#part of me really wants to explore the sharing Oop’s thing with them

[nanuk-the-bat]

One on hand I should never pick up another stylus with the intent of drawing, because everything I touch ends up terrible, and I’m just going to make more terrible crap 😫…but on the other hand, I’m completely aware of the terribleness and I still can’t shake the idea of wanting to draw Darling in his own version of Jesse’s astral dive suit. And if I don’t draw it, I’ll never know what astral dive Darling looks like. And how cool would it be for them to go exploring the astral plane together? With semi matching suits? :x

[lexirosewrites]

it’s my two year Steddie-versary today?!!!

(which means I’m gonna ramble emotionally for a little bit)💛

I’m not really sure how to fully describe the last two years of my life and my involvement in the steddie fandom, but I’ll try!

I remember watching season four of ST and really liking Eddie, thinking he was so cool. I’d always liked Steve, but putting them together was a whole different story. And then I recall seeing fanart, finding a couple fics here and there.

I wasn’t aware how deep I’d gotten until I was drafting a fic of my own, eager to join the fun any way that I could. It had been years since I’d written anything of my own, but I was lonely and bored enough to try.

I drafted my first fic “All Through The Night” for a month.

I wrote it. Rewrote it. Edited it. Doubted whether it should stay in the drafts. Finally, I just hit post.

From there, it kept going. I’d write a few non-omegaverse fics based on TikTok prompts. Then, I’d end up delving into the omegaverse trope in a way I never had before.

I started to remember how much I enjoyed writing and I found a community that was kind to me. I made friends in the AO3 comments of all places!

It was a few months before I joined ST twitter in December of 2022, but I was encouraged to hang out and make more friends.

(I don’t need to rehash the bad parts of my experience because I think we’re all pretty aware of what happened. But I don’t want those things to define me or spoil all the good that’s come from this fandom either. Bullies don’t get to take this from me.

I wasn’t super active on Tumblr prior to my Twitter leave because I didn’t really understand the app😅 we figured it out eventually and I am so grateful to have been welcomed here when I was feeling so low.)

I figured out a lot about myself in this fandom! I identified as a cis, bi-questioning woman when I started writing!! That’s insane to me now!

But I found a place to explore and meet other queer people and ask questions that I would’ve never asked!

I was leading worship at a mega church when I posted my first fic. I was freshly separated from my ex-husband and still hurting immensely. I was working through a pandemic as a nurse and hating my life. I didn’t have much that brought me joy anymore.

This silly gay ship probably saved my life…

And I know I’ve been semi-MIA as far as posting to AO3 the last several months, but I have no intentions of leaving this fandom anytime soon. I will not abandon my fics or disappear. I just need a little bit of a break because I burnt myself out on writing for a year and a half!

God this post went way too long. Oops.

Okay! In summary! Today is my two year Steddie-versary and I love you all!!! I’m grateful for the friends I’ve made and the support I’ve had to share my stories.

(also tbh I cannot believe I tricked this many of you into reading mpreg)

[otomefiend]

Victor

Story Event: Black Wedding (part 2)

Chapter 2

Chapter 1

We finally learn more juicy stuff about Victor, though it's still very vague. He sure is hawt when he threatens people.

~~Part 1~~

Having the freedom to do as we pleased, we spent our time leisurely, playing a couple of lovers.

―― or that's how it was supposed to look on the surface; avoiding prying eyes, Victor and I explored the inside of Amour's headquarters.

In this way, we learned two things.

One, that the bodies of the missing lovers were hidden in the basement.

Two, the believers were not involved, and the guru was the sole culprit.

Victor: "Kate, I got you some scones and pastries. And some wine!"

Victor: "I know it's daytime, but shall we have some?"

Kate: "Hehe, I can be persuaded to have a sip. Cheers."

(The only thing that keeps my heart from sinking when I sense the presence of death around me is that Victor is beside me like this)

Victor: "Just now, some of the girls were making bouquets for our wedding tomorrow."

Kate: "Really? Even if it's a fake wedding, it's a happy one."

Victor: "Hey, Kate."

Victor: "Do you want to get married one day?"

He asked me the way someone would say good morning or good night,

It was a natural and soft question, as if it were the continuation of a daily conversation.

(Do I want to get married one day, huh...?)

~~Part 2~~

Kate: "I'm not obsessed with the details of the ceremony itself, but the idea of ​​marriage is certainly appealing."

Kate: "I think it'd be lovely to wear a wedding dress and say the vows..."

Kate: "Apologies, that's not a particularly witty answer."

Victor: "No, it's wonderful. I might tear up if I see you like this one day."

As he laughed, a light breeze ruffled his hair.

Victor: "Before I went on this mission, I wondered why people get married."

Victor: "As you said yourself, marriage is a ceremony that binds people together, right?"

Victor: "Still, why do so many lovers want that?"

Kate: "And what's your answer?"

Victor: "I see marriage as a promise to enjoy the future together."

Kate: "Promise...?"

Victor: "Life isn't all about fun. Sometimes, it can be painful and sad."

Victor: "...you remember that too, don't you?"

When I nodded, his eyes became soft.

Victor: "But even on such days, we can walk holding hands. Thinking about the good times that will surely return someday."

~~Part 3~~

(...Let’s wait for good times together, huh? That’s nice; it’s a very Victor-like way of thinking)

Victor was a genius at making good times happen.

He always brightened up the place, got people involved, and made them smile.....a larger-than-life kind of person.

However, I didn't think there was anyone who could just have fun in life.

Victor's fun must have been imbued with various pasts and experiences...

Kate: "Umm..."

Victor: "Yes?"

Kate: "Victor, do you ever share your pain and hardships with anyone?"

Victor: "Regrettably, as you can see, I don't have a lover and I'm not married. Look, my hand is still free, isn't it?"

He waved his hand and smiled.

Victor: "―― but I'm fine."

(...?)

Victor: "Because I, you see dear Kate, I may have tasted enough pain and suffering to last a lifetime."

Victor: "That's why I'm tired of being trapped by such things."

Victor: "That's why I am strongest right now! Oops, these scones are exquisite. Try them, Kate."

Kate: "Y-yes! Oh, that's true.... so fluffy!"

Victor: "Aren't they? I wonder what was added to make them like this. Let's ask later."

I was aware of the sudden change in the conversation, but pretended not to notice.

I was sure Victor knew about it.

Victor: "Right, Kate. I'm going to do one thing at the wedding tomorrow."

Kate: "And that being?"

Victor: "Will you lend me your ear?"

~~Part 4~~

Victor: "Right, Kate. I'm going to do one thing at the wedding tomorrow."

Kate: "And that being?"

Victor: "Will you lend me your ear?"

