#there is quite a bit of crossover with homophobia in this post too

[jayciethings]

A Review of Barbie ... sorta

Once upon a time there was a little girl who really liked pink.

She wasn't obsessed with pink. It wasn't the only colour she loved. But she did really like it, and wore several pink things.

She also had a Barbie doll. And it was enough of a favourite that it came on a family walk in the woods with her (and had its hand torn off on said walk by a bored sister, but that is another story). She also loved several supposed "boys toys" too, like construction toys and a Fisher Price trainset she still maintains as an adult is totally awesome. But she did love that Barbie.

That little girl grew up and went to uni and learned all about gender and culture and how arbitrary and nonsensical so much of it is. Learned that 300 years ago noblewomen weren't allowed to wear pink because it was too "masculine" a colour. Learned to spot the male gaze in every movie (which is a deliberately imposed filming construct not an indictment of an entire gender). Learned to be hugely wary any time someone trotted out lines like "it's just nature" or "that's just the way it is".

She also experienced subtle and not-so-subtle misogyny. Met guys who were nice and mostly kind but also subtly scathing towards feminine things and female people. ("Four girls? Your poor dad." "Do you think he ever wished he'd had a boy?" "There's *no way* your dad isn't disappointed to only have had girls.") Met people who would consciously or unconsciously disregard the opinions of women they saw as overtly feminine. She called the guys out on the overt and not-so-overt sexism (and earned the euphemism of "strong" as a result, where "strong" really meant "a bit difficult"). And somewhere in that mélange of hating being stereotyped (if you liked one feminine thing bang! that's it. You're a girl and that's not a compliment) and not wanting to be thought difficult, she didn't always take a stand when she should. And she started to resist the pink. To dislike the dolls. To dislike the narrowing of individualism and possibility that came with them. To dislike how boys who wanted to play with them were gently or ungently told no because they're "only for girls", and to dislike the underlying message of this - that to be like a girl was A Very Bad Thing. To dislike the ads that were geared towards girls, to dislike the unconscious constant culture that pushes boys towards toys that encourage STEM skills and girls towards dolls that encourage traditional female pursuits. And to dislike how boys weren't allowed to wear pink. Weren't allowed to cry. To really dislike how the patriarchy hurt and trapped and damaged them too.

To this day she hates those ads. Hates that unconscious stereotyping. Maintains that it's harmful and limits little girls. Points to the suicide rate amongst young men and wants to despair.

And the funny thing about dolls, about Barbie dolls, is that Barbie became the flagship of bimbos. The embodiment of impossible body standards and of ditsy blondes who only care about pleasing men and looking pretty. A betrayer of her sex. The enemy of feminism. Even though Barbie was a doctor, a business woman, a marine biologist, a lawyer. Even though she took many shapes and later (finally) many colours. She became a symbol of female oppression. So, down with Barbie! She is the symbol of capitalist patriarchy. Resist the pink. Bury Barbie and by doing this, magically we have cured internalised and externally imposed misogyny. Whilst all the while those impossible beauty standards and stereotyping and limitations are still imposed on little girls and women on every front. And it wasn't even okay to vocalise that any more in some circles. Cos haven't we won? Aren't western women fully liberated and empowered now?

The truth is so much messier than that. Often so much more painful than that.

And Barbie the movie captures that messiness perfectly.

In the first few minutes when I saw an element of my childhood I had resisted being openly shown on-screen, being celebrated, I was reminded of how I'd once really liked pink. I was reminded of that little girl and I wanted to cry. Then minutes later I saw the stereotyping and it got shoved down again in the annoyance.

But I don't think there are many lines in movies that have resonated with me more than, "I’m expressing [my emotions] and I have no difficulty holding both logic and feeling at the same time and it does not diminish my powers and expands them.” Even while knowing that has not been my experience. Has not been how I have been perceived.

I could say so much more, but I've already said so much, and don't want to go into spoilers.

This movie healed and hurt my heart, probably in equal measure.

Barbie is not a perfect movie, neither technically nor thematically. And like all of us, it's not totally outside of its cultural moment. (Why does a film about Barbie spend so much screentime on Ken?). It's not a perfect movie by any means, but it is an important one.

Maybe one day I'll put on pink and not worry just a little about it.

[tenpintsof-sundrop]

sorry for dragging it on, but i saw your last post. (f the fandom lmao. it’s truly flawed and idk why people can’t keep thoughts to theirselves 🤦)

but i do have one question. did your experience ruin every character? like do you still like Elle, JJ, and Morgan? (the characters i personally consider to be a bit less oversaturated, or who i see much less posts about, and who are also my faves lol)

it's fine, I totally understand that people would have follow ups

no, my enjoyment of the other characters has not been ruined, but I still hesitate to rewatch the show and participate in the fandom because of my mixed feelings about the fandom as a whole.

I still reblog gifsets of JJ and Emily because I can still casually enjoy them, and I would reblog Morgan if I saw more gifsets of him in existence, but people don't gif him enough (if people have any good gifsets of him, please send them my way). I have a fic for Morgan in my drafts that I have been heavily considering finishing, but I haven't quite had the motivation to do so, and same thing with a MILF JJ fic that I drafted out a few weeks ago

I really wouldn't mind posting fics for those characters because they are way less popular and I feel like the crossover between the fans who only watch the show for Spencer (or even fans who don't watch the show at all and just thirst over MGG via tiktoks) and people who enjoy all the characters equally and would enjoy JJ fics and Morgan fics is not a venn diagram but two separate circles.

also, I have such an intense love for Gideon platonically. I feel like there is not nearly enough love and passion in the fandom for Gideon as a pillar character in the series, and I have mentioned it before - how I have a passion for collecting father figures from different series. John Kramer, Gideon, Dale from TWD (and yes, it's because my own father irl is so shit) - and Gideon is a character who truly warms my heart and gives me such a fondness and I would rewatch the show over and over again just for him

also on a side note, one of the biggest flaws of the fandom and one of the huge reasons I don't interact with the fandom and left - while on discussion of JJ and Morgan - is because of the treatment of characters aside from Spencer.

people ruthelessly hate JJ but uphold Emily, because most people believe that Emily is 'canonically' a lesbian, while JJ is in a main het relationship and she is a wife and mother - she gets endlessly criticised for 'choosing' Will over Emily (as if the network would have ever hosted a main queer relationship, and as if the homophobia of the network is the choice of a fucking fictional character to put that blame on), she gets criticised for spending too much time at work instead of being with her kids when one of her main storylines is about her physically fighting to save her child, and yet she's also criticised for being too soft and emotional when one of the best parts of her character is that her empathy as a mother brings a unique perspective to the cases? people act like she's cold and ruthless for not being with her children constantly, yet she's too emotional when she sympathizes with cases involving children???

(like is she a bad mother or not, please fucking decide)

also, I will never forget the post where someone said unironically that JJ 'ruined' Spencer's life by yelling at him one time, that she's a horrible friend to him, and that he loves Henry more than she does. thank you, I'm out

and not to mention how a skinny sickly looking beanpole like Reid and a crusty dusty geriatric liver spotted old man like Hotch get paraded around as if they are the hottest pieces of ass in the world and they have ten thousand fucking fics each and Morgan is suffering for CRUMBS while being the hottest man on the fucking show, and it is literally just because he's black. like the fandom will never say it out loud, but the white men get more attention from fangirls than he does because they are white

the fandom is flawed from the ground-up. and if I did ever finish and posts the fics I have in my drafts, idk if I would still be motivated to post that much about the fandom in general? especially because I am more into Teen Wolf right now because that's what I've been watching (which - I need to pick back up on it).

I do really like discussing the source material because it's something I've been involved with and enjoying for more than a decade now, so idk. if people sent me CM asks I might answer them, I might not. I like discussing and making meta about all the fandoms I'm in because I am fucking yappy in general

[bozepomagaj]

Welcome to the abyss!

Where's your stop?

1st layer (introduction)

2nd layer (interests)

3rd layer (blog rules/other)

4th layer (writing requests)

⫷-1st Layer-⫸

I go by Ellain! I am a 18 year old lesbian (surprising, I know), I use any pronouns and I love writing. I am disabled (JIA and like 10 different other things) so I tend to leave for weeks randomly but I promise I'm alive&well🫰. HUGE fan of Prushka, Shiro and Lain, I'd also add Sirin but after 4 years I'm dropping HI3rd so goodbye old friend.

I'll focus on fanfiction as of right now as I still feel a bit self-conscious about posting my own original works. I'm a huge fan of AU's so a lot of my works will include different AU's. English is not my first language and I'm still trying to improve on expanding my vocabulary so if you ever see any kind of mistake in my works, feel free to correct me as I'm using this as an opportunity to improve my English skills.🫶

⫷-2nd Layer-⫸

My interests vary and change VERY quickly and I tend to drop my previous interests once I find a new one (neurodivergency is a bitch) but currently my interests are:

- Trigun (Maximum&Stampede too)

- Chainsaw man (part 1&2)

- JJBA (1,2,3,4,5,7, currently reading 6,8&9)

- FFXIV (very early into the game lol)

- Made in Abyss

- Serial Experiments Lain

- Deadman Wonderland

⫷-3rd Layer-⫸

What will I write?

character x reader

character x character

headcanons

angst (yummy, my favorite)

fluff

hurt/comfort

one shots

drabbles

Less likely:

Crossovers

What I won't write:

Any kind of erotica. It might be mentioned but I will never write it in detail as I'm still a minor.

-

In case there are topics like drugs/gore/graphic violence/etc. I will make sure to properly tag them. I enjoy dark fiction however I am not a proshipper so I won't write any nsfw scenes in detail.

I have a lot of different headcanons for characters but I will try to not force them on a character in case I'm writing for canon instead of an AU. But you might see me slip in a few here and there (cough cough trans plant twins cough cough)

I do not plan on involving myself into any kind of drama or discussions. I have a primary blog for that so please keep that out of my ask box <3

This is obvious but ANY kind of transphobia/homophobia/etc will absolutely not be tolerated on this blog.

⫷-4th Layer-⫸

Writing requests are open!

Whether it's expanding on my own ideas or writing small drabbles or just writing your own ideas in there my ask box is open. I only ask for minimal respect (aka, don't expect me to write something in an hour or two, it takes me quite some time for me to finish my works and don't demand things!). As for now, I'll be focusing on Trigun content (specifically Vash&Knives as I've done the most research on them) but I will update this post once this changes (BECAUSE IT WILL)

Recent works:

[How to train your dog.] - part 3 of the Trigun College AU series

[July 21st] - a short drabble for the twins birthday

[aloiswrites]

Hi! Welcome to my blog!

This is the side blog of @funtimezart , please follow my main if you wanna see my artwork!

This is a SFW and NSFW friendly blog, so I kindly ask minors to stay away! If you're a minor and you like my writing, please check my masterlist for fluff/soft SFW fics I've written.

I do not take writing requests from minors.

I do roleplay! OCs welcome. I'm a little bit selective though, so I may not reply to certain roleplay requests. Please don't take it personally! I will not roleplay with minors, it makes me uncomfortable!

If my profile says requests are closed, I will NOT respond to anymore asks until they're back opened again.

Characters I write ; Sunnydrop / Moondrop , Funtime Freddy (and Bon Bon) , William Afton, Michael Afton, Ghostface

This is a self insert blog! Meaning I ONLY write canon x reader fanfiction. I do not do canon x canon.

Funtime Freddy is NOT possessed by a child! I make sure to do thorough research on characters I write about before creating any fanfiction.

I work on headcanons first, usually! They take less time, so if you don't want to wait days (or possibly weeks) for a one-shot, you can just ask for a few headcanons!

If you don't specify whether or not you want it to be written as fics or hcs, I'll choose for you.

I try not being too OOC, but I may have to change up their personalities juuuust a tad so that I can make the prompt work.

I don't write Sun and Moon as two different animatronics. BUT I will gladly write both of them (showing how they'd react differently to certain situations, ect) in the same post if requested.

You can send in as many reqs as you want (as long as my request box is opened)!

