#so i will try to get some writing done either here or elsewhere

[clemencetaught]

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS

that he just takes things lying down; that he doesn't have a spine. i know in all of his verses i put him through a lot of shit and it seems like he's just experiencing one tragic thing after another without retaliating. but the main reason he doesn't retaliate is because he knows how to pick his fights. when to pick them too and when he does so, it's usually because he knows a. he has a chance at winning, but also b. he has a valid reason to. as a rational person, he always tries to assess the situation before taking any decisive actions.

basically, if he's not reacting to something you did, it's because either a. he doesn't think it's something worth getting into an argument/fight about or b. he's biding for his time, it's just a matter of when he strikes. and heaven help the person who manages to piss him off- patrick doesn't makes threats, he makes promises.

AN IMPORTANT HEADCANON

felicity price, who is actually a request muse on my multimuse blog, is one of the most important connections in every verse of patrick's. she's one of the few people who really got patrick to not only open up, but also to loosen up- throw a joke or two in. when she was alive, they were a very playful and affectionate couple, who didn't shy away from pda ( although patrick did have some decorum :'D ). i would say part of the reason they had such a strong chemistry is also due to each of them...recognizing and empathizing with each other's loneliness.

so when she passed ( and suddenly too ), to patrick it wasn't just losing his significant other, it was also losing his best friend, someone who truly understood him and loved him as he was all in the blink of an eye. and without any sound reason.

A USELESS HEADCANON

 He's nerd in every sense of the word. once his interest in something is piqued, he has a tendency to jump down the rabbit hole and find out as much as he possibly can about the topic until something else comes his way. this is the reason research is perfect for patrick and the reason today he knows greek and roman mythology like the back of his hand.

POTENTIAL TRIGGERS

in verse two, he has really really bad pyrophobia, having literally been set on fire before. it's to the point that if he smells smoke, he will freak out and become aggressive.

violence and death are general triggers on this blog and there are triggers specific to each verse. they are listed in my rules page, but here's a comprehensive list for your convenience:

verse two: or*gan traf*ficking, torture, kidnapping, & ptsd

verse three: sex traf*ficking, sui*cide, and sa.

SOMETHING YOU ENJOY ABOUT (WRITING) THEM

i really like how literary he can get- like there's something about his character that makes me want to go into metaphors and imagery with him. i think it's the lit major in me that resonates with him. i also think that because he's more on the subtle side, writing him really forces me to...i guess think more deeply about how he might get a point across in comparison to say, someone on the genuine side. he's a roundabout kinda person, both with his words and actions. ngl i feel like if he weren't already a good guy, he'd make a great villain fjskldjflskj

that and around the right people, he can be petty as shit, i love it when that comes out :DDDD

SOMETHING YOU WANT OTHERS TO KNOW BEFORE WRITING WITH THEM

just because he's nice most of the time, doesn't mean he'll go along with whatever someone says. say something mean about his loved ones or pry into his personal boundaries and he'll give you choice words that will stab you. he'll slide them in so eloquently, so smoothly most times canonically the other person wouldn't realize they're being insulted until after a minute or two.

tagged: stole it! thank you very much <3 // tagging: @velvetineblue @uroborosymphony ( ara!! ) @tvsteoftrvgedy )@jeoseungsaja ( for...hyuk?? :D ) @mythvoiced ( sarang pls <3 ) @bloodxhound @phantombs and you, steal it and tag me :DD

[the-s1lly-corner]

Creepypastas comforting the reader

except some of them arent particularly good at it + as per usual jeff ben and toby are written as platonic everyone else can be seen as either or writing a silly little thing before i tackle in on requests, falling into the same vibe as the "hugging/kissing creepypasta characters" post from last week since i do enjoy rating these lads on thing ehehehe obligatory "these style of posts go over my personal character limit but since this is writing for the admin he bends the rules a bit" anyways uhuh totally dont give me ideas for these eheheh winks

SLENDERMAN:

not much of a talker in general, and i think that remains true in scenario where you're upset/crying. but he does make it clear that hes here for you... just... in a general sense. you know? refuses to leave you alone unless you directly ask him that you need space; more so watches out of concern rather than his usual curiosity. i think he would make you a warm drink and let you vent to him. more of a logical approach than an emotional one; better at giving solutions rather than giving comfort.. though i like to think that his tentacles will pull you close if you want to lean into him, will let you cry into his shoulder with no judgement. 6/10 low score simply because sometimes one needs comfort in the moment instead of solutions, you know?

SPLENDORMAN:

i think hes the opposite of slenderman. hes all emotions first, logic later. if he already knows you comfortable with it, i think he would come in and scoop you up in a hug.. hell he might even cry with you, or do the equivalent of it (admin is still on the fence of whether or not he has eyes or not! torn between them being actual eyes or markings) will make you your favorite snacks and drinks, all the while letting you cry and vent to him. gets mad on your behalf if someone had done you wrong, does not make your feelings feel small or invalidated. if he could he would confront the person who treated you unfairly.... and in fact he might, who would ever believe the person that they came face to face with a ten foot tall monster? though... this can lead to him being a little quick to make choices that might have big impacts... 7/10 love this man need to write more for him and develop my hcs

EYELESS JACK:

you know now that i think about it, given how much i write for EJ, i swear ive done a similar prompt at some point. regardless of it i did and if my hcs are the same, im going to go ahead and drop my hcs. i think hes very similar to slenderman in terms that hes more of a solutions > emotion person.. though i do think hes more likely to join you in any shit talking if someone did you dirty... do i think he would target that person next when hes going to go 'hunting'? no... unless the person did something truly awful and unforgivable, then he would definitely consider it.. probably wont go through with a harvest, though.. but thats it whole other thing. more of a talker than slenderman, so at least he has that going for him. lets you sleep in his bed if youre venting to him in his cabin 7/10 one point higher than slenderman simply because he talks more n stuff

LAUGHING JACK:

im gonna be so real i think he can go either way if hes going to be good at comforting you. on one hand hes too silly and might not take it too seriously; or he might try to make you laugh.. which COULD work but other times makes it look like he doesnt care about your feelings. on the other hand i think he can give some solid adivce, but thats only based on the fact that i love it when unhinged hyper characters suddenly drop the most valuable info. shrugs. i mean if you need a distraction, i think lj is your man to go to ! he was literally made to entertain so i dont think its going to be too hard for him to take your mind elsewhere. i think he would offer to cook you something but i also think hed probably be banned from the kitchen because he cant cook for shit. has probably set water on fire somehow level shit. so instead you guys just sit together talking... mostly its him leading the conversation, though. doesnt leave you be until you at least give him a smile... 6.5/10 only because i dont know how to rate him here

MASKY/TIM:

oh not at all emotional. well no thats a lie but hes not very emotive. thats the more correct word. look if we're talking about masky, hes probably going to be really bad at comforting you unless your means to be comforted involves being watched... though i do think he would fall into the act of service hole.. does all the chores and such for you so you dont have to worry yourself about cleaning a pan thats been in the sink for two days now. tries his hand at cooking, but i dont think masky is the best cook.. TIM on the other hand.. but we'll get into that in a minute. probably ends in you guys ordering something but hey its the thought that counts. if someone made you upset you notice over the course of the next few weeks that person starts outright avoiding you and overall seems anxious. weird. probably unrelated! 7/10 only because im badly overworked irl and the idea of someone taking charge sounds like a dream

tim i think would be similar, but hes more expressive for you... will cook for you but if your favorite food happens to be really specific or something else, hes probably going to run out and get it. torn on whether or not he would tell you before he goes, or if he sticks to keeping it a surprise.. i think he would tell you just so it doesnt feel like hes abandoning you when youre down..! not much to be said here other than him being supportive 8/10 i would KILL for some white cheddar popcorn rn

HOODIE/BRIAN:

i think he would put you to bed. actually i think both of them would but to keep things clear im still going to divide this like masky/tims. i think hoodie is going to keep you in bed, even if youre not particularly tired. dont bother trying to fight him on it, hes only allowing you to get up for the bathroom. let him take care of things! very similar to masky, picks up on a lot of the chores. i think he can cook, though, definitely better than masky but i dont think hes like. top tier. likes making you little snacks, or food thats generally deemed as comforting (mac and cheese, cornbread, ect). doesnt talk (sign) much but will occasionally sign to you asking how you're feeling 7.5/10 love this man, so mad kid me used to sleep on hoodie

very similar, but an even better cook than hoodie so be prepared to eat good. communicates with you more than hoodie and makes small talk while cooking. i think he would keep the chat lighthearted and on a different topic rather than tackling your feelings, unless you express that you want to vent then hes all ears! not because he doesnt care more so because he doesnt want to seem prying or nosey and wants to give you the choice yourself. sometimes makes jokes about stuff in order to try to get you to smile. feels victorious when he succeeds 8/10 mad i slept on him too

TICCI TOBY:

i think he might actually be TOO strong and in your face when asking you what happened. only one who outwardly offers to krill someone if someone were to make you upset. but thats just because i think toby can occasionally get protective of you. i mean youre one of his best friends (only friends) and here you are upset! if you dont want him to do anything hes going to try to contain himself. he strikes me at the type to retreat to the roof and look up at the stars... i think he would offer to do that with you; but if youre too scared to climb then he can lay out a blanket for you so you guys can go sit on the grass! surprisingly a very good listener, though very emotionally driven and reacts a lot when you tell him the details of your day.. but its nice, i think, reassures you that hes is in fact listening.. 7/10 gives off brother vibes

JEFF THE KILLER:

ohhoho so this is an interesting one, because i like the idea of jeff still acting like an older brother every now and then even after everything. but he also has that attitude of "i dont care about anyone around me and im better than everyone".. more of an actions than words guy. he wont really say it.. you know? one of those "if he actually didnt care then he would bother giving you the time of day, much less break into your house at night with his arms full of your favorite snacks and drinks". good luck trying to vent to him though, i think its rare that he lets anyone vent to him since he also holds the "ew yucky feelings" thing ben has.. though once in a blue moon i think he would let you and give some decent advice... though every now and then that advice involves punching someone 6/10 is fair i think...

