#this is so much less of a headache than chapter 3 omg

[total-serene560]

Finished draft 1 of chapter 4

[justanotherfanfolks]

Twisted Wonderland Main Story Scattered Thoughts (Prologue Chapter 1-2)

Let's take it from the top, I need a refresher!

Okay first things first, uh, Grim? Buddy. Our beloved arsonist. How were you planning on getting the robes off of Yuu? How were you planning on WEARING human sized robes? Also, yes Grim, weasel. Reason 1: tiny gremlin. I think it was ferret in Japanese. Reason 2: I believe in Yuu choosing violence in the dialogue options. Peace was never an option. And again I ask, how is he planning to fit those robes? LOL the chase sequence, that’s one way to get a grand tour! GRIM, NO FIRE IN THE LIBRARY, THINK OF THE BOOKS! Omg, it’s Crowley! How- how did he know to come here? Did he just see the open coffin and go “...ooooooooo… I should check on what that is.” You know, people always think Grim is Yuu’s familiar, I want to know more about how familiars work in Twisted Wonderland. Wait, I just realized Grim doesn’t have his stone, NO, HE LOOKS WEIRD WITHOUT IT! TWST PUT IT BACK! I really want to see how the beginning of the ceremony looks when everyone gets out of the coffins, since they aren’t supposed to get out themselves. I wanna see the full orientation. Dang it Ramshackle Duo, I wanted to see that! Hope the anime shows us. Hm. So Crowley opens them himself. I imagine he does it with magic, but imagine this man opening 200 coffins by hand. Nah, Crowley would never. He doesn’t do anything. Well, except make me suspicious, but that’s a conversation for another day. Wait, hang on I think I should’ve picked the other dialogue option, that might answer some questions. I'll do that later. You know, when I first played the prologue, I tried reading it with a translation next to me (as everyone insisted it was superior), but I got a headache going back and forth so I bit the bullet and just read the ENG version. Ah, who dis be or where I be? Both logical questions. I’ll ask who dis be, I don’t remeber what I picked the first time. He’s truly shooketh at the idea of Yuu not knowing who he is. “My magnamity is boundless” ah here come the cracks! There’s the Crowley we know and… know. Hold on, there’s a CHAIRMAN!? I forgot about that, who is this chairman? And why pick Crowley? Magic or academy. Well, if it was me I’d be more interested in the magic aspect than the academy aspect. Like Yuu, we gotta ask the real questions here, why be shocked at the idea of school? I also want to know more about this carriage thing- I know in the manga and I’m pretty sure the novel too the Yuus get isekaied by Carriage-kun Truck-kun style, does Yuu get isekaied by Carriage-kun in the game? To me it sounds like you’re supposed to climb into a coffin in a carriage, I hope the others students were informed of how this works. Also, how the heck did this coffin appear in Not Twisted Wonderland, I have so many questions. “So this carriage dragged me here against my will?” yes, this is the Yuu I am here for! Okay that was the first Chapter of the Prologue, I forgot how much I liked that! I can’t wait for the novel to drop in English, I really want to read it in book form! I am holding that thing to the standard of Yuurei20’s translations, I expect nothing less!

Omg, hello Twistune! The whiplash I had of the first 3 Prologue twistunes with the fairy gala twistunes was crazy. RIDDLE! RIDDLE! THAT’S MY BOY, HI BUDDY! Oh no, the pre-character development whiplash is gonna hurt! Did Leona sleep through the whole orientation? Azul is boy with glasses, what an observation Yuu. Also, how close was Yuu to be able to notice Leona had ears? They’re under his hood? And that Vil is handsome, I know what you are, Yuu! Well, either Yuu is that or I’m just too ace to notice when someone is handsome. I mean it’s a literal fact about Vil… anyway! Crowley really just dipped in the middle of the ceremony! Wait, does that mean Grim was chasing Yuu that long? Yuu has stamina for days, Yuu should have joined the track club! Couldn’t be me, I would’ve died by the second location. Also does that mean they called Yuu’s name and Yuu not showing up tipped Crowley off? Oh, that explains it. Yuu last name reveal then? Anyone? Voice from tablet, heh. Hm, but no one else knew why he left… Oh gosh, he just barged in. Guess he doesn’t like being accused of a tummyache. Even he thinks he’s a weasel. Okay let’s settle this: Weasel, Cat, or Ferret, place your votes now! I don’t actually have a poll. Hello Dark Mirror! Oh that’s the mirror bgm! Well, I mean no duh it’s the bgm music, I guess I just never realized DM had a theme song. Can I call you DM? I’m calling you DM. “I’m Yuu…” Yuu WHAT, Yuu? You can’t hide that last name forever! The squint! “Unclear to me… soundless, colorless, shapeless, utterly vacant” POV, you have no soul! Honestly, if I got teleported to a school for mages only to find out I had no magic, I would be utterly devastated. I’d love to be magical! One century, is that saying the system has been around for 100 years or that the school has been around for 100 years? Yuu just showed up and broke the streak, good on Yuu! I really want to know Grim’s backstory, like what is his deal? He’s got magic, but he’s mistaken for a familiar and isn’t allowed to be a whole student? I wonder what would have happened if he went up to the DM? Being honest, he doesn’t seem like a fit anywhere, but I’m curious. Someone, give him a Buzzfeed quiz! HE SET KALIM ON FIRE, GRIM NOOOO! Save the arson for later! Leona: “Can I go now, orrrrr…” no but he was ready to lead, the Ramshackle Duo is interrupting his nap time. Azuuuul! Your smiles are sus! Chill out pal! He just breathes in manipulation, wild. Yes Idia, that is participation credit. When I’m participating, I’m the type to just look around to see if anyone else has their hand up before volunteering. HE’S STILL ON FIRE, HELP HIM! Where is Jamil, aren’t the vice housewardens here? Is it just me, or does Kalim sound a little different? Actually, good point Leona, this is Crowley’s first installment of his Not Doing Anything Helpful World Tour. The first of many. Yay, Riddle! Ooo, Twistune time! … gosh it’s so SLOW OMG! I have a question for the class. Apparently, the story within the twistune varies based on whether or not we reach the designated score threshold. Does anyone know what it looks like if you don’t get there? The perfectionist in me refuses to fail to find out.

[nabrinaendgame]

This or That: Fanfiction Edition

I was tagged by @thoughtsaboutshows​, thx u, sweetie!!

Slow burn or love at first sight: hahah okay, I’m still like the 10 years old me obsessed with wattpad that wants to know since the very beggining something’s gonna happen and not only crying for them bc they look cute and they’re not together (omg haha that’s what never happened with nabrina, it was a slow burn for sure and I loved that on them)

Fake dating or secretly dating: Gosh, I love to see ships growing up while they’re kind of denying those feelings haha and that happens a lot in fake dating while in secretly dating you already know they’ve confessed each other, I love drama lmao

“Oh no, there’s only one bed” or long distance correspondence: LMAO I’m not lying when I tell u’all that haha I´ve got a crush and I’m currently having these fantasies where idk why we go to a hotel and this happens, I’m part of the fan community and it shows.

Hurt/comfort or amnesia: Well, I guess that in a certain way amensia hurts less than hurt/comfort and it’s actually pretty emotional, anyways I believe both work out together awesome, like first we have the hurt stage, bad things happen and its almost hard to believe they’re getting back together most of the cases because of the pride but then let’s have a amnesia stage where they rebuilt this relationship since the beginning, that´s poetic cinema, change my mind.