Victor: "―― let's lie."

~~~

The next day, Victor and I were standing in the chapel where the wedding was to take place.

As for my jet-black wedding dress ―― I wasn't wearing it.

A man with a veiled face walked to the altar.

―― when he looked around, he gasped.

Guru: "... Why is there no sign of my precious followers?

Victor: "That's because they were charmed by my words and believed me."

Guru: "...wh-at?"

Victor: "I told them the wedding was postponed until the afternoon."

Guru: "Even so, someone should have noticed something's wrong. ........ Huh."

Kate: "We added sleeping pills to everyone's breakfast, just in case."

Guru: "...!"

Kate: "Rest assured, I got them from an acquaintance, who used to be a doctor. They should be awake in a few hours."

Guru: "Who are you..... police? Or..."

He pulled a gun from his pocket and pointed it at us.

Before I could brace myself, Victor hid me behind his back.

(...Victor?)

Victor: "For a man who professes eternal love, pointing a gun at others without hesitation... is like admitting to being a murderer."

Guru: "....damn"

Victor: "Ah, there's no point in shooting. You can't kill me that easily."

Victor: "You'll end up being killed by me long before that. Sorry, I'm just that strong."

(...What... is this intimidating feeling)

He was talking as usual, but the air he gave off was extremely sharp.

To the extent that if the man decided to move even one step ―― his life was forfeited."

As if to prove these words, the so-called guru couldn't pull the trigger.

Victor: "Hmm, it would be easy to kill you here, but then it wouldn't be any fun, would it?"

Victor: "Then, shall we have a game?"

Guru: "...a game?"

Victor: "Right, whoever hurts the opponent first wins. You can use that gun, knife, spear, whatever you like."

Victor: "My weapon is ―― let's see if this is enough."

~~Part 5~~

Victor: "Kate, may I borrow your lips?"

Kate: "Huh?"

He smiled and gently run his thumb over my lips.

Now crimson in colour, his finger was stained with the rouge.

Guru: "Eh... you can underestimate me all you want. Just don't regret it after I shoot you dead."

Victor: "I like regret. It allows me to grow as a person."

Victor: "Shall we go then ―― let's start the game."

All I remembered was how Victor's long black hair swayed.

The moment I blinked, the game was already over.

Guru: ".....!"

Victor stood behind the man and ran his thumb along his neck.

Victor: "Yes. And now you're dead?"

His finger left a trail of crimson rouge wherever it touched.

―― As if it were a death sentence.

Guru: "eek...."

Victor: "You're scared, aren't you?"

Guru: "S-sorry... I'm sorry..."

Victor: "It must be terrifying to feel someone taking your life away."

Victor: "―― this is the horror you put so many lovers through."

Guru: "..........ah, ahhh....."

Victor: "Until death comes for you, repent in the depths of darkness."

Then, as if it was a newborn's hand, he struck the man's neck with ease and left him unconscious.

Bemused, I watched the whole story play out before my eyes.

(I thought I needed to protect Victor. But that was a complete misunderstanding.)

(...he is strong. And not just that....)

His familiar profile looked different somehow.

To calm my confusion, I slowly opened my mouth.

Kate: "....What are you going to do with this person?"

Victor: "William will take care of him. We can't have blood all over this place."

―― surely this guy won't be alive in a few hours.

Victor: "All right, that means our mission is now complete."

He clapped his hands to clear the heavy air.

Victor: "But there's one more thing to do."

Kate: "And that is...?"

He smiled, his jewel-like eyes shining.

Victor: "Kate, will you marry me?"

Chapter 3 Bitter

[prettysymbiosis]

I’ve been trying to get these thoughts out for days but basically I feel like the unifying theory of s16 (as I see it) is a conscious exploration of the dichotomy between sunny as a classically bold and brash pee pee poo poo comedy and sunny as a thoughtful, nuanced and subtle show about flawed people and also about itself, at times (by that I mean the meta isn’t always about macdennis or the other characters but about sunny itself - win an award, clip show, big mo, etc). the trailer actually captures this dichotomy well through the dialogue clips and animations, as well as the pinned comment which said “get ready for a whole lot of subtlety.” it’s still so baffling to me that sunny can simultaneously read as one of the most loud, obnoxious, unsubtle shows ever on television, OR it can be so subtle and allegorical in the writing of later seasons that most viewers would think people like us are crazy for reading so much into it even though we’re really not. this kind of self-reflective flavor is another product of the rewatch/podcast project which has been almost universally agreed to have had a very positive effect on the writing.

anyway having said that, I want to just share my notes on the first two episodes without trying to edit them too much. I’m bolding the points that I personally haven’t seen anyone else mention yet and putting a 😎 next to ones that evoke a Classic Sunny VibeTM because that’s important to the experiment of this season.

the gang inflates

macden fun/domestic/DUMB again 😎

something something never committing to the couch when it was absurd not to and it ended up costing them so much macdennis blah blah

dennis hanging up on dee was so funny to me oops 😎

and the WHOLE dee (as a character and specifically the female character) thing about being minimized to an absurd degree. I like to think the bog was a turning point for dee and the show is gonna do better by her now hopefully by recognizing her plight in a more serious way, like the way the guys have been doing?

are mac and dennis…… you know…… like for real??? as many have said, it could totally be revealed kind of retroactively to undercut the shock and be like “honestly we’re surprised you didn’t notice sooner” I feel like that is something rcg would do. suggestive clues:

“I don’t wanna talk to you about–” “a TON”

or is dennis like well that’s news to me jealous vibes??

“I figured you were man” ??

“I’m getting a little concerned about our nut”

“you truly have no reason to be sleeping with frank”

they specifically put a lil reaction shot of dennis after mac says “that’s a lotta blowin” a la the lil grin in gets romantic and, well, I just think that’s a choice that was made

“it’s not homophobic” is that so?????

when mac is like “you think we got rid of our furniture too soon/that the business plan won’t work” it’s kinda like no it’s not the committing to what they have, it’s that mac still has big denial problems and dennis can’t work with that… maybe? but so does dennis tbh

in a show-meta sense it’s like, we should be less worried about whether the gay gay-ass love story will alienate people and more worried about how these characters are too ridiculous to even let the love story play out effectively. they need mental health days if we are ever to have nice things

it’s possible mac denying his reaction to the allergy has to do with his body dysmorphia?

also it occurred to me that maybe part of why rob is clean-shaven this season is so they could do those prosthetics more easily?

those handprints though…. I hate everything

oh also just the bed scene. its existence

the zoomed in neck touch of course

“I’m not going to do it!” “..okay” dennis keepin his cool :)

mac’s shirt! COOLER HEADS PREVAIL

just the sheer silliness of inflatable furniture - is there some metaphor here lol?

in a general sense could inflates be taken to mean flanderizes? also maybe it’s just implied but I noticed I hadn’t actually seen anyone mention inflation as a sexual kink and like, that was part of the intention right? if so, 😎

charlie “uhhhhhhhh… yep.” poor charlie :( he doesn’t want to live in a maze (like a rat)

“well then you’re just like being a predator” :( so here for charlie calling out bullshit with frank and mrs. mac and even his own mom so far in these first two eps

charlie just giving up and yelling in frustration which is kinda what bonnie does in ep2 (and ep3 based on trailer)

the gross horny male objectifying thing 😎

rob put his whole pussy into this episode

charlie saying “I don’t get why he doesn’t take me seriously” and dee saying “that’s gotta be maddening” 🙃

cats in the alley my loves 😎

gluing dee a pillow on the wall <3

“consider it an offering” “of war??” this says so much. must everything be a conflict?

charlie’s hair looks so crazy and good in the sleepover scene and also he’s so smart

charlie asks frank to “return everything to the status quo” by the end of the episode, sitcom style. full reset, no progression. except charlie is asking that frank not endlessly take advantage of the fact that mac and den can’t figure their shit out, not totally push dee out just because it’s easy, not make light of the trauma charlie has from what happened to him. all that stuff IS the status quo! so what is he really asking for? this is one of the bits of writing that I think is also about the show as a show, and how they’ve approached these dynamics forever. 

it’s funny that people are saying this season is such a return to form because it is, but it’s also so much more self-aware of what that form is/was and how deeper elements can coexist within it. they’re really walking with a foot in both worlds here and they’re doing it well. love this for them and for us, the people who know what it’s always sunny in philadelphia is REALLY about

“we’ll take you to the hospital, and they’ll have nuts. and you can– you can die there.” hahahah

[heartstringsduet]

Thanks for creating this Weekend WIP ask @welcometololaland . Guess who's not just wide awake at 5 am and half-blindly misunderstanding this is not a ask game but a fill-in thing? OOPS. SORRY thanks for tagging me @rmd-writes @alrightbuckaroo @lemonlyman-dotcom For Writers

1. WIP List: First Aid (Lying fools trying to fix the other)

Let Me Part 5 (D/s verse) TK turning 30 collab with @strandnreyes New Year's Day (meeting over and over on new years) Fathers (daddy issues the fic) 5 things Carlos isn't good at Christmassy short?

2. Which of your WIPs is currently the longest? First Aid. 120k that might be cut down or...expanded? but like 100k for sure will end up published.

3. Which WIP do you expect will end up the longest? See above. Want to take some time away from more than 50k projects after this. Good luck Michelle.

4. Which WIP is your favourite to write/the most enjoyable to write? Why?

Right now TK turning 30 is a wonderful reprieve because it doesn't really have a plot and I love written character deep-dives. But also, seeing the finish line of First Aid really made me sit down and enjoy writing it again.

5. Which WIP do you find the most intimidating to write? Why?

Ugh don't want to be a one-trick pony but First Aid has a lot of things that intimidate me. Like making both of them recognizable despite some very different circumstances for them. But also keeping all plot-points and the pacing and the OCs consistent and in line? UGH.

6. Which WIP do you experience the most self-doubt about. Why? See above. Added pressure for me thinking no one will like it because it really does have flawed characters and a lot of lying and back and forth and drama baby drama. Maybe people won't like the finished thing as much as the snippets. Maybe I will be disappointed by the response.. Maybe maybe maybe

7. Which of your WIPs will you seek out a beta/sensitivity reader for? Why? For longer fics or fics that mean much to me I do ask betas and they are TREMENDOUS helps and just a joy to me. I am in awe of all of you, taking the time to help make something shine more. <3 Still considering asking someone to sensitivity read First Aid but feel like 120k might a bit too much to ask of someone. So maybe I will ask for feedback once I update instead and hope I don't offend anyone and am open to criticism. Or maybe if you read this and want to be a sensitivity reader particularly for representation of Latino characters, would love that <3

8. Have any of your WIPs been struck by the curse of writer's block? Oh some have been on hiatus more like. like the 5 things Carlos can't do or the Fathers one. I really like what I have there so far but then other projects get in the way. First Aid definitely had some writer's block moments so I wrote other things like Let Me in between.

9. Which WIP has your favourite OC? Tell us about them?

Well, First Aid has a few OCs actually and none of them totally the ones everyone will love. But I do like writing Arturo, as a cousin to Carlos, even if he definitely won't be liked much.

10. Which WIP is the sexiest?

Let Me series for sure. That's just where the 5% sexual frustration I feel a year goes lol.

11. Which WIP is the angstiest?

First Aid is like a dark pool of angst. Whoops. Let Me isn't without its fair share of hurt/comfort though.

12. Which WIP has the best characterisation (in your humble opinion)? Fathers. I try to be very close to the source material to explore the relationship of TK and his father and Carlos and Owen through the lense of Carlos and how it changes over time.

13. Which WIP has the best scene setting (in your humble opinion)? My weaknessss. I guess First Aid though. Trying to do some of New York justic,e but ultimately won't probably.

14. Which WIP have you worked the hardest on?

Well for the sheer length and plot and time: First Aid.

15. Which WIP do you have the highest expectations for? Why? See above and see my doubts about First Aid. 😶

16. Do you dream about any of your WIPs?

I WISH. I wish I dreamt about people other than my former high school friends?

17. Do any of your WIPs have particular complexities that your other fics don't? The new part of the Let Me series deals with grief and self-harm in a very specific scenario of being in a relationship with Dom/sub dynamics. I think that's fascinating and I wanted to write that part for a while.

18. Which WIP is the funniest or has the most humour? Did i mention the angst part? But I guess 5 things Carlos isn't good at

19. Do any of your WIPs contain outside POVs or a deep dive on a character other than the main ship? How are you finding that process? Yes! TK turns 30 is actually about so many relationships TK has outside of the romantic one. I LOVE that. Since I have more experience with friendships than even family ties, and deep-dive into my own psyche way too much, I think this one is really challenging and fun.

20. Tell us one thing we don't know about one or more of your WIPs.

I ave like 10k minimum of First Aid that is all different versions of the characters and scenarios that make no sense anymore. Also, coming up with 5 fun things Carlos can't do wasn't that easy. he is TALENTED. I tag @decafdino @ambiguouspenny @carlos-in-glasses @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @lightningboltreader @noxsoulmate @chaotictarlos @louis-ii-reyes-strand @carlos-tk @ladytessa74 @freneticfloetry @orchidscript

[666writingcafe]

Asmo's Wish

What were you thinking about around the time the charm took effect?