BEN DROWNED:

kind of reminds me of how younger siblings will give their older siblings know they like. kind of like the "my brother saw me crying and asked me what my favorite color is... he gave me things in that color" post/image going around that i cannot for the life of me find but i know it exists because it made me cry. i think its like that. except since hes in your phone he already knows what your interests are.. probably pulls up what your comforts and likes are in an attempt to cheer you up. i dont think he would bluntly speak with you about your feelings, but thats just because he thinks heart to hearts are yucky and cringe/lh. uses videos, art, stuff like that. ehehe silly phone ghost 7/10 because as simple as it is, if someone tossed my cc at me i would feel at least a little better for a moment and its the action itself you know?

PUPPETEER:

i thin hes similar to jeff in regard that he tries to play things off but deep down he does care, and that tends to show more through his actions... though i personally think if you were to actually cry then he might lose it a bit, because who DARE? i gotta admit, im still trying to figure out how i want to write pup and what hcs to give him, but i think.. this is an okay take.. might 'confront' anyone who made you upset, with or without your approval which might make some issues between the two of you.. more ready to let you vent to him though, might slip out some mean insults and words about whatever's got you upset regardless of its a person, chance, or object 7/10

[epicness1000]

I'm Disappointed in How Honkai Star Rail's 2.6 Update Handled Boothill

I posted this elsewhere, but I thought to post this here.

If you're unable to take criticism of HSR and its writing, then don't read.

Is it just me? Well, it probably is, but I'm going to make a post (more like an essay) about it anyway.

I think a character like Boothill– one driven by anger, hate and revenge– isn't one to just be ignored or accepted. This is the kind of character that should be deconstructed. He claims to protect the innocent, and kill those who are evil– but who is he to decide who is innocent, and who is guilty? If he claims to spread justice– well, what is justice? Is it really as simple as the deadly means he uses, or is this all just a wall to justify his embracing of violence, a method of lashing out he uses in response to his trauma? I mean– he's killed a lot of people, and if those people include IPC lackeys (they almost certainly do), then there's no doubt at least some of them were innocent by most definitions of the word. And, if they're all truly just evil and guilty– well, that just feels like a weakness of the narrative, and its unwillingness to genuinely explore the possible issue it raises, an easy way out so to say. Boothill comes across as hypocritical to me, since who's to say that in the eyes of another, he's not also a villain/criminal to be put down? Is he not guilty in many ways too, maybe even within his own moral framework?

I'd LOVE to see the HSR narrative tackle these things, and I was hoping it would– but this update doesn't seem to have done any of that, even if it tried to open up his character.

I don't like that the fact that he genuinely doesn't seem to have any qualms with killing goes unquestioned. Don't get me wrong– I love morally grey/dark characters– but only if they're handled well. And I don't think that's the case here, since it feels like the narrative fails to frame his acts as something questionable. Even the robot ape guy he threatens brings up that taking a life the first time would make anyone hesitate, even the most heinous of villains– yet Boothill doesn't, and this... isn't really brought up again? Even though I think it really should be? If a couple things were flipped, Boothill could easily be a (really cool) tragic villain, or questionable anti-hero– but it feels like hoyo is just trying to make him marketable without really exploring these interesting ideas, because they might make him look less innocent/likeable.

I make this analogy a lot, but I think the best character to look at when it comes to 'anti-hero who is convinced that he's spreading justice and defending the weak, when in reality it's just a front for violence/trauma, and their morals desperately need to be deconstructed' is Raiden from Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. If you know, you'll probably understand what I mean– if not, I'm happy to elaborate.

Either way, I just hope that when Boothill inevitably gets more development, these things are explored in some capacity. I love him as a character, I just don't like how the narrative is dealing with him so far.

(I'm very happy to have a discussion about this– I'm not aiming to change anyone's mind if they enjoyed the update's contents– but I did want to speak my opinion).

(ALso- I brought this up in a discord chat, and I want to bring it up again. This is kind of comparable to Light Yagami's mindset– OBVIOUSLY they are literal opposites in personality and character, but the whole concept of 'I eradicate the guilty and protect the innocent' seems to be driving both of them. The difference is that Death Note bothered to analyse this idea and point out how ultimately wrong it is for one person to decide who is innocent or guilty, who deserves to live or die– while Honkai Star Rail not only avoids this, but almost seems to frame it as heroic? To be blunt– I think that is incredibly stupid.)

[imthepunchlord]

What would be the perfect "Miraculous team" for you?

At this point, the characters that do stand out most to me as major players that could be on a plausible team are: Marinette, Adrien, Felix, Alya, Nino, Kagami, and Zoe.

Honorable mentions/maybes: Ali, Aurore, Chloe, Lila, Juleka, Ivan, and Kim.

Marinette is a must. I do really enjoy writing her, and making my desired tweaks, and it is kinda a shame a lot of recent writing with her is in salt response to canon treatment. It's a big part of the reason I'm on an ML writing break. But she's a must. Most likely with kwami swaps as I am kinda done with her as Ladybug and working off Tikki. Tikki I think could better serve elsewhere and Marinette could be refreshing working off a different personality.

Adrien by default is kinda a must, though his biggest help is that he has a lot of options in what can be done with him. Could go along canon as starting off as a goofball hero that will get serious (though still keep his sense of humor), and be at a crossroads of working with his father or going against him. He could also work with Gabriel at the start, either openly or secretly, and through friendship finds himself as a crossroad. Could also do him joining later, initially exploring him as a civilian, maybe he runs the Ladyblog and wants to unmask heroes and he's extra excited cause his father is actually supportive and invested in his interest. There's some good options for him.

Felix is a must, partly from bias, but he does have a good established arc from starting as an antagonistic loner to turning to a true hero. And the stiff, skeptic, passive aggressive personality he can have could be a good counter to other personalities. And if you want to work off cnaon, he can go absolute gremlin.

Alya is another must. Frustrating as she is, she's a character I see a lot of potential for. Like, a lot of the "lessons" Marinette is expected to learn would better apply to her. And like Adrien, she'd be a great character if she was allowed to learn and improve. And I see a lot of potential in exploring her as a hero at the start, cause you got Alya wanting to start out for glory and attention, kinda treats it as a game initially, and she's on the side of reckless with secrecy, and I just see a lot of good potential for her as a major lead to follow at the start. Learning that heroing isn't all fun and glory, sometimes it's hard, and with reveals, there are pros to it, but there are also cons. She could really add to the secrecy vs reveal debate.

Nino is kinda here by default, but the boy needs something. Ideally something to let him stand on his own, especially outside Alya and Adrien. And one of the best ways to do that is explore him as a Miraculous hero at the start. And he wants to be a film director, so, maybe his focus arc could relate to leadership, learning to develop those skills, awareness of his team and what they can do, and how to best direct them. I will say, of this list, I could also roll with Nino as the supportive civilian friend who grounds one of the leads as he is a character who doesn't have a lot going on.

Kagami, despite all her issues as a character, is a character that caught my attention in Riptose. And while she got a lot of odd choices and polarizing characterization, taking the scattered pieces I can see a potential character being crafted. You got potential in her as the blunt ice queen who's overly dedicated and a little too serious, she wants to make friends but she's socially awkward and can come off as mean, she wants to make her mom proud but she also feels stifled. And by her official skills, she's one of the few characters that could actually vigilante and help the heroes without a Miraculous, or try to compete with them as her mom is tasking her with the chance to fight superhumans and prove herself.

Zoe is in a weird boat as she came in so late and I stopped watching ML so I didn't click with her all that well, but seeing more of her as Kitty and the apparent partner for Alya, it did prompt me to think and consider her more and brainstorm ideas. There's definitely something to work off of with her wanting to please Chloe and pretending to follow her along, but that's not who Zoe is and she can have an arc of figuring herself out, dealing with the tension and mistrust that her relation with Chloe brings, and letting herself flourish. Adjustments though would have to be made for her to come in sooner or be at Paris at the start, either as Chloe's younger sister or maybe twin, or her cousin, or we rip off the bandaid of the vague Bourgeois union, say they're divorced, and Audrey remarried and Zoe is Chloe's stepsister and she's up in Paris so they can "bond". I will say, with her coming in so late, she's also a character I can just exclude.

