#this was so sweet asking me

[randomfoggytiger]

Congrats on your first Fictober! How did you like it? Do you think you're gonna do it again? And what was your favorite piece you've written?

To quote Pilot Mulder: "I did, I liked it." ;)))

In fact, I loved it! 10/10 experience-- it felt like I was part of something while also having the space to "get in touch" with "the craft"... a.k.a. make a ton of small writing mistakes because I pump out writing/editing in under an hour. XDDD But it felt good.

And I truly do have a newfound respect for you keeping up with everyone's posts as much as you do: I wasn't expecting to be as overwhelmed with all the reading options (possibly because I only reblog fics I've finished aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand... yeaaaaaaaaaaahhh.) Wouldn't change a moment, though.

Thank you for encouraging me to participate! Definitely will do this again next year, definitely. :DDDDD

My favorite piece? Really proud of all of them, but "The Dead Are Everywhere, Scully" blows me away, so I'll pick that. ;))) Also, really, really proud of writing Revival Mulder and Scully in "Kids Today, Huh?" because I wanted to set it in a time-out-of-time... time for readers who, like me, haven't seen the Revival (and don't really like any canon post x season)-- and I thought of you while writing it; and tried to capture beefy, wholesome Revival Mulder's vibe for you.

Rambling now, BUT should I do a reflections post? Maybe make a list of 10-30 asks to send around to fic writers asking various questions on their Fictober experience???? Hmmmmm. HMMMMMMMMM.

[inkskinned]

you know, you know. no gods, no masters, no kings on pedestals. everyone is fallible. death of the author. you know! you are balanced about your intake of media - you allow the wiggle room, the grace, the gratitude, the skepticism. nobody above criticism.

but still. a weird gut-punch feeling, something akin to betrayal. you read the article. surprise! an author you love is actually: a serial fucking predator.

well, shit. what now. no, you knew he was a person (all people are), but now you're wondering - what have i overlooked by accident? what messages have i internalized that are strange and cruel? and also, like, what the fuck?

his actions lay a thick glaze on top of everything. like each place is now ruined, opaque in a new way. but okay, fine, you've done this before. you knew better, right? you've been betrayed by many a cherished childhood author.

still, this stickiness. fuck. can you pick up that book again. will you read it to your children. you've recommended it to others - will you ever do that again? and of course, of course, no parasocial relationships. you were theoretically above this kind of sentiment. but the artist informs the art, right.

so it's not something as clear-cut as feeling he owed you, specifically (a stranger) better behavior - just that you kind of, in a distant and odd way... sort of trusted him to do better. it's not like a real trust or something speakable, just the faint hope that the product (good books) was a thin representation of the soul. now it feels like the product (good? books?) was a mask. in some small or insignificant way, your previous support of this person lent them power. your money and your time and your laughter.

and the thing is - you have this terrible, echoing sensation. how many times will this happen? over and over. you find out that the singer you love is actually a predator. you learn over drinks that your favorite high school english teacher is in jail for what he did to her. you listen to the news idly and suddenly discover that a woman you used to idolize has been abusing her kids for an actual eon.

what can you touch without the static melting off. you can't even really complain about it too much (you were supposed to know better, and besides, you don't want the same re-split "it's not your fault, love what you love" basic advice), but now it's here. somehow, it feels like - you let him into your life.

it's not that things need to be pure or an artist has to be like, endlessly perfect, mindful. demure. it's more just this terrible truth that has been replayed through your veins so often it feels criminally vain. power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. did you want any one person to be worth that power?

it's just that he wrote books where he seemed to understand that. he seemed to know about hierarchies and unfair systems and bigotry and privilege. you thought they were books about what it means to struggle. you thought they were about having power and still using it for good rather than for control. he spooned you a narrative of being a good guy, a kind soul. you fucking bought what that fucking monster sold.

maybe that's why they were fantasies, after all.

[shepscapades]

Realized I haven’t posted anything other than dbhc angst lately, so here’s a small collection of silly and sweet things as an offering to balance out the angst :]

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

real talk having the 2nd worst new years eve yet 🤢🤢🤢 (throat infection, twisted neck, banged-about-foot, ego AND the rest o' me all bruised like misjuggled peaches 🍑🍑🍑)

im bent outa shape and suspectin the universe owes me 8 buck if anyone wannsa chip in

[letsplaythermalnuclearwar]

Homer!Odysseus and Epic!Odysseus would try to kill each other if they ever met

[sirazaroff]

I just had to come in and say your Gelphie's are some of the best I've seen. I love your style, and I really love the sweetness that comes from how you draw their relationship. Thank you for the great art!

Thank you!! I know I’m very new to this fandom but I’ll give you all the best of me, promise <3

They’re just so sweet man I dunno what to say! The layers to their onion shaped relationship, I really just wanna get into the tiniest of details, whether it’s a rewrite of canon scenes, what ifs, or lil made up moments to showcase their dynamics in.