I do not write for any canon Ghostface, nor do I write any Dead by Daylight AUs. The Ghostface I write as will be completely anonymous.

Rules:

Do NOT be rude/pushy! I don't reply to every ask I get. If I find it's too difficult/boring for me to write about, I probably won't respond to it ;; sorry!

I accept constructive criticism, just don't be a jerk about it, especially if I'm writing for you for free lol.

Please don't ask me to write for any other characters not listed above! I'll ignore you.

All fics/submissions are to be tagged accordingly, with the appropriate content warning. There are almost no limits to my writing.

If you do not specify whether or not you want it from an assigned female at birth or assigned male at birth perspective, I'll write it as gender neutral. (I'm not currently writing for neo pronouns because I don't want to offend if I do not use them correctly.)

This user writes:

Angst, comfort, fluff, platonic, suggestive, graphic smut, gore, torture, self inflicted injury, mlm, straight ships, Sundrop / Moondrop with "different" genitalia (If not specified on the parts you want them to have for smut, I'll write them with tentacle cocks lmfao, taboo kinks (vague, feel free to ask!), almost any kinks not listed below

This user will not write:

Sc@t, f@rt, di@pers, underage NSFW, pedophilia, raceplay, transphobia/homophobia, pregnancy (I don't know how to write something like that 😭 sorry!), most AUs (crossovers and human!animatronic will always be a no), decayed William Afton

FIC / HC MASTERLIST

SMUT

FLUFF

GURO

PLATONIC

ANGST

She Never Really Quit (CTW AU Funtime Freddy x gender neutral reader)

[rainbowsky]

Do you have any opinion on bjyx fan fiction? It’s actually how I got into the fandom (I ended up reading a pretty good CQL crossover fic lol). I find them super interesting bc of how they connect bts and other real life stuff and try to make a story out of it. I feel like there are varying degrees of problematic fics and tropes in them, but if you take a step back and can separate what you’re reading/writing from the actual people, you just have to be conscious of that when consuming fics

Long post, here’s the cut.

Some of the fan fic about GG and DD makes me uncomfortable, but I find a lot of it really enjoyable. I’ve only been reading fan fic for a month or so, maybe a bit longer. Prior to that I was uncomfortable with the entire idea of it.

I think it’s totally understandable that some people won’t go near it. There are a lot of misconceptions about it and reading fictional stories about real people is a pretty new experience for most people. It took me a while to get my head around the concept.

I think the sexualization aspect is a barrier in a lot of cases. We’ve all been steeped in homophobic characterizations of gay relationships as sex-centric, promiscuous and sexually deviant, so seeing a real gay relationship being written about in extremely sexual ways can be jarring, and in the wrong hands that writing can come across as homophobic even when it’s not coming from a place of homophobia. Even without homophobia, some people are just uncomfortable with the sexualization of real people.

I think everyone has their own personal boundaries around all of this, and those boundaries can shift as people become more familiar with fan fiction culture. Everyone has a line they draw somewhere.

For me the line isn’t consciously drawn, I just know it when I bump up against it. For me, it’s when a story feels too pornographic - where the author steps out of the characterization of GG and DD as people and the story begins to read like it could be about any two people. I won’t give examples because I don’t want to single anyone out, but there are some stories I’ve read that crossed a line for me to where I began to feel uncomfortable and even stopped reading.

And that’s not due to a discomfort with sex, it’s due a discomfort with stories that feel objectifying of GG and DD. And that is not a reflection of the author, but rather it is a reflection of me and my own personal boundaries.

Some of the fics that I’ve quite enjoyed are very sexual, but they’re infused with sweetness and with an obvious love the author feels for GG and DD.

I have read some Wangxian fics that I quite liked, and I don’t personally see a huge difference between them and the GGDD fics. The stories just have different characters. And GG and DD make great fictional characters. They both have so much personality that stories about them are inevitably entertaining.

One of the measures I use when evaluating something that could be judged as ethical or unethical is, “How would I feel if this was done to me?” In the end it’s like I said in my fic rec post:

“I think we might all hope to be loved enough that people would want to write this sort of sweetness about us, and that we could be so in love as to inspire it.”

If people are curious about RPF but feel a bit squeamish about it, here are a few things I can say that might help:

Remember that these are fictional stories. Even though the characters are based on GG and DD, at the end of the day you’re reading fiction. Fiction is fiction, even when real events are discussed.

Not all fan fiction features sexual situations. Read the tags and find stories that suit your comfort zone.

Find stories that reflect the author’s love for and understanding of GG and DD. There are so many that just ooze with love and respect for them.

Be willing to expand your horizons a bit and step outside your comfort zone. New experiences can’t be had otherwise.

Realize that you may need to read a few stories before you find one that connects with you. Don’t let yourself be put off an entire genre just because of one or two bad experiences.

If you come across something that shocks or upsets you, try not to be judgmental of the author. Everyone has their own personal boundaries and tastes.

If you try it out and it’s not for you, don’t feel bad. It might just not be your thing. 

Never shame others for being into fanfic you're not into. Fanfic is harmless, and everyone has their own personal interests and boundaries. Live and let live.

My fiction recommendations can be found here. They are also listed in my ‘Index’ post, the top post on my blog, so they’re easy to find. I’ve been keeping them up-to-date as I read more, so check back regularly if you like what I’ve recommended.

More of my thoughts on RPF, particularly as it pertains to top-bottom dynamics, can be found here.

I also really recommend reading this post because it’s an excellent discussion of the background and some of the issues surrounding this type of fiction.

[diepower]

THE MEGA RP PLOTTING SHEET / MEME.

First and foremost, recall that no one is perfect, we all had witnessed some plotting once which did not went too well, be it because of us or our partner. So here have this, which may help for future plotting. It’s a lot! Yes, but perhaps give your partners some insight? Anyway BOLD what fully applies, italicize if only somewhat.

MUN NAME: Kaiman     AGE: 27       CONTACT: IM, ask, discord

CHARACTER(S): Meninas McAllon, Orihime Inoue, Retsu Unohana, Mashiro Kuna, Tier Harribel, Charlotte Chuuhlhourne

CURRENT FANDOM(S): That I write in? It’s gonna be Bleach, OVW (super selectively im just here for one person), ASOIAF (barely- literally when the mood strikes and that one is private also). I have a lot of current interests in general though.

BLEACH FANDOM(S) YOU HAVE AN AU FOR: While I don’t have anything fully established... I’ve been working with an ASOIAF au (for Harribel & Unohana specifically, though I’m considering it with other characters too), A Dorohedoro AU (for Unohana and Orihime), as well as a Persona AU (more specifically 2&3) for Orihime. I’ve also got a number of post-canon AUs or continuities for all my characters as well!

MY LANGUAGE(S): English, super basic Spanish, barest ASL, fairly good French

THEMES I’M INTERESTED IN FOR RP: FANTASY / SCIENCE FICTION / HORROR / WESTERN / ROMANCE / THRILLER / MYSTERY / DYSTOPIA / ADVENTURE / MODERN / EROTIC / CRIME / MYTHOLOGY / CLASSIC / HISTORY / RENAISSANCE / MEDIEVAL / ANCIENT / WAR / FAMILY / POLITICS / RELIGION / SCHOOL / ADULTHOOD / CHILDHOOD / APOCALYPTIC / GODS / SPORT / MUSIC / SCIENCE / FIGHTS / ANGST / SMUT / DRAMA

PREFERRED THREAD LENGTH: ONE-LINER / 1 PARA / 2 PARA / 3+ / NOVELLA (2para is a sweet spot but it really doesn’t matter to me)

ASKS CAN BE SEND BY: MUTUALS / NON-MUTUALS / PERSONALS / ANONS.

CAN ASKS BE CONTINUED?:   YES / NO    ONLY BY MUTUALS?:  YES / NO

PREFERRED THREAD TYPE: CRACK / CASUAL NOTHING TOO DEEP / SERIOUS / DEEP AS HECK.

IS REALISM / RESEARCH IMPORTANT FOR YOU IN CERTAIN THEMES?:   YES / NO.

ARE YOU ATM OPEN FOR NEW PLOTS?:  YES / NO / DEPENDS.

DO YOU HANDLE YOUR DRAFT / ASK - COUNT WELL?:  YES / NO / SOMEWHAT. (i let them build up too often but some of yall are too quick to reply jkglfjdgsd)

HOW LONG DO YOU USUALLY TAKE TO REPLY?: 24H / 1 WEEK / 2 WEEKS / 3+ / MONTHS / YEARS / DEPENDS ON MOOD AND INSPIRATION, AND IF I’M BUSY

I’M OKAY WITH INTERACTING: ORIGINAL CHARACTERS / A RELATIVE OF MY CHARACTER (AN OC) / DUPLICATES / MY FANDOM / CROSSOVERS / MULTI-MUSES / SELF-INSERTS / PEOPLE WITH NO AU VERSE FOR MY FANDOM / CANON-DIVERGENT PORTRAYALS / AU-VERSIONS (italicized are okay, but under really specific circumstances)

DO YOU POST MORE IC OR OOC?: IC / OOC.

ARE YOU SELECTIVE WITH FOLLOWING OTHERS?: YES / NO / DEPENDS  

BEST WAYS TO APPROACH YOU FOR RP/PLOTTING:  I’m pretty anal about plotting in that I often refuse to RP unless it’s been plotted or I liked a starter call. And in the case of the latter, I’ll still hop into DMs to plot further depending on where the thread takes us. That said, the best way to reach me is through IMs or Discord (available on request). The only time I turn down plots is if I feel like it would put my character in an OOC situation, and I especially dislike my character being one-sidedly used as a tool to further another character’s development without anything being reciprocated (this happens often especially wrt my healer characters)

WHAT EXPECTATIONS DO YOU HOLD TOWARDS YOUR PLOTTING PARTNER: Communication is really important to me, especially with regards to comfort regarding certain plot elements, and approaching other in-character situations that might have multiple different solutions. I think it’s important that both characters involved get the same amount of development out of writing a thread, and I really hate the idea of being imbalanced as far as that goes (more on that below). That said, I’m always perfectly down to spitball plot ideas and tweak/refine other concepts because I really do enjoy plotting, it’s just super important to me that things are communicated clearly. I get extremely distressed and frustrated IRL if people just kinda throw stuff at me, and it often kills my muse.

WHEN YOU NOTICE THE PLOTTING IS RATHER ONE-SIDED, WHAT DO YOU DO?: I make an active effort to come up with plots that are engaging and beneficial fairly equally to both parties. I mentioned this above, but especially in the case of writing my healer characters, I have a huge disdain for characters being used as tools to further development while getting nothing substantial in return. That said, I try to be very aware of this in terms of a potential writing partner being on the receiving end. IMO it feels like shit, but I definitely don’t want to make someone else feel that way either. That said, so long as stuff is plotted out clearly and me and the writer are both okay with it, then it’s fine. COMMUNICATION IS KEY, BASICALLY.

HOW DO YOU USUALLY PLOT WITH OTHERS, DO YOU GIVE INPUT OR LEAVE MOST WORK TOWARDS YOUR PARTNER?:  I kinda just like to throw spaghetti at the wall and whatever sticks, I’m down to fly with. I have a lot of ideas, but again, I like to give my partners the option of doing whatever they’re comfortable with, and h aving equal contribution opportunities.

WHEN A PARTNER DROPS THE THREAD, DO YOU WISH TO KNOW?:   YES / NO / DEPENDS.

- AND WHY?: Everyone has their own circumstances, I really don’t mind. If it’s one I’ve been especially looking forward to, I might be bummed, but it’s no skin off my nose really.

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY LEAD YOU TO DROP A THREAD?: I don’t typically drop threads or abandon them during their writing. The only thing that would make me do so is offensive content, or huge plot elements being introduced that makes my character ooc and wasn’t previously discussed during plotting.

WILL YOU TELL YOUR PARTNER?:   YES / NO / DEPENDS.

IS COMMUNICATION IN THE RPC IMPORTANT TO YOU? YES / NO.