Enemies to lovers or best friends to lovers: I’m kind of tired of the enemies to lover stories but I have to mention they’re pretty interesting, best friends to lovers it’s sometimes expected but natural at the same time i guess, am I dying for a stage where Nick and Sabrina get to be super confident to each other and bfriends? Yeah, I’d love to! (and then they get married for sure cof cof nabrina endgame)

Mutual pining or domestic bliss: Gosh, this one is hard so I’ll leave it like BOTH

Smut or fluff: BOOOOOOOOOOTTTTHHHHHHH

Fantasy au or Modern au: I don’t usually read modern au, just in the case when it’s about tv series/movies with a modern world obviously but I truly identify that writers on bot au have to be very talented to get to something, even more with the modern au given that maybe they don’t have a lot of resources as the fantasy ones bc they can create a lot of things (but related obv or it gets ridiculous), anyways I live for the fantasy au

Alternative universe or future fic: Both, sometimes when things are getting dark or not in the way I enjoy you can live through the alter one or if things are perfect you wanna see more and go through the future fic or viceversa, I’m currently dying for the alter one rn with Nabrina

Kid fic or Road Trip fic: I’m currently on the road trip, they’re so funny and I’m truly watching the screen without blinking and crying lol but I usually change my mind and get back to the kid fic, I guess it’s fair

Canon compliant/missing scenes or fix-it: I can’t decide, both are necessary for this emotional heart of mine haha

Reincarnation or character death: You don’t have any idea how much do I love reincarnation, interesting, romantic, everything, if you have stories like that tell me pls

One-shot or multi chapter: I guess it depends on my mood but I usually go more for multi chapter

Time travel or isolated together: Back to the future is my fav movie ever but I hate time travel bc that’s so freaking confusing at least for me like in Part 3

Arranged marriage or accidental marriage: I guess arranged marriage it’s so cruel haha it can be funny in a fic but I don’t really connect haha

Sci-fi au or magic au: the m a g i c one, I’d die for them

Neighbours or roommates: Hahaha the roommates one is really funny and intimate, I love to read that, ps: If I get to live that I could probably run because yeah its funny for the reader but not really for the character I guess or at least for my shy ass

Body swap or gender-bend: omg what haha I don’t know any of both but now I’m interested for both haha

Angst or crack: It hurts but sometimes it gets to be a fantastic process...like Nabrina is going to be hehe

Apocalyptic or mundane: I love the apocalyptical one but sometimes it’s just too much, like part 3 haha I got a headache with all those problems, I just want something normal actually happening in the middle of all that

Nominating @sbrinascratch and anyone that wants to do it! 

[afteriwake]

Every English Village Has Its Secrets (3/?) (An “In Our Neck Of The Woods” Story)

OMG, so apparently I had chapter 3 of this mostly written out during last year’s WIPBB round, and didn’t realize it until I saw that I only had two chapters up on AO3 and realized I hadn’t posted it. A quick finish and voila! Here you all go!

Every English Village Has Its Secrets - When Greg and Sally get called to Midsomer County for a case, right from the start Greg knows it will be a headache when Mycroft offers him lodging (so long as he's alright with his former lover being his housemate for his time there), and it doesn't get much better when he meets DCI Tom Barnaby and immediately their Detective Sergeants take an instant dislike to each other when Sally arrives the next evening. And that isn't even getting into the actual case itself and all the secrets hidden in the village of Elverton-cum-Latterley...

READ CHAPTER 1 | READ CHAPTER 3 | HELP ME SURVIVE? | COMMISSION ME? | BUY ME A KOFI?

He woke up to an empty cottage and a fresh pot of coffee with some cereal choices and a few scones to take with him to Causton. That had been one of the more endearing things about Mycroft; to most people, he came off as a snob, but if he truly cared about you, so long as you weren’t family, he was quite the softie and very adamant on taking care of everyone else. It was an attribute he had thought his wife shared but sadly, that had not turned out to be the case.

He had only been out to Causton once, and not from this part of England, and he wanted to meet Barnaby at a setting other than the crime scene, just to make sure his presence would be tolerated. He had the feeling Sally might cause a bit of discomfort between themselves and the Causton CID but it couldn’t be helped. She was caustic but brilliant, almost like Sherlock. He felt that was probably one of the many reasons his DS and his consultant hated each other, but he managed to more or less keep the peace between them so hopefully he could do the same here.

He went looking around for a map and after a moment found one near the telephone, just where his mum had kept hers. One day he’d have to ask Mycroft about this, about whether he had been in contact with her before her death and gotten the chance to properly say good-bye. Otherwise, there might be a trip up North in order so he could. He loved his mother, but she absolutely would have seen Mycroft without telling him she was.

Not that he blamed her. Mycroft had let him meet his family once and that had been one time too many. It was obvious there had been something wrong with the way he was raised, and while he’d always suspected it was an outside influence on Mycroft’s part, his parents had made very sure Mycroft knew he was not the favoured child. Sherlock hadn’t been there for the visit, but it had become extremely obvious that Sherlock was the one who held that position in the Holmes family.

His own mum, on the other hand, was one of the kindest women he’d ever met, opening her door to anyone who needed a safe space for a night or a warm meal. He’d always wondered why she had never been taken advantage of when she got older. Perhaps Mycroft had had a hand in that.

So many questions, but at least now there was a chance he might get answers.

He studied the map, then poured some coffee into a thermos for the drive and stashed two scones on a plate to eat in the car. He supposed he’d get chided for crumbs in the seat but he didn’t care. The sooner he got this case taken care of, or whatever his part in it ended up being was all wrapped up, the sooner he could take advantage of what was to have been his holiday.

It didn’t take long to find Causton, surprisingly, and finding where the police were housed was even easier than he had expected once he got into the proper area. Causton, unlike London, had changed very little in the time since his last visit. Maybe one day when London got to be too much, he’d retire to a place like this.

He made his way into the Causton CID and once he flashed his credentials he was directed to where Barnaby and his DS were situated in the building. It wasn’t all that different than the NSY, he mused as he made his way by glass windowed offices with desks and paperwork piled high on them and not much else in the way of personalization. By the time he got to Barnaby he was greeted by a man almost Sally’s age, perhaps a bit older but not much, and he showed him the last bit of the way before going past and handing another man a file. “I ran into the detective inspector from London,” the young man said, and then he frowned as he straightened up and smoothed his rather garish tie down. “DI…?”

“Lestrade,” Greg said, holding out a hand for the younger man to shake. “But Gregory will do.”

“Pleasure to meet you, DI Lestrade,” the young man said.

“Troy, if a superior officer says to call him something else, you call him by what he prefers,” the man sitting at the desk said in the tone he recognized as “my DS is still green, so please be patient.” Greg cracked a smile to reassure the young man that there was no harm done, and he relaxed as his superior officer stood. “Tom Barnaby.”

“Pleasure,” Greg said, offering Barnaby his hand. The two men shook hands and he was pleased to see that Barnaby knew the secret to a good handshake. Perhaps that was another lesson he’d pass along to the younger man. “My Detective Sergeant had some personal business to attend to so she’ll be arriving later, but I thought I’d come in and see if I’m even needed.”

There was a slight scoff from Troy at the mention of Sally being female but Barnaby only gave a sharp glance and it tapered into silence almost instantly. “Well, I don’t know if you’re needed, per se, but it never hurts to have another set of eyes and ears on hand. And if it makes dealing with the family easier with you being here...”

“You can fob me off on them if you need to,” Lestrade said. “Despite my superiors and the family wanting me to come in and take over, I’m fully aware it’s proper to be support.”

Barnaby gave him an approving nod. “There aren’t many like you in London I bet, Gregory.”

Greg chuckled. “I’ll admit I’m a dying breed, yeah. But that’s the way I like it. Hopefully, I can impart some wisdom on Donovan and she’ll continue the line at least a little longer.” He nodded to the seat across from Barnaby. “Perhaps you could fill me in?”

“We were about to go back to the crime scene if you’d like to view it,” Troy said. Then he glanced at Barnaby to make sure it was alright that he had interjected.

“By all means, join us. But Troy?” Barnaby said.

“Yes?” Troy asked, his eyes widening slightly.

“I think I’ll be driving and our guest will be in the passenger seat. You can sit in the back.”

“Yes, sir,” Troy said, looking sheepish. “I’ll go get the car, sirs.” And with that, he left.

“He tends to get a bit...distracted,” Barnaby said. “I don’t think Scotland Yard would be pleased with us if we managed to get you mangled in a car accident.”

Greg chuckled. “No, I suppose not.” Barnaby stood up and the two men left. He had the feeling things were going well so far. Whether this would continue when Sally and Troy actually met, well...it was too soon to tell.