For honorable mentions where I can see potential or fun or I wish they had more attention:

Ali has a lot of the same appeals as Adrien, is shown to be very sweet, and I am bummed so little was done with him. He's not present enough to warrant being on the main team, but I like him enough that I should try and write more with him.

Chloe I can acknowledge has potential as a character, and that chance of a redemption arc is there, and she can be loads of fun to write. But I also feel irritated with her as she was a waste of time. I get they were halfheartedly going for "will she be good or will she be evil", but it was such a butcher job and you could tell the team was split, and instead of compromising, they just put in both potential to be good and her clearly not going to get better. And I'm just stuck in that irritating spot where I can SEE the potential but she may ultimately better serve as a villain/antagonist.

And this is where Aurore comes in, having all the perks of Chloe being haughty and proud, but none of the downsides. She was a lot of fun to write in Leave for Mendeleiev, and honestly, when I started ML with Stormy Weather, I actually thought she was a major character since she had the initial focus point. Color me surprise when she ultimately became a background character. And then disappeared for a while.

Lila is in a similar boat to Chloe, and honestly between them on who should get a redemption, it's pretty even them for me as they're both terrible. But we didn't NEED two mean girls to go against Marinette. Now, if they were a rival/foil to another character, and Marinette just worked mostly off one of them, then having two mean girls could've worked better. Either way, Lila redemption would have to be around Volpina, cause Chameleon and onward is a trainwreck and there's no way to pick up the pieces of that. And for a chracter who lies a lot, can be petty and spiteful, she has promise to be a lot of fun, and to bring a lot of chaos.

Between the two Couffaine siblings, Juleka is the one I see a lot of potential for writing wise, as she does have that established struggle of trying to find her voice. And by her livelihood, you could play off the comedy of her being chaotic but chill, and ready to take things to the extremes (like kidnapping). And there's the friendship potential that canon tapped into with her and Marinette's shared interest in fashion (I actually think that if the show was more realistic on friend pairs, Marinette would've been in a trio with Juleka and Rose).

Kim is on this list because he cracks me up. Peak himbo but surprisingly wise. That is if we can ignore how he got ruined in s5.

Lastly, Ivan. He was actually the first classmate I really paid attention to, and I saw a promising story to work off with him. Watching Origins, you see most of the class is intimidated by him, so I thought he could have an arc of changing people's perspective, instead of him being feared he's seen as a protector. Which kinda got speedran in the background, but I guess we can't have a plus size character as the focal point. But I'd like to do him as a major lead sometime.

[theskeletonprior]

Write Time: Day Nine

This month, my goal is a cool 30 000 words written. I’ll be carrying on with more RAVENOT. If you’re curious, you can take a look at my WIP intro right here. And if you’re really keen, you can read the first chapter (sort of a pilot as I toil) right here! Now onto the daily ramble.

I have a little bit of time before I set off for work today to make this entry, but I don't really have much commentary. I'm expecting to be about 900 words behind after the weekend, which isn't huge given my target. I'll try to write on the train like I did last week, and get some time in after work, but I have a couple of social engagements to keep up, so that will cut into my post-work writing time. If I can get about 500 words a day, I'll be pleased. I think I'm beginning to hit my stride with the story, and I still manage to feel some modicum of confidence. I have questioned whether or not these daily journals are a worthy cut into my writing time, but I think ultimately that reflection is an important part of the process. I'm already considering doing another Write Time in January, and keeping up a cycle of low-pressure writing every other month, and then turning it up the next. Because I have other obligations, I might tone down the expected word count even more for January's Write Time, but I think if I mean to pursue my writing honestly and earnestly, I need to be able to achieve that balance. Funny how I said I didn't have much commentary and then the words came rumbling out. That's all for now. Please behold my excerpt for today. (And do let me know if you have thoughts about my work--it's lonely out here!) Please behold.

"Anything?" Hadan shifted on the balls of his feet, but was more careful this time not to take another step closer to the carcass. Ravenot worked in silence, but for the wet shifting of organs as they examined them. The rot had spread with catastrophic efficiency, but where it had began remained an unknown. "The catalyst is not here. It must have come into contact with it elsewhere." Ravenot's mask turned toward the arch, the two trees growing together, the risk they now knew must be taken. But there was still the matter of the carcass rotting here. Ravenot cleaned Hadan's knife in the grass, leaving the remains to return it to him. “I will bury the organs," he said. "The forest will make safe the rest, if't is left alone. When I am finished, I must move on. For the final time, Hadan, get thee gone from these woods. Hast thou not heard tell of the fey lands? Thy nephew might live out his whole life ere we pass through this arch again." "What about you, then? You won't be much good, either, if no one sees you for a lifetime." "I may return by roads the living cannot." They took out their spade from its case on their right hip, threading the shaft into the collar until it was tight. Ravenot tested the handle idly, and then began to dig a shallow grave, as he had done many times. It's quick work, and the rhythm of it quiets their mind, attunes them well to the path ahead, the calling which tells him that he will surely pass into fey lands before this day is done.

Until next time!

Taglist: @alexanderflowerbird @void-botanist @carmillasboywife @ceph-the-ghost-writer @wintherlywords

As always, let me know if you’d like to join or leave the taglist, and I’ll act accordingly.

[willowser]

willow! first of all, i love all your writing and aus and just everything about your blog! everyone feels so realistic and it’s just amazing ajahakalal!!

second of all, i cannot get love island! kiri out of my head. like imagine he’s getting to know some other girl bc he’s just that nice but then someone else snatches you for recoupling and he realizes that there’s a very real possibility that the two of u won’t be together by the end and the thought just breaks his heart bc bc he really likes you!! you really, really wants to be with u and pursue a relationship outside the show but now he just feels like he blew it when he sees you with your new guy, splashing each other in the pool and laughing so brightly and you’re in your cute little bikini and hnghhhh just can’t stop thinking about this

OKAY OKAY bummer island with kiri is such a rollercoaster, i think you guys have the HARDEST time in there 🥺🥺 but it makes it worth it, in the end 😌🩷✨️

like i'm imagining that every week, all the boys are just hyping him up, telling him that he shouldn't close himself off, he's here to meet people, that's the whole point of this game and stuff — which it is ! but 🥺 he does really like you 🥺 so he ends up....unintentionally being a bit of a douchebag LOL

bc he's telling you that you're the only one he sees !! 🥺 and he's smiling at you on the beanbags, saying, "i wish we were sharing a bed tonight," and he always tells you how nice you look, you're always laughing together, sometimes you get too touchy 😌 BUT THEN ANOTHER GIRL WALKS IN and he's like, "i feel like i would be doing myself a disservice if i didn't try to get to know her," which is so AKGBRUEJQLALA and it's like. by the third time this has happened, you're so done. so beyond done lmao. and he doesn't even REALIZE IT.

a recoupling is happening and it's girls' choice and kiri is — over the moon. because he's thinking that this is it !! that you're going to choose him because things have been going great with yall (💀) and you'll finally be able to move forward, he's really excited to put all his effort into you now and — no, he's really not worried that a new guy just came in and told you he only had eyes for you 🙂 why would he be worried ?? 🙂

and you get up there and — you don't choose him. and he can't believe it.

every time that you could've coupled up in the past, someone has come along to steal either of you before the deal could be sealed. and now the opportunity was right there and he really, really was looking forward to FINALLY being with you 🥺 and having to stand there and hear your speech and watch you choose someone else is like alfhdkakajbfs 🥺 has him so ???? ofc a girl he's been talking to saves him so it's not like he goes home or anything but the hurt is SO CLEAR on his face 🥺

and afterwards, he grabs you as soon as it's appropriate to ask you 🥺 what happened ?? 🥺

and you're kinda not even looking at him 🥺 staring down into your drink or elsewhere. "i don't know, kirishima, he came in here and only has eyes for me, so — i think i'd be doing myself a disservice by not getting to know him."

and he KNOWS that those words are a slap in the face, especially with how serious you look, and he kind of laughs because he's shocked and hurt and doesn't know what to say !! because it's all too real now that he genuinely may have fucked it up !!! 🥺🥺🥺

[misc-obeyme]

Okay I finally have something to say about Lesson 17. Not because I didn't initially but man my thoughts were all over the place.

Spoilers below as always.

First: Solomon because what!

Let me begin by saying that I am not here to discuss whether or not anything that either Asmo or Solomon have done in regards to each other is "right" or not. They're fictional characters, as far as I know they've both always been morally grey, and there is more than enough discussion about this elsewhere. If someone wants to know my opinion, feel free to ask, but if that's what you're looking for, it isn't going to be in this post.

That being said!

Why is Solomon telling us this story about his pact with Asmo again? I mean, he already told us about it several lessons ago. Not only that, but he tells it differently. The first time he says he met Asmo in his hometown, but this time he says it was just some town after a festival. The stories aren't the same. So either he's just too drunk this time around and he's misremembering things or he lied to us the first time.