"Do you remember the time we went to the bar?" I ask MC, who grimaces.

"Why do you want to bring that up? I made a complete fool out of myself that night!"

"Not before the Demonus came. But that's not what I want to talk about." There's a part of me that's hesitant to continue. I've been thinking about this for a while now, even though I know I shouldn't. It's not like it's worked before, so why would it work now?

"Asmo?" I sigh.

"Right. Sorry. Anyway, as we were chatting, I brought up a theory I had about why I seemed unable to charm you." MC nods their head.

"You thought that my power overwhelmed yours."

"Yeah. I was wondering if that was still true or not."

"You want to charm me." The slightly disapproving look in MC's eyes makes me regret saying anything. Why couldn't I wish for a new outfit or makeup set?

"Please, MC. I promise I won't do anything untoward."

"Your wish is my command." The two of us sit on the floor, facing each other with our legs crossed.

"Look into my eyes." MC does as instructed, and I allow myself to venture inside their mind.

The key to charming someone this way is to find one of their hidden fantasies and gently coax it out into the open. By assuring them that I will fulfill it exactly as they've imagined, I gain their trust, and they willingly submit to me.

After a few moments of exploring MC's thoughts, I feel something trying to pull me in a certain direction. Following it leads me to what appears to be a blank space, leaving me confused. Are they doing this on purpose in order to keep me away?

But then I hear it. A murmur so soft that anyone untrained wouldn't be able to pick up on it.

"You're stuck."

"Huh?" Oops. Did not mean to say that out loud. Now I've confused MC.

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but do you find it hard to express your emotions?" Their eyes widen, and they slowly nod their head.

"They're something I've never been comfortable sharing," they explain. "They can get rather intense, and I don't want to make people uncomfortable and drive them away by not keeping them in check." Hearing that makes my heart ache. In that moment, they remind me so much of myself, especially when I was an angel.

I have spent hundreds of years struggling to accept my emotions for what they are and feel confident enough to share them without fear of rejection. It's a challenge to overcome, and there are still days where I shut people out because I don't want them to hurt me.

I would never wish this upon my worst enemy, let alone someone I care deeply about.

"It's okay to experience the full extent of your emotions sometimes," I tell MC. "It's not good to attempt to keep them bottled up inside you forever, because it always ends up backfiring. I'm not saying that you should cry in the middle of a lecture or anything like that, but you're safe here." I reach forward and grab their hands. "None of us will judge you harshly for having feelings, MC. We may poke and prod to figure out what's bothering you, but that's only because we love you and want to help you in any way we can."

"Really?"

"Really. How can we hold you to a standard that we ourselves fail to reach? That wouldn't be very fair of us, especially since we're Avatars of Sin. Most of our actions, if not all of them, are driven by our emotions." I pause to give MC time to fully process my words.

"I am so proud of you, MC," I continue. "You have achieved so much in such a short amount of time, and you've not let any of it change who you are. It's one of the many, many things I admire about you."

And just like that, the wall breaks down. I see the same thoughts I did when I was helping MC overcome the effects of the syrup, but this time they're not just words.

I can see everything.

Vividly.

They imagine things with all of us, not just one or two people.

As much as I want to dissect each and every fantasy that they have, I need to keep my promise. I have no intention on driving them mad with desire.

[laceybun]

hi, i hope this anon finds you well! i heard about you from lawrence, would you mind sharing tips on how to navigate fragrantica? thank you so much!

Hi there!! I’m very happy you decided to reach out, I’ll try my best to explain through screenshots of me going through my most frequented aspects of the website (on mobile, specifically) I’ve highlighted buttons to explain them!! Please feel free to let me know if it’s helpful or if you have any other questions!!⋆𐙚₊˚⊹ ᡣ𐭩

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹ ᡣ𐭩 So, opening the website will lead you to the main page. This is filled with articles on newer fragrances, sometimes older fragrances, and is sorted by recency. If something intrigues you here, I really recommend reading the article to find the perfume it’s reviewing! There will usually be a link to the perfume somewhere within the article. (I usually just skim until I find the perfume being described lol)

𝜗𝜚 By pressing on the three lines in the top-left corner, it will lead you to a directory of different aspects and functions of fragrantica as a whole, including things like a perfume finder, notes, and the website forums.

❦. By pressing in the top right, you will be able to log in/register, if you have not made an account already. If you have made an account already, it will have a way to access your private messages, your profile, recently viewed perfumes, and a fun lil option to “perfume yourself”, which is just to show what perfume you’re currently wearing! ^.^

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹ ᡣ𐭩 As you can see, there’s a whole lot to look through!! I really recommend exploring it if you have the time to do so, just to get a level of familiarity with the website.

𝜗𝜚 (I chose yellow but I’m doing orange instead oops) This is where you’ll find a masterlist of notes, as well as descriptors of each note, sorted into categories based on scent type. (Gourmand, floral, etc.) Useful for building familiarity with scents and their descriptors, and for finding notes you didn’t think existed! (Priests robes? HUH???)

♡ྀི Searching by notes is my preferred method of finding perfume, it’s incredibly useful and fun!! ^.^ By going through there, you will be able to include and exclude notes, choose masc/fem/unisex, and be given a directory of each perfumes that fit within the parameters you have provided! I use this a lot, lol. Fantastic for finding perfumes based on characters, if you’re able to imagine notes they might wear.

❦. Perfume finder is one I don’t use very often, but it’s an honorable mention. By inputting a perfume you know you like, the algorithm will give you unbiased perfume suggestions of similar fragrances based on note makeup.

⋆𐙚₊˚⊹ ᡣ𐭩 If you have a signature fragrance, you can add it, and right beside that, you can add up to four favorite fragrances.

♡ྀི Let’s assume now that you’ve logged in, by going to your profile, you will be able to find your owned perfumes, previously had perfumes, perfumes you want, and perfumes to test out; Custom lists, which I use for character perfumes or perfume recommendations for friends (as shown by Lawrence’s fragrance list, which I have favorited so it shows up on my main profile, aka easier access for newer people to the site!); And your rated perfumes! Another fun aspect of this website is finding perfumes you’ve tested, used, smelled, whichever way you’ve used it- you can keep track of your opinions on these fragrances through the ratings of love, like, neutral, dislike, and hate.

❦.

(I’ve used up my 10 image per post limit since I’m on mobile oops… If there’s anything else you’d like me to explain, again, I’ll make a part two!! ^.^ thanks for reading!! ⋆𐙚₊˚⊹ ᡣ𐭩)

[powderblueblood]

hello, i hope you are well and having a nice day! you recently made this post (https://www.tumblr.com/powderblueblood/743847014582943744/any-additional-thoughts-on-fandom-and-writing-i) about fandom and writing and i wanted to say that i agree with lots of it and, if u didn't mind, share some of my thoughts about ur thoughts, if that's okay with you, because you brought up some points that i agree with a lot but never bothered to put into words.

firstly, omg dialogue is sooooo crazyyyy its the hardest part for me to write personally (in personal projects, i haven't really used this blog for writing yet) but also the most satisfying. i love the feeling of writing something that i feel a real person, and a specific kind of real person would say, and it's definitely the most interesting for me to read, especially in fanfiction because it's where fun relationships between characters can be explored, but t's also the trickiest because it takes me out of the story very quickly if i don't like the way it's written, both in fanfic and original works as well.

also, while i don't really mind shy readers or badass/snarky and sharp readers, my favourite is but reserved and cautious readers a lot.......like.....they aren't shy.....they are suspicious......they are friendly because that's the polite thing to do but they're not gonna freak it with randos who are weirdly hush hush about what they get up to in their free time. also yeah trying to get a middle schooler to think ur cool is the kind of herculean task that humbles you to the ground and i do think it's a little strange sometimes how quickly a very tight knit group of friends would accept a stranger in their midst, as established with max in s2

and yes omg more characters of colour PLEASE, and for stranger things specifically, imo, i want to just say about the show (which i'm not really watching anymore due to various reason amongst boycotting), i was always sort of put off by how they handled their non-white characters, specifically women of colour like kali, who i think is the only notable woc other than erica, and the way the showrunners handled her character rubs me the wrong way, esp as a desi girl. i also think it would be fun to just write like explicitly characters of colour, both oc and y/n/readers, Black readers, Asian readers, Desi readers, Hispanic readers, that are involved with their specific cultures and backgrounds instead of like, very generalised readers that still do, frankly, tend to come off as white, because of that non-specificity and the unfortunate reality that a lot of "blankness" does tend to get filled up by white norms (i really hope that made sense im so sorry if it didn't)

tbh i also don't really see haringrove because billy freaks me the hell out, but omg....what you said about steddie being any two guy syndrome.......tysm for giving me a word for it, i never knew how to put it other than like, not just that i *personally* don't think they had very good chemistry (not saying their not good actors, just that i don't think they had chemistry), but also i did not see it making thematic sense for either of them and their individual character arcs, as well as a little bit of "get the girl out of the way"-ness that a lot of these specific ships (specific as in the trend of any two guy-ness that can arise in fandom at times) tend to have.

also i never thought about it before, but yeah, having a best friend date your ex that you guys broke off on sort of bad, or at least awkward terms, would be a stressful experience to have to ANYONE in that dynamic. i think i like the idea of nancy and her issues with that, but i think exploring robin and the side of oops i like by bff's ex would be fun and the sort of hurt and weirdness that that could bring to a friendship that has been so far very positive and supporting for both steve and robin.

i am so so so sorry for the disjointed nature of this ask as well as its length, you just brought up some points well worthy of discussion and i wanted to talk to you about it. i'm sorry you feel alienated that's not a fun thing to experience, but if it's worth anything, i think it's nice that a (slightly) older person is still passionate and stuff about something i'm interested in. i feel like especially when your a teen it gets easy to imagine that people in their thirties, forties, fifties have lost all the sort of spark and passion that youthfulness is known for when that's not true! it just changes and evolves and maybe you discover new stuff (me rn as i'm sort of over st and not planning on watching s5 and am largely participatory based on joe keery/djo and maya hawke and caleb laughlin and sadie sink) or re-discover things you'd forgotten about, but idk, i hope i'm able to dedicate some time to my hobbies and such as i grow older which can get tough because of life. happy to hear your thoughts and excited to hear back if you choose to respond. have a pleasant day <3!

sanjana love, I hope you don’t mind me posting this but I think there’s some lovely and valuable bits here and I’m glad some of what I was yappin about resonated with you! big love to you pal

[anneapocalypse]

Ilana Tabris

Dragon Age OC Masterpost

Tag | Fics

City elf rogue. Pickpocket. Scrappy, will stab.

Will not let anyone forget she is an Elf.

Bangs the assassin sent to kill her (and then catches feelings).

Dodges an arranged marriage and then maneuvers her friend into one.

Kinda selfish tbh.

Soft spot for kids and dogs.

Warden-Commander for life.

More than you ever wanted to know below the cut!

How it started:

Ilana looking unimpressed about the wedding she’s trying to weasel out of.

How it’s going:

Alistair might be big mad that she conscripted Loghain and is marrying him off to his daughter. Oops.

Ilana Facts!

Full name: Ilana Adaia Ineria Cyrion Tabris. They’re all family names.

Titles: Warden-Commander, Arl of Amaranthine, Hero of Ferelden, the Dark Wolf of Denerim

Origin: City Elf

Class: Rogue

Specializations: Assassin, Duelist, Shadow

Faith: Andrastian

Life motto: “Fuck it, right.”

Signature look: Ancient Elven Armor

Dog: Sorin

Romance: Zevran

Best friends: Leliana, Morrigan

MVP Party: Zevran, Sten, Morrigan

Major Decisions

Kills Vaughan. Stabs him real good. Like dogs, Shianni.

Accidentally gets her second favorite cousin thrown in prison with her big mouth and then fucks off to be a Grey Warden and literally forgets about it until she finds him in the Arl’s dungeon months later. Oops.

Spares Avernus. No more torture and blood sacrifices please. Also let her know anything new you find out.

Ends the werewolf curse (though she’s very sympathetic to Zathrian’s story).

Defends Redcliffe Village.

Saves the mages.

Saves Connor and Isolde.

Kills Father Kolgrim, does not defile the Ashes, shares them with the world.

Sides with Caridin, destroys the Anvil of the Void, supports Bhelan for King.

Wins the Landsmeet vote, duels Loghain herself, and conscripts him to the Grey Wardens.

Alistair and Anora marry and rule together.

Loghain performs Morrigan’s ritual; Ilana kills the archdemon and lives.

Saves the City of Amaranthine.

Spares the Architect.

In the Brecilian Ruins

Career Highlights

Ilana spends most of her wedding day refusing to put her fancy clothes on and trying to figure out how to weasel out of it. She’s proud of who she is and where she comes from but this is one tradition she’d like to toss straight into the river.