[studysnooze]

i kind of felt like i needed to make this post because i have been stressed out of my actual mind as of late and that isn’t helping me with my anxiety so i thought i would share some tips with you guys- friends in hopes that this helps you and also in turn helps me bc i am s t r u g g l i n g right now haha 

If you find yourself in panic attack/mental breakdown situations (during studying, sleeping, whenever):

1. TAKE A DEEP BREATH: this is legit some of the most underrated advice but this is so so so so so important. i often find myself holding my breath without thinking and even if you look stupid forcing yourself to breath between shaking and crying just do it. please. you will instantly feel better because bottling things up is legit the most toxic thing you could do to yourself

2. if the resource is there: talk to someone. talk to a trusted adult like a teacher, mentor, counselor, or even your parents. i know how it is: you might not trust them, believe me- i have had a fair share of adults who have let me down from time to time and trust me, once you find someone that is perfect for you to talk to, you will cherish that person for the rest of your life. I will never forget my first middle school counselor, i don’t know her name mainly because i was having a panic attack when i met her but i’ll remember her face and her hospitality forever. and she was a stranger to me at the time: sometimes you need that outside stranger to talk to you know? that way, you get a less biased? (idk weird wording there but you get it) response

3. FOOD AND WATER: i cannot tell you how bad i am at drinking water like it’s hopeless at this point but its SOOO important for you! pleaseee drink water. i think water tastes like nothing and it’s pointless to drink it but that is really crazy thinking so don’t follow me on that please because i am seriously working on it these days and my skin has started to clear up majorly but i also feel so much better in general? like hydration does wonders i’m serious- you might not even notice but it’s doing something nice at least to your body. food food food food food please eat something. i know sometimes when i dont eat a few meals because i am so caught up in work, i forget what it feels like to be hungry and that is absolutely ridiculous, do not skip that many meals. i don’t care if your grade depends on it tomorrow for chem or that you need to finish your slide for that group project: if you cannot remember what you ate last literally drop whatever you are doing and get a freaking granola bar- not even- get a sandwich, some chips, and a water or a salad or some carrots and hummus LITERALLY ANYTHING put it in your mouth and chew it slowly and savor your food and thank the universe that your food is making you more energetic to complete your work because honestly not eating makes you feel so weak and it shuts you down. and you know what? when you shut down, it gives you more room to be stressed and anxious because that happens to me too many times in my life and it is the worst feeling in the world: being anxious, sleep deprived, weak :( its not okay and i need my people to stop suffering so eat your carrots kiddos❤

4. nap! this is also extremely simple but soooo underrated. literally nap for like 10 minutes and you will feel SO GOOD afterwards. i know it takes me at least 30 minutes to fall asleep because that’s just me but as soon as i feel sleepy, i turn on my alarm. shutting your brain off for a few minutes does wonders: it actually recharges and resets your brain for a little bit and as long as you don’t sleep for too long, you will wake up more motivated than ever before! 

4.5 going off of the previous point: if you are truly tired, sleep. sleep. sleep. i cannot tell you this enough. there is absolutely no point and no shame in going to bed if you have a headache, your eyes are closing and you cannot focus anymore. plain and simple: it’s just a major waste of time and you will have to end up studying it again anyways. i try to get to bed around 11 which i know is already pushing the late boundaries but if you go to sleep and really, truly, need to finish your work in the morning, wake up a couple hours earlier and finish it quickly- maybe catch a few more z’s. it’s better to get your hours in earlier and wake up feeling better than going to bed at 4:30 (cough thanks nonso) and waking up 3 minutes before school because you shut off your alarm. i’m only telling you guys my stupid mistakes just so you know there are consequences to not following this advice people- this is first hand experience haha

5. TAKE YA MEDS KIDDOS: that’s literally it, you may have forgotten and now are in deep doodoo with yourself whoops set a reminder

if you have trouble sleeping/resting at night or whenever:

1. i have had trouble staying asleep throughout the night for the past few years now. i’m not sure how it started but my brain is just too hot wired these days to stay put: there are some quick things i do when i wake up shaking, panicking, restless, miserable, whatever in the middle of the night: 

 listen to rain sounds on spotify

listen to my favorite podcasts (i gotta make a post about this, message me if you want podcasts like asap after reading this something)

watch “planet earth” or “round planet” on netflix-  round planet is by BBC so there’s that old british guy talking and i think it’s nice :) overall, it’s super therapeutic i highly recommend 

make a warm cup of tea or milk: i usually put honey and cinnamon in my milk or honey in my tea and it’s quite nice i think, it makes me sleepy again

sometimes i wrap myself in extra blankets and cuddle with more stuffed animals to help me fall/fall back asleep. i think there is some nostalgic feeling about being tucked in and being all warm and safe that makes me calm down again i’m not sure why 

if you’re having trouble focusing while studying (i got through this at least once a day omg):

1. take a breather! drinks a glass of cold water, stare around the room for a bit, walk around the neighborhood or the house or the library or wherever you are for a bit- get that blood flowing again

2. look at something motivational! i have a motivation tag kind of thing on my page called #feelgood so you can check it out if you want haha but there are tons of motivational videos and posts from the studyblr community so :)

3. study something you are interested first! this is by far the most useful study advice i have ever received because it motivates me to subconsciously focus my brain and keep me in a “grind” kind of mood 

3.5 related to the previous point, study in small chunks! also switch up on the subject if you get bored.

4. do a hobby! i LOVE reading for fun during study breaks or when i can’t focus especially when i’m super interested in the book because i get sucked into that universe and after i finish a chapter i want to finish more work in order to keep reading- it’s great. i also love doodling intricate designs on my moleskine to keep my busy and i also like writing poems or editing photos. just find something that is calming to you in order to give your brain a break! once you have that little reset, i promise you will feel better going back to work 

5. stop studying? sometimes i burnt out in the middle of studying and you just have to realize when you’ve reached your limit for the night/day so just stop and get some sleep, there’s nothing wrong with sleeping or taking a rest just a reminder <3 and sometimes that means you can get back to your work later or not and that’s okay :)

along with my finals series, i’m going to dedicate an entire post for reasons as to why you should stop comparing yourself so look for that in the next couple of days or so :) 

and just a reminder that you can do it! no matter your barriers you WILL overcome them with flying colors and you will have an amazing summer very soon✨

love,

Nonso

[ladyofpurple]

GIRL ITS BEEN MONTHS SINCE YOU UPDATED TPOY!! please tell me you haven’t given up on it )-:

I KNOW IM REALLY SORRY OMG

This took a bit longer to answer than it should have because I was trying to figure out how to reply, I guess?? The short answer is basically that writing bits of fic during my exams when I didn’t actually have the time to was super productive, mainly because I Didn’t Want To Do The Thing but my entire future hinged on Doing The Thing and anxiety-driven avoidance is excellent creative fuel, apparently. The problem is, of course, that once I finished and started getting my results back and actually had time to breathe again my brain kinda fizzled out and I never wanted to look at a Word document ever again in my life. Writing is really hard right now, for some reason. And not just TPoy — everything I try to write either gives me a headache, makes every idea I’ve ever had go flying out the window like magic, or looks like absolute garbage to me. (I’ve been trying, though, I promise!!!) There is more TPoY, though!! I swear to God!! It’s just coming along a little slower than anticipated.

The long answer is... a little more complicated and probably more than you’re interested in, and the main reason is the short one anyway. But I’ll put a long answer under a cut just in case (aka the entire history of TPoY lol), since I’ve lowkey wanted to post about it for a while now but didn’t quite know how to? May get a little very personal, I suppose.

Basically, TPoY is and always has been a garbage fic. I don’t say that to disparage my own writing or attempt to elicit praise from anyone: I have always considered it a glorious dumpster fire of experimentation, a ridiculous Frankenstein’s monster of all my favorite ML tropes as a practice run, since it had been so long since attempting to write anything at all. I’m thrilled that people like it, of course! Whenever people send me asks about it my answers always involve a lot of exclamation points and variations on “I AM CURRENTLY SOBBING ON THE FLOOR IN GRATITUDE” because I honestly have no idea how to express how genuinely teary-eyed I get when someone tells me how much they like it, or post a comment. That being said, it was always intended for my own amusement and/or therapy, and that it’s gotten so many bookmarks and kudos and comments is incredibly surreal, even after a whole year.