Either way, the fact that they have made him bring it up so much means it has to be relevant to the story in general. I mean, that's Storytelling 101. If you keep bringing something up in your story, you have to do something with it. That's Chekhov's gun, you know?

If the purpose is for us to notice that his story has changed, then maybe my theory about past!Solomon is more true than I thought? It might even just be a completely different Solomon from a different branch of time.

Because I noticed something else - Solomon is the only character whose outfit changes regularly throughout the story. (Aside from the latest one where everybody wears their RAD uniforms.)

He starts out in what they call his casual outfit - it's the sorcerer one with the cape. But then he switches to what they used to call his human world outfit - the one with the trench coat and fancy necklaces. He stays that way for several lessons, then switches back again. He switches back and forth between them one more time throughout the lessons we have. And he's wearing the human world outfit the first time he tells us about Asmo and the casual sorcerer outfit the second time when he's drunk.

This might not mean anything at all, but it just seems like we may be dealing with rotating Solomons.

ANYWAY. Every time a new lesson comes out I say I'm not going to analyze it too much because my theories always get out of control. And yet here I am doing the very thing I say I won't do!

Pfff. I can't help it, this game has taken over my brain.

It also seems a little out of character for Solomon to straight up get drunk because MC was gone for one day. Like this is the guy who spent most of his life alone and all that? Hmmm. It was pretty funny when he was hungover the next day though.

Second: RAPHAEL

WHAT DID THAT ANGEL JUST SAY?!

They want the brothers to go BACK?!

Listen here, I am not okay with this development. I hope they're not gearing up for a season 2 about a war in the past. I want to go back to the present already. I want to know the truth about who Nightbringer is. I want to know what the HELL is going on! I wanted all this story line to wrap up in one season! But we're already on lesson 17, I feel like we're no closer to knowing who Nightbringer is and NOW the Celestial Realm has basically declared war on the Devildom?

I mean, there's no way the bros would actually go back. Not after everything they've been through. Though I could see Lucifer trying to take on the responsibility all by himself somehow. All I know is that MC better pull out their OP abilities and fix this before the end of lesson 20, thanks.

Okay, that's all I had to say, I'm gonna get back to writing some fluffy fics now lol.

[mcflymemes]

AS SAID BY VARRIC TETHRAS  *  assorted dialogue from dragon age: inquisition

who designs a place that takes this many keys to get inside?

look at all the shit that's happened to you.

this shit is ruining my boots.

you've got to be kidding me.

i really am in the ass-end of nowhere now.

i'll take your word for it.

have we reached the stage where we gossip about each other's love lives?

we'll talk later.

nothing's stopping us from going back up.

one of those things would be impossible. all of them together? that's a miracle.

there was nothing simple about it.

you think we could take a couple of these books back with us?

my guess is another earthquake... that hits when we're halfway across the bridge.

i've had to write some letters.

no tantalizing secrets to divulge?

considering the company, i'm surprised it didn't feel longer.

does anybody else smell that? seriously? just me?

we're done here, right?

just take care of yourself.

i tried to warn you.

so it was just you, alone in the vast wilderness?

so we're getting the band back together? that's exciting.

let's try not to poke around someone else's grave, all right?

that had to hurt!

are you blushing?

let's not talk about it.

something about this place gives me the creeps.

i have no idea why places like this exist.

are we sure this is a good idea?

just because two people dislike each other doesn't mean they're about to kiss.

let's talk about your dark and troubled past.

i can almost promise you trouble when you arrive.

great place to get crapped on by a bird.

sounds like you two would have made a happy couple.

well, that screams "up to no good."

that's the seventh root i've tripped over in the last ten minutes.

i'm providing a service.

back me up!

how about dalliances? liaisons? illicit affairs?

you don't want to talk about yourself. i can respect that. so what do we talk about, then?

i'd also like to avoid falling.

i could help, you know.

i make up for it elsewhere.

are you going to blame me for that, too?

well, no one would peg you as a spy.

what? no! why would you even ask that?

let's try not to get eaten, shall we?

good spot for it. i wouldn't look here for anything.

my money's on this being a trap.

i'll keep that in mind.

maybe the locals will lend us a boat.

some things never change.

too attached to hitting things with your fists?

well, you've got to give me something.

personally i think it's some kind of compensation thing.

anybody else vote that we never come here again?

all this fresh air is making me lightheaded.

you remind me of someone.

are you all right?

i got to ask, does any of this shit make sense to you?

i'm not sure what that even means.

of course i'm concerned! i don't need you prodding me with a stick to prove it.

i hate caves.

thank you for not torturing me. i'm so much happier now.

we'll have to find another way.

how do you like being described?

poor bastards.

be still my heart. i've grown on you.

whatever it does, it's probably ancient and invaluable.

so what do we expect to find here?

you're asking me?

i'm hoping if i ignore it, it'll go away.

there's a lot of work to do.

just what we needed.

i didn't specify whose ass, did i?

you want to get shit done, right?

have you been reading the inscriptions?

it's just... all that niceness.

the only thing they seem to have in common is a tendency to burn things.

so there's a rational explanation after all.

well... that's gruesome.

where's the sneaking? the plotting? the subtle machinations?

most people are like cats. they either puff up to look dangerous or they crouch down and hope you don't see them.

it generally helps to respect local traditions now and then.

i've heard some people actually enjoy walking in the wilderness.

anyone know the name of this river?

someone remembered to bring water, right?

it's... hard to explain.

if they're busy staring at your hat, they're ignoring all your other flaws.

beg your pardon? i didn't catch that.

hm... i don't want to bore people.

how could you possibly be a spy?

ooh, that's a tough one.

look, i have to complain, or you'll forget i'm even here and trip over me!

how are you holding up? you've been quiet for a while.

i don't know what you're complaining about. you're taller than i am.

if you love a character, you give them pain, ruin their lives, make them suffer. maybe even throw in a heroic death.

you doing all right? i heard you breathing a little hard after the last fight.

no, no... that was good.

i will try my best not to do the impossible.

no argument there.

you seem the type.

you think i get any fun hanging out with them?

well, what you do doesn't make sense.

it seems like you're not having the effect you could.

keep acting like a big shot and hope it sticks.

[pico-digital-studios]

Into, Across and Beyond!: Mini-Update

Following the recent outbreak about various fast-food restaurants supporting the atrocities Israel are dishing out against Palestine (such as Burger King, Chick-A-Fila, etc.), I wanted to make a quick statement regarding my writing of IAB! around that.

To make it clear right off the bat, I do NOT support anything that Israel is cruelly doing towards Palestine in general, and trust me, I've seen some of the shared footage here on Tumblr AND heard it all over my local news. My heartfelt support goes out to anyone trying to survive out there, and any Israelite that does NOT condone their country's actions either has my full respect in general.

Since you've noticed that there is alternate equivalents of McDonald's AND Burger King in the SEGAVerse, I'll throw in my two cents and mention this; none of them (including McLovely's and Burger Monarchy from OMT!Tails's dimension) support Israel's actions in any way, and are just trying to get by as businesses in the Mobius/Earth corporate landscapes. It's one point I'll never allow ANY part of my work to stoop to, not even out of the villains (who are on their OWN agendas outside of supporting pointless wars).

None of the IAB! cast in general would veer towards supporting heartless actions done towards one country (same with the atrocities Ukraine have been facing), and as you can tell, I never will. And I'm going to say now that anyone who is even remotely supporting any of the atrocities Isnotreal is causing, you are not welcome on my blog at all, so take your rotten warmongering elsewhere.

Well, that's all from me for now. See you later.

(EDIT: Just removed McDonald's from that post, since BEC got word from YuriHaru that they and Disney are no longer in support of Israel's acts.)

[510amy5]

Chapter 16

‘Don’t worry. If he snores too loudly, I’ll just smother him with a pillow again.’

Gotta love some terrible roommates lol. Caroline and Robin's plan has been set into motion. Caroline has arranged for the early arrival of the Baron and Robin is ready to have the conversation. Rosamund is, however, slightly suspicious.

Caroline? Are you planning something else?’ ‘Planning something?’ Caroline dropped a green tassel and looked up. ‘I think you have higher priorities at the moment than my aspirations for your romantic subplot.’

I find it interesting that Caroline has either come to terms with the fact that the romance is not main plot. She spent so long in the beginning pushing it as the framework for other plot point to hang withing but now the Plot has gotten too big it seems and she is ready to acknowledge that. Well done Caroline.

‘Leo? That was quick.’ ‘No, Uncle Robin,’ came the voice of his favourite not-actually-niece. ‘It’s me.’

This moment with Charlotte and Robin is so cute. Not least of which is because @marauderjojo is the not-actually-auntie (she's totally the auntie) to my little guy. Just makes me happy any time I see it happen elsewhere.

Unfortunately Caroline is having just as bad a time in the real world as she is writing. After some issue with the server at her workplace that she stumbled upon (possibly something criminal? I'm not sure I fully follow...) while doing assigned tasks that were NOT HER JOB she is getting hinted that she could get fired.

