#reblogs OFF on this one to minimize the chances of that fandom finding it

[carnographix]

You've heard of fanart, get ready for hateart.

I hate this fucking game and its fandom and anytime I see anything from it mentioned I feel the visceral urge to smash my head into the brick wall and not even in a funny way. The hatred and animosity I feel toward it is honestly so strong, it's absurd. If I can go without ever hearing about anything related to it again I will be happy. Do not bring it up around me. I will kill you. I will bash your head in with a rock. Thanks ♡

[vladdyissues]

Lately Ive seen some awful things about antis and haters making threats and getting artists banned from Tumblr and X. Im new to the Phandom and love pompep but Im scared i'll be targeted if I write and share pompep fics. How do you manage sharing your work so bravely?

Firstly, welcome to the Phandom—and especially Pompous Pep! I have a simple protocol for enjoying a drama-free Tumblr experience:

Preventative Action

1. Find your community. Follow other Pompep fans and supporters and reblog their things. Don't be afraid to leave nice tags; we love and welcome interactions :) You can also join the Pompep Discord server if you enjoy chatting (DM me for details).

2. Turn off anon asks. This will solve 99% of all potential problems, and you can turn it back on whenever you want. Antis are cowards who prefer to hide behind the mask of anonymity. They seldom have the courage to say something with their whole username.

3. Block the obvious haters. This is a big fandom, and at some point you're likely to come across people openly hating on pompep, either on their bio, pinned posts, or comments. Block them. For an added layer of protection, add their username to your Filtering Options.

4. Tag your work appropriately. When posting, make sure your work is tagged correctly (the #pompous pep tag is especially important) so people who like pompep can find it and those who want to avoid it can block the tag. Use Content Labels when applicable.

5. Try to avoid using the platonic tag (#badger cereal) and the romantic tag (#pompous pep) at the same time. Some fans are really touchy about this. I'm not, and I think there are legitimate cases where use of both is applicable, but if you want to minimize friction, just stick with one tag or the other.

If you're not sure which tag to use, ask yourself what your intentions are with your art or fic. Is the goal a romantic relationship? If so, use the pompep tag. If it's truly ambiguous and could be seen either way, use the platonic tag first. You can always add another tag like "okay to tag as pompep", just to let people know they can interpret it however they please.

Responsive Action

If the above guidelines aren't 100% effective, here's what you do:

1. Don't feed the trolls. If you receive any negative asks in your inbox, it's important to NOT engage with them. Delete them, ignore them, don't let them get to you. Antis thrive on attention, so let them starve. Eventually they'll move on when they realize they're not going to get a rise out of you.

The same goes for any negative comment left on your work. Just delete it, block the person who left it, and pretend it never happened.

These asks and comments may come in the form of questions. Example: "How can you ship Danny with Vlad? That's [insert gross accusation here]" Resist the urge to answer these questions. They are not made in good faith. This person just wants to start an argument.

2. Report any harassment. If by some chance you receive a seriously hateful ask, like threats of violence or abuse, take a screenshot for proof/safekeeping, then report the message and the user if they're not anonymous. If the ask is anonymous, use the meatball menu (•••) at the top right to report the message and block the anon.

Final Words

It takes time to develop a thick skin and Don't Give A Fuck attitude, but it can be done. You are a phan. You have every right to be here and enjoy this fandom in peace, just like everyone else. Anyone who believes in harassing others over silly things like which cartoon characters should be allowed to kiss clearly has nothing better to do with their life. The sooner you shut them out, the happier you'll be.

Regarding media: Artists attract a lot more negative attention than writers for reasons I won't get into right now, but if you're mainly a writer, you will enjoy a much quieter fandom experience. Wherever you post your stories—I recommend AO3; DM me if you need an invite—follow the same advice there as I've given here: make sure your work is tagged correctly; support your fellow Pompep fans by reading and commenting on their works, building that community; moderate comments if you're concerned about negativity; block and mute users if they give you any trouble, and you'll enjoy a much more positive fandom experience.

There is strength in community. When you start making new fandom friends, you'll feel a lot less lonely, and that will give you the confidence you need to really have a good time here.

Wishing you the best, anon!

[tarithenurse]

I see fire - 10

Fandom: D&D 5E/homebrew campaign. Word count: 1714. Contents: All the tea and some gore. A/N: I know no one reads this story but I want to share something and this lives in my head anyways - so there you go. Any questions are welcome. Please comment and like and reblog. Let me know if you want a tag. Divider by @firefly-graphics

X

Reaching the Lion’s Pride Inn the small town, the trio is greeted right away by Malikka. Showing her the new tags, they are promised a real room and a decent meal.

“But before that,” Anvindr stops her as she’s about to bustle off, “maybe you can tell us where we can find Paul Davis?”

What was a slight frown becomes a bright smile at the simplicity of the question. “Oh, he’s always near the forge at the centre of town. Easy to find! You going there now?” The three odd friends nod. “Can you bring him some food then for me? He’s always so busy working and forgets to come in for lunch and dinner.”

Agreeing, the trio is soon laden with both food for the marshal and themselves as they head out the door, looking for a man with a visible emblem on his official armour.

The forge is just on the other side of the square and the man is indeed easy to pick out despite the dusk that’s already settling – thankfully the light from inside the building spills on to the people still milling about and Paul Davis does indeed look busy, barely taking time to stop what he’s doing before he greets the newcomers.

“What do you want?”

Morella holds up the tray. “Got food for you from Malikka.”

It seems to soften his mood and he comes over to take it and even manages to brush some stuff off the nearby crates for all of them to sit on so they can eat together while they talk. Decent food although not as refined as Zilvra is used to from home but it’s so different that it hardly matters anyways.

“So...adventurers,” marshal Paul Davis concludes quickly.

“Yeah,” Anvindr admits. “Tio sent us, told us to see you about some mines?”

Davis nods. “The Skan Mine. Northeast of here but not that far, really.” He sighs, a deep furrow between his brows. “Let me make it very clear, though. I just want you to investigate, don’t actually do anything apart from looking around. I’ve already sent one group off, a copper group...but they haven’t returned.” It seems apparent looking at his morose gaze that he doesn’t expect them to either and the trio nods silently. “It would be better if the damn place caved in.”

“That can be arranged,” Morella shrugs.

“Don’t take any risks but I’m fine with it if you have the chance.”

They all eat for a moment. The food is leagues better than last time they stopped by in Oldgarde.

“We also need to have a look at something about a tanner...” Zilvra gently mentions.

“The only ones are out by the Lockett Logging Camp. Southeast from the mine,” Davis explains.

He turns out to be a chatty man once he’s been fed and he gladly explains about the adventuring system – a fairly new concept that enlists people: they get food and lodging on their way and the state gets taken care of its problems. Davis finds it harsh, though, as there’s no training and minimal introduction, minimizing the chances of survival.

“It was introduced just after the Mason uprising and honestly since then, our forces have grown thin which means that the outer shires are left undefended,” he mutters, “and that’s why the adventurers are like an extended arm for the military.”

Zilvra frowns. “So if Stouvania gets back on track so to speak -” she ignores the uptick of a brow at the choice of words – “presumably the system will become superfluous.”

“Right,” Davis nods, “but it goes further than the military.”

“How so?” Anvindr wants to know.

The marshal sighs. “It’s also the trades and transportation of goods that’s affected – that’s where a lot of the adventurers come from, having given up on their old ways of life.” Scraping the plate with a piece of bread, he allows the silence to last for all of five seconds. “It’s not being handled well, the whole thing,” he grumbles, “and the insecurity is making the northern orcs bold.”

“We’ve heard about some orcs, yeah,” Morella fishes for more information.

“It’s not the first time Stouvania has faced them. We were at war with them. They even killed the previous king, father of our curr- well, you know what I mean.” Finally having to admit the plate is cleared of any morsel, Davis puts it aside and grabs the mug of beer. “Not that the new king didn’t try his best but it was a difficult situation. The war got won, the city rebuilt...and then the rug got pulled out from under the Masons, I say.”

“And so the uprising happened,” Anvindr deduces.

“Hm. Makes no sense to me why’d they’d kill the king. Now mind you-” he takes a deep swig - “I wasn’t there when it happened but for all intents and purposes he and the queen were on their side!”

Zilvra cocks her head. “The queen too?”

“Yeah! Until he got killed. She at least is clear in her intentions...”

Davis drains the beer, staring into the empty mug sadly but Anvindr is quick to get a new and better one for him, ensuring that the well of information doesn’t run dry.

“One of the nobles,” the marshal admits in a hush, “he’s...getting out of hand, so to say. Gotten real close with the queen and rumour has it he might be whispering a bit much in her ear, if you catch my meaning.”

The trio makes sure to look appalled. “Who?” one of them asks.

“Wayland. Writes her speeches, always by her side.” Then Davis explains how the queen, supposedly, has implemented many of the new laws since then, like roof-walking and the conscription of adventurers. “And you’d think they’d have something to go by what with the Clairvoyance Towers.”

“The what?” Zilvra asks, unsure if it’s a typical Topside thing.

The marshal drinks. Burps. Then fixes her with kind eyes. “They are like watchtowers, keeping an eye out for anything unnatural. Arcane. But clearly they should be seeing something with the mines getting active and still they report nothing?”

“Where are they?” Anvindr wants to know.

“There’s one to the east of here.”

Morella is fiddling with a strand of hair. “So they should have seen there were duergar in the northern mine?”

“I...think so. Duergar?”

It’s clear he doesn’t ask because of ignorance but rather incredulity and so the trio briefly explains about the quest to clear the mine and even mention the theft of grapes but at least that doesn’t sound like anything happening in Oldgarde.

“Either way...what I’m saying is that you should be on your guard. Not just in mines or outside of the borders of Stouvania.”

“Sounds like you should too,” Zilvra points out.

“You’re probably right. Now, thanks for bringing me food and the beer...duty calls again.”

Thanking him for the time, the three new friends head back to the inn and find that with the new rank as Silver Adventurers comes better accommodations in the form of a proper room, simple as it may be.

---

There’s something familiar about the next day’s journey towards the mine: once the road has come to an end, becoming nothing more than parallel overgrown dirt trails, the discoveries of little stone bunkers are hardly a surprise. Thankfully, these shelters seem abandoned but the trio makes sure to move quietly ahead.

Reaching the mine, they find the entrance demolished and there are signs of a great fire having ravaged the site, charring stone and drying spilled blood alike. Maybe from duergar, maybe not because there are no corpses of the Underdark dwarves...but Morella does find three other corpses, burned and decapitated.

“This is fairly new,” Zilvra mumbles, fingertips raking through the ash on the ground near the caved in mouth of the mine.

“We better take these,” the druid sighs, yanking the dog-tags off the corpses, causing them to crumble.

The girls converge by the corpses, partially wanting to do something for them, but mainly noticing how nothing else has been left: no weapons or armours, no backpacks with rations or anything.

“Do you guys hear that?” Anvindr asks quietly.

Straining their ears all they might, it’s only the genasi that is able to make out the sounds he is referring to: the beating on an anvil and the faint roar of a furnace from deep within the mine, still.

Not wanting to go back without more intel, the trio decides to stay the night so they retreat to the edge of the woods and the handy genasi creates a shelter before settling down and starting to whittle away on the branch he’s found.

They don’t have to wait long.

Only within the first hour of the night’s watch, as Zilvra is admiring the stars above the canopy, does she notice a different light like firelight spilling out through the crack between the boulders blocking the mine’s entrance. Silently, she wakes the others and they all watch as something seems to squeeze out partially between the stones.

A warped face with dark eyes, ever shifting as it scans the surroundings carefully. Like made of fire and smoke, intangible yet threatening. It never emerges fully but it must be of a considerable size. It remains on watch, unaware of its own audience, for an hour roughly before retreating into the darkness, taking with it the light.

“Nnnng,” Morella wines quietly, causing her friends to worry, “it doesn’t belong here...it’s...it’s...it’s from the Plane of Fire.” She gasps, rubbing her temples as if remembering hurts her. “I had a dream before, when we were at the wolves’. I remembered home, the Fey Wild, and the Planes of the Elements like fire where Phaana rules.”

