#thanks so much for reading 🥰🥰🥰

[mychemicalrachel]

as a devoted reader of magnetic and your writing in general i looove the possibility to ask you questions about it, sooooo: 18, 26 and 32 of the weird questions!!! thank you <3

Ahhh thank you so much!!! 🥰 Lucky for you, I love talking about it too 😂😂

18. Choose a passage from your writing. Tell me about the backstory of this moment. How you came up with it, how it changed from start to end. Spicy addition: Questioner provides the passage.

This is probably the hardest question, I cannot think of a single passage I want to talk to about 😭 so I'm going to talk about a whole entire aspect of Magnetic that changed as i wrote! When I first started writing Magnetic, I had no intention of killing Kavinsky. I had an ending planned where Ronan never went to rehab, he got clean on his own, and he and Adam got together sooner. The only thing that bothered me about that plan was that there's no way Kavinsky would have just moved on and left Ronan alone, so I had to find a way to get rid of him; ergo, I killed him and it ended up changing the whole trajectory of the fic!

26. How do you get into your character’s head? How do you get out? Do you ever regret going in there in the first place?

Music music music!!!!! I listen to songs that remind me of specific characters or that I think that character would listen to. I've never gone so far into a character's head that "getting out" is a problem. I can just step away from writing and leave it all there without taking it with me.

32. What is a line from a poem/novel/fanfic etc that you return to from time and time again? How did you find it? What does it mean to you?

REALITY IS WHAT OTHER PEOPLE DREAM FOR YOU. Kavinsky is so fucking poetic and that line goes so hard. As a creator who sometimes hides in my own little world, it just really resonates with me. I want it tattooed on my face 🖤

[Weird asks for weird writers]

[otrtbs]

here’s the thing. the absolute joy and wonder i feel whenever someone tells me they came across ahb! and are now taking an art history course / majoring in art next year / went to their local art museum for the first time in ages is exponential. when yall send me your favorite artworks and tell me about them or tell me you went to x museum to see x painting mentioned in ahb??? it’s just so so wonderful. because never did i think something i wrote out of love for art and love for art history would lead anyone else to research art or talk about it or seek it out for themselves and that’s so much more than i could ever imagine would come out of a very timid first attempt at creative writing/fandom involvement.

i wrote it out of love and y’all have all reciprocated that love tenfold and ran with it to talk about art and explore it and share it with me and those around you. and it’s just been a very special incredible thing that makes me emosh. :,)

[httpiastri]

❣️ I just read your confession post for oscar and others! Can you do it for other drivers like Paul, Ollie, and Kimi? Love your writing! You inspired me to start my own Formula blog :D

❣️ – send me a prompt and one/a few drivers and i'll tell you how i think they would react!!

paul aron

paul is no stranger to short-lived flings and summer romances, but he's not as familiar with the feeling of his heart fluttering the way it does whenever he thinks about you. he isn't used to the way that he thinks about telling you whenever something good happens to him, nor the way that he wants to ask for your help when he's going through something. he doesn't understand why you're the first thing he thinks about in the morning, and the last thing on his mind before he falls asleep. it takes him so long to figure out these new feelings, and when he eventually realizes that he's falling for you, he just gets scared.

he has no experience with these feelings, and everything he's heard about real relationships – commitment, trust, loyalty – sounds terrifying. but it doesn't take long for him to realize that it's worth it if it's with you.

i think the confession itself would be quite impromptu and unplanned. i'm imagining a movie night at his place, with you cuddled up to his side, when he just can't hold back anymore. when he asks if he can tell you something, he sounds just as playful as he usually does, so you never could've guessed the words that fall from his lips after that. "you're so... special. in a good way, a great way. and i... i think i'm falling for you."

ollie bearman

i see ollie as... kind of shy in this way? he isn't embarrassed or cowardly, but something in him makes that first real step a little too hard to take. i think ollie would much rather find a romantic, subtle way to do it.

one day, you're surprised to hear your doorbell ringing – you aren't expecting anyone, right? and you didn't order anything, did you? when you open your door, you find only a big bouquet of flowers standing outside it. you smile to yourself as you pick it up, your mind instantly wandering off to the tall, handsome brit you've been spending a lot of time with recently, who has had a bit of a habit of giving you flowers. this bouquet is especially big, though, and you try to search through your mind for any possible major occasion the bouquet could be for as you bring it inside.

but when you set it atop your dinner table, a note falls out from in between the flowers. and on the note, in ollie's messy handwriting, comes that confession you've been waiting so long for.

i like you. i really like you, and i would love to see what we could be. only if you feel the same way, of course. (please forget about all of this if you don't)

i'm sorry for not having the courage to say this to your face, but i would love to see you tonight if you're free. please call me.