If that wasn’t a veiled threat, then Caroline was a triceratops. Stunned into silence, she could only nod blankly and try not to panic as she listened to the door click shut behind Annabel. Her mind was racing, but one thought stuck out in particular: Rosamund wouldn’t stand for this.

She is absolutely right about Rosamund and I can't wait to see where this goes!

We jump back to Robin and Leo. Robin correctly deduces that Leo is head over heels for Rosamund and gives the appropriate threats of make her happy or else. Every best friend's duty, but more threatening here by way of said best friend knowing how to use a sword.

I don’t trust her to think about herself at the moment. Which means that you’re going to have to do it for her.’

I can't wait to see how Leo approaches the situation and takes this advice. I'm rooting for you so hard my dude.

[nightimedreamersworld]

20 questions for fic writers

Big thanks @artsyunderstudy and @prettygoododds @confused-bi-queer @bookish-bogwitch tagging me in this! And to everyone else who's tagged me in a tumblr meme recently. It's been a while since I've done one of these.

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

33!

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

Around 370k, but of those about 40k aren't mine. So in reality, something like 330k?

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Only Carry On! I don't have the attention span for more of one at a time lol

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1. How I wonder what you are aka baby fic

2. Mess is mine aka secret dating fic

3. Every little helps aka snickers fic

4. You and I will not be shaken aka huddling for warmth fic

5. From across the room aka my FIRST fic

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I don't 😭 which makes me feel guilty and ungrateful, but alas. Every time I've tried to in the past, I'd run out of steam after half a dozen comments or so. Don't get me wrong, I love comments, they fuel me etc etc. Replying just makes me unreasonably anxious

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Technically it's Love of Fate because it doesn't have an ending. It was supposed to be a prologue to something longer that would eventually have a happy ending, and that I simply never wrote lol

That said, the true angstiest ending is probably my All there's left is a ghost of you series - same moment, one from Simon's pov, the other from Baz's. Set between carry on and wayward son, which tells you everything about why it's here :) (Although arguably, those are hopeful endings. Kinda.)

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Almost everything I write has a happy-ish ending, but the one indisputable happiest ending is probably How I wonder what you are

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not necessarily hate, but one time I did get someone mocking my fic for a mistake I made. Which, like, I deserved, for straying so far out of my comfort zone lol

Anyway. I have upped my research game since, so. Lesson learned?

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yes! The kind I want to read lol

Seriously, though, I tend to write weird stuff I can't find elsewhere. Someone once mentioned there's little mirror sex fic in the fandom, and BAM! I got the itch to write one. I've also tried my hand at web cam sex, body modification, and... [reads smudged handwriting] cemetery sex?

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

I haven't yet, but never say never, right? Although I'm much more likely to just write AUs instead. As in, take the world of the original, chuck the characters and just replace them with snowbaz lol

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Probably not? I mean. I hope so lol

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope. I've thought about doing it myself, but there's roughly any engagement with fics in Portuguese on AO3, so it doesn't feel worth the trouble

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

Birthday man! Though I might be open to it if a) someone with a compatible style is interested, and b) I find some free time to actually write lol

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Do I even need to say anything? (It's snowbaz)

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Sigh. It's probably Let your colours bleed, because It's been 3 years, so I've just... sort of grown past the story? Which makes me sad, because I still like the concept, I just can't connect to anymore

There are a handful other WIPs still hanging on my ao3, but I still have hope for them.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I like writing plot! And also actions scenes. And banter, maybe a bit too much lol

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

The beginning of a fic. And also the ending. And also the mid-

Seriously though, I find that I tend to be either too verbose or too succinct when I don't know exactly what I'm trying to say. Like, I either charge through it and the thing falls flat, or I drag it on for several paragraphs that amount to barely anything. Hopefully, I can mitigate that with the power of editing and beta readers

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I think it's cool depending on context! Like, is this a situation in which this character would simply switch to another language? Also, why?

I haven't done it yet, though.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Take a guess. (It was actually Harry Potter)

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

Dance Like a Flame! My specialest baby. My little darling. My magnum opus.

I'll jump at literally any chance to talk about this fic, so beware.

Phew! Can't believe I actually answered one of these for once... now, I'm pretty sure almost everyone has done this already, but I'm going to tag a few people anyway just so this doesn't get lost in the abyss

@palimpsessed @captain-aralias @cutestkilla @larkral @aristocratic-otter @hushed-chorus @whatevertheweather @ivelovedhimthroughworse @whogaveyoupermission

[lorellaishc]

Wounds Unhealed

(( DWC February 2024 Day 4, Vengeance/Satisfaction, CW: None, @daily-writing-challenge ))

In the wake of the celebrations of the Blooming

The air that blew through the greenery of Amirdrassil smelled sweet in Ghorren's nose as he stood on a hill, feeling the soft loam and grass beneath his toes. After years serving Zandalar as a mercenary hired out by the crown, both to gain riches for the nation and to keep the other peoples of Zandalar properly intimidated by his people, fighting alongside bonafide heroes, and saving people he did not know was a new feeling. A welcome one, but new nonetheless. Thus as the celebration went on, he'd decided to take a moment to himself to enjoy the moment free of the noise. Well, most of it.

The grass behind him rustled as footsteps approached, heavy and angry. Three figures, he guessed. Sighing, he turned to take them in. Three kaldorei, young in face but far too old in their eyes. Survivors of Teldrassil, he guessed. Young, fired up, and not quite feeling sated by victory. And here he was, a troll separated from the party.

Perhaps he ought to have waited for his quiet moment.

"You don't belong here, monster. Draw your weapon and defend yourself!" the apparent leader of the elves declared, holding out a sabre. The two behind her were armed as well, a mage's staff and a bow with a nasty looking arrow.

"Easy now, I'm here by invitation. We all fought against the primalists to save this tree. We're all trying to enjoy the victory."

"You don't deserve to be here, filth! Not after what your kind did to us!" the leader shot back. The staff wielder joined in. "You horde monsters destroyed our home, killed our families, and think that you can just come in here and help and all will be forgiven?"

Ghorren's heart hurt. He fought down the urge to point out that Zandalar wasn't part of the Horde when their warchief had assaulted their former capital. He knew well the pain of loss, and how it defied logic and reason. But at the same time, he really didn't want to lay a beating on a bunch of hurting kids, or leave them to go after some other tempting target. "If you're going to kill me, I'd appreciate it if you didn't do it with such an amateur stance," he said, rolling his shoulder.

"What?" the leader asked, confused.

"Your stance, your legs are too close together, and your grip is too tight. You're going to hurt yourself. Spread your feet more, and loosen up a bit on the sword, you need to be able to move it. And you, your bowstring is loose, you're not getting enough power to kill a stag with that, much less a troll. As for you, mage, you'd be smart to have an incantation charged and ready if you're going to pick a fight, you don't want to be the slowest to act in a fight."

"Shut up troll! Pick up your sword and defend yourself!"

"No." Ghorren replied. "I've fought enough today. Elves and trolls and orcs and dragons, all who wanted to destroy this place. I'm tired, and trying to enjoy some rest. You want to do this, then do it."

The kaldorei's courage wavered. Ghorren let out a mental sigh of relief at having read them right. He looked in the eyes of the leader, that were now wet with tears of frustration, anger, and loss.

"Elune damn you, you're a savage, why won't you fight?" she cried.

"What was done to you, to your families and home, was monstrous. Those responsible have faced judgment, either here, or elsewhere at the hands of your leaders. But the pain is still with you. I know. So is mine, from the losses I have faced. The only way to lessen that pain is to grow beyond it. The war is over. You and your people have a new home. It's time to stop surviving, and let yourself live and grieve."

The leader's face was wet with tears as the grip on her blade loosened, and the tension in her body dropped with a sob. "This isn't fair, none of this is fair, our families are still gone, and we're just supposed to move on?" she cried, falling to her knees. Her friends set down their weapons, and knelt to hold her, sobbing themselves.

Ghorren looked upon them sadly. Even though they were elves, even though their peoples had long been enemies, it was taking every ounce of his self control to not reach out to them. He was a father, and they were hurt children. But none of them were ready for that. So instead he kept his voice soft, like when he sought to soothe his own daughters when they felt anguish. "Go back to your people. Go to your priestesses, and tell them of your pain. Causing more won't make it go away," he said, gathering his things and slowly walking away, putting distance between him and them. Once he'd gotten out of sight, he pulled out his hearthstone, and triggered it. He'd explain his failure to return to the party later. For now, the relative peace of Valdrakken called.

[barrenclan]

This is, very possibly, either kind of pretentious and “I’m fourteen and this is deep” sounding or bland redundant babbling, but this issue did actually make me think about these things in my inexperienced teenager-y way and I wanted to share. Probably messy no matter what. I wouldn’t mind if you just deleted this because of that.

I feel like this issue really dives into some of the thematic issues of this comic. (Not issues as in, these are done poorly, issues as in the characters are talking about them/they are present in the story.) Mostly some stuff about society.