The other two share a glance of their friend’s bend back which they are stroking soothingly.

“Alright,” Zilvra nods contemplatively, “so this is one of Phaana’s people and it has come here...like you did?”

“How did you come here, Morella?” the genasi wants to know.

“I don’t know.”

“Maybe if we find out about you then we can figure out about them too?”

Morella nods miserably.

Nothing much is said after that as they settle down to resume the night’s rest but they are each thinking their own.

[dramamelon]

For Polyship Week 2023! 💖

Completing the Connection

Day 1: Road Trip Rating: E (overall, but not until day 5) Chararcters: Drift, Ratchet, Rodimus, Thunderclash Pairing: thunderdratchrod XD Fandom: Transformers (IDW1) Tags: Minimal Editing, Romantic Fluff, Sticky Sexual Interfacing, Polyamory, Flirting Fic Summary: As a still newly-minted foursome, they've come closer to one another, but one connection hasn't quite fully cemented itself just yet. A surprise retirement announcement from Thunderclash has Rodimus suggesting one last tour on the Exitus for all of them. Really, it's a chance to for a bit of vacation time with his partners on Cybertron's shanix. And maybe it might spur on a little more action between Thunderclash and Drift.

AO3 link in reblog! Sequel to Closest of Friends. :)

When Thunderclash casually mentioned over dinner at the country house that was now home to all of them that he felt it was time to retire, let someone else explore the deep reaches of the galaxy, even Rodimus met the proclamation with silence. Only for a short moment, though. Before Drift or Ratchet could summon words, Rodimus jumped on Thunderclash, battering him with questions about why and when and how…. He ended with a simple suggestion: "How about a last tour? We'll bring everyone," he nodded to include Drift and Ratchet, "and make a thing of it. Maybe invite a few extra friends along, too?"

"Like a reunion?" Ratchet asked from across the table where he sat beside Drift.

"A reunion," Drift repeated, swirling his fingertip around the rim of his glass. "That's a lot of people, Roddy. Especially considering the ship's already got a full crew."

"Okay, maybe not everyone," Rodimus revised, setting his elbows on the edge of the table and reaching over to snag a calcite stick from Drift's plate. "Maybe… just us. How long has it been since you two sailed the stars, huh?"

"It sounds like a fine idea," Thunderclash added, setting a hand on Rodimus' shoulder and giving Ratchet and Drift a cajoling look. "My cabin has plenty of room. Captain's quarters are immense on this particular class of ship. And, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'd certainly enjoy the extra company."

And that had been that. The announcement turned into a planning, turned into the journey itself, reaching a point where the walls of the ship were driving even Ratchet spare. As luck would have it, the last excursion of Thunderclash's career found them a new and exciting planet to explore, the natives very welcoming toward a visit from robotic aliens. Rodimus had been shocked to find they'd never heard of Cybertron or Cybertronians. He stood by, nodding, as Thunderclash impressed upon the crew they were emissaries and should put forth the effort to not create the havoc they as a people were so very good at.

So it went that the Exitus settled into orbit and all the paperwork was completed by the competent hand of Thunderclash's Second. A long needed and well-deserved shore leave awaited the crew on the organic world of tall mountains, shimmering seas, and so much more below. Most particularly, it awaited Rodimus and his three favorite people.

"C'mon, guys!" Rodimus shouted across the shuttle bay, leaning out the open hatch of the Rodpod to catch their attention. "Time's wasting!"

The collection of looks sent his direction ranged from annoyed (Ratchet) to indulgent (Thunderclash). While the first made him laugh and the second sent happy bubbles through his fuel tank, it was the third expression that pushed him onto further obnoxiousness. Unfortunately, Ratchet noticed this and gave Drift a quick knock upside the helm. "Get that damn grin off your face," he grouched before reaching down for two of the bags they'd packed for the trip. "You're fragging encouraging him and he's already insufferable enough as it is."

Rodimus didn't miss the way the corners of his mouth quirked upward, though. Neither did Drift, judging from his bark of laughter as he rubbed at the side of his helm. "You heard him, Ratty," Drift said with a smirk on his face, snagging some luggage from Ratchet's hand. "Time's wasting."

"Shut up, kid," Ratchet muttered. There was no denying the humor in those three words.

As the two straightened, Rodimus watched Thunderclash make his way between them, slinging an arm over each set of shoulders. "Now let's not be like this, everyone," he said in that most genial fashion of his. It didn't go unnoticed that Ratchet leaned deeper into the embrace than Drift did, though this was not unexpected—theirs was the newest connection in the foursome. Rodimus still smiled to see it as it had been a long time coming. With a small nudge to both, Thunderclash urged them toward the Rodpod. "Get on that absurd little ship already. We've got a well-deserved break just waiting for us to get there and you're arguing instead."

"You shut it, too, Thunders," Ratchet said, throwing an elbow at Thunderclash's side, the casual air of longtime friendship and deeper love soft on his face.

Rodimus stepped back and allowed them through the open with the grand sweep of one arm in a welcoming gesture. He fluttered his spoiler wings with excitement—the trip had been his plan. He couldn't wait to get them down to the surface of this new alien world and show them exactly what he had in mind. They were going to love it. Once they were in and finding places to store luggage, Rodimus popped the button to close the hatch and bounded to the front.

The Rodpod was small by shuttle standards, but there was plenty of room for the four of them. Even taking into consideration the size of Thunderclash. Scooting around the big mech, Rodimus had a moment of shock as he watched Drift move toward the pilot's seat. Rodimus leaned into a short run, sliding into the seat with all the flair he could manage. He hissed through a grin as he banged one spoiler wing in the landing process, more than happy to curl his hands around Drift's trim waist, though, as the gorgeous mech ended up in his lap.

Meeting the surprised look Drift shot at him with a wink, Rodimus offered his most salacious grin. "Hey, babe," he said as his engine purred, rubbing his thumbs over the small of Drift's back. "Seat's taken, but you're welcome to stay right where you are. Might make piloting a little weird, though."

"Are you being a pest again, Rodimus?" The friendly boom of Thunderclash's voice from right behind the pilot's seat had Rodimus lifting his chin to look directly up to find an amused smile turned down on him. "What am I saying? I should only be worried when you're not being a pest."

While Drift laughed at the comment, Rodimus put on the playfully affronted frown, giving Drift's hips a little squeeze. "I'll have you know, my dear Thunders, that I am entirely capable—"

He was silenced as Thunderclash's mouth descended on his and engaged him in a kiss that sent all thought tumbling from his brain module. Drift shifted in his lap, Rodimus' fingers slipping along smooth armor. The hands curled around Rodimus' cheeks, fanning over the edges of his helm, very obviously belonged to the mech on his lap. Rodimus hummed softly as Thunderclash eventually pulled away, optics dim and smiling as Drift urged him to angle his helm for a kiss of his own. Rodimus happily obliged.

"Not that I have anything against kissing," Ratchet interrupted, his tone drier than ever, "but if we don't get off the Exitus before panels start popping, we're never going to get anywhere."

As much as it hurt him to break off the liplock with Drift, Rodimus sighed as he moved his mouth away from those sweet lips. "Ratchet," he started, turning the facetious look of solicitous understanding on the medic, "I know you're jealous that these two got me first. Just come on over and I'll lay a big one on you, too." He'd have added a beckoning finger or two, as well, were they not still playing across Drift's hips.

When Ratchet snorted and rolled his optics before going back to stowing the last of their luggage, Rodimus laughed and lifted Drift to his pedes. Which, by pure happenstance, put him directly in front of Thunderclash. Rodimus was nothing if not encouraging when it came to the two of them exploring whatever might blossom between them. And he really just liked the way both flushed like a couple of newsparks with their first crush. His grin widened and he turned to the control panel, flicking the switches in preparation for takeoff.

It was Ratchet that ended up in the navigator's seat beside him. A glance proved him just as pleased with the lingering rise of energon pink in the cheeks of Drift and Thunderclash, approval of the way they hadn't yet put any distance between themselves.

"All right, it's time for all passengers to take their seats," Rodimus announced, grabbing hold of the flight controls. "We're about to get this show on the road."

[timeladyjamie]

My Advice for Fanfiction Writers

This is advice I wish I would have gotten from other writers when I was first starting out 8 years ago, but it’s just something I’ve learned along the way on my own from personal experience. 

𝗗𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞, 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗗𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟 𝗚𝗢𝗢𝗗 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗜𝗧!

Don’t worry about not getting reviews/comments. I know you’d love feedback or just something to know others are reading your work, but if you think about this too much, it will discourage you, which is the worst thing to happen.

Write when you feel inspired. There is nothing worse than forcing it and not having it turn out like you want it. You gotta let the ideas and words flow to you at times. 

Do things that make you feel inspired. Studies show that going on a walk in nature, exercising or listening to music usually helps kick that writers block. Sometimes, however, you might just have to take a break entirely. 

Plot! Plot! Plot! I cannot stress this enough. Most of my writers block stems from trying to go off of the things in my head instead of writing it down and structuring it out first. In fact, I’ve found that just taking down notes helps too. 

𝗗𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗟𝗟 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗚𝗘𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡! I’ve had quite a few of these type of people in my time of writing fanfiction. They are the ones who don’t leave constructive criticism (though they may call it that), and instead leave comments like: “Wow, your OC is a Mary-sue.” “This is terrible, fuck off.” It’s easier said then done, but disregard them. They usually either: 1. want you to delete your story, 2. are jealous they can’t write, or 3. don’t understand your story. 

Be open to constructive criticism (not the troll’s.) Every review/comment leaves you open for this opportunity, but that doesn’t mean it will always happen. However, there is that occasional reader who ACTUALLY takes the time to give you some proper feedback. BLESS THEM! They will tell you what could need improving, ask questions and even offer helpful tips. This is usually from fellow writers like yourself. Don’t turn down an opportunity to learn and grow. 

𝗗𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞, 𝗘𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨'𝗩𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗜𝗣! Chances are there are some readers out there who really love it and come back and visit it from time to time. Also...you’re gonna regret deleting it, especially if you ever wanna come back and finish it. (Trust me...I know it all too well.) 

𝗙𝗘𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗘 𝗢𝗖'𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗜𝗡𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗟𝗬 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗬-𝗦𝗨𝗘'𝗦!

Say it with me again: NOT ALL FEMALE OC’S ARE MARY-SUE’S! This is a mentality in general that needs to break. Seriously, female OC’s get the most hate for just existing sometimes. It’s gotta stop. No, I will not be taking comments for it. Thank you!

Everyone perceives things differently. It’s all about POV. That’s the beauty of life, but it’s also the beauty of being a reader and writer too. You may mean for story to be interpreted one way, but one of the readers may perceive things another way. Sometimes what you write may not click with someone....and THAT’S OKAY! 

You’ll find your audience...it will just take time. I know some fandom’s are more active than others, but it also just depends on the reader too. Honestly, I can’t get any of my in-person friends to read my stuff, but I have friends online who check it out, and some who even share it around. Don’t worry, you’ll find your audience. They are probably already there, just lurking. 

Fanfiction is all about exploring ideas and being creative. If someone doesn’t like your idea, they don’t have to read it. It’s not hurting anyone. Fanfiction also helps other people escape certain things or to just relax. Just write your story and keep going at it. Someone out there will enjoy it. 

𝗗𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞! 𝗬𝗢𝗨'𝗥𝗘 𝗚𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗢 𝗥𝗘𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗧 𝗜𝗧! 

Writers Support Writers! Seriously, we are a community who loves to create things we are passionate about, collaborate on ideas, fan over them and cheer each other on. It also helps you find friends and more of an audience. So, what’s the best way to help an author/creator? SHARE THEIR WORK! REBLOG! One simple click is all it takes. 

Fanfiction is sometimes where most writers begin.  You’d be surprised by this answer I got from professional writers, some working for certain companies too. Fanfiction is sometimes where the journey to being a writer begins. It’s a learning process. It’s a growing process. It’s where I began 8 years ago and discovered my passion for writing. Now I’m working on becoming a professional writer. 