When I started writing it, I was working through a lot of stuff. My first boyfriend had broken up with me, and as we lived together in his hometown I was stuck there on my own for another year before I could move back home. 2016 was filled with a lot of horrifying shit that kept happening one after the other and I eventually almost had to drop out of school because I couldn’t handle it all. The relationship was pretty toxic but all I knew at the time was that I was scared and alone and heartbroken. 

When I started writing, it was after 8 months of the worst bout of depression I’ve ever experienced, and I still wasn’t well, but I functioned passably enough to start hyperfocusing on things. I had an idea about a fic I suddenly wanted to write, and it would have a happy ending and all, but I could work through my feelings in a way I hadn’t tried to since before my ex and I got together. I pulled a lot of the start of the fic (the rejection, the miscommunication, the avoidance) from my recent breakup, yes, but also from my first rejection, aka the only other boy I’d liked enough to confess my feelings to. We were 17, and he admitted that he knew, and then suddenly we weren’t friends anymore. A year and a half later, I got together with my ex, and suddenly after three years of dedicating my life to “us” on his whims he was ghosting me without explanation.

I see a lot of myself in Marinette at that age. The awkwardness, the enthusiasm, the incredibly obvious lovesick obsession with a cute boy who’s nice to you. I wondered if maybe she would react the same, if put into similar circumstances as I had been. Focus on the self-doubt that would follow, based on insecurities she’s already shown in the show — coupled with your standard teenage hormone-fest —and you’d have a fabulous starter for angstfic and a free therapy session all in one.

The problem with that is nobody knows this backstory but me. People focusing on Marinette’s insecurities is nothing new. Other people are annoyed it’s such a popular trope. And the fact that I’ve chosen to focus on certain aspects of the main characters’ identities for the purposes of a story I started on a whim has been making me insecure for a long time because people in the fandom are tired of those characterizations. I’ve never gotten hate comments —I don’t even remember ever getting constructive criticism on TPoY. But I’m well aware that the plot is far from original and definitely lacking in certain places, and as the comments roll in and the hits go up my anxiety mounts because oh my God I’m that guy in the fandom.

I always intended on focusing on different aspects of their characterizations in different fics to suit the plot, y’know? Not ignoring parts of their personalities, but just... emphasizing other parts. But TPoY is the one most people have read. I have a couple one-shots where I tried to do something like that, with different aspects of their characters, but short one-shots can’t really compare to a 100,000+ word WIP, even if they even slightly compared in popularity (they don’t). So my only notable contribution to the fandom is TPoY. And that makes me anxious.

Then there’s the Frankenstein-like obsession with adding every trope I’ve ever wanted to write in a fic like this. I’ve mentioned before that the original plan for this was, like, 10-15 chapters at most. But every chapter I write I’m like, “But what if I did this???” Like I said, I never intended it to be even remotely popular. The only other fandoms I’ve written for are microscopic in comparison. I had no frame of reference for a pairing this big — all my previous experience was from Fanfiction.net, for Christ’s sake. I assumed I wouldn’t finish it, and even getting to chapter 6 was a surprise. But that hyperfocus somehow held on for dear life and I was banging out chapters like nobody’s business. And people were responding to it. And I think that kind of went to my head a little? Not like in an “I deserve all this attention” kind of way, but more like a “People like?? This thing I’m doing??? I cannot squander this opportunity, I must give them m o r e” kind of way. It was the best I’d felt since the breakup and I didn’t really think I deserved it, so I kind of wanted to... prove I did, I guess, by writing everything I’d ever wanted in a lovesquare fic in hopes that people would keep liking it and me and I’d keep feeling nice. (I mean, I’d planned to add in a ridiculous amount of tropes anyway, I just ended up adding a lot more than I’d planned.)

On the one hand, people go nuts for that shit. On the other, it’s getting harder and harder to justify cramming all this shit into the same fic. This compulsion keeps fucking me over by giving me spur-of-the-moment ideas for sub-plots I never wanted and certainly didn’t properly think through before posting the foreshadowing or setup for — yet at the same time they’re usually thought of and integrated several chapters in advance so I can’t just... leave them out? And part of me kind of doesn’t want to?? And I’m trying with every fiber in my being not to rewrite just the first 3 chapters, let alone the entire fic. A side-effect of my FF.net history at 13 was Never Edit Anything. Yeah, I’ll do some spell-check. Maybe some rewording here and there. Sometimes I’ll post a chapter and come back sporadically over the next few days to change out some punctuation or whatever. But if I don’t like a section after writing for a while? Throw the Whole Ass Chapter out. After it’s posted? This Is Your Life Now.

let’s not talk about how everything after chapter 27 was supposed to go very differently

Never mind that, after writing a hundred thousand goddamn words in a year, one’s writing skill tends to evolve and increase over time. Not just in regards to vocabulary, but with consistency and pacing and structure. This means, of course, that I can’t ever reread my own writing without the Evil Writing Goblin in my brain telling me to start the whole thing over from scratch. It’s fine.

I suppose I could get a beta, but I’m very bad at taking critique and as I’m even worse at talking to people than I am at posting on time I don’t think that would work out very well.

The point of this goddamn novel is that TPoY means a lot to me, probably a lot more than people realize. It’s kinda dumb and very cheesy and absurdly long, but it was the first real thing I did for myself after my whole life fell apart. I will finish it!!

But it’s hard to write it right now. I’m trying— I’m writing four chapters at the same time right now (a bit less than 10,000 words combined at current count). I don’t want to try to rewrite the whole fic or keep “mischaracterizing” the characters or lose the suspense I’ve tried to build (or, God forbid, try to keep interest so hard it hurts the rest of the fic) and risk alienating readers. I can’t stress enough how much these supportive comments mean to me, even on something as silly as a fanfic. But I also don’t want to force myself to write it or write something just because other people might or might not like it and risk alienating me. So I’m stuck at a kind of anxiety-induced impasse with myself that’s just made worse by the fact that I’m having trouble writing anything at all at the moment.

Jesus Christ this was longer than I meant it to be. Please don’t take this as a pity-party or anything. I don’t want sympathy or, I don’t know, reassurance or anything, I just wanted everything to be Out There because it really is the most in-depth response I could give and y’all deserve an honest answer. Some of you guys have been reading since the beginning and I can’t express how much that means to me. I feel really bad when I haven’t updated in a long time, because I know my fic makes some people really happy!

And PLEASE don’t take this as a “STOP ASKING ME ABOUT TPOY GODDAMMIT” because this is the opposite of that. I FUCKING LOVE IT WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT TPOY. I L I V E FOR IT. But it sucks when the only answer I have is “I don’t know when it’ll be up, sorry :( ”

I mean, that’ll probably still be the answer I give, unless I by some miraculous (heh) stroke of luck) start hyperfocusing on writing again.

But at least y’all kinda know why now.

[franeridart]

Happy 1000th post to one off my absolute favorite artists on Tumblr!

This is it!!! The 1k post on this blog!!! It’s me finally getting my ass into gear and answering the asks in my inbox!!! As good charm in hope of not waiting so long from now on hahaha thank you so so much, by the way!!!! :D

Anon said:LITERALLY YOUR TODOROKI IS THE BEST THING IN THIS CRUEL WORLD I LIVE THE WAY U DRAW HIM IM EMOTIONAL HHECK ALSO ALL THE REST OF UR ART IS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOD ITS SO NICE UR CHARACTERS ARE LIKE VERY LONG NOODLES THEYRE GOOD™

THANK YOU FOR EVERY KIND WORD AND ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE TODOROKI ONES HOLY SMOKES!!! I don’t draw him much sadly but he’s super fun and comfortable to draw for me, it’s nice to know he also comes out well!!!

Anon said:So like,,, I really miss your bokuroo ;^; Will you ever post with them again???

I haven’t taken a vow that forces me to never draw them again, so, possibly! At the moment posting for the haikyuu fandom is giving me more sad feelings than anything else though, so I can’t promise that’s gonna be any time soon, I’m sorry 

Anon said:bruhh i listened to that chiodos song under ur halo, and that one by memphis may fire that was w that bakugo art that was called not enough and uhhhhh ur music taste is dope care to share some more songs?