-AND WHY?: I already feel like I need to take a lot of extra steps to understand others and be understood, and that isn’t something often reciprocated. In my experience, just honest communication is the quickest solution to issues that crop up during writing. For those who HAVE actually had me reach out to them in this way, I really do try to be polite and respectful while being straightforward so the situation can be resolved without any hurt feelings.

ARE YOU OKAY WITH ABSOLUTE HONESTY, EVEN IF IT MAY MEANS HEARING SOMETHING NEGATIVE ABOUT YOU AND/OR PORTRAYAL?: As long as it’s constructive, and not merely negativity, I welcome it. After all, I can’t fix a huge flaw in my writing without having an alternative solution. I’m open to accepting feedback and critique, especially wrt Meninas since my portrayal is quite a large departure from popular fanon perception (from those who choose to pay attention to her, lol), but I also thrive on suggested remedies and solutions to issues in my writing.

DO YOU THINK YOU CAN HANDLE SUCH SITUATION IN A MATURE WAY? YES / NO.

WHY DO YOU RP AGAIN, IS THERE A GOAL?: I like to tell stories, and I like to tell narratives that take root in emotional expression and how those feelings can act as a vehicle to the storytelling. I want to move people through feeling, because it can be a powerful experience. I use a lot of inspiration from themes in my other favorite series, as well as inspiration from my own personal experiences as well. I tend to pick characters who have one or two traits in common with myself, whether those be negative or positive. I’m very excited to share all the things I have planned for Meninas, as she’s certainly my most ambitious project to date.

WISHLIST, BE IT PLOTS OR SCENARIOS:  For Meninas specifically, I want to interact with Squad 11 and Squad 9 during the CFYOW verse I have planned. Hisagi specifically would be interesting because of the clash of ideals, in addition to being the only other living person to be able to relate to the horror of being under Pepe’s thrall. I’d also like to steal Ikkaku’s bankai, and have more fight scenes. Lastly, Meninas doesn’t do much of anything in CFYOW, so more interactions with Mayuri and Squad 12 would be cool.

THEMES I WON’T EVER RP / EXPLORE: I don’t mind briefly referencing darker themes in my writing, especially wrt my own personal experiences, but I want to be very clear that I refuse to write at length or romanticize these themes. I refuse to write anything involving rape, homophobia, transphobia, racism, pedophilia, etc, with this in mind.

WHAT TYPE OF STARTERS DO YOU PREFER / DISLIKE, CAN’T WORK WITH?: Unless previously discussed, I struggle with starters that have a character pushing mine away. If the situation is super OOC for my character to be in, or frankly too mundane. In Meninas’ case, most domestic stuff is a snoozefest for me (but I LOVE this for other characters).

WHAT TYPE OF CHARACTERS CATCH YOUR INTEREST THE MOST?:  *saoirse ronan voice* Women. UHHH but no, for real... I like fleshing out female characters quite a bit. Personality types are varied, but I like characters who have some level of nuance to their emotional expression whether it’s an internal or external struggle. I like powerful women too, and the exploration of “strength” as a theme (esp at the intersection of the theme of “femininity” and its expressions) whether this is external strength or internal fortitude. I think I play a wide variety of characters who have vastly different thoughts, beliefs, and forms of expression, but I try to find something in common with who I portray to act as a touch stone. I also like characters who have themes of “justice” and nuanced morality.

WHAT TYPE OF CHARACTERS CATCH YOUR INTEREST THE LEAST?: 99% of male characters. And I also hate tsunderes gjklsdjfd

WHAT ARE YOUR STRONG ASPECTS AS RP PARTNER?: I really like my writing style especially wrt using emotion to set a cinematic scene and overall tone. I think I’m really strong with conveying emotion, especially with things that are often unspoken. I try to communicate with partners clearly and establish rapports. I love writing headcanons and have a TON of plot ideas as well.

WHAT ARE YOUR WEAK ASPECTS AS RP PARTNER?: Oh I’m the slowest replier on the planet and I’m apparently intimidating lol

DO YOU RP SMUT?:  YES / NO / DEPENDS.

DO YOU PREFER TO GO INTO DETAIL?: YES / NO / DEPENDS (i prefer to go into detail about sensations, rather than the actual acts as it comes off stifled and weirdly technical)

ARE YOU OKAY WITH BLACK CURTAIN?: YES / NO

- WHEN DO YOU RP SMUT? MORE OUT OF FUN OR CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT?: Honestly I just do what Meninas tells me.

- ANYTHING YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO RP THERE?: Kink stuff is weird territory for me, absolutely gotta be discussed in private and comfort levels clearly established.

ARE SHIPS IMPORTANT TO YOU?: YES / NO. Relationships in general rule, and while I do have a romantic ship that plays a large part in Meninas’ plot, the romance comes secondary to the plot itself. I really enjoy writing and developing romances, but more than that I like establishing connections. I love the relationships I’ve got planned with Giselle, Candice, Liltotto, and Bambietta because there are going to be a LOT of drastically different things that inform my portrayal of Meninas coming from these relationships (both positive and negative, but ultimately places of growth).

WOULD YOU SAY YOUR BLOG IS SHIP-FOCUSED?: YES / NO. Like I said, plot comes first. And especially in the case of Meninas, she has a lot of self exploration and reflection to do before she can engage in a healthy relationship or address any feelings of romance. I do place a large focus on the formation of her relationships and how they shape the way she relates to other people and grows as a person, but I am extremely sensitive to making sure I’m not writing a female character who’s entire development is dependent on a romance with a male character- perish the thought lol.

DO YOU USE READ MORE?:  YES / NO / SOMETIMES WHEN I WRITE LONG STUFF.

ARE YOU:  MULTI-SHIP / SINGLE-SHIP / DUAL-SHIP  —  MULTIVERSE / Singleverse.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE TO EXPLORE THE MOST IN YOUR SHIPS?: For Meninas, it’s a matter of her acknowledging, understanding, and accepting that she can be worth more than how useful she is to others. She had a series of traumatizing and character defining experiences regarding love, romance, and personal worth that strongly shaped the way she perceives her relationships to others and her emotional expression. Trust is another huge factor for me, Meninas needs to be around someone she believes in. Strength is another aspect. She likes someone who challenges her, keeps her on her toes, and is sturdy like physically. Because she’ll break you. THAT SAID- Meninas tends to be open wrt her body, but closed off when it comes to her heart. Hate to see it, love to write it.

ARE YOU OKAY WITH PRE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS?: YES / NO. As long as the premise makes sense. I like relationships to have some matter of significance and planning, especially because of how I’ve written the way Meninas picks and chooses who to get close to in Silbern depending on what suits her interests. Genuine friendship is a weird thing for Meninas, as most of her relationships are formed out of convenience. If you aren’t useful to Meninas’ schemeing, then she has no interest in dealing with you beyond platitudes and keeping up appearances and will interact with you as such.

► SECTION ABOUT YOUR MUSE.

- WHAT COULD POSSIBLY MAKE YOUR MUSE INTERESTING TOWARDS OTHERS, WHY SHOULD THEY RP WITH THIS PARTICULAR CHARACTER OF YOURS NOW, WHAT POSSIBLE PLOTS DO THEY OFFER?: WE LOVE DUPLICITOUS WOMEN! No, but at the core of my Meninas characterization, the sentiment is “Everything is not as it appears” even down to the relationships she has with others. Meninas’ entire personality is constructed as a survival tactic from an early age (in addition to being a way to make herself more useful as a tool to others, and thus seen as having more worth in general), and as a result, she hasn’t really allowed herself to live life as a fully realized person. Her plots generally offer silent rebellion, playing a role in regards to her self presentation, chaotic mean girl level bullshit, and cool fights/training. Also you get to interact with a big buff lady. That said about her personality, it depends on the verse. CFYOW Meninas will be more unhinged, while post-CFYOW Meninas will be more honest and rowdy.

- WITH WHAT TYPE OF MUSES DO YOU USUALLY STRUGGLE TO RP WITH?:  Muses who are standoffish or disengage right at the start. Meninas doesn’t interact with people without a certain purpose, so if they aren’t interested, she’s not going to be either.

- WHAT DO THEY DESIRE, IS THEIR GOAL?:  Revenge, strength, redefining what “power” means in terms of how the world works. She wants to see the Shinigami dead for their role in her parents deaths, and feels the same about Yhwach.

- WHAT CATCHES THEIR INTEREST FIRST WHEN MEETING SOMEONE NEW?:  Ability, potential threat, perceived strength, where loyalty lies; how potentially useful you can be to her.

- WHAT DO THEY VALUE IN A PERSON?:  Strength both in a physical sense, but also in belief and convictions. Honesty, and understanding the flaws of the world they live in.

- WHAT THEMES DO THEY LIKE TALKING ABOUT?:  Fighting, beauty, freedom, abolishing Quincy classism based on blood purity, music, fashion, blacksmithing.

- WHICH THEMES BORE THEM?: Blind loyalty to Yhwach, talking about the horrors of war as if it doesn’t concern them, Bambietta, Quincy supremacy,

- DID THEY EVER WENT THROUGH SOMETHING TRAUMATIC?:  Her parents were killed in the first Quincy war and she was left abandoned and grew up literally fighting for her life and living on the streets. She often likens fighting pits to the bowels of Hell (and I often play with the ironic theme of crawling out of hell to appear as an angel or something divine). She is consumed by a quest for revenge, and strongly believes her ends will justify the means taken to fulfill her ideal. As a direct result of these experiences, her emotional health and maturity is severely affected, and she doesn’t view herself as a person worthy or capable of feeling as much as a tool who, in the right hands, can be utilized to bring about the revenge she craves.

- WHAT COULD LEAD TO AN INSTANT KILL?:  (1) Men who feel non-consensually entitled to her body. That said, she’s done a fairly excellent job at maintaining control and an unassuming threatening nature despite the widely known understanding of her Schrift ability and how it augments. (2) Someone touching her Quincy cross, as it’s her most precious and private item. (3) Anyone who dares get in the way of her plans that can’t be manipulated in some other useful aspect.

- IS THERE SOMEONE /-THING THEY HATE?:  Meninas hates Yhwach, and the Shinigami most predominately, but she also harbors disgust for Hollows as an instinct. That said, her young life was spent detached from Quincy culture (in addition to being a Gemischt and the inherent isolation that comes with that status), so despite her early induction into the Wandenreich ranks, Meninas does not harbor the same Quincy nationalism and loyalty that others of her race do. They’re a means to an end, and just happen to help her become stronger.

IS YOUR MUSE EASY TO APPROACH?: YES / NO. - Best ways to approach them?: She comes off as easy to approach, but if you want genuine Meninas I’m sorry the number you’re trying to reach has been disconnected. Goodbye!

SOMETHING YOU MAY STILL WANT TO POINT OUT ABOUT YOUR MUSE?: Everything I’ve written about her is based in headcanon! I’ve got both a lengthy biography as well as headcanons gathered in the sidebar links on my blog.

CONGRATS!!! You managed it, now tag your mutuals! ♥

TAGGED BY: @bazzardburner​ TAGGING: i think this has made its rounds so steal it!

[thevagueambition]

Atla, Zukka and Sokka :)

ATLA

Favorite character: Zuko, 100%. He’s a character I relate to a lot, eg the whole “hard work vs natural talent” thing... I even have a costume, although I didn’t get a chance to use it when I meant to so I haven’t really done so yet OTL

Least Favorite character: Hmm, god, I don’t know.... Bumi, maybe? As a comedic character he feels a bit too “haha crazy” and he doesn’t really (imo) work well as a dramatic one... 