This brings me back to the fact: DON’T DELETE YOUR WORK! I cannot stress this enough. You can look back on your old projects and see how far you’ve grown as a writer. 

𝗖𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗦! Throw a party! Brag about it! Seriously, be proud of yourself and how far you’ve come. Take joy in that new chapter you just posted. You’re amazing for just taking the time to sit down and write something you’re passionate about!

𝗜𝗧'𝗦 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬! 𝗪𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗜𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗘𝗟𝗙! It’s the reason you began in the first place, right? You wanted to write something you thought would be cool to explore. Don’t minimize your ideas or yourself because of others. (See Don’t Let Troll Reviewers Get You Down above) At the end of the day, it’s your story. You wrote it. The only opinion that truly matters concerning your story is your own. 

HAVE FUN EXPLORING IDEAS AND KEEP AT IT YOU AMAZING HUMAN BEING! 

[doitwritenow]

IronStrange Starter Kit - Master Fic Rec List for all Y’all Because You’ve been Asking and I’ve been Avoiding

Hi! All you anons and askers, I made a list!!! Hopefully some of these are what you’ve been after. :D

(Please reblog this, lol, I spent too much time on it...) 

General rules: These are complete unless indicated otherwise, and end happily unless indicated otherwise. There’s a variety of ratings, as I have no qualms against smut, but I don’t usually read it outside of a larger plot. So I don’t think there’ll be many explicit stories on here. Word counts vary; I indicate general length but don’t go into specifics. What else, uh... Bold stuff is the headers and general subjects. I link the titles. Block quotes are author summaries. Enjoy!!

- 

Okay so first off, there are a couple of Fandom Staples who just have leagues worth of good short stories, and if you haven’t read them, then definitely treat yourself to the array:

A Thousand Futures of Me and You - VisionaryGalaxy (Vishanti, what a legend, ily so much). This is a series of unconnected one-shots, each their own and covering a variety of tropes and moments and themes and AUs. They’re so fun (and/or painful and/or thought-provoking and/or tense and/or sexy)! In-character and amazing, consistantly. 

Prompt Collection -  amethyst-noir (Arbonne). (Also a legendary human). This is exactly what it sounds like: a series of prompt fills in all sorts of tones. You’ll almost certainly find something here that feels like it was just made for you!

Alright, onto the individual stories and series!

Long fics/series:

The of overqualified hands and pi figures series - lantia4ever. (This was my first Ironstrange story, and it is no less magical now.)

A series of one-shots, all set in the same alternate verse in which Tony and Stephen first meet following the events of the first Avengers and then continue to meet after that throughout the canon up until Infinity War and eventually beyond it. Becoming friends - and more along the way.

Time After Time - fancylances. (I love love LOVE this one. Highly recommended.) 

Tony Stark is unstuck in time. Stephen Strange might just be the only person in the universe qualified enough to help.

Citizen Erased - Imagined. (This author. Just... such a wonderful, talented, stunning person who makes wonderful, talented, stunning works. This story is masterful.)

What do you do when no one in the world ever manages to remember you?

Anyone who sees Tony Stark promptly forgets he ever existed after mere seconds. When everyone he has ever cared about has lost their memories of him, he goes to Stephen Strange, possibly the only one who can help him lift the curse. But a terrifying danger is coming, and saving the world isn’t an easy job to do when no one can remember who you are.

if only the gods had mercy on us and it’s sequel a soul too deep - orphan_account. (Vishanti, this series...  It’s so beautiful and emotional and heart-breaking and heart-warming. And it has so few views for so many words! One of my absolute favorites, VERY highly recommended.) 

Tony Stark loved Stephen Strange. He loved him more than anyone could ever imagine. But then a terrorist group attacked the convoy. Then there was a car accident. In the middle of it all, there is tired, battered love. (And, maybe, a little bit of genius)

From the Top - lucifersfavoritechild. (Everyone reads this fic. Written by the blogger Monarch Of The Ironstrange Ship, it’s an MCU rewrite around the relationship. Very fun.) 

“Stephen, if you’re . . . there somewhere . . . when I drift off, I’ll be with you again. I can’t wait.”

|| Personally, I think the MCU would be much better as a love story between Stephen Strange and Tony Stark. Don't you?

Starting from Iron Man, and going all the way to Endgame, with all the appropriate stops in between. Let's take it from the top.

UNFINISHED: Skin Deep - Mystical_Magician. (Super cool premise, and super interesting to read! The dynamic here is very fun.)

A battle that should have finally killed Stephen instead launches him into a parallel universe. Exhausted from centuries as Sorcerer Supreme, he chooses instead to explore this new world in any animal form except human. Having hoped for peace at last, he can't stand to be looked up to, to be responsible for others, to have the world on his shoulders.

If he'd hoped to avoid excitement, however, he really should have stayed away when he noticed an enormous explosion and a falling metal suit of armor as he passed through Afghanistan.

UNFINISHED: The End of Infinity - FriendlyNeighborhoodFangirls. (Self rec. Very long, very slow-burn. Canon-compliant Endgame fix-it. I’m trying so hard, lol.)

In 2023, the battle for the universe has been won. At a cost no one can forget, the fight is over—for all but one. Stephen Strange has an idea. An impossible idea spanning dimensions and timelines, life and death, and the lines of good and evil. But he's played impossible odds before—perhaps he never stopped.

All that Loki wanted was to fight, one last time, for the fate of his universe. So when he finds himself fighting for another, crashing into the past, he has a few intended words for the wizard that forced him there. But not before he finds a boy. Or, more accurately, before the boy finds him.

Peter Parker had been waiting for the next mission. He just doesn't expect it to come from the future, armed with a ridiculous story demanding a ridiculous quest. And he doesn't expect not to be able to tell Mr. Stark.

Tony Stark is trying to rebuild from the Civil War, knowing that someday, something will come that he needs to be ready for. And he doesn't know it yet, but two universes are trying to rebuild around him, and that something is already here.

Seven Stones. Five dead. Two universes. And one impossible quest to tie it all back together.

UNFINISHED: Sunrise in Exile - Ragdoll (Keshka). (Another fandom favorite! And for good reason. This is really really good!) 

Tony does the math and realizes their best chance to save the universe is by... not confronting Thanos on his own turf.

So he steals a wizard and a spider and a space ship. And he runs.

(Three humans and an A.I in space, the alien friendships they make along the way, and discovering how science and magic might coexist in a universe where they can be one and the same.)

Shorter plotty ones: 

Out of Suffering - Mystical_Magician. (So this author??? THIS AUTHOR??? Very very good, much yes, very good.) 

Stephen Strange does not like people, but 14,000,605 lifetimes of fighting and dying alongside this small group have worn down his walls. He likes them, gods help him. He might even consider them friends. It’s really for the best that they all go their separate ways once Thanos has been defeated. In their eyes, he’s barely even an acquaintance.

Now if only Tony and Peter would stop surprising him.

moros - spookykingdomstarlight. (Almost got a spot in the angst section. Very good). 

There were fourteen million universes Stephen had birthed into existence and let die and, in far more than he cared to count, the visitor standing before him had become something… dear.

Shaking is Caring - mariadperiad20. (This is just STUNNING. Highly loved.)

5 times Stephen's hands would shake, +1 time they didn't.

It's Kinda Chalky - DestielsDestiny. (This one’s pretty short, but definitely worth it.) 

You can live an entire lifetime by looking into someone’s eyes. His sister used to say that all the time. Stephen never gave it much thought back then. These days, he can think of little else.

Something Magic - Imagined. (Beautiful!)

There is only ever one rule that matters:

do not fall in love with the enemy.

An Idiotic Theory - FriendlyNeighborhoodFangirls. (Self rec! I tried to be funny.)

His wizard has been cursed, again, and Tony's already used up his luck for the day.

(Stephen says it's not a curse. He says Tony's whole daily-allotted karma-based luck theory has minimal merit, citing the fact that Tony had come up with it while he was drunk.)

Tony really should have saved his miracle.

Love Through Time - babywarg (morphaileffect). (I love this one. It sticks with you.) 

Tony discovers an old drawing of, and finally remembers, his invisible friend Stephen from when he was a child.

Alternates - doobler. (Super cool!)

After being punked by a lowbrow magician, Stephen finds himself falling through doors to otherwordly dimensions. How will he ever get home?

132 - 28ghosts. (Soulmate AU! Very fun, incorporates Stephen’s time-loop with Dormammu.)

Ninety-nine point eight percent of humans have a soulmate mark that tells them the age their soulmate will be when they meet them. Tony Stark has a mark. It's just that his is...different than most people's.

(Or: six people who aren't Tony Stark's soulmate, and one who is.)

and when the world falls (I will fall with it) - HeavenChild. (Another multichap soulmate AU. Absolutely lovely.)

Tony will give anything to those he loves.

People will take everything he gives before leaving him in shambles.

Rhodhey, Pepper and Vision have had enough.

Or the five times Tony had his heart broken and the one time he didn't.

i saw the end of the world - JumpToConclusions. (Why has no one read this fic??? It’s so good!!! Stephen knows the future since he saw it on Titan, and things grow more complex from there.)

Tony and Strange are trying to make this work, this being remaking The Avengers. ...And maybe they'll stumble into something else along the way.

Tiresome heart, forever living and dying - Mystical_Magician. (R e a d  t h i s  p l e a s e. The mythology is so cool and the symbolism is so beautiful and the prose is so satisfying. One of my absolute faves.) 

As a fledgling crane, Stephen was too curious for his own good, and it was this curiosity that led to Eugene Strange finding and stealing away his feather robe. Trapped in human form, cruelly forged into the perfect son, not even his father's death freed him when his robe was so well hidden. He only managed to break his father's mold after breaking completely in the aftermath of his accident, and slowly gluing those broken pieces back together at Kamar-Taj, but not even magic could find what had been hidden. Enter Tony, after the defeat of Thanos.

Fluffy ones:

From The Outside - Live. (Hilarious.) 

Being a sentient life-form surrounded by humanity can be hard. Especially when said humans just can't admit their feelings for each other.

Sleeping Iron Man - Golden_Asp. (Another fun one. Perfect balance of ridiculousness with a touch of angst to make it interesting.) 

Stephen Strange stared at the Avengers on his doorstep, Tony Stark flung over Steve Rogers' shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "He touched something, didn't he?" "Yuup." or The one where Tony touches Sleeping Beauty's spindle, is put into an enchanted sleep, and everyone, even Rocket Raccoon, take their turn kissing him. But Tony only has one prince charming.

Doctor Ob(li)vious - lantia4ever. (One of my very favorites. So cute.) 

Stephen starts getting some weird looks from the Avengers, spanning across disturbed, confused and even scared all the way to curious. He dismisses it at first until weird turns into knowing.

And knowing turns into realizing...even if the scheming teenagers had to all but paint it on the walls for him to do so. Oh wait...

Applied Combinatorics in Two-Player Games - 28ghosts. (Short and fun and full of snark.)

After a battle, Tony Stark and Stephen Strange argue about games.

-

“Chess is not a solved problem.”

“Has been since ‘97, Kasparov versus Deep Blue. Kasparov, 1; Deep Blue, 2; three draws.”

“Chess is a game, not a problem.”

The Courtship of Peter Parker's Father (Figures) - flyingonfeatherlesswings. (Peter plays matchmaker! Adorable.)

Peter couldn't stand to sit by while Tony and Stephen danced around each other any longer. Something had to be done.

Speaking Eyes - Vrishchika. (Not Steve Friendly. Tony is amazing in this. And Stephen is so fantastically dramatic.)

Tony has always had expressive eyes.

The Signs of Sleep Deprivation - FriendlyNeighborhoodFangirls. (Another self-rec. <3)

"Tony said to put the potato in the dishwasher, so that's what I did."

Sometimes, Avengers just show up to say hi. Sometimes, they all show up at once, and Tony makes an party out of it. Sometimes, he invites the snarky, oblivious, somewhat insecure wizard because, and Peter quotes: "everyone else is coming".

Sometimes, something needs to be done.