Basically every society or social group is concerned with the problem of creating more of themselves, or continuing their traditions or preserving what makes them them in some way. I can understand where Cootstorm is coming from because of this, she desires the continuation of Barrenclan in its current form, even if largely for their self-immolation, their need to be “punished for what they did.”

And if you want to continue your group, and are not interested in moving elsewhere and possibly don’t want to bring outsiders in? (Don’t know/remember if Cootstorm is xenophobic) Well, you can’t have four she-cats in a litter, that’s for sure. The feelings of the other cats don’t matter and the most important thing is Continuation.

Which is how we get the situation Pinepaw where he’s being forced to have kids because of what I would describe as a toxic dedication to continuation, to reproduction. “You better be attracted to mollies and able to reproduce or otherwise you are being useless and ignoring your responsibilities” kinda thinking. And like. Yeah that’s Really Bad. Not cool, Cootstorm. But I also understand why she is doing these bad things and what philosophy has led her to this point and think it’s interesting.

What I’m really trying to say about Cootstorm here is “interesting motive, still murder” you know? Just trying to make that clear.

So yeah, cool issue. Love grumpy kit Cootstorm.

If someone writes out a personal, in-depth, and thoughtful message about my characters, I won't delete it (unless you ask me to, in which case I will).

I like your thoughts about Cootstorm a lot. It's definitely close to the themes I've been aiming for in the story, and how BarrenClan's desperation drives them to even worse suffering in the end. The problem with toms is two-fold; in the recent years, around since when Cashew showed up, 1.) loners have started to avoid BarrenClan territory even more than before, meaning there is no outside genetic material, and 2.) many toms have died out in the Clan and only Pinepaw had been born, leaving it with mostly she-cats and many of the BarrenClan cats related. That's where the story starts.

I'm very glad overall that people responded well to Cootstorm's further character development.

[ilovecupcakesandtea]

Pairing: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Rating: NSFW 18+ Summary: Breakfast, a girls shopping trip and some lace lead to some fun. Word Count: 4,623 Warnings: Alcohol consumption Commentary: Thank you to @slipperygiraff as always for writing this with me.

Part one Part two Part three Part four Part six

Less than an hour later the group were sitting in a diner looking through the menu laughing and joking. Eddie sat and watched the other three interacting and wondered how suddenly everything had changed but still looked the same, like everything hadn't been flipped upside down in the last hour. Did Stevie really like him like that? Could something really happen between them? His head, and his heart, hurt a little too much right now to be thinking about that.

They ordered food, ate and made chit chat, well the other three did, Eddie remained mostly silent. Before long they finished up and Stevie paid, at her insistence, went outside and parted ways. Eddie had to go to work, an excuse he made up to get away from everyone and to have a chance to think, J, Stevie and Robin headed for the local mall.   

"We're glad you invited us last night. We had a great time!" Stevie said, offering J a smile.

"What dingus here is forgetting to say is thank you." Robin said, lightly punching Stevie in the arm. 

"Aww!! Well, thank you both for coming! It was a blast last night and we've still got the day together!" J exclaimed, throwing an arm around both of their waists. 

Robin had turned into a store, dragging the other two with her. They had been having a good time, laughing at the ridiculously hideous clothes they'd show each other. The two also helped Stevie pick out stuff to help her feel more comfortable on her feminine days, something she hadn't yet taken the time to do. 

"So, Stevie, Eddie huh?" J said, raising an eyebrow at Stevie. 

"Uh yeah. What about him?" Stevie asked, looking up from browsing through the other side of the rack. 

"You tell me, you were the one who couldn't keep your eyes off him last night." J smirked. Clearly these two needed a push together.

"Oh my god." She gasped, looking back down at the rack in front of her in hopes of hiding the blush forming over her cheeks.  "I'm so sorry J. I tried not to. I'm sorry." 

"I can't blame you, he's a really nice guy and he's cute as well, not to mention his skills elsewhere." J shrugged. 

"Look, I'm really sorry about that. I wouldn't try anything I promise." She really had tried not to stare at Eddie so much the night before but it was easier said than done. The feelings of anger had long gone, making room for other feelings to come back to the surface. 

"What if he was single?" J asked.

Stevie looked back at J, eyebrows raised in confusion. "I don't see why that'd matter. Wouldn't change anything."

"Hmmm but what if it would? What if he likes you too?" J questioned. 

"I'm not going to get in between you two. I just want to see him happy." 

"But what if I wasn't in the picture?" J pushed.

"I uh, I don't know. What are you trying to say?" Stevie was starting to get a little nervous with where the conversation was going. She hadn't wanted to cause them any problems. 

"That we split up this morning, just before you two came into the living room" J shrugged.

"If that is in any way my fault, I'm sorry. Are you ok?" 

"It hurts a little because he's amazing but you were right when you said he deserves to be happy. It's not your fault at all, I have eyes and it wasn't fair on either him or myself to carry on if I'm not the one he actually wants to be with." J replied with a sad smile. 

"I'm sorry. We can talk shit if it'll help. I'm sure Robin has plenty she could say." Stevie said as she quickly made her way to J, wrapping them in a tight hug. 

"No no, that's not needed. He really is a great guy. He was upset when it ended so I know he felt something for me. The point here isn't me, Stevie, you've got to get yourself a man, if you want him that is"  J said hugging her back.

"I couldn't do that to you. You guys just broke up only a couple of hours ago. Plus it's not like he has any feelings for me anyway, not with the way he left Hawkins." She felt wrong at the idea of going after someone right after they ended a relationship. Sure it'd be nice if Eddie had feelings for her but that didn't feel likely. Yeah she'd been trying to get over him leaving but that was proving to not be so easy. Stevie was quickly pulled back out of her thoughts by the sound of Robin snorting just a few feet away. 

"I'm with Robs here, he's head over heels for you. Eddie left because he had too, he didn't say goodbye to you because he couldn't, too scared to face you and too scared you'd try and stop him." 

"I probably would have. It would have been hard to try not to get him to stay.  I get why but still…" At least she could admit that. It would have been difficult to not try and convince Eddie to stay, even if it wouldn't have been right.

"I need you to know that if you get with Eddie his life is here, he has a job and friends, he has a life here, you can't force him back to Hawkins." J said sternly. 

"I couldn't do that to him. I promise. I can see how much better off he is here."

"That boy is stupid over you, anyway ladies, let's shop!!" J exclaims grabbing both their hands and walking quickly, dragging the two towards the next store. 

"Uh, J? What are we doing?" Stevie asked, confused. This was not at all where she thought they'd end up when agreeing to go shopping. 

"Well I need some new lingerie and this place is the best!" J smiled, starting to flick through the various styles.  

"Loosen up Stevie! It's fine." Robin says looking over at Stevie who had her hands behind her back, rocking on her feet, and staring at the ground.

"Oh I really like this one" J says, picking up a cute red lacy set. "What do you think Robin? Would it suit me?" J winks.

"Um, yeah." Robin stammered. "That'd look great on you."

"Then I have to get it now!" J smirked. "Hmmm this one too" J smiled, picking up another set, clearly not in their size, "This way ladies! I need to try these on"

"I'll just uh wait over here." Stevie said as she walked towards a chair just outside the dressing room. 

"I don't think so! I need all my girls with me!" J says grabbing Stevie with her. 

"Guess I don't have a choice." Stevie shrugs and grabs Robin before J can pull her too far. "Which means you don't either!"

J, Robin and Stevie all squeeze into a dressing room and J starts to strip down to try the new set on.

"That. That uh." Robin stutters, followed by an elbow to the side from Stevie. "Looks hot." Robin squeaks, quickly throwing her hands over her mouth. 

"Yeah, looks really good on you." Stevie beams at J after rolling her eyes at Robin. 

"Thank you, you two. Want to try this on?" J asks turning to Stevie and gesturing to the other set she had brought in with her, a set that looked like it would fit Stevie. 

"Um. I don't know." She whispered, blushing slightly. 

"Take your time, you don't have to if you don't want to and we can always let you do it on your own if you want?" J whispers. 

"I guess it couldn't hurt." Stevie admitted. It was just the three of them. What harm could it really do? She stumbled putting it all on but once it was on all she could do was stand there. Frozen looking at her reflection in the mirror. It felt right, good even. 

"Oh my god! Look at you!! You look so hot! Seriously! You have to get it!" J exclaims. 

"You think so?" Stevie said wetly, sniffling and failing to hold back the tears that were starting to stream down her face. 

"Yeah, you really do. Eddie is going to absolutely lose his mind when he sees you in this." J winks. 

"They're right Stevie. Looks good." Robin agreed. 

"What would I do without you two?" Stevie asked, trying to wipe her face. 

"Love you Stevie" J says hugging her, "I'm so proud of you." Stevie began to cry again, holding J tightly in return as Robin joined them. She just couldn't help it, people didn't often say they were proud of her. It took them several minutes to gather themselves enough to change back into their clothes and leave the dressing room, Robin offering to take it to the register for her. 