sincerely, your bear ☺︎♡

kimi antonelli

kimi would be very spontaneous about it. he would not be planning it; it would come as just as much of a surprise to him as to you. i see it coming when you're sitting next to each other in class/the truck/etc, and you've been playing around with him and bothering him for quite a while. when you notice that your attempts to disturb his focus haven't worked, you turn to tickle him in hopes that it will work better – and it definitely does.

kimi folds over instantly, gasping loudly as his own hands come down to wrap around your wrists. "you're so annoying!" he exclaims, switching to hold both of your wrists in just one of his hands, as his other hand gives you a playful slap across the face. "you're lucky i like you so much, otherwise..."

you both come to a halt at his words, neither of you having expected them. instead of addressing it, though, he settles for moving his hands to tickle you instead, hoping to distract you from what just happened. you definitely won't forget, though, but the change is only for the better.

[justghoulythingz]

i want you in all the ways you’ll let me have you…

a drabble for anonymous taken from this prompt list.

pairing : ghoul/lucy maclean

word count : 846

warnings : some good old fashioned self-loathing, rope to restrain, mentions of sex. 18+, mdni

divider credit

It’s been centuries since Cooper Howard has gotten this involved with anyone.

He’s a bit like a stunted foal: clumsy yet reluctant to admit it; so used to being somewhere dark and grisly and detached that when the sun hitched to Lucy MacLean shines, it burns his irreversibly damaged skin. Gives it a kind of glow that he has to kill every time it threatens to bloom.

Self-inflicted wounds are easier to nurse. What’s the point of watering the dead garden his innards are overgrown with?

He winces when she touches him. That’s why her wrists need to be kept bound when he explores her. So she can’t feel how much she affects him. So she doesn’t get the wrong idea.

This ain’t love. Not that she has much experience with the romantic variety. He’s got plenty to keep close to the chest.

He gave himself to his Barb and she trampled him so far into the dirt that he might has well have been buried that fateful day.

The consequential marks don’t seem to bother Lucy. She’s a curious sort. One of the things Cooper admires about her. In the same breath, however, he doesn’t mind if for once she’d give it a proper fucking rest.

She moves too fast for him. He’s not entirely certain he wanted to budge in the first place.

Here she is with his face entombed in her neck, kissing and licking and nibbling as she opens herself to him. Thinking about how he would drag his nose along the slopes and valleys that comprise her if he could. How she deserves a man who’s whole and not whatever husk was violently spat out.

He can plainly see she yearns to reciprocate. Restless energy makes her grit her teeth and clench her thighs, squirming about as he gets to roam free. A low, long-winded hiss manages to escape between the soft, swollen lips he’s already branded.

“Tell me what y’want, angel wings. Use your big girl words. Y’had no trouble up t’this point.” He smiles against her throat, keeping her body caged. His voice cuts through like a saw hacking down a tree. Chop chop chop. Devastation as it crashes to the ground.

She sighs heavily and attempts to fix her posture. He’s very skilled at distracting. It’s not lost on her that he does so on purpose.

“Can you look at me first, Cooper?” she asks, chest heaving. He wonders how their hearts would feel galloping together. He doesn’t take his clothes off for her.

Some days, he wants to.

“Alright,” he begins, angling himself backward and resting one palm on the wall above her head. He can humor her. “I’m lookin’.”

And boy does he look. How can one not, with those doe eyes, large and all-encompassing like a lush forest of green and brown and gold?

His expression takes on that of a predator’s honing in on its prey. Except she’s taken hold of his hide and shredded it until it’s all mangled and indistinguishable. He feigns he has the upper hand. He feigns many things.

Lucy utilizes a few more moments to compose herself. Logic has been replaced with emotion. That requires a different type of effort to navigate.

Normally he would hurry her along, he don’t got all day. But really, he does. Why not spend it admiring a work of unabashed art that spawned from, according to him, the depths of hell?

“As much as I enjoy you getting your excess of me, I feel…” She exhales, shaky. “I feel like that excess has snatched away my enjoyment of you. I, I feel incomplete. It’s not as satisfactory as I know it could be.”

The old, tattered cowboy doesn’t answer. It’s difficult to swallow. She is expectant, but she’s also learned to lower said expectations when it comes to him. So she carries on of her own accord.

“What I want, Cooper, is you. All of you. I’m not satisfied with this half-baked sex we’ve been having. I want to pleasure you. Have you gasping for air and unable to think clearly.”

If she only knew.

“I want you to orgasm in my vagina and mouth and hand and, and wherever else, I don’t care! Except that’s really not true. I do care. I want you in all the ways you’ll let me have you. And I want you in all the ways you haven’t let me have you. That’s what I want.”