Show Me Your Scars (And I'll Show You Mine) - Imagined. (Adorable. Lovely. Imagined does it again.)

The worst part is that Stephen keeps tucking his hands away, just as Tony wants to hold them. He keeps hiding them, surreptitiously, no matter what they’re doing. It’s only when Tony kisses Stephen, or hugs him, that he feels the hands settle on his back, uncertain, ready to pull back within seconds.

It only makes him want to cuddle up to Stephen even more, but he backs away, not sure if it’d be welcome.

Promise? Promise. - sharonscarters. (AU, kidfic, absolutely adorable.) 

A four year old Tony Stark runs away from home and finds his Guardian Angel.

What The Doctor Ordered - wakandan_wardog. (Post CW. Kind of not Rogues friendly? So fun, makes me smile. I re-read this one a lot.)

The Rogue Avengers are called back to New York because the heavy hitters are going to be needed against Thanos. Of course, there are some truths that Steve Rogers will need to accept sooner rather than later. Tony Stark has moved on and Stephen Strange will not suffer fools lightly.

Hurt/Comforty ones:

Among The Chaos of The Stars (You're My Safe Harbour) - ShootMeDead. (Oh my vishanti. OH MY VISHANTI. So so so so SO good.) 

Stephen has always been able to hear the stars. Tony is the only one who can silence them.

each night like a white noise frequency - Phierie. (I ADORE THIS FIC. OKAY. I LOVE IT. READ IT.)

Stephen is no stranger to making hard choices. He doesn’t regret his actions on Titan, but months later they weigh on his mind heavier than ever; the cracks begin to show.

Just An Accident - CucumbersInGold. (I really like fics with Stephen’s hands and the difficulties thereabout. Idk, just one of my favorite things. This is beautiful). 

Stephen's hands act up.

Learning, Unlearning - Caaaaaaas. (More character study than anything else. Really good.)

Whatever Stephen wanted with life, life just didn’t seem to know what to do with him.

In which Stephen learns and unlearns some very important lessons.

your eyes have their silence - doctortwelfth. (Oh look it’s another scars fic. I told you I liked them.) 

Tony is gentle with Stephen’s hands even when Stephen forgets to be.

Burning Lines Into The Snow - petroltogo. (Not very Steve friendly. Short and sweet.)

Post CW: It's not just the team that's so broken they are barely able to comprehend how many parts they're missing now, how many have been ripped and twisted and torn. It's Tony as well, right down to the core, the damage so far-reaching even he doesn't know how to fix it.

And then there's Strange, who has his own way of covering the cracks.

Old Bones - CJtheWeeb. (Owch. Dumb geniuses trying to be invulnerable.)

Sometimes Stephen Strange has great days, where he was nearly pain free and his hands still enough to where he could pick up a cup of water and barely spill a drop.

Today was not one of those days.

something taken, something new - meowrails. (So in-character. The premise was a little off to me, but I’m so glad I decided to read this one. I really really like this fic.)

The ChronicConnection implement and app allows a person that lives with chronic or illness-induced pain to transfer their burden temporarily to a willing loved one.

Tony and Stephen sign up as beta testers.

Angsty ones (happy ending unless otherwise mentioned):

day one - days4daisy. (THIS IS SO GOOD OKAY IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE ON THIS LIST READ THIS).

Three days in Stark Tower. Stephen must be in bad shape if he just agreed to this.

His Merlin - babywarg (morphaileffect). (This author keeps showing up on this list because they are A LEGEND. A LEGEND I TELL YOU.) 

As a child, Tony imagined himself a Knight of the Round Table. Little did he know he would grow up to be a king. And that he would have a wizard by his side to lead him to either glory or destruction.

there is no heart for me like yours - turtle_abyss. (Soulmate AU! Wonderful. <3)

Being able to feel your soulmate - a phantom touch, a bone-deep awareness - is a divine torture. To know, but not see. To seek, but not find. To feel someone holding your hand and not be able to hold theirs.

Grace - StrangeMischief. (*cries in beautiful fic* Happy ending!)

“Pain’s an old friend.” 

Us...Me - StrangeMischief. (This will hurt you. So melancholy. Pepper and Tony live their life, and Tony remembers. Not a happy ending.) 

“I don’t believe in happily ever after.” 

One-Thousand Cranes - FriendlyNeighborhoodFangirls. (Self rec, sorry. Hopeful ending.) 

After it all, a man with shaking hands makes a wish.

courtesy - deathofglitter. (Dealing with the fourteen-million futures. So good.) 

Stark looked at him like he looked at the amulet that rested on his chest like a steady promise - dutiful, a bit burdened, and trying to hold a profound lack of personal emotion whatsoever, still personal enough to protect as anyone would a precious object.

La Douleur Exquise - BananasofThorns, StrangeMischief. (More pain. Pepper and Tony, and Stephen watching and trying not to wish. Very good, no happy ending.)

The before was easy. There were fewer boxes in their minds and no chains around their hearts. There was no hurt. No tears. No dreams.

But those days were long gone.

Stigmata - babywarg (morphaileffect). (AU! Soulmates again. Very interesting, beautifully done.)

Since Stephen was little, mysterious wounds have appeared and disappeared on his body, leaving mysterious scars. His mother says it's because he's one of a Pair, and he's absorbing pain meant for someone else.

*wipes brow* PHEW! That gotta a little more in-depth than I first intended... Have fun, my MysticIron friends. Happy quarantine. 

[dgcatanisiri]

Right. THAT is why I don’t watch every video essay that passes through my recommendations, just because it’s about a subject of queerness. Because it wants to talk about one of the biggest examples of queerbaiting as if it existed in isolation from everything else that happened in that fandom.

I need to blow off some steam here.

When it comes to addressing issues of St*rek, you CAN. NOT. divorce the discussion of how the show queerbaited the audience from the audience’s racism. The show had a canon queer character (of color) and centered around a character of color. And, when it came to fan content, what I would usually see come about, if the above two were involved AT ALL? Was crap like this.

A gif of Scott and Stiles, Stiles going for a fist bump, Scott a five, and them just rolling with it, with the text below bringing up a “stoned fratboy” AU. And the very next reblog text drops Scott IMMEDIATELY and makes it into a St*rek thing. Nothing about this show mattered but the characters of Stiles and Derek.

This will forever be what that pairing is associated with in my mind. The erasure of Scott to prop it up, even when it’s not even the subject.

The thing is, this pairing has ALWAYS been my go-to of straight people translating the dynamics of straight relationships onto queer couples, a translation that always misses the mark - aesthetic attraction aside, you aren’t going to genuinely fall for and proceed to act on an attraction to someone who is legitimately aggressive to you. The bully and the bullied do not ACTUALLY end up together, because the bully has made it clear that, if they were given the chance, they’d leave you bloody, not your heart a-flutter. 

AND THAT WAS THE DYNAMIC. For the better part of Derek’s time on the show, he did not give a single flying fornication about Stiles - his focus was on SCOTT. On how Scott - the “Teen Wolf” of the series name - was now a werewolf, how that made a connection between them, as pack. Derek legitimately threatened Stiles with bodily harm on multiple occasions - and in a few occasions off the top of my head, actually followed through with it. Stiles was something that Derek had to put up with, and routinely made it clear that he didn’t particularly care to.

It doesn’t matter how flustered Stiles might have gotten about Derek, the genuine reality always was that Derek DIDN’T care about Stiles. It was not until the show began actively leaning in to the queerbaiting that we saw any positive shift in their interactions. Until that point, it was a lot of antagonism, and, again, antagonism may have often been used to describe straight pairings, but... I mean, people, even the straights are reaching the point of calling out this shit as being unhealthy dynamics at best. 

But they were attractive white guys who breathed in the same room, while being the only romantically unattached characters in the main cast during the first season. Despite the fact that both had plenty of interactions with other characters that could have offered them something with more foundation - Scott and Stiles are best friends who are as close as brothers, Derek is after Scott to join the pack. Stiles on screen is pestering Danny about “am I attractive to gay guys?” and then got him to come over to his bedroom (it’s the same scene as that infamous “Derek in Stiles’s bedroom” bit, not that anyone ever discusses that...) Hell, go in the direction of the dynamic above, Scott and Jackson are rivals on the lacrosse team throughout Jackson’s time. Yet, even with that being the same dynamic AND not involving either character - so not “conflicting” with the ship while offering the same draw in terms of their interactions - it’s a barely touched ship when you look it up on AO3.

So we have the fandom actively AVOIDING featuring the characters of color, diminishing them, and, based on my experience in terms of the content that existed throughout the time of the show’s airing, even transplanting Scott’s characterization over to Stiles - Stiles is the snarky shit who doesn’t mind suggesting killing a perceived threat because he wants the danger dealt with directly, while Scott is the compassionate nurturer who will do everything in his power to find a solution that saves the most lives. But I recall a lot of trying to make Stiles out as “the pack mom!friend,” as if he’d be the one taking care of all these characters if they showed up unexpectedly. 

Like, that example always came with the way he positioned himself over Isaac and Erica in the episode “Raving.” The way that actually is him using them as a shield - if the kanima broke through the door they were pressed against, it’d hit them first, giving Stiles time to run away. But sure, he’s the pack mama, looking out for the baby betas.

When Stiles or Derek suggest or do something morally questionable, they’re justified. When Scott disagrees, he’s the worst. When Derek betrays Scott (working with Peter in season one), his actions are brushed off entirely. When Scott (justifiably) does not trust Derek (his plan for dealing with Gerard in the season two finale), he’s a horrible person for leaving Derek in the dark - even though Derek has spent the whole season actively preying on a group of teenage outcasts, threatening to kill anyone he believes is the kanima, and just generally being a variety flavor bag of dicks.

The fandom diminished Scott, and it even diminished Danny - at the same time that we had Danny and Ethan’s relationship in season three, there were still calls for “a gay couple” on the show. Like, that was the way it was looked at, that “we need a gay couple,” exact words. Because Danny/Ethan was not main cast, or, to put it bluntly since I already said this was a matter of racism, because Danny wasn’t white, this canon gay relationship was ignored and erased in the name of getting the two white boys to kiss. Not “a gay couple in the main cast.” Just “a gay couple.”

For the record, I’m not gonna touch on the age gap element, Stiles at 16, Derek in his early 20s, even though I know it’s become a popular thing to go into as time has gone on - in today’s example of “nuance is a thing,” the nuance of this is that we have adult actors playing teenage characters, which creates muddied waters since fictional construct says one thing, but your eyes and head are seeing actors of a more appropriate age interacting, and while I don’t condone it IRL, this is still fiction and I’m gonna just leave that alone for the time being. The core of my complaint overall here is that fandom was inventing this relationship wholesale and then getting pissy when canon didn’t conform and actors disagreed.

So when you have an interview where, after a few years of being asked repeatedly about “is St*rek gonna happen?” when he plays neither character, when this show is supposedly meant to center on his character, but no one seems to talk to him ABOUT his character, when these “fans” are minimizing him and his character, Tyler Posey makes a snippy remark about how this is “weird, twisted, bizarre, and they’re watching for the wrong thing”? Yeah, actually. He’s right. St*rek shippers WERE watching for the wrong thing.

In the eyes of these shippers, Scott could do no right if it would mean that Derek was wrong. To them, “Teen Wolf” was a description of Stiles (the teen) and Derek (the wolf), and Scott was an incidental character at best. And how dare anyone involved be at all upset over this.

But the videos on queerbaiting NEVER bring this stuff up. And, when those from outside the fandom, who report on these in autopsy fashion, bring up things like Tyler Posey’s comment, they do it in a manner that even suggests that he - the actor who was nineteen/twenty years old at the time of the show’s filming and premiere - was responsible for the various forms of queerbaiting that the producers pushed, like the infamous “Dylan O’Brien and Tyler Hoechlin cuddling on a ship” thing. So, you know, just perpetuating this attitude that permeated this fandom, of this casual low-level racism. 

