. “Yes, I know. But that’s why I want to get a better understanding of it all, y’know?”

Niall isn’t sure he knows. All he can think of is that thirty minutes before Harry rang on his door, he was lying naked on his couch with Ruby in his lap, just liking the way the cool wood felt against his cock. He hadn’t wanked or anything, he’d actually gotten a melody out that he was rather proud of, but he wonders what Harry would say if Niall told him the best way to bond with your guitar is to get stark naked.

He’d probably be thrilled, actually.

(actually I’ve got to thank you for this one because what I had was too short for a snippet so I just spent 15mn working on it!)

4. Then because I love angst I’ve got a little angsty no-happy-ending lilo, about how Louis’s dealing with his solo career and Liam’s happy family life. I started it on a day where I was feeling really bad, so I’m not sure I’ll ever finish it, but I’d like to.

“Want one?” Louis says, extending the packet out to him. He blows out a cloud of smoke, and Liam tries his best not to inhale. The key is in never slipping.

“Nah, I've quit,” he says. Louis throws him a weird sideways look, and Liam feels compelled to explain, “With the baby and all, I thought…”

“Right,” Louis says, staring straight ahead at the sweeping view over L.A.. “Guess it's different when you've got him all the time.” He takes a long drag on his cigarette, like a punctuation, and Liam wants to reach out, but doesn't quite know if he should.

He never used to second-guess himself when it comes to Louis. Maybe the hiatus changed things in more ways than one.

5. And, well, I still haven’t given up hope on ever finishing Take These Chances. I owe it to Lilo, really. I can’t leave them cold turkey when they were just about to finally shag. Honestly for this one I’d just like for someone to sit with me one afternoon and gently whack me over the head until I’m done writing it. I sometimes fear that’s the only way I’ll get it done. And yet, I’m so close to having the next chapter finished, it’s infuriating.

It would all have been perfect, if it wasn’t for the fact Louis’s thoughts could barely stray from wondering about what Liam was doing, turning everything else to white noise. Which was stupid, because Liam was obviously doing exactly the same thing as him, one door away.

Which made the fact he somehow missed Liam’s sly entrance into his dressing room all the more ironic. Louis sprung up from his chair the second he spotted him talking pleasantly with his mum. “Everybody out!” Louis shouted, drawing everyone’s gaze towards him. “I’ve got a score to settle with Payno here,” he added in lieu of an explanation, standing in the middle of the room with his hands shoved in his pockets, rocking on his feet.

People rolled their eyes and started filing out of the dressing room, Louis herding them out with his arms outstretched, until there was no one left but Liam. Louis closed and locked the door, then took a deep breath. Moment of truth, then. He guessed it was a good sign Liam had stayed in the room, at least.

He turned around to find himself nose to nose with Liam. “Well hello there,” he said, trying for casual but his voice not quite matching the tone. It had been a long, frustrating day.

“I’m going to kiss you, alright?” Liam said, not bothering with small-talk, bracketing Louis’s shoulders with his arms, eyes fixed on Louis’s lips.

And there you go! Feel free to yell at me any time about any of these WIPs. I’ll be grateful, seriously.

Tagging @ferryboatpeak, @saysthemagpie, @queerlyalex and @1000-directions. :)