She truly never intends for Soris to wind up in prison. She knew they’d both been seen in the estate anyway, so she just blurts out “It was me and Soris” without thinking. She figures they’ll turn themselves in to avoid retribution against the whole alienage and they can figure out an escape plan later. She has no idea Duncan is about to recruit her as a Grey Warden and leave Soris behind. She doesn’t understand why Duncan wouldn’t recruit him until she sees Daveth die, and realizes that Duncan didn’t think Soris would survive the Joining.

Despite having little choice in the matter, Ilana embraces her new life as a Warden and takes it seriously. One of the first things she does is retake Soldier's Peak, where she chugs Avernus's blood magic potion after reading his notes for five minutes because fuck it, right.

It's probably fine.

Her skill with daggers comes from her mother; she picks up archery after she becomes a Warden, with some help from Leliana, and it's a skill she's particularly proud of.

All her life, Ilana has been curious about the Dalish elves, though never enough to leave her family and seek them out herself. So when her quest to stop the Blight brings her into contact with a Dalish clan, it's exciting. A part of her even hopes that she might find she belongs among them. She learns quickly that they do not welcome her just because she's an elf, and it's a bit of a rude awakening, though she grudgingly understands.

Her time among them teaches her that she is not Dalish and not meant to be. And that doesn't make her any less an elf. It's just not who she is. She does really enjoy exploring the Brecilian Ruins, doing mysterious ancient rituals, and wearing ancient armor she found in ruins, though!

Yeah, sure, she'll drink from this magic pool of water in an ancient ruin. Fuck it, right?

Had it been anyone else possessed in Redcliffe Castle, Ilana probably would have run them through and not thought twice about it, but she has a soft spot for kids and she’s willing to risk traveling to the Circle if it might save Connor.

I'm glad we decided to take this route. This is really the best option.

Finding the Urn of Sacred Ashes is a really profound experience for her, made especially meaningful by seeing Shartan represented in the Gauntlet. She might even shed a tear, though her friends are sworn to secrecy on that point.

"Tell me, pilgrim, did you fail Shianni?" "Yes, I should not have let her be taken in the first place."

She will always find it hard to describe to anyone who wasn’t there.

The Ilana who returns to Denerim both is and is not the sharp, scrappy girl who left the alienage. She is still herself, and she has not forgotten where she came from, and her experiences have only strengthened her elven pride. She feels the weight of her duty as a Grey Warden, and returns hardened by her trials, yet also in some ways softened by her experiences and by the friendships she's found. But above all else she is determined to succeed in stopping the Blight, and that means getting an ass on the throne and the nobles to play ball. Even as she's doing a crime wave across the city, she's formulating her plans for the Landsmeet, and she means to play to win.

Ilana enters the Landsmeet with Alistair, the heir to the throne; Leliana, a lay sister of the Chantry; and Wynne, a loyal Circle mage. She's very deliberate about the image they present to the Landsmeet. But she also deliberately sets herself apart, wearing the signature elven armor that makes her look just a bit otherworldly, and unsettles humans in a way she likes. She will let no one forget who she is. Even though a lot of people call her "my lady" now, Ilana is still uncomfortable being treated as a noble, especially in contexts where it seems that her elvenness is being overlooked rather than honored. She is an elf, and a Grey Warden, and that's what she wants people to see.

Victory brings her a whole new set of challenges and responsibilities: rebuilding the Wardens, ruling Amaranthine, dealing with noble politics and all the humans who now have to deal with the fact that their elven hero didn't have the grace to lie down and die and instead has power and influence and won't let them forget it. It's a lot, but Ilana remains as stubborn as ever and she's not about to back down now. (She could really use a nap, though. Maybe a vacation.)

In Amaranthine, Ilana is so focused on rebuilding the Wardens that she recruits (or conscripts) everyone she can get. While a few of them prove dedicated in the end, the disappearances of Velanna and Anders (the latter leaving more dead Wardens in his wake) convince her that maybe "take whoever you can get" isn't the best tactic.

While she is aware of the power that comes with the title of Arl, even in the provisional sense by which she holds it, Ilana ultimately prefers being the Warden-Commander, and she chooses to learn from the lesson of Sophia Dryden and continue most of her work out of the public eye—though she certainly doesn't hesitate to exercise her influence over the Crown behind the scenes.

Relationships

Family: Ilana was close to her mother, always took after her, and took well to her secret lessons on fighting. Her father worked long hours in those days and wasn’t home much, but spent as much time with Ilana as he could, and they bonded even more after Adaia’s death. Cyrion tries hard to walk the line between respecting Ilana’s “adventurous” spirit and keeping her safe; he tries hard to find her a match she’ll accept, without much success!

Ilana and Shianni are thick as thieves pretty much from the moment Cyrion brings her home. Soris has also lived with them and grown up with Ilana like a brother, as he was orphaned young, but he often feels like a bit of a third wheel after Shianni arrives and the two girls become joined at the hip. Still, the three of them get in plenty of trouble together. When she has to leave the alienage, Ilana misses Shianni more than anyone.

With Ilana conscripted, Soris is taken and thrown in the Arl’s dungeon, where he remains for months. Even after Ilana eventually rescues him, he never quite forgives her for it.

Cousin, you're amazing. Which I shouldn't say to your face, because it'll go to your head. But it's true.

Dog: Ilana names her mabari Sorin, after her cousin Soris. For some reason Soris is not amused by this.

Alistair: Ilana gets along with Alistair pretty well from the start; she thinks he’s funny, though her sense of humor tends to be a little too cutting for him. They bond as Grey Wardens and over the losses they’ve experienced, and become friends.

She also notices pretty quickly that Alistair is very sentimental about the Grey Wardens. He seems convinced that Duncan saved him out of the goodness of his heart, which just doesn’t line up with her own experience. She likes Duncan, but he said himself that conscription was not charity, when he refused to recruit Soris, leaving him to his fate. After Ostagar, Alistair seems more preoccupied with whether things will ever feel the same again than with the importance of rebuilding the order. Over time, this becomes a wedge between them. Things come to a head when Ilana convinces Alistair to marry Anora… then duels Loghain herself and conscripts him to the Grey Wardens, denying Alistair his vengeance and to his mind, justice. They have a knock-down drag-out fight about it back at Eamon’s estate and scare the servants away from the whole wing.

Loghain surviving the final battle doesn’t do much to repair their falling-out, and Alistair remains angry at Ilana for many years, though as King and Warden-Commander they have to behave civilly in public. Maybe they’ll get over it in a couple decades.

"At least the Hero of Ferelden is still here, and alive. That's something, right?" "Don't sound so disappointed.

Morrigan: Ilana takes an immediate liking to her, their senses of humor play well together, and while they disagree on some things and Morrigan finds Ilana a bit sentimental, over time they become close friends. Ilana convinces Loghain to perform the ritual with her, and will always be grateful to her friend for saving her life–and Alistair’s, though she never tells him about the ritual. When they meet up again, Ilana tries to persuade Morrigan she doesn’t have to go it alone. Morrigan still leaves, but one day perhaps they’ll meet again.

And… thank you. For helping me. No one has ever… thank you.

Leliana: Ilana is a little put off by her at first but it doesn’t take long for them to bond, once Leliana explains more about her vision and her beliefs; Ilana is intrigue by her unorthodox view of the Maker. She loves Leliana’s stories, and having a friend with whom she can indulge in some good old petty gossip. They kill Marjolaine and Ilana encourages Leliana to embrace her bard side. They remain in regular contact after the Blight.

Sten: He’s baffled by Ilana at first, of course, but over time they develop a deep respect for one another. When he tells he cannot go home, Ilana understands that in concept if not the details, and readily tells him he can stay with them, which cements their friendship. Ilana doesn’t hear from him after he goes back north, but she will always think of him as a friend. She hopes, as he does, that they never meet on the battlefield.

That one of the bas… a foreigner… would become known as kadan to me? Unthinkable. Yet here it is.

Oghren: He’s a great drinking buddy. Oghren is a friend Ilana can turn to when she doesn’t feel like talking about feelings. After her fight with Alistair, they sit and pass a jug of Oghren’s Special Brew back and forth and don’t talk about it.

Bottoms up.

She's genuinely really happy to see him again at Vigil's keep, and the feeling is mutual.

Wynne: Wynne likes to play the wise mentor to Ilana and Ilana likes to roll her eyes and play the rebellious teenager, but it’s an affectionate relationship.

Shale: They like to talk about girlish things, like crushing their enemies into a paste.

Loghain: Ilana spoke to him briefly at Ostagar and he addressed her with surprising respect when he didn't have to. It stays in the back of her mind, but is mostly overshadowed by the whole "trying to kill all the Wardens" thing. Ilana doesn't care a fig for a dead king, but she cares about stopping the Blight and Loghain is an obstacle that needs to be dealt with. It isn't until she discovers what's happening in the alienage that it gets personal. She duels him before the Landsmeet herself--while wearing her signature elven armor--in part to show him and everyone else present what the people he sold out are capable of.

She wouldn't shed any tears for him, but Ilana has worked hard to maneuver all her pieces into place for this moment--the alliance with Anora, winning the nobles' favor, Anora's marriage to Alistair so the nobs can have their precious Theirin bloodline and a competent ruler. She's politically-minded, deeply pragmatic, and most of all, stubborn to a fault. Loghain is of more use to her alive than dead. And a part of her wants the satisfaction of making him face the Blight he's been downplaying. When Riordan suggests conscription, he seems like he has good reasoning. Ilana has never seen conscription as an act of mercy; it seems like a fair sentence. He could very well die in the battle anyway, and when Riordan explains how they must kill the archdemon, it seems certain he will.

But then Morrigan makes her offer. And Ilana's well aware that you can't predict the tides of battle. It could very well end up being her, forced to take that final blow herself, and she really would rather not die. And despite their falling-out, it's not as though she wants Alistair to die either. The choice seems obvious. She convinces Loghain to undertake the ritual, and thanks Morrigan for her help.

I should never underestimate your capacity to do the unexpected, but this seems a stretch even for you.

And that's how Loghain ends up a Grey Warden and survives the final battle.

Ilana loses a friend for it, but she refuses to back down. She gains another Grey Warden, and the gratitude of Ferelden's queen besides. The gratitude of Ferelden's queen earns her a boon, and Shianni becomes the new Bann of the Denerim Alienage.

Ilana doesn't exactly forgive Loghain for his crimes against her people, but at the same time she can't help seeing a bit of herself in him, the stone-cold ruthlessness to get the job done at any cost. They develop a working respect for one another, and she doesn't regret her decision.

I see you are back among the Grey Wardens. Leadership looks good on you, I think.

Morrigan's ritual saves Loghain's life, and after serving the Wardens faithfully for a decade, one day he will save another.

Romance

The flirting starts like, minutes after the ambush. Ilana’s friends cannot believe they are witnessing this.

It takes stupidly little time for Ilana and Zevran to jump in bed with each other and if either of them were actually trying to kill the other at that point they would be dead. Ilana and Zevran just can’t help hitting it off instantly: they’re both city elves, both rogues, both here through circumstances beyond their control. They spend the first night in camp and many more talking and laughing and flirting around the campfire and trading stories.

I fancy many things. I fancy things that are beautiful and things that are strong. I fancy things that are dangerous and exciting. Would you be offended if I said I fancied you?

It goes from talking around the campfire to casual fuckbuddies in about the time it takes for them to travel around Lake Calenhad from Redcliffe Village to the Circle docks. They’re also very much the obnoxious couple who grossly underestimate how loud they’re being in their tent and annoy the crap out of everyone else in camp with their carrying-on.

O-ho! Why, aren't you the saucy little minx, then? I've been used, and I wasn't even aware of it. A masterpiece!

Again? What must the others think?

Well! That was bracing! There's nothing like a good racking, is there?

Despite how close they've grown in their travels, it’s not until they’re in Denerim for the Landsmeet that both of them really admit to themselves that they’ve caught feelings. Zevran gives Ilana his earring while they’re in the Arl of Denerim’s basement, covered in blood. It’s the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to her.

Back at Eamon’s estate, Zev’s the first to admit his feelings, but Ilana readily fesses up that she feels the same. They make no promises or demands on each other; knowing they feel the same is enough.

After the Blight, they remain in an open relationship, never marrying considering each other life companions. After saying her final goodbyes to Morrigan, Ilana meets Zevran in Antiva City where they have a happy reunion, start some wild rumors, and then spend some time traveling together, including a visit to Weisshaupt, before returning to Ferelden.

Naturally. You caught me and now you're stuck with me, I'm afraid. Sad, I know, but we'll manage somehow.