She’s so technical sometimes that it usually makes him roll his eyes or laugh. Now, he doesn’t do either.

Instead, he grasps her chin and tilts it upward. He shoots her one last isolated once-over and seals their fate with a fervent kiss. The hand once above her travels below and deftly releases her from her binds. The rope falls to the dusty floor with a resounding thud.

“Best get t’work then,” Cooper murmurs against her cushioned mouth. Like a warm, forgiving blanket waiting to surround him, even after being away from home for months, years.

“‘Fore I change my mind.”

[bougainvillea-and-saltwater]

*casts unhinged moodboard be upon you* BEHOLD! Unhinged Jiraak Moodboard <3 I took some pins from their respective pinterest boards as well as some of my own ideas. Including the "I'm telling Akatosh" one which I made <3 Also I chose the cats because as you say they are very wet cat coded so I found cats that look like them (orange for Jia and White for Miraak) but made them cute instead :) I hope you enjoy friend!

UNHINGED JIRAAK MOODBOARD Y'ALL, UNHINGED JIRAAK MOODBOARD, I'M SO SCREAMING RIGHT NOW—

OKAY YOU HAD ME ROLLING ON THE FLOOR WITH THIS BECAUSE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THOSE PINS IS JUST SO THEM™. I'M SOBBING.

"Tell your tits to stop staring at my eyes" and the vicious cycle of "Depressed -> Numb -> Horny" is especially Signed and TedTalk-ed by Miraak. Jia has a big heart and a bigger chest to fit it. SORRY.

"I'M TELLING AKATOSH" IS BOTH JIA AND MIRAAK WHEN HERMAEUS MORA. SCREAMS VIOLENTLY.

And the cats............ OUGH they even shape a lil heart with their tails...🥺 this is so jiraak, they're so cute and kittens... so miserable and pathetic...🤲

[girlsdads]

this is goofy and sappy but i’m so grateful to f1blr for re-igniting my love for writing. this got kind of long and rambly lol i’ll put the rest UTC

i’ve always loved writing, when i was as young as like 10 i would sit in my room and write pages and pages of YA romance type stories (think sarah dessen-esque), at one point i had a whole folder on my clunky old PC with like 20 original stories definitely hundreds of thousands of words, and they were BAD… but it was such a source of enjoyment for me. somewhere along the way i discovered fandom and fanfic and lost my passion for writing i think bc i was getting too in my head about it, comparing myself to other writers and feeling inadequate, also there was a lot of toxicity in some of the fandoms i was in when it came to attitudes toward fic in general, and since i was in mostly rpf fandoms i would get so anxious about writing someone too OOC that i would just… not write… because i felt like i had to do all this research first and know the Lore fully when all i wanted to do was write about 2 dudes fucking each other but my executive dysfunction makes researching things really difficult…

long story short i’m so happy to have found such a welcoming little community of writers here, i feel like the anxiety of writing has lessened because you all have been so kind and supportive of my writing. also posting short blurbs on tumblr is so normalized now (when i left tumblr in like 2018 it wasn’t as much at least in my corner of tumblr) so there’s so much less pressure for someone like me who struggles to finish things—i feel like i can still write and share without feeling like i have to write a polished piece for ao3. for the first time in like a decade i feel so excited about writing and it’s all im looking forward to doing when i get home from work, im jotting down thoughts on my daily patient lists like i used to do in my notebooks in middle/high school. it’s an incredible feeling to rediscover this creative side of myself.

f1blr writers i love you, f1blr readers i love you 🫶💗

[avirael]

Since I now have permission to post these pictures here, I can show you some more of the wonderful screenshots Khian took involving my OCs as well as hers.

The precious, sweet and especially very kind blue-haired Miqo’te next to A’viloh is named Aveen. 💙

We were both a little confused at first when we realised that our characters shared the same nickname, often being called Avi / A‘vi.

Although Aveen has a phobia of brightly colored Seeker Miqo’te eyes and also him and A‘viloh not meeting in their canon stories, we thought that character-wise they could be best friend in another universe. Rael would secretly find them adorable because they look so happy and now have two shy cats to take care of. 🤭

If you would like to see/read more of this pretty and cute blue cat (you really should!) you can as usually do so here:

[wondrouswendy]

Forget to Remember, Chapter 4 Fandom: Alan Wake (Video Games) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Fictional Alex Casey/Alan Wake, Alex Casey/Alan Wake, Alan Wake & Barry Wheeler, Alan Wake & Alice Wake Additional Tags: Explicit Sexual Content, Canon Compliant, Canon Retelling, POV First Person, Romance, Horror, Angst, Drama, Humor, Friendship, Character Study, Self-Discovery, Hurt/Comfort, Memory Loss, Miscommunication, Canon-Typical Violence, Slow Burn, Established Relationship, Alan Wake Has 99 Problems and Dramatic Irony Is #1 Series: Part 2 of Kill Your Darlings Summary: The trip to Bright Falls was supposed to be a relaxing vacation, a chance to get out from under the collapsed remains of my writing career and to reconnect with my wife. But it was just another part of the spiral. The longest fall into dark depths. I landed into the arms of the person I least expected, the hero I had forgotten.