But no, this never comes up. But speaking as someone who was there during the height of Teen Wolf’s Tumblr popularity? Oh, it ABSOLUTELY was everywhere. But, because the people doing these autopsies were in the midst of this (and, while I’m acknowledging this at the end of this ranting, I do want to be clear that I am speaking about this fandom as an entity in its own right, and not any singular individual in and of themselves, I don’t think that all shippers of this ship are racist or that shipping it is in and of itself racist, just that as an overall experience of this fandom is this core of) or they came after the show’s heyday and missed it, know the pairing for being queerbaited before they know the show/fandom/pairing itself... They’re not seeing it. They’re not talking about it. And it makes for a deep failing in these examinations. Because that racism is why the pairing got as popular as it did. Again, there were other pairings with other foundations available. And yet somehow, it’s the white guys who hate each other getting all the attention in the fandom, over anything else. 

[honestlyhufflepuff]

Predictions/Wishlist for the SU finale today:

We find out what was in the chest in Lion's mane.

As the chest was open in the movie, but not acknowledged, it probably revealed some more unsavory stuff about Rose that Steven repressed at the time he found out about it.

However, now that Steven has done some unsavory things as well, he will turn back to the contents of the chest, and reflect on the duality of who she was (and who he is).

Steven learning to forgive Rose will be parallel to learning to forgive himself.

Steven will have another flashback to Pink or Rose's memories as he grows increasingly dissociative with the present.

Greg and Barb chemistry pleassssse

Greg, the Gems, and the Diamonds all owning their parts in messing Steven up and validating his pain.

Time skip in the last ep with healing, smiling Steven and cute Connverse interaction? Maybe a Connverse kiss??? Please, Rebecca, just give them that.

Wormy boi corrupted Steven (is that even a prediction at this point lol)

Everyone fighting the worm monster, thinking it hurt Steven, without realizing at first that it also IS Steven. This would be such a good allegory to mental health conditions, as a lot of times others (intentionally or not) treat the symptoms of mentally ill loved ones as something to be feared rather than something to be addressed with openess and compassion.

Steven moves away from Beach City.

Steven goes to college. He's resentful about missing out on the school experience, but he's a smart kid, so it's not like college is closed off as an option! I don't think he'd go to whatever that worl'd equivalent of an Ivy League University like Connie probably will, but I could easily see him starting off in community college and then transferring to a state school to get a music degree or something.

Steven makes TubeTube videos again.

Steven has a villain/angst song.

Steven sings a reprise of "Change Your Mind."

Little Homeworld gets destroyed or partially destroyed.

Greg finally moves out of that damn van like how is that thing even still running it's gotta be at least 25 years old...

Rose's portrait gets destroyed, or Steven finds a place to display it that he's at peace with. Either way, I don't think it's final resting place is Lion's mane.

Jasper starts a fighting dojo in Little Homeworld.

EVERYONE gets therapy. There will be new psych specialities and certifications in gem culture.

Priyanka and/or Doug hug Steven.

Hell, everyone hugs Steven.

More crazy powers revealed from Steven.

Steven gets a normal, human job. It's what helped the Homeworld gems adapt to life on earth, so it may be nice for him, too!

Setup for Space Pirate Lars spinoff series (I know it's a longshot, but just let me hope).

Hey guess what, Spinel is also Not Ok.

Seriously, Spinel minimized her own pain the moment the Diamonds showed up and there's no way she's not still doing that.

It's what she thinks she has to do in order to not be abandoned.

Like, I think she is making progress, but she's not as well as she tried to present in Homeworld Bound. And it will be good for Steven and her to acknowledge that.

Emerald, Bluebird, and mean Lapis make a reappearance.

Jasper arc completes with Jasper honestly articulating her emotions.

Jasper and Steven fuse (that would be so toxic, but I am morbidly curious).

Any new fusions? Final chance gems, so mash it up while you can.

Blue gets more people high.

Steven definitely breaks more bones.

Steven's organic jacket gets ripped to shreds in the corruption process.

Everyone cries. Steven, the gems, Connie, the entire fandom. Everyone.

I probably missed a lot of possibilities, so tell me your predictions! I plan on reblogging tonight to see which of these came true!

[citrineghost]

I'm not asking for money

Hey there guys, I'm titling this as such because I need some help but I don't want to scare off people (people like me) who skip past donation posts because they're unable to help and feel bad.

While I do have monetary troubles, the help I'm actually seeking from my followers and anyone who stumbles across this is housing and work. Of course most of you won't be able to help with these yourself, but I'm hoping some of you might have recommendations or the power of word of mouth.

About Me

My name's Ezra. I'm a 21 year old trans guy living in Tennessee in the US. I'm struggling a lot with undiagnosed chronic illnesses, transitioning, and maintaining the ability to work through chronic pain. I have a passion for writing, art, and music (which doesn't at all make me like 90% of Tumblr users, shhhh)

About My Situation

I've been living with my sibling's family since late April of 2018. They offered me a place to stay after breaking up with my abusive boyfriend. I was meant to pick up the pieces and gain my footing, but the longer I struggle to do so, the more strain this arrangement puts on me and my family. The situation has been increasingly difficult for us all to maintain and I'm being asked to find somewhere to live by the end of June (for the record, it's the 19th of May as I'm posting this).

I'm physically unable to do manual labor outside the house (and barely inside the house oof). At the moment, I'm a remote content writer for a Canadian marketing company. This brings me in an average of 350 USD a month. This month I'll be making a bit extra from some side work they've given me.

What I Need for Housing

What I need, primarily, is housing. If you or someone you know lives in Western Tennessee, preferably around Jackson, and has a room they would like to rent out, please let me know. I think I could probably pay $200 a month on rent without going hungry. Less is better, but I know how things are.

Ideally, but not necessarily:

This person would have no cats and not be a smoker, since I'm allergic and have asthma.

I would not be required to do household work past cleaning up my own messes, used dishes, and such. I don't mind helping once in a while if it's needed, but daily chores are nigh impossible for me to keep up on with the state of my health.

The room available is on the same floor as the entrance, since stairs are hard on me.

The person keeps the bathroom, if shared, in not-horrifying condition (my standards are pretty low honestly).

The only things that are necessary is that there's WiFi available, since I need it to do my job, and that whoever I'm moving in with is LGBT+ and disabled friendly.

What I'm like to live with:

I can probably be distantly heard talking to my boyfriend or listening to music, but if I'm ever too loud, I'll make my best effort to change my volume. I'll adhere to quiet hours as well.

I'm frequently up late, so if whoever I'm living with wants to hang out in the middle of the night, there's a good chance I'll be around.

I have really varied taste in music so if you like music, 👍👍👍👌👌👌

I'm capable of cleaning up after myself to whatever degree you find acceptable. If you don't want me leaving any of my stuff in the living room or bathroom, I'll live by it. If you want every dish I use to be hand washed after I use it, I'll do my best. I'll probably be using disposables most of the time anyway, since it's easier on me and I wouldn't want anyone cleaning up after my messes.

I'm minimal on drama. I don't generally like getting involved in drama and I'm very laid back. If you like people who are low energy, I'm your guy. I enjoy spending time with people and talking about just about anything. If you want your roommate to be your friend and you're not a hateful person, we'll probably get along great.

I stay in my bed or on the couch most of the day. Because of my chronic pain and disabilities, I hang out on soft surfaces where I can work and explore my hobbies without dislocating things, so having an understanding roommate will go a long way for me.

If you want help on a craft project and I'm feeling not-dead, there's a great chance I'll help out.

What I Need for Work

The second thing I need is some pointers for other places I can work remotely from the computer. I'm currently doing content writing for a marketing company and have nearly ten months of experience under my belt. Other jobs like that would be great. I'm also open to:

Art jobs. This could be working as a concept artist for game characters to mock up work for websites. I can do commissions as well as logo design. If it involves drawing digitally or traditionally, it's worth asking me about. Honestly, at this point, I'd draw nsfw commissions as well if the price is worth it.

Writing jobs. I love all kinds of writing. I'm willing to do just about any remote writing job I'm offered. I specialize in fantasy and romance personally but I'm also good for most other genres as well as content writing for company websites. I'm fast and proficient and probably qualified enough in experience hours that I could be an editor, if my lack of higher education can be overlooked. This includes fic commissions. I'm not in a ton of popular fandoms, but I'd do my research if I was getting paid to write something.

Other remote work that doesn't involve calls. I have pay by the minute phone service and anxiety so remote phone support jobs don't work for me. Anything else that seems like something I might be interested in, shoot me a message because it might be perfect. I'm open to suggestions.

Thank you to everyone who reads or reblogs this

I know this post has been massive and I never thought I'd actually have to write one of these, but desperate times call for desperate measures. And, of course, on the off chance that anyone actually does want to throw me a few bucks, my PayPal is hc si nd ris (at) gmail.com but I don't expect anyone to send anything. Please don't feel obligated, especially if you yourself are struggling.

[ofrosesandash]

100+!

Holy crap, I've broken a hundred followers. And this reboot of Margaery has been kind of fantastic for me, so thank you to everyone following me, and everyone who has talked to or written with me. In honor of this milestone, I am giving a nod and a shout out to some great blogs and their writers. Due to my ass being terrible with noticing these details, I'm using the pronouns "They" because I'm not positive who is a she or a he or in between.

To begin with, my first shout-out to those I feel are constantly under appreciated: MultiMuse Blogs. I mean, there can be rare and wonderful Muses in their rosters. Running one of these Bad Boys is a HUGE commitment to multiple characters you believe you'll use frequently. These peeps are the lifeblood of RP Communities.

@astormofagirl​

Cori is amazing and we go way back to when I first started writing Margaery, I wanna say in 2015. We've both bounced between in different URLs and Blogs. While I've only written with their Sansa at this time, they have a lovely selection of ladies they write quite well!

@openxstrings​

They've got a selection of top notice rare muses, and at least one nifty OC. It's been a bit since I checked out the roster. The ones I've written with are Edward Covenant from "The Order", Herc Hansen from "Pacific Rim", their Pacific Rim original, and Riddick-aka the badass Scifi Anti-Hero portrayed by Vin Diesal. Not only are all of these characters available, they write them damn well. Talking with them has been a true delight; and though there is a time zone difference, it's worth waiting for them to respond. Not to mention, they're honestly just great to talk to about antics planned or occurred.

@fallesto​

This lovely person reblogs a roster of their active muses. They've got some of the tougher ones in the fandom-Cleganes, Joffrey, Qyburn, Selmy, and others. The roster also currently includes all of Margaery's husband. You should, honestly, already be following them.

@asoiafundone​

A multi Muse by Lady Grey. A fantastic Mun and a dynamite writer. We haven't written quite as much as I'd like yet-but we have spoken a bit. Lovely person, brilliant writer.

@orionknytechildofzeus​‌

Don't let the URL fool you, they’ve got more then one muse. They've got a cool selection of OC's and Canon characters, and they're a lot of fun to write with!

@sarcasmasadefense​

I haven't written with them yet (my bad), but they seem very nice, and on their roster includes the lost Tyrell brothers, Willas and Garlan!

@mcssagcinabottlc​

A lovely person I spoke to and wrote with a little; their roster contains Margaery's sister in law, Leonette Fossoway.

The Squad

These are two who've had the most OOC and partial crack interactions which. These discussions have been pretty much perfect, so, I identify them as Margaery's squad.

@bastardslayer​

I mean, look at that URL. There are many talented Sansa's on this site, but that URL definitely stands out to me. We've been plotting and talking out of character almost fairly regularly, and they've got a great grasp of their muse.

@chevalier-de-la-fleurs​

Similarly there are a number of great Loras's out there. That said, this particular Loras writer has always been the easiest for me to talk to. I don't know them well, but they're friendly, and a great writer, and I've really enjoyed writing with them.

Precious Ones

These are people I love writing with. Maybe they aren't in Margaery's squad (at least yet), but she definitely enjoys her time with them, and is prepared to fight for them.