While Ilana maintains command of the Ferelden Wardens, Zevran with the help of the Drydens heads up a side order called the Friends of the Grey, based at Soldier’s Peak. The Friends of the Grey do not take the Joining (as Ilana is more reserved with recruitment now, and doesn’t wantto waste lives in peacetime), instead maintaining a standing force and supporting the Wardens’ efforts in other ways.

No matter where their travels take them, they always find their way back to each other.

[bojackandherb]

throwing your question back to you lol, what are your favourite bojack episodes?

Hmm, this is a tough one!

Definitely The Telescope, for one thing! Bojack and Herb’s relationship and tragedy is one of the things about the show I find most compelling. Well. That’s probably kind of obvious considering this entire blog but still. It’s just so tragic… Bojack and Herb both finding a person they clicked perfectly with, someone who really understood them, and that they connected really well with, someone they shared so many laughs with… they were so special to each other…they were best friends…

And then just,, the way everything turned out,,

Anyway I could keep going but that would turn into a whole meta about them and I should probably save that for another post haha

(Other episodes under the cut because it ended up pretty long oops)

I also really liked the Old Sugarman Place… the tragedy of the Sugarman family and the way they juxtapositioned that against Bojack’s struggles was really fascinating to me. Also I developed an entire au around Crackerjack which made me attached to his character so. I really love the one minute of screen time he had alive

I also really loved Stupid Piece of S—- and Good Damage. I’m a big fan of when shows really delve into the minds of characters in general, and these are two great examples of that. I really liked the way they illustrated their struggles. Both the way their thoughts where drawn and the music and… well… the everything about them just really. Harggg it was good

Also Downer Ending… another episode that delves into the mind of a character. We get to see some of Bojack’s deepest fears, regrets, desires etc., stuff he normally kinda tries to push down, and it’s really fascinating to see. There are so many things I could talk about, but his fantasy with Charlotte particularly kills me. Because like… what he truly wants, deep down, is to be in a healthy loving relationship and to be good and to be a good parent and,,, ahhhh

Oh and also I liked how chaotic and funny the first part of it was.

(Perhaps I should do actual metas/articulate discussion posts about these episodes one of these days because rn I keep just wanted to dissolve into keyboard smashes)

Anyway then of course we have The View from Halfway Down. It’s got everything, Herb, Crackerjack, character exploration, a bunch of deep/really interesting discussions, all with a backdrop of existential dread of course. (Well. It starts in the backdrop at least.) it’s really an episode you could watch over and over again just to catch more details each time. Suddenly things like all the different ways characters react to everything. There’s also some cartoony moments, which I really like. Ironically, despite BJHM being a cartoon, it’s pretty grounded in reality most of the time, so there’s certain things you don’t really get to experience in the show except for when it’s not grounded by reality. It’s the little things, like Herb spinning his bow tie like a propellor, and the way Herb moves about in certain moments that idk, I really appreciate. Plus there’s Sarah Lynn’s whole dance sequence, which has a really, idk, cinematic feel to it? Anyway the framework (idk if that’s the word I’m looking for) for the episode let’s it do some really cool things is what I’m saying. It also is just a really good demonstration of how like… BoJack is someone who was raised by TV and also spent his entire adult life entrenched in the entertainment industry, living and reliving a sitcom life through Horsin Around and also living all the other roles he played. And that’s had a big effect on him and he he sees the world. And we already knew this, of course, but it’s just so fascinating to see how deeply it’s ingrained in his mind.

Also the Todd episode was fun

Welp. That ended up super long lol. I guess once I get going about stuff I’m really !!! about I can’t stop. I might clean this post up a bit later haha

[anosrepasi]

So I just finished my fourth read-through of Lingua Franca (and FINALLY twigged onto the fact that I could search you up on tumblr, oops), and saw one of your recent posts tagging The Old Guard. I want to know more, as long as you have the time and motivation for it, of course! I'm so invested in that universe, and so far it's only one fic. Please, if you have any tibits to share, this reader is STARVING for more info on this AU? XD

Thank you so much with your patience in my replying to this ask, @atsuyuri-sama I have been thinking about this ask since you sent it and getting super hyped when i finally had a week where i had enough brain energy to give it the answer you deserve.

First off: !!!! FOUR read-throughs??!? It's mind boggling to think someone enjoyed Lingua Franca so much to reread it three times. You honor me.

On to the question: Since you mentioned really loving the AU and the fact that it's only one fic right now, I think it'd be fun to share what I'm envisioning for the entire series, structure wise.

Lingua Franca (the series) will have 4 parts, one of which is obviously Lingua Franca (the fic) The rest are as follows:

Prima Lingua - A prequel/companion story to Lingua Franca from the perspective of Nicolo. The second chapter of which will have one of my biggest writing experiments to date and I'm very very excited to see how it lands with people.

Nolexi - What happens after Lingua Franca? A very awkward dinner, first off. The title/theme of the work comes from Rudy Francisco's I'll Fly Away which. I highly recommend, especially to any poetry lovers out there OR people who love linguistics.

Code Switch - This is my anthology of pieces set into the Lingua Franca universe that don't fit in well with the main fics but I still feel are important supplementary snapshots into the characters and the events. Here are some of my favorite snapshots I'm going to be exploring:

Andrew is just shy of nine years the first time he accompanies his father on a sea voyage. As with most boys his age, he is brave and curious in equal measure, and can't help but flounce his father's strict orders to stay away from the strange metal box speaking in zeneize. Three decades later, Andrew is cornered in an alleyway on his walk home from the docks. These experiences are related.

Quynh has learned after several lifetimes that while she'll do it for her heart, Andromache has no love and no patience for the task of braiding hair. Luckily, Quynh has an alternative for when she wants to do something complicated with her hair. If it happens to interrupt his reading, that's his problem. (She knows Booker secretly loves helping her with her hair anyway.)

The first thing Copley does, once he's triple checked he's lost all traces of Merrick surveillance, is break into Booker's apartment.

I've got parts and pieces of all three of these fics written but I'm not sure when exactly I'll actually get them published or if I'll wait until i have them all completely written before posting but I hope whenever the time is right and I get the rest of the story shared with you all, it brings you the same satisfaction as Lingua Franca did :)

(Also I adore talking about this series so if you have any additional questions/thoughts and want to talk about the series, my DMs and ask box are always open)

[glaivenoct]

1, 5, 19 for ao3 wrapped

ao3 wrapped [writer's edition]

Thank you for sending some <3 <3

1.) How many words have you written this year?

There's no way this is going to be accurate but 39,779+

I'm going based off of the words counts from the 5 fics I posted to ao3 this year. However, there are things I've written that are still sitting in my docs. Not to mention that I have this insane habit of sometimes rewriting things anywhere from 3 to 2o348940293 times over when my brain gets stuck and a fic isn't working out the way I want it to. There's some things sitting in WIPs that are already on rewrite number 3 and I'm this closer to rewriting it AGAIN ;A;

So it's hard to say, but there's a base to go off of at least ;u;

5.) What work of yours got more feedback than you expected?

I'm still to this day blown away by the response I received on Even Angels Deserve Guardians ;u; It was the most encouraging and motivating response I've ever experienced, especially since it was my debut fic in both Tristamp & Vashwood fandoms!! So many people said welcome and apparently really enjoyed my characterization of both Vash & WW? Which was probably my biggest concern when writing it. I wanted to do right by them so bad and I was worried since I was used to writing The Same rarepair for the last several years in a row ;A;

I'm so grateful for every kudos, bookmark and lovely comment ppl left on it QuQ

19.) What’s one pairing you want to explore next year?

Heh I still haven't tried my hand at Pelnoct or Pelnyxnoct oops ;u; I think it's safe to say Vashwood is a high priority on the list next year since I've only managed to do one fic for them so far. There's still plenty of exploring to do with them ofc.

But ok. Listen. I honestly don't think I will ever actually be brave enough to try my hand at one of my newer fav pairings, but just hear me for a sec pls -

Nanago

I don't talk abt jjk stuffs with anyone but the voices in my head. So I'm taking my chance to spew this out into the void, apologies in advance. AHEM!! I don't know if I have the capability to write either of these characters or the universe of jjk itself well or believably - but goddamn do I enjoy thinking about the potential of these two.

Because, in my head, there is just something to be said about a character that is literally physically untouchable unless he actively turns off his power because he has deemed a certain space, object, or person Safe Enough to make physical contact with him. There is something to be said about a character with this renowned title of being "The Strongest", and the loneliness that might come with that underneath this "idiotic", "flippant", and "egotistical" personality. ALL OF THIS combined with this character losing their "one and only" technically two times, and between both instances, calling love "the most twisted curse of all"

Like I love Gojo for the chaotic fucker he is, but I like to believe there are things there under the surface, beyond those general wants and goals he talks about in the series. And it gives me brainworms - especially in relation to Nanami.

Nanami, my beloved. Calm and pragmatic Nanami who sees himself as someone with "no concept of a reason worth living or something worth doing". Sigh. THERE IS ALSO SOMETHING TO BE SAID abt a character who, at the hands of the jujutsu world, also loses their only friend and experiences much suffering. A character who only chooses to return to this world bc, even if it brings him pain and suffering, at least he's helping people. An incredibly selfless character that values the lives of his comrades, ESPECIALLY the youngsters. Goddd does he want to protect the youngsters and let them be youngsters. He might be hella opposite of Gojo personality wise but

A.) That's part of what makes them fun hehe >:3 B.) It's fun to draw the parallels and contrasts, and despite their differences in how they approach things, I think they share similar wants and goals - particularly in reference to the youngsters and seeing a change in the world.

WITH ALL THAT SAID - I want these two to find something in each other amidst all that ish. and like, make out about it. Idk if exploring them is something I'll pull off in actual writing next year, but at the very least I will be in a corner somewhere exploring them in my head.

And thus concludes Brina's sudden Nanago ramble ty and m'sorry I just enjoy them!!!

[chimielie]

congrats on 500 lia! very exciting :3 ❤️❤️❤️ can you do bokuto headcanons with "you just kissed me" and fake dating? thank you 🤗🤗

thank u so much!!!

bokuto koutarou + "you just kissed me." + fake dating (headcanons)

SETUP: bokuto is a liiiiitle bit of a braggart. perhaps he was trying to give akaashi dating advice and short-circuited when his junior pointed out that he hadn’t dated anyone since middle school and probably wasn’t the most knowledgeable. perhaps he said he had a girlfriend.

perhaps you’ve always had a soft spot for him and stepped up to save his ass. As A Friend

and fake partner

he’s so grateful

“I’ll take you on the best dates,” he promises you

“I’ll spare no expense!”

he has three cents in his wallet but you better believe he’ll spend them on you, baby

he really does though

no one does a good time like bokuto

at first, it’s mostly group dates, which isn’t surprising at all to his teammates because bokuto really just treats them like extensions of himself a lot of the time (and they don’t really mind)

but you point out that you should mix it up a little bit, because you already spent a lot of time with him and your other friends before you started dating

“dating”

he thinks this is the best idea ever and you are so smart and maybe you’re even smarter than akaashi

he does go into a funk after saying that though and you have to reassure him that he’s not being a bad friend

miles away, in his own house, akaashi sneezes so much he wonders if he’s caught a cold

the first place bokuto takes you is his favorite restaurant, run by a family friend and which supplies him with all the barbeque he needs

if you share his taste and eat from his plate, he will be thrilled

if you don’t, he doesn’t mind!! he’s open to trying to new things

and he doesn’t really understand,, not,, sharing LMAO

it’s only once you’re safely deposited at home (he walks you all the way to your door because his mother explained to him in very clear detail how to treat someone) and honestly the next day that you realize that you completely forgot to take any photos or post anything

basically… you forgot it was fake (isn’t this how it always goes?)

when you text bokuto, he shrugs it off and insists he’ll remember next time

and also, you should really be calling him by his first name

so!! the next date you go on is to the botanical gardens

kōtarō picks you a flower and then gets yelled at by one of the staff

oops

at least this time you do get a lot of pictures for the Social Media to show off

kōtarō loves exploring dating with you

he gets really excited about new date ideas and places to go—you can’t quite call it planning because often he’s inspired by spur-of-the-moment things, but hey, the boy is a virgo

one of your favorites is a hole-in-the-wall dessert cafe with a back room just bursting with plants

his lockscreen is a picture of you there, surrounded by sweet treats and lush flora, making a surprised face because kōtarō

“because kōtarō” is an increasingly common phrase in your vocabulary. some things just can’t be explained any other way