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon):

Zukka

Hakoda/Bato

Roku/Sozin

Tyzula

Jetko

Character I find most attractive: Zuko. Particularly s3 ofc lol

putting the rest under a cut for length

Character I would marry: idk. not big on marriage really

Character I would be best friends with: Sokka

a random thought: The true hero of ATLA is Iroh and I feel ashamed of not having mentioned his name yet in this

An unpopular opinion: The age difference between Kataang is 2 years which is the exact same age difference between Zutara and neither are particularly weird regardless of the fact that I don’t care about either ship

My Canon OTP: Don’t have one. Sokka/Suki is cute I guess is the closest I come to having strong feelings on a canon ship

My Non-canon OTP: Zukka

Most Badass Character: Toph but also low key Sokka bc he’s a non-bender

Most Epic Villain: That old blood bending woman who gave us all nightmares

Pairing I am not a fan of: Zutara, but that’as as much about fandom behavior back in the day as anything else

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): Korra, all of LoK 

They gave Toph too little to do in s3 and she SHOULD have had her Zuko outing like all the others >:( Actually Zuko and Toph have a lot in common in certain ways and that was never fully explored

Also obviously SOOOO many characters in this series who were written as straight when they shouldn’t be lol. We get it, it was a kid’s cartoon in the 00s, but they didn’t have to agressively pair off everyone in neat m/f couples by the end of the series

Favourite Friendship: Aang & Zuko

Character I most identify with: Zuko, as mentioned above. He’s also the same MBTI type as me haha (INFP). Also, Sokka mix of being simoultaneously really clever and extremely stupid is a gigantic mood.

Character I wish I could be: Idk... Iroh, in some ways, certainly. Honestly, by the end of the series all the main kids are pretty admirable people. Who wouldn’t want Aang’s kindness, Katara’s righteousness, Zuko’s determination, Sokka’s cleverness, Toph’s independence, Suki’s leadership, etc? Hell, Mai’s bravery and Ty Lee’s loyalty? I love all the main kids.

Zukka

When I started shipping them: Only a year or two ago, actually! I think last time I rewatched The Boiling Rock I was like 👀

Originally when I was an ATLA fan I was still in the “we must adheer to canon” phase of my existence in fandom and then for a good while I was still affected by my... hesitance to look like a, idk, stereotypical slash fan, in the sense that back in the day people were REALLY hostile to slash ships that seemed, idk, contrived. Zukka also just wasn’t a big ship back in the day I don’t think, Jetko has always been more popular. 

My thoughts: The cammaraderie that developes between them over their stay at The Boiling Rock is incredibly compelling to me and I think that... the ways in which Sokka holds Zuko accountable through “jokes” but still allows him the space to prove himself is really interesting and probably... something that is actually better for Zuko than either Katara’s rage or Aang’s kindness? Idk. 

Also they both have pretty complicated relationships to masculinity and what it means to be a man in their respective cultures and their sort of struggles with that and how those struggles look different due to circumstances like their parental situations and different cultural expectations... Zuko’s is less directly about masculinity per se because the Fire Nation has less strict gender roles, or at least ones that don’t code certain activities as purely masculine endeavours (eg warfare) but certainly there are shades of Ozai’s treatment of Zuko and Azula that are gendered as well as about birth order and it’s interesting how Zuko and Sokka both impose restrictions on themselves about how they should behave and what they should live up to culturally.

What makes me happy about them: I think they complement each other really well. They have a lot in common but are pretty different about their approach to things... I also just really like battle couples lol 

What makes me sad about them: Their respective trauma is part of what makes them compelling but it’s certainly also sad, so in that sense...

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: So much of it is modern AU and i don’t care for it lol. Completely ignoring any sense that the Avatar world must have some elements of homophobia bothers me to exist in the ways it does, but as does completely overplaying it, idk. It’s a balance not everyone strikes well. Also obviously when people demonise Suki or Mai to account for them not being in the picture that’s bad.

Things I look for in fanfic: Honestly, more than anything? Good characterisation. This is a ship that lives and dies by good characterisation. I also really like when they’re set during the time at the Western Air Temple.  

My wishlist:

Swordfighting duels!! Practicing swordfighting together!! Bonding over swords like the dumb teenage boys they are!! Yes I know about the innuendo that only makes it better!! 

Hakoda not just being cool with it but realising about Zuko’s abuse and being like Actually I Am Your Dad Now

I always want fic where the gaang find out about how Zuko got his scar and that with Zukka is even more *chef’s kiss*

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Hmm ending up with, huh? I like Jetko for the drama but not necessarily as endgame. Sukka is pretty cute so I’m down for that but Maiko is.... look, it made sense for the time that Zuko was back in the Fire Nation because but I 100% don’t think it’s something either of them benefits from afterwards. They’re better off as friends imo also Zuko’s gay

My happily ever after for them: I want them to travel the world together tbh? I never quite know how to account for Zuko becoming Fire Lord in my thoughts about him post-canon because... well obviously I hate monarchy and I don’t actually think Zuko would be particularly comfortable being the leader of a nation, so... I don’t know. Maybe after some years, maybe a decade, of guiding the nation back towards stability Zuko starts reforming the country towards something more democratic and becomes less personally involved in the affairs of running the country? I don’t see them as people who would or really could be tied down by each other because they each have responsibilities to their respective communities and I don’t necessarily find “and then they lived in the Fire Nation palace together for the rest of their lives” compelling... 

Sokka

How I feel about this character: I love him so much. His character developement is so compelling and as one of the very few prominent non-bending characters he is also compelling in the ways that situate him within the world and forces him to look for other things to contribute with. Again, the ways in which he is undeniably very clever but simoultaneously kind of dumb is also just... Very Good and Relatable lol. He was someone I overlooked a bit for a while but I think Sokka’s Master really awakened me to how great he is and on rewatches he became one of my faves. Also, you just gotta love any character that uses sarcasm as a shield lol. 

Any/all the people I ship romantically with this character: Zuko, primarily, as discussed above. I’m fine with both Yue and Suki as canon ships but I’m not really invested in it. When I was younger I liked Sokka/Toph somewhat but actually Toph is a lesbian so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ You could always do Suki/Toph, kill two birds with one stone you know

My favorite non-romantic relationship for this character: Gotta love a good father-son relationship <3

My unpopular opinion about this character: I don’t know what the popular opinions about him are tbh. I’ll use this to say I think ADHD!Sokka makes sense though

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: Hmm, idk... the episodes he had that were focused on him were very good and did a good job of exploring his inner life in the face of how often he’s a comedic character, so it would have to be more in terms of his relationships with other characters. More interactions with Zuko would have been good ofc ! :3c

Favorite friendship for this character: Hm, probably Aang. Protective Older Brother Mode for a character that isn’t even technically his sibling is Very Good.

My crossover ship: I don’t really have crossover ships

[winterironbang]

Art Previews

Below you will find the art previews for this year, remember authors that its not quite time for claiming yet!

Take a good look and pick 2-3 favourites and remember which Number they are for when claiming does begin.

1. Prompt: Tony was taken by Hydra not long after the New York invasion and experimented heavily on Tony. The Winter Soldier escapes his captivity and kinds Tony locked up in his dragon form in a huge cell and decides he should break this poor creature out as well.The Winter Soldier could be his own personality next to Bucky, and if so he doesn't like Steve if that would come up. Restrictions: No Rape/Non-con, No OT3 (Stuckony), preferably a rather happy ending, or bittersweet. No sad endings. CLAIMED

2 Prompt: Tony has always had a thing for swimsuit models.Limitations: go wild.Additional notes: happy to be as involved or uninvolved as the writer wants! CLAIMED

3. Warnings: None that I can think of? Prompts: Definitely don’t have to stick to this, but this was just what was in my mind drawing this — They’re a Shoulder Angel and Shoulder Demon each trying to do a good job for their assigned Human - Natasha Romanov. I’d love it if maybe they’ve been working together over time to help Natasha (maybe to get out from under Red Room) without actually really seeing each other for a while until eventually they do. Not-Quite-Identity!Porn of some sort, with a bit of oh no he’s hot when they meet. Just imagine the hijinks with a little Nat and these boys as her conscience! Ha! Limitations: I know Tony is depicted as a Demon here, but this is Tony, please don’t make him out to be the actual Devil? He’s just doing his job but - oh no! - he gets attached to his Human and adversary and only wants the best for them, screw Hell’s policies CLAIMED

4. warnings: none i thinkprompt: Post-apocalyptic AU! Scrappy mechanic Tony meets badass loner and fighter Bucky (with a clunky metal arm)? Maybe some getting to know (and later: trust) each other and surviving (together?) in a hostile world? Trying to make a living? limitatons and any additional notes:  No dubcon/noncon between Tony/Bucky, no sad ending, no super descriptive toture/body horror, Tony and Bucky should survive. Angst/Pain/Suspense otherwise are fine :)The second art is optional. CLAIMED

5. Desired collaboration level(s): I would love to be included with the writing/brainstorming process, even just so much as being a cheerleader for it!-Additional details/requests/Prompt: Pre-WI/getting together fic. Wing Au. Maybe something like "Winged beings are discriminated against/unliked/people are nervous of them. Picture scene is: Tony was sitting out in the rain/stuck in the rain, Bucky comes and sheilds him from it with his wing. -Do Wants: Hurt/Comfort, angst is fine too, must be happy ending please, I prefer canon-divergent, but total au is fine too. -Do NOT Wants: Beastiality, Mpreg, A/B/O dynamics, BDSM, D/S verse, Hardcore kinks, Genderbends, Non-con, MCD, underage/age-changes/de-aging, Sad endings!(I would prefer no other/background ships, but can be discussed!) CLAIMED

6. Warnings: blood Limitation: non-negotiable absolutely no Steve Rogers bashing Wants: OUAT crossover (non negotiable). Jefferson IS Bucky OR Bucky is Jeffersons twin. Steve as a main character as well. Prompt; Bucky goes missing after a mission, with seemingly no reason. A year later They find Bucky, only he's calling himself Jefferson and crying about a broken hat, and a horrific scar around his neck.

7. warnings: possible gun violence, languageprompt: loosely based on Killing eve "you hired me to kill you!?" "I wanted to see you..." basically, Tony and Bucky (established relationship? Mutual pining? ) haven't spoken in awhile for reasons (are they fighting? Busy? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) so Tony Hires Bucky to kill him. limitatons and any additional notes: none that I can think of but if you think there's something that could be squicky/a no go, just lemme know. I'm very open to collaboration with my author. CLAIMED

8.  No warnings or limitations.  CLAIMED

9. Warnings: None Prompt: Tony Stark meets Bucky Barnes in 1993 and they both fall for each other. One night, Bucky starts to cry. Tony asks what's wrong and Bucky tells him what happened to his parents. Notes: It really doesn't matter how you end this fic as long it includes some good old fashioned angst! CLAIMED

10. Warnings: noneNotes: Was thinking of a Brookly-99 spin on it, something cute and funny for some feel good happy, but very open to anything really :) CLAIMED

11. warnings: None Prompt: (Description: View is outside of a building. In one window Tony plays the violin. In the other Bucky types away.) CLAIMED

12. Warnings:NonePrompt: (description: Bucky is sitting atop a motorcycle. Tony is approaching him, offering his hand for a handshake. Scene is dusk on an empty road.) CLAIMED

13. prompt: tony is one of the last of his kind (inherited from his mother’s side). he hides his wings from the world, and only pepper, happy, and rhodey know what he is. everything else is canon as per the mcu. it’s up to the author to decide how far in the universe they want to take it, and if they wish to incorporate his wings elsewhere in the series, but tony is iron man and it must be post winter soldier. pre-relationship to getting together. limitations: please no graphic depictions of rape, suicide, or self-harm (specifically cutting. other forms of self-harm are okay, but please no self-inflicted cutting). no character bashing, ESPECIALLY of steve. no major character death. things i would like to see: BAMF!tony, ptsd (from either bucky or tony, or both!), a COOL secret reveal, angst, hurt/comfort, and fluff. some smut is okay! i would love if tony keeps the arc reactor. arm maintenance!! please!! tony being terrified of bucky finding out about his wings, and bucky being scared of hurting tony. relevant notes: tony’s wings are 18 ft (5.4 m) in diameter, and are red and gold. bucky still has hydra arm. that’s about it! i’m flexible on most things :) CLAIMED