@outlawerofbeets​

NORA IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SUNSHINE SPOT IN THE FANDOM. We mostly scream head canons about Margaery and her smol King Husband back and forth at each other, but we have threaded. It's always a treat, and it usually tugs at my heart strings. For instance, once upon a time, Margaery found herself romantic with a Tywin. And she started to apologize to Tommen and explain she didn't think it was wise if they married, because she'd fallen in love with another. When she revealed who, Nora's Tommen's response was the most precious, purest things ever. "But he's old!" Also they've got an older Tommen/Arya ship that's to die for.

@agirlofwinterfell​

This is the first time Margaery has really connected to an Arya. And, like most of the older people Arya meets, she would kill for this murder inclined child. We've already got one AU for my Olen verse, where both Arya and Margaery are at the wall pretending to be boys.

@a-maimed-man-and-bitter​

So far we've got one thread; but ya know, it's been great watching Margaery and Jaime interact. This is furthered by the fact that their grasp of Jaime hurts my heart.

@mombeavty​

Margaery is so happy to finally connect to her twice sister by law. And honestly, I've never quite grokked full book or show canon, as I personally favor blended-so I really like what the mun has done with their muse.

The Greatest Ladies GRRM Inspired

I have a mad love for original characters. While writing a pre-established character takes talent, original characters express one's love and passion for a fandom. That fandom has inspired a whole character. Side note, I honestly love original character relations to canon characters. (If you couldn't tell). I don't see role play as needing to follow canon, as long as everyone acts in character. So, the more the merrier.

@thelittlestrcse​

Margaery didn't know how much she wanted a real sister until Trysta appeared. I'm a bit slow to respond to my threads with them, but this isn't commentary on my appreciation for mun or muse.

@lilliyxn​

A newer lovely muse, one can never have enough Blackwaters. Where GRRM stopped with Bronn, they decided he needed a sister.

@meryllfrey​

Honestly this is an original character that's managed to stick around, and that's saying something. Writing an OC can be extremely discouraging, with minimal interaction, almost no chance at shipping. But Lady Grey's Meryll Frey is a testament of creativity and determination.

Shout Outs

These are people I've talked to but for whatever reason haven't written with yet. For some of them, this is strictly on the standard of Margaery wouldn't interact with them, or I haven't cooked up anything yet.

@truetargaryen​

This is a super sweet muse running a book based Danaerys Targaryean. While I favor blended canon myself, book canon is nuanced, so pulling it off is an impressive ability. And pull it off, they do.

@exilekniight​

I first ran into them on one of my OC blogs, and honestly, I love them. Other then a previous absence of Jorah Mormonts in the fandom, well, let me quote them "Jorah Mormont FUCKS". This highlights their delightful attitude.

@longmayshereignxcersei

For obvious reasons, Margaery and Cersei will never be best buddies. That said, this is still my personal favorite Cersei-and not just because they put up with my originals. They're lovely as a person, and a very talented writer with some brilliant insight about their muse.

@foreignaccent​

This is another monument of the fandom. I've been dabbling between different muses since Season 3, and I can usually find that URL around. A fandom treasure, and a nice person

@potterstillstinks​

In talks with them, I fleshed out Margaery's wizarding world verse. They also put up with me because we were in the middle of discussion when I found myself in the ER due to a negative medication reaction. Even checked in. So, if you've got an HP verse, I strongly suggest following this Draco Malfoy.

Shameless Self Promo For Other Blogs of Mine You Should Check Out:

Did you know the Hightower's - Margaery's Mother's Family - are actually really interesting? They have a Valyrian blade called Vigilance. Their house is one of the oldest, they man a Lighthouse, and their words are "We Light the Way". OH and more notably, they're rumored to dabble in alchemy, necromancy, and other magic. So Margaery has two side Blogs: One for her mother, and one for one of her Aunts.

@vigilantalerie

Alerie Hightower is probably the mother of your favorite Tyrell. Olenna was born a Redwyne, she doesn't count. That's right-this is Mace Tyrell's wife, mother of Willas, Garlan, Loras, Margaery-and Trysta too!

@madmaidmalora

First of all, consider that that's not just a clever url. That's literally what she's called-the Mad Maid, rumored to dabble in spells, last seen locked away with her father looking for a method to stop the Greyjoy Incursion.

Next up I have a pair of OC Families. The Wildcrows, completely Original Content, and House Ferren-mostly original content.

@thewildcrows

Technically Alyssa and Baelor Wildcrow had different names when I first conceptualized them. But those original concepts were AU's for characters whose face claims already existed in Game of Thrones-and characters I'm actually plugging in original works. As I result, I created these two. Lys and Bael Wildcrow are Sellswords born of a Night's watch Deserter and a Wildling. Their father may have been a Blackfyre, but they have no idea what that means-nor would either of them care. If I'm not bothering with giving them a claim, why bother making them Blackfyres? One: I wanted to give them purple eyes. Two: Fire invulnerability neither of them realizes they have, as they grew up isolated. I find this could make for excellent hijinks.

@ladyferren

See, I love ferrets. Probably my favorite animal. So when a canon house was revealed called Ferren with two silver ferrets on its banner, I was desperate to know more. Except there wasn't much. They existed. Banner House of House Lannister. So I got a little carried away creating a history of a House and occupants to inhabit it. While the primary character is Seiran-the sudden Lady of her house after her father's sudden death-I also have the whole damn house hold available for interactions.

Finally, just a pair of fandomless girls I think you might just like:

@trixboomblast

Beatrix is a favorite creation of mine. She's a fandomless original character with explosive tendencies, behaviors, and habits.

@wikipediawoman

This is a side blog of Beatrix. Deia was inspired by Deadpool-what with the ability to poke the Fourth Wall and know way more then she should about pre-established character. I'm winging her as well somewhere between a Time Agent from Doctor Who and a member of the Temps Commision from Netflix's Umbrella Academy Adapttion.

[dcusrclicta]

𝕰𝖛𝖊𝖓 𝕳𝖊𝖑𝖑 𝕳𝖆𝖘 𝕲𝖚𝖎𝖉𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖓𝖊𝖘 || 𝕽𝖚𝖑𝖊𝖘

PLEASE specify the muse if you send a meme & we haven’t interacted before. If you’re from the same fandom as a muse I have and you don’t it’ll go to them by default but if not I’ll either give it to Severus or Brittnay because they’re in charge or delete it all together. PLEASE. Just specify

If your OC knows my muse just let me know what kind of relationship they have with them beforehand so I can decide if it’s fitting. I’ll usually say yes as long as I can see it fitting in with my canon. Also, your muse needs a reason to know incredibly personal things about my muse whether they’re a canon or an OC. Mun knowledge and muse knowledge are two very separate things.

I have no problem with OCs related to my muses provided I can fit them into the muse’s canon. Children I’m a bit more selective with if they are the child of another canon character because I don’t ship most popular fanon ships with canon characters. For example with Severus I would have no desire to interact with a child of him & Hermione because I do not ship them but a child of Bellatrix & Severus I would accept provided the child’s backstory was compatible with my own headcanons. Children of OCs honestly have the best chance with me to be honest.

I have like. Opinions and stuff. Especially about fanon. As well as canon things that could’ve been done better. If you don’t like that you probably should just unfollow me now to be honest.

If I say I have something drafted don’t hound me for replies about it. Gentle reminders are cool. I do have ADHD. Constant harassment is not cool at all it just makes me hesitant to talk to other people.

Many of my muses use very offensive language or have very skewed morals. They are nota reflection of the mun so do not confront the mun about it. Confront the muses all you want. They probably don’t care though.

I am of age and yes I read more all the smut that comes across my page just out of courtesy. I do have a nosy family and a younger brother so it’s a habit that keeps me sane.

Many of my muses have supernatural abilities and can tell what other muses are thinking or feeling. So, if my muse does reply to a thought your character did not voice it’s because they let their own mind shield slip and thought your muse actually said their thought aloud, not because I’m godmodding.

Following that some of my muses are the opposite and have been trained to block other people out from their mind. Like idk. Severus Snape. This post is mostly about him. If you aren’t sure what your muse may or may not be privy to in our threads see this post.

Cut your fucking posts. Being on mobile is not an excuse. I’ve been trapped on mobile countless times and learned how to cut my posts. It’s not hard and I will unfollow you if you clutter my dash.

If you have a trigger I missed tell me and I’ll tag it.

Do not control my muse’s reactions in your writing. Do not control anything my muses do or have done ever without speaking to me about it first unless your muse has the power of mind control. Even then your muse should only be pushing that action towards them and I will decide if my muse is mentally vulnerable enough to follow through on what your muse is trying to force them to do. They are mine. You have your own toy(s) to play with and my muses are unpredictable anyway.

I ship chemistry. Don’t force your muse onto mine. My muse will punt them into the nearest trash bin.

If our muses get into a fight and your muse is not an experienced fighter and is going head to head with one of my aggressive muses that are trained in combat they will lose. Period. That being said, if your character is also a seasoned warrior they can obviously win or there doesn’t necessarily have to be a clear winner (Maybe they BOTH die, pfft). And if your human muse is going against one of my Supes and they have no experience with fighting Supernatural creatures they will obviously get a beat down. Let’s be real.

If your muse ever misses mine and I’m not on feel free to tag me in something or send a message. I swear I’m not scary.

Following that I’m always up for plotting. The only things I will not do right off the bat are male impregnation and incest i.e: Parent/Child, Sibling/Sibling. Family members in any kind of sexual romantic relationship  I will not do either of these plots because I won’t. Incest is a strong personal trigger. So please tag your incest if we roleplay together. I will abide minimal mention of it (if it’s a part of your character’s backstory or canon) however explicit descriptions and constant references to it will end the thread immediately, and I will probably unfollow and/or block you and I will NOT roleplay it at all. If you ask me to roleplay incest. I will block you, period. Every other dark or messed up plot you wanna do I can guarantee I’m probably down for.

If you ever lose anything you want to continue either search your url on my blog, message me for a link or check the thread tracker.  There is the chance that I have drafted it. I do start threads with the intent to finish them but life is stressful and it’s hard to keep up so I may have lost it. I am not scary. Come ask me about that one thing.

I believe in effort matching. See this post. If you don’t practice it that’s cool. Just prepare yourself for many dropped threads.

If you want to drop a thread please message me and tell me you’re dropping it. Otherwise I assume you will continue it at some point and it is rude to leave me waiting for a reply you aren’t planning on doing. I will do the same on the occasion that I absolutely cannot continue a thread or there will be a PSA if it’s a mass thread dropping.

Rping in first person throws me off and makes me uncomfortable. If you reply to a thread or greeter in first person I will not answer it for the sake of my sanity.

If you are not replying to a thread do not reblog it. If you are not an RP blog do not reblog my threads. I will block you. Liking them is fine. If you want to reblog a meme I’ve answered (sans the replies if it was turned into a thread), or a gifset or anything that is not a thread to save it go ahead I actually love that.

If you want to turn a meme or ask into a thread, that’s fine. But please post the answer in a new text post or I will not continue it.

Do not. DO NOT remove the captions from any of my gifsets, edits, aesthetic boards, promos etc. Don’t do it. Reblog them with the caption or request something from me for your muse. But do not. Ever. Remove my captions. I find it so disrespectful. Don’t do it.

((There will probably be more later and anything I might’ve missed can be found in the Rules tag on my blog.))

[ninawritesastory]

So, I started following you because your posts on Creek are fantastic and have fueled headcanons for days but I've recently stumbled into enjoying Style (I'm new to this fandom) and a tag on one of your recent reblogs leads me to ask: what do you think needs to happen in order for Style to work? What growing up and experience do you think they need? And, in the end, how do you ultimately see them once they've achieved that?

Holy crow, thank you so much! I’m glad you’re enjoying all of the Creek, and I’m glad you’re getting plenty of headcanons out of it. Half the time I feel like I’m just rambling nonsensically into the void and none of what I’m saying makes any sense, so it’s always nice to hear that it’s making sense to someone! xD

And welcome to the South Park fandom, by the way! I think this is one of the chillest, least toxic fandoms I’m part of (so long as you stay away from. like, the Kyman vs. Style ship wars; maybe it’s calmed down a bunch, but it used to be fairly…interesting) and there are TONS of awesome artists and writers, as I’m sure you’re discovering. I hope you have lots of fun and find some good stuff.