as boisterous and curious as your fake boyfriend is, you find that he’s perfectly okay with staying in on days when you have too much work to do or just don’t feel like going out

his natural energy is always uplifting and makes the most boring tasks fun

and when you tell him this it just encourages him to encourage you more!! literally a happiness cycle

in fact, the more you think about it…

you never really want to stop hanging out with kōtarō

his energy just makes you feel complete in a way you didn’t know a person could

and how could you not catch feelings? it’s him

you’re equal parts sad and happy about this realization

because on the one hand it’s thrilling to have a crush

and it makes you so happy to be around him

but on the other…

you’re not his real partner

and that hurts.

so you resolve to confess to him

to clear the air and figure out how to move forward

if you know anything, you know kōtarō

and you know he won’t hold grudges or react badly, even if he rejects you

“kōtarō,” you take a deep breath before you say it, at the end of your street on the way home. “i need to tell you something.”

he’s all ears

“i don’t know how,” you start, and then reconsider. “that’s a lie. i know that… because you’re sweet, and really caring, and just, it seems like, you’re unbeatable… i think i have feelings for you. and i know our relationship is fake, but this is the most real thing i know. i want you to know i trust you enough to tell you, because even if you don’t—”

you start choking up a little

cursing yourself for being so emotional

but before you can collect yourself and finish what you started

kōtarō kisses you

it’s a quick, enthusiastic meeting of lips, and it takes you so much by surprise that you still have your eyes open the whole time

staring at him as he pulls back, big, beautiful grin on his face

“you just kissed me,” you say, not sure if it was real. do it again, your brain whispers

“i didn’t mean to interrupt you,” he says, bashful, big hands gripping your upper arms gently

“but i just like you so much.”

both of you seem breathless after that

so there’s only one thing to do: you close your eyes and lean in to kiss him for real this time

[icarusisstillflying]

💥 writeblr intro 💥

hiii folks, this is gonna be my writeblr (hopefully we’ll see how motivated i am) so i want to do a little intro!!

about me

you can call me layne, or if u want to call me icarus, that works too

queer

they/them

disabled with like a million chronic illnesses

21 yrs old

i’m a college dropout with absolutely no plan ahaha

i work as a barista and am looking for music gigs on the side (i still need to get better at the music part oops)

currently reading: Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

about my writing

i write mostly fiction/sci-fi/fantasy

almost all of my characters have powers or magic or aren’t even completely human

i like to write really cool fight scenes, i don’t care if they seem unreasonable, pretend it’s an anime idk. they have superpowers they can do anything

i like to explore the darker elements of these powers and worlds, so a lot of my work is nsfw bc of gore and stuff like that

like incorporating horror into my stories as well as just writing horror too

i write diverse characters and do the best research i can; if someone notices i’ve made a mistake or have accidentally written something insensitive, please let me know! i am always learning!

if i could draw i would make all of my works graphic novels as my choice of media, but alas, i am incapable of doing much more than staring at my tablet and getting angry when the picture doesn’t draw itself

my wips:

Generation Six

sci-fi, superpowers

a woman spends her entire life recruiting people known as Guardians to help protect the world from danger, but the biggest threat she’s ever faced is about to upend it all. not to mention the evil little shadow demon that lives in her head is constantly trying to overtake her and go on a murderous rampage. she’s a bit busy.

large cast, multiple povs

this series is on the back burner for now, i just am not sure where i want to go with it

an untitled pirate story

fantasy, magic gay pirates

the most feared pirates in the world is a crew of six people… and a magic cat? the captain is searching for the greatest treasure known to humankind, and she’d probably have it already, if they didn’t keep hitting all these roadblocks. seablocks? they’re on a boat.

small main cast

Murders of Crow Creek

western setting with supernatural/paranormal elements

a small town sheriff recruits an interesting group of people to help her solve a string of murders: a witch of the Dark Gods, a bounty hunter with a memory problem, a demon killer with a smoking problem, and a bartender with one arm and a hell of a lot of knives tucked in his boots. what’s the worst that could happen? ignore the all out war between gods that they accidentally get themselves into

small main cast

there’s ghosts, demons, angels, vampires, all sorts of supernatural beings just chillin in the wild west

personally love this one bc the main character, the sheriff, is just getting too old for this nonsense; she’s also a big time lesbian yeehaw

Kid Mother

sci-fi, post-apocalyptic

a disease has wiped out nearly the entire human population. if things weren’t already bad, this disease made it so that babies just. couldn’t be born. until one is. with the human population dwindling, and groups trying to speed up that process, our main character has to travel across the country with the first baby that’s been born in two decades so that scientists may be able to find a way to fix this entire thing. no problem.

very small cast

us vs the world trope

other info

i love answering literally any questions about my wips so pleeeeeaaaase ask away!!

i’ll probably also post any fanfics i write bc i have a lot of them, and i really need somewhere to share them oopsies

any advice about other places i can share my writing would be appreciated

please refrain from giving criticism unless it’s 1. constructive and 2. something i asked for :) sometimes i just Can Not Handle It

i do not tolerate any form of bigotry. if i see any clownery on any of my stuff, you will be blocked and reported. just don’t be an ass.

uhhh i think that’s about it? not sure what else to put in a writeblr intro, so if you made it this far, thank you so much! hopefully i will have more detailed posts about those wips up at some point before the year ends! follow if your interested, i’ll probs follow back :)

💥

[koushou]

hi!! could u do a oneshot for fem!mechanic!reader x childe, zhongli & albedo separately? if u only do one character per request, then i'd prefer childe - also i get the term 'mechanic' is kinda vague so i guess a reader who invents and repairs things could be another way to word it

pairings : childe, zhongli, albedo x f!mechanic!reader (separate)

{fluff, lots of crack}

warnings : none ! 

wc : 1.3k

a/n : i'm so so sorry this took so long TT it’s been a bit busy recently, anw thank you for requesting!! (the reader here is less of a mechanic, she just invents stuff; i hope u like them!)

 “Ouch!” 

Childe yelps as he steps on the hundredth nail that day in your shared home in Liyue, hopping on one foot in pain as you sheepishly send him an apologetic smile.

“Oops! Looks like I missed one.”

“Baby, you’re killing me - literally.”

You hum, happily returning back to whatever strange invention you had come up with that day, as Childe heaves a sigh and retreats away from the danger zone, aka anywhere within a 5-feet radius around you.

He grimaces, inspecting the minor outline the nail had made on the bottom of his right foot, before your voice rings through the air.

“Childe, come here!”

A few crashes and bangs sound from the other room you occupied, followed by a string of curses.

Yup, you really were going to kill him someday.

He makes his way cautiously to where you were, and he was surprised to see you holding a metal bow-shaped gadget with little parts attached on the sides.

“You mentioned wanting to improve on your archery skills, so this, my newest invention - you should be honored, by the way - is made just for you!”

You smile triumphantly at him, beginning to explain the functions of the gadget, the little parts that can assist him in working on his aim, how you could adjust the grip on the bow to make it more comfortable, and -

Childe couldn’t help the grin spreading across his face, he thought you looked the most beautiful when you talked about your passions and interests. Plus, you took your time and made it just for him?

He engulfs you in a hug, breaking you out of your rant, leaving you confused.

“I love you so much. Thank you for this, honey,” Childe suddenly proclaims.

You giggle, about to say it back when one of the small parts on the metal gadget in your hand falls off, landing right on your boyfriend’s foot.

“Ow--!” He limps with his unwounded foot before tripping again on the same nail he had stepped on earlier.

“Childe!” You rush over to him, bending down to offer him a hand before stepping on the nail yourself and falling right on top of him - also accidentally stepping on his wounded foot along the way.

Ignoring your half-dead boyfriend now on the verge of tears on the ground, you gasp at the sight of the nail.

“Oh, that must be the nail I was missing - that’s why the part fell off!”

Childe sighs again.

In Mondstadt, you two were known as the smartest couple. 

With Albedo as the Chief Alchemist of the Knights of Favonius, it was only natural he had a deep understanding in alchemy already. Paired with your unique skill in being able to repair and invent almost anything, experiments with you two were a daily routine.

“Darling, do you mind passing me the warming gadget you made earlier? I’m heading out to gather some ingredients for my next experiment.”

“Of course! Here.”

Being with the most dedicated alchemist of Mondstadt meant traveling quite a lot, especially to Dragonspine.

Of course, Albedo insists you stay home as it could be dangerous, but you argue that you would miss him too much. Plus, you could - quoted from you - “use your inventing abilities to assist him in his experiments.”

It would be a lie if Albedo said your skills haven’t come in handy, especially in situations like these.

“I designed it so that the colder the temperature gets, the more heat this gadget produces! Super helpful, right?”

Albedo chuckles, taking your latest invention from your hands, before smiling at your excited expression.

“Yes, dear. I’m not sure what I’d do without you.”

You giggle, leaning into him, planting a small kiss on his cheek before he sets out on his exploration.

“Ah - just remember to adjust the sensitivity when-“

You gasp suddenly in the middle of your sentence, eyes widening like it always did when you had some brilliant idea for your next creation.

“Wait, dear, what do you mea-“ Albedo starts, but stops as he watches you already busying yourself around the workspace, gathering materials with a wild grin on your face.

He sighs, smiling gently to himself as he decides it was probably nothing important.

-

He regrets not asking.

Albedo shivers, breathing out in relief as he spots the entrance to the camp.

The gadget had suddenly started producing an excessive amount of heat as he was starting to head back, too hot even in Dragonspine.

After the small gadget had become too hot for the touch, it let out a small explosion before letting out a trail of smoke indicating it was no longer usable.

The small explosion had shocked the blonde alchemist, resulting in him falling in a pile of snow.

Albedo steps into the safe confines of the camp, alerting you of his presence.

“Oh - you’re back Alb-” You pause, examining his appearance.

“Why are you covered in snow, dear?” 

He only sighs, as you narrow your eyes at the broken gadget in his hand. 

“Oh no - did you forget to adjust the sensitivity??” You furrow your eyebrows at the now useless tool, taking it from him and examining it carefully. 

“You didn’t tell me-” He starts to explain, before you interrupt him.

“I just made this, Albedo!” You pout at him, setting the broken object on the table, before huffing and walking towards the alchemist.

Grabbing a nearby towel, you start to clean him of the snow he had fallen in earlier, scolding him to be more careful.

“Go sit down, I’ll make you some hot chocolate. You’re gonna get sick.” You huff again, turning around leaving a very confused Albedo still standing.

He then breaks into a laugh, amused by your very unique way of caring for him. 

“I love you a lot, darling, you know?” He suddenly confesses while making his way to a seat.

“W-wha-” You almost dropped the cup in your hand, flustered. 

“Be quiet and drink your hot chocolate--!”

Your giggling could be heard as a confused Zhongli held a small controller in his hands, trying to navigate the robot dog on the floor.

“Zhongli - other way--!” 

“Like this?”

The dog crashed into the wall of your home, leaving Zhongli huffing and putting the controller down.

You couldn’t resist a laugh at your pouting boyfriend. “Aww, Zhongli, here I’ll show you!”

You take the controller and explain the buttons and how to move the dog properly, while he watches with a serious expression.

“Here, you try.”

Zhongli furrows his eyebrows, carefully moving the buttons as you instructed. When the dog finally moves in a direction that isn’t crashing into something, you could’ve sworn you saw Zhongli’s eyes light up.

You stifled a giggle at his excited expression, almost resisting the urge to ruffle his hair with how adorable he looked for such a seemingly mature man.

Without thinking, you leaned forward to press a kiss against his unknowing lips, to which Zhongli froze almost dropped the controller at the action.

“Ah-uhm,” The geo archon clears his throat, facing you with a raise of his eyebrows. “What was that for, love?”

You shake your head, leaning your head on his shoulder. “Nothing. You’re just too cute with that thing.” 

Zhongli chuckles, pressing a kiss to the top of your head. “Thank you for making this, darling. It is quite amusing to play with.”

A smile breaks across your face, sitting up to face him. “There’s a cool trick this dog can do, want to see?” 

He nods, curious as you take the controller from his hands.

Hiding a mischievous smile on your lips, you press a button on the bottom of the controller that sends the robotic dog jumping into Zhongli’s lap, startling the tall man.

The dog starts to lick Zhongli’s face - with its mechanical tongue - as he sputters and finally gets the dog to stay in place in his arms.

“Love - this is...the trick?” 

You burst out laughing at the still squirming dog in your shocked boyfriend’s arms, raising the controller again.

“There’s another trick too! Wanna s-”

“No.”

[nataliedanovelist]

GF - Timestuck AU: The Power of Mabel ch.6

While fighting over a time machine so one twin can win a pig or the other can win the heart of a girl, Mabel is left stranded in a snowy forest with no time machine and no brother. Oops.

ch.5 - ch.7 (finale)

