#otp: you don't think i'm a little twisted too?

[jessmalia]

— david shrigley

[jessmalia]

@freakwiththeknifecollection

tending to someone's injuries is literally a first date. you've got the wine (for disinfecting open wounds) the candles (for cauterizing open wounds) and the physical intimacy of touching another person's bare flesh. what more could you ask for.

[dejareves]

the left side

from @human-otp-prompt-generator's Nightmare Comfort Dialogue Prompts

#4 - "Touch me. Feel my skin. I'm real, see?"

Words: 1,200

Rating: G

Pairing: Lucanis x Rook (x Spite)

Warnings: Endgame spoilers!

--

Once he notices the nightmares, Lucanis takes to always sleeping on the left side.

Rook is grateful but unyielding, whenever Spite offers to handle them. Well, "eat" them, which Lucanis supposes may not be the most comforting phrasing to open negotiations with. Regardless, her refusal is firm. "I think I'm just about set on having my head messed with for a while."

"We are not. the wolf."

"I know. It's not you. I just… I'm alright. I promise. Thank you, though."

So instead, Lucanis sleeps on the left. When she jerks upright in the dead of night, gasping, reaching blindly towards her hip—it is him she finds instead of the dagger she looks for.

Tonight, a sudden smack against his stomach, and Lucanis is awake.

"Rook."

She's trembling, skin goose-pimpled and damp with cold sweat when he reaches out to lay his palm against her back. A bad one, then. She doesn't answer. "Rook."

A held breath, and then the taut muscle beneath his hands relaxes. Barely. 

"I'm sorry." She curls in a little when he sits to wrap himself around her, draws her knees up to her chest. The cadence of her breath is still too fast. "We really should switch sides."

"I like this side." A kiss to her shoulder, her temple. He waits until, at last, the tension begins to bleed out of her and she relaxes back against his chest. 

We could end this. Spite, more and more frustrated with this every time it happens. Why does Rook not let us help? Let me help?

Internally, Lucanis sighs. They've talked about this, even if… well. It doesn't matter, if he and Spite agree. She doesn't. 

Rook lets Lucanis ease her back down. She curls into his side. He thinks he'll never tire of it, the way she fits beneath his arm, the press of her cheek against his shoulder. Even like this, pensive in the dark as her breathing slowly evens out. 

But he'd take it from her, if he could. 

"The prison?" he asks, after a time.

Rook sighs. "Yeah."

"They seem to be coming more often, lately," he offers, carefully. If they are going to bring it up again, it'll need a�� light touch. 

"Do we have to?" she asks, monotone.

Lighter than that, evidently. 

It's becoming increasingly familiar, now—the little catch in his throat when Spite wants to use their mouth to speak. So much easier than the choking, clawing feeling that had plagued him for so long. If Spite wants to try and argue with her—well. Better him than Lucanis, he supposes. 

"Why do you. want. to keep them?"

Rook's head snaps up, whirling on them. "I do not want to keep them."

Lucanis holds the hand not settled on her hip up placatingly. He is but a messenger, amor. 

Spite is insistent. "You do not. let. us help."

"They're just dreams, Spite." The twist of her mouth is weary. "They can't hurt me."

"But you do. hurt."

Spite who says the words. Lucanis who raises his brows. "He's not wrong."

Her eyes narrow, very slightly. On second thought, perhaps Lucanis should stay out of this. 

"I don't—" Rook begins, but then she stops. Lucanis can feel it on his face, the… plea Spite has stumbled over, night after night, not quite able to understand the sentiment. Maybe it's overdue, letting them settle it directly. 

Something flickers in her expression. She strokes her thumb across their cheekbone. Her lips twitch in a smile when one or the other of them turns just so slightly towards it, instinctively. "I do," she admits. "But it's real. As real as dreams get, anyway. I spent a long time not knowing what was real. I just…can't."

Lucanis understands. Spite does not. "Blood magic," he spits, indignant, the flare of anger spilling over the part that's him into the part that's Lucanis. Lucanis takes a deep breath, tempers it. "Not like us. We are not. him." 

"I'm not saying you are," Rook says, remarkably level for someone who was shaking like a leaf not ten minutes ago. "I told you already. It's not about you. I didn't know what was real. I couldn't trust my own mind, all that time, and I had no idea. No one did. What if—"

Lucanis who frowns, now, when she cuts off abruptly, lips pressing thin. Who shifts to prop himself up on his elbow to look at her directly. "'What if', what?"

Rook's brows draw together briefly and then smooth again, too quickly. Her eyes shift just slightly to the side, mimicking contact without making it. "This is hardly fair," she says, tone falsely light. "We should have some ground rules about how many of us are allowed to argue at once."

Another time, he would probably let the deflection be. Tonight, the tightness at the corners of her eyes, the way she's subtly working her jaw as if chewing on a thought she doesn't want to speak, unsettles him. "Rook," he says, more than half a request.

She is still for a moment, and then sighs, straightens up to sit facing him, crosslegged on the bed. She still can't quite seem to meet his eyes again. "Lucanis, he's holding back the fade. He had me having full conversations with a dead man for months and months. How am I supposed to trust myself with anything, after that? How am I supposed to know for certain there wasn't more, that any of this is—" Her voice catches. She looks down at her hands, clenched tight together in her lap.

Lucanis is very, very careful as he shifts his body until he is seated opposite her, mirroring her posture until their knees brush. Spite has withdrawn—watching, focused, but distant. Quiet. 

"I didn't know you worried about this."

"Every day," Rook says to her hands. "It's still hard to believe sometimes that all of this is real. Some days I'm not sure if I should."

He doesn't take her hands. Instead, he rests his in the space between them, open. "Touch me. Feel my skin."

She hesitates. He waits. Gingerly, her hands unclasp. She brushes her fingers along his palm, does not pull away when he curls his own to catch hers in a loose hold. "I'm real, see? Whatever Solas did or didn't do—this is real."

"Lucanis," she whispers, sounding broken. 

"You don't have to believe it. I'll still be here when you do. Still real."

"I don't want to hurt Spite's feelings." Her eyes are bright when she looks up at him, welled without spilling over yet. "I know he only wants to help. I'm just—I…"

"You're not there yet." Lucanis twists his wrist to change the angle, just enough that he can interlace his fingers with her own. Rook sniffs, blinks, but does not cry. Stubborn, as usual. "That's okay."

She gives his hand a squeeze, offers a small, grateful smile. "Maybe one day."

"Maybe."

And until then, he'll sleep on the left.

[emeraldhypothesis]

Yubel, for the ask Meme

Why I like them/why I don’t

Yubel's my favorite villain in GX. Such an interesting character with a really tragic background that the show juggles expertly between using it to excuse and justify their pain when it needs to be excused, while also still having the cast say "Yeah but you gotta go down." I love their history with Judai and how they complete each other in a whole mess of ways, I love Yubel's twisted views on love and how several characters contrast with and against it during Season 3,

And in retrospect, they're also just Peak Gender.

What I like about their appearance

Where do you even start with praising Yubel's design? The physical split of the gender between their breast and pec combo? The striking orange-teal eyes? The eccentric but comprehensible color palette? Yubel just has it all!

Do I prefer their dub names or original names?

Same in both beyond their evolved forms going from Germanic phrases to more conventional translations, both are fine.

Performance wise I do prefer the Japanese but I'll give Cassandra Lee Morris her due flowers for making the most of her time in the dub. Pity Duel Links recording for Yubel happened during the SAG Strike a few years ago as I think she was approached about returning. Eileen Stevens and Alyson Leigh Rosenfield were both OK, but I think Rosenfield maybe went a bit too raspy for her Duel Links performance.

Hiromi Tsuru though, she owned that role. One of the best in her career, may she rest in peace.

OTP

Judai/Yubel, no contest. Please don't separate them for the good of the universe.