In the aftermath of a terrible argument with his wife, Alan wakes up inside his battered car, perched over the edge of a cliff, dangling above certain disaster. Bleeding, confused, and with a giant hole in his memories, matters can't get worse for a brooding tortured writer... can they?

Read Chapter 4 here on Ao3!

[bunitivity]

Tender ZoSopp moment after a big fight with a wounded Zoro resting on Usopp's lap, and he's giving him a light massage to his temples and neck and Zoro wakes up to Usopp smiling at him because he protected them all again

"You look... safe... " Zoro says

And Usopp laughs a little "I am safe, thanks to you"

"I mean... you... safety" and Zoro falls asleep again (Chopper nearby still treating his wounds probably)

And Usopp's words caught up on his throat because being the protector's safe place means so much to him

😭😭 I'm not a writer, if you or anyone else wants to expand on that, pls do, I just always get really emotional to the thought of Usopp being (any of the Monster Trio)'s person they feel safe with, specially after a big fight

Oh this is so😭😭😭 Usopp being Zoro’s safe space is everything to me omg!!! That’s so!!! Just thinking about Usopp never having thought about Zoro romantically until that point not until getting hit with a line like that and being thrown completely off kilter like wtf is that supposed to mean?? That was a joke right right? he was just joking around he couldn’t really have meant that he Usopp was making him Zoro of all people feel safe?? But then he remembers the utter sincerity in his voice as he said it. Zoro doesn’t lie. So what does it mean??

Usopp’s heart is just a mess after that and he cannot stand being around Zoro. It might just kill him. Just a brush of their hands was almost enough to send him into a cardiac arrest and then there’s his laugh.

Usopp fears it might be enough to end him.

You would think a stoic serious guy like Zoro wouldn’t laugh that much if ever but he does and it’s often at the stupidest things. And those stupid things sometimes happened to be him. Usually Usopp wouldn’t stand for that but now he thinks he can afford to be a little stupid if it means he gets to hear Zoro laugh.

Even if it kills him.

So he cannot be around him. And so Usopp does what he does best. He runs away. Not completely. He’s still there at the fringes. Has his foot just inside the room so to speak. He will still see Zoro at the dinner table, in their room and other places on the ship as long as others are around. They just can’t be alone.

That just means that he won’t be working on the grassy deck of the sunny and suddenly find Zoro leaning into him asking him what he’s up to or just falling asleep against him. Nor will they nap together under the shade of a tree. Nor will he let Zoro use his lap as a pillow. Nor will they be shooting the shit late at night looking up at the stars. Nor will Usopp get to laugh as Zoro tries and fails to map out constellations. Nor will he get to tell him how hopeless he is and that it doesn’t matter if Zoro doesn’t know his left from his right because Usopp will always be there to find him.

He will lose a lot of things but he thinks that what he’s protecting is more important right?

It’s after another fight. Zoro is lost again. No one can find him. Usopp isn’t worried because why would he be? This is par for the norm. But then Usopp does find him and his heart drops out of his chest.

“Zoro?”

He’s on the ground looking badly injured completely still. It almost looks like he’s napping. Almost.

Usopp kneels down beside him and tries to shake him awake.

“Zoro?”

He does not answer.

“Zoro this isn’t funny open your eyes…” Usopp’s hair is loose it’s all in his face. “You’re supposed to be the strongest of us what are you doing.” He tries to brush his hair back but it keeps falling back clinging his face. “You can’t just let a chump like that take you out.” Great now it’s getting all in Zoro’s face but Usopp lets it maybe it’ll annoy him enough to make him wake him. “You haven’t become the world’s best swordsman remember? You still haven’t bested Mihawk yet so you can’t just not… Wake. Up!”

Usopp does not want his last words to him to be… when was the last time he actually talked to Zoro?? Had he been avoiding him for so long that he couldn’t even remember?? Was his last words just… nothing?

Usopp doesn’t realize he’s crying until he sees his tears splatter all over on Zoro’s face. Fuck.

Usopp regrets so much.

All the moments they had are overshadowed by all the ones they didn’t get to have because he was coward and so so afraid. Of what? Of being found out? His stupid feelings shouldn’t have prevented him from just being his friend. Just being his friend had been enough and should been enough. But now he’ll never even get that. Now all Usopp gets all the things he is left with are those moments that could have been, the ones that should have been and all the ones that will never be.