14. Description/Prompt: John Wick AU in MCU Open for brainstorming or alternate interpretations Warnings: canon typical violence for story (john wick levels or mcu levels up to author?) Limitations:  DNWs include a/b/o, mpreg, noncon, dubcon between major protagonists, death of major protagonists, unhappy/ bad endings CLAIMED

15. Description/Prompt: any frontier myth/ old wild west tropes welcome Open for brainstorming or alternate interpretations Warnings: canon typical violence for story? Limitations:  DNWs include a/b/o, mpreg, noncon, dubcon between major protagonists, death of major protagonists, unhappy/ bad endings CLAIMED

16. Prompt: Romancing The Stone AU. Tony is a tech reliant city boy who is out of his depth in the South American jungle while trying to save a friend. Bucky is the broke traveller who he convinces to be his guide. Adventures and hijinks and a happy ending ensue. Notes/Limitations: Doesn't have to follow the movie if you're not familiar with it. I don't want Tony to be a damsel in distress that needs to be rescued, just a fish out of water who adapts to his new environment. Any rating is fine, smut is welcome, no character bashing.  CLAIMED

17. warnings: general audiences prompt: Bucky is part of the Avengers but he and Tony keep their distance. On a mission Tony saves Bucky from another fall. Later he asks Tony why he didn't let him slip when he knows he killed his parents. He doesn't believe Tony forgave him and confesses that he sometimes hates Steve for not catching him limitations: no Steve/Bucky/Tony, preferably no Stony, no ABO, no mpreg, preferably no BDSM or dom/sub CLAIMED

18.  warnings: malnutrition, (minor) injuries, shackleslimitations: anything involving children and/or pregnancy CLAIMED

19. Warnings:none Prompt: Mage Tony and assassin/rogue Bucky. Limitatons: No major character death, no infidelity, no unhappy ending, Bucky did not kill Tony's parents, would be absolutely fine with graphic sex Additional notes: Art will have at least one more companion piece featuring Bucky/Winter in Assassin type garb and probably wielding daggers. CLAIMED

20. warnings: none? prompt: Dreadful pirate Bucky with a heart of gold! limitaions and any other notes relevant to the authors for claiming: I'd prefer it if Bucky wasn't actually a bad guy. Go easy on the gore, and please don't do any noncon or dubcon between the OTP. Angst or pain are good as long as there is at least a hopeful ending! CLAIMED

21. Prompt: After the death of King Howard Stark, his son Anthony had to step up to the throne as the rightful heir. James Buchanan Barnes, a knight and new member of the Royal Guard, is sworn to protect his king no matter what. Even if that means protecting Anthony from his own damn feelings. Warnings: N/A Limitations: major character death, terminal illness, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, racism, incest, ableism Notes: Their designs are fantasy-influenced more than historical, and even though I was using MCU as reference, I aged Tony down since canonically Howard died when he was younger anyway! Also the scribble of a background is supposed to be inside the castle, during a party/ball or something? CLAIMED

22. Artist Withdrew.

23. Warnings: None Prompt: The Addams Family AU Limitations/notes: None CLAIMED

24. warnings: none? prompt: Warlord Bucky gets a new conquest: Tony. (How? tribute? prisoner? Marriage contract?) Tony may expect the worst, but slowly discover Bucky isn't so bad... limitaions and any other notes relevant to the authors for claiming: please no evil Bucky. I like getting to know each other and slowly falling in love. No dubcon/noncon between tony/bucky. CLAIMED

25. Warnings: implied violence, kidnappingPrompt: I went with four comic panels sort of depicting a kidnapping scenario. Bucky (probably) wouldn’t be the kidnapper — i'm gonna try and make him look more surprised in the final draft. Limitations: Go wild. G ratings through Explicit is fine with me. Preferably no M-Preg though.  CLAIMED

26. Warnings: None CLAIMED

27. Warnings: None CLAIMED

28. Description/Prompt: fluff or comfort? Warnings: - Limitations:  DNWs include a/b/o, mpreg, noncon, dubcon between major protagonists, death of major protagonists, unhappy/ bad endings CLAIMED

29. Desired collaboration level(s): I would love to be included with the writing/brainstorming process, even just so much as being a cheerleader for it! Additional details/requests/ Prompt: Human!Tony/Werewolf!Bucky. Werewolf au. Do Wants: Hurt/Comfort, angst is fine too, must be happy ending please, I prefer canon-divergent, but total au is fine too. Do NOT Wants: Beastiality, Mpreg, A/B/O dynamics, BDSM, D/S verse, Hardcore kinks, Genderbends, Non-con, MCD, underage/age-changes/de-aging, Sad endings!(I would prefer no other/background ships, but can be discussed!) CLAIMED

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hello I absolutely adore your blog!! It has helped me find so many good fanfics!! I was wondering if you had any fic recs where our Baker Street boys leave London/the country for a case? Something like the Hounds of Baskerville? If this is too specific of a request I apologize.

Hi Lovely!

Ahh, this is getting even more specific on my For A Case trope lists! Here are my related lists:

For a Case Trope

Fake Relationship / For a Case Part 2

For a Case Pt 3 / Links to Similar Fics

Meeting the Family With a Fake Relationship

Married For a Case / Fake Husbands

Here’s a list of “travel” fics, where they go away and perhaps maybe might become a couple because of it ;D

JOHNLOCK ON HOLIDAYS FOR A CASE

Measuring Damage With the Fujita Scale by teahigh (T, 3,548 w. || First Kiss / Time, Vacation / Holidays, Friends to Lovers, Bed-Sharing, Pining Sherlock, Sherlock POV, Angsty Fluff, Scars, Awkward Talks) – John goes back into town, into the storm, and Sherlock realises he forgot to say, “I just want to be alone with you.”

Hope Springs Eternal by QuinnAnderson  (T, 4,054 w. || Friends to Lovers, Pining Sherlock, Vacation, Anxious Sherlock, Love Confessions, Fluff, Requited Love) – John Watson and Sherlock Holmes go on holiday, and Sherlock has romance on the brain.

What Happens in Vegas (is legally binding in the United Kingdom) by  moonblossom (E, 5,051 w. || Accidental Marriage, Friends to Husbands to Lovers, CSI Crossover, Fluff & Porn, Bathtub Sex, Hand Jobs, First Time) – When a case sends the boys to Vegas, John comes out of it with a bit more than he bargained for. Part 19 of Prompt Fills, Remixes, Works inspired by others

The Honeymoon Suite by Salambo06 (E, 5,827 w. || Fake Relationship, Fake Marriage, Frottage, First Kiss, Cuddling/Snuggling/Sleepy Cuddles, Bed Sharing, Holidays / Hotels, Case Fic) – “You’ll see,” the receptionist smiles, handing John the key to their room, “This honeymoon suite is quite spectacular. Our hotel has won many awards, most of them for these rooms.” John nods, licking his lips and playing with the key in his hand. We’ll probably be leaving first thing in the morning, he wants to tell her. As soon as Sherlock proves who robbed the previous couple who booked a room here, we’re out of here and stopping this happily married charade. “Thank you,” he says instead.

Disguises are always a self-portrait by yellowteapots (NR, 6,223 w. || Case Fic, First Kiss, POV John, Fake Rel.) – Sherlock and John head out of town on a case of murder / suicide at a Pride Fest.

The Strait of Juan de Fuca by mightypog (T, 6,400 w. || Vacation, Love Confessions, Friends to Lovers, Canada, Post-TRF, Love Confessions) – Sherlock is back and all seems forgiven, but something is missing between him and John. Their friendship initially appears intact, but Sherlock doesn’t understand why John seems to be slipping away. Finally, in terror, he tries to reconnect with John by taking him to the one place that seems to inspire any emotional interest in John any more: the Canadian wilderness. While there, Sherlock faces his greatest fear.

In Which “John” Becomes a Synonym for “Help” by asignoftwo (T, 7,391 w. || Injured John, Worried Sherlock, Fluff) –  After the fall Sherlock returns to Baker Street and is reunited with John. When John is injured on a case Sherlock is faced with the reality that he could lose John again, and it tears him apart.

Rainbow Hearts Retreat by PajamaSecrets (E, 11,638 w. || Fake Relationship, Case Fic, Undercover, Fluff and Smut, Bed-Sharing, Therapy, Humour/Crack, First Time) – "It’s a same-sex couples retreat. For those experiencing troubles in their relationship. Consists of group and couples therapy as well as encouraging socialization between the couples. It’s all in their incredibly dull brochure.“ "Rainbow Hearts Retreat,” John read. “Sounds… quite gay.”

Your Eyes in Darkness Glowing by tamed_untranslatable (E, 14,686 w. || Est. Rel., Case Fic, Hotel Sex, Bottomlock, Anal, BJ’s, Porn With Feelings, Homophobia) – Sherlock gets roped into a case in Moscow on his brother’s insistence, but finds that he can’t do it without John.

Till Death Do Us Part by prettysailorsoldier (M, 15,390 w. || Fake Relationship, Case Fic, Friends to Lovers, Fake Marriage, Christmas, Fluff) – When Sherlock links a recent spree of murder-suicides to a psychologist who specializes in marriage counseling, there’s really only one thing to do: Go undercover as a couple in hopes of drawing the killer out. Faking a relationship seems easy enough, but things take a turn when their real issues start to creep into the sessions, and, all the while, a killer is watching, waiting in the shadows for their chance to strike.

A Hundred Thousand Ways to Say the Name John by Jberry (E, 16,825 w. || Fake Relationship, Fake Marriage, POV John, Pining John, Cruise Ship, Angst & Fluff, Case Fic) –  John Watson and Sherlock Holmes must solve a case on a cruise ship. To get close to the crew and passengers, they must get married for the case on the Baetica. However, their relationship hits rocky seas both due to the case and internal conflicts. Part 1 of Baetica

The Sexual Awakening of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson by suitesamba (M, 24,579 w. || Post-TRF, Case Fic, H/C, First Kiss/Time) – Sherlock owes Mycroft a favor. Mycroft calls in that favor by offering Sherlock’s consulting services in a charity auction. Sherlock and John soon find themselves at the country manor of Mrs. Ives-Patton Smarmington III - not very coincidentally a long-time friend of Sherlock’s mother - where they are reluctant participants in her Murder Mystery Weekend. It’s a play within a play for Sherlock and John, and their roles for the weekend event bleed over into their real lives, waking the sleeping dragons within.

Hitting the Water at Sixty Miles an Hour by what_alchemy (E, 30,568 w. || Fake Rel., Roadtrips, Slow Burn, Mummy Holmes) – “You love your mother, Sherlock?” John watched the muscles in Sherlock’s jaw jump. He nodded in one sharp jerk.“Then we’re going to her party and making her happy.” John let out a resigned sigh. “As a ruddy couple, you bastard.”

A Study In Auto-Signatures, Sniper Dolphins, and Sex Holidays by cwb (E, 32,690 w. || Case Fic, Post S3, Evil Mary, Dev. Rel., Honeymoon, Epistolary, Bottomlock, First Kiss / Time, Fluff, Secret Agents, BAMF!John) – John and Mary go on their sex holiday, and Sherlock is grumpy and pining about it. Part 1 of HOT DOLPHIN SEX

LHR-HNL by scullyseviltwin (E, 35,066 w. || Hawaiian Vacation, Post-TRF, Friends To Lovers, Slow Burn, Just Talk Already, Drinking, Mutual Pining) – In need of an endangered flora sample, Sherlock and John must make a trip to an unexpected destination.

Classified(s) by blueink3 (E, 36,153 w. || Wedding Date AU || Fake Relationship, Jealous, PIning, H/C, Idiots in Love, Happy Ending, Mary is not Nice, Escort Service) – Clara’s American father is the ambassador to some such territory that Great Britain probably used to own, but she (and Harry’s undying love for her) is the reason John is getting on a flight at 12:30pm, flying across the second largest ocean in the world, and pretending to be in a perfectly happy, healthy relationship with an undoubtedly perfectly coiffed stranger. See, Clara is not only American (and wealthy to boot), she’s also best friends with John’s ex-fiancée. Whom she’s placed in the wedding party. As Maid of Honor. And John just happens to be Best Man. Bloody brilliant.