NOTP

Let's be real any dynamic that doesn't involve Judai is gonna be this for in-character reasons

OT3

I once heard Yubel/Judai/Johan described as "A GNC couple with their woke European dog" and that wordplay is just too specific and too funny for me to never not enjoy, especially Yubel being a bit awkward around Johan and praying they never ask where Yubel found all that leather.

Favourite card they use

Listing Yubel's own monster would be cheating so I'll either play nice and list Grinder Golem, or cheat uniquely and list Loving Defender Forever.

Nightmare Pain is also a fun spell. :)

Favourite moment they were in

That moment when Darkness steals Yubel and forces them to attack Neos, but Judai turns it into a direct attack and just tenderly holds their hand while promising to get them back is everything to me. I wish we got more Yubel moments in Season 4 like that.

Also just all of their duel with Ryo/Zane, it's the perfect capstone to his arc and Yubel plays their role perfectly.

Shout out as well to them just murdering Amon so hard the show doesn't even pretend anyone brought him back. Good riddance to that cloudy creep.

Least favourite moment

Not many, I'm quite fond of Yubel, but I will just gesture at how the dub trims down their motivations as "You maybe simplified it a bit much in your effort to make the sadomasochism palpable for Little Timmy."

[songsformonkeys]

Get to know your moots!

I didn't actually get tagged but I saw @fromthedeskoftheraven had done this and it looked like fun so I wanted to answer these questions too 💖

What's the origin of your blog title? I don't fully remember the exact reasoning behind it. But I used to have an old writing blog that was called wordsforbananas so maybe it was just a twist on that?

OTP(s) + Shipname: Jayvik is my latest OTP crush. I'm also very fond of Steddie and Stavier. For some reason, I can't think of any ship OTPs that are actually canon atm. It might be because the slow burn fan in me often loses interest a bit once the characters actually get together unless the creator has a clear plan how to keep their relationship interesting beyond the pining.

Favourite colour: Orange and green

Favourite game: I adore the Unlocked! games. It's like a fun escape room in a box.

Song stuck in your head: Messy - Lola Young. I saw a video of a cartoon cat singing it and the lyrics of the chorus fit surprisingly well. So now I've been singing it all week.

Weirdest habit/trait? I'm trying to think of something but every weird habit that comes to mind is just very mild on the weird scale. Like sometimes eating carrots like a corn on the cob or preferring fake plants to real ones in my home. I like for my friends and loved ones to pick out my perfumes so I can think of them every time I wear them, but I don't think that counts as weird.

Hobbies: Reading, writing, sewing, daydreaming, secondhand shopping for cool clothes, building lego, and a bunch of other stuff that catch my attention for a week or two before I move on.

If you work, what's your profession? I work at a hospital. Mostly with pain management and gastrointestinal issues.

If you could have any job you wish, what would it be? I'm quite happy where I am now. But if I were to switch, I would probably want to work with Doctors Without Borders.

Something you're good at: I used to be quite good at archery but I haven't done it in a bit so not sure if I still am. I think I'm pretty funny, and I tend to stay calm in a crisis.

Something you're bad at: Cooking. Horribly bad at that. And I have no patience when it comes to waiting for things that excite me. I am also a world-class procrastinator.

Something you love: My family and friends.

Something you could talk about for hours off the cuff: This might make me sound like a bit of a gossip, but I love talking about people. Not in a mean-spirited way. Just catching up or talking about cool stuff they've done. For example, I love listening to my mother tell me about what the people back home have been up to (even the ones that I barely know) and telling her about what's new in my friend's lives. It makes me feel connected to people even if they're not physically close.

Something you hate: small-mindedness and when people get judgemental over things that are harmless.

Something you collect: Fandom trinkets, cosplay outfits that I rarely have an occasion to use, clothes, pretty stationery, and anything that'll make my home cozy.

Something you forget: ...is it ironic that I can't think of anything atm. I think I usually have an okay memory.

What's your love language? I never know if this means how I show love or if it's how I want to receive it so I'll answer both. I show love through Touch (but don't always like it when others touch me) and words of affirmation. And I feel the most loved when others give me words of affirmation (hello praise kink) or acts of service. It makes me feel taken care of and loved.

Favourite movie/show: Favorite movie: The Fall. Favorite show: too many to count. Currently, I really like Arcane.

Favourite food: Sushi

Favourite animal: Cats

What were you like as a child? A bit of a loner sometimes. Not very shy but just introverted. I loved reading and spent a lot of time doing that. I was very responsible and looked out for my little sister and her friends a lot of the time. I had one close friend that I hung out with. We watched Disney movies and baked cookies.

Favourite subject at school? Any language subject. I also really enjoyed PE because then I could run around and play sports with my classmates and I was decent enough at most sports. Hated long-distance running though. Found it boring and pointless. Still do.

Least favorite subject? Math probably. I did not like that there was a definitive answer to things and that I couldn't talk and bullshit my way to the right answer.

What's your best character trait? I think I'm a good listener and a loyal friend. And I like that I can usually make people laugh.

What's your worst character trait? I think I can get a bit distant sometimes. Especially when people message me. There's something about being available at all times through my phone that just rubs me the wrong way and I think the messages sometimes become a reminder of that (even if there's rarely any pressure from the person messaging me that I have to reply right away). And I know that sometimes I take that too far and wait too long to reply.

If you could change any detail of your day right now what would it be? I'd like to find a way to procrastinate less. I find it sometimes keeps me from doing stuff I would really enjoy.

If you could travel in time who would you like to meet? My great-grandparents on my mother's side. They seemed like such badass and fun people, and I've heard so many stories about them.

Recommend one of your favourite fanfics (spread the love!): I am absolutely in love with the Sweet Series by @oonajaeadira. It has excellent writing, Javi G, an amazing reader character, and all kinds of softness. Anyone who loves Javi will LOVE this series.

I have seen plenty of these post floating about on my dash so many of you have probably already done this but if you see this and haven't, think of this as me taggging you :)

[chrysalis-the-butterfly]

Can you do Alastor please 🥺

Yep!

Send me a character and I’ll list:

Favourite thing about them: The radio filter on his voice! I'm a sucker for characters with artificial voice filters like that. And his disdain for "frivolous television technology" is amusing.

I recently rewatched the first episode of Hazbin Hotel with my dad, and he liked Alastor's radio filter too. (Yes, my dad watched some of Hazbin Hotel. And he decided it was "a bit too out there" for him.)

Least favourite thing about them: His design, I think. Yes, the creepy smile that never leaves his face is a nice touch, but that bob? It does nothing for me.

Favourite line: It's a close tie between, "Do you like blood, violence, and depravity of a sexual nature? Of course you do! That's why you're in Hell!" and, "Well, my dear, I haven't been active in Hell for some time, and everyone remembers me from my radio show! The proper medium to express oneself! But you insisted on this ... noisy picture box advertisement. So I had a little fun with it."

brOTP: I like his friendships with Mimzy and Rosie. The fact that he and Mimzy knew each other when they were alive is really interesting. And I can see how he and Rosie would bond over their shared fondness for cannibalism.

Plus, I just think it's funny that Alastor has been building this platonic girl gang around him. He's asexual, but also a chick magnet.

OTP: I don't really have one for Alastor. He's definitely ace, and he might be aro too, and I have yet to see a character that's made me go, "Ooh, I'd love to see what would happen if they were in a romantic relationship with Alastor."

But if I had to pick an OTP ... maybe RadioRose? Two cannibalistic Overlords causing chaos together? That would be pretty neat.

Actually, what about RadioStatic? The fact that the normally cool and collected Vox can be made to completely malfunction because of Alastor has piqued my interest. Maybe they were dating years ago, and then something went wrong. Or maybe they had a business partnership, and Vox wanted it to become something more, and Alastor just wasn't feeling it. Yes, Vox has Valentino now, but maybe there's a part of him that still pines for Alastor - which would be ironic, considering that Alastor has little to no interest in him.

nOTP: Charlastor. I prefer them having a "twisted mentor and innocent mentee" relationship, rather than a romantic one. Given that Alastor has positioned himself as a father figure to Charlie (albeit just to annoy Lucifer), it would be weird to think of them dating.

Random headcanon: Alastor has zero artistic ability. He once tried to paint portraits of the Hazbin Hotel staff and residents as part of an art therapy exercise, but they all look cursed. Or like cats. Or like cursed cats.

Unpopular opinion: Sorry, Alastor stans, I can't get on the hype train with this guy. Not yet, anyway.

I like characters that have a mixture of the known and the mysterious - that is, you know enough about them from the canon material that there are traits you can identify and latch onto, but there are also some things left up to interpretation for you to muse over.

Right now, Alastor's just a bit too mysterious for me. Is he going to be an ally? Is he going to be an enemy? I can't decide whether I like him because I don't know enough about him.

By contrast, I already know lots about Angel Dust, and I like what I've seen so far. And there are still things I don't know about him, such as how he met Valentino, that I can speculate on, which I find fun. That's why Angel is my blorbo and Alastor isn't.

Song I associate with them: "Love ka?" (a.k.a. "Rabuka") by Hiiragi Kirai and Ado. Particularly this Yokune Ruko cover. I see it as a RadioStatic song, because the lyrics are about sharks (Vox likes sharks, doesn't he?) and about bugs (which would fit with Vox glitching out).

The ending lyrics translate as, "These putrid 'love you,' 'love you,' 'love yous' have already fallen to the ground and died out. If you don't like what you found within your reach, maybe you should stop looking." That sounds like something Alastor would say to Vox.

Favourite picture of them:

[laismoura-art]

Regarding your latest Ship War™ reblog: The way SubSmoke is my OTP but I'm so detached from its community that I wasn't even aware the drama in the SubScorp tag had been a thing. .____.

(Okay and I stay away from the SubScorp tag too lmao)

Like- especially given how MK1 also killed SubSmoke- We are literally both losing. Guys, c'mon. 😭

In the name of all SubSmoke fans, I apologize lmao. Tbh, I quite quickly found out that I didn't vibe with SubSmoke fans because of how most of them treat Tomáš. Some fans really strike me as Toxic Teenage Cringe Yaoi Enthusiasts™, which makes me super uncomfortable. Maybe it's just a vocal minority but it's nothing I want to be part of. ^^'

What a sad little shipper existence it is lol.

Are ship wars still active in the MK fandom though? The fandom is quite dead, the MK1 hype has been deader than dead since Khaos Reigns. Do people still fight over these? 😭

(That reminds me that I have to finish the ask memes you sent me months ago. I have the Kira/Frost almost done y'know? Just got my brain stuck in other things-😭)

Hey there, Rasta!💕

Yeah, SubScorp was my main tag to explore back then so I was there right when it happened😭 it was annoying but died quickly cause not long after the karma Lin Kuei trailer came out with the "We don't share blood but we are brothers" putting us all officially on the same boat! :'D

(lmao, I get it, I’ve never been to the SubSmoke tag either🫣)

In the name of all SubScorp fans, I appreciate and accept your apology and if any SubScorp shipper ever did anything like that in you guy's tag, I offer my own apology and a slap to the back of their head!😤

But seriously, what these SubSmoke shippers did was a minor inconvenience compared to the absolute HELL the inc*st shippers pulled when they started claiming that now that Kuai and Bi-Han were Scorpion & Sub-Zero, their stupid "ship" qualified as SubScorp and therefore they had the right to use OUR tag.

Like seriously, taste apart, go to someone else's PRE-ESTABLISHED ship tag and claim you own it too because of some damn technicality was just straight up EVIL and DISGUSTING!

It made everybody uncomfortable and annoyed, it took us MONTHS of arguing and blocking to cleanse our tag from those ill-mannered PRICKS! >:(

°.✦

Oof, I feel you with the Smoke/SubSmoke situation! There's nothing worse than the feeling of the rest of your fandom not vibing with you😭😭 I've been through a similar situation back when I was in the Voltron fandom with Keith/Klance (whereas their entire dynamic, development and growth was being twisted and ignored to the point where they were just the hot yaoi meme and Keith became just your stereotyped gay boy who's personality is just "gay" (ಠ_ಠ)). I was NOT having a good time there, Rasta! Not. At. All!

But I did have a wonderful time chatting with this lovely Lotura shipper, who gave me a lot of room and encouragement to write my ship the way I wanted!🥹💕 Love ya @amerricanartwork !

°.✦

Are ship wars still active? Hmmm, I haven't seen any? The "rarepair war" I mentioned in my reblog was the last I saw and I think it didn't last long cause... you know... rarepairs... don't got that many soldiers to begin with... lol!

Some HanRumi shippers still pop up here and there to complain about KuaiRumi but honestly, us KuaiRumi shippers have been hit so many times by so many different shippers (in the spam of a YEAR) that at this point we're just:

SHOOT ME, COWARD!

Plus, I dunno which are the top ships these days, I know there's JohnShi and... RaiLao? But they aren't my jam so I don't know if there's any big ship war going on.

Like you said, the fandom is pretty quiet, ain't gonna say dead, cause I keep feeding my Harumi girlies and tending my OTP (safest place on Earth: a pseudo OC × Canon, lmao), but I think as soon as MK1 pulls another brand new ship into existence we'll be getting some real movement here, lol!

(Oh yeah, I'm quite curious about those!👀 But please, do take your time, I know we've gotta share you with the Arcane fandom now, lol! But I ain't complaining, I'm quite happy to see that you adopted the fandom's flower girl!💕)

Anyways, hope it has somehow answered your question!😅💕

[beoljibentertainment]

mrsimpleline' posted in 2024.06.07

For those who saw Super Junior on Radio Star, who do you think Nara dated in 2009?

[video attach with Radio Star moment where they talk about Nara's only relationship read the oneshot HERE for more info]

g-monarchy: Are you kidding me? It was obviously G-Dragon. They got engaged in 2015 but it didn't work out

jinaraforlife: they really were the OTP  sungmissing: guys, they are friends, they never dated g-monarchy: You're going to act like that? AFTER THAT MUCH OF PROOF?  (+239 answers)

gardenhoney: It seems you didn't even watch Knowing Bros, I'm disgusted with these comments. 

elfshawolstan: I don't think it's Wooyoung, but it was funny as hell seeing him thirst over her 

mrsimpleline': Wasn't Wooyoung like 10 in 2009?  elfshawolstan: NO ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ the Wooyoung we're talking about is from 2PM, not Ateez multigroupsp: And he used to thought he was being super discreet smbabe: Nara saying she liked to work out and the other day he posted him running at Cheonggyecheon River was peak comedy for me  multigroupsp: RIGHT!!! smbabe: we could make compilations of him looking at her at the awards and she just 🧍‍♀️ multigroupsp: and when someone talked about Super Junior or Nara, the entire 2PM would stop to look at him. couldn't they be more discreet????? leroleronara: They used to go to a lot of parties together at that time, didn't they? I bet idols hook up in this after parties lol multigroupsp: SM did have to make a statement that they were just friends when Tiffany and Nichkhun started to date, i feel that there's something we don't know elfshawolstan: IDK, he really give me the “one sided crush” vibes ayoitsgg: agree!!!! mbc did god's work putting him in the my little old boy episode Nara's in  (+127 answers, mostly talking about Wooyoung doing things to grab Nara's attention)

maknaeontop!: Guys, remember how happy she was when she met Rain in 2006? Maybe they exchanged numbers after, she literally said he was her ideal type and let's remember she was very famous at the time and staff said she used to receive letters from other idols and actors 

mrsimpleline': Wasn't she barely 18? He needed to be very weird to do that maknaeontop!: Even though it's sad, we know that predatorism happens a lot in the industry multigroupsp: people used to ship them nonetheless idk other times but Heechul said the relationship was in 2009, so she was already 21 and i guess that's ok?  (+20 answers) 

hummingbee: Maybe it was a non-celebrity, that's why she doesn't talk about it (and neither should us, let them live, it has been 15 years!) 

redvelvetcachorras: [link to the article of idols that called her their ideal type] do you think any of this? 

gbassi: oh it would be a turn of events for some of them ㅋㅋㅋㅋ yeoeunsliver: I cannot imagine it at all

elfshawolstan: It would definitely be a plot twist if it was Onew and he created a wholeass story to throw us off hahahahaha

ryeosheart: WHY ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT GUYS OUTSIDE OF SUPER JUNIOR? SHE'S ALWAYS SURROUNDED BY THE MOST HANDSOME MEN. WHY WOULD SHE WANT ANYONE OUTSIDE THE GROUP? 

doyounggirl: my bets are on siwon, you cannot tell me this man just casually hug her at every opportunity and they don't have anything  idkwhyimhere: they are just friends, practically siblings bee&racconfan: it's definitely Kangin guys, we've been saying this since 2006 yesexplease: NO. She deserves better than him.  girafferyeo: I was going to say Eunhyuk cuz I was a hardcore Eunara shipper, but since I discovered they put her in D&E to cover the IU scandal, I think they really were just acting and the undeniable chemistry was just in my head 😭😭😭 yenashipper: I'm still here (+1.936 answers) 

twins05: please stop commenting on who you think she used to date/has dated, she has already said that she doesn't like to be referred to by her relationships 

honeybee1988: maybe that's exactly why she doesn't call men her boyfriends anymore, trauma  twins05: let's not diagnose her too, please

[bywayofmemory]

20 questions for fic writers!

Tagged by @last-haven, thank you!

how many works do you have on AO3?

It's only this high thanks to 3SF, but 377. Probably about 200 of them are minifics.

what's your total AO3 word count?

509,594. I've been writing a long time, but not always consistently, and often in such short form. Still, not a bad number.

what are you top 5 fics by kudos?

Drunk on the Dying Light, Grisha Trilogy, Darklina. Also the longest fic I've ever written! (652)

Maybe it Will All Come Back to Me, ASoIaF, Jon/Arya. This was written for porn battle, back in the old lj days. (647)

Toying With Them Older Guys, Empyrean, Violet & Sgaeyl. My Yuletide fic from 2023, which is funny since it's obviously unusual for a Yuletide fic to end up on this kind of list. (524)

Hold My Heart in Two, ASoIaF, Jon/Arya/Sansa. Another porn battle fic which was for a long while the only fic in the Jon/Arya/Sansa tag, explaining its popularity. (406)

The World That's on the Other Side, Firefly, Mal/River. Quite possibly the best thing I've ever written. (401)

The top two regularly switch positions and have been doing so for a couple years now.

what fandoms do you write for?

There are almost 100 fandoms on my list thanks to 3SF, but ones I actually currently write for - mostly Narnia, ASoIaF & Related fandoms aka HotD, and Empyrean. In the past I wrote a lot of Firefly and some Shadow & Bone/Grishaverse.

do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to, yes. It just feels polite to say thank you! There are a few here and there I forgot to reply to until it felt like it was 'too late' and I'm ashamed every time I see them. I never particularly notice if other people reply or not though, so I suppose I shouldn't be.

what's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Not counting tragic 3SF fics like the one where I killed Edmund while his powerless family watched, maybe Words Against the Tide, a NFE fic in which Jadis kills her siblings and ends the world, as she's wont to do, or on a more personal scale of angst, A Rush of Blood Is Not Enough, a Folk of the Air fic where sex pollen and miscommunication leads to two very unhappy people feeling their relationship has broken beyond repair.

what's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

The majority of my fics have happy endings, so it's difficult to say. In terms of warm, fuzzy endings that fix everything that went wrong in canon with no hints of future darkness to come, it's probably The World That's on the Other Side, which uses time travel to shift canon slightly to the side into a gentler, happier verse.

do you get hate on fics?

Yep. I write a lot of pairings people really hate and want to make me feel bad about. I don't.

do you write smut?

I don't often write straight up pwp, but I have done so, and often include a bit of smut in my longer fics. It really is one of those things that gets easier the more you do it.

do you write crossovers?

Me??? Never.

I write random ones all the time in 3SF, but it would be most accurate to say I'm a Narnia/GoT/ASoIaF crossover writer, thanks to @thatgirlnevershutsup and her love of Susan Pevensie/Jon Snow. I've twisted those two verses together so often you'd think I'd run out of new ideas, but I haven't yet.

have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of, but I don't look for it.

have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, into multiple languages. That's always fun, even if I'm sometimes a little confused by the choice of fics.

have you ever cowritten a fic before?

Only in terms of 3SF collaborations. I might be able to make it work if I was writing one pov and my cowriter another, but otherwise I think I'm too controlling.

what's your all time favourite ship?

Oh come on! Nobody can choose just one. I've shipped Susan/Edmund the longest and hardest, Mal/River always feels like coming home and visiting old friends, and Darklina scratches the OTP itch perfectly.

what's the wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

The third and fourth parts of my Firefly Mal/River series, Love Keeps Her in the Air. It's been over a decade now and the fandom is dead, it's not going to happen. But it would be nice!

what are your writing strengths?

Dialogue and character voice in general. I have a good ear for it, I think because I have a good ear for language in general, having started out as a poet. I always sound like myself, but my Andromache doesn't sound like my Violet who doesn't sound like my Jon Snow who hopefully doesn't sound like my Edmund, etc etc.

what are your writing weaknesses?

Plot! I've gotten better with that at time, but I'm still not great at it and I'm in awe of anyone who can pull off a casefic or a heist story or really anything with a lot of twists and turns and many pieces carefully slotted into place. My plots are much more linear and basic.

thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I used to do it in Firefly fic all the time. I probably wouldn't do so again unless I knew someone who spoke the language and could translate for me; now when I write something like HotD fic, I just say the characters are speaking Valaryian or whatever.

first fandom you wrote for?

LotR, but none of that is online anywhere, or probably even on my harddrive. No great loss there. Firefly is the first one for which anything is published anywhere.

favourite fic you've ever written?

Well I've already said above what I think the best thing I ever wrote is, and I've mentioned a few other favorites in other questions, so I'll go with The Arc Towards the Sun, an Iliad fic I wrote for a dear friend for Yuletide years ago and which always makes me happy on reread. I hit the exact voice I wanted dead on in that one.

Tagging @wingedflight, @thatgirlnevershutsup, @klaineharmony, and @starsuncounted along with anyone else who would like to!

[yxxxxxx1]

“Too afraid to even look her in the eyes… as if one glance would unravel everything I’ve been trying to hide.”

Random chestervelle moments – 22/?

[magnaflourious-nerdity]

So the ask got deleted accidentally, but @autisticharrywells asked me about SANGYAO for toxic ship bingo, and now that I have forcibly dragged them through all 50 episodes, i can at last go off---- you FOOL! you have fallen directly into my trap!!! Muahahaha

I do not know how I ended up here. I don't know WHY I ended up here, except that I'm some kind of masochist.

Like I was all prepared to be 100% team wangxian otp and read all the fic and shit, and I started out so promising. (And I do love them...) But then. Then. That little demon brought a bird to class. And the other little demon protected him during the Wen thing. The stabbing ?? The warning as Meng Yao was leaving to huaisang DESPITE actively bleeding. The pleading to Mingjue to let Meng Yao stay despite no evidence of Huaisang ever really standing up to question NMJ decisions before like that (esp in front of other clan members) (other than with things like blowing off Sabre practice) THE FAN CLENCH. MY HEART. And THEN they committed their various atrocities during which the no turning back point was hit for them so many times and yet i do believe the remorse was there and so too was some affection still, twisted as it was by time and hatred and isolation and i... I just....I slipped?

There's so much there!!! (and please keep in mind I'm mostly talking from a cql/the untamed perspective, though I have seen the donghua and am aware of book cannon, I just kinda prefer the show as the version I take to heart (with some notable jgy or Huaisang based exceptions bc i'm nothing if not willing to excuse their pretty boy mid-divorce war crimes))

These two have such a deep shared history that spans the entirety of the cannon, and their relationship is extra fascinating on rewatch as you can more clearly track the downward spiral of events.

There's also the tragedy that it COULD have been avoided, was so close to being avoided several times bc JGY is not really EVIL, (any one who says this is being super reductive imo) but he does preserve himself above all other things and people through sheer learned necessity (with the exception of xichen and isn't that also a beautiful part of sangyao tragedy?? That so clearly xichen and JGY were destined to be the tragic counterparts to wwx and lwj's relationship not nhs and jgy? That xichen was the only thing JGY ever sacrificed true parts of himself for, that huaisang knows that he could have done the same for him, but didn't? Because there was too much history with Mingjue to let it go, and also bc the devotion or affection he held for huaisang when they were both on the mountain never surpassed that point. He had too much caution to truly be himself, and Huaisang, I don't think could ever truly see past JGYs status in the way that xichen was able to since he served as his big brother's vice general and also his appointed companion to a degree. ) And where does that leave huaisang? Where he always is. ALONE. On a mountain he never fit in on in the first place. Where does it leave JGY? Stuck in a permanant customer service role to his awful father and branded further untrustable as a spy. Humilated and broken down to the point of just. So much murder. (Some of which I still maintain tain as a public service coughcoughJinGuangShancoughcough)

They are so much alike and yet so different in such key aspects, that I also have to believe they were meant to act as parallels to one another, just like wwx and jgy, or xichen and wangji. The planning and manipulation they both do (in their own ways bc i am in the camp that while huaisang is smarter than the average bear, smarter than he ever wants to let on bc it makes his life easier, he isnt able to truly outpace JGY's ability to craft a situation. What he is good at is manipulating people and social situations, and adapting his outlined plan extremely well on the fly- with the exception of maybe xichen. I dont think he meant to truly hurt xichen like that. I think that was a natural panic that if JGY was allowed to live it would mean Huaisang actually had to die at some point instead, Though I do also think perhaps there is some lingering resentment there that leads to it to bc why is JGY worth pardoning after his crimes to xichen? Doesn't this mean he inherently valued JGY over Mingjue, over Huaisang’s own pain and anguish? (he did, but not maliciously, lans are love blind we know this))

The tragedies of nie huaisang are inextricably linked to the tragedies of jgy and vice versa! Technically, huaisang, as a bastard of the clan leader with one of his concubines, (I think that's right) should be discounted as a noble son, esp considering his weaker nature and lack of talents dictated to be valuable by the standards of the nie clan. He should have the same status really or at least a status more closely similar to jgy who is constatly looked down on because of his mother's position and bastard status, despite his constant hyper competency, as we see so vividly. And yet Huaisang is given title and rank and (some) respect where JGY gets trodden into the mud and shit of life, even as he succeeds in raising the jin clans success through his actions and talents. Meanwhile, huaisang is thought to be a useless leech by others, untalented in the ways of ruling or anything that's deemed an actually respectable skill by clan leader standards. A pathetic little dude who doesn't know how to do anything, and yes, he does get cast as a headshaker in the eyes of the people, but it's never his background thats brought into question as to why he might be failing. It's considered a result of his personality, not his upbringing. And even then he doesn't get shit talked as much as JGY does. Huaisang has all the privilege that JGY was never afforded, and does that color JGYs view a bit? Does it make him just bitter enough that, when combined with his father’s looming threats and taunts, and Mingjue’s inability to ever let anything JGY does go, that he's willing to hurt huaisang in such a way, even just as a byproduct of his mission?

Huaisang’s plan is successful, bc people discount him as incompetent, yes, but also bc they still see him as a noble, as someone of enough inherent value, diminished though it may be, that he weilds that influence even when playing the fool. JGY doesn't get that respect even at his height of his power and competency as a ruler.

They are, neither of them, strong cultivators. But that factor only really affects JGY bc it means he has to fight even harder for acceptance and validation. Huaisang also gets the luxury of CHOOSING not to be a strong cultivator. Because his position in life IS secure, he can slack off. He is allowed to try his hardest to avoid the fate of his family and do his utmost not to cultivate in that manner. Which I think, too, causes some of the resentment. On both sides. Huaisang never has to work a day in his life, has barely any expectations to live up to and still gets the respect Meng Yao is constantly robbed of. And for huaisang- On top of killing his brother via musically-induced, full-bodied rage embolism, JGY is now also the reason that huaisang is thrust into a position he was entirely unprepared for way before he was supposed to be.

And we know, we KNOW that JGY is responsible for so many of Huaisang’s pretty little things. His beloved indulgences granted not by his own brother, but by his doting san-ge. Things that got burned or destroyed by Mingjue simplu for the fact that a) they were from JGY and B) they are not the type of things NMJ cosidereds respectabke hobbies or skills. A large number of his fans and painting supplies are gifts from JGY, and he stood up for and encouraged those hobbies against the person he probably fears the most at that point, Mingjue (even if he's already actively trying to kill him by then). And huaisang seemed genuinely pleased that JGY had found acceptance and was getting what he (thought he) wanted. The friendship and affection was real, just not near strong enough to withstand the crimes of the other.

And oh boy that divorce was rough and bloody and beautiful and tragic and I just love the messy nature of the relationship, how deep and how twisted it went and became. And i think, right up until the very end, JGY didn't truly want to believe that Huaisang was capable of doing this to him, I don't think he ever wanted to hurt huaisang again the way he had to when he killed Mingjue. Use him? Maybe. But not in a malicious way, not by his standards.

I am happy to read any sangyao content I can get, however! I love reading about them as companions on the mountain, growing together, bonding. Maybe young and in love? I love reading the gradual drifting apart. The years they schemed and used each other. The final divorce. And what comes after. Or what could never be. Any content, I will take, and it depends on where in cannon we are that a particular square is filled in.

Jgy had to fight for both acceptance and sheer survival, and huaisang never really had to do either. Except maybe during the ~10 years of the gap when Huaisang had figured him out, but was pretending to be useless to achieve his ends. You could argue the mindset that aside from just avenging his DaGe, he was also concerned about his own survival bc what if he became an Inconvienience instead of just the annoyance he was playing up to be? If he actually stood in Guanyao's way? It would be much easier to take him out than Mingjue, realistically. But what would be that threshold to have JGY actually do anything? Are Huaisang’s histrionics and uselessness useful to him? Or a result of guilty indulgence? Or left over fondness from a ti.e they were so close? Some combo of all? Who can say and I fucking love that uncertainty about them

Saying all that, these two are the poster child for OTP I don't want to end up together in Canon, lol. Unless it's one of the many time travel fix it aus, they simply have too much history and shared issues and rage between them to ever make sense working out. But their stories are so incomplete without the other, they are inexorably linked, and I just think they're neat!

(Please don't come for me cql fans. im sure I've misunderstood or posted an opinion that's utterly debatable on here. But like, also. I'm tired and I love them and I don't care.)

I have more to say about them that you'll probably get to hear at some point when we talk, but for now, they have BROKEN MY BRAIN.

Also, to all my fellow sangyao peeps: please feel free to send fic recs if you want. I am so hungry for the content.

[chemicalarospec]

My Death Note Playlists (prt 1 of my fav lyrics)

They're basically all "emo" btw.

I have two: the full playlist

and the "canon compliant" version -- which does NOT mean the songs support a canon-compliant interpretation, but that they were released before 2010. Canon timeline, you see, ignoring the 9/11 thing. (I'm a little more picky with this one in general.)

Okay now I'm just going to highlight my favorite lyrics that I blorbo brain all over (predominantly Light, and lots of Lawlight ranging from platonic murder to romantic lovers to romantic murder). It will be long, so here's a cut!

I'll pick out songs going down "full playlist" in order.

"Liar (It Takes One to Know One)" by Taking Back Sunday

Obvious, but "we're all choir boys at best" deserves attention. "It takes one to know one" shouted at the end -- all of Light and L knowing each other better than anyone.

"Juneau" by Funeral for a Friend

"I'm nothing more than a line in your book." Hey, I didn't say all these connections were good.

"Spin" by Taking Back Sunday

The whole thing is very Light to L.

"Looking for a Tornado" by Chiodos

Maybe I got a little lost while searching for my faith stuck to your cross You set fire to everything around [...] Do I believe in love; do I believe in heaven? (At the sound of church bells, they come running) All my clocks stuck on eleven; afraid if I hit my knees, I might get nothing

^ Lawlight /romantic intent /sexual intent

This is the sound of your savior running in need of anything to save you from nothing

^ bonus God/savior complex Light

"Always and Never" by Silverstein - "Don't have a heart attack"

"War Crimes" by Waterparks

kinda Light and Misa. "I wear a smile that's about a mile wide" lol. and "My death will be the fandom [sic]" for L.

"The Words 'Best Friend' Become Redefined" by Chiodos

The title as their fake-friendship-with-murderous-intent. Lyrics as romantic dying Lawlight. +"To hide from our twisted ways/I've been hiding in this bed"

"Fist Wrapped in Blood" by Silverstein

I love toxic couples. Cannibalism couples. Violence couples. (Some tntduo vibes in this one too, xoxo tntduo, still kinda my OTP.) "A Midwestern State Of Emergency" for similar reasons (we got the wild line "Bound and gagged but I enjoy it") + "Your saving grace, my final rites"

"One Day All Women Will Become Monsters" by Chiodos <3

That title but also "Always being the blind villain" -> Blind Lady Justice Light Yagami!!! + "Rip the haunting smirk from his face"

"Thank You for the Venom" by My Chemical Romance

Now I want to listen to Three Cheers looking for Death Note songs. (If I wasn't still finishing tntduo demolition lovers, Death Note demolition lovers would be sooo in.) Anyways: "I keep a gun on the book you gave me."

"Hard to Breathe" by Hawthorne Heights

"I spent my whole life lying/I just got caught." This one gets a big heading b/c that line is still the working title for my Light fic (yeah, it'll get posted. one day).

"There's no Penguins in Alaska" by Chiodos is a rare Misa moment on the playlist.

"Timberwolves at New Jersey" by Taking Back Sunday

"Literate and stylish/kissable and quiet/that's what girls' dreams are made of" and "This is you trying hard to make sure that you're seen/With a girl on your arm and your heart on your sleeve" = Light. Plus, the "me at my worst (committing murder)" theme of second half of the song

"Where Can I Stab Myself in the Ears" by Hawthorn Heights - "This is the ending, here's my surrender" & the complementing each other bridge theme. and lying.

"Why the Munsters Matter" by Chiodos

"I don't want to fit into your world/your heart/I hope I scare you"!!!!! It's NOT what happens in Death Note but it IS what Light and L are about IN MY HEAD.

"Ole Fishlips is Dead Now" is another rare Misa song. The "she's in love with herself" line but the subject is Light.

"Goldmine" by Paper Tigers

(link leads to song b/c the band is pretty indie)

Maybe that's something I admire Maybe you've made another enemy of me ... You goldmine Every little thing that you say It blows away my mind ... They say that pride proceeds the fall And that the sword is weaker than the pen

rare L to Light song on the playlist

"Your Sword Versus My Dagger" by Silverstein

Another Discovering the Waterfront track. "I'm cutting through, you're bleeding out/And I would tell the truth, but I can't help myself" + "I wasn't asking for the world" as another Light inverse/lying line (or kinda Misa) + "And I can see your face, and I can hear your name" in reference to Death Note rules lol.

"Is it Progression If A Cannibal Uses A Fork?" by Chiodos

"Listen up, sweetie!/We all know that you're a beautiful girl in this horrible world." - Light lol

"The solemn tolling of the funeral bells. I want to know what's going on in that pretty little head of yours where everyday's a Bone Palace Ballet."

"Divine Intervention" by Taking Back Sunday

rare soft song -- cutesy by Lawlight standards

Despondent, distracted You're vicious and romantic These are a few of my favorite things ... Something real, make it timeless An act of God and nothing less will be accepted ... We're stubborn and melodramatic A real class act

~a little skipping ahead to songs I wrote up out of order... part two will probably come next week!~

"The Brothers Karamazov" by The Used

all of it. but especially "I'm more than just my father's son" as an inverse of Light who is so little more than the son of a cop, "I see myself in everything I hate about you/I shut my mouth to stop myself from sounding like you" as him and L, and "Take me away from who I could become" as the conflict between Light and the influence of the Death Note.

"Chemicals" by Armor for Sleep

Lyrics about "you" dying ("I can picture your coffin"!!!) and the general vibe and:

And I’m on my back, on your floor. Tell me how you fooled the world again, I like how you laugh when you tell it

^ both L and Misa work. Light's evil laugh.

Play dead, cause I’ll be playing dead with you. I’ll play you when you’re dead in a year or two.

^ Light pretending to be L after he's dead.

"Three Simple Words" by Finch

"My hand's around your throat/who will stop me now?" !!! throwback to "Until the Day I Die", which I didn't highlight but also has "hands at your throat". I like the aggressive & repetitive usage in this song better. Light to L, of course.

Tune in next week for more of the same! (btw I had a lot going on so it's still not up but will edit this when I do it)

[princesssarisa]

Winifred Sanderson for the character ask

Favorite thing about them: Her sheer flamboyance and zest for her wicked deeds, and her perfect blend of comedy and genuine dangerousness. She's a villain I love to hate.

Least favorite thing about them: Well, she is an evil, child-murdering witch, and she abuses her sisters too.

On a meta level, I might have some concerns about a well-known Jewish actress (who's very "Jewish looking" too, with her frizzy red hair and big nose) playing a witch whose particular brand of evil, sucking out children's life force in a magic ritual, has some obvious parallels with the blood libel legend. But of course the parallels between antisemitic stereotypes and witch stereotypes are common throughout all media with witches. Besides, the character isn't Jewish, she's from a Puritan village in colonial Massachusetts, and if Bette Midler had no problem playing the role (in fact she calls it her all-time favorite role), why should anyone else object?

Three things I have in common with them:

*I like to sing and perform.

*I'm sensitive to rude remarks about my looks.

*I like Halloween.

Three things I don't have in common with them:

*I don't have red hair.

*I've never murdered anyone.

*I don't have any sisters.

Favorite line:

Her first line, printed on quite a bit of Halloween merchandise:

"Oh, look. Another glorious morning. Makes me sick!"

Her curse just before being hanged:

"Fools! All of you! My ungodly book speaks to you! On All Hallows' Eve, when the moon is round, a virgin will summon us from under the ground! (laughs) We shall be back! And the lives of all the children shall be mine!"

When she sees a school for the first time, judging by its appearance and its smell of children:

"It is a prison for children!"

About Dani calling her "ugly":

"She really hurt my feelings... She doesn't even know me! You know, I always wanted a child, and now I think I'll have one... on toast!"

When she brings Billy Butcherson back as a zombie:

"Unfaithful lover, long since dead, deep asleep in thy wormy bed! Wiggle thy toes! Open thine eyes! Twist thy fingers toward the skies! Life is sweet, be not shy! On thy feet! So sayeth I!"

In response to being told "Go to hell!":

"Oh! I've been there, thank you. I found it quite lovely."

And as a bonus, from the Hocus Pocus Villains Spelltacular show at Walt Disney World, when she laments that she and her sisters don't have any friends, and Sarah says "We're friends":

"No, we're sisters. I have to like you."

brOTP: Her sisters Mary and Sarah, even if she does treat them shabbily most of the time.

OTP: None, unless there's a man out there who wants to be poisoned and have his mouth sewn shut if he makes one wrong move.

nOTP: Thackery Binx, Max Dennison, or Billy Butcherson.

Random headcanon: During the 300 years she and her sisters spent in hell after their execution, she met several of the classic Disney villains (who of course were killed in their own stories), like Maleficent, the Evil Queen, Ursula, Gaston, Scar, and Frollo. Her interactions with them were very interesting.