SURE I’m glad you liked those! Everything by Memphis is A+ and I love it so if you haven’t you should check out more stuff by them ( No Ordinary Love is super nice, That’s Just Life is very dear to me and so is Divinity, Speechless is… my otp song for every otp ever tbh) -  Bring Me The Horizon is my fav post-hardcore band and both MMF and Chiodos are that genre so if you don’t know them give them a try! (Blasphemy, Run and Doomed are between my faves out of the latest album, and since you liked Under Your Halo you’re probably gonna like Follow You too) the album right before is amazing too if you’re okay with less melodic stuff, but the further back you go with BMtH the harder to listen to they get, just a heads up - Sleeping With Sirens are on the softer side of post-hardcore lately, Fly, Left Alone, Trouble, Fire and Empire To Ashes are some great ones, between the many, and, uhhhh, at this point I might have recced Nothing More a hundred times but let’s make it a hundred and one, try Funny Little Creatures, Do You Really Want It and Go To War out of the newest album! If you’re into punk and female voices you should check out Tonight Alive too, Jenna has one of my two fav female voices in rock right now (Crack My Heart and Temple are the latest two songs out!) and since I always rec stuff but I never rec anything by my favorite band ever, you ever heard of Alter Bridge? They’re more towards hard-rock/alternative metal, but check out Blackbird, Fortress, I Know It Hurts, Cradle To The Grave and Broken Wings just to make it one for every album I really, really adore this band and everything they ever made

Anon said:I adore all of your art, especially your bnha art!!! I had so many of your drawings saved to my drafts before I read the manga and was really looking forward to catching up so I could look at them all!! They’re all fantastic

AHHH THANK YOU!!! This made me smile lots, I’m so glad you like them!!!

Anon said:What’s coming up? Fluffy, dorky or angsty? (I’m talking about your next work XD just to be sure) Have a great day my friend!

LMAO this was about this one right? I’m sort of a fool honestly cause as I drew it it… didn’t feel actually all that angsty to me? I mean, obviously it doesn’t come after anything happy, but they’re working things out! Making an effort! Loving each other enough to try and understand each other better!! I drew it as something positive but in hindsight I should have expected the reactions lmao so I honestly dunno, I feel like telling you it’s most probably gonna be something happy but as it seems I angst without even realizing, lately #rip

@not-enough-kaneki​ said:Pass the happy! 💛 When you get this, reply with 5 things that make you happy and send this to the last 10 people in your notifications! 😊

!!!!! my cats!!!! tea and coffee!!! Bakugou and Kirishima and Bakugou-and-Kirishima and the squad!!!! not having an headache!!!!!! the sound of ocean waves and the sun on winter days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! new music I like!!!!!! nice asks and lovely tags under my art!!!! that’s more than five things but a lot of stuff makes me happy tbh !!!

Anon said:one of my favorite parts (i love every bit of it) of the holiday pic you drew of the squad, is they each have their own personal mug. 10/10

I didn’t think you’d be able to notice Mina’s!!! I’m glad it was visible, I thought I had made it disappear into the background hahaha thank you!!!

Anon said:i just went through your entire kiribaku tag and, honestly, gay (also ur art is soooo good and pure and thank u so much for all the content u make for bnha 💖💖)

It is very gay, isn’t it? The other day I was going through my old stuff and I think I might have slowly turned them mushier oh my hahaha I’m glad you like my stuff, by the way!! Thank you so so so so much!!!!!!!!

Anon said:Thank you for sharing the beautiful Bakusquad Christmas! It’s very colorful and warm & it gives me such a comforting feeling! I love looking at all the details! Kami & Sero’s ribbons, everyone’s mugs, the decorations, all so cute! Especially Mina’s bulletin board with the photos, charms of the boys, & the little alien dude (?) Each time I look at it, I see other cute details!! Sorry to bother you, but thanks again for sharing your art with us! I hope you had a very Merry Christmas!!!!!

It’s not a bother at all!!! Thank you so so much for looking at it long enough to notice all those details!!!!

Anon said:You are so good at giving advice omg

I wouldn’t say I’m especially good at it, I just say what was useful to me lol but thank you! It’s a nice thing to be told

Anon said:Dude, your bakusquad drawings are awesome! Keep up the great work!

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!! I’m super glad you like them!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anon said:The new chapter made me think about Bakugou dealing with his squad as babies all over again. Toddlers would probably be worse.

Depends?? Actually??? Like, at least toddlers aren’t gonna steal his gauntlets and tell him he’s lame and punch him just for the hell of it and be a bunch of smartasses and assholes like. Compared to this bunch of baby-Bakugous he has to deal with in the new arc maybe the squad as toddlers would actually be refreshing lol

Anon said:Um I have a very real crush on ila? Can we please know more about her??

I’m ??? so happy you like her!!!!! I don’t wanna say too much about her cause until I draw her in comics I won’t be too sure about who she really is, but she’s!! a pianist, very tall and sorta insecure about her physical appearance, very soft spoken, incredibly gay, scared of sensory deprivation of any kind. Her full name is Ilaria! Dav calls her Aria, which means air in Italian~ they’re pretty good friends, I have a comic about that I’ve been meaning to draw…

Anon said:So, you like KiriBaku with songs, so what do you think of You Had Me At Hello by A Day to Remember? Particularly the lines, “What have I gotten into this time around, I know that I had sworn I’d never trust anyone again, but I didn’t have to. You had me at hello. I���ve never seen a smile that can light a room like yours, it’s simply radiant, I feel more with every day that goes by.”

s o f t…………. ;; also incredibly fitting considering Bakugou decided Kirishima was his new favorite hero the second time he spoke to him, like, god bless I love those two s o m u ch this one I’m listening to it right now and having feelings (is it Baku to Kiri? Kiri to Baku? why not both for double the feels)

Anon said:Hey Fran!! Have you been keeping up with haikyuu? If so what do you think about the Miya twins? (Personally I think they’re pretty okay, they’re funny when they interact with each other. My favorite of the two is Osamu haha)

I don’t mind them! My fav out of Inari is Kita tho, have to admit - that said I have… sort of been ready for this game to be over for months, now………………

Anon said:Okay but imagine….. Kirishima with freckles

I’ve drawn that, now and again!!! the latest one was this one, and another one I remember is this one :D I’ve been liking the idea of him with freckles even more since it’s become official his hair isn’t naturally red? So now and again I add them in, even though they’re usually not much noticeable haha I do so with Bakugou too from time to time, actually… and the rest of the squad… I just… love freckles a lot… haha

Anon said:Love the squad, love the squad kisses.

HECK YES the goal is to draw at least one smooch for every couple sooner or later !!!

Anon said:I hadn’t even realize that I stuck around for a whole year OwO, anyways, congratulations! Your art style has improved much more than you think, especially since you’ve gotten more into coloring ^o^ I noticed that you’ve also been doing more complicated poses too, so, it’s the little stuff that counts ♥️👍 Hope to see more spontaneous art next year, love you Fran!

THANK YOU SO MUCH I love you lots too??? honestly??? This ask means the whole world to me, I really can’t see much improvement after all but knowing you can DOES help a whole damn lot

Anon said:So I came across this fanfic where Uraraka and Todoroki were a thing. I’m personally not a fan of this rare pair, but the whole scenario was the cutest thing ever. Todoroki basically asks Uraraka to help him confess to Midoriya, but in the process falls in love with her instead.

Awwww that sounds cute! Can’t say I have any particular feelings about the ship, but I am up for Todoroki with nearly anyone so why not!

Anon said:Bro bro bro I’m sorry if this is the wrong channel to go through or something but holy shit I just spent hours going through your entire tumblr and your. Art. And. Concepts. I… can’t??? DUDE YOU’RE AMAZING AND YOUR TATTOO AU!! I?? Just thank you so much for all the awesome work you do honestly made my entire fuckin week with your blog, you are WICKED GOOD AND FUNNY AF. That’s all I got go on with your day you talented ass fiend

I’M CRYING!!! OH MY GOD THANK YOU!!!!!!! I’m gonna pick this ask and frame it right on top of my desk!! The heck!!!!!!

Anon said:Why is Bakugou such a fuckin meme

The real question is why is everyone in class 1A a meme. How do they even keep up. How much of the shit they say on a day to day basis is actually just catchphrases from other 1A kids repeated over and over again. How much of the deadpan ridiculous shit Todoroki says has become an inside-joke. How many 1A kids move and talk like Iida just for the hell of it. How often do they yell DIE at inanimate stuff when it pisses them off. How much stuff is defined as manly even though it has nothing to do with manliness. Do they say “going wheey” instead of “frying one’s brain”. Can anyone outside of 1A even understand them when they speak at this point.