After wandering a few more stores, they ended their trip with Stevie insisting on buying them milkshakes. She could tell them a million times how much she appreciated them but it wouldn't feel like enough, treating them when she could would just have to do. 

It had been a week since Steve and Robin's trip to Indy. They had both had a great time but a movie night soon after had been needed. The movie had mostly gone ignored as Robin talked about her quickly developing crush on J. Not that Steve had been surprised when Robin finally said something. They weren't blind, they could see the way Robin had been looking. It'd be hard to blame her, J was easy on the eyes and quickly proving to be a wonderful person. Steve was absolutely going to encourage it, they had been pretty sure they noticed J flirting. 

Then it had been time to talk about Steve. They were having a hard time. Still working to move past the last bit of negative feelings from Eddie leaving only to find out that not only was he now single but had feelings for them too. It was only making Eddie leaving without a word easier to understand. 

Steve could have gone to Eddie before leaving Indy that day but it didn't feel right. It didn't matter if he had feelings for them, he deserved some time to process too. They weren't sure who needed that time more, them or Eddie. What were they going to do? It's not like they were ready to leave Hawkins. They'd miss the kids even if it wasn't that long of a drive and asking Eddie to come back was absolutely out of the question, they'd promised not to. Could it work only seeing each other when they had time off? For Eddie they'd make it work, he was worth it. 

Stevie finally had a day off but Robin was working and the kids were off doing whatever it was they did when not pestering her for rides or to use her pool. The house was quiet as always, still no clue when her parents would return but the longer they stayed gone the better. She may not enjoy a quiet house but at least it meant that she didn't have to pretend like none of her recent self-discovery had happened. 

She was standing in the mirror, wearing the lingerie she'd gotten on their shopping trip and fidgeting with the straps. She felt so good in it, thankful her friends had helped push her yet again. Which only brought to mind J's comment of how Eddie might react to mind, giving her an idea. 

She put on the longest coat she owned, reaching just past her knees, and slipped on a pair of boots with extra chains and buckles. Did she really think this through? Was it actually a good idea? She wasn't going to dwell on that, thinking about it any more would just stop her and she was sure if the courage would ever come back. 

Stevie turned the volume on her stereo all the way up once getting in the car. She didn't even care what tape was in, she just wanted something to drown out her thoughts. If she thought too much she'd turn around. She hadn't had the courage to tell Eddie how she felt before he left and she wasn't sure she'd find it again if she lost it now. 

Maybe this was a bad idea? Sure both J and Robin had said she should go for it but they might not have meant like this. It was too late now, or was it? 

Stevie parked the car and took a deep breath. Sure she could drive back home now without going through with it, the long drive has given her doubt too much time to start creeping in. Looking up at Eddie's apartment building, she dug deep and found the last little bit of courage she had left and got out of the car. 

Thankfully Eddie's apartment was on the first floor, she was already sweating a little with nerves; she didn't need stairs to make it worse. After knocking on the door she put her hands in her coat pockets and started rocking on her feet as she waited. Was he home? Shit, she'd forgotten to look to see if his van was in the parking lot. 

She jumped at the sound of a nearby door unlocking. No one else needed to see her like this, sheepishly waiting outside Eddie's door. It's not like they'd know what she had on under her coat, though she'd still be worried they somehow knew. Turning around and heading back towards her car she scanned the parking lot. No van in sight. 

Did she really drive all the way here just for him to not be home? Where else could he be? Should she have called first just to see if he was home? It was only making her more determined to find him. It was still early enough in the day, maybe he had a client? Already having driven this far, it's not like a couple more minutes would hurt.

Stevie didn't see his van outside the shop either but there was probably parking in the back, she just didn't know how to get to it. Putting on a fake look of confidence she walked in and up to the front desk where a woman sat looking through a magazine.

"Hi, can I help you?" The woman asked, smiling up at Stevie. 

"Is uh, Eddie here?" She half whispered.

"Oh, no. I'm sorry honey but he's not here. Did you have an appointment?"

"No. Sorry to bother you. Thank you!" She groaned as she turned around, leaving quickly. If he wasn't at home or work then where else was left to look? She knew J had a shift at the bar tonight, maybe they'd know where Eddie was. Back into her car she went, hoping that J would have some answers. If they didn't Stevie wasn't really sure what was next. 

Walking into the bar was even harder than she thought. There were a lot more people than expected. She shoved her hands deep in her pockets as she walked up to the bar. Thankful that J was there, giving them a timid finger wave as they locked eyes. 

"Hey you!! Everything ok?" J asked as Stevie walked towards the bar. 

"For now, yeah. Any chance you know where I can find Eddie?" Stevie asked. 

"He's sat over there in that booth," J answers, pointing to the corner of the bar, "what are you wearing under that coat? You must be a little cold with no pants on" J smirks. 

"Well. Uh. Let's just say there's not a lot under here ok? Yeah I'm cold but I didn't think I'd be running around town." Stevie sighed, running a hand over her face hoping to hide her embarrassment. 

"Oh babes he is absolutely going to lose his mind!! Just keep everything family friendly in here" J winks, "Want a shot for courage?" 

"Oh my god, yes please!"

"Not that you need it" J says pouring Stevie a shot of sambuca "on the house" 

"Thank you! I owe you one." Stevie says before quickly taking the shot and turning around to find Eddie. 

Eddie had had a really tiring day. His first client had made him redraw the art work 3 times before it was deemed good enough. That set the tone for the day and by the end of it he needed a drink and a chat with J. Sitting contemplating whether to pick up pizza on the way home or not he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Not really thinking about it Eddie continued to be in a world of his own. It wasn't until a hand was placed on the table that Eddie paid attention. 

A perfectly manicured hand with forest green nails was sitting by his drink. Eddie looked over at the owner and was met with the nicest set of legs he had ever seen. Far too much of them was hidden by the coat their owner was wearing. As his eyes travelled up the body to see who it was Eddies couldn't help but admire the figure that was in front of him, strong looking but soft around the edges. 

Finally getting to the face Eddies was lost for words. In front of him stood Stevie, perfectly curled eyelashes with just a sweep of eyeliner underneath, she looked devastatingly beautiful.

"Hi," Eddie squeaked out, cleared his throat and then tried again, "Hi." 

"Hey yourself" Stevie smirked, "Fancy seeing you here." 

"Yeah, fancy that. Errmm, not that this isn't wonderful, but how come you're here?" Eddie questioned. "Do you want a drink?"

Stevie looked around quickly, leaned forward and opened up the collar of the coat slightly to reveal a thin strap and some black lace, before standing back up again and making sure everything was hidden. 

Eddie took a deep steadying breath and a quick sip of his drink before he spoke again. "You, urm, here to see someone then?" he asked, glad that he sounded more with it than he felt, his mouth was dry and his pants were suddenly a little uncomfortable. 

"Fuck sake," Stevie whispered, "I'm here for you, if you want me to be that is, if not I'll just go, you know what, I'll just go anyway, this was a bad idea" Stevie said shakily starting to turn. 

Stevie was here, wearing THAT, for him?! And she didn't think Eddie wanted her? Oh fuck, she didn't think Eddie wanted her and was starting to walk away.

"Hey hey hey sweetheart, I was just in shock is all" Eddie suddenly said moving forward and taking a loose grasp of Stevies wrist. "Come back here" he said tugging slightly, pulling Stevie towards him and down on the seat. "You really come to find me wearing something lacy mm? What a lucky man I am" Eddie whispered into the ear of the woman practically sitting in his lap.     

"Wonder what else you're wearing under there" he said seductively running a hand up and under the coat reaching the line of the lace panties. "You little minx, anyone could have seen you wearing this. You like the thought of that?" Eddie teased at the low whine and the cock twitch that preceded the sentence.   

"You, just you, all for you" Stevie replied breathlessly. 

"Up," Eddie demanded, "Let's get out of here now before I have you begging me to fuck you in the middle of this place." Pushing Stevie towards the door and grabbing his bag he hurried to catch up. 

"I'll see you at home in a few minutes princess" Eddie whispered, grabbing Stevie's chin and forcing her to look at him before walking off towards his car. 

Less than 5 minutes later he found Stevie waiting outside the apartment block looking wide eyed and relieved when she saw Eddie walking towards her. 

"After you gorgeous" Eddie said, opening the door to the building and holding it open. 

As soon as they were through the door Eddie pulled Stevie close and kissed her. Starting slowly and building more and more passion. 

"I know I turned up in the hopes of this happening but I need to get this out there." Stevie said resting her forehead against Eddies, "I need to know if this happens it actually means something to you, that after this you're not going to run away again and ghost me, I can't go through that again." 

"Never, I will never leave you again" Eddie replied quickly, "leaving you was the stupidest thing I've ever done and that's an extensive list" Stevie laughed wetly at Eddie's confession.

"Take me to bed Munson" Stevie mumbled against Eddie's lips before kissing him again. Their kissing grew more and more passionate and before long Stevie was pressed against the wall running her hands through Eddie's hair, tugging lightly. "Fuck" Eddie moaned "baby I need to see what you're wearing under this" he said reaching for the ties on the coat and pulling them open. 