He gets nothing.

Usopp crumples. He gathers Zoro up in his arms holding him and placing his head in his lap just like that moment so long ago. And says “please don’t… not yet…”

He feels a hand on his cheek sweeping away his tears and his eyes snaps open and he sees Zoro looking grouchy and confused and so very awake and he screams.

“Zoro!”

“Argh don’t be so loud I’ve a headache.”

“Stupid you don’t get say that after making me think you’re dead!”

Zoro cracks a smile. “Is that why you’re crying? I was wondering who I had to beat up.”

Usopp grabs the hand that still on his face. “Don’t be stupid. You’re not beating anyone up the way you are now.”

Zoro just hums as he closes his eyes and just nuzzles closer and gets more comfortable. “I missed this.”

Usopp ruffles the green his hair and smiles. “Me too.”

“Finally gotten tired of avoiding me.”

Usopp’s grip tightens in his hair but he immediately lets go once Zoro bristles with pain. “Sorry.”

"Sorry for pulling my hair or sorry for avoiding me?"

“It’s not you.”

“What is it then?”

When Usopp doesn’t answer Zoro just pulls him close until their foreheads are almost touching.

“Tell me.”

“It’s stupid.”

“I want to hear it.”

“It doesn’t matter-“

“It matters. To me.”

Usopp twists his lips. But there’s only so long he can lie. So long he can withhold the truth. So of course it comes gushing out when he least wants it to. The dam that’s his lie finally gives. It has been breaking for a long time now. It just takes just one nudge from Zoro and that look in his eye and that hand that’s still wiping away his tears. And he breaks.

“I love you.”

Zoro’s eyes widens and Usopp knows he’s made a mistake but then they soften so maybe not and oh he laughs and maybe just maybe this is worth everything.

“Took you long enough.”

Usopp’s eyes well up with tears again. “I fucking hate you.”

“No you don’t.”

Then he kisses him. And they kiss again and again. Because they’re happy to be alive. To be here together and with each other and in love and because when Usopp isn’t busy being a coward he can brave. Usopp can be brave. And he gets to have this and all the moments that could be, going to be and will ever be. Now and forever.

“Oh before I forget.”

“What?”

Zoro smiles so softly and also so smugly because he’s a bastard and yet Usopp can’t help but love him because he’s stupid and also the smartest man alive.

“I love you too.”

Usopp smiles.

He gets to have it all.

[rowan-ashtree]

i don't know anything about murderbot but bro you might convince me to read the books ough..

BRO YOU SHOULD TOTALLY READ THE BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

im obviously DEEP in the paint rn lmao but the murderbot diaries are so good!! it's such a fun series and it's been saving my life lately (hyperbole but like. it's not THAT much of a stretch tbh)

[starry-on-ao3]

Close To You - Chapter 5: Equine Sciences II

Snippet:

Another few awkward moments of silence passed, both men sipping their tea. A clock ticked anxiously on the wall, and outside, distant colegial laughter could be heard. Carmody's eyes evaded Tristan's, focusing curiously on the dossier which lay, closed, on the green leather inlay on Tristan's desk. 

Your father was a diplomat... why did he leave you in England? You read the same books as me. You're more of a Charles, I'm more of a Sebastian. Nobody's kissed me like that in over a year--

"Right, let's get this over with," Tristan said, replacing his teacup on the saucer with a click.

(playlist has been updated with some extra songs, and reorganised. One of these days I'll make a sharable Spotify link too 😅)

[just-bendy]

(to the creator: finally gotten around to submitting an ask on here lol, I genuinely love all of your stuff and love your au, like I’ve read it two times in full now lol, your art is just so cool it’s just like GAAHHHHHHH expect more fanart for it at some point 😈😈)

And sure, I'd love a drink! Ya look like ya know how ta get me the good stuff.

(( thank you so much! 💜✨✨ i'm glad that you wanted to send an interaction here! hopefully i drew your boi correctly! wasn't sure about his pants color... i'm happy you like my au! sorry it's such a mess sdakjh but i'm still working on it 😂 i love your art too! you draw expressions really well! and no rush! i will wait excitedly for it! 😊 ))

[just-a-creep-babe]

I’m so anxious for part 20 of a demons ache omgggg 😭 keep up the good work like always!! You’re doing amazing. <3

Ahhhhh thanqqqq!!!! 🥰🥰🥰❤️❤️❤️✨✨

I’ve actually jUst finished writing it & now all I gotta do is edit so it’ll be up soon!! It’s also the ✨✨finale!!!!!✨✨

There’s gonna be an epilogue & a few more bonus parts after that but yeah main story is done. She’s finally finished 🥹❤️

[phatburd]