Anon said:You are amazing human bean and I love you 💖 Keep being great ✨👏

Thank you??? ;O; I’ll do my best!!!

Anon said:Just annonly passing by to tell you I F'ing love your take on Ashido And the Kids XD … Way to much fluff And laugh for my heart

THANK YOU!!! I’m happy I can make you laugh!!!! :D :D :D

Anon said:I love you god bless you and your art! THANK YOU!

NAH THANK YOU FOR BEING THIS NICE!!!

Anon said:Hi! I absolutely /adore/ your BakuKiriKami art! I was wondering if you had any headcanons about them/what inspires you to draw them?

More than headcanons for them I have an incredible amount of scenarios I’d like to see them in! And when they’re compact, complete things I usually draw them, which is what inspires me really haha that, and seeing them interact in the manga! Lately I’ve been really drawn to Bakugou and Kaminari’s friendship, actually, so the romantic stuff has fallen in the background while my mind is preoccupied with thinking about them as platonic good pals ahhhhhhh as soon as I’ll work through it I’ll probably get back to drawing them as romantics, that’s just how my mind works lol

Anon said:I love the casual clothes you design for MHA characters! And I really enjoy reading your headcanons-always creative and fun! Is there anything you’d add to anyone’s hero costumes in class 1-A (something that might prove useful/practical for them, or something you’d add just for the heck of it)? Sorry if this is a stupid question or if you’ve answered a similar question before. Thanks for your time!

It’s not a stupid question, don’t worry!! But I generally like to leave myself in Horikoshi’s hands for this sort of stuff, since I both enjoy the costumes as they are AND don’t want to be disappointed in case what I hope for doesn’t actually happen - that said, I’ve mentioned before that I’d really like Aoyama to get redirectors for his laser on his palms and for Kaminari to get a close combat weapon, since with the quirk he has anything metal would actually work wonders for him! He mentioned a sword, but I rest my case that tonfas would be cool, I really want him to use tonfas. A “costume” I don’t understand is Hagakure’s, by the way - would be nice if she got an actual costume and also I don’t really get why she’d wear gloves at all?? Mirio’s costume was made using his hair, I really want her to get something similar! That’s about it tho, I haven’t really thought much about anyone else in that sense~ 

Anon said:Hello! A few weeks ago I asked about the bracelets you drew for Baku & Kiri. (That art is so beautiful!!) I was wondering if there’s a story behind them; such as, did one of them buy the pair, or did they pick them out together? I’m sorry if it’s a dumb question and if I’m bothering you.

THIS ASK I had lost it, thank you so much for sending it my way again! Actually, Kirishima bought it for himself and Bakugou - I mean to draw a small thing for it, be patient with me while I try to get my ass into gear for it ;O;

Anon said:It’s been a while since you’ve done any BakuKiriKami, do you still like that ship?

I do - as I said a few answers above this one, I’m just finding myself weirdly invested in a platonic relationship between Bakugou and Kaminari at the moment, and also Bakushima stole my focus and soul, but I do still like the ship a whole damn lot, definitely still my fav ot3 in the manga~

Anon said:I love your drawings so much, they always make my day seeing them. But I gotta say that kiri with his hair down is my weakness. He just looks so pure, the cuteness factor goes through the roof.

Thank you???? The Kiri thing is true for canon Kiri too, I’m glad I can bring it in my art!!! Mostly cause when I draw him with his hair down I’m never really sure what the hell I’m doing, I’ll be honest with you lmao

Anon said:hello, holy fUCKin shit how are you this damn good at drawing? like, fuck? thank you, bless you, have a nice day

THANK YOU! And all I do is draw, really lmao I wouldn’t say I’m all that good, definitely not anywhere near the artists I admire, but since all I can do is draw as long as I keep doing that I guess I’ll get there, sooner or later hahaha

[maychorian]

Weekly Voltron Fic Recs #27

Rules: You can find past weekly rec lists here, and non-list recs in my general fic rec tag. This is stuff I like, and I have a huge bias toward Lance, hurt/comfort, and general fluff, in that order. Gen unless otherwise noted. Please comment on the fics if you read and enjoy them!

Finally one that’s pretty much just a week after the last one. There’s a lot of fluff this week, and a gratifying amount of Hunk, though it’s still never quite enough.

Must Surely Be Learning by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions) Words:  2,717 IWIP 1/6) Author’s Summary: 5 things Shiro learned, and one thing he's still getting the hang of. My Comments: I just love Boss’s gen fics so much. This one starts off with Shiro doing a sort of low-g dancing/acrobatics. Beautiful imagery, and Lance was adorable and charming, though his small talk with Keith was predictably strained.

The One with a Blanket Fort by isabeau25 Words: 1,485 Author’s Summary: The children build a fortification to keep Keith's bad day out. Written for Voltron Fluff Week. My Comments: Continuation of a series in which Shiro is literal space dad and the other paladins are literal children. Utterly adorable, as always. Toddler Pidge is especially spot-on, and the others are as sweet as cotton candy.

comfort food by finaljoy Words: 3,528 (WIP 2/?) Author’s Summary: Hunk was fine being the team cook, but he didn't expect to also become the team therapist, solving problems one bit of advice and delicious meal at a time. He didn't really mind, though. After all, it was like his mom always said; good food filled the stomach and the soul. My Comments: Hunk is the best. This is not debatable. I love how all-out he goes just on the simplest requests to help his teammates feel better. Also love the interaction with Lance in this one.

The Meadows of Asphodel by Genesister (papirini) Words: 21,006 Author’s Summary: Deep in the heart of a mysterious enemy's territory, some time after their victory over Zarkon, Lance is on bridge duty. As the vargas of the night cycle slowly crawl by, he thinks back to moments during their sojourn in this sector of space - and ponders his own place on a team without their two strongest members. A small interquel to The Garden of Heaven. Tags will be added as the work proceeds. My Comments: Set in the same period as a previously recced fic. This one shows the rest of the team struggling without Keith and Shiro, with an especial focus on Lance and how he fights to fill their shoes and feels like he’s failing. Lovely character interactions throughout.

Best Friends by Kalira Words: 1,550 Author’s Summary: Best friends should stick together, and that's exactly what Hunk and Lance intend to do!(Or: Hunk and Lance built a blanket fort and talk about the future.) My Comments: Cuuuute. I love Hunk and Lance as childhood friends being cuddly and mutually supportive.

Skin Care or Skin Scare by wingedflower Words: 4,636 Author’s Summary: One thing that happens when you send both Lance and Allura to a space mall: they buy an entire cosmetics store. And of course Lance has to try ALL the new products he had purchased in search for the perfect moisturizer, even if some of the side effects prove that none of these things was actually meant for humans. My Comments: Very fun, funny fic. It feels like an episode. Lance is adorable and also should not do that, but no one can stop him.

Night Shift by oldmythologies Words: 1,873 Author’s Summary: Shiro wakes up in the middle of the night. Like usual. My Comments: Shiro has a nightmare and Lance comforts him. I entered this fandom on this dynamic and I’ll always be happy to find more of it.

A Higher Form of War by windscryer Words: 2,966 Author’s Summary: Pidge has a plan to combat Lance's homesickness, but it's going to take a team effort. After all that training and bonding and focusing they've done though? They've got this. My Comments: Aww, fluffy teamy goodness! Complete with blanket fort and pillow fight! Everything is beautiful and nothing hurts. I especially loved how Allura and Coran joined in.

A Hunk of Hugs by Purplecoconutsmine Words: 1,520 (WIP 1/?) Author’s Summary: Hunk is the best at hugs, not so much at logical comfort. My Comments: Hunk is the best. Have I mentioned that? Because he is.