Now, thing about Style is that, after the events of You’re Getting Old/Assburgers in particular, there’s a clear shift in the maturity levels between Kyle and Stan. The main problem here is that, for all intents and purposes, Kyle is a lot like Cartman. The key difference is that Kyle is always convinced he’s morally superior while Cartman doesn’t really give a shit about moral superiority.

There have been multiple instances throughout the show where Kyle has demonstrated a definite lack of emotional sensitivity to the point where I’d consider it largely canon that he has trouble empathizing with others. His treatment of Stan in You’re Getting Old and Assburgers is pretty much what had me pushing back my realm of feasibility for the Style relationship. Kyle can’t empathize with Stan’s developing depression; he outright says that Stan’s worsening mental health is toxic to him. And while I can understand that, to some degree, the fact that Kyle was willing to abandon Stan once his depression was starting to worsen really turned me off from canonical Style.

I have depression myself, and I know from experience how shitty it is to have the people you care about turn their backs on you because you’re no longer smiling and laughing at the same stuff you used to. Depression fucks with you in ways that drastically alter who you are. And if you decide to seek out treatment and keep up with it, who you become as you recover is fairly rarely who you were before you spiraled. If you’ve ever seen Inside Out (which has a FANTASTIC way of showing what depression feels like), think of the Personality Islands going dark and crumbling away. It’s a lot like that: what interested you, what you valued, what you loved, you’re likely to lose your connections to those things and even once you begin recovery there’s a chance that you won’t be able to reestablish those interests, or at least to the same strength that you had them before. Depression more or less chews you up and spits you out, and when you start recovering, you’re essentially a blank slate in terms of your interests.

And Stan…never actually gets any real treatment. Personally, I was really confused when Stan’s obvious descriptions of depression were immediately linked by Mr. Mackey to Asperger’s Syndrome. (Which made it really difficult for me to keep up with the rest of the episode, because it kind of felt like they just wanted to make the Ass Burgers joke and went from a depression-focused storyline to an autism-focused one.) But, the only “treatment” Stan gets at all is alcohol. It’s literally poured down his throat without his consent. Even once the episode comes to a close, Stan never receives any actual treatment and so has to rely on the only “solution” he was exposed to.

But, anyway, from those episodes onwards, there’s been a distinct imbalance in Stan and Kyle’s relationship. Their “Super Best Friends” status is starting to feel more and more superficial. Because Stan is fairly emotionally intelligent. He’s highly empathetic, even if he can be self-centered on a semi-regular basis. And Stan is definitely in the processing of growing up just a little too fast due to his issues with depression, addiction, and substance abuse. He’s taking responsibility for himself at an age when he really shouldn’t have to—at least, not in those areas.

Meanwhile, Kyle doesn’t really have anything pushing him to grow. (Prior to last season, at any rate.) He’s ten and there’s nothing in his immediate experience that is forcing him to think more maturely. The closest he ever comes is with Ike, but since Ike is not someone he has to take care of on a regular basis, any maturity he shows in those moments is fleeting and kind of superficial. Kyle doesn’t have any reason to reevaluate how he relates to people, his empathy is severely underdeveloped, and he has a hard time understanding anyone else’s point of view.

In other words, Stan’s in the process of maturing. Kyle (prior to last season) is nowhere close. It’s possible that Kyle’s experiences with Heiman and the nuking of Canada may help push him into that phase of his development, but I don’t think I can really say that definitively until the next season comes out.

So, for what I feel needs to happen for Style to work. On Stan’s end, he needs to get some actual treatment for his depression. He seems to have gotten the whole addiction and substance abuse thing more or less under control thanks to his chat with Satan, but I’m not sure if his depression has been managed as effectively. I also think he needs to have a Come to Jesus moment in terms of his relationship with his dad. Honestly, I heavily empathized with Stan in Ass Burgers when he was finally making progress in dealing with his mental health only for Randy to yank the rug out from under him at the last minute. I just get the sense that Randy’s presence in Stan’s life is essentially what keeps Stan from progressing in terms of his mental health and development. That whole, “Stick to what you know” thing isn’t going to help Stan because sticking to what he knows involves a flash of booze stashed in his underwear drawer and no actual attempts to seek either medication or psychiatric help. So Stan needs to develop enough to pull himself out from under Randy’s influence.

For Kyle…Kyle needs to mature emotionally. He needs to learn how to empathize with other people and get out of his self-centered focus. I think he may be on the way to that, if he learned his lesson from the M.A.C./Canada nuking situation. I also think that what would help Kyle most is just getting out of South Park and away from Cartman. Everyone says college is pretty much a different world from grade school, and in a lot of ways they’re right. Depending on what college you go to, your likelihood of being in classes with people you know from grade school is slim to none. The structure in college is also different; a lot of it relies on you being accountable to yourself and your coursework. The mix of people you interact with is almost never the exact same sort of mix you grew up with. Which would go a long way to helping Kyle develop the necessary self-awareness needed to make the Style relationship work.

The way I see it, Kyle and Stan having some sort of a falling out in middle school or high school. They don’t hang out that much anymore, their friend groups shift enough that their daily interactions are minimal, and they develop apart from each other for the first time in their lives. They go their separate ways after graduation—Kyle to college and Stan to the military—and don’t really call or talk or anything after leaving South Park. Give it at least a semester, better a year or so, and they reunite during break. Kyle’s done a shit ton of growing up, Randy’s shadow over Stan’s life is drastically reduced, and they’ve have a chance to grown into themselves. Kyle’s got a better understanding of mental health, Stan’s got a firmer grip on his depression, and they’re finally back on even ground. That’s when a romantic relationship between the could work out.  

[tarithenurse]

Nightingale - 24

Fandom: Naruto Pairing: Hatake Kakashi &/x Fem!OC Contents: Bit of everything – fun, challenge, angst, feels, fluff, confusion, fear, violence. A/N: A long chapter for once o.O  As usual, ASK or REBLOG for tag!

Ch. 24

Kakashi's mind is pendulumming between serene quiet and something similar to a wasp nest. One that has been kicked. As someone who's used to logical thinking, he finds the status quo unsettling...but also strangely invigorating despite not carrying any direct risks as supposed to many of his past experiences. Perhaps, at least this once, something can dull the ache he has known for years? Looking at the monument with its sharp lines defining the stones – a design befitting the weight of loss and memories – guilt rears its ugly head.

"Surviving while others pass on can be a burden sometimes," the creaky voice of the Hokage interrupts, "but perhaps our very duty is to do more than just survive. It's to live...because they cannot."

"Hmm." I refuse to forget them even if I one day move on.

The silence between the two men is not enough to stop the rustle of the wind as it rushes between the leaves.

Four days have passed since Kakashi found out he was the warden of Uguisu and he has been doing his best to pay attention to both her and Team 7 and keep their focus on training – a task that's annoyingly easy with the former. Where the trio barely contain their curiosity, the woman has become withdrawn. A logical reaction, the jōnin reminds himself often, but one that leaves him awake most of the night with a head full of worries and nightmarish scenarios.

"She never got to mourn her loved ones, Kakashi. A lone survivor, stranded in the middle of a war-to-be. Our new comrade will need time before she can recognize friend from foe," the old man wisely ponders."

"Haï." I can't push her. Only wait and be ready.

...

Two out of three genin are paying attention to the exercises, refining their techniques to minimize waste of chakra. The last, however, is obviously ogling the fifth person in the clearing and as a result earning his sensei's disapproval.

It isn't the first time Uguisu joins when she's finished her lessons at the Academy. In the beginning, she would sneak closer in the cover of the forest and sit down in a partially obscured spot where she could observe from. To Kakashi, it had brought a sense of familiarity. From the kids, once they noticed her, the primary reaction would be insecurity and it had forced her out of hiding and eventually into training along side them even if her focus had been on other techniques.

The kunai zips past the fox boy’s face and slams into the trunk of the stump with a thud.

“Hey!”

But the boy’s complains fall on deaf ears. “Stay aware of your surroundings at all times...without losing focus of the task at hand, Naruto.”

A mix between a scoff and a laugh slips from Sasuke, causing his team mate to cringe.

In a way, it feels like Kakashi has been in charge of the four “students” for years because he has already figured out their strengths and is trying to find ways to amend their shortcomings. And as the session comes to an end, bringing about sweet free time for the kids, the sensei has made a decision concerning Uguisu’s training.

“Iruka tells me you’re a diligent student,” the jōnin admits as they watch the trio leave, “not much for him to do but fill in some voids and have you polish off the theory. That’s good.”

“Thank you, Kakashi-sensei.”

It’s strange how a title he’s heard before without blinking can morph and affect him all of a sudden. The heart beats a little bit faster. The air is a slightly stuffier under the mask. And something in his pelvis tightens enough to tell him he’ll have a different task at hand later.

“Yeah...well...” He pulls out a little bell from a pocket and ties it to one of his belt loops. “I’m maybe more critical.” She arches an eyebrow as an unspoken demand for an explanation. “Genjutsu. Ninjutsu. They’re not the problem...taijutsu is. It made sense for Orochimaru to teach you according to your role off the battlefield and so close combat really isn’t your forte, is it?”

Uguisu scowls. “I can defend myself.”

“I’ve seen. But can you attack?” Gut tightened, Kakashi hates himself for what he’s asking of this woman who has been through hell and finally is beginning the long way back.

Maybe to the untrained eye, the change in her stance wouldn’t be noticeable – it is to any shinobi worth their salt. A slight inwards rotation of the right foot, knees bending a smidgen, hands flexing before summoning the hardness needed to land proper blows. Show me what you’ve got.

Planted solidly, he easily dodges the first blows by bending and twisting, but then Uguisu buckles down to the task. Step. Jump. Parry. They are reflexes rather than active decisions. All too obviously, she prepares for a roundhouse kick which Kakashi can avoid by back flipping away.

“You’re wasting energy with the big movements. Keep it tight and clean -” the jōnin instructs and exemplifies -“to minimize your opponent’s chance to read your actions beforehand.”

Returning to a defensive role, he observes as she tries to implement the pointer. Precise...yes. Pushing a flurry of jabs aside, Kakashi steps around her with ease. And at least she’s quick to orient herself, he admits while scrambling backwards because the student has followed him.

“The perfection of your defence -” he leaps over the woman before continuing -”is what you have to bring into an assault.”

The thin line of her mouth is probably the result of biting back some snarky comment, and Kakashi smiles behind the mask. Fear can lead to fight, flight or freeze...but anger and frustration, on the other hand. So to taunt her, frustrate her, he presents the body language of a bored person and offhandedly blocks and dodges anything Uguisu throws at him.

“Umph!”

Although the strength behind is lacking, the kick still sends the man stumbling backwards, sucking in deep breaths of air to replace what was forced from his lungs. It carries the scent of damp earth, bark, and cotton.

“Ha!” Uguisu triumphs briefly.

“It’ll take more than that.”

A single sign is all it takes for a second Kakashi to appear next to the real one in a puff of white smoke.

“Cheater,” she smirks, seemingly unsurprised by the added figure.

You’re smiling now... Already, he hates himself for what he’ll be doing and the only comfort is the sparring that precedes. Throwing himself into the battle (and keeping the copy on the sidelines), the jōnin coaxes and coaches is student through the moves she has trained on the dummy targets day in and day out.

Slowly, her confidence grows. Not perfect, but better.

“Come at me like you mean it.”

She manages a wry smile. “Intent to kill?”

Yes. A glint of steel in the lowering sun is the only warning the warden has, but he doesn’t mind as long as they follow his plan (one of them without knowing). Kakashi chooses to cheer the woman on instead, finally having to defend himself in earnest although she isn’t on the top 20 of dangerous opponents.

As if in a dance, they circle and move with each other. Step, and leaps, and rolls create a pattern in the trampled grass while continuously bringing the sparring partners closer to the Shadow Clone. Now! The smoke bomb obscures the entire area and forces the combatants to separate until the cloud has blown away – somewhere, Uguisu is using the pause to regain her breath and calm the nerves while the jōnin applies the disguise he’s prepared.