~~~~~~~~~~

The air was still quite nippy and crisp, but the afternoon sun sparkled on the white snow and made the atmosphere pleasant to stand in if the Main Sequence Star was shining directly on a living organism, like it was on Stan from where he stood on the porch. He sighed tiredly as he dug into his hoodie’s pocket for a fresh cigar and lit it with his Zippo-style lighter. He knew he probably shouldn’t smoke with a kid in the house, but after the few days he’s had, he needed and had well earned a smoke-break.

The door opened and Stan hid his cigar by his side, his right arm glued to his hip to hide the newcomer on his left, but when he saw it was an adult, he relaxed and took another puff. “M’trying to quit.” He mumbled.

Ford snickered. “Yeah, it looks like you’re trying really hard.”

“Don’t be shitty.” Stan said casually.

“Mind if I lend one? I can replenish you in a few minutes.”

Stan stared at his goody two-shoes of a twin and handed him a cigar and the lighter. “You smoke?”

“Not often. For a celebration or after a long day.” Ford answered as he lit his borrowed cigar. “Maybe twice a month. Thrice?”

“Huh.”

Ford looked down at the lighter in his hand, and he was surprised when he recognized it. He can clearly remember seeing the tiny silver box in a store and thinking Stanley would like it as a Only One More Year of High-School present. “I gave this to you.”

Stan smiled as he took it back and pocketed it. “Yeah, it’s a good lighter. Only needed to change the flint a few times.”

“Hey guys!” A small voice called from inside the house. “Do you like vanilla or chocolate?”

The twins looked at each other, smiled, and called back. “Both. Both is good!”

“Both it is!”

Stan chuckled and shook his head. “Knucklehead… I knew she had to be family just by looking at her!” He bragged proudly.

“I suppose I was too distracted by the fact that a cold girl was at my doorstep to recognize the family resemblance.” Ford reasoned, shrugging. “I wanted to make sure I did the right thing. I didn’t exactly feel like getting arrested for kidnapping.”

Stan barked a laugh. “Yeah, you got a good point.” The conman yawned and stretched his arms over his head. “Guess I’ll head out tomorrow.” He mentioned offhandedly.

Ford stared at him, a little saddened and disheartened by this fact that was news to him. “You’re leaving?”

“I mean, yeah?” Stan equally stared at his brother, confused and not daring to be hopeful, but still. “What?”

“I just…” Ford hesitated and busied his mouth by taking a hit of his cigar. With everything that has been said and how well he and Stan have been communicating, he really didn’t feel like ruining it now. He relaxed his shoulders and said with his eyes on the snowy woods. “I was really hoping you would stay.”

Stan looked dumbfounded, like a child discovering candy for the first time, but he looked away and down at the porch floor. “Oh.”

“I’ll of course be taking care of Mabel until Dipper comes back in time for her…”

“He might not.”

“We got over our grudges. They can do the same.” Ford said firmly. “Still, you have a point. Dipper might not be able to come back. Regardless, whether it’s for a short time, a long time, or for the rest of my life, I will take care of her. I might not be the best for her, I can acknowledge that…”

“C’mon, Sixer, don’t be like that.” Stan scolded lightly, giving a sympathetic look to the nerd. “What else can you do, y’know? There’s no way in hell you’re gonna give her up, I’ll kidnap her and run away to Canada before I let you…”

Ford laughed and waved a hand as he smiled. “No no, I promise I won’t.”

“Good.”

“The point is, she loves you. Clearly. And it takes two, and I’ll be busy with my research, especially once the snow melts and the anomalies become more active in the spring and summer, but…” Ford bit his lip. This was a bad idea. If he makes it seem that the only reason why Stan needs to be here is because of Mabel, if or when she’s gone, then Stan will have no reason to stay. And there were many reasons why Ford wanted Stan to stay.

Despite how much of a social-cripple Ford was, he knew that Stan was homeless. His frequent traveling and how full his car was right now was enough proof of that. And Ford hated that for his brother.

But there was another, bigger reason why Ford wanted Stan to stay. So he better just say it.

“Do you know why I went to Backupsmore?” Ford asked.

Stan’s facial expression darkened as he looked away and he shrugged. “Cuz I fucked up your project?”

“No,” Ford answered plainly. “I may not have been accepted into West Coast Tech, but there were so many other colleges that wanted me. I could apply to Yale or Harvard or any college from New York to California and instantly be accepted.

“But I didn’t.” The author added grimly. “Stanley, when you left… When you were gone, I was a mess. So many days I just lied in bed without meals or sleep. Ma was hysterical. I failed most of my exams and only barely scraped a C in the ones I didn’t fail. My GPA dropped significantly and I even lost my Honor Roll. Thankfully my past grades were enough to let me graduate with a 3.2, but my clean record was stained and a lot of prestigious colleges didn’t want me.