Unpopular opinion: I'll say the same thing I did about her sisters. I wish the Boo to You Halloween Parade at Walt Disney World had only dressed Minnie Mouse as Winifred for the 30th anniversary of Hocus Pocus in 2023. Ditto for Clarabelle Cow as Mary and Daisy Duck as Sarah. I wish they hadn't kept it for this year's parade too. Hocus Pocus is really a movie for middle schoolers and older, not for the little kids Minnie and friends appeal to the most. The costume does look cute on Minnie, but still.

Song I associate with them: What else?

Favorite picture of them:

[incoherentbabblings]

Hellooo! Do you still do with the OTP of the year prompts? If it’s not too much, maybe Timsteph with time travel or ‘you’re the only one I could turn to to help?’

You can of course ask for this! I am always open for requests - especially for this year's themes - but I won't lie and I admit my ability to write for DC has shrivelled up and died. Apologies guys for not writing much this year. I hope this makes up for it (a little). I'm sorry it's so short.

This is just an absolutely buck wild au. Don't ask for context... I have none. I went for ‘you’re the only one I could turn to to help’ over time travel if that is okay!

Year of the OTP Requests

She was recognisable even in the dark. Never able to give up that purple hood, blonde hair spilling out like a river of sunlight. Even in the dark gloom of Gotham, even buried away in the darkest shadows, she shone.

Tim dropped down into the alleyway, and she responded by pulling her cloak tighter around herself.

"Eight months since I saw you last - what is it?" Tim asked. "What do you want?"

He wanted her to say she would come home with him. A life without her or Dick or Cassandra was a difficult one. One where he was not allowed (not that he had ever asked, but Tim would know the answer if he ever tried).

Somewhere in the back of Tim's mind, the thought that she would finally accept that her, Dick and Cassandra were fighting a losing battle, and with her first words, he began to believe it.

"I need your help."

"What?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him, more than anything else.

"I need you to get me out of the city."

The hope cracked, and something ugly began to take its place.

"For how long?" he asked, cold heart still splintering with her words. If she left Gotham, that would be that. All hope of a reconciliation would flicker and fade out. He needed her as that bridge.

Shaded under her hood, Stephanie blinked, expressionless and striking Tim as both very tired, and yet very determined.

"Forever."

"No," he choked out, shocking himself at how quickly it flew off his tongue. The strangled look of disgust and surprise on Stephanie's face made him turn away and try to gather his thoughts. "I mean, you're giving up? You would never do that. Not to Gotham."

Stephanie said nothing, and Tim continued to march back and forth, cape billowing out behind him. "No," he said, thinking out loud. "No, because so long as Dick and Cassandra fight, so will you. And you would only leave if they were. And even then... So there's something else."

He noted that she had not moved, her own purple cloak hiding her form from view. He could see however, that her arms were not relaxed, but rather up around around her sternum and stomach.

She stepped backwards, further into shadow.

"I cannot stay," she muttered. "I need your help to leave. There is no-one else who I could ask to help me get off the islands."

Tim followed her. "Why?"

Eight months since he had last seen her. Eight months...

Stephanie shifted, shoulder twisting one side of her cloak back. Tim looked down, and saw she was holding a sleeping baby.

Eight months.

"Not mine," she muttered, immediately killing his accusation dead. "But a friend."

"Where's this friend?" he asked.

"Dead."

Her eyes were frozen solid, daring Tim to be horrid. Instead he looked at his feet, and muttered a very quiet apology. The glare softened, tentative that maybe she was not being as foolish as Dick and Cassandra believed her to be.

"I don't understand," Tim argued. "You want to leave and start anew elsewhere? Leave Gotham to rot?"

"The baby, Tim. He's a meta. Those police you built... you tell me what their programming says about metas in Gotham."

As if sensing the mood, the skies darkened, threatening to weep on the estranged couple hidden in the shadows. A cold wind blew through Tim's hair and settled in his very bones.

"Oh."

The nerves in Stephanie's body language began to show. Nervously, she looked from side to side, cautious of any machine patrolling the streets. They were not impossible to disarm, but she was not prepped for a fight.

"He cannot stay here. But I cannot get him out of the city alone."

Tim's heart sank. "Why did you come to me?"

"Because you still love me," she stated, not even hiding the manipulation. "Because I believe you still want to make me happy and keep me safe. I am protecting this baby. He needs to leave. You’re the only one I could turn to to help. You know of ways out, I know it."

Tim stepped closer, inspecting the baby, and the woman holding him.

The ugly thoughts rose again.

Frightened at his ponderous silence, Stephanie tried once more.

"I do not believe you have fallen so far," she whispered. Balancing the sleeping child, she touched Tim's cheek. Even through the gloves, fire burned down through his nerves, sparking a thumping heart beat. Tim resisted the urge to groan. "Help me," Stephanie urged. "Please."

"What's his name?"

Stephanie bit her tongue, and Tim snorted. "If you want me to smuggle you out, you have to trust me."

Furious at the condescension, Stephanie grabbed Tim's chin, forcing him to look her in the eye.

"I will not beg," she insisted.

Tim jerked his head to the side. "You don't need to. Of course I'll help. He's just a baby."

Her tense muscles did not slacken. Instead, when Tim moved closer, she stiffened even further, as if repulsed by his presence. How far the two had fallen apart.

The ugly thoughts made their way out of Tim's mouth.

"I'll get the baby out of Gotham. I still know where Conner or Cassie are. Don't think Bart would be a very good... Anyway. I'll help him."

Stephanie started to relax, just for a moment, until Tim gave his ultimatum.

"But you have to stay. You come home, with me."

If Stephanie were not holding a baby, she would have slapped Tim. He knew this, and very quickly added, "Surely you see, the use of having someone on the inside, right Steph?"

Her pretty mouth dropped open, and she tugged her hood back so Tim could better see her expression. Even after years of fighting, she was still so soft featured. It did not stop her from looking furious, confused, and, to Tim's relief, hopeful.

He did not blame her. Promising to evacuate a wanted child whilst making a condition her literal and metaphorical imprisonment only to openly offer her a method of being a double agent... No wonder she looked pained.

"What game are you playing?" she hissed.

He could not let her leave. She was the only way he could make the connection to the others. He sighed, staring at the sleeping child. He did not miss the way Stephanie instinctively tilted her hip, angling the baby towards Tim to allow him a better look.

In another life...

"A long one," he murmured, still enraptured by the babe. "You said it yourself Steph. You’re the only one I can turn to to help."

[natashasbitxh]

To the anon asking you if they're a racoon for feeling the Shaynse, YES YOU'RE A RACCOON!!!!! (In Chance voice) 'cause that's how I feel about it, you can help it, it's just happens.

Now I have to said it I tried to watch sword af but I got stuck in the first video, so Idk if I would watch it completely, maybe if I get out of videos to see, I would end up watching the sword af videos completely.

Also I watched some of the old ones, the chicken video one, where that actually give a vibe to the characters from love is blind hahahaha. I think I started this journey this week to be honest. I really don't understand how it happened, I think I stopped watching smosh like last month and this Monday y started again and basically all the Smosh games videos that were uploaded, I don't remember how but I have the love is blind really as a huge video for me, it made me laugh like no other in the games videos, so I didn't look for the ship tag 'cause I didn't know how or what name it would have. And the one day before the theater video came I actually ended watching love is blind again, I went really crazy, the first time the plot twist was crazy hahahahaha and how everything is like: “oh we're straight but we figure it out”, it's so funny to me for some strange reason.

And now I'm here on Tumblr waiting for people to talk about it, thanks for recommending the teletubbies, I think I watched all the reunion by now, I watched the pumpkin live too and other's lives where they're in. My love for the lives it's just how soft they're, just that. Softness.