Chiaroscuro (6972 words) by whisper_that_dares

Chapters: 2/2 Fandom: Napoleonic Era RPF, Historical RPF, 19th Century CE RPF

Rating: E Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Joachim Murat/Jean-Baptiste Bessières Characters: Jean-Baptiste Bessières, Joachim Murat, Caroline Bonaparte, Géraud Duroc, Jean Lannes, Napoleon I de France | Napoleon Bonaparte (mentioned) Additional Tags: Angry Sex, Period Typical Attitudes, Polyamory Negotiations, Jealousy, Angst, Heartbreak, Historical Figures, Hopeful Ending, Bessimu, Podfic Welcome

Summary:

France, December 1799. Joachim Murat and Caroline Bonaparte are due to be married in a month, and absolutely everyone can see that they're in love with one another.

Jean-Baptiste Bessières sees it too. In public, he's been Murat's adoring and supportive friend. In private, as Murat's longtime lover, he's unraveling.

[hersweetrevenge]

Hi there! <3 I re-watched Halloween Ends yesterday because I was upset and I needed Corey to save me, lmfao, and I wanted to ask you something that I've been wondering about. So, I have no way of getting the novelisation of the movie anytime soon, and you're kinda my only frame of reference for it; so I hope you don't mind me asking you this. When Corey is on his revenge killing spree, he kills those bullies at the mechanic shop. And Ronald is there. And then Ronald comes out to help the kids because of Terry. And only because of that. So, that makes me wonder... Did Corey plan on killing Ronald after he was done with the kids? Is that something that was elaborated on in the novel? Because I keep wondering about that, since Corey pretty much killed everyone that ever wronged him during that night, and Ronald was right there; but Corey didn't kill him (or didn't get the chance to, at least). Terry shot him by accident. But Corey killed his mom, of course. So, it'd make sense if he had at least planned on going after Ronald as well; even though he never actively wronged Corey (only passively, if we look at the way he just sat and watched while Joan abused Corey right in front of him, for example). But more so for completion's sake, y'know? They were on generally good terms, after all. I mean, in your latest post about the novel, you quoted that Ronald is "the loveliest thing" in Corey's life, according to Rohan. So, that makes me wonder all the more. OH, and... I fought with myself to include this point, but anyway- Corey takes the mask off when Ronald comes to help the kids, so that Ronald can see his face and know it's him. And it clearly disarms Ronald immediately and is the reason why Terry accidentally shot him instead of Corey, because he shielded him instinctively. Thus, I keep wondering if Corey meant for that to happen or if he took the mask off in order to assure Ronald that he wasn't actually in danger... It's such a seemingly insignificant thing that I'm thinking about far too much, but it's been bothering me that I don't know, and I was curious if the novel said anything about that at all, or if they just brushed over it there, as well. If they did, I'll just make up my own mind, of course, hdsfdjkfsk Anyway, I'm very sorry for rambling on about this, gosh! I love your blog(s) and everything you have to say about Corey and Rohan, you're awesome!!! Thank you for your detailed posts all the time, they keep me going! Take care! <3

ahhh hi !! thank you so much for sending this ask !! i love talking about this sort of thing more than anything lol and i’m sorry this took a little longer than i expected to reply, i was double checking like every ronald scene in the novel and cross-referencing that with behind-the-scenes details from making of, and re-watching the movie (i didn’t have to do that last one but like you, i needed emotional support from corey too 💗)

WARNING for discussions about (canon-typical) violence, murder, child abuse, abusive households, mentions of suicide and self-harm, and spoilers for the novelisation.

TL;DR – the novelisation does not elaborate on corey's intentions in any huge amount of detail, but it does provide some insight into a few different possibilities for ronald and corey’s relationship and what that would mean for corey's intentions.

general relationship

the novelisation actually gives some really specific details about the cunningham-prevo backstory, but also leaves a lot of aspects vague too.

joan married ronald when corey was 15, and she made it clear to ronald that he would "remain firmly on the sidelines when it came to corey's upbringing" which ronald "gladly" agreed to. so from the very beginning, ronald accepts he isn't going to be an active parent to corey, which maybe means he didn't believe he would do a good job anyway, or maybe he agreed it wasn't his place to parent corey in the same way joan does.

also, corey was already a teenager, he didn't need parenting in the same way a younger child would, which is partly why i think joan waited until corey was older to get remarried, because although being a single parent is difficult, she wouldn't want someone else in the picture as a father-figure for corey.

i don't personally see corey and ronald having a super close relationship, but there are multiple instances that show they are at least comfortable and familiar with each other (in line with what rohan said).

corey had a job before working for ronald, so we know ronald didn't have to give him a job. i hc that corey really wanted to do something stimulating instead of call centre work, and ronald agreed despite joan's grievances over it.

ronald doesn't seem too angry at him for being late, even though it is a regular occurrence (third time in a month).would he be so lenient on anyone who wasn't his stepson?

the gifting of the motorbike is a huge moment of course. that's a big gesture which, in the novelisation, also comes with some stilted bonding when ronald reminiscences that he used to "get laid [...], if you can believe it".

they have their united front moment over dinner when joan is trying to work a reaction out of them and neither gives her what she wants.

a smaller but still significant gesture is that corey uses dumbbells and a pull-up bar in his room to workout, which ronald bought him for christmas. very much feels like an attempt to help corey rebuild his self-confidence.

honestly though, rohan's comment about ronald being the "loveliest" thing in corey's life is probably right, especially as corey's life has been incredibly insular. as the town pariah with an abusive mom, his stepdad being cool about him being late for work is probably one of the best parts of his day.

but then on the other hand, there are moments which do not characterise their relationship very well, including multiple instances of ronald "ignoring" joan's abusive behaviour and not intervening.

to reiterate a previous point: ronald very willingly obliges joan's wishes of not "interfering" with corey's upbringing. her unfounded criticism and distrust of doctors, the school system and anyone other than her taking care of corey should have been a huge red flag (if, of course, any of that behaviour could have been inferred prior to their marriage).

ronald's passivity at being side-lined by his wife, allowing her to continue an unhealthy and unbounded relationship with corey.

when joan is berating corey for "sneaking around" and seeing allyson (the slap/kiss scene), she questions ronald as to whether he knew about the motorcycle, to which ronald stays completely out of it and doesn't answer her, despite her being furious with corey.

however it is a really difficult family dynamic to navigate, with so much nuance. i'm reluctant to say if ronald is a "good" or "bad" stepdad, or whether their father-son relationship is "good" or "bad", simply because their circumstances are so trying and complex. yes, joan has abused corey for a long time, but that abuse also extends to ronald in many ways too, resulting in him allowing (or enabling) joan's abusive behaviour in a flawed attempt to maintain the (toxic) status quo of the household.

did corey intend to kill ronald?

like i mentioned, there isn't any elaboration about corey's intentions in the novel, either through narration or extra dialogue. the scene happens almost exactly as it does in the film, with a few alterations and added background details. it's the surrounding details and plot differences that change my opinion.

i think movie!corey would have killed ronald if he had to. he knew ronald would be at home or at the yard, both of which were places he intended to go (to kill momma and the bullies). i'm not sure he had the same desire to kill ronald as he does the others, especially if he sees ronald in a good light, but to tie up loose ends he might do what is "necessary". i do find it very interesting that he lets ronald see his face though, and i can't decide if that is as a reassurance (he wouldn't kill ronald and ronald should know that) or because it just didn't matter (he's going to kill ronald so even if he sees corey's face, he won't be a liability to worry about).

however, i don't think novel!corey intended to kill ronald. in the novel, despite all of the extensive set-up of joan being abusive and corey's repressed desires to hurt her (and arguably ronald), there's no suggestion that corey planned to go back home as part of his spree and kill joan. if he wasn't going to kill joan after everything she did, i really don't think he'd have plans to kill ronald.

that's not to say there aren't implication in the novel that corey would hurt ronald too. there's a scene after the slap/kiss where corey can hear joan and ronald arguing about him, and once they've gone to bed corey gets a knife and stands outside their room, but ultimately doesn't go in. it isn't specified whether he wants to hurts just joan, or ronald as well.

michael's mask

ahh so when i was re-reading the scrapyard massacre in the novel to try and answer whether corey letting ronald see that it is him was a way of corey saying "you don't have to be scared of me" or even "you should be scared of me", i've come to a different conclusion about the mask.

“Who did this to you?” [Ronald] asked. “Him,” Margo said, pointing across the street. Ronald turned to find Corey twenty feet away on the other side of the fence, pulling Michael’s mask over his head. "Corey?" he muttered in disbelief.

the way the novel reads, i think that when corey puts the mask on in front of ronald, it's the first time he puts the mask on at all. if that is the case, it adds a whole other level to the transition between corey's kills as himself (or as the scarecrow) and his kills "as michael".

earlier, billy's sees "corey's shape wearing his prevo jumpsuit". it's fair enough that billy would assume it's corey without seeing his face, because they know that corey is there, but there's no mention of the mask either.

then, the way it describes ronald seeing corey put on the mask doesn't really indicate that corey was making sure ronald saw it was him. he's already "pulling on the mask" by the time ronald looks over at him; he wasn't waiting for ronald to look he was already doing it.

alternatively, the movie shows corey very deliberately stood there, waiting for ronald to see him and recognise him before he puts the mask on. i'm leaning towards it not being a gesture of reassurance but more of a last show of humanity to someone corey cares about -- "it's me, and i appreciate that you always treated me well, but this is the monster they've made me into".

in both versions, ronald jumps up to stop terry shooting corey. whether he was intending to shield corey or was just getting up to try and talk terry down, i think it says a lot about ronald as a character. he has been very passive this whole time, especially in scenes that take place at home, but in this moment he takes an authorative position to try and diffuse the situation. there's a scared kid with a gun, and his own stepson who he's starting to think might have done something awful, but this doesn't have to continue -- they can talk about it and calm down and whatever it is that has happened can be worked out.

[eliteseven]

Hi. I read the new chapter. Left a comment but I wanna come here to say: AAAAAAAAAAA.

I have a question about the Sharran characters from Shadowheart's past. Are these actual Forgotten Realms characters or did you create them? If you did create them please tell me more!!!

Oh, what a cool question!!!! 😄💕 Thank you so much! Tbh I think the research is actually what makes writing this one so time consuming lol.

Every Sharran character mentioned by name in this chapter (and the Cormyrean Lionar/Capt. Morand!!) was fabricated by me lol. But not without some research!

(Sorry, this is a DOOZY of an answer lol)

So as usual, I took quite a few liberties with the world building- but I did consult my main two resources: The BG3 wiki and The Forgotten Realms wiki, respectively.

First, I read about the BG3 hierarchy:

Ranks of the Church of Shar from highest to lowest: Dark Justiciar Mother Superior of Shar Justiciar Crusader Sharran Fidelian Sharran Sentry Sharran Novice

Then, the FR iteration of the Church of Shar:

Titles

The church of Shar utilized a number of different titles for its clergy. Hundreds of years before Dale Reckoning, titles the church included:

Dark Heart, the leader of a temple.[23] Mother/Father Night, used to address superior priests.[17] Sister/Brother Night, used among most of Shar's clergy.[17] By the mid–14th century they had changed to: Flame of Darkness, an archpriest or direct servant of the Lady of Night.[2] Nightseer, the overpriest for the faithful within a given realm.[2] Darklady/lord, a senior priest that led a single cell.[2] Hand of Shar, an experienced priest that led Sharrans in battle or on quests for the church.[2] Watcher, the lowest-ranking order of the priesthood.[2] Adept of the Night, the title given to novice priests and priestesses.[2] Around a century later, the titles were simplified to include: Dark mother/father, leaders within the faith, with the suffix abbot or abbess[4] Dark sister/brother, fully-trained clergy members.[4] Initiate, novice members of the church.[4]

From here, it was just going to be about the experiences Shadowheart endured in the cloister, and building characters to fit. Now, not all these titles were applicable, but gave me a feel for what life in the cloister might have looked like. So:

Blademaster "Dark Brother" Kaelith: An arms master bearing responsibility for maintaining the armoury, training initiates to use arms, and maintaining order for Viconia. Could be a promoted Sentry, but it's not really a priest's position; so he gets the colloquial "Brother" as his title. He’s very clearly a zealot and a piece of shit, so…perfect! He quite literally would try to have the compassion beaten out of Shadowheart.

Overseer Serathia: Closest to a "Hand of Shar" but not quite; her position is that of a torturer or even an executioner. I don't think open combat is her specialty...she thinks she's an artist...or even A spymaster, if you will. She's good at getting secrets out, and teaching initiates to endure torture, mainly by just...inflicting it upon them. I leaned into making her an elf because that helps with the "years upon years of service to Shar" storyline, but also because I kind of liked the idea of Shadowheart being ostracized for being a half-elf. The idea of carving Shar's symbols into Shadowheart's flesh came from Shads' concept art tattoos!!!!

Ferg Drogher (Sharran sentinel, demoted back to lookout) : Idk I just think he's greasy and would do that type of shit. Also I think those shared dorms were just a fucking minefield for uncomfortable encounters. His comment when you meet him in Rivington about not wanting to believe rumors about "the company Shadowheart keeps" and then glaring at Serena always made me feel like he was a little into Shads. Unfounded but I just ran with it. Really- this scene is meant to highlight the one fucking time Viconia bothered to act maternal towards Shadowheart. She's cruel, she's abusive, but by Shar keep your greasy predatory fingers off her daughter chosen acolyte. This was inspired by the banter Jaheira has with a Selunite Shads about how Viconia may have loved her...in her own awful way.

Nightseer: He's a powerful overpriest who's been tasked with conducting this ritual for Shar. I took liberties with the name "Nightseer"- I believe his specialty lies in the ability to manipulate one's dreams, to do Shar's bidding, as he is with Serena. He is by far the most powerful person left in that cloister.