Guardian (Princess) of the Forest by windscryer Words: 2,376 Author’s Summary: Pidge doesn't regret anything that led her to this place in her life. She couldn't have planned it better if she'd tried.Well, there is one thing she regrets. My Comments: Garrison Trio! Hunk and Lance both go all-out to make Pidge look and feel like a Disney princess, as she deserves.

die but once by againstmygreeleaf Words: 20,035 Author’s Summary: There's no art to being armor. It's more of a discordant knee jerk of an instinct. Four times Hunk takes one for his team, one time he takes one for the cause. Essentially a collection of gratuitous, self-indulgent Hunk whump. My Comments: OMG, OMG, OMG, the absolute BEST Hunk h/c I have read in the fandom, ahhhh, it’s so good! The author does a great job of escalating the stakes from chapter to chapter, and also an excellent job with the other character, especially Lance, but everyone. Please please please read this and comment, so the author will feel encouraged to write more for this fandom. I WANT it.

Soul of a New Machine by StygianLotus Words: 3,170 (WIP 2/?) Author’s Summary: Lance had been living the same cycle of events over and over since he got captured by the Galra. After seven months with Haggar, the other Paladins finally manage to save him. However, they soon realize that Lance's wounds run much deeper than they had hoped. My Comments: Hmm, yes, another Lance torture fic. What can I say, guys. I still like ‘em, even if I’m embarrassed about writing my own. This one is well-written, and I’m in.

In the way knitting needles love yarn by Veto_power_over_clocks Words: 8,869 Author’s Summary: Messing up and fixing things in three stages:1. Lance, Blue, and the art of hurting others through self-deprecation.2. Lance, Keith, and the Anatomy of Apologies.3. Lance, Blue, and pointing out the obvious. My Comments: Pretty much the only fic I’ve read and liked with the concept of lion swapping, mainly because this one doesn’t go through with it, haha. I love Lance’s relationship with Blue, so so much .Sometimes, like any other relationship, it takes work. I also really liked Keith teaching Lance how to apologize.

The Sun is Rising Without you by Qpenguin98 Words: 3,252 Author’s Summary: Lance wakes up with a headache pulsing behind the eye mask. He walks late to breakfast still dressed in his pajamas, somehow feeling less rested than he did before he went to sleep. He’s not quite sure what he dreamt about, but he knows it wasn’t pleasant. My Comments: Aw, poor Lance .Sometimes everything just gets to be too much. I’m glad Shiro was there for him, and everyone else in the end as well. Supportive team showing Lance love for the win.

Previously Recced Fics That Updated:

familiar by achieving elysium (Ogygia) The Garden of Heaven by Genesister (papirini) Handbook of Demonology by squirenonny for Pechat (now complete, cannot recommend it highly enough) Taking One For The Team by ShiningRegalia Gate Keeper by MoonlitPaladin (MoonlitStardust) for cupcakelevi As Color Fades Away by IcyPanther Beautiful Minds by PotatoBender Shifting Sands by Cardigan_Quincy Mini Lions by Eastofthemoon Masks by TiedyedTrickster Weekend Guests by TheBeckster Someplace Like Home by squirenonny A Dream Away by BossToaster (ChaoticReactions) This Is New by TheHomestuckWhovian Truce by kyanve Playing Catch-Up by 5557

[abbygkane]

Please tell me we didn’t have sex last night (3/4)

You can read the first part here, and the second part here

So because I originally promised to update this a couple of days ago, you’re getting a slightly longer chapter! You’re welcome ;) Thanks for everyone who liked/reblogged and commented, I love all of you! 

After finishing her shower and drying herself off, Abby feels much better. Her headache is reduced to a minor throbbing and her nausea is nearly gone. Entering her bedroom, she quickly puts on some underwear, a pair of leggings and a baggy sweatshirt. Marcus’ shirt is still lying on the bathroom floor and after debating for a couple of seconds she picks it up and throws it in the laundry basket. They might not have parted on the best of terms, but Marcus did take care of her while she was being ill, so washing his T-shirt was the least she could do. She might not be brave enough to drop it off herself, but she could always ask Thelonius to make sure Marcus got it back, they were friends after all.

Abby’s just about to turn on her laptop to go over some notes when a noise and a muttered curse from outside her bedroom makes her freeze.

There was someone in her apartment

Feeling a slight panic attack coming up, Abby glances around her room, looking for her phone. When she doesn’t immediately find it, she starts to search her room for something she could use to defend herself. Her gaze lands on her bedside lamp and she quickly unplugs it before picking it up.  

Quietly opening the door, Abby makes her way to the kitchen, adrenaline coursing through her veins only to abruptly come to a halt when while rounding the corner she comes face to face, or rather face to back, with none other than Marcus.

Wait, what? What is he still doing here? And is he making breakfast?

Apparently, after leaving her place he came back because here he is, standing in her kitchen, wearing only a pair of jeans and his shoes while preparing, by the smell of it, French toast.

How did he know that she loved French toast?

Abby realises she’s standing in the middle of her hallway, holding an unplugged lamp above her head as if she could strike any minute, looking entirely ridiculous while wordlessly staring at the naked back of Marcus Kane. 

And boy was that a sight for sore eyes.

She briefly blushes at the sight of several nail marks on his back, did she seriously leave marks all over his body,  before clearing her throat.  

“Marcus?”

Abby observes how his body briefly tenses up, before relaxing and she can’t help but admire the way the muscles in his back flex.

Marcus slowly turns around with a bashful look on his face, only for a frown to take its place when he notices the lamp she’s holding in her hand.

“What’s with the lamp?”, he asks, looking entirely confused. 

“I thought you left and that there was an intruder”, she explains.  

“Oh, I uhm-”, Marcus mutters before turning around so he could turn off the stove before facing her again, “I did leave, but only to buy some ingredients you didn’t have.“

“Ingredients?”, Abby repeats while putting the lamp down. 

“Yes, to make French toast. I did promise to make you my recipe”, he nonchalantly clarifies, as if that should be obvious. 

“You did?”

“Yes, last night. You don’t remember?” , he slowly says, still looking a bit confused.

“Are you alright?”, Marcus continues as he takes a step in her direction, his eyes flickering over her with worry audible his voice.

Abby gives him a small and hopeful reassuring nod, “I’m fine, but to be completely honest, I don’t really remember a lot from last night”

“Ah”, he exhales, and suddenly he looks less comfortable about standing in her kitchen, half-naked. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

“Uhm, well, it’s all a bit hazy”, she confesses, “I remember playing beer pong, Callie leaving and you coming up to me, calling me difficult”

“That’s all?”

“Yeah”, she admits, nervously biting her lower lip.

Marcus’s eyes go wide and his entire body just slumps down, and Abby can’t help but compare him to a puppy who lost his favourite toy.

“Then this –”, he gestures to himself and the food, “must be pretty confusing to you”

“It is”

He looks at her intently for a couple of seconds, before somberly giving her a small nod.

“Thought so. Right, well, I think it’s best if I just left then. The toast’s nearly done, I already cut the fruit and there’s a mug of ginger lemon tea on the table for you, which will help with your nausea”, he mutters quickly, avoiding all eye contact, “Have you seen my T-shirt?”

 “Uhm, yes, I put it in the laundry basket in my bedroom”, Abby replies, feeling bewildered by the turn the conversation has taken.

“Great. I’ll just go get it and then I’ll be out of your way”, he states while moving passed her.

Abby honestly doesn’t know why she reaches out and gently grabs his wrist, because the last thing she remembers from last night is arguing with him, and before the party she believed they mutually hated each other. But there was something in the way his body deflated when he realised she didn’t remember anything, something in his look of defeat, but acceptance when she had asked him to leave earlier, that prompts her to do so.

“No, Marcus wait please”, she softly utters, while closing her fingers around his wrist.

He snaps his head around so quickly that Abby’s surprised he doesn’t pull a muscle. His eyes briefly flicker to her face before settling on the sight of her hand that’s wrapped around his wrist.

“You went through all the trouble to make me breakfast. Why don’t you join me?”, she proposes, while subconsciously gently caressing his skin with her thumb.

“You sure?”, he asks, still sounding hesitant, but there’s a gleam of hopefulness in his eyes.

“Yes, besides you have apparently promised to make me breakfast and I might not remember a lot from last night, but I do know that you’re a man of your word”, she teasingly offers with a small smile.