“All I wanted at that point was to get as far away from Glass Shard as possible. Luckily there was a small college outside of San Francisco that practically accepted everyone and had a wide range of studies to offer, so I applied and was accepted by graduation day.”

“Good for you.” Stan grunted.

“No! The point is, I…” Ford groaned, feeling like he was failing, but he had to try. “I understand if you don’t want to stay. I understand you have your own life and things you want to do, and I can live without you again if I have to, but… I really, really don’t want to. Yes, I know that part of growing up is going in different directions and being independent and all the other bells and whistles, but it doesn’t have to be. So, if you can tolerate living under the same roof as me again, and if you’re okay with it, I want to offer you a job.”

Stan raised an eyebrow at the six-fingered man. “What kinda job?”

“The committee gives me monthly boosts so I can continue my research. As long as I prove to them once a year that progress is being made, I have a good income coming in. It is a big job, exploring the large woods, climbing mountains and waterfalls, combing the lake, mapping the Enchanted Forest, and hunting down monsters and anomalies to learn more about them. I’ve always managed to make it out of trouble alright, but… I need a partner, and I want to keep it in the family.” Ford smiled at the last sentence.

“What are you saying?” Stan sneered, not daring to believe, not daring to hope, but that stupid smile Ford had…

“I’m saying I want you to do this with me, Stanley.” Ford said matter-of-factly. “I can share the grant with you after bills are paid and groceries are purchased. We can renovate the small room on the ground floor to be Mabel’s bedroom and you can have the entire attic as your own space.

“I know it’s not sailing around the world, but… Please. Will you give me another chance?” Ford pleaded with a soft smile.

Stan grinned and shook his head. “Shit, Sixer, you’re a better salesman than me.” He looked him in the eyes. “Okay. Yes. I’ll stay.”

Ford’s cheeks puffed with happiness as he smiled, his lips pressed together, and he looked ahead, happily daydreaming his future. Being surrounded by weirdness for a living was amazing by itself; doing it with his twin and raising their niece together on top of it was better than anything he could have imagined.

Stan was watching him and laughed good-naturedly, then held out a hand to him. Ford blinked at it like a startled owl, but then returned the smile and sealed the deal with a high-six.

Both brothers stood contently outside with their cigars for a minute, but then heard a bowl clatter on the floor. Mabel must be making a mess in the kitchen, which was fine.

What wasn’t fine was the sound that followed of a body falling on the floor.

Ford raised an eyebrow and called calmly, “Mabel, are you alright?”

They both expected a quick “yeah, sorry, I’m okay,” and maybe an explanation to follow, like she tripped getting down from a chair or something. But there was no reply.

“Mabel, sweetie?” Stan hollered, trying not to sound mad or scared or anything but cool-under-pressure, but this voice trembled with fear.

Still no answer.

Ford and Stan quickly discarded their cigars and bolted inside. Racing like children for cookies, they soon stood at the doorway of the kitchen and were horrified to find Mabel sprawled on the floor on her front, her hair scattered over her face to hide her expression, and her legs and bottom-half of her body slowly fading.

Literally. Fading. Mabel was fading away. She was disappearing like a stain on cloth.

“MABEL!” The men screamed and were immediately on their knees beside her. Ford scooped her up into his arms and felt her pulse and looked over her.

“What happened to her?!” Stan cried out. “Pumpkin, what’s wrong?!”

Ford’s eyes widened in panic as a horrifying realization slapped him in the face. “Mabel… You changed history.”

The tired girl nodded with her eyes closed. “If… If you guys had a fight… and never made up… in my timeline, then I guess…” Mabel paused to yawn tiredly. It didn’t hurt, but she was really sleepy now.“I guess that timeline doesn’t exist anymore, huh? I guess I don’t exist anymore.”

“WHAT?!” Stan yelled and took Mabel’s hand and squeezed it. “We have to do something! You’re family! You’re… We can’t just let you d- not exist!”

Ford held Mabel tighter and closer to his warm chest, making her smile. She swore she could hear his heartbeat. It was too fast. She would have to fix that. Poor Ford was also shaking like a leaf. Mabel could fix that, too.

“I’ll exist.” She smiled up at her uncles. “In a few years.”

Ford bit his lip. He shouldn’t ask this, it was probably dangerous to learn about the future, but the worst was already happening. What else could possibly happen that was worse than losing his girl? Ford couldn’t help but ask, “When?”

“August 31st, 1999.” Mabel’s eyes dazzled. “You’ll meet Dipper, too.” She shifted her eyes to only Stan and whispered, “Did you know you were there? You came to see us when we were born?”

Stan’s eyes watered as he smiled at the new piece of information. “I did?”

“You did. I came out first. You were so proud when I kicked the doctor in the jaw.”

Stan made a watery chuckle and wiped at his eye. “That’s my girl.”

“Dipper came next. He was blue. Umbilical cord wrapped around his neck.”

“Was he okay?” Stan asked.

“He was fine. You knew he would be. You never doubted.”

“I never will, pumpkin. I swear.”

The fading is now much worse. It was spreading over Mabel like a virus. Her legs were hardly visible to the naked eye, and even her shoulders were losing color. This Mabel is almost completely gone. 

Ford, pressed for time, bit his lip as tears flooded his eyes and he cupped Mabel’s cheek and cradled her. “I… I can’t let you go! We just started to become a real family! Wh-What am I going to do without you?!”

Mabel smiled and used the free hand not holding Stan’s trembling hand to caress Ford’s jaw and lower cheek, then cupping his face so her fingertips grazed his sideburn. “It’s okay, really. I’ll see you again, and next time it’ll be when both of you come to see us. Totally worth it.” 

Ford held his breath, and shut his eyes, a tear escaping from each eye and sitting comfortably in the corners of his windows to his soul. Stan hiccuped a laugh and rubbed her hand between both of his. Both of them were doing everything in their power not to cry. 

To that, Mabel laughed and said, “Boys are stupid. It’s okay to cry.”

The cursed power of Mabel. Making people be honest and breaking dams.

Ford curled into his niece, his face sloe to her heart, and cried gently. He wasn’t ready, but he didn’t think he could ever be ready for this.

Stan laughed with tears streaming down his face and he kissed Mabel’s tiny fingers trapped in his hold, then held their hands close to his bowed forehead and just focused on feeling her pulse between his palms.

It only lasted another minute.

Ford was mortified when his chest sank and his arms were empty. He threw himself back and stared at his lap and felt sick to his stomach to find his little girl missing.

Stan’s hands also clasped together and he squeezed tightly, his fists against his trembling lips as he cried.

The genius who always seemed to know what to do didn’t have a damn clue what to do with himself. He growled in his throat, squeezing his eyes shut and gritting his teeth, then let out a painful howl and moan that most definitely disturbed birds and made a deer or two gallop farther away.

Ford removed his glasses and held his knees, sobbing his heart out. Stan blinked his tears off his eyes, resulting in them rolling down his face, as he watched his brother completely shatter to pieces. He had seen him upset before, sure; all those years of bullying, of Pa’s outbursts and sometimes physical punishments, hopelessness that he was actually worth something. You don’t spend seventeen years with a person and not see them break every so often, granted the blessing to help them put themselves back together again.

But Ford didn’t need Stan to swoop in and fix it. There were no bullies to punch or parents to stand against or jokes to crack that would make this okay. All Stan could do was throw his arms around him and bury his face into Ford’s shoulder and cry, too. 

So that’s what they did on the kitchen floor for over an hour.

~~~~~~~~~~

Dipper blinked to try to see, but all he saw around him was inky blackness for miles. His heart raced as he looked around for his sister. “Mabel? Mabel! Mabel, answer me!”

The boy scrambled and collapsed out of a portable potty at the fair. He blinked his eyes rapidly to adjust to the sunlight, scurrying off his hands and knees, clutching the warm time-machine in his hands. Wendy was still admiring her price and Robbie was still sulking, and Waddles was still trying to get away from Pacifica.

That didn’t matter! Mabel was stranded back in time! But how far back?! When was Mabel?! Dipper started jamming the button, but the machine wasn’t working, and it was soon swiped from him by a black-gloved hand.

“Mason Pines,” A gruff voice commanded above him and Dipper looked up to find two new guys with that Blendin guy. The two other guys were muscular and guarded with high-tech armor. 

“You are under arrest for violating the Time-Traveler's Code of Conduct and for jeopardizing the timestream.” The man labeled as Dundgren stated as serious as death.

“Do you have any idea how many rules you just broke?!” Blendin squawked. “I’m asking. I wasn’t there with you. It was probably a lot, right?”

“Wait, wait please!” Dipper begged as the two members of the Time Paradox Avoidance Enforcement Squadrent each grabbed the boy by an arm. “My sister! She’s still back there! We have to get her!”

“You have the right to remain silent.” The man labeled as Lolph informed robotically. “Anything you say can and already has been used in the Court of Time-Law.”

“Let me go, Mabel needs-...” And Dipper and the three time-travelers were blasted forward in time.

~~~~~~~~~~

In the endless space of time, Dipper was levitated off the ground by a giant baby using the power of his forehead-hourglass to trap him in a baby-blue field. Members of the the Time Paradox Avoidance Enforcement Squadrent circled the two, and Blendin stood with his arms crossed over his chest and smiling smugly as the kid who caused so much trouble was getting what he deserved.

“You and your sister have broken the eternal laws of space-time.”

“I’m sorry!” Dipper cried out, trying to fight the energy circling him, but it was futile. “I’m sorry! Do what you want to me, just help my sister!”

“Your sister does not require help, nor do you require punishment.” Time Baby informed as he held his feet. “You are lucky the events that occurred do not change anything drastically. However, your timeline has shifted and therefore this reality’s version of you and your sister are no longer viable and will cease to exist.”

“What?!” Dipper squeaked and looked down at his body to find his legs disappearing. “No no NO! What’s happening to me?!”

“You and your twin sister will be born again on August 31st, 1999, but too many things are different in your timeline for this version of you to continue to exist.”

“W-W-What did I do wrong?! What did I change?!” Dipper cried out as his whole body was drained of color. “What changed in our timeline?!”

“Your uncles have amended their bond thirty-four years ahead of schedule. As unfortunate as this is, your sister miraculously delayed the plans of Bill Cipher by an entire millennia.”

“What uncles?!” Dipper asked, panicked as the fading reached his neck. “Who’s Bill Cipher?!”

“If you wanted the answers you sought out, you should have been patient.” Time Baby scolded. “We all get the answers we seek… in time.”

“P-P-Please!” Dipper begged as he appeared as a ghost. “Please! What did Mabel do?!”

Time Baby cruelly stayed silent, testing Dipper’s strengths, but he was dying, anyways. Might as well.

“She met the Author of the Journals. Your missing uncle.”

Dipper’s eyes widened. “Mabel…” He rasped, and then he ceased to exist.