Eddie felt his hands swatted away and Stevie pushed him back slightly and reached for the top button of the coat, opening it up very slowly to reveal the lacy underwear set she was wearing. Taking the coat off and throwing it to the side she looked over at Eddie. 

Eddie Munson had never considered praying to any god and thanking them for anything in his life but Stevie standing in front of him wearing this set with those boots had him wanting to thank every deity he could think of at that moment. 

"Never before have I seen something so beautiful." Eddie said in awe as he stepped forward, pressing Stevie against the wall again and cupping her cheek before kissing her softly on the lips and then moving down to her neck leaving small hickies in his path down Stevie's chest and to her nipples. 

"Stop teasing and take me somewhere to fuck me!" Stevie moaned out as Eddie bit down on one nipple and sucked. 

"As you wish princess," Eddie said, picking her up and carrying her to the bedroom. 

"Such a caveman" Stevie giggled as she was thrown on the bed. 

Eddie quickly stripped down to his underwear and joined her on the bed. 

Eddie kissed his way back down Stevie's body and carried on past where she wanted him the most. Lying in between her thighs Eddie spent time kissing, nibbling and leaving hickies all over the inside of them as Stevie grew more and more impatient above him. 

"That feel good, hmm? Seems like you're all nice and wet for me" Eddie teased running a finger up the damp fabric covering Stevie up still. "As breathtaking as you look in this we are going to need to lose these" Eddie said pulling the pants down slightly and looking Stevie in the eyes. 

Stevie noded. "Please" she whimpered.

"Good girl using your words and your manners, so good for me already" Eddie praised. 

Eddie slid the panties down and threw them to the side and took Stevie in hand using his thumb to massage the tip. Reaching over to his bedside table Eddie fumbled for the bottle of lube he knew he had and a condom, putting them on the bed next to him before taking Stevie in his mouth. A few seconds later Eddie stopped what he was doing. 

"Patience," Eddie chastised, swatting Stevies thighs as she whined at the loss. "Turn over" 

Stevie turned over and leaned down onto her forearms pushing her ass up into the air as Eddie opened the lube and warmed it up in his finger. Eddie reached around and took Stevie back in hand loosely before starting to open her up. Soon enough Eddie had two fingers inside her down to the knuckle.

"More please, feels so good" Stevie cried out as Eddie crooked his finger finding that spot. 

He opened her up with a third finger before withdrawing and rolling the condom on. 

"You ready baby?" He asked and he added more lube to his cock. 

"Please," Stevie replied. 

"So fucking tight princess, feels so good" Eddie groaned as he pushed inside slowly. He took a moment after bottoming out. Rocking his hips experimentally he took a few shallow thrusts. 

"Harder, fuck me like you mean it, I'm not going to break" Stevie bit out. 

"Brat" Eddie replied, lightly slapping her ass. "Oh you like that do you?" he asked as Stevie moaned below him.

"Yeah, please, harder. Leave a mark, need to feel you after" 

"Fuck, you're perfect" Eddie moaned out before speeding up his thrusts and spanking Stevie harder on her ass. "Say red if you need me to stop baby ok" 

"I'm so fucking green right now Ed's, please, i can take it." 

"Good manners get rewards" he said smacking her ass harder and fucking into her even harder. 

Soon the room was filled with moans and the sound of skin on skin.

"So close, I need to see you," Stevie groaned out.  

Eddie pulled out and Stevie lay on her back before Eddie pushed back in again pushing Stevies knees up towards her chest.

"Oh fuck," Stevie cried out as the new postion meant that Eddie was hitting her prostate with every movement. 

"hey, hey you ok princess? Am I hurting you? Do we need to stop?" Eddie asked, pausing his movements as he noticed that Stevie was crying. 

"No no, just feels so good," Stevie said, moving her hips the best she could to get Eddie to move again. "Feeling a little overwhelmed is all"

"So close baby, need you to cum with me." Eddie moaned out taking Stevie back in hand and matching his hand movements with his thrusts. Seconds later Stevie was cumming with a cry of Eddie's name and Eddie was cumming with a choked out moan. 

Eddie pulled out of Stevie gently and he felt her tense up. "I'm just making sure I don't collapse on you ok, and I need to go and get a cloth and the ointment." Eddie reassured kissing her before he moved off the bed. 

He soon returned with a warm cloth and some soothing cream. After cleaning Stevie off he threw the cloth towards the laundry basket. 

"Turn over for me please princess," Eddie asked. 

"Stings, feels good" Stevie hummed as Eddie put some soothing cream on the bright red hand print covering more than half of Stevies ass cheek. 

"Please tell me you don't have to go anywhere tonight at least?" Eddie said as he got comfy and pulled Stevie over to him to lie on his chest. 

"No I'm off for a couple days now" Steve mumbled sleepily. 

"Good, I was going to ask if you'd allow me to take you out tomorrow." Eddie asked nervously. 

"Hhmmm let me think about it" Stevie joked, poking Eddie in the side, "I guess I can allow you to try and make up for running away from me" 

"I'm so sorry about that, so so fucking sorry for leaving you. I'm never going to leave you again, you're stuck with me now" he replies, kissing the top of Stevie's head.

Soon enough breathing evened out and conversation slowed before the sound of gentle snoring took over the room. Eddie pulled Stevie a little closer and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead before closing his own eyes and letting sleep take him. He didn't think he'd ever gone to sleep so happy. 

[thealogie]

do you by chance know how the scripts for GO work? neil is saying he’s writing the scripts for amazon, but does that mean no john finnemore? or he comes in once there’s a full budget for s3? sorry i do understand this is a production team question but it seems like you understand this stuff!

There are so many ways that studious structure these deals so I don’t have a clear answer. Neil has said they commissioned the scripts. Now usually if a studio commissions something, they pay for it and then they get a certain amount of time after it’s completed to decide if they want to actually make it or not (and they can ask for some rewrites and stuff). And then if they really don’t want it the writer can then go try to sell it elsewhere (I imagine since Neil is Neil his right to go shop this around might be better than someone just starting out).

But anyway that doesn’t really answer your question. Sometimes other writers are involved at this early stage that GO is in now (writing the initial sets of commissioned scripts) and that would certainly be the case of Neil was fully co-writing this show with a partner like Terry. But it’s always been clear here that Neil is the main writer and since he’s said he and Terry already plotted this out, he likely doesn’t need a co-writer at this stage. It’s also possible that once the show gets fully greenlit Neil will bring either Finnemore or others on to write some extra materials or help with rewrites and stuff but it’s equally possible he won’t. Which is to say: sorry there’s no set way these things are done and there’s no answer to your question

[kamreadsandrecs]

Title: Unruly: A History of England's Kings and Queens

Author: David Mitchell

Genre/s: nonfiction, history

Content/Trigger Warning/s: historical violence, death, war, racism, incest, etc., with multiple references to contemporary UK politics and culture

Summary (from publisher's website): In UNRULY, David Mitchell explores how England’s monarchs, while acting as feared rulers firmly guiding their subjects’ destinies, were in reality a bunch of lucky sods who were mostly as silly and weird in real life as they appear today in their portraits.

Taking us right back to King Arthur (spoiler: he didn’t exist), David tells the founding story of post-Roman England right up to the reign of Elizabeth I (spoiler: she dies). It’s a tale of narcissists, inadequate self-control, excessive beheadings, middle-management insurrection, uncivil wars, and at least one total Cnut, as the population evolved from having their crops nicked by the thug with the largest armed gang to bowing and paying taxes to a divinely anointed king.

How this happened, who it happened to and why it matters in modern Britain are all questions David answers with brilliance, wit and the full erudition of a man who once studied history – and won’t let it off the hook for the mess it’s made.

Buy Here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/unruly-the-ridiculous-history-of-england-s-kings-and-queens-david-mitchell/20065681

Spoiler-Free Review: So, this wasn’t a bad overview of the concept of monarchy as it applies to the UK, which, arguably, has the most famous and most popular monarchy in the world at the moment. Mitchell digs into how UK monarchy got set up in the first place, and where its roots actually lie: not in anything so grand as the legend of King Arthur or in the divine right of kings, but just people trying to cobble together a (relatively) sensible government out of anarchy. He argues that this might apply to monarchy in general, as a system, and therefore any crowned heads of state do not really deserve the immense respect they are granted in the present day. He aims this at the current UK royal family, but I can see this extending to other current monarchies elsewhere, and not just in Europe.

One thing that might not sit right with readers is the author’s politics. He considers himself left-of-center, but there are moments when his stance will either chafe at the reader, or enrage entirely. I also suspect some readers might think he’s too cynical in parts, while others might argue he’s not being cynical enough. I personally found his stances mostly tolerable, though there were moments when they made me a mite twitchy.

Overall, this wasn’t a bad read; the author’s done his research, and he lays out the history of the early UK monarchy in a way that I found entertaining and interesting enough to get through. However, he’s also very clear about his politics, so YMMV on whether or not you can tolerate his writing.

Rating: three crowns