#vio has always been my second favorite too

[casual-praxis]

So if Vio's your second favorite whose your first? I want to guess Red

You'd be correct! Red has been my favorite ever since the beginning. ^^

I think, though I don't actually remember, he was the one I gravitated towards even in 2014 when I originally found out about the Four Swords manga. I just really like bubbly characters.

[clickbait-official]

Hi, I’m obsessed with your Morpheus content and I was wondering if you could do something angsty where they argue? If you’re comfortable with it ❤️

omg anon?? i love you <3 je t’aime

also what POV do you guys like best? second person? First? pls tell me i’m never sure which one to go with

masterlist

~~~

A strange book caught my eye as I meandered through the library. I grabbed at the reddish-orange cover, pulling it into my hands. I flip to the first page.

“Try as he might, the god cannot love the mortal in his entirety. He burns far too bright, too endlessly - and no mortal can withstand that intensity. So the god becomes so dreadfully alone - as there is no one who can return his love in the way he needs.”

I remembered then that I was meant to meet with Morpheus in Fiddler’s Green. He had asked me - quite formally, might I add - to meet him there so that we might talk, as friends do.

I won’t tell you how my heart leapt. I’m sure you already know it.

I rushed over quickly, hoping I wasn’t late. The grassy path led me to my favorite spot in all of the Dreaming - the pond.

Waterfalls cascaded down, splashing delightfully with the water below. Birds and butterflies and bees flew and fluttered, buzzed and sang.

It felt like home, almost.

And just the thought of this being home made my heart sing. Though, not as much as the prospect of him wanting to talk to me did.

But as I looked around, peering through the shades of green and brown, I saw no Morpheus.

Maybe I was early?

I’ve got all the time in the world. Might as well wait for him.

I sit down in shade, just watching the world go by. The grass below me was soft, tickling my legs not unlike how it would in the real world. A white tulip sprang up from the ground, alerting me that Fiddler’s Green himself as coming to me.

And there he was, walking from the woods. He dipped his head in greeting as he sat beside me.

“Hello, dreamer,” he said, tone like the gentle waterfall near us. “What brings you to my meadow today?”

“Hello Fiddler's Green,” I said, a small grin appearing on my lips. “It’s nice to see you. Dream asked me here today. You wouldn’t happen to know where he is, would you?”

His brow furrowed in concentration.

“No,” he said with an unsure tone. “No, he never mentioned anything like that today. Perhaps he forgot to tell me?”

It was an easy excuse. Both of us knew that Morpheus never forgot these sorts of things: he always remembered everything, as any Endless would. So it was rather strange to hear Fiddler's Green talk about him in such a manner. It was …strange.

"The god loves so fiercely, burns so brightly. And like the sands of time, he will fall in love over and over.

He doesn't like to think about it. So instead, he chooses to forget."

Birds still chirped and bees still buzzed. Butterflies flew and waterfalls - well, they fell. The world continued on even though my heart was racing. 

“He has been rather busy recently,” said the man beside me. “Maybe it’s just the busyness of it all.” We simmer in silence for a moment before-

"No matter,” he says, cheering up. His demeanor instantly shifts. “We can have plenty of fun together - even without Dream.”

Despite his offer, I respectfully declined. I wanted to know what Morpheus was doing and why he stood me up. 

He nodded his agreement but warned me: "Be careful: My lord tends to get antagonistic when stressed."

I said my goodbyes to him and walked back the way I came.  The view was just as beautiful, just as sublime. It felt like home in a sense.

And as I walked my way back to the castle, I pondered my relation to the Dreaming and all who inhabit it. I adored Lucienne and Fiddler's Green and Mervyn and especially Matthew. I especially liked his little quips.

Before I knew it I was already inside, right in front of the throne. He flipped through pages of a book, before sighing and setting it aside. There were books and pages and articles everywhere. Perhaps he was looking for something?

"The loneliness has birthed violence in his heart. It has made him cold, colder than the loneliness he knows now as a friend. It is the curse of becoming a god."

"Why do you seek to interrupt my work?" His voice seemed to echo and bounce off the walls of the castle.

Stars seemed to reflect from his eyes, and he was beautiful. I almost didn't hear his question.

"Oh! Um, you said that you'd go with me to Fiddler's Green today, and I was wondering...if you'd like to go now?" My voice betrayed my anxiety asking him that question. Suddenly he seemed so intimidating, so terrifying.

It was easy to see why he was King of Nightmares, too.

He leveled me with a flat stare. His face pinched, curling into a snarl. "Why would I make an effort for you?"

The words sent me reeling.

I took an unsteady step back unconsciously, swallowing hard.

"Oh...Oh. Ok, I'll go!" I squeak, turning around, shakingly making my way out of the room.

"You better." He muttered, turning back to his work.

He never heard my teardrops hit the floor.

"Love is something premeditated. It is something beautiful and something horrific. Love is a home.

The god does not know what home feels like. Now, perhaps he never will."

~~~

Matthew caws, and makes his landing right before the Endless.

"Hey, boss! Aren't you supposed to be with the dreamer?"

A simple question, but one that makes the King of Dreams pause.

"...What are you referring to?"

The raven caws again, shifting from foot to foot. "Yeah, they came in the other night practically glowing. Said you'd invited them to Fiddler's Green. Almost looked like love, if you ask me."

Matthew looks up, noticing how his lord has gone deathly still.

"...love?" Morpheus looks lost in thought, which is not a sight Matthew is used to.

"Yeah, but they were running out of here crying 'fore waking up. Couldn't you have let 'em down easy?"

Dream of the Endless stands up abruptly, towering over his raven. He strides towards the door, ignoring Matthew's caws to stop.

Could someone as perfect as you really love him? Did he ruin it all? He stops, peering around. The palace is silent - per Morpheus's request.

And his dreamer is nowhere in the Dreaming.

Oh. Oh no.

What have I done?

~~~

requests and asks are open!

(request here)

[zarvasace]

Disability AU Summary!

Let's go in alphabetical order just because. This isn't really a "masterpost" but these should be in one place.

To reiterate, this AU is avoiding cure plots and excess angst related to the disability. