#this is actually my first time contributing to a zine and I think I did a pretty decent job

[agnerd-bot]

Not quite a new bio, buuuuuut...

A Fanservant zine I was a part of came out! I wrote up the bio for the Harpy Sisters Aello, Ocypete, and Celaeno, and the fantastic Altermyniad made the art for 'em. Feel free to check 'em out! There's a ton of amazing Fanservants here besides mine, so I hope y'all like it!

[i-actually-post-stuff]

In celebration of Spones day I remembered that I never posted the written submission for the @sponeszine after the waiting period was over! I'll have more to post today for Spones day! Something I that I actually made for the day 😂

For now, the unedited version of my zine entry:

A03 Link

“Now, what's this, Spock? Cookin’, or biological warfare?” McCoy eyed Spock's potluck contribution; a mixture of colorful unfamiliar baked vegetables, piping in the bath of sauce and spices, all served in complement with a steamed Vulcan grain that he recognized but didn't remember the name of. But, the spice from the stuff was practically overpowering without him even eating it. It made his eyes water like getting too close to the smoke from a fire. 

In all honesty, it seemed exciting. McCoy wasn't a loather of spice. He liked spicy chili, hot pot, jerk chicken, spiced rum; all kinds of tasty things that’d make his mouth burn. It wasn't that he disliked the idea of trying the dish at all; it was that he wanted Spock to tell him about it, and with Spock, an insult always worked better than a request.

“If I was attempting biological warfare, Doctor, I would have not chosen such an obvious method as poisoning you via food.” Spock paused to consider McCoy’s initial jab. “I am lucky to have found Vulcan ingredients in such abundance in the market. All of the vegetables and spices are Vulcan in origin, and the grain is myropses, which has been grown on Vulcan since the early days of space travel, when it was first imported.” he knew McCoy’s game at this point, it seemed, and he looked like he was taking an un-Vulcan-like pride in his recreation of the dish. “I ruminated on what to prepare for quite a long time yesterday evening.” 

McCoy leaned in a bit to really admire his work while he listened. It did look absolutely mouthwatering.

“You are unaware of this; Vulcan cuisine exists on what you would call two ends of a spectrum; unflavored meals focused on texture and, in contrast, meals that take full advantage of the spices available on Vulcan.” the corners of his mouth quirked up—subtly, but certainly fiendishly. “I only used a small fraction of the traditional spices for this dish. Perhaps I should have made a tasteless dish, in order to suit your palette more appropriately,” he insulted. 

McCoy resisted a simple; bite me. “Maybe I should’a made some spicy harissa aubergine pie. Had you put those Vulcan taste buds to the test,” he genuinely considered. “Lucky for your Vulcan ego, I just made some sweet peach pies.”

“Then, perhaps I'll show you the fault in your thinking that any Human spice would adequately phase my palate on another day,  doctor.”

“You’d-”

He was promptly cut off by Jim awkwardly ringing the little dinner-bell he'd replicated. The entire potluck crowd straightened up and looked to the captain. 

It was truly a wonderful sight laid out on the several large tables in front of them. The Enterprise cultural exchange potluck was many a crewmember's favorite time of year, including McCoy’s. There were so many tantalizing looking breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and desserts scattered across the table, and even more odd looking ones. Jim had been wise enough this year to separate the dishes by smell, after the absolute fiasco of smells from the last year's contributions. It certainly made where he was standing all the more dangerous for his sinuses. But, no one would be skipping over his pie sitting on the opposite table because of the magma incarnate Spock had brought along.

“Everyone, welcome, to the annual Enterprise potluck. Today we celebrate, where we came from, the people, we surround ourselves with and choose to care for now, and, the way that our strength is in what each, individual, one of us, brings to the table—because our differences are the exact thing that make, wonderful times like this, possible. I,, remember all those complaints last year about the length of my speech, and all I have to say, is, shame on you all for not enjoying the only thing I can bring to this table. You, don't, want my cooking here,” he got a light chuckle from the crowd, “and, dig in.” He stepped down from his spot at the head of the intersection of tables as everyone rushed for their plates. 

McCoy really did try to seem like he wasn't in a hurry to taste test Spock's special Vulcan dish that he'd so considerately made palatable for human consumption, but it was the third thing that he'd put on his first plate, and Spock definitely took notice, looking at him from across the table. And McCoy took note of that look, and the peach pie slice on Spock's dessert plate. That eased him. He'd actually been fairly concerned that Spock wouldn't like what he brought to the table this year; Vulcans weren't exactly known for being avid lovers of dessert. And the two years before, he hadn't gotten to participate. 

As he made his way to Jim's side at one of the sitting tables, he found himself troubled with the idea of Spock eating his pie. He knew he'd put a lot of effort into making it just right, and he knew that it was probably one of the best damn things at the entire potluck. But it was also the first time Spock was going to try his cooking. What are you sweating for, McCoy? It doesn't matter what Spock thinks. Get it together. He couldn't fathom why Spock's judgment on the matter seemed to get him so anxious.

Spock sat on the other side of Jim. McCoy eyed up his plates. Despite the many other wonderfully colorful dishes Spock had decided to sample, he couldn't help but lock his eyes on his own slice of pie on that dessert plate. He briefly considered causing a scene; doing something, anything, to get rid of that slice on Spock's plate. He won the battle with himself and forced himself to calm down, of course, but the whole thing just made him feel silly. 

He took a deep breath, double checked to make sure he had his little shot glass of milk, and took a bite of Spock's cooking. 

It was incredible.

The vegetables were crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. The perfect texture, easy to chew and easy to savor. As his teeth bit through them, the juice went straight to his taste buds, sweet and sour. But the method of cooking added something else; a kind of char, almost like it had been grilled; or, maybe that was one of the spices. That's when the first wave of spice hit. Whatever it was, it was intense, prickling at his tongue and down his throat, then right up into the sinuses. It was a good burn, like the first time he tried Thai food. The spice playing in harmony with all those flavors, pairing so perfectly with the plain, grounding taste of the grain, and just begging to be chased with a nice smooth drink. Then the second wave hit, and he sniffled a little as his nose started running. He held a napkin over his nose and mouth and let it run for a second, not wanting to give away that the third wave, the aftertaste, was making his eyes burn. He shut them. 

There was no doubt. Spock was a damn good cook.

He subtly wiped his nose and took half his shot of milk, wishing that he had gotten a full glass and didn't have to save the other half for what was left of it… and also wishing that he had a bigger stomach, to go back and get more without sacrificing the capacity to try all the rest of the food he’d piled on his plates. He cleared his throat, the remnants of the spices tickling where the milk hadn't entirely soothed.

Then, he subtly looked over to Spock. 

Spock was sitting there, looking as though he hadn't even started eating, like something was on his mind; not something troubling him, more so that he was ruminating on something he found important. He knew the man, after all—he knew what the look on his face was. The Vulcan was definitely thinking about something very important to him. So important that he hadn't touched anything on his plates—Leonard did a double take.

Spock had touched one thing on one of his plates. McCoy's slice of pie, which was completely gone. Briefly, he was flattered, before realizing all of the different things that that could mean. 

Maybe Spock hated it. Maybe it’d put him off eating all together. Or maybe he hadn't checked the little ingredient card in front of it closely enough, and it had something he couldn't eat, and now he was considering the validity of calling the whole thing off for himself and going back up to the ship to pretend that he wasn't having a reaction to it. Or, maybe he was trying to think of the best possible insult to grant him after the meal. Well, two can play at that, Spock! Yours is—well, it was perfect. It was just great; he couldn't think of a bad thing to say that wasn't just insulting himself for not having a Vulcan tolerance. 

Maybe Spock was thinking the same thing. Well, not exactly the same thing. 

Maybe Spock was thinking that he wished he'd tried his cooking sooner. Maybe, just like McCoy was, he was wishing that they’d just cooked for each other so they didn't have to worry about leaving out all the other wonderful things there were to eat on their plates. 

No, not Spock. The man doesn't even eat breakfast. He only ever eats what he needs to survive unless it's in the name of being diplomatic. It seemed inconceivable that the Vulcan could be thinking of something so worldly as having another bite of something delicious. 

“Since when are you a slow eater, Bones?” Jim remarked, nudging his shoulder knowingly. 

“It's called pacing yourself, Jim. Good for big meals like this. ‘N I'll recommend it to you if you don't slow down.” he gestured to Jim's half finished plate. “You even chewing? You're gonna give yourself a stomach ache.”

Jim huffed with a bit of amusement, both of them knowing that McCoy was just crabby about being caught staring at Spock and wondering what he thought of his food.

Leonard took a bite of something else on the plate to avoid more ridicule, listening as Jim turned to Spock and said, “not hungry, Spock?” 

Whatever game he was playing. 

Sure, everything at the potluck that McCoy had put on his plate tasted incredible. There wasn't a single thing he regretted, even the things that squirmed under his fork—a bit like octopus with soy sauce, he considered, and he knew better than to be put off—but nothing stuck in his head quite like Spock's silly little spicy vegetable dish. He was embarrassed, finding his thoughts drifting over and over again to a hypothetical situation of him walking up to Spock and asking about the recipe.

On one hand, it felt a whole lot like praising the enemy. The little game that they played that neither of them were supposed to really win didn't work that way. Sure, the occasional compliment on the other's competency slipped out on occasion. But asking the man to make him dinner was a whole ‘nother thing. It was so… domestic. And the thought of sitting down in one of their quarters over a Vulcan meal that Spock had put so much time and effort into preparing seemed a bit too much like him asking Spock on a date for his comfort. Although, it didn't sound like a bad date. It sounded like a very good date. In fact, it sounded like the best possible date with Spock he could think of in that moment.

In that train of thought, he considered that it might even be a bit of a show of strength on his part; a brag that he was able to handle it. One of his ways of teasing him that was more of a compliment, despite its disguise as a boast.

He thought back and forth on it until just about everyone at their table had finished everything on their plates. Not that he noticed until Spock intruded behind him.

“Doctor.” 

He looked back over his shoulder at Spock, playing with the last thing on his plate with his fork. “Spock,” he acknowledged.

“We will be in orbit of this planet for 57 more of your Earth hours. I intend to acknowledge your challenge. You will inform me of what time would work best for you. Then, we will meet and you will prepare a dish for me that you believe would adequately test my Vulcan taste buds.”

He was stunned for a moment, of course. Spock had beat him to it. He practically did everything but schedule the date. But McCoy was too quick a thinker to sit there with his mouth hanging open about it. “All right, Spock. Only if you take me to the market and show off your fancy Vulcan veggies and spices.” He wouldn't let Spock be in charge of the whole situation without a fight.

“Acceptable,” Spock immediately acknowledged, almost as if he would accept any condition.

“And, one more thing.” McCoy pushed his luck.

“Yes?” Spock shifted uncomfortably, as if he was worried- if McCoy didn't know better than to think such a thing about a distinguished Vulcan like Spock. 

“You're gonna make this for me again the night after we leave orbit.”

[lazywitchling]

Alright, here we go. My review for The Dabbler's Guide to Witchcraft by Fire Lyte

Final rating: ??/10 - it broke my numbers system.

TL;DR - I like the book. I'm angry at the author. It's great for new practitioners. If you're going to get it, please get it from the Spiral House Shop, get Alex Wrekk's two witchcraft zines to go with it, and go look at/reblog/contribute to the original Dabbler's Week project.

(Also I think this is the longest review I've written yet. I'm sorry.)

This book is very good. I'm mad about that. The author is an excellent writer. I'm mad about that. I want to dislike this book but I can't, and I'm mad about that.

So let's get into the breakdown of why.

First up, a housekeeping thing: "Fire Lyte" is a pen name that I don't believe the author uses anymore, so I will be referring to him as Don Martin, the name he is using on his current projects. I know he's on TikTok, formerly of Inciting a Riot podcast, now of Head on Fire podcast.

Second, some links relevant to the review-which-is-actually-just-a-rant:

The breakdown of things I found that were taken uncredited from Tumblr

I COULD be making this up and reading it in bad faith, but this bit about 'heteronormative marriage' has my alarm bells ringing

Why I hate the title of this book

The original Dabbler's Week project links

Anyway.

I picked this book up specifically because of the title. It's been 3 years since it was published, so it took me a while, but I remember looking at that title when it was first out and thinking "Hey... the timing of this... did this person just wholesale lift the 'Dabbler' idea from Tumblr?"

The answer is: Yes, probably!

(He also summarized the Malachite Dick post from February 2020, but he actually credited Tumblr along with relevant usernames, so that's good and also made me laugh.)

But... yeah. The fact that he's crediting Tumblr from something that specifically happened in February 2020, when the original Dabbler's Week was from late January 2020 and seems to have inspired his whole book? Don, would it have killed you to mention ANYTHING about that project and the people involved?

He's very big on talking about following trails of information, listening to podcasts, listening to the podcasts of people talked about on those podcasts, reading books talked about on those podcast, and so on. But if he doesn't start off by saying "Dabbler's Week was a project issued by asksecularwitch on Tumblr", then how is anyone supposed to follow THAT chain of information, hmm? If his whole advice on finding good witchcraft resources is to follow the chain of people who are sharing information from each other, but he makes no mention of where he got the whole idea for his book, then what?

Side rant: I'm real tired of how Tumblr information is simultaneously treated as too shitty to ever bother reading or mentioning, but good enough to screenshot, repost on other sites, recite word-for-word on tiktok, and apparently write a book about.

ANYWAY. I'm angry about it. I'm gonna be angry about it. Here, please look at these links to the shenanigans that began the original Dabbler's Week, because Don certainly won't tell you about this part.

Anyway.

Some bad things:

I mean, the plagiarism. I keep hesitating to use the word 'plagiarism', because to me that seems like wholesale lifting entire works and slapping your name on them, when all Don did was fail to credit a few Tumblr users he quoted. But then again, if I did that on a research paper in college, it would be called plagiarism, so.

This book is in fact not a great guide for 'dabblers'. The point of Dabbler's Week was that if someone didn't know if they wanted to commit to witchcraft but wanted to fuck around with casting some spells for a week to try it out, there were week-long guides on things someone could do to try that. This book is not for fucking around with magic, it's for people who are already sure that they want to make this a thing in their lives. It handles some heavier topics (e.g. vetting mentors and not getting sucked into a cult) that are very very important for someone who is BEGINNING, but may be too much for someone who just says one day "lol I think I'll cast a spell for fun". A far more accurate title would have been "The Beginner's Guide to Witchcraft", but then he'd lose that punchy and marketable and googleable term 'dabbler'. (Yes, I'm going to be petty about this.)

"Wow Jes, it sounds like you really hated this book."

NO I DIDN'T, AND I'M SO MAD ABOUT THAT!

Some good things:

The author has a writing style that I enjoyed very much. This is a personal preference, but I like when books are either written so that the author is fully invisible (Bree Landwalker's books do this wonderfully), or the author is fully visible, like they're sitting at the table having a conversation with you (Kelly-Ann Maddox's 'Rebel Witch' comes to mind, as does Alex Wrekk's 'Brainscan 33: DIY Witchery'). Don Martin is the table conversation kind. That makes this book very easy to read, while also getting information across in an easily-understood sort of way.

This book fills a very necessary gap in modern witching books. It talks about the online community of witches, and a lot of the pitfalls that have come along with the bonuses of having so much witchcraft available at our social-media connected fingertips.

He gets very in depth with things like cultural appropriation. That's something that you can find in a lot of modern witch books, but Don actually spends the time breaking the concept down and explaining WHY it's harmful, HOW it affects people, and quotes people from the affected minority groups. I have seen the appropriation topic come up in a lot of the witch books I've read, but Don is the one who has covered the topic the best, imo.

He spends time on topics that I myself would have been dismissive of. The example that comes to mind is the chapter 'Can I Make Sh*t Up?' My knee jerk reaction was "Yes, you can make your own spells, you don't need to get someone else's permission. Next question." But Don goes through the full breakdown of yes you can make up your own spells, yes you can make your own correspondences, but no that doesn't mean you can just throw a water soluble crystal in your water bottle because you think it's good for cleansing.

Actually on that topic, he covers a lot of the why not just the what. It's not just 'appropriation is bad', it's 'and here's why'. It's not just 'research your herbs', it's 'here's some examples of things that can and have gone wrong.'

SPELL CANVASES! There are 11 'spell canvases' in this book, and they're pretty much all just kids/teens science experiments (e.g. dissolving an egg shell in vinegar, lighting a tea bag on fire so it flies, and using food dye to color a white flower). He does not give intentions for these spells, but gives a spell technique and then some examples of how you could apply your own purpose/intention to it as needed. It's actually pretty smart, and now I wish there was more stuff like this.

He actually explains what UPG means. Man, 'UPG' is one of those things that I keep seeing as a 'I don't know what that means and I'm to afraid to ask' blog post. When someone pops into the witchy social media circles, we can throw the term 'UPG' around as if everyone knows what it means, and forget to actually explain that it's Unverified Personal Gnosis and what that means. Don's got us covered. Good on you, Don.

The one throwaway line about why you don't have to buy fancy witch things. Tucked away in chapter 12 is this almost nothing-sentence mentioning why you shouldn't be "going broke hoping to buy your way into 'effective' magic" (pg. 161). I have seen, reblogged, probably written posts about 'No you don't need the fancy tools! You can just use whatever! But you CAN buy them if you want, you just don't NEED them.' And we've all seen those around, right? But damn, if Don didn't just get to the heart of it. You can't buy your way into skill. YES, Don, THAT!! THANK YOU.

Alright. I'm running out of words. This isn't a review, it's a rant. Holy shit. Let me shut up with a TL;DR

Almost without doubt, Don liked Tumblr's idea enough to write a book about it, but failed to give credit. But he's an excellent writer and covers a lot of topics that are not often written about in printed books, and to get those blogosphere-ideas onto bookshelves is invaluable. This is a good book for beginners starting out in witchcraft, but not for dabblers who just want to screw around with some spells. Do the pros outweigh the cons? Is it ethical to buy a book when the author gets royalties but the bloggers he got the idea from do not? I don't know. I can't tell you that. You'll have to weigh all this against your own moral compass and decide for yourself. My recommendation is that if you're going to buy it, please buy it from the Spiral House Shop, because if Don Martin's going to get paid for this book, Alex Wrekk should too. Buy Alex's zines. Reblog Sec's posts. Links are up at the top.

[kamenriderliveblog]

Guess what's ready for digital order! It's @ultra-zine!!!

Okay look I know that my very first post said that I wasn't a figure person. That has obviously changed and I have officially fallen into the SH Figuarts rabbit hole. I preordered Blazar plus I want to get Zero and all of Z's forms. Send help, lmao

Full disclosure: I did contribute something to this zine, which is one reason why I haven't done many liveblogs lately. (I'm still a little emotional about seeing something I've written in print.) I wrote Chill Out, It's Snow Problem, though that was before I saw the dub for Z. Watching that notably changed how I write Z's verbal tics.

I had a hard time with this story because my first draft was like 4500 words. I had to cut out a lot and that was a painful experience! Granted, for me editing is always a painful process, but I'm of the opinion that if it doesn't hurt in one way or another, I'm not editing enough. I'll probably toss up the longer version on AO3 eventually though. It actually really, really hurt to cut as much as I did and I want those parts to see the light of day in one way or another.

There were some scenes that I wanted to write but didn't even make it into the first draft. There was originally going to be a scene with Z taking control of Haruki's body with his permission and skating at an ice rink because my headcanon is that Z would be really good at it. Yes, that scene from episode 7 has been living rent-free in my head for way too long. I also thought Z skating in Haruki's body would be a fun scene for the artist (in this case the amazing @chacerider, though I didn't know that at the time) to use for the illustration if they wanted. Beliarok was going to appear too, but I couldn't think of a way to get him in there in a way that I was happy with.

Originally the story started in Haruki's apartment before going to STORAGE, which actually did make it into the first draft. I had to choose between scrapping that whole intro or paring down the emotional beats that came later. The choice was obvious. Oh yeah and I had Haruki nearly get hit by a truck in the first draft. Fun! Still had to cut it, though.

Haruki and Z being able to tell how the other is feeling or emotions bleeding from one to the other isn't exactly something that happens in canon, I know. It's pretty much me taking the idea of Haruki's emotional state having a big effect on Z in episode 12 and then dialing it up to 11. I like the idea of there being side effects (for lack of a better word) to merging, and I wanted to explore how the friendship between Z and Haruki might develop if there was a lot more unintentional emotional openness. I'll also fully admit that I stole some things from Geed. Leito and Zero's conversations when they're out and around regular people was the big one, and while Z does take control of Haruki's body in episode 7 for a second, I was really more thinking of Geed's early episodes and how Zero would take control of Leito's body basically whenever he felt he needed to.

If you made it to the end, thanks! The link to read my story on AO3 is below. If you didn't manage to grab a physical edition of the zine, you can get a digital version of it and the previous volumes here!

[fkareynolds]

today I went to the fair

where they were selling zines and other things that queer people made at home. the truth is I don't like the look of many such works even though politically I think they're admirable and probably they contribute more to a world worth living in than most of the things I find more aesthetically pleasing like church or old books. but I went anyway and bought a couple things and tried to somehow be genuine to people even though I didn't have a lot of interest in paying money for their wares.

my friend from New York was tabling there and I bought some of his stuff not only because he's my friend but because I think he's very talented. he had these cool illustrated prayer cards with stylized representations of martyrdom. while we were talking a mutual friend approached the table who I hadn't seen in months because last time I saw him I'd told him I didn't want to hang out anymore because we had histories of tension I'd never addressed and they had upset me. for a while I thought the right thing to do was to ignore that and try to be friends on a new basis but the truth is that's not possible. so I felt I had to end it all at least for a while and that hurt him a lot and I felt sorry even though it was the right thing. anyway it's been a while now and our lives have moved on so the first thing I did was give him a hug and in doing so I tried to say 'I forgive you'

it made me think about these other problems I'm having with family and how I want to ask for space but I don't feel like I can. maybe I just have to accept that it's up to them to respond in a way that engenders love and if they don't then they have their own responsibility for having lost a chance at a genuine relationship with me. still it's scary to have that power over people and if it were up to me sometimes I think I'd rather not and I'd rather be no one and have no earthly ties only I tried that for a long time and mostly I just got more sad.

I've been trying to pray about it. sometimes I pray the rosary and I don't think about anything at all except Mary and the blessed fruit of her womb Jesus. other times I improvise personal appeals to God that help me actually think about what's bothering me and what I want and do it on terms where I say 'I know in spite of whatever they say that in your infinite wisdom and perfection you are not homphobic and do not believe in sin'. both of these acts are important for me and I think they help me be a more effective person. I used to try very hard to undo my faith in Christianity but that never made me a better person only a desperate and angry and stupid one and anyway the more difficult and responsible thing anyway is to take ownership of what you believe and decide why and measure it against your other beliefs and push through towards what is truthful and will create love between you and other people.

I'm really tired now and don't feel like wearing clothes or cooking dinner. apparently there was a gas leak in our house? in the basement. and also the neighbors left their stove on all day. so the apartment was full of gas. I think it's fixed now. but that was really more than I could deal with. I think I'll find something to eat and watch Sharp Objects

I might write more long posts like this. I hope you've enjoyed this deeper look at the life of steph

[thebluesideofmyworld]

A Good Guy - A Solangelo One-Shot

Summary: Will might be a lot of things. And among those things, Will would dare to say that he’s a good guy. But when it came to Nico di Angelo, would he ever be good enough, though?

Word count: 3900 words || Rating: Teenage and Up Audiences || Read on AO3

Notes:

1. Based on the song "good guys" by LANY 2. My contribution for @after-everything-pjo-zine project. Check out other fics (each fic is accompanied by great fanart so you just HAVE to check it out) in the zine here.

***

Will might be a lot of things. And among those things, Will would dare to say that he’s a good guy. And he would proudly say that it’s because his family raised him to be one. His Mama made sure that he never forgot to say please, sorry and thank you, and his grandma taught him to respect people. Even though Apollo wasn’t around to be an ideal father as Will was growing up in Tennessee, his grandpa showed him how to be a Southern gentleman.

So yeah, he might come across as a young man who with a sassy attitude. But heck, Will knew that he was a good guy. And he’s proud of that.

But here’s the thing. Here’s a thing about being a good guy. Being a good guy might sound like it’s a good thing to do. But being a good guy also sometimes meant that you’re almost as invisible as a wallflower. Because even though you’re good, there were always be better guys. And one thing that Will learned about being a good guy? Good guys never win.

***

“It’s been almost two weeks, you know,” Will said as he kept his eyes at the monthly medical report that he (pretended) to be reading.

“Two weeks since what?” Kayla asked, but didn't bother to pretend that she's actually interested.

“Since Nico went for that quest, remember? Something about Persephone’s parrot or something?” Will said, still trying to keep his eyes at the notes. Because he knew that Kayla might still see the worry in Will’s eyes. (Sometimes it’s almost scary, how his siblings knew him too well).

“Oh? Really? Has it been two weeks yet?”

“Almost,” Will said, decided to leave the detail that it’s actually has been 11 days and since Nico had left the camp early in the morning and now it was almost dinner, it’s been almost twelve freaking days since Nico left the camp for that stupid quest.

“I mean, of course, it might be nothing but well, I thought it was supposed to be a short, simple quest?” Will continued. “Usually if it’s just this small quest, it never took him this long before. Usually it would just be like, three days, five, at the most, and like, a week if he took a detour to impulsively do something unnecessary, but never this long.”

Will lifted his head and turned to look at Kayla, who didn’t seem to share the same worry as Will. Her eyes were still fixed on the glossy pictures of the magazine that she was looking at. A non-committal hum coming from her was the only sign that she was (kind of) listening.

Will tried to focus on the lines of writing in front of him, but the letters were all jumbled and he couldn’t make himself try to read anything. His mind was too busy thinking about different reasons and scenarios of why Nico wasn’t back yet from the quest.

“Do you think I should ask Chiron about it? Probably he’s heard from Nico, y’know. Like, maybe something came up and I don’t know, maybe Chiron knew or maybe even Rachel got a vision or something, or-“

“Or you could have just contacted me, Solace. Pretty sure that it doesn't hurt to try IM me”

Will stood up and spun to face the direction where the voice was coming from. He did it so fast, he got dizzy because of it. It took him two seconds before his eyes could fully focus on Nico di Angelo, who was staring at him. His face looked nonchalant, but his eyes glinted with amusement.

“Uh, hey,” Will greeted, gripping the desk as he suddenly needed to get a hold of himself. “You’re back.”

Nico gave him a single nod, brushing away some strands of hair from covering his eyes. “Yep. I just got back.” He shrugged his shoulders before continuing. “Thought I’d drop by here before I report to Chiron.”

Will tightened his grip on the desk, trying his best to hold himself from closing the distance between him and Nico just to pull Nico into his arms.

“And uh… What brings you here?”

The emotional part of him wished that he was the reason why Nico came straight to the infirmary after the quest. But the rational part of him shushed him. That damned rational part of him told him that hey, it was him who wanted to see Nico, not the other way around.

Nico kept his eyes at Will and there was something in those dark eyes that Will couldn’t really put his fingers on.

“I thought you wanted me to have a check-up every time I got back from a quest?”

Of course.

Will tried to ease the dull pain in his heart by giving Nico a small smile. “Yeah. Of course. Need to make sure that you won’t fade into the shadows again, huh?” Will let out a nervous chuckle. “I mean, I am your doctor, and a doctor only wants the best for his patients.”

This time Nico stayed silent as he nodded. Will gestured to a nearby cot with his chin.

“Now, if you could just sit down over there, please?”

Still saying nothing, Nico strode to the cot and quickly sat there. Will took a deep breath, mentally telling himself to be professional, and let it out in a long exhale. He made his way to where Nico was waiting for him.

The check-up was a regular one. And there was nothing new about how touching Nico made stupid butterflies do some stupid dancing in his stomach. He ached to ask Nico questions about what happened in the quest and why it took so long. He wanted to know whether Nico ever thought of him while he was on the quest the way Will kept on thinking about him while he was away. He wanted to listen to Nico talk to him, with that slight accent that made his voice so melodious, almost like he was singing.

But it would only scare Nico away.

So he kept his eyes at the board where he jotted down the notes about Nico’s vitals.

“So, uhm… This quest was a bit longer than usual, huh?” Will asked, almost proud of himself that his voice sounded normal.

Nico hummed as he put his jacket back on. “Yeah, we had an unexpected encounter with some empousai. Luckily, David is unexpectedly good at fighting.”

At the mention of the name, Will lifted his head up. “David? You mean the new camper? That Athena kid?”

Nico nodded. “Yeah. For someone who never held a sword before, I have to say that I’m impressed.”

A strange, nauseating heat flared inside Will’s stomach. “Really?”

“Yup. In fact, I promised to give him an extra lesson in sword-fighting tomorrow.”

That strange heat swirled even more inside Will. He stretched his lips into a lame attempt to smile at Nico.

“Oh,” Will said. “Nice.”

“In one way, he strangely reminded me of Percy, you know? The way he held his sword.” And Nico continued talking for a while about that stupid new guy. Will listened, humming every now and then just to show Nico that he’s listening.

Half of his mind wished that the harpies would find that David kid to be a nice target for their dinner. The other half of his mind scowled at him for having that kind of evil wish.

“Okay. Everything looks good. Just make sure that you drink enough water,” Will said as he wrote the date and signed his name on the bottom part of the report.

“So I can go now?”

Will nodded. “Yeah, you’re free to go now,” he answered as he walked back to his desk to put the record in the folder.

“And you’re not even offering to walk me back to my Cabin like a good Southern gentleman?”

Will spun on his heel quickly. He stared at Nico with wide eyes, thinking that he might have been hallucinating.

“What?”

Nico snorted and slid down from the cot. “Never mind. I need to report to Chiron first anyway.”

Will blinked, and it took him a full two seconds before he had his voice again.

“Nico-“

But Nico was already one step away from the door. He stopped and looked at Will over his shoulder. The left tip of his lips curled up, just slightly, forming a ghost of a smile. He gave a two-finger salute to Will.

“I’ll see you around, Solace.”

Not waiting for Will to answer him, Nico stepped away. And just like that, he’s out of sight.

Will stared at the open door. There is this hollowness inside his heart that he couldn't explain. Like he just missed a chance.

He always thought that he’s a good guy. Or at least, he’s trying to.

But would he ever be good enough, though?

***

“What are you doing here?”

Lou Ellen’s voice startled Will.

“Me? Uh…” Will scrambled to pick up the book that he just dropped and showed it to Lou, like he was trying to prove something. “I was reading!”

Lou Ellen stared at him with a glint of amusement in her eyes as she gave Will the Look. The ‘don’t-give-me-bullshit’ Look.

“What, am I not allowed to read in peace?” Will said, a bit defensively.

“Hey, it’s cool dude,” Lou said. “In fact, it was nice to see you somewhere else aside from the infirmary,” she added.

Will relaxed a bit, going back to lean his back on the tree.

“I can see why you choose this spot. It’s much quieter than the infirmary on your busy days,” Lou said.

Will hummed.  His eyes flickered to the far left, to the clearing a few yards away, just for a split second before he opened his book.

“And the view from here is also… decent.”

Lou Ellen’s tone made Will quickly look up again at the daughter of Hecate. She’s now grinning at him, like she just figured something out.

“How long have you been spying on those two?” Lou asked, gesturing with her chin to two demigods in the clearing who seemed to just finished sparring.

Will gaped at her. He blinked and quickly shook his head. “What? No! I’ve told you, I was reading here!”

But Lou Ellen didn’t seem to care about Will’s reaction as she waved at the demigods in the clearing.

“Hey, Nico! David!”

Will’s eyes widened in horror this time as he turned his head around, only to see that Nico and the new Athena kid walked towards them.

“Lou!” he hissed in annoyance.

Lou Ellen just gave him a teasing smirk. “What?”

Will groaned and quickly stood up, his book abandoned on the grass as he unconsciously ran a hand over his wild locks.

“Hey,” Nico greeted. “What’s up?”

Nothing’s up aside from his heartbeat, Will would like to answer. But of course, he kept it to himself as he tried his best to school his face into a relaxed, nonchalant, I’m-just-chilling-here expression.

“Nothing much,” Lou Ellen shrugged her shoulders. “You two are sparring together here? Why? Is the arena too mainstream for you?”

The new Athena kid gave a half-smile as he brushed off some hair from covering his eyes. “It was my request, actually,” he said. “I just want to have a...” he waved his right in a vague circular motion, like trying to find the exact word to say. “A more… realistic view when fighting a monster?”

That didn’t really make sense to Will. But it seemed to be an acceptable reason for Lou Ellen as she nodded at him.

“And has Nico been a good teacher for you?” Lou Ellen asked.

Will didn’t miss the way Lou gave him a quick glance.

David’s half-smile turned into a full one. “He is!” He turned his head to Nico and smiled at him, like he was pleased at Nico. “Thanks for teaching me, Nico. You are very good at sword-fighting.”

Nico returned David’s smile with one of his small smiles. A smile that could have filled Will’s chest with warm air. But since he’s not at the receiving end of that smile, it turned Will’s chest into lead instead.

“Anytime. It was a pleasure.”

“You will teach me more, yes? And ah… We also need to talk more. About football.”

This was the first time for Will to really listen to David talking, and he couldn’t help but notice how David’s voice had quite an accent. Especially when he pronounced football, the way he stretched some syllables.

Nico’s face lit up. “Yeah! We should! I know that Cecil played football! Right?” His eyes darted from Will to Lou Ellen, like asking for confirmation.

“Cecil? He does. I can take you to talk to him. Come on,” Lou Ellen quickly pulled the sleeve of David’s shirt and led him away from the other two demigods.

Will watched the backs of Lou Ellen and David who were walking away from them. He could feel nervousness starting to creep in on him as their voices slowly faded away, as he realized that he’s now alone with Nico.

Not that he hated to be with Nico. It’s just… this wasn’t his plan. He wasn’t prepared. And Will hated it when things didn’t go as he planned. He hated it when he was unprepared.

“David played football,” Nico said just when David and Lou Ellen disappeared from their sight.

Will angled his neck to look at Nico. “And when you said football, did you mean soccer?”

“I mean football,” Nico answered, turning on his heels a little so now he was facing Will. “The real football.”

Will snorted and slid down to sit on the grass. “They’re the same,” he said, leaning his back on the tree.

Nico followed Will, sitting on the grass. “It will always be football for me,” he said. There was a melancholic tone lacing his voice. And it made Will wonder, maybe it’s something that Nico used to play. In the streets in Venice, when he was just a kid who had no idea that Greek gods and goddesses were real.

“We, David and I, we were talking about playing here. I mean, it would be great, you know? David said he played midfield. I’m usually,” Nico paused, but quickly continued. “I mean, I used to play as a striker. If we can connect well, that would be really cool.”

Will closed his eyes while his stomach churned with a strange, unpleasant feeling. So, not only was this David kid good in sword-fighting, he’s good in soccer too?

“Do you play too? I mean, you can be the goal keeper. I guess you would be great. I mean, you’re tall and it would be a great asset for a goalkeeper.”

Will huffed. Stuck between the goalposts while watching Nico and David scoring goals? Yeah. No, thank you.

“We’ll see about that,” Will said, still with his eyes closed.

For a while, none of them said anything. Will opened his eyes when he heard Nico sighed. He turned his head, watching Nico stand up. Nico brushed his pants, and gave Will a small smile.

“I’ll see you around, Solace.”

Will wondered why that smile looked a bit strained, but returned it anyway. “Yeah. I’ll see you around.”

He watched as Nico walked away.

Someone would be a good guy for Nico, he thought. And even though Will was a good guy, maybe he just wasn’t good enough. So of course, someone would be a good guy for Nico. Someone else. Not Will.

***

Will didn’t even know why he was here, standing awkwardly near the table where the food and drinks were.

Oh, yes. Because Cecil and Lou Ellen practically dragged him here, to this stupid Halloween party organized by the Aphrodite Cabin.

It’s not that Will disliked Halloween. And it wasn’t like he hated Halloween parties either. What he didn’t like, was seeing Nico talking with David at the other corner of the room. Just looking at the sight made a strange, nauseating fire flame inside of him.

“Pining over di Angelo again?” Lou Ellen nudged him on his shoulder.

“Yeah. How long are you going to act like this Will? Playing it cool while we all know how you wish you’re the one talking to di Angelo instead of David?” Cecil joined Lou Ellen in interrogating Will.

Will only rolled his eyes. “I don’t know what you guys are talking about,” he mumbled, and took another sip of Coke from his cup. He tried to watch the campers who were dancing in the middle of the floor. Some kids from the Hermes cabin somehow got a hold of speakers. And of course, with a little help from the Hephaestus kids, the party had a cool sound system that was now playing pop music.

Lou Ellen sighed. Will stole another glance at where Nico was standing. David was leaning a little to whisper something at Nico. The proximity between those two made it a little bit harder for Will to breathe. He wondered what it was that David was telling Nico. But then Nico turned his head to Will. And no matter how cliché it might sound, Will’s heart skipped a beat when their eyes met. Will quickly looked down to the floor.

Next to him, Lou Ellen clicked her tongue.

“You know what? I can’t take this anymore. It’s been MONTHS. This has got to end tonight,” she said. Ignoring Will’s protest, she grabbed Will’s wrist and pulled him along with her, walking towards Nico and David.

A few seconds later, Will was standing with a flustered face in front of Nico and David.

“Hey, Nico, David! You guys enjoying the party?”

David gave that half-smile again. “Ah, yes. The party is nice.” He angled his neck just a bit so now he was looking right at Will. The half-smile subtly transformed into a knowing smirk. “And you? You… You are the healer, yes? Will?”

Will forced himself to smile politely at David. “Yeah. That’s me.”

David gave a single nod. “Nico talked a lot about you. A lot of good things.”

Will blinked. His eyes darted to Nico, but the raven-haired boy looked away from him. Still, his cheeks were a dark shade of red.

“Is that Cecil over there? I think I want to talk to him,” David suddenly said as he pointed at Cecil with his chin. “Lou Ellen? Come with me?”

Lou Ellen grinned as she nodded and made a 90-degree turn on her heels. “Yeah, come on, David. Let's leave these two idiots.”

And just like that, they left Will again, standing awkwardly less than two feet away from Nico.

“Uh… I didn’t expect to see you here,” Will said.

Nico turned his head at Will, an eyebrow slightly raised up. “Oh? I thought you were the one saying that I need to work on my social skill.”

Will gave Nico a small smile. “Yeah. So. Good to see you here, then. I mean, for your social skills and all.”

Nico stared at Will. And there was just something behind those dark eyes. Something that Will couldn’t put into words. Something that made him unable to look away.

“Aren’t you going to ask me to dance, Solace?”

The question got Will off-guard. Of all the questions in the world, it’s probably the most unexpected one.

“Huh?”

Nico held his eyes at Will’s for another second, but then he looked away. “Never mind,” he said, half-mumbling. His cheeks blushed again into dark cherry color.

“But… do you want to, though?”

Nico’s head turned back to Will. “Want to do what?”

“Dance? Do you…want to?”

Nico bit his lower lip and he looked down for a second. When he looked up back at Will, his charcoal eyes were soft.

“Depends.”

“On what?”

“On who’s asking me to.”

Will’s heart started to jump around in his chest.

“What if it’s me asking you?”

The eyes that were staring back at him were now smiling.

“Then I guess, it depends on the song, then.”

Will’s heart was probably doing some crazy somersaults right now, but his lips curled up without him even thinking about it.

“Well, it’s my favorite song that they’re playing right now. I hope it suits you?” he asked, carefully offering his hand.

Nico’s smile was as soft as the look in his eyes. And the moment their fingertips touched, Will’s heart soared high and suddenly his chest was filled with warm, light air.

As Will led Nico to the floor, he thought about how long he has been wanting to do this, to hold Nico’s hand in his.

They swayed along with the music. Nico’s left hand felt perfect in his right hand. Will’s left hand rested on Nico’s hip and Will couldn’t care less about the other people dancing around them.

“Your dancing is better than your singing,” Nico said, a playful smile on his lips.

Will chuckled. “My grandma said a real Southern gentleman must know how to dance. And I remember my Mama dancing with me when I was a kid.”

“Your Mam raised you well, I have to say.”

Will hummed. “I’m a good mama’s boy, I can promise you that.”

“I can see that, Will. Everyone can see that.”

“See what?”

“That you’re a good guy.”

This time Will held his eyes at Nico. “I try to be,” he said. “But… Would I ever be good enough for you?”

Nico huffed. “And you said I was the dense one.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean…” Nico stopped, but his feet kept on moving. He sighed. “Gods, do I really have to spell it out to you?” He asked, sounding exasperated as he looked away from Will.

Hope bloomed inside of Will and he grinned and oh, how he wanted to shout and laugh. He took his hand off Nico’s hip so he could gently cup Nico’s cheek, guiding him to face him back.

“Do you mean you like me?” Will asked.

“Well, do you like me?”

Will chuckled and he could feel a stupid smile creeping in. “Why do you even have to ask?”

Nico shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. Because you’re nice to me but you’re also nice to everyone? Because you don’t seem to care even if I talk about someone else? Because you…” Nico stopped again and shook his head. “I don’t know. Maybe because I just…don’t know?”

Will squeezed Nico’s hand just a bit tighter. “I was just… I was just afraid that I’m not good enough for you.”

Nico rolled his eyes. But his lips twitched, like he tried to hold back a smile.

“You’re a good guy, Will. You’re a good guy to everyone. But sometimes I hope that you can be my good guy.”

It’s like a thousand birds were singing inside of Will now as he felt like he was floating in this bubble of happiness.

“Then I’ll be yours, Death Boy.”

Will wrapped his arms around Nico, and pulled him into his embrace.

“I’ll be your good guy, then. I’ll be your everything.”

Nico pulled himself a little away from Will. He looked up at Will and the light in his eyes was like the most beautiful star in a dark night.

“Everything?”

“Everything. Anything you need.”

***

Additional Author's Notes: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it :). Reblogs, replies or any other feedbacks are much appreciated. Also please don't forget to check out the zine!!!

[aniy2k]

Riot Grrrl, Kinderwhore, and White Feminism

Riot Grrrl was an underground feminist movement that began in the early 90s. It was tied to the punk music scene, radical politics and DIY. It started originally with a Zine by Tobi Vai named Jigsaw in 1988 that expressed and spread radical politics and feminism. Vail later on decided to start a band by the name Bikini Kill. 

For most ‘Styles’, people don't even bother looking at the history of where it came from originally, so why is it important? 

While part of Alternative culture is Fashion and a way to express yourself that's against societal norms, there is alot of political significance that comes with it. When talking about it, Riot Grrrl tik tok creators, and other Alternative creators, say the political significance is based on what the subcultures are. Without that, you cannot be a part of the subculture. Obviously there are alot of conservatives in the scene (As you can see from the usage of lace code) Some complain and say that it's “gatekeeping”, but in my opinion, it's honestly… not. This isn’t the same as someone taking a popular music artist, then saying “You don't know this song? Ur fake lolz”.. This is separating mindsets that Alternative people strongly believe in and instead protecting a community that is supposed to be a safe place.

The Riot Grrrl movement provided a space where women in punk music tackled the conflict of inequality and sexism, and decided to fight it, united and organized.

Kathleen Hanna, Bikini Kills lead singer, ended up writing the “Riot Grrrl Manifesto” in 1991, which is a summary of what Riot Grrrl is and what it means to be a part of it. 

Summary: 

“ BECAUSE us girls crave records and books and fanzines that speak to US that WE feel included in and can understand in our own ways.

BECAUSE we wanna make it easier for girls to see/hear each other's work so that we can share strategies and criticize-applaud each other.

BECAUSE we must take over the means of production in order to create our own meanings.

BECAUSE viewing our work as being connected to our girlfriends-politics-real lives is essential if we are gonna figure out how we are doing impacts, reflects, perpetuates, or DISRUPTS the status quo.

BECAUSE we recognize fantasies of Instant Macho Gun Revolution as impractical lies meant to keep us simply dreaming instead of becoming our dreams AND THUS seek to create revolution in our own lives every single day by envisioning and creating alternatives to the bullshit christian capitalist way of doing things.

BECAUSE we are unwilling to let our real and valid anger be diffused and/or turned against us via the internalization of sexism as witnessed in girl/girl jealousy and self defeating girltype behaviors.

BECAUSE I believe with my wholeheartmindbody that girls constitute a revolutionary soul force that can, and will change the world for real.”

I’m not personally too much of a fan of how Kathleen Hannah ended up seeming like the regular ol’ white feminist that basically put WOC in the shadows within this whole movement. While this piece is about educating about the power that the Riot Grrrl scene had within punk culture, it has many many faults. The diversity within the scene isn’t there. It seemed to be a feminst movement, but only showcased one type of girl. White girls. 

Multiple black punks from that era came out and said that they felt that the riot grrrl scene wasn't for them. Honestly? I don’t blame them. You look up Riot Grrrl on pinterest or on tumblr, you can probably count on your one hand how many POC women are showcased.. This moment for women of color is probably the epitome of White feminism in some cases. Author, Gabby Bess, adds that “The history of Riot Grrrl is inevitably written as "predominately white," glossing over the contributions of black women and other women of color”.

Just like the article from VICE states, 

“In contrast to this ironclad narrative of the white Riot Grrrl, black women did participate in the movement. Few and far between, maybe, but they participated nonetheless, and they deserve more than to be swept under a rug of whiteness--These women carved their own feminist pathways into the hardcore scene, precisely because they were rendered invisible by the Riot Grrrl movement.”

One very powerful punk from that time, Ramdasha Bikceem, made up a whole Zine when they  were 15, that illustrates the conversation of race and gender in Riot Grrrl so perfectly 

This would all result in another black punk from that time, Tamar-Kali Brown, to make her own movement called “Sista Grrrl riot”. Out of all of the information that is circulated about the Riot Grrrl scene, Sista Grrrl Riot was probably one of its least talked about movements. Tamir-Kali Brown and her bandmates brought together a community and showed people a version of themselves on a stage where they weren’t represented.

> Kinderwhore 

Kinderwhore is a very popular style within the RiotGrrrl community. A lot of people Champion Hole lead singer, Courtney Love, for this style's popularity, but actually her bandmate Kat Bjelland introduced the style first. Though, with that being said, Courtney Love definitely made Kinderwhore one of many staple styles for the Riot Grrrl Subculture. 

What is Kinderwhore exactly? One thing about styles like this one is, there isn’t a specific definition to what it is. It was a bold, punk and sophisticated subversion of the classic "girl" stereotype, with a mini-feminine dress and bold makeup. The great part of the Kinderwhore Style is that it was about power. The power of femininity. It was so much more than just a style that included small dresses and mary janes. It was taking the most “fragile” feminine image and making it into something that is punk, and that takes all of the power back. 

Another part of Riot Grrrl fashion is just a subversion of regular punk fashion. DIY, big boots, Plaid, Skirts, Spikes. 

The idea of taking every inch of femininity that men manipulate and instead using it to make them realize that they can't handle what we are, is such a powerful thing to me as a fashion lover, but also as an aspiring social activist. As the rise of social media attention of Alternative Subcultures continues, I believe the next generation of Riot Grrls are going to kick butt and be more inclusive than the 90s scene was.

ani ok.

pls give me feedback and for those who obv have more education abt this pls give me feedback as well!! i think this is super interesting and enjoyed researching this <3

[killerandhealerqueen]

Your honest opinion about Yoon soohyun from The Devi judge?

And your honest opinion about Chu ran?

Ooo, okay.

My honest and personal opinion about Yoon Soohyun is that she could have been more. She could have been more than just Gaon's best friend who had this weird crush on Gaon for how many years and then basically just...dies. Like, I am tired of writers just writing women for the sake of a romance plot or for the sake of dying to either progress the plot or to help the male lead in some way. Like...Soohyun should have been more. She was a cop. And we really didn't get to see her being that. She had her moments where she was totally a badass, like that spin kick to Juk Chang's face? Fucking awesome. But like...there were also some moments where you're just like...you're a fucking cop, what are you doing?! Am I talking about the scene where she just leaves Elijah alone in her car to go fight off some bad guys by herself without calling for fucking backup?! Yes, I am talking about that scene because it irritated me so much. Also, and again, this is just my honest opinion, I don't think she should have been a lead character. She should have been a secondary character, especially with the amount of screen time she had. Jung Sun-ah makes sense that she's a lead because she's the main villain. Like that makes sense. Soohyun as a main lead? Not so much. Also, she's a little toxic. Like...she doesn't really hear Gaon out when he tries to explain to her that Yohan's really not such a bad guy but she doesn't want to hear it? She won't even let Gaon explain himself after the whole Cha Kyung Hee suicide incident, she just kept berating him like he's a child. That's another thing that she did, she constantly treated Gaon like a child or someone who didn't have the capacity to make his own decisions when we know that Gaon is fully capable of making his own decisions (even though they can be dumb decisions).

Now, my honest opinion about Chu Ran is that she's a really well written female character, especially in a cast where it's mainly men. Like...there was her, Zhong Yiren, Keying, Jiang Shengan, Liu Li, Mo Qing, Zining, and Mrs. Bai. Like, that's very little compared to the rest of the cast, who is mainly men. But, she holds her own and out of all the chinese female characters that I've seen, she's the best written one so far. Why? Because she's not stupid. She's a reporter but she focuses on finding the truth, not just publishing stories, unlike someone *cough cough* BYN *cough cough*. She also isn't there for like...just a plot device or a romance tool, she actually contributes to the story and to the plot. She's not just there because they need a female character for a het romance (which is also getting very, very old but I also understand why it's a thing but still...it's fucking 2021, people). Like, the first time we see her, she fucking protects Jiang Yuelou from the British soldiers by saying that she's on her period when the British soldiers notice that there's blood in the trash can. Like...bruh. Amazing. And she's also willing to help with like missions and getting information. She was even willing to get married to fucking Zhan Junbai to help protect/save her friends. What an absolute queen. And while yes, she did die (as did many other characters in this drama), her death...didn't quite go to waste? I don't know how to explain it, I personally think there could have been a lot less deaths but meh. We don't speak about ep. 37 and the bad ending so...

But overall, my personal opinion is that Chu Ran was a better written female character and didn't just serve as a plot/romance device like Soohyun did.  She was just a better female character overall.  But again, this is just me and my opinions.

[tact-and-impulse]

This is my contribution for the Narumayo Zine! I really had fun writing it, and I’m happy to finally share it on Tumblr, as well as on FF.net and AO3. Spoilers for up to Case 3 of Spirit of Justice.

Items of Interest

“So…the bazaar is still busy at this time, huh?” Phoenix remarked. Even though they’d woken at the crack of dawn to get ready, there was already a sizable number of people milling about the vibrant area. The azure sky was cloudless, a spring breeze rustling the flags under the eaves of brightly painted roofs.

“Of course, Nick. It actually peaks after morning prayers.” Maya said nonchalantly, as if it was obvious.

“And before afternoon prayers start, I’m guessing?”

“You’re catching on quickly.” She grinned, and taking his hand, she confidently led him down the main avenue. “What did Trucy want? A painted mask?”

“Yeah, she heard from Apollo that Khura’in is known for them. And she’s not the only one who asked for a souvenir.” He rummaged in his pocket for the folded list. Snapping the paper open, he read aloud. “Athena requested a ‘singing bowl’, that Blackquill likes them, and I might as well buy him the same. Larry is being his usual self and said ‘anything exotic’. Detective Gumshoe originally was fine with whatever, but Maggey convinced him that the cashmere goods are amazing from this part of the world.”

“Ooh, she has great taste.” Maya nodded. “During my first winter, I swapped all my undergarments out.”

He lowered the list, eyeing the back of her head. Have I ever seen Maya wearing…? Well, now’s not the time to think about that. It’s only been two days since her trial ended.

“And Pearly told me that she could use more incense.”

“For training?” He lengthened his stride to match her pace.

“Yup, it helps in focusing, plus she likes the fragrances.” She pointed to a nearby stall. “Ah, here’s the cashmere stuff! Let’s take a look, Nick.”

Colorful yarns and clothing items were spread out invitingly; wooden stands displayed tapestries of various sizes. He casually lifted a hat, noticing that it was woven by hand. The purveyor was an elderly woman, folding scarves in her lap, and Maya began to converse with her in Khura’inese.

Phoenix was impressed. Wow, she could pass for fluent. My vocabulary’s still restricted to greetings and the ‘most useful phrases’ page from the pocket dictionary I bought at the airport.

Her voice was softer in the foreign language, and he found it endearing. Content to listen, he stood aside, searching for options in the detective’s size. Then, in his periphery, Maya held up her hands, furiously blushing. The old lady said something with a big smile. Maya must have told her to repeat it, because she did, emphasizing and gesturing.

There was a gleam in Maya’s eye that made him swallow. He recognized that look.

“…What is it?” He ventured.

“Niiick…” She practically sang, grabbing his arm and pulling him into an affectionate snuggle. As friends did. “Apparently, there’s a couples discount of twenty percent. Isn’t that great?”

“Uh-huh. I can see where this is going.”

“Come on, my wallet’s hurting from the legal fees.” Maya was laying on the charm, and admittedly, it was working. Blinking up at him with her long lashes, her pink lips curving into her familiar mischievous smile. His arm was still pressed against her warm body, and he tried not to guess where exactly he was touching.

Sighing, he caved. “Alright, honey. Can we make it quick?”

“Pet names won’t work unless you say them in Khura’inese.” She pointed out to his embarrassment. “But I’m glad you’ll play along.”

She didn’t let go of him while they perused the available stock. They settled on two sets of hats, scarves, and mittens; dark green was certainly Gumshoe’s color and vermillion red suited Maggey. The patterns were subtly different, but they were clearly matching sets.

“They’ll look really cute together.” Maya had a lift to her step as they walked away. “Oh, if you see anything you want, tell me so I can haggle.”

“Sure, I will.” However, what he desired could only be bought with time. A couple more days, in fact. He cleared his throat, changing the subject. “Hey, what does a singing bowl look like?”

Maya began to describe, but she had to raise her voice. The noise of the bazaar was louder, the crowds denser. His hand fell to the small of her back, to ensure they’d stick together, and while she glanced over at him, she didn’t seem to mind the contact.

Singing bowls were popular with tourists, and they entered a large shop that had a pretty display section. An herbal scent wafted out of the door, leading to an aisle entirely devoted to incense. Maya immediately made a beeline for her cousin’s preferred fragrances, while Phoenix scanned the rest of the place. A worn shelf had what he was searching for; a dozen round metallic bowls were paired with wooden strikers. When he tested one, a long melodious note rang through the air.

“Yeah, I get why Athena asked.” He said aloud, deciding on an alloy that was mostly gold for her souvenir. He wasn’t as acquainted with Blackquill, though black and white was the prosecutor’s color scheme.

“Ooh, what’d you find?” At the sound of her voice, he instinctively turned. A sweet, earthy aroma surrounded her; it was reminiscent of rows of candles in a dark room, pain in his shoulder from breaking down the door. To reach her, to protect her. It had been ten years since that case, he realized, and Maya was no longer the uncertain novice. She was poised and eloquent, ready to become the Master of the Fey channeling technique.

He was immensely proud of her.

Her fingers danced in front of his eyes, drawing his attention. “Hello? Earth to Nick?”

He startled. “Huh? Are we going to check out now?”

“Yeah, if you’re done contemplating the universe.”

“Sorry. I was just thinking about how much time’s gone by.” He rubbed the nape of his neck in embarrassment. “The incense brought back memories of when I first visited Kurain Village.”

Her expression became melancholy. “Oh. Right, it’s similar to the channeling room.”

“It’s fine. Pearls likes this smell, it must be nostalgic for her. And as long as she’s happy, that’s what matters most. I got the bowls, so we can head out.” Remembering their charade, he offered his arm and she accepted with a tentative smile.

Behind the register, there was an array of Plumed Punisher merchandise. Small figurines, boxes of snacks, card decks. By the way Maya’s face lit up and her grip squeezed in excitement, Phoenix gave a knowing look. And it could have been the act, or the couples’ discount was more widespread than they thought. The teenaged employee offered a price markdown and motioned to the red and gold merch. “Have your pick, one free item!”

“Nick, you choose.”

“Why me? You’re the fangirl.”

“It’s more fun if you do. Besides, I trust you to have good taste.” She dramatically clasped her free hand over her eyes. “Go on, dear, I won’t look.”

Seriously? This is a lot of pressure…well, here goes.

Phoenix squared his shoulders, inhaled deeply, and pointed…to a folding fan modeled after the Punisher’s design. The yellow thread was a little too flashy for his liking, but the warbaa’d feathers sewn in between were a nice touch. And it wasn’t obvious that the accessory was from a television show.

Once he accepted the freebie, he tapped Maya’s shoulder with it. Sardonically, he intoned. “Your prize, my lady.”

Her hand dropped, and a moment later, her jaw did as well. “Those feathers are real, you have a good eye!”

“So, do I pass?”

“With flying colors. Thank you.” Then, she quickly pecked Phoenix’s cheek. A light pressure, the soft brush of her mouth leaving an impression on his skin.

Heat shot through him like a lightning bolt. His mind struggled to form a coherent thought. “Uh…you’re welcome.”

She was already making use of the fan, flapping it quickly, but her face was pinker than before. They strode back onto the main street and continued to meander. Neither of them mentioned what had just occurred.

It wasn’t as if they were outwardly proclaiming they were a couple, although they weren’t exactly protesting that they were just friends. They didn’t have to correct people’s assumptions anyway. Friends kissed each other’s cheeks all the time, right? That was a platonic gesture, nothing more…

“Hey, Nick.” Her voice was subdued. “Should we stop?”

He didn’t answer immediately. He purposefully placed his hand on her lower back again. She whipped her head towards him, and he steered her closer to the edge of the street, avoiding a rickshaw approaching from behind. As the speeding vehicle passed by, the driver sneered at them. A reminder of the hostility towards lawyers. “I think we should stay close. It would be safer that way, if that’s alright with you.” Phoenix carefully said.

“…Yeah.” And this time, her warm hand rested between his shoulder blades. “It definitely is.”

They were at the heart of the bazaar now, and a banner indicated where the painted masks were displayed. The organization was by expression, ranging from happy to lamenting to furious. Maya explained the relevant myths in casual retellings. Spirits of divine retribution, legendary heroes renowned for fending off invading forces, famous mediums who guided the fate of Khura’in.

A pale blue mask stood out to Phoenix. It was the same shade as Trucy’s hat and cape, and the gentle smile was like hers too. He held it over his face. “What do you think?”

“It’s perfect for Trucy! That’s a spirit who rescues people lost in blizzards.” She mimicked him with an amber one, and he made out tufts of animal hair, thick eyebrows, and a fanged lower jaw. “What about this for Apollo? A lion-like creature, roaring to scare off evildoers.”

“Yeah, definitely. I’m sure he’ll love it.” He lowered his mask at the same time she did, and they exchanged smiles.

While they slowly pushed their way out of the bustling center, his stomach began to turn inward. He checked his watch; they had an hour before noon prayers brought everything to a standstill. “After this, why don’t we stop for lunch?”

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll show you my favorite restaurant!”

The cozy establishment was reminiscent of a café or an izakaya, and according to Maya, it was helmed by a husband-and-wife team. The wife doubled as hostess and looked to be around Phoenix’s age. Upon recognizing Maya, she beamed. “Miss Maya, so good to see you! And who is this, your boyfriend?”

She was visibly flustered. “Oh, well, he came to pick me up…how are the kids?”

“Good, good! In school, but they miss you. Visit later again, okay?” Grabbing two menus, she briskly led them further in and called out in Khura’inese, presumably to her husband. He was cooking in the back and gave a holler, peeking out of the kitchen. He looked some years older, with laugh lines and graying temples. He waved a spatula in greeting, then returned to whatever was sizzling.

Every wall was decorated with square frames of paintings, calligraphy, and photographs. A handful of other patrons were in the midst of eating, but their table was far enough away to grant a degree of privacy. The chairs were topped with plush cushions, and once Phoenix settled in, relief bloomed in his sore feet and arms. Their souvenir load was becoming hefty.

Maya sighed too, flipping the menu over. “I was just going to ask for my usual. If you’d like a translation, I can tell you about the specialties.”

“No need, I’ll have what you’re having. I believe in your palate.”

“Thanks. I’ll warn you though, my spice tolerance has gotten pretty high.”

Tea was served, a peachy scent wafting from the cups. From Maya’s startled reaction, it wasn’t in their order. Their hostess insisted. “On the house.”

The chef yelled from the kitchen. “Don’t worry, Miss Maya! You deserve it!”

That only flustered her more. “You two are so generous. I’ll have to send gifts from our home…”

A peaceful lull descended upon them, and Phoenix nodded to the couple. “They seem nice.”

“They’re a sweet family. The kids are adorable. Some of the paintings are their little scribbles.”

“I’m guessing you eat here often?”

“I like to, when I’m in the city. It’s a hidden gem. Fast, cheap, delicious.”

She was right on all three counts. The first dish was steaming hot, and the rest arrived in rapid succession. Fried dumplings, vegetable curries, and “soul buns”, which really were delicious, covered the table’s surface. Because of all that walking, Phoenix found he was ravenous. He could almost have competed with Maya. She still had extra room for dessert, savoring the larger half of a buttery, crumbly sweet.

Phoenix had wrapped his section in a few napkins, and he fondly watched her enjoy the treat. “I bet you’ll miss the food.”

“Probably…I do miss burgers though, and miso ramen and crepes. I’ve learned a lot and I appreciate the time I’ve spent. But I want to go home, Nick.” She firmly said. “Home is my village, Pearly, the Wright Office. And you.”

“…Remember you said I could point out anything I liked in the bazaar? The only thing I want is for you to be back too. I’ve missed working together, eating together, spending time together. It’s really great to see you again, but I’m impatient for you to be home for good.”

Her gaze was steady, and her words were in that soft cadence. “Me too. I can’t wait.”

“Then, let’s see who we have left.” He unfolded the list, tilting it towards her.

She ran a tapered finger down the names. “We still have quite a few to go, huh? Edgeworth, Kay, Franziska, Ema, even Klavier who you’ve mentioned before…that reminds me, I’d like to pick up something for Godot. Oh, you even thought of the judge!” She laughed upon recognition.

“Sometimes, he asks where you are.” The old man usually gave Nick a sympathetic pat on the back and the sentiment that he missed his wife when she was on her business trips too.

“That’s so sweet. Well, we’d better get him a knickknack.”

“I came up with an idea for Larry while we were eating. A spice blend. He’s actually not a bad cook.”

She agreed, and upon inquiry, the chef provided directions to the best store. Just before they departed, Phoenix added a generous tip to their check, enough for the owners’ eyes widen in shock.

“Whoa, Nick.” Maya raised her eyebrows. However, her pleased smile rivaled the midday sunshine.

“Not exactly our plan, but it’s the least I could do for your friends.”

“I’m sure they’ll appreciate it. That was really nice of you.”

“Hey, you know I’m nice.” And for good measure, he kissed the top of her head. A bold move, but he didn’t care. Her blush was absolutely worth it.

Just a couple days, and then, we’ll be home.

[brglhobbit]

I really like your art. Especially in love with the coloured pencil Bagginshield you did recently. The colours just gave it such warmth. :) I slammed my reblog button so fast. Definitely my favourite ❤️ Have you ever thought about making a zine with your art?

Thank you so much! And apologies for a very late answer, I wanted to actually put some thought into this because your question is something I have been thinking about a lot.

My whole life I've been drawing more and less constantly. I made comics, drawings, illustration, trying out different media and styles and for a very long time I actually aspired to be a comic artist and an author too. Later that still unachieved dream sort of transformed and crystallized into a dream of making a book of my own. I mean who doesn't love a nice book with pictures and all.

So have I ever thought about making a zine with my art? Absolutely. A zine is almost like a book if you think about it. Mostly I lack the courage I think, the other pieces are kind of there already. I suppose a good first step could be contributing to a zine with multiple creators. And who knows maybe some day I find the courage to do it all myself.

So to answer your question yes I have thought about making a zine with my art and now that I have sort of made this dream of mine public I dare to say I can not take it back now. I must do it. Some day. It'll be so much fun. Any content ideas?

Again I apologize for the late reply and also sort of using this to ramble on and on about my art journey and dreams and thank you for your attention <3

Brglhobbit

[thewritewolf]

20 Questions: Writer Edition

Thank you for the tag, @botherkupo!

How many works do you have on AO3?

50 works!

What’s your total AO3 word count?

1,001,897 words! That last chapter of True Sight finally pushed me over the one million mark! :D

How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

Well, all my fics thus for have been for Miraculous Ladybug, but I’ve done crossovers with four other fandoms - Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse, Dungeons and Dragons, Chouette!, and Harry Potter.

I’ve also got plans for fics in other fandoms - specifically Fallout, Five Night’s At Freddy’s, and Breath of the Wild.

What are your top five fics by kudos?

1. Cat Crossing - which continues to baffle and surprise me

2. Multiple Second Chances - my Snekmouse fic!

3. Four TImes (and the Lucky One) - the start of my favorite Lucky One series

4. Rekindle - my favorite marichat story that I’ve written, very happy to see it get the attention it has

5. Inseparable - Ladynoir July fic, wrote it ages ago

Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

Yup! I respond to all the comments I can, excluding ones that are responses to other comments. Just to let people know I’ve read them, more often than not.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

That’s a hard question to answer, in all honesty. I write only happy endings for the most part, but I suppose In Due Time had the angstiest since it was a two-part series.

What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Lots of competition on that one. I’m going to say... Adrien Agreste and the Long Delayed Proposal

Do you write crossovers? If yes, what’s the craziest thing you’ve written?

Yup! I’ve done five crossovers, with fandoms that I mentioned above. The craziest one was Adrien, Agreste No Longer, which was a crossover with Barbie: Life in the Dreamhouse. It was just... insane, but fun and fluffy.

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Very, very rarely. It was pretty insane rambling, though, so it doesn’t bother me all that much.

Do you write smut? If so what kind?

I have tried, but it is all unpublished and will remain that way. I still need lots of practice before I’d even consider it lol

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

As far as I’m aware, no. I’m not that popular a writer 😂

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Again, as far as I know, I haven’t.

Have you ever co-written a fic?

...No? I did do a collab once, but that was more ‘I write a fic, and then provide art for it’. Which I’ve also done a couple times for zines. But co-writing? No.

What’s your all time favourite ship?

Love square! Adrienette specifically. Although I do also like Zelink

What’s a WIP you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

Well as for fics I’ve only got one right now that’s a WIP and that is DEFINITELY getting finished December. If we include series, then Lucky One I might not finish simply because I can always add new life events for the heroes to tackle to it.

What’s your writing strengths?

Dialogue and action scenes are what I’ve gotten the most praise for. That and world building, although that comes up less in fanfics.

What’s your writing weaknesses?

Character design is a big one. I find it a lot more difficult to make new characters compared to making worlds and societies. Descriptions for things that I don’t have a reference for is another big one - looking back, a lot of my suit designs for Two for Two are... not so great 😬

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in fic?

I avoid it when possible, only adding it in when it actually contributes something to the story, but generally I find that it detracts more than it adds. Especially if you don’t speak the language.

As an example, there is a point in True Sight where a Japanese character shows up and I wanted them to say a single line in Japanese as part of a joke, but I was talked out of it since it would’ve been tedious to get the actual line correct, for little pay off.

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Miraculous Ladybug! Although I suppose I’ve written stuff for D&D since I’ve been a dungeon master for years. 🤔 I don’t think that counts though since its for my own original world.

What’s your favourite fic you’ve written?

Probably True Sight! It taught me more than any other fic, and since it was my first one that I’ve updated for years, it also acts as like a tree ring of growth for me as a writer over the last three or four years.

[alutas-theory]

i leaked my nudes on twitter Blog

I struggle to pinpoint when I first discovered feminism. As a young woman raised in the early 2000s, feminism was always a concept that I was familiar with, even when I didn’t have the language.

I also struggle to pinpoint an exact time when I first came across an online space that was feminist or, at the very least, felt feminist. Although my mind traces back to two vastly differently websites that I believe were among the catalysts of my feminist awakening.

 The first was Stardoll.com, a browser-based game where users dress up 3D models of celebrities and of their own simulated selves. It perfectly blended my love for simulation games and online communication, something that my introverted self quickly grew to love and still loves to this day. The social feature that allows users to direct message each other introduced me to an array of new friends from all over the globe. When thinking of Stardoll, think of what would exist if Sims and Myspace had a crossover, and delivered it to 10-year-old-girls. Stardoll was that. It was and still is in no way designed to be a political space. Its intents were fun and imagination, but what ensued in my chatrooms and conversations were more than that. The closest friend I made on Stardoll was a girl two years older than me who lived in the same city. We’ve since lost contact, and never met, or spoken in about 12 years. Our chats were a space for us to vent about our frustrations and begin discussing politics as I grew a bit older. It was the first online space where I felt so held by a complete stranger, and this would fertile the ground for more online connections with women to grow in my teen years and early adulthood.

 The second online space that contributed to shaking the sleeping feminist in me did so more vigorously, and it was the Sober & Lonely Library for Science Fiction & Feminism, a blog by VANSA that exists on Tumblr. Sober & Lonely is the earliest recollection I have of being introduced to feminist literature. An aunt forwarded the link to me and my eyes widened in amazement as the webpage loaded. It was interesting as fuck and I was intrigued from the jump. I regularly scroll through the catalogue of literature posted on the page and each time add a new book I’d like to read to my list. Something about it seemed, to my highly impressionable mind at the time, cool. Between the obscure cyborg profile picture and the intellectual contents, I knew I had found something special. Sober & Lonely did what no offline platform had done to me yet and that was hook me and its contents forced me to learn. It was this platform that triggered me to start turning to the internet for information that didn’t pertain to academics or mindless entertainment.

 i leaked my nudes on twitter is an e-zine I’m creating as a space to share such stories and celebrate such steps. I find the art of e-zines to be quite an interesting one. I initially dabbled in the space with OFF THE DOPE, a project I’m very proud of an very grateful to those who contributed. A lot of my work reflects the space I find myself in. And I’m currently in a very celebratory one. Twitter has been a very important space for my feminism to not only grow but to be interrogated as well. My views and opinions have changed more times than I can recount, and a lot of that probably comes with age (I did join Twitter when I was 11). Having scrolled through the platform almost daily for almost twelve years has exposed me to a lot.

 The first time I saw nudes on Twitter, it probably came from a weird porn account that landed on my timeline. I don’t remember the first time I saw someone post their own nudes but I do remember how exciting I thought it was that someone could actually do that. My developing mind found it powerful that someone had the confidence to hit post and I wanted to emulate that one day. I’ve since seen a plethora of nudes on my timeline from both friends and complete strangers, and still find it just as exciting. Black Queer Hoe by Britteney Black Rose Kapri is poetry a book I’ve returned to on many occasions. In one of the poems, Kapri jovially speaks about the day her nudes leak and, put simply, how badass she’ll feel, and I find that this sentiment is one I come across a lot in online feminist spaces. I’m not referring to excitement in being violated, but power in claiming what’s exposed. I’ve seen many people choose to “leak” or release their own nudes, between celebrities being blackmailed with their nudes or ordinary people seeking a big step in playing with power.

The internet has been a powerful place for developing my feminism. Although I was raised by two feminists, there were many conversations and ideas I would have never been exposed to if not for the internet and if not for the women, queer people, and feminists who use their platforms to empower and educate. i leaked my nudes on twitter will speak to Millennial and Generation-Z experiences on the internet and how the internet has moulded or contributed to our understandings of, or our relationship with, feminism. If you’re someone who would like to discuss this topic with me, please send me a DM on any social media platform (@alutas_theory) or shoot me an email at alutanull@gmail.com

[butwhatifidothis]

I know it takes a backseat to El's well-deserved criticism, but I greatly appreciate the love you've shown Rhea on this blog. She's one of my favorites and the fandom's treatment of her is nothing short of heartbreaking. Going into 3H mostly blind I expected her to basically be a sociopathic, overzealous Tomas de Torquemada stand-in, but she was really likable and understandable. Probably helps that I started with the Deer tho 'cause CF Rhea feels like a completely different character.

Thank you!

Ngl, when I was first playing 3H I hated Rhea because WC genuinely does a good job at making it seem like Rhea is suspicious to a first time player who likely isn't looking too deeply into the events going on. But as I was playing through more and more of the story I was like "whoa, wait, Rhea's A DRAGON?! And she's savin' the little chickadees? Oh shit she got 'NAPPED?" and so even with the narrative trying to continue to bonk me with "wait Rhea still bad" I wasn't buying it as hard anymore, I wanted to give her a chance... and then the info dump happened (since I played GD first too)!

And ngl, even for a first time player I was like "wow that's a lot to take in wish they coulda sprinkled this over a bit more naturally" BUT I DID take it in. And I really appreciated Rhea so much more now that I got to finally hear her story and got to hear what motivated her to do everything she did. I don't think she was completely in the right in her actions, but there's also... no real right answer? Like what was she supposed to do? Reveal herself as a Nabatean from the get go a thousand years ago and risk being fuckin' harvested for her parts like an abandoned car in an apocalypse by scrappers that outnumber her incalculable number-to-1 (maybe 4 if she dragged Seteth Macuil and Indech along for the ride - can't drag Flayn cuz she's too busy sleeping off death that was caused by humans!)? Actually rule over Fodlan and force the humans to progress how she wanted them to? Let humans have access to the shit that caused Ailiel to stay ass for a thousand years because of humans? Getting to know that context really opened me up to her, to the point where I can see the parallels she has with all the lords and actively wish she could build some kind of genuine rapport with all of them (yes, even Edelgard somewhat, though that'd have to be for an AU fic than actual canon. I really wanted her to bond more with Claude tho!! Dimitri's route tho could at least harbor the chance of that happening post-credits so I take solace in that lol).

And. Like. Seeing the fandom's reaction to her? Bruh. You have no idea how fucking disappointed I was. Like, I plan on making a post on how my experience with the 3H's fandom eerily mirrors my experience with the Bleach fandom (in all the worse ways), but a part of that is how fucking slammed a character I happen to personally like gets by their respective media. And like?? You hear the ass-backwards arguments from people that don't like them and your head fucking spins because my guy my buddy my good pal o' mine what in the fuck are you actually saying. Shit that never happened, shit the character grows out of, shit other characters are just as guilty of doing but are beloved by the fanbase, all to come together to form a hate mob for a character that exists almost exclusively on shit that either doesn't apply to the character (whether ever or by the end of their development) or should apply to others, that makes the fans of said hated character genuinely uncomfortable with coming out and saying they like that character? Yeah, no, the exact same shit. Like. Literally. Even down to the ableism! The victim-blaming! The excusing of a perpetrator's - who happens to be the main antagonist for the majority of the series' runtime/playtime - horrid actions because "oh they're just misunderstood and lonely" and they were only doing what they did to rule over the land the right way! THEY LITERALLY BOTH USE THE "THEY WERE LONELY" EXCUSE! THE "JUST RULER" EXCUSE!

Like. I get it. CF!Rhea and the rest of the routes!Rhea are two totally different depictions of her. You come in from CF, where the narrative never lets go of the Rhea Bad red herring due to Edelgard's own biases, and you see this crazy lady calling you trash and garbage and that your ass stank and you're doo doo and all that, and she's cackling like a Crazy Person™, and you think "wow. Rhea bad." But, like. The entire game is all about subversion. Dimitri isn't quite the pure hearted fairytale prince. Claude isn't a cold, devious schemer. Edelgard isn't the honest and forward person who cares for her people, just coldly. These are the first impressions you get from the lords, and they're all wrong. But nah, Rhea should be treated like the Agarthans and there's nothing subversive about her. She's Just Evil, because the beginning of the game says so just ignore all the shit that makes her not evil, and thus should be treated as such. Imma be mean for a hot second... you have to genuinely lack reading comprehension to believe the overall narrative of 3H makes Rhea to be a morally black bad guy. You can't hide behind the "only played one route" excuse... ever, really? The fuck are you doing contributing to discussions of the game when you... haven't finished it?

But, like, anyway lol got a bit sidetracked. Rhea deserves so much more love in this fandom than she gets, and I might not be able to really change that much... but I can wait for my Rhea zine to finally come in at least lmao

[justheretobreakthings]

Hold On Loosely

So, this was originally in the process of being written for a zine, but I wound up dropping out due to aphobia in the project. Which, well, sucked, and was one of the contributing factors of my less-than-great mood these past few days.

But, I wound up finishing the fic as its own thing, so I hope y’all enjoy. Have some pre-canon broganes fluff to lift the spirits.

Word Count: 2,545 Characters: Keith & Shiro Read on AO3 My house, my rules, my ko-fi

“Ooh, you know what looks good?” Shiro said, looking up from the table’s menu to grin over at Keith. “The chocolate lava cake. What do you say, you wanna split it with me?”

Keith shrugged, tilting his head to glance at the menu as well. He swallowed his bite of steak before slowly replying, “I dunno, it’s - it’s kind of expensive.”

“I told you, Keith, tonight’s my treat. Come on, if you don’t split it with me, I’ll just order it and eat the whole thing myself, and I will definitely get sick. So…”

“All right, fine, I’ll have the cake.”

“Great!” Shiro’s grin broadened as he waved their waitress down to place the order. “Every celebration needs cake,” he added to Keith as the waitress left. “Anyone who tries to limit it to birthdays is just close-minded.”

“I still don’t really think we, um, need to be celebrating,” Keith said.

Shiro huffed in mock exasperation. “Bud, your grades were great, you’re being too hard on yourself.”

“I didn’t even get all A’s or anything. And I had a C in Professor Antonsen’s class - ”

“Keith, I assure you, her class is the hardest in the whole academy. Matt didn’t even get an A in it. Chin up.” Shiro reached across the table with his fork, the last bite of his salmon still on the tips of the prongs, and tilted Keith’s head up to look at him. “Hey. I’m really proud of you. I mean it. You did great work, and you deserve to celebrate.”

Keith stared at him for a moment, as though mulling his words over, then a tiny smile escaped him as he tilted his head down and ate the bite of salmon off of Shiro’s fork, too quickly for the latter to move it out of the way.

“Barbaric,” Shiro gasped. “Have you no manners at all?”

Keith just smirked, making a show of chewing loudly before he swallowed and said, “Still, we didn’t have to go somewhere all fancy like this. I would have been fine with just burgers or pizza or something.”

“Well, sure, but I was really in the mood tonight for a place with tablecloths, you know? It’s a big night.”

“They’re just grades.”

Shiro shrugged and set his fork down. “All right, time for me to confess. The reason I decided to go fancy is that we’re actually celebrating two things tonight.” Keith raised a brow, and Shiro went on. “I actually got some pretty big news today. And since Adam’s busy until tomorrow and my parents are in another time zone, you, my dear friend, get to be the first to celebrate it with me.”

“What is it?” Keith asked.

“Now, I will tell you, they’re not officially announcing this until Monday, so don’t go spreading the word to your classmates before then and ruining the surprise.”

“What surprise?”

“So if anyone asks, you don’t know anything about it, okay? You’re gonna be just as excited by the announcement as - ”

“Shiro,” Keith groaned. “Now you’re just doing this on purpose.”

“You caught me.” Shiro smiled. “So. Guess who has been officially selected as the youngest pilot ever to lead a Garrison exploration mission.”

Keith’s eyes slowly widened. “You - you got the Kerberos spot?”

“I got the Kerberos spot.”

“That’s awesome!” Keith breathed. “Holy - you’re going straight to the edge of the solar system! Oh my god, you’re gonna be in textbooks, Shiro! You’re gonna be, like, a legit historical figure. That’s huge.”

“We always knew Earth’s atmosphere couldn’t contain me forever,” Shiro said with a smirk. “So, you’ve managed to get settled into the Garrison pretty well by now? Fitting in with your class? I know you’re doing well grade-wise so…”

“I guess, yeah,” Keith said with a shrug. “Why?”

“Nothing,” Shiro said, waving his fork dismissively. “I’m going to be pretty busy for a while, is all, and then I’ll be gone for the mission after. Just wanna make sure you’re ready for that.”

“Oh.” Keith's smile flickered, the corners of his mouth drooping for half a second before returning to their place. “Yeah. Yeah, ‘course I’m ready. I mean, I - I knew you were gunning for that spot on the mission, so it’s - so, yeah, you know, I knew this was coming. I mean obviously it was coming, you’re the best pilot in - you’re, um, you’re definitely - ”

“Keith?” Shiro raised his brow. “You all right?”

“Yeah. I hadn’t really thought about, uh, what I would be, um - ” He drummed his fingers against the table, then moved to lift his knife and fork and start carving up what remained of his steak. “But that’s - that’s not important. It isn’t. We’re celebrating. And - and - and you got the Kerberos spot, and I got my grades, and that’s good, this is good news, it is, I’m happy! I’m happy for you. I’m very - ”

Gently Shiro reached across the table and laid his hand on Keith’s arm. “You’re starting to carve up your plate, there, bud.”

Keith blinked down at his knife, then, with a slow breath, he dropped the cutlery and pulled back. “Sorry. Sorry, I wasn’t… paying attention. Shit, hang on.” He ground the heels of his hands into his eyes and mumbled, “I’m okay. I’m fine. Got a little… overwhelmed… by the good news. Just need a minute to, uh, to process.”

“Everything all right here?” came a soft voice behind Shiro’s shoulder, and he jumped in his seat, banging his knee on the table and whipping his head around to see their waitress, their cake in her hands and her face apologetic. “Sorry,” she said. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

“No, no, it’s okay,” Shiro said. “You’re fine. Thanks, it looks delicious.”

“Can I, uh, get you anything else?” the waitress asked, glancing toward Keith who was hastily trying to scrub at his eyes as she set the cake down on the table. “A drink refill or… some tissues, maybe?”

“We’re fine, thank you,” Shiro replied. “Uh, take your time with the check, please.”

The waitress nodded and hurried from the table. Keith, meanwhile, pushed his chair back, his head down and hair falling into his face as he mumbled, “I think I need the restroom…”

“Hey, hang on,” Shiro said, holding out his arm again as Keith stood. “Keith… you know, it’s okay if you’re upset.”

“I’m not upset,” Keith snapped.

“Uh-huh. I’ve told you before, bud. If you’re upset - or any other emotion - ” He added when Keith opened his mouth to protest - “You can tell me. I’m not gonna judge you for it, you’re not gonna be punished. It’s not good to bottle things up. Come on, talk to me.”

“It’s… nothing,” Keith said. He sighed and collapsed back into his chair. “It’s stupid. Sorry, I’m ruining tonight, aren’t I?”

“You’re not ruining anything.”

“Yes I am. You took me out to celebrate and I’m freaking out on you and raining on your parade and - and I should be happy about this. I am happy about this, I’m happy for you, so there’s - there’s nothing even to talk about.”

“Mmm.” Shiro tapped a finger thoughtfully against the edge of the cake plate. “You know, you’re allowed to feel more than one thing. You can be happy for me and still be upset. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Sure, but - ”

“Want me to start?”

Keith frowned. “Start what?”

“Sharing.” Keith still looked just as baffled, so Shiro continued. “I’m thrilled about the news, and I’m excited about the upcoming Kerberos trip, and I’m really proud of myself for having made it this far, especially so early in my career.”

“You should be,” Keith said with a fervent nod.

“But I’m kinda freaking out too. It’s a lot of pressure and responsibility, and I’m scared of messing up. There’s a ton of prep work that has to be done before the mission, which is going to be stressful and exhausting. And the mission is going to last for months, so I don’t know how claustrophobic or homesick or lonely I’ll get. I know I’m going to miss you. You, and Adam, and everyone else on Earth.

“I’m happy, yeah, but I’m all those things too. It’s a lot. But, I gotta admit, putting it all out there, out loud, it’s a bit of a relief. It’s on the table instead of on my shoulders, so now I don’t have to think so hard about what I’m dealing with, I can move on to actually dealing with it. And now it’s your turn”

Keith paused before saying, “I feel like you missed your true calling as a psychologist.”

“I’m young, I’ve got time to chase a bunch of callings. No changing the subject.”

Shiro waited patiently as Keith fidgeted in his chair, chewing at his bottom lip and focusing intensely on the dishes in front of him. Finally, though, he spoke up, so softly that Shiro had to strain to hear him: “I guess I’m… not ready… for you to go.”

Slowly Shiro nodded. “That’s understandable, Keith. I - ”

“It’s not, though,” Keith bit out. “It’s not like I haven’t been on my own before, right? And, hell, I’m a couple years off from being an adult, I shouldn’t - I shouldn’t still be - and it’s selfish, right? This is, like, your dream, Shiro, and all I’m thinking about is how I’m gonna - how I’m - ”

“Hey, hey,” Shiro said, keeping his voice low and soothing as he watched Keith bunch up the edge of the tablecloth in his fists. “It’s not selfish. Okay? I don’t want you thinking that for a moment. It’s you feeling your feelings, and there’s nothing selfish about that. If you were selfish, you wouldn’t be nearly so concerned about how your reaction is making me feel, right?”

Keith only shrugged. “And Keith, what’s this about being on your own?” Shiro continued. “Me being gone doesn’t mean you have to be alone.”

“It - it kinda does,” Keith mumbled. “I, um, I - I may have exaggerated, a bit, um, how I’m fitting in with my classmates.”

Shiro narrowed his eyes. “Are those other pilots still giving you a hard time? If they are, we need to go to your CO, file a report.”

Keith shook his head. “No, they aren’t - there haven’t been any other incidents or anything, just - I’m still not really - I’m not part of the group or anything. We have classes together, but that’s all. And you know I can’t get an ‘Adam’ of my own, I’ve - I told you about that, about how I don’t - so I don’t have friends, I don’t, not really. And I definitely don’t have a ‘partner’ or whatever, so that just leaves family, and - well, that’s you. Just you. That’s all I’ve got. And so if you’re gone…”

He let out a sniff and wiped his nose with the tablecloth. There was only so much the Garrison could do to instill table manners into their cadets. “Forget it. Like I said, it’s nothing.”

“That’s not nothing, Keith,” Shiro said. “That’s… that’s fair. That’s fair and valid and I’m glad that you told me.”

“Kinda ruined the whole ‘celebration’ vibe, though.”

“We’ll have plenty of time to celebrate before the mission. I, um - did - were you always worrying about this? The whole time I’ve been applying for the Kerberos spot?”

“I dunno. I wasn’t really thinking about it. Was trying not to, you know? It, um, wasn’t important.”

“When am I ever going to finally convince you that your worries are important?”

“More important than Kerberos?”

“Equally.”

Keith snorted. “Shiro - ”

“You know, in the coming months I’m gonna be spending a lot of time preparing for the mission. Maybe we should come up with a game plan so you can do the same.”

“Shiro, you barely managed to convince the Garrison to let me into the academy, you’re never gonna convince them to let me join the mission.”

“Much as I’d love to have you, that’s not what I meant,” Shiro said with a little smile. “I meant that while I’m getting ready to go to Kerberos, we can get you ready to stay on Earth. We’ll go through the things you’re worried about, the things that you need to prepare for, and we’ll start planning for them.”

“How do you mean?”

“Like, okay, you’re worried about being lonely while I’m away. So let’s plan for that. We can talk to Adam, and Colleen, make sure you’re able to turn to one of them if you need anything at all. And we can even schedule some weekends out, get you some vacation from the Garrison to wind down. If you’re worried about keeping up with schoolwork while I’m around, we can contact your instructors to let them know, maybe see about any extra credit work you can do while I’m gone.”

Keith nodded slowly. “Okay. And, um, if I’m worried about… you know…” The tips of his ears went red as he mumbled, “Missing you?”

Shiro resisted the urge to tease him about the blush of embarrassment and instead broadened his smile. “I’m gonna miss you too, you know. What kind of brother would I be if I didn’t?” Keith bit his lip, and Shiro would bet any amount of money that it was to hold back a smile. “We’ll figure something out. We’ll make sure to get a ton of pictures together before I go, for starters, and I can let you babysit my hoverbike while I’m gone.”

Keith’s mouth dropped open. “You’ll let me be in charge of your hoverbike?”

“Promise not to crash it?”

“I… can’t make that promise.”

“Promise you’ll try not to crash it?”

“That I can do.”

“I’ll take it. So we’ve got a plan in place, and we have plenty of time to come up with more. And if it helps, I swear, I’ll come back from Kerberos as soon as I possibly can. Sound good?”

“Yeah.” Keith nodded. “Sounds good.”

“Do you need a hug too?”

“No,” Keith said, spreading his arms out to accept one anyway. Shiro scooted his chair around the table to embrace him, rubbing Keith’s back as the latter sighed into his shoulder, and he didn’t let go of the hug until he felt Keith finally pull away.

“Now,” Shiro said, scooting back into place. “This cake has just been waiting to be eaten, and we should really help out.” He nodded toward Keith’s dessert fork . “Come on, I’ve seen the memes, I know you love cake.”

Keith let out a breath of a laugh as he lifted his fork and started to cut off a piece from the cake. “If you’d seen all the memes, you’d know I also love pizza.”

“Well, in a few years, when we’re celebrating you getting your first big mission and breaking the youngest-pilot record, we can go out for pizza instead. Deal?”

“Deal.” They both took their first bites of the cake at the same time, and Keith rolled his eyes as Shiro made a show of moaning in contentment at the taste. “By the way,” Keith said as he moved in for his second bite, “I really am happy for you. Cadet’s honor, I am.”

“Thanks, Keith,” Shiro said with a grin. “I’m happy too.”

[romancandlemagazine]

An Interview with Alexander Wolfe, the man behind Pedestrian Magazine

Pedestrian is a magazine about the humble art of walking. In this interview, I talked with the man with the plan, Alexander Wolfe, about his love for this much maligned form of transport, his recent expedition from New York to Philadelphia, and the art of conversation.

First off, you recently walked from New York City to Philadelphia over nine days. What made you want to do that?

The initial desire to walk to Philadelphia came out living in New York City during the pandemic. I was bound to my apartment for a few months with little to do but walk around my neighborhood. I've always had a habit of walking around the city, but the pandemic only made these walks longer and longer, which eventually led to a 23 mile journey from my apartment in Brooklyn, to the Bronx, and back.

Around that time I was reading The Roads to Sata by Alan Booth and started contemplating longer, multi-day walks. I needed a change of scenery and found the idea of traveling by foot and living out of a bag very appealing. I felt like I'd developed a process here in the city (go on a walk, take photos, write a newsletter about the walk, repeat) and needed to give myself a challenge.  I wanted to lean further into this practice that I've been developing for the last three years.

I'd never considered my walks to be hikes, so it made sense that I'd keep it in an urban setting. Walking to Philadelphia seemed like a no-brainer. What most people don't initially realize is that most of my time was spent walking through New Jersey. I liked the idea of walking in a place that is commonly misrepresented as the "armpit of America" and typically deemed unwalkable. New Jersey is actually a very underrated state. It might be the densest state population-wise, but it's called the Garden State for a reason. Oh yeah, I'd never been to Philadelphia and just really wanted to visit.