“That I am”, Marcus admits with a smile of his own, “But I want you to know that I don’t want to intrude or anything. I mean I can –”

Abby swiftly cuts off his rambling by giving his wrist a light squeeze, “Marcus, I would like nothing more than if you stayed for breakfast”

The dazzling smile he bestows on her makes her extremely grateful and happy that she had stopped him from leaving.,

The fact that the same smile also makes her want to say, screw breakfast and drag him to her bedroom for more lascivious pursuits and this time she will definitely remember them, is something Abby doesn’t want to dwell on.

*last night*

“No way”, Abby exclaims with a giggle. 

“I assure you that’s exactly how it went”, Marcus promises in a very serious manner, but his eyes are twinkling with mirth.

 “Oh my god. I wish I could have seen the look on Thelonius’ face”, she laughs, shaking her head in amusement, while making herself more comfortable on the couch.

“Yeah, it was pretty hilarious”, he acknowledges, before taking another sip from his beer, “Do you want another one? Or perhaps something else?”, he asks, pointing at her drink.

“Uhm”, she quickly drains her bottle, “Something else please”

“Sure. Anything I shouldn’t get?”

“Perhaps no tequila. I feel like I already drank enough of it to last my whole lifetime”, Abby replies with a smirk.

Chuckling, Marcus rises from the couch, “No tequila it is. I know where Ben hides his whisky. You want some?”

“Oh, yes please”

“Kay, I’ll be right back”, he promises before disappearing into the crowd.

Abby watches him go with a small smile on her face. If anyone had told her she would be having a conversation with Marcus Kane without yelling and actually enjoying herself, she would have suggested they got their head checked out. But here she was, they had been talking for - she didn’t even know for how long - and she hadn’t once had the urge to punch him. Her eyes had strayed to his mouth more times than she was comfortable admitting to, but she had noticed his eyes wandering as well, so she’d say they were even.

And he also hadn’t been lying when he’d mentioned he could be pleasant. When he wasn’t bent on being an enormous jerk, Marcus could be amusing and even charming. The fact that he was handsome, didn’t hurt either.

While waiting for him to come back, Abby lets her gaze wander across the room. Everybody seems to be having a great time. Spotting someone from her year, she gives the girl a short wave when she can feel her phone buzz. Turning on the couch, so she’s sitting sideways on it with her right leg curled beneath her, she pulls her phone out of her pocket. Noticing that it’s a text from Callie, a smile appears on her face. 

Everything okay? x

Smiling at her friend’s concern, she promptly texts back. 

Yes. I’ve actually been talking to Marcus. You okay? x

She has barely pressed send when her phone buzzes again.

Ooooh, it’s Marcus now??? :D (and I’m fine) x

Rolling her eyes at her friend’s text, Abby types a reply.

Yeah, yeah. You were right. He isn’t that bad x

After a couple of seconds, she gets another text and when she notices that it’s in all caps Abby can’t help but laugh.

OMG STOP THE PRESSES ABBY WALTERS JUST ADMITTED THAT I, CALLIE CARTWIG WAS RIGHT ABOUT SOMETHING AND SHE WAS WRONG! THIS IS A MIRACLE. THIS DATE IS ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS xx

Abby’s in the middle of typing a reply when Marcus returns with their new drinks. Acknowledging his presence with a warm smile she nods to her phone, “Gimme a second. I just need to reply Callie”

“Sure, no problem”, he replies before sitting down on the couch again, and Abby can’t help but notice that he’s sitting closer than before.

Yes, well you can gloat another time, Marcus is back from getting new drinks. Behave Cartwig x

Her friend immediately replies. 

Right back at ya Abs, I’m too young to become an aunt x

Putting the phone away, she accepts the cup with a smile.“Oh, wow, you’ve certainly been generous with the amount of whisky”, Abby comments after glancing into her cup.

Marcus merely shrugs, the same half-grin of before making a reappearance and just as before it makes her skin tingle.

“Yes, well, I couldn’t bring the bottle with me and I really didn’t feel like leaving you every couple of minutes for a refill”, he confesses while intently gazing at her.

Oh my god, Marcus Kane was flirting with her and goddamn he was good at it.

“Well”, Abby softly utters while shifting a little bit closer until their legs touch, “I like the way you think”

“Hmm, do you now?”, Marcus murmurs back, his eyes momentarily dropping to her mouth before focussing once more on her face, “That’s different”, he adds with a smirk.

“There’s a first time for everything”, she quips with a wink while leaning forward, realising that it would give Marcus another glimpse of her cleavage.

“There certainly is”, he gulps and Abby feels a thrill of excitement course through her at his obvious appreciation.

“How about we toast to that?”, she proposes and she has to bite on the inside of her cheek at the way Marcus has to tear away his gaze from her cleavage.

“Uhm”, he murmurs, a blush noticeable on his cheeks, “Sounds like a great idea”

How can somebody be so damn sexy yet adorable at the same time?

“Okay then”, Abby states before raising her cup, “To second chances”

Smiling, Marcus raises his cup as well, “To second chances.”

Abby has no idea how she ended up in Marcus’ lap, one minute they had been sitting close, talking about something and his hand had been gently running up and down her thigh and the next thing she knew, he had pulled her into his lap before devouring her mouth. But as she grabs a fistful of hair, she honestly doesn’t couldn’t care less and by the way he just moaned against her mouth, neither does Marcus.

As he slips his tongue past her lips, Abby tugs at his hair, pulling him even closer. The growl he emits in response makes her instinctively grind her hips against his. A move he eagerly welcomes, if the way his hands palm her bum in order to guide her movements is any indication to go by.

Pulling back when breathing becomes a necessity, a wave of arousal crashes over her at the sight of his swollen lips and tousled hair.

“You wanna come back to my place?”, she asks, feeling timid all of a sudden as if they weren’t basically dry-humping in the middle of a party a couple of seconds before.  

“Really?”

Abby can’t help but smirk at his baffled expression before pressing a quick kiss against his lips. “Yes, really”

When he doesn’t immediately respond, Abby can feel her cheeks redden from embarrassment.

“Oh god. You don’t want to. I’m so sorry”, she rushes the words out, while moving from his lap, only to fall back with a squeal when he pulls her back.

“Abby trust me when I say that there’s nothing I would rather want then to go back to your place. But I like and want you, Abby. And I don’t mean just physically. I mean, obviously physically as well because I’m sure you can feel just how badly I want you- ”, he smirks at her giggle, “but I also want more of this. More talking and getting to know each other. And I also would like to take you out on a date. Like a proper date. Not just drinking cheap whisky in cups while being surrounded by drunk college students. I mean, if that’s something you want. If you just want tonight, then I’m fine with that too, because to be honest, I’m already amazed that we actually kissed. So yeah –”, he trails off, looking slightly nervous.

Abby simply stares at him. She has been so blind these past two years. 

“Yes,” she exclaims, “I’d like to go on a date with you. A proper one. But not tonight. Now I just want you naked and on top of me. Or beneath me. I don’t care as long as we’re both naked and in my bed”, she continues with a smirk before kissing him again.

“God, Abby”, he moans against her mouth, “You’re driving me crazy”

Pulling back with a smirk, “Well, you’re doing a fine job of that as well. But let’s go. I just have to let Callie know that I’m leaving with you”, she says before slowly standing up from his lap.

It doesn’t take long before they’ve located Callie. Fingers intertwined they push through the crowd until they’re in front of her friend, who greets them with a smug and slightly drunk smile on her face. 

“Well hello there lovebirds. I’d ask what you two have been up to but by the sight of your rumpled clothes and swollen lips I have a pretty decent idea. You two leaving?”, Callie teases.

Marcus blushes under Callie’s knowing gaze, but he tightens his grip on her fingers and Abby throws him a comforting smile before turning her attention back to her friend.

“We are. We’re going back to my place. Do you have someone to escort you back home? Or are you crashing at Diana’s?”, she asks.

“Crashing at Diana’s”

“Okay, well, text me when you get there, don’t worry about the hour”, Abby states before wrapping her in a short and one armed hug.

“I will. You two have fun”, she replies with a wink before leaving.

Rolling her eyes at her friend’s retreating back, Abby tilts her head so she can look Marcus in his eyes.

“You ready?”

“Absolutely!”, he blurts out, causing her to giggle at his eagerness. 

Pressing one final kiss against his lips, they start to make their way towards the front door.