I know they don’t make the best of choices (cough Glinda cough) but their love was the most genuine and honest parts about them. They would’ve loved just doing laundry and taxes together if given the chance 🥺

[choccy-milky]

⭐ HL x animal crossing ⭐

something for fun bc why not......i have free will their personality types?? maybe?? : seb = smug clora = peppy poppy = normal/sweet imelda = snooty ominis = lazy (or cranky tbh) leander = jock natty = sisterly

[lil-lemon-snails]

decided to draw some of your guys' tags from my harlequin sun and moon post!!! These guys are so much fun and you're all so funny >w<

[fraternum-momentum]

Isn't Aimee horny with Sindney too, so is he just a fling to her?

HOO BOY OK aimee is def horny for syd ! but she's kind of starting to develop some feelings for him and it's messing with the whole 'leading people on and leaving them dry' thing she has going on. and she's coming to terms with it (it is not going well)

when they met, her initial plan was just to mess with him for a bit bc she found him cute. but once she learned more about him, she kind of grew jealous of how he remained relatively unaffected by the town. why does she have to fight for her life almost everyday while he's all kumbaya and shit? it's unfair, and it really pissed her off. so at that moment, she decided that she will be the one who corrupts him.

(this was also the moment where she gets her demon tf!)

in a sense, she's taking out her anger and resentment for the town and what it has done to her on sydney by taking his virginity and defiling him. it's a sort of crab mentality in a way ?? like if she's going down, she's taking him with her bc she's petty and bitter about it.

usually, at this point aimee would move on to the next person but she does end up liking sydney a lot, so they remained fuckbuddies. plus, she eventually realized that it wasn't fair of her to be mad at him when he really hasn't done anything to her personally, so she felt guilty about that and stuck around.

although there was this particular moment where she realized her feelings for him might run deeper than she had thought

aimee isn't used to kindness from other people, since she's objectified on the daily and is generally treated like garbage by most people so this was a wtf moment for her. it lowk left her in shock for a bit. and currently she's in denial of everything LMFAO

[beescake]

im a sollux kinnie and ur art is great. like a delicious meal. 1 million courses. my compliments to the chef.

AOGHHH TYSM I REALLY APPRECIATE IT

in gratitude i present a little guy doing setup for the first time 🐝

[dingledraw]

“That's not what I asked” a comic (1/2) based on the lovely art and fic by @chernozemm

Part 2

[forgettable-au]

SOOO HI

UHM, MY BROTHER SURPRISED ME WITH THIS ???

LINK

I guess you can all fight Wingdings now if u want to!! So give it a try!! You don't even have to download it, you can play from the website (you do need a computer tho)

[galdrgobrrr]

I find it endlessly fascinating how much Alhaitham outside of his character stories is portrayed as someone solely defined by the present. He never mentions his family ever. You don’t even know he’s an orphan unless you read them, or even that his grandma was such a pivotal figure in his life (and inspired some of his current views). He’s so divorced from his past you could be convinced he just popped into existence one day with no fuss.

[solarmorrigan]

Silly idea I talked about ages ago with @azure7539arts, inspired by a similar event my workplace hosts every year. Would minors be allowed to participate in such an event? Probably not! But then again, it was the 80s, who can say for sure. Anyway, it's my birthday and I'll post nonsense if I want to <3

-

“I need you to buy me.”

Eddie looks up from his notebook, effectively jarred from his campaign-plotting fugue state by Steve’s declaration.

Steve is standing at the other end of the dining table, staring at him expectantly.

“Y’know, this is the part where someone usually follows up their completely bonkers demand with an explanation,” Eddie says slowly.

“At the charity auction,” Steve clarifies. “I need you to bid on me, and I need you to win.”

Ah, yes, that weird Rent-an-Athlete charity auction the school runs every year; anyone on any Hawkins High sports team could volunteer to be “auctioned” off in order to raise money for said sports team, to spend a day at the beck and call of the highest bidder (within reason, supposedly). It’s generally restricted to students, but occasionally, prominent alumni are invited to participate – and Steve certainly fits the bill, especially after the story the government spun about his heroism in the face of “serial killer” Henry Creel last spring.

“And what, deny all those pretty girls a chance to get at you?” Eddie asks drily (he’d never turned up at previous auctions himself, but you could hardly avoid gossip in a school their size; it had usually been some cheerleader bidding with daddy’s money who won a date– that is, a day with Steve Harrington).

“It wasn’t always a girl who won,” Steve says, crossing his arms over his chest. “One time it was Mrs. Dalton – you know, the lady on the school board who lives on my block? I just spent the day doing yard work for her. She gave me lemonade. That was pretty cool.”

“Right,” Eddie drawls. “And I’m sure she definitely didn’t sit outside and stare at your ass while you were working.”

“She did not– she– I mean she was on the porch, but, like– she wouldn’t have– she’s, like, seventy, Eddie,” Steve splutters, and it’s all Eddie can do not to laugh.

“Older gals have needs, too, Steve,” Eddie says, giving in to a smirk. “So she was checking you out from the porch, huh?”

Steve goes red. “Shut up, that isn’t the point. I’m trying to ask for your help.”

“Right, right, your absolutely reasonable request for me to buy you at market. Why, again?” Eddie asks.

“The kids are planning to bid on me,” Steve says gravely.