A Promise Made to Be Broken by PlantsAreNeat (E, 37,018 w. || Fake Relationship, Pining, Slow Burn, RST, Eventual Relationship, POV Sherlock) – A young John makes an ‘if we’re still single at 40, we’ll get together’ pledge to a woman who ends up all wrong for him. She keeps reminding him of the promise, and won’t let go of it. John asks Sherlock to pose as his boyfriend at a family wedding, so as to dash her hopes permanently. Sherlock, who has at last acknowledged his feelings for John, reluctantly agrees despite knowing how painful it will be to ‘have’ John, but not keep him.

Resistivity and Relative Charge by liriodendron (E, 41,750 w. || Synesthesia, Angst, Case Fic, Romance, Est. Rel., Homophobia, Religious Content, Victor Trevor, Mild Jealous John, Mild John Whump) – In which Sherlock Holmes meets an old acquaintance, John Watson doesn’t enjoy a trip to the country quite as much as he thought he would, and the past absolutely refuses to stay where it belongs. Part 3 of Conductivity

Corpus Hominis by mycapeisplaid (E, 47,709 w. || Casefic, Fluff, Romance, Frottage) - John knows the human body intimately. He’s had plenty of opportunity for study as a doctor, soldier, and lover. There’s one particular body, however, he knows very little about. When Sherlock launches himself head-first into a new obsession and they get sent on a case in an unlikely location, the pair discovers each other’s bodies with confusing yet delightful (and sometimes hilarious) results.

John Watson’s Twelve Days of Christmas by earlgreytea68 (M, 53,464 w. || Christmas, Holmes Family, Fake Relationship, Alternate First Meeting, Falling in Love, Fluff and Angst, Hardcore Pining) – It’s the holiday season. John Watson needs money. Sherlock Holmes needs something else.

Wars We Fought, Things We’re Not by blueink3 (M, 55,204 w. || Parentlock, Fluff & Angst, Kidnapping, Whump, Post-TAB, UST, Slow Burn, Couple for a Case) –  Five months after John’s world has fallen apart, Mycroft sends the consulting detective and his doctor on a case that neither is prepared for.

Bridging the Ravine by SilentAuror (E, 58,883 w. || Post S4, Couple For a Case, Bed-Sharing, First Times, Confessions, Awkwardness, Sex Trafficking) – Sherlock and John go undercover at Ravine Valley, a therapy centre for same-sex male couples in an investigation into a possible human trafficking ring. As they pose as a couple and fake their way through the therapy sessions for the sake of the case, it quickly becomes difficult to avoid discussing their very real issues. Set roughly six nine months after series 4.

A Case of Identity by jkay1980 (T, 91,009 w. || Fake Relationship, Post-TRF, Case Fic) – John and Sherlock have succeeded in rebuilding their friendship after Sherlock’s fake suicide, but an unusual case puts their relationship to the test. They pretend to be engaged and attend a marriage counseling workshop. Under the pretext of the case, Sherlock turns out to be a master of seduction, and John finally learns he might like Sherlock more than he thought. Slowly, John discovers that he loves Sherlock not only in a friendly, brotherly way, but both men have to fight their own demons before they can think of taking their relationship to a new level…

[monkeyandelf]

New Post has been published on Buzz News from Monkey & Elf |

New Post has been published on https://www.monkeyandelf.com/why-we-should-consider-banning-social-media/

Why We Should Consider Banning Social Media

On December 3, 2017, 23-year-old Canadian porn actress August Ames became embroiled in a Tweet storm that would drive her to take her own life two days later. Her decision to drop out of a scene that she was scheduled to do with a male “crossover” performer (a guy who has sex with both men and women on camera) was perceived as homophobic by the masses of angry human beings that lurk on Twitter, even though she has appeared in many dozens of scenes with other women. Her ownership of a stance that others disagree with provoked a furious backlash.

One crossover star, Jaxton Wheeler, tweeted “the world is awaiting your apology or for you to swallow a cyanide pill. Either or we’ll take it” and he was backed up by an online lynch mob who peppered her with abuse and insults. On December 5 she sent out her final Tweet—”fuck y’all”—and was discovered by her husband, porn director Kevin Moore, soon after. Silicon Valley might peddle utopian propaganda that frames social media as some sort of dreamy promised land where information is freely shared and connections made for the purposes of our collective enlightenment, but over the past couple of years it has become abundantly clear that it has become an utter cesspit and the death of August Ames is a far more accurate representation of the reality of internet discourse. This is why, in my opinion, we should consider banning social media.

JGI / Tom Grill / Getty Images

Although August’s death cannot solely be attributed to Twitter—indeed, Ms. Ames was candid about her battles with depression and the sexual abuse she suffered as a child, so she was quite clearly a particularly vulnerable individual—I firmly believe that had this incident happened 15 years ago, she would still be alive. As someone prone to making controversial, provocative statements, I’ve endured a sizable share of abuse online. Just several weeks ago an old article that I wrote pondering whether Japan might be the world’s most overrated travel destination got a second wind of life, and I opened Twitter to find over 100 notifications from disgruntled Japanophiles who took issue with the fact that I voiced an opinion that they disagreed with.

For hours new notifications kept rolling in, many of which contained insults and ridicule rather than reasonable rebuttals or well-thought out counterpoints. Their tone was overwhelmingly combative. Now I don’t expect any sympathy because I knowingly brought such a reaction upon myself, but even as someone who gets a kick out of poking people in the eye, I couldn’t help but feel the back of my neck tense up every time a new flurry of tweets came my way.

just being so candid and one with nature and my phone and shit omg vegans amirite 🌸

A post shared by August Ames (@msmaplefever) on Sep 10, 2017 at 9:25pm PDT

Social media platforms are designed to mimic slot machines as a way of getting users addicted to them. As a result, overstimulation on social media feels like sensory overload. I couldn’t help but feel mildly overwhelmed and a degree of aversion began to creep in. There’s something about Twitter that made all this hate feel much louder than a silent notification icon at the bottom of my iPhone screen. If someone with a lot less Twitter followers, much less of a profile and not nearly as many issues as August Ames can feel themselves begin to look away, I can only imagine how cornered she must have felt. Communication before social media lacked that instantaneousness; there was a buffer that made it seem more distant. Maybe Twitter and its users can’t conclusively be blamed for Ames’s death, but they can’t absolve their conscience completely.

I’m sure there are those who would accuse me of hysterically overreacting, but this is so much bigger than a solitary tragedy: over the past couple years we’ve seen social media distort our very perception of reality as it became a vehicle for fake news. Russian spy factories weaponized social media during the Brexit referendum in Britain and throughout the U.S. presidential election in order to undermine the western political order. Soon after Donald Trump’s victory, The Guardian pondered whether the Internet has become a failed state. Peer down the wormhole of Breitbart or 4chan or the myriad of misogynistic subreddits out there and it becomes quite clear that it has. Social media may have enabled mild conveniences but many are beginning to question whether we’ve reached a tipping point where it causes more harm than it’s worth.

lil snowflake

A post shared by August Ames (@msmaplefever) on Aug 6, 2017 at 10:21pm PDT

But it’s not only the alt-right that have turned online discourse into a mud wrestling match in a puddle of proverbial diarrhea: supposedly high-minded social justice warrior types are clearly just as odious. After all, it wasn’t neo-fascists that drove Ms. Ames to her death, but people who seem to believe in tolerance so intensely that they’re willing to mentally lynch someone that deviates from their world view. Rather than spewing bile, Ames was ham-handedly referencing the fact that that gay and bisexual men make up a much greater proportion of HIV infection — roughly 70%, to be exact. This isn’t homophobia, it’s a scientific fact: HIV is 18 times more transmissible via anal penetration than vaginal sex. Her wording may have been untactful, but it was by no means hateful, yet she was bullied to death by people who would probably claim to have a deep concern for other human beings.

This shows that the cruelty that’s so rampant on social media has nothing to do with political affiliation. The anonymity and detachment from reality facilitated by the Internet clearly brings out a profound cruelty that lurks in the dark recesses of human nature, one that the light of an smartphone screen cannot illuminate.

To those who would disagree with me, I posit the question: why shouldn’t we ban social media? What have social media platforms added to human civilization that’s so indispensable that we should simply shrug off the fact that it makes the democratic process vulnerable to tampering by foreign agents? Snapchat filters, perhaps? Do the benefits of Timehop really outweigh the erosion of human civilization by fake news? Facebook might save us money on long distance phone calls because we’re able to stay in touch with distant friends and relatives, but it allows allows firms like Cambridge Analytica to harvest our most intimate personal data and use it to wage psychological warfare via those very same platforms that gave them said data in the first place. Bit of a crap trade-off, if you ask me.

A post shared by Kylie (@kyliejenner) on Sep 7, 2017 at 2:43pm PDT

Seriously, ask yourself: who has really benefited from the rise of social media? Silicon Valley robber barons, unremarkable influencers who’ve managed to monetize their minimal talents, marketers who are now able to invade our consciousness with targeted ads that most of us invest concerted effort into avoiding and, of course, the unimaginative masses who have nothing better to do with their lives than record inane Instagram stories that are forgotten quicker than they can disappear. The gains, by any measure, aren’t enough to offset society’s collective loss of dignity.

Of course I’m not naive enough to think that a social media ban will ever happen. We haven’t even been able to make a break with fossil fuels despite the fact that it’s making our planet uninhabitable. Money speaks louder than the sound of a thousand trolls shitposting in unison. The best we can hope for is that all decent human beings on social media decide to sign out permanently once the stench emanating from this raging dumpster fire becomes too much to endure any longer. That said, though, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter.

Next up; here’s how to stop procrastinating online.

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[therappundit]

September 2017 - *PlayLi$t of the Month*

Summer ‘17 is a wrap, folks. It closed with Mother Nature unleashing a few hurricanes from the south, which is a pretty accurate representation of how angry the world feels in 2017. Apocalyptic weather reports, horrible politics and threats of war from other nations aside...music remains as reliable of an escape weapon as possible, and while hip-hop writers may have differing opinions about whether there was a single song that owned the summer (sorry, “Bodak Yellow” ain’t for me), most would agree that there was a lot of strong releases across the board. Fittingly, I’m closing out the summer with one last extended playlist of my favorite tracks from the past month...

1. “Calisthenics” - Nolan The Ninja feat. Royce Da 5′9

https://soundcloud.com/nolantheninja-1/calisthenics

(Sweeeeeeet. One of Detroit’s finest connects with Detroit’s absolute finest - Team Royce all day - to unleash some razor sharp bars over a cricket-laden, soulful instrumental. This reminds me of the type of underground gems that would premier on The Wake Up Show around the 2:15 AM EST mark back in the day, and anything that channels that vibe will always stay on repeat through these headphones. Cop that new Nolan album when it drops next week.)

2. “Bullet Club” - Conway feat. Lloyd Banks & Benny 

https://massappeal.com/conway-the-machine-bullet-club-lloyd-banks-benny-premiere/

(Only during a month of non-stop heat would a cut like this not own the #1 spot on my list. Consider #’s 1-3 this month a 1a, 1b, 1c situation. To say that G-Unit’s top punchline spitter sounds well at home alongside Conway and Benny over a moody Daringer beat would be a huge understatement. More Griselda + Lloyd Banks combos, please!)

3. “Doomsayer” - DOOM & The Alchemist

https://www.spin.com/2017/08/doom-doomsayer-stream/

(When MF DOOM starts dropping loosies every week, you know it’s a blessed year for hip-hop. DOOM and the mighty ALC connect for a beautifully dark masterpiece of a track.)

4. “JUNKY” - BROCKHAMPTON

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AR7SenR2Hc

(WOW. This is what you can call an attention grabbing verse. There may be hotter verses that drop in 2017, but I doubt that there will be one that grabs the spotlight quite like Kevin Abstract stepping up to the plate to counter homophobia. Ameer goes in, too. This might be my favorite track off of SATURATION II, but this whole album is pretty damn impressive.)