The smoke slowly dissipates, revealing how Uguisu has backed off and prepared herself for anything – almost anything as it turns out when she lays eyes on the adversary and her face contorts in fear. Don't freeze. But how can she not when the mask and wig resembles Orochimaru?

"Take a moment to refocus. Calm down." At least the voice isn't that of her former tormentor. "Breathe."

A kunai shakingly reflects the low sun, knuckles are white from the tight grip on it even as the woman's immediate reaction morphs into bitter resolve.

Kakashi barely manages to dodge the trio of shuriken and is granted no respite as he finds himself under a powerful assault. Pent up hatred swirls and coalesces to drive the blue-haired fury forward – and he lets her for a while. Counting each unused opportunity, the jōnin keeps tracks of how many times he could have fatally wounded her for a while.

"Enough!" A kick to the midriff sends Uguisu tumbling backwards, landing on her butt. "If you want to beat him, you've got to keep your wits!"

She's panting and sweating from the fruitless efforts, but the pallor of fear still clings to her skin. "Haï."

Looks like she means it. Kakashi's own view is restricted more than normal, but he recognizes the way a fighter would evaluate their target: dark eyes are identifying the weak spots, the disadvantages of the opponent. He can see, she has formulated some sort of plan as she pushes to the feet.

"Cheap trick," the woman comments, "but I get your point, sensei."

This time, both of them give as good as they get and the disguised man tries to push every single button he can in an effort to test Uguisu's mind and skills. Hmm, he parries a kick, technique's lacking. Too often, the strikes aimed at him are deflected, resulting in a waste of energy and a gain in frustration. As he begins to outmatch her efforts, he can see the fear return along with the dangerous openings. Using one of those weaknesses, Kakashi strikes quick as a snake, his fingers brushing the delicate skin on her throat before she evades him.

Twice more, similar near-finishes happen.

Finally fed up and pushed to her limits, Uguisu charges. Ignoring any inkling of self-preservation, she attempts a feigned attack towards his right flank followed immediately by a punch which could have broken his nose if he hadn't moved in time. Guiding the woman's movement into a spin, the jōnin leans into her back, a hand on her shoulder to illustrate a potentially fatal situation.

"Never rush in mindlessly." His voice is muffled by the Orochimaru-mask.

Under his hand, Uguisu is tense and shivering, her breath superficial even if she tries to control it enough to say, "I might've left myself open, but at least it's a draw."

"Huh?"

A slight pressure to the inside of Kakashi's left thigh makes him look down between them to find a kunai resting against between the creases of his trousers at the groin. Femoral artery. A slight jangle catches his ear from their other side.

"You used your frustration to distract me and let you close enough," he comments with an unseen smile.

"Hm-m. Now let go and get rid of that hideous stuff!"

...

Uguisu is silent as they walk side by side back to Konoha. I might have gone too far. Still pale, lips reduced to a thin line, the woman appears to be swept away by thoughts, and her warden is loathe to leave her alone in her current state.

"How 'bout a bowl of victory ramen?" he offers quietly.

Nodding silently, a strand of blue hair disentangling itself so she has to push it behind the ear, the girl follows.

It's not until they're sitting with each their own bowl of steaming hot noodles that the usual healthy colour returns to her cheeks although she remains quiet.

...

Kakashi can't sleep.

Again and again, he replays the evening's test and categorizes everything he has learned throughout it. As suspected, close combat isn't the woman's forte although there's hope for further improvement. What worries him the most, however, is the emotional burden she carries. It'll become a lia-

A gentle tap on the windowpane disrupts his thoughts and he turns to see a familiar silhouette perched outside which he waves to welcome in. The jōnin wants to reach out to her when she has settled in the window sill, wants to take her hand and apologize for the hardships and the trauma lingering. Instead, he lies quietly with the hands behind the head and watches her squirm for a while.

"Can I sit on the bed?"

Even without the small, shaky voice, he would have agreed in an instant and scoots over. Uguisu waits until he's in place once more, then she comes to sit in silence.

One minute. I wouldn't have to stretch my arm to reach her hand.

Three minutes. When does her breathing calm?

Eight minutes. Is that...? A thin path down her cheek glitters in the moonlight breaking through the clouds randomly. Shit. This is my fault. A logic thought protests against the claim to blame but is immediately drowned.

"Ugui-"

"Please, don't talk," she interrupts.

He shuts up not just because she asks him but because she reaches out and grabs his hand, sending a bucketful of nerves into overloading as they race to relay the input. Warm. Soft, despite the expected patches of callouses that match his own. A slight tremor runs from her to Kakashi and only diminishes as he caresses her knuckles with a thumb.

"Is't..? Would..?" Her blush is unreasonable adorable when combined with the meek stammer.

Pushing the pillow sideways, Kakashi tries to contain a giddiness. "You don't have to ask, just make yourself comfortable."

"Carte blanche to do anything I want?"

"Well..." He contemplates the possible risks. "Yeah."

Uguisu insists that he keeps the pillow as she lies down on the side with an arm under her head instead. Knees tucked towards the chest and a hand still clasping his, she finally seems to find a sort of peace. I should apologize. But as he formulates and discards a variety of sentences, the woman's eyelids grow heavy and soon, she's sleeping. It's a light sleep, disturbed by dreams that furrow her brows and the slightest movement by Kakashi – when he tries to reach over and pull the covers around her, she's startled awake.

Through the night, the jōnin doses on and off, comfortable with the sound of the second heartbeat travelling through the mattress and into his ear. Finally calm.

...

Maybe it's the cold, emptiness of his hand that wakes Kakashi...at least it's the first thing he registers, quickly followed by the awareness that the mattress is only giving in to the pressure of his own weight. When he opens the eye, the weak dawn is battling against clouds and the mind of the jōnin takes time to theorize that they grey layer won't recede during the day. Something else adds to the shadows still filling the room: Uguisu is standing by the window.

"Mrug'shu?" At least the curses are clearly articulated in Kakashi's mind.

A sad smile tugs at the woman's cheek, softened by the light. "Go back to sleep, 'Kashi...and...thank you."

"Always."

The window swooshes as it slides back and forth in the rail, cutting off the connection between the two of them. Whyyyyy? Rubbing his face hard and scratching the white hair until his scalp tingles, he's left with no answers and only the scent of cotton that lingers in the sheets next to him. That's it...the unbeatable Copy-Ninja has been defeated. I'm done for! If anyone was watching him, though, they'd see the mask pulled askew by a goofy smile.

[jolie-in-the-underground]

boi howdy I think I just found a new favorite blog- I’m an extreme newbie here, and I read that writing about Q and such isn’t allowed (which is totally understandable!) BUt, is drawing fanart ok?? sorry for bothering you, I just love your stuff and Qs character so much :’D also have another question, just ignore it if it’s too weird- how do you find the courage to put your content on the internet? I want to get out there more often, but it seems nerves always get the best of me ;w;

Hey I’m totally down with fanart, I love seeing people’s drawing of my dumb troll son! If you ever make anything, definitely either tag me in it, or send a link to me via a chat and I’ll totally reblog it!!!

As for your second question, hmmm... I’m not real sure I’m the best person to ask for advice from on that subject for a few reasons. For one, I’m older and have been doing this long enough now that I’ve literally run out of fucks to give about what people do or do not think about my art and writing. Not to say that I don’t get pissed off when people willfully misinterpret my creations, but it’s never to an extent that it will stop me from posting it if I really want to. I am literally working on a fic out of pure spite for some shitty reviews i got (as well as love for the actual characters) right now, so, yeah X’D

For another thing, I kinda came at the whole posting things online thing a bit bass ackwards. I started with posting only original art (and a bit of writing) online. Plunge into the deep, dark depths of my deviantart and you’ll find nothing but OCs, the oldest of which dates back to freaking 2005. And that’s just when I started posting on DA X’D I have an even older Elfwood account somewhere out there in the far corners of the internet, heh.

In my experience a lot of people tend to start with fanart and move into the OC territory; at least, a lot of the big popular artists do. And honestly, that’s the smart way to go about it if you’re looking to get eyeballs on your original content since there is so much of it out there. I mean, everyone and their grandma has a closet full of OCs, so standing out from the crowd and making people care about them can definitely be a struggle. If years of being on the internet has taught me anything, it’s that if you want to get people interested in your original content, the easiest way is to build up a fanbase via fanart, because then at least a certain percentage of your followers will also be interested in your original content. Because by that time they’re (ideally) not just interested in your fanart, but they’re invested in you as the artist and like your art/headcanons/writing enough to see what sort of original stuff you can come up with.

I was going somewhere with this...

Oh right, working up the nerve to post stuff!

Kid, at the end of the day, you just gotta fuckin’ do it. Stupid, obvious advice, I know, but that’s really what it boils down to XD

There’s literally nothing I, or anyone else, can say that will make it any easier to do so. You might feel anxious or worried about what people will think but... like, who cares? They’re just... strangers? Strangers you’ll never meet and to who you are in no way beholden? I’ll be fuckin’ real with you for a moment and tell you straight up that unless you are already an AMAZING artist (and do fanart for an active fandom), chances are there’s going to be a long period of time here where people won’t even know you or your stuff exists.

This is going to feel sucky and probably even make you feel a bit sad because no one is noticing all the hard work you’re putting into your art, but literally every artist/writer goes through this at some point, kid, you’re not going to be special in that regard. Honestly, though, think of it like a grace period. You’ll be able to freely post whatever you want for awhile with minimal judgement and get comfortable with putting yourself out there, and that’s important!

So, yeah man, just make yourself an art blog or a deviantart (or both, really lol never hurts to expand your bases) and start getting your stuff out there. I’m rootin’ for you, kid, but you’ve gotta take those steps for yourself if that’s what you really want! No one else can do it for you, so what are you waiting for???

[storiesofwildfire]

Rule: Tag six followers you want to get to know better Repost, don’t reblog, please!

Tagged by: @killxr-quxxn Tagging: @raidstombs @corruptedones @knightbeyondvoidandveil @wasacoyote @astudyinholmes @arcanelokadottir

Relationship Status: Single. Forever single. I’ve been out of a relationship for almost six whole years, but you know what? I’m not looking for one at the moment. I’m more concerned about completing my education and starting my career than finding someone to date. If it happens by chance, that’ll be cool, but I’m not going out of my way to find anyone. Favorite Color: Green. I love a lot of shades of green. Emerald, bright neon green, bright greens in general, jade... The list of shades I love is obnoxious.  Pets: Two cats, the elder named Pooter and the younger named Monster. They’re both girls and although, technically, they’re “pets”, they’re part of the family, you know? :D Last song I listened to: I Like It by Enrique Iglesias literally just came onto my playlist shuffle, which is hilarious because I haven’t listened to this song in years. Favorite TV Show: Oh gods... You know, it used to be The Walking Dead, but I’ve pretty much given up on it after the season premier of season 7 killed off Glenn. I’ve been meaning to go back and watch the rest of the first half of season 7 but my desire to see it is so minimal. The show has been falling apart since the end of season 5 and the death of Glenn just push me into the ‘fuck this’ zone. That being said, I do have a lot of shows I love, all of which are on hiatus. I really liked the first season of The Exorcist and I hope they come back for season two. RuPaul’s Drag Race, obviously. The Strain even though season 3 was kind of boring and not interesting until the last couple of episodes. First Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho was the first show I ever really participated in online, so I guess that would classify as my first fandom? Before that, I was obsessed with Yu-Gi-Oh! (the original series) and Pokemon. I also like Dragon Ball Z, Digimon, Zoids, Sailor Moon, but that was all before I really started interacting with stuff online. Hobbies: Reading, roleplaying, playing video games, writing outside of roleplay, collecting cool stuff, visiting cool places around where I live, going to the movies, DIY crafts and interior design, and other stuff. Books I’m currently reading: Still working on The Gospel of Loki. It’s so good, but I only got about halfway through it before I stopped reading it all together for some reason. Really need to finish that. Also doing a lot of research on Norse myth for a personal project of mine.