The theater kid video, my love for redacted and Sarah Christ would have been the otp for me, but Shaynse took it all, I read all the comment and it's crazy how some minutes of interactions take to see that it's a powerful dynamic what this two be having (which is not bad) is a good thing, even Shayne said in the Smosh mouth year episode where he keeps interrupting Chance because he keeps relating to him, for me it like they have more in common that they thing, that was my highlight of that video, there's a lot of moments I know, but I know you know, so I just feel like we don't need to process those ('cause I will go crazy for the fact that Shayne is so shy and actually gets nervous some times and stutters when trying to answer to Chance hahahaha this man is a treasure).

Going back to the theater video, I just feel Shayne nervousness in all that part, it's so funny hahahaha, I love how everyone is looking at them, like it's the first time they ever interacted hahahah Idk why but it's so funny. AND THE FACT THAT SOMEONE READ THAT FIC AND FIX IT TO ACTUALLY BE IN THE VIDEO, WHO EVER DID THAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH, that the real one, they really have to read that... I'm going insane.

I confess I been watching some videos twice or three times, (I'm going feral like a raccoon if you ask me hahaha) I really love that ask that anon send you.

I guess that's it, today I'll watch more videos if I see something I'll share them here. I hope we get more fun moments.

And my question is, what is your fav video where they're in? And why? Do you feel like they need a playlist soon? Share your thoughts, I'm always pleasant to read everything about what you see in them. Because the spark is there (as a good thing) they just need to shine a little bit more.

Honestly raccoon is a perfect way to describe it

If u don't like sword af that is totally fine!! Not for everybody and thats okay!

tbh that a little vague😭 but my first thought was the vid where they're on a team flipping the chicken? Cause they're great in that vid!

Oh that's so great that u got back into smosh! The love is blind ep truly is such an important vid for me! Rlly showed me how great the smoshblr community is 🫶 Yh they're hilarious in that vid too!! Shayne came to serve drama and he did JUST THAT!!

Thats great! Did u enjoy the reunions? There truly is gold in those and they deserve more love, I miss them!! (Although they do get a lot of love on certain areas of the internet) I rlly miss the improv style vids they used to do on smosh main, where they kept laughter in! I guess the love is blind vid felt a little bit like that, cause they're playing characters? Idk

Oh I LOVE them in lives, I eat it up everytime they're so sweet in those!

I just gotta say I LOVE redacted and Sarah christ too, and it was so fun to see a mutual's fanfic make it in the vid! Yh, I think the fanfic vid rlly did bring a few more ppl to shaynse nation and I think that's so fun!

Yes, they are actually quite similar!! AND YES THE NERVOUSNESS AND STUTTERING!! SOMEBODY PULL UP THE "DID I LOOK GOOD IN MY WEDDING DRESS" CLIP!!!

Yh, Shayne is like uncharacteristically nervous!! Kinda crazy and rare to see within a smosh vid! Can't stop thinking abt the journey the fanfic would've had to get thru to get there...thank you to the author🫡

oh I rewatch smosh vids all the time, especially ones theyre in! Ur not alone!!

Yes, share anymore thoughts u have! I hope we get more moments too!

ooo my fav vid..I'm gonna have to say two! First off, the love is blind vid because it's such a classic and is iconic! When that came out I literally went crazy, shaynse day lives in my hear forever! And I think they're so fun in that vid, they're both competitive so when they got coupled up they were genuinely trying so hard to match! But I also have to say a low key one I love is the smoshmouth ep where they talk abt past jobs, there's a lot of sweet moments in that! And the intro of "Chanse, thanks for being here" "Thanks for having me", is literally the cutest and most gentle thing ever!! And also since u mentioned them not rlly insulting each other, my mind has been blown because also in that intro Shayne is quick to say something like "There's no rules rlly." In a kinda defense of Chanse, I just think that's sweet!

I'd love to hear ur fav vid and why!

I'm curious abt what u mean by playlist? Like a music or a vid playlist? I actually have both of those! I've just not shared yet cause I created both of them on personal accounts, I may make new accounts so I can share them at some point but idk!

Thank you for sharing ur thoughts anon! Yes, their spark needs to be explored!

[frankenstein-ate-my-left-shoe]

20 questions for fic writers

i was tagged by @stevethehairington, thanks mack!!

1. How many works do you have on AO3? only 10!

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 149,243

3. What fandoms do you write for? mainly been stranger things and one little spn drabble here on tumblr and my st/spn crossover fic

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1. Several Notes of the Most Amiable Nature - aka secret admirer au (my first fic!) 2. A Recipe for Disaster - the princess diaries 2 au 3. (Reprise) - sequel to Several Notes 4. i'm outta my head over you - my mixtape fic 5. of sunshine and starlight - PWP 😏

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not? i am so super behind, but yes!!!! and i appreciate them all so so much 🥺

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? definitely it's a date, my summer challenge fic (but i am working through a follow-up that makes it a happy ending i promise 😭)

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? of all of them, i would probably say Several Notes; that one is the schmoopiest ending of them all, but next would def be outta my head.

(i don't want to count Recipe for Disaster since that's the same ending as the PD movie so... 😅)

8. Do you get hate on fics? i've been lucky to only get a little bit of screaming at me for it's a date, but not hate. they were all justifiably ASKLFAJLFASF at the plot twist, but it was all in good fun/still loved 🥰

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind? yes!! my number 5 most liked fic is just PWP! and it's always been cute fluffy "real" smut so far, like the two being goofy with each other and super in love and shit lmao 10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written? yeah! only the one though, my wip ST/SPN crossover fic You Will Never Walk Alone (You Can Always Reach Me); and to the previous question, my first smut was in chap 3 of this one and i am super proud of it still 😊

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? i really hope not???

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? not yet!

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

14. What’s your all time favorite ship? oh fuck...honestly? it's probably steddie. my OTP is destiel, like, they are the blueprint, they are the ones i have the most history with, but in complete honesty: in my head steddie is much more fluid/blorbo-y than destiel are. dean and cas are so fuckin' good in canon and kinda rare-er for me to find a good au with them that they still seem like themselves? if that makes sense?

with steddie, they are so moldable and fit into any spot you put them; i prefer canon adjacent but anything they do seems so correct, whereas dean and cas will always be a hunter and angel you know? that's how their story has been for so long, and all my fave fics of them are canon spn universe - a spell, a different timeline, a hunt, it's always them™

idk if that makes sense to anyone else, but maybe it's because destiel have been destiel for like 11 seasons and 15 years, and steddie have so little with only one season/summer that they are more moldable but... 🤷‍♀️

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will? honestly, it's probably my hispanic!eddie au, but my casper!eddie has been falling off at an exponential rate and it's bumming me out tbh

16. What are your writing strengths? i think it's dialogue? i think that's the thing i've gotten the most comments about, the wit and snark of eddie and his internal voice, or just conversations in general. i like to think through how conversations will go in a fic first, like, how exactly they would realistically speak to each other or how an accent (wayne) would come through and how best to type it out so others can 'hear' it correctly 😊

17. What are your writing weaknesses? writing out action/feelings well. maybe it's cause i get super engrossed in what i'm writing and am looking at it too long, but a lot of the time it feels like i'm just writing "he did this 😐 and then he did this 😐 then said this."

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic? i do my best!!! like with the short drabble i did that started the hispanic!eddie au, i did best i could to translate the couple spanish phrases in it, but i don't speak spanish myself. my husband is hispanic and is fluent, but when i wrote that one i was much to embarrassed by why i would be asking him, that i didn't ask him to translate 😭

19. First fandom you wrote for? stranger things! the st/steddie fandom was so supportive with my secret admirer drabble that i made it my first full fic!!!

20. Favorite fic you’ve written? my fave that i've written is my mixtape fic i'm outta my head over you. i wrote so much for it in such a short amount of time for steddie week but it really came together and was all me!

i do also LOVE how my version of a princess diaries rewrite came out, but the plot is just a copy of the movie and isn't really mine you know?

not sure who all has been tagged already, but here are some no pressure tags!!: @thisapplepielife, @azrielgreen, @its-steddie-time, @strawberryspence, @sayesayes, @undreaming-fanfiction, @greatunironic, @fairyfried