5. “383 Myrtle” - Mach-Hommy feat. Billy Woods

https://mach-hommy.bandcamp.com/track/383-myrtle-feat-billy-woods-beats-by-evidence

(Billy Woods and Mach-Hommy drops fire verses over a somber Evidence instrumental, and the result will definitely have you clamoring for more collaborations amongst this trio of talented underground elites. DUMPMEISTER is another jewel in Mach’s crown, as he continues to be one of the freshest rap artists to emerge in the last few years...at least for those able to contribute the $’s to purchase his projects.)

6. “NMIM” - Wiki feat. ACAB & Slicky Boy

https://hypebeast.com/2017/8/wiki-no-mountains-in-manhattan-album-stream

(The former Ratking MC delivered a powerhouse of a NYCentric album with No Mountains in Manhattan. He taps into a subterranean city vibe that I honestly haven’t heard since Company Flow and Cannibal Ox. While those are admittedly some pretty big shoes to fill, I can easily see this album inspiring a lot of Wiki’s peers to step their game up and put their heart and soul into their sound.)

7. “5200” - Maxo Kream

https://soundcloud.com/maxo-kream/5200a-1

(I’ve been waiting for Maxo Kream’s tape all year and it seems like he’s finally revving up the engines for a release in the near future. Maxo just dodged some terrifying conditions in his home of Houtson thanks to the sh*tstorm that was Hurriance Harvey, so obviously any delays in future music releases is completely understandable. Lucky for us, we have this smooth track to tide us over. Maxo’s flow is so potent it’s hard for me to picture him being anything but a household name in this game for years to come.)

8. “Olympian” - A$AP Ferg feat. Dave East

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsrJdy_7YZQ

(Ferg’s been on fire all summer, but this bouncy collaboration with fellow Harlemite Dave East has the making of a sleeper smash hit.)

9. “Hot Pepper” - Action Bronson feat. Meyhem Lauren & Jah Tiger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otRJC960u6g

(Bam Bam’s back! Rather than reinvent the wheel with Blue Chips 7000, Bronson delivered what he does best: hilarious quotables, banging beats, and an off the charts personality. Meyhem’s potent verse makes this one an early standout.)

10. “Red Light” - EarthGang

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq_G21yehKs

(EarthGang has been earning a lot of acclaim for their new RAGS EP, even racking up some comparisons to Outkast. While that’s probably not a fair comparison to make, it’s not an outlandish one. These Spillage Village MCs are delivering southern-fried lyricism at a level even Andre & Big Boi would have to appreciate.)

11. “Shteef” - DRXQUINNX

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZUnjC9dqc8

(I don’t know too much about the Chi-town rapper/producer, but I know him from working with Denmark Vessey, and that’s a strong enough co-sign for me. This one is just a fly head-nodder that reminds me of the type of gem that would show up on a Black Milk album. This is not good, it’s GREAT hip-hop, and I am really looking forward to DRXQUINNX’s upcoming Richard Pryor project on 9/29.)

12. “Long Time” - Nino Man

https://soundcloud.com/imninoman/long-time

(Manhattan is making a nice showing this month, eh? Nino has quietly been doing his thing in NYC for a while, but he just recently seemed to master his craft. After co-signs from NY icons like the Lox, “Long Time” feels like the type of tightly woven street single Nino might not have been able to own a few years ago, but for me it confirms that he has really arrived. Looking forward to hearing more from Mr. Brown.)

13. “Triumphant” - BEWARE & Chavis Chandler feat. Payroll Giovanni & Royce Da 5′9

https://www.fakeshoredrive.com/2017/08/premiere-beware-unites-detroit-on-triumphant-featuring-payroll-giovanni-royce-da-59-chavis-chandler.html/

(More Royce? Why the hell not. Producer BEWARE provides the back-drop for three very different Motor City MCs to speak their “Started From The Bottom” bars.)

14. “People Say” - Wu-Tang Clan feat. Redman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GI02VfEXQKk

(Sooo I guess the Wu is releasing new music again? Or at least RZA is emptying the vaults? Well whatever brought us this spoonful of soul from the sons of Shaolin and Redman, I’m not complaining. Hot damn, Method Man has really still got it.)

15. “Made For This” - Wiki feat. Ghostface Killah

https://genius.com/Wiki-made-for-this-lyrics

(More from Wiki, as he secures a high profile co-sign from Ghostface. If we can’t seem to get a DOOM and Ghostface Killah project, maybe WikFace is possible? I would happily take a project featuring more joints like this one.)

16. “Tiger Bone” - Planet Asia & Apollo Brown

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epsmArWfNvE

(I criticized this Anchovies album when it dropped, simply because I am such a big fan of both Apollo Brown and Planet Asia and I felt that this one didn’t resonate with me as much as previous projects. Well, since then it’s grown on me. A lot. PA delivers, and while the sample usage is not as a fresh as I had hoped, Apollo did his thing as well. The two artists have undeniable chemistry.)

17. “FYBR (First Year Being Rich)” - A$AP Twelvyy, A$AP Rocky, A$AP Ant, A$AP Ferg, Key & Playboi Carti

https://soundcloud.com/asapmob/fybr-first-year-being-rich

(A slight tweak to the original “L.Y.B.B.”, Twelvyy lets the rest of the crew jump on board his original 2016 loosie for a bit of a twist on the original concept. 2017 might not actually be the first year that the Mob can call themselves rich, but if they keep on bringing this level of energy to every track, they may still have their richest years to come.)

18. “B2KK” - Joseph Chilliams

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1psXx8QUGY

(I am not 100% sure how Joseph Chilliams came on the scene, whether he is being serious or if he’s just a goofy kid or what, but I will tell you this: he is the most interesting MC to come out of Chicago since Chance The Rapper. You will be hearing a lot from him, I promise you.)

19. “Off The Bench Pt. II” - Westside Parlé

https://soundcloud.com/westsideparle/off-the-bench-ptii

(BX on the rise. Westside Parlé is slowly climbing to the top of the NYC food chain. Press play on this one and you will quickly learn why. The crossover potential is there, plus the guy can straight-up rap.)

20. “Nobody Move” - Lil Eto feat. Agallah & Milano Constantine

https://soundcloud.com/lil-eto/nobody-move-ft-agallah-x-milano-constatine

(Rochester general Lil Eto has gradually been racking up heat, continuing to turn heads towards the upstate New York rap scene. Nothing too heady happening here, just a bunch of hard MCs waxing hard bars over a hard beat...and there’s nothing wrong with that at all, especially when we’re talking about MC’s of this type of cloth.)

*Honorable Mention - Bonus Cut*

“Blowin’ Minds (Skateboard)” - A$AP Rocky, A$AP Nast, A$AP Ant, Chief Keef & Playboi Carti

https://soundcloud.com/asapmob/blowin-minds-skateboard-feat-a

(Call it a guilty pleasure pick, but something about the bubblegum beat and the Keef hook just works for me! This is one of the catchiest joints off of Cozy Tape Vol. 2.)

Still In Heavy Rotation:

4:44 by JAY-Z

http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/jay-z-4-44-upcoming-album-new-mixtape.117283.html

Rosebudd’s Revenge by Roc Marciano

http://onsmash.com/music/roc-marciano-rosebudds-revenge-album-stream/

[ICYMI: Last month’s list below]

https://therappundit.tumblr.com/post/164278148766/august-2017-playli-t-of-the-month

[kbetolks]

The original post can be found here★.

1. What does your writing process look like?

A text file with a bunch of sentences

A folder with images supposedly pertinent to the story

A bunch of bookmarks on google search

Eventual pieces of paper also with a bunch of random sentences

2. Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?

Uhh... no? I listen to music, but that's hardly 'strange', I guess.

3. What book do you wish you could have written?

Redações Perigosas II. It's about a teacher that always get herself in trouble when she asks her students to write an essay. There's a bit of mystery and a bunch of puns. Or that’s how I remember it from my childhood. LOL!

4. Just as your books inspire authors, what authors have inspired you to write?

(I don’t have any proper book, nor do I know about inspiring people. It’s a cool thought, though.)

Well, I had PerfectDreamWithHim to push me to write, and I always loved russelia’s stuff. I guess it’d be those two?

5. If you could cast your characters in the Hollywood adaptation of your book, who would play your characters?

I'd want Betty White as Nan Fletcher, and Regina Hall as Becca.

6. How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning? Do you have any name choosing resources you recommend?

Very important. Sometimes I spend quite a few hours trying to find a fitting name. And I don't really have a go-to site, but anything like those 'names for babies' or names dictionaries is good. Especially those that show a name's popularity at certain year. Pretty useful.

7. What do you consider to be your best accomplishment?

This is so vague... I'd say completing my every story. I take pride in not leaving unfinished stuff behind. (It may take years, but I do it!)

8. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I don’t know? Too many years there. I can barely plan anything for the weekend… LMAO

9. Were you already a great writer? Have you always like to write?

(It's funny because this assume I am a great writer. LMAO) I kinda enjoyed writing for school, but just that. Writing stories is somewhat new for me.

10. What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?

Write. You can't get better unless you practice. Everybody starts somewhere.

11. If you didn’t like writing books, what would you do for a living?

12. Are you a plotter or a pantster?

A bit of both? lately I've been more of a plotter because I'm writing longer stories. But everything else is just me going with the flow.

13. Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?

Read and respond to all of them. It's just common courtesy, in my opinion. Advice, eh? I'm really bad with those because I barely get ANY reviews, and the bad ones are pretty rare, too! I guess I'd say to not pay it any mind if it's not con-crit. Only you know how long it took you to write that, and usually that nasty comment comes from somebody that doesn't even write. If you are you own worst critic (like me) you don't have much to worry about. *Alanis Morissette voice* No one's been crueller than I've been to me ♪

14. What is your best marketing tip?

15. What is your least favorite part of the publishing / writing process?

Writing. LMAO! Seriously, it would be a lot easier if the words just flowed from the brain.

16. Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?

So many, to be honest. Anything that's too dark and serious, like sexual assault.

17. Do you have a favorite conference to attend? What is it?

Never been to one of those.

18. Is there a certain type of scene that’s harder for you to write than others? Love? Action? Racy?

Anything angsty or smutty. I've been trying my hand at it lately, but I don't feel as relaxed as I am with crack and silly puns.

19. Is this your first book? How many books have you written prior (if any?)

Given that some stories are as lengthy as books, no. I have other 5 or 6 stories over 40K.

20. What are you working on now? What is your next project?

I have two stories at the moment. Choices Like Waves★ and This World Ends With Us★. I plan on going back to Not As We at some point this year or the next. There's also an exchange later this year, but I'm not sure I'm participating yet.

21.When did you decide to become a writer?

I didn’t decide. It happened when a friend talked me into translating and posting a dream I had. That was sometime around 2012.

22.Why do you write?

Because I have too many unwritten ideas and I want to see as many as possible written before I die. But mainly because I can't not write.

23.What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?

Like starting a project? Well, it depends on the idea, though it all comes down to my inability to not write something.

24.Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?

Whenever I have time, though I usually pick weekends/mornings. There's so much I write at night that doesn't make sense...

25.Do you write every day, 5 days a week – if not, when?

I write whenever it's possible. And when I can't, I'll just jot down some ideas.

26.Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?

Nah, that's unnecessary stress.

27.Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?

Lately I've been outlining stuff and then seeing how far I can go. I don't mind if new stuff comes to me along the way.

28.How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?

I'm pretty creative, if i say so myself. I'm not sure there's been any change to even say I 'evolved'.

29.What is the hardest thing about writing?

Everything.

30.What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?

For TWEWU I'd say some delicate aspects of the plot towards the end. I had to find a way to make it somewhat lighter than the original plot. (It's so vague, but I don't want to give out possible spoilers. LOL!) For CLW Id say... the homophobia. It made me sad because it's very common in real life.

31.What is the easiest thing about writing?

*hysterical laughter*

32.Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?

Both.

33. How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?

I don’t think I have? Like, imagination was never a problem. Even before I started writing. I just let my imagination run wild, and it’s been that way since forever? That’s why I have a soft spot for fantasy. (My dreams usually involve that kind of stuff and my first fic was actually a dream I had.)