Eddie blinks at him. “Okay?” he says, when no further explanation is forthcoming. “You basically do most of what they ask, anyway, so…?”

“Okay, believe it or not, I actually say no to at least half of what they ask me to do. I would literally never get anything done if I gave in to all their demands.” Steve jabs a finger at Eddie, who holds up his hands in mock surrender. “Anyway, this is all Henderson’s fault.”

“It usually is,” Eddie agrees, nodding sagely.

“He decided that he was going to bid on me and then use that day to finally make me play your nerd game with you–” Eddie snorts, and Steve shoots him a look, “but Wheeler doesn’t want me to play, so he said he was going to bid against Dustin and make me do anything but sit in on a session with you guys.”

“So let Wheeler win.” Eddie shrugs.

“No! I can’t let fuckin’ Mike win, he’ll probably make me do something even more ridiculous!” Steve exclaims. "He’ll make me play chauffeur for him and El on a date, or something, and he’ll probably include the stupid hat.”

“Wait, I thought El broke up with him,” Eddie breaks in.

“No, they’re on again,” Steve says absently, shaking his head. “Which is why Max has been in a bad mood lately.”

Eddie bites back the reflexive need to ask “How can you tell?”, going instead with, “I thought she and Sinclair were on again.”

“No, they are. That’s why no one’s been actively murdered,” Steve says.

“How do you keep track of all of this?” Eddie asks, squinting at Steve.

“It’s a natural skill. And we’re getting off track,” Steve says quickly. “Normally, I wouldn’t be that worried, because Dustin regularly blows his savings on weird science gadgets or whatever, but then Lucas and Will started taking sides.”

“This is getting very involved,” Eddie says.

“So you see why I’m stressed!” Steve insists, smacking a hand to his forehead (personally, Eddie thinks Steve is stressed for many other reasons, but he figures pointing that out just now won’t be appreciated). “Lucas is on Dustin’s side, and that kid does odd jobs like nobody’s goddamn business; he actually has shit saved up. And usually I’d have faith in him being more, like, sensible than to spend it all on this, but the little shit is really fucking competitive.”

“Wonder who he got that from?” Eddie mutters.

“Okay, we do remember that I’m not actually biologically related to any of these idiots, right?” Steve snaps.

“Well now we’re just getting into nature versus nurture–”

“Eddie.”

“Right, sorry, continue.”

“Well, Will took Mike’s side–”

“Shocking.”

“Right? But anyway, I don’t know if the kid has much saved up, but between him and Wheeler, they might be able to win.” Steve sighs, looking far more world-weary than Eddie feels the situation really warrants.

“You know you don’t actually have to do what they ask you to, right?” Eddie points out.

Steve rolls his eyes. “If an auction winner complains to the school that the person they bid on didn’t fulfill their end of the bargain, they can get their money back. It’s a whole…” he waves his hand vaguely, “thing. Happened once when I was a sophomore; Deacon McNab. Lost a good chunk of change for the football team, and they vandalized the shit out of his car.”

“Ah, right. Forgot we went to school with literal psychopaths,” Eddie hums.

“So, I just need you to bid on me and win, so I’m not stuck wasting a Saturday on whatever the hell the kids are going to try to make me do. Or not do. Or– whatever,” Steve says.

“Okay, not that I don’t understand your predicament here, but I think you’re forgetting something kind of important, Steve,” Eddie drawls.

Steve’s brows draw together in question. “What?”

“I’m fucking poor.”

“Oh.” Steve shakes his head. “I didn’t mean– no, I will give you the money, you don’t have to spend a dime, man, I just need you to get me out of this.”

“Why not have Buckley do it?” Eddie asks.

“That was Plan A, but she actually has a date that night, and it’s kind of a big deal, so I don’t want her to cancel,” Steve says. “But I assumed you wouldn’t be busy.”

“Wow, rude,” Eddie scoffs, and Steve sighs.

“Fine, sorry, I just really hoped you wouldn’t be busy.” Steve gives him the most lethal set of puppy dog eyes Eddie has ever seen, as if there had been any chance from the beginning that he’d be able to say no. “Please?”

Just for show, Eddie lets out a long sigh, falling against his chair and letting his head flop over the backrest like he’s deflating.

“Fine.”

“Thank you,” Steve groans, sounding so genuinely relieved that Eddie almost feels bad about how quickly his thoughts dip into the realms of the inappropriate. “Oh my god, I owe you.”

Eddie glances back up at Steve, tongue darting out to wet his lips almost unconsciously. “You know I’m not as easy to appease as a couple of fifteen-year-olds, right?”

Steve’s eyes drop for just a second—maybe down to Eddie’s lips, maybe not; who can say?—before he looks back up, cocking an eyebrow at Eddie. “I think I can handle it.”

Slowly, Eddie grins. “We’ll see.”

[ping-ski]

I love how, in the tags, sugar daddy eclipse is written as "sugar!clip", bc in my head it implies he's made of sugar. It makes me want to lick him.

...Not that I didn't want to lick him before

Eclipse wouldn't stop you from licking him, but fair warning - he WILL return the favor.

[planetvries]

I ❤️ Balin 🥹