How did the walk go? Quite often trips or excursions can be a fair bit different to how you first imagine them… how did the reality of the walk differ from how you thought it was going to be?

I was presented with a new challenge every day. Don't get me wrong, the walk turned out better than I could have ever imagined, but you can never anticipate everything in advance. This was the first time I'd ever walked with a 25 pound bag on my back, let alone the first time I'd walked 9 days in a row. Originally I set out to average 17.75 miles per day, but thanks to my own curiosity, ended up waking 20 miles a day on average. I mapped the entire route a month or two before leaving, but would always deviate from the path in favor of exploring some neighborhood, road, or park that looked appealing. The first day alone ballooned into 27 miles because I got cocky and thought I didn't need to use my map while walking in Manhattan. I learned my lesson and kept my eyes on the map for the rest of the trip.

Another thing I didn't expect was the sensitivity one develops after walking 6-8 hours for days in a row. The smell of exhaust and gasoline becomes more potent. You realize how violently we've shaped the land to build huge highways and abysmal business parks. So much of our infrastructure is built in favor of the car, which makes being a pedestrian incredibly difficult at times. If the built environment didn't present a challenge, it was always the weather, the gnarly blisters on my feet, or my gear malfunctioning. I quickly learned to accept these challenges. It was just another component of the walk.

A lot of times people go for ‘a walk’, they’re seeking out beauty spots or nice scenery—maybe in nature reserves or the countryside, but your walk was cutting through some fairly overlooked places… industrial estates and small towns. Do people miss out by not seeing the whole picture of somewhere? Is just driving through these places to get to the destination sort of cheating?

I wouldn't consider driving to be cheating – it's just another way we alienate ourselves from the world around us. When we drive, we experience the world at a speed that makes it nearly impossible to pay attention to the fine details. Our relationship to place is abstracted, especially thanks to the rise of GPS. We no longer have to have a physical relationship to these towns. We don't even have to remember how to get to them. Driving around in a car reduces these places to nothing more than a label on a map or a convenient place to stop for gas.

It's important to have relationships with the places surrounding you. The walk has given me an intimate experience with the space between New York City and Philadelphia. I know what it looks like, I know how it feels to be there. I can tell you where residents stop hanging New York Yankees flags in favor of Philadelphia Phillies flags. If I'm watching the Soprano's and Tony references Metuchen, NJ then I know exactly what he's talking about. I think to understand a place, such as New York City, it's just as important to understand the places around it. There are generations of people who once called the Big Apple home, but decided to plant their roots in Jersey for one reason or another.

I suppose you could have read about some of these places on Wikipedia, but being there is a completely different thing. Is experiencing stuff first hand important?

It's very important if you actually want to understand a place. It's too easy to create our own narratives without ever visiting a place. I still tried to do my share of research before heading out. I have friends from North Jersey or the Philadelphia Metro and tried to take their opinions with a grain of salt. I spent some time reading about certain towns along the way on Wikipedia or scanned Reddit to get a vibe. I even previewed chunks of the walk on Google Street View to mentally prepare and know if it was actually safe to walk near some of these roads. I could have spent months preparing, but it never would actually replace walking in these small towns and cities. It's so much different when you're on the ground.

I suppose the main reason we’re talking is that you make a magazine based around the idea of walking. How long have you been making Pedestrian? What started it off?

I released the first issue of Pedestrian back in March of 2018. I was living in Ridgewood, Queens at the time and made friends with a guy named Curtis Merkel (I actually met him while out on a walk). He ran a moving business for a few decades and retired. At 84 years old he opened up a tiny little bookshop to keep himself busy. I'd visit him every weekend to check out his books and eventually we'd just get to talking. He'd lived in Ridgewood his entire life and loved to talk about the neighborhood's history. Moving to NYC also introduced me to a thriving community of zine makers. I wanted to share these conversations I'd had with Curtis in print form, so I decided to start a magazine. I invited a few friends to contribute and the rest was history.

Since then, the identity of Pedestrian has become quite fluid. While it started as a magazine, I would now describe Pedestrian as my own practice. It's a platform that allows me to collaborate with others, produce magazines, write newsletters, go on these long multi-day walks, and produce t-shirts. I have found this configuration gives me the most creative freedom.

A lot of your magazine is about meeting people and striking up conversations. Is this a lost art these days?

I don't know if it's a lost art per se, but there's less incentive to reach out and talk with strangers these days. Thanks to the rise of social media it's just getting easier and easier to stay within our own "bubbles." Starting Pedestrian, in a way, was an excuse for me to speak with those I typically wouldn't reach. It's amazing how having a publication kind of takes the fear out of speaking with strangers. You can do anything when you have intention.

Although walking is something most people do, is it overlooked as an activity? It seems it’s mostly seen as an inconvenience, rather than a hobby in itself.

It depends where you live. In New York City, for example, walking is a part of the culture. The city is built in such a way that makes walking a viable means of transportation. And if you can't walk to your destination, you're likely walking to a subway or a bus. Where I'm from in Iowa, walking is very inconvenient. Everything is spaced out, which makes walking anywhere very difficult. It’s not that people don’t want to walk, it’s just the way we’ve built certain communities has made it very hard to enjoy. It makes people think walking is very inconvenient.

I’m here in Iowa until August and it’s been interesting to walk a place that is so reliant on cars. The other day I did a 13.5 walk around the city. There’s nothing here stopping you from walking (unless the heat gets you. Technically we’re in the middle of a drought. It’s been incredibly hot as of late), and there’s plenty of sidewalk. I think it’s mostly just a mindset people have to develop. It doesn’t matter how many miles you walk, it’s just about getting out there. Your mental health will thank you and you might even learn something new about your surroundings along the way.

Walking is maybe the antithesis to the internet, but Pedestrian also has a decent presence on the World Wide Web, and you regularly send newsletters and... er... partake in the digital world. How do you balance the real world with the matrix?

It’s a relationship I’m constantly reevaluating. I’m not a master of balancing the two yet, but I’m slowly building habits that will protect my time. I often daydream of abandoning social media altogether and picking up a flip phone. I obviously haven’t done that yet, so in the meantime, I’m investing a lot of time in my newsletter. Sending out a newsletter is a much more thoughtful, intimate, and slow experience...kind of like the way I approach my walks out in the world. I understand that the web is a tool and I’m not sure the Philly walk would have gotten the same amount of attention had I not had an Instagram account. It’s cliche, but everything in moderation, right? I try not to take it so seriously.

What next for Pedestrian?

The Philly walk was such a great success and I’d like to keep that momentum going. Later in September I have another big, big walk planned, but I have yet to announce the route. Look for an announcement sometime next month. This one will be a bit longer and involve 3 different cities. I can’t wait.

Once winter hits I’m going to buckle down and produce a proper book for the Philly walk that will include all my writing and photos I took along the journey. I’m already excited to share the finished product with the world. Stay tuned.

Final question, what are your walking shoes of choice? And what's your soundtrack? Are earphones advised for long walks, or do you prefer the ambient sounds of the streets?

I’m a big fan of Hoka Clifton’s. I wore them throughout the entire Philly walk and have two pairs in my closet. At this point, Hoka should probably pay me for how much business I send their way. I’m always recommending them.

I prefer not to wear headphones and just listen to the ambient sounds of the street. More often than not, I find wearing headphones to be a bit distracting and it takes me out of the present moment. Although, I’ll admit I have been trying to introduce music into my walking once again, but few tracks make the cut. Lately Andrew Wasylyk’s Last Sunbeams of Childhood has been on repeat. There’s something about that track...

Find out more about Pedestrian here. Pedestrian is available in the UK courtesy of Central Library.

[blooddrop-palace]

- Master Post of DMC fics by Rubixa Seraph -

(Come leave a comment, even a ❤️ comment will make my day!)

Series: Reignite the Flame

[Mostly canon-compliant series, with my take on who Nero’s mother is, and why she disappeared. At the same time, it looks like Dante had a daughter he didn’t know about, and she very much wishes to meet him.]

Hell Froze Over, and We Shall Reignite It - [Multi-chapter, ongoing]  Post DMC5, where Vergil, Dante, and Nero collectively find that their family is bigger than they thought. They find Nero’s mother down in Hell, and Nero finds a cousin. Yes, Dante, you do not have the high ground regarding the whole “you have a kid and didn’t know it??”

Could Have Been a Fever Dream - [One Shot, NSFW 🌶️] A little background on how Vergil met Sera, and that one spicy night they had together.

Edge of Infinity With You - [One Shot, NSFW 🌶️] A little background on how Dante met Kassy, and the whole night of fun they had.

FANART: Seraphina Valkyrie Character Design

Series: Fortune Favors the Bold

[Eva lives, and the twins grew up in Fortuna and are Holy Knights AU.]

Sons of Fortune - [Multi-chapter, ongoing] An AU where Eva, Vergil, and Dante collectively survived the attack from Mundus, and moved to Fortuna, where Vergil and Dante grow up in a more stable environment. The twins will get to have a place to call home, and even more people to love and make family with. Lots of family fluff, and I think this qualifies as a kid-fic. 

Practical Birthday Gifts -  [One Shot, NSFW 🌶️] “And there was only one bed!” trope. Dante x OC (Kassy) and a spicy night. Of course, this was indulgent smut. 

FANART: Holy Knight Vergil and Dante Sparda Plushie for Nero

Series:  This is Not an Office Rom-Com

[Office AU, no supernatural things, everyone is human. Slow burn drabbles of reader!insert working at the office and will slowly find themselves in a three-way relationship with Vergil and Dante.]

Crayon Rainbows After Rain - [One Shot] “Prequel” to the start of the series, as a bit of background to the AU and family setup of our cast.

I Owe You Lunch - [One Shot] Reader spills two whole lunch containers, that had a sticky note on it saying it belonged to Dante. Little did you know, just buying him lunch wasn’t the end of the scenario...

Espresso Sized Facts - [One Shot] Reader teaches Nero (who is on summer break and visiting the office) how to use the company’s espresso machine. You learn a bit more about drink and dessert preferences of the Sparda family. And you still don’t know who Nero’s and Vitale’s dad is.

Other Works and Series:

Scales, Feathers, and Eggshells -  [Multi-chapter, ongoing] 1k (roughly) word per chapter challenge! AU where Nero is 1/4 human, 3/4 devil, and 100% cute! The story of Vergil and his devilish mate raising a little hatchling.

Shattered Mirrors Repaired With Gold - [Series, WIP] This is the “What if Dante and Vergil’s positions were switched?” AU. Except I haven’t finished writing that part yet. Instead, you have two stories about Credo and Noel right now. Who is Noel? Not-actually-Nero... Dante’s daughter left in Fortuna. Yep.

The Danger of Doppelgängers - [Two-shot, WIP] The Noir AU DMC zine may not have made it to production stage, but I still have something to show for it. This was my piece, and I have a follow-up in due time.

Through the Lens of the Beholder -  [Multi-chapter, ongoing] Photographer!Reader, slight canon divergence (for reader's existence), following your photo-filled journey with the cast through DMC5. You will ogle all of the cast. All of them.

Kaleidoscope Worlds - Prompt Fills  All of my tumblr prompt requests go here. The first chapter has a table of contents detailing what prompts, with general tag-summaries. 

Checkmate Fate - [Series] Some indulgent canon-divergence, of what if Vergil and Nero’s mother reunited between the events of DMC3 and DMC1. Various flavors of family reunion fics. 

Blessings of Family - [Series] A “what-if” AU to my Reignite series, where Dante does get to know about Snow’s existence, and does his best to raise a happy family. A drabble-esque series outlining how much his family would mean to him, and how it affects how he welcomes Vergil back, post DMC5, among more family fluff.

Full Course - [Series, NSFW 🌶️] Don’t ask how we got here. Just know that this is where we are: Reader and Vergil acts on the idea of giving Nero a sibling. Nero has to process this news. Dadgil plus Spicy stuff. I blame tumblr for this one.

Hierarchy of Kings -  [Multi-chapter, ongoing]  I am prone to falling into multi-verse hell. This is an AU with Vergil meeting Roy King, an OC of mine. It’s a different flavor of world from Reignite, and is supposed to be all fluff-indulgent. Vergil needs a friend to have heart-to-hearts with, and if that friend becomes boyfriend, why not? 

Two Undergrads and a Cat - [One-Shot, 2020 Secret Santa Gift] A Reader x V “before established relationship” College AU fic. 

How to Ensure Survival When You Are Caught By the Most Dangerous Devils From Topside -  [One-Shot, NSFW 🌶️] A devil!reader insert story of getting some feral love in your favorite two devils’ nest. Absolute kink-fill. Please check tags for more details.

A Perfect Love is Not Picky and To Catch a Fleeting Presence - [One-Shots, NSFW 🌶️] My spicy contributions to the digital “after dark” Jackpot Dante zine!

DMCWeek 2020 - This links to a post of all 7 fics with their titles, themes, and summaries.

Headcannon Posts:

[I don’t do these often.]

🌶️ NSFW Alphabet J and V

🌶️ NSFW Alphabet X, D, and K

‘Useless’ Talent head canons

Sera and Vergil gift-giving thoughts

Kassy and Dante on hand-holding and declarations of love