34. What subjects do you find you can’t write about, and why?

Abuse in general.

35. What subjects do you love writing about?

Everything that's happy and silly. Family fics are my drug.

36.How much research do you do?

It depends on the story, but usually quite a bit. At least I try to check if what I'm saying has any veracity or I'm just being daft.

37. Have you written any other novels in collaboration with other writers?

Never.

38. Why did you do decide to collaborate and did that affect your sales?

39. When did you decide to become a writer?

I didn't. I was dragged into this life. LMAO

40. Why do you write?

Because I need to.

41. What inspired your latest project?

I wanted to try my hand at writing smut, so a gay porn star story seemed ideal. LMAO

42. What’s the most boring part of writing?

Revising/editing.

43. What’s the most fun part of writing?

Seeing it finished.

44. What’s the biggest writing mistake you ever made?

I changed some character's ethnicity halfway into the story, and I'm also bad at getting the seasons right. (It's always the inverse for North hemisphere.)

45. What do you hope to accomplish in the next 5 years as a writer?

I don't know. Finishing the Tales of Deepsea City series? I want a third instalment with a crossover!

46. What’s the best thing you’ve ever done as a writer?

Carried on writing.

47. What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done as a writer?

Carried on writing.

48. Do you find it hard to accept criticism?

Not at all. Even the worst criticism is nothing compared to how I judge my own stuff. My skin is sorta thick. LMAO

49. What do you hope to do better as a writer?

Write a well-received story.

50. What do you think is your best quality as a writer?

My imagination.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

I hope you are having the loveliest, coziest holidays, and reading All The Fics (like I am). Currently on a big binge of ‘Sherlock & John go on a retreat/holiday/getaway event while pretending to be a couple but actually aren’t except they actually are but haven’t sorted themselves out yet because keeping everything repressed has worked fine until now obviously and let’s just pretend we both don’t have boners while we share the bed’ trope. Any suggestions off the top of your head? All my love!!!

Hi Lovely! *HUGS* 

Thank you so much for your kind words!

HAHAH I LOVE THAT TROPE TOO OMG!! It’s one of my faves! I’ve actually made quite a few lists already on this very trope, a couple very recent too, and I haven’t anything really new to add. So, here’s my related lists:

The Speckled Blonde / BedSharing

BedSharing Pt. 2 and Insecure Sherlock

For a Case Trope

Meeting the Family

Christmas: Oblivious That One or The Other is In a Relationship

Married For a Case / Fake Husbands

Tooth Rotting Fluff

Hugs & Cuddles and Tooth-Rotting Fluff (Pt. 2)

Christmas Fic Recs (Dec. 2017)

AND Guess What? I have a whole new slew of Bed Sharing Fics I can give to you! Hope these all help you find what you’re looking for!

BED SHARING PT. 3

Whispers in the Dark by coloured_ink (G, 833 w. || Bed Sharing, Anxious Sherlock, Anxiety, Caring John, Spooning, Little Spoon Sherlock) – Sherlock has anxiety attacks. Good thing John always knows what to do.

A Discourse on the Inadequacy of a Duvet by guns_and_poses (T, 1,005 w. || Est. Rel., Fluff, Humour, Bed Sharing, Romance) – Sherlock keeps stealing the covers when they share a bed because he wants John to move closer to him when they are sleeping but of course doesn’t want to ask. John gets annoyed at first until he realises what Sherlock wants and is more than happy to oblige.

The First Night by TheForerunner (NR, 1,043 w. || First Time, Fluff, Non-Explicit, Prose) – When all was over, Sherlock reached to dress again and John reached to stop him. They sat at opposite ends of the bed and one set of eyes surveyed the other’s set of limbs, and they were quiet in the downbeat, melody suspended. Sherlock was sheepish, and this confused John, who now smelled of his companion and felt they were part of one another.

The Cure for Snoring by Goddess_of_the_Night (G, 1,278 w. || Bed Sharing, Cuddling, Fluff, Domestic, Platonic / Sleepy Cuddles) – Sherlock and John spend the night in Scotland after finishing a case. The sole Inn in town only has one room left…one bed. This would be fine - if not a bit awkward - if Sherlock hadn’t developed a habit of snoring loudly. John suffers through many hours of sleeplessness before he discovers that skin-to-skin contact stops the noise. Part 1 of Dreamscapes

John Was Nice Like That by hannah_baker (T, 1,307 w. || Est. Rel., Fluff, Body Worship, John’s Bum) – Sherlock Holmes may not ever sleep, but that hasn’t prevented him from having a kip on the couch with John.

Caught by Salambo06 (E, 1,859 w. || Frottage, First Time / Kiss, Bed Sharing, Wet Dreams, POV John, Masturbation) – A hotel room. They’re here for a case, hadn’t planned to spend the night and ended up sharing a room. No, sharing a bed. Suddenly John is very much aware of his own hand closed around his hard cock and the ragged breathing next to him. Closing his eyes for the briefest second, John dares to turn his head just enough to confirm what he already knows. Sherlock, on his side, watching him.

Stay by msdisdain (M, 3,561 w. || First Kiss / Time, Angst / H/C, Bed Sharing, Nightmares, Blow Jobs, Anal) – John’s nightmares are nothing new. Sherlock’s inability to ignore them, however, is.

Everything by patternofdefiance (E, 4,409 w. || Snuggles and Cuddles, Bed Sharing, Frottage, Vulnerable Sherlock) – John wakes up with an armful of Sherlock.This – situation – is unusual, yes, and definitely unfamiliar, but in no way does it feel wrong.Rather, it feels the exact opposite. Part 13 of I Blame Tumblr

Keep Each Other Company by orithea (E, 4,600 || Est. Rel., Threesome, Self-cest, Time Traveller Sherlock) – One Sherlock is demanding enough. Two of them are impossible to resist. Part 3 of The Time Traveller’s Flatmate

What Happens in Vegas (is legally binding in the United Kingdom) by moonblossom (E, 5,051 w. || Accidental Marriage, Friends to Husbands to Lovers, CSI Crossover, Fluff & Porn, Bathtub Sex, Hand Jobs, First Time) – When a case sends the boys to Vegas, John comes out of it with a bit more than he bargained for. Part 19 of Prompt Fills, Remixes, Works inspired by others

Adjacent by weeesi (E, 5,711 w. || Bed Sharing, Fluff and Smut, Pining Idiots, On a Trip, Frottage) – Sherlock and John spend the night at a hotel in adjoining rooms, and keep finding excuses to visit each other’s rooms, until WHOOPS they’re sharing a bed.

The Honeymoon Suite by Salambo06 (E, 5,827 w. || Fake Relationship, Fake Marriage, Frottage, First Kiss, Cuddling/Snuggling/Sleepy Cuddles, Bed Sharing, Holidays / Hotels, Case Fic) – “You’ll see,” the receptionist smiles, handing John the key to their room, “This honeymoon suite is quite spectacular. Our hotel has won many awards, most of them for these rooms.” John nods, licking his lips and playing with the key in his hand. We’ll probably be leaving first thing in the morning, he wants to tell her. As soon as Sherlock proves who robbed the previous couple who booked a room here, we’re out of here and stopping this happily married charade. “Thank you,” he says instead.

Just a Touch by MissDavis (E, 6,248 w. || Bed Sharing, Masturbation, First Time/Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Sharing a Room) – John has trouble falling asleep these days. There’s one thing he can do that always seems to help, but he’s stuck in this hotel room with Sherlock and doesn’t think he’ll get the chance. How will he ever find relief and a good night’s sleep?

The Death of Doubt by Gingerhermit (E, 6,584 w. || Alternate Canon, BAMF John, POV Sherlock, Sherlock’s Mind Palace, Hurt/Comfort, Angst/Drama, Meddling Mycroft) – Mycroft asks for John’s help in rescuing Sherlock from his Serbian captors.

Coda by SilentAuror (E, 7,448 w. || PWP, POV John, Porn with Feels, Switch, Fluff) – Coda to A Satisfactory Arrangement. “This is all I want to do for the rest of my life,” Sherlock tells him. “Screw the work. Let’s just stay in bed forever.” Part 2 of A Satisfactory Arrangement

I can’t pretend by Salambo06 (E, 7,692 w. || Fake Relationship, Victor Trevor, Jealous John, Miscommunications, Bed Sharing, Love Confessions, First Kiss/Time, Anal, BJs) – They had arrived more than a hour ago, and the moment they had walked inside the hotel reception, John had understood why Sherlock hadn’t wanted to come. Two men, posh suits and expensive watches on their wrists, had come to greet them with sharp remarks and badly hidden mockery, and John had seen red. Sherlock hadn’t said anything, mostly ignoring the two men entirely, and without thinking twice about it, John had slid an arm around Sherlock’s waist and introduced himself as his husband.

Your Eyes in Darkness Glowing by tamed_untranslatable (E, 14,686 w. || Est. Rel., Case Fic, Hotel Sex, Bottomlock, Anal, BJ’s, Porn With Feelings, Homophobia) – Sherlock gets roped into a case in Moscow on his brother’s insistence, but finds that he can’t do it without John.

Twelfth Night by yourdykeinshiningarmor (E, 15,139 w. || Fake Relationship, Christmas, Mutual Pining, Friends to Lovers, Angst & Fluff, BJ’s, Anal) – John is invited to his aunt’s Twelfth Night ball. Sherlock offers to attend with him as a friendly face among strangers, but John’s family force him to address his true feelings for Sherlock.

A Hundred Thousand Ways to Say the Name John by Jberry (E, 16,825 w. || Fake Relationship, Fake Marriage, POV John, Pining John, Cruise Ship, Angst & Fluff, Case Fit) –  John Watson and Sherlock Holmes must solve a case on a cruise ship. To get close to the crew and passengers, they must get married for the case on the Baetica. However, their relationship hits rocky seas both due to the case and internal conflicts. Part 1 of Baetica

The Semantics of Crop Circle Formation: a case study by Sherlock Holmes [unpublished] bycanolacrush (M, 41,710 w. || Sherlock POV, Aliens, Wordplay, Casefic) – “Look at these photographs,” I said, gesturing to the wall of crop circles. “What do you observe?”“Crop circles,” John replied.“Obvious. What else?”“Are…are those intestines surrounding them?”“Yes. The majority are bovine and ovine in origin. The farmers who have acquired these crop circles in their fields have also had a tenth of their livestock murdered and arranged thus.”“Why?” John said, presumably in a rhetorical fashion. I detest rhetorical questions. “That is what I must find out, John.”

Bedroom Tales by Junejuly15 (M, 49,950 w. || Friends to Lovers, Through the Years, H/C, Military Kink, First Kiss / Time, Romance, Insecure Sherlock, Voyeurism, Post-TRF, Ficlets, Fluff and Angst, Fix-It Fics) – Bedroom Tales is a collection of John and Sherlock ficletsThey are set at various stages of their relationship and are in no particular order. Some are fluffy, some sexy, some angsty, there is hurt and comfort, romance and love. What unites them is that they all play in a bedroom, but not necessarily the one in 221B.

John Watson’s Twelve Days of Christmas by earlgreytea68 (M, 53,464 w. || Christmas, Holmes Family, Fake Relationship, Alternate First Meeting, Falling in Love, Fluff and Angst, Hardcore Pining) – It’s the holiday season. John Watson needs money. Sherlock Holmes needs something else.

A Case of Identity by jkay1980 (T, 91,009 w. || Fake Relationship, Post-TRF, Case Fic) – John and Sherlock have succeeded in rebuilding their friendship after Sherlock’s fake suicide, but an unusual case puts their relationship to the test. They pretend to be engaged and attend a marriage counseling workshop. Under the pretext of the case, Sherlock turns out to be a master of seduction, and John finally learns he might like Sherlock more than he thought. Slowly, John discovers that he loves Sherlock not only in a friendly, brotherly way, but both men have to fight their own demons before they can think of taking their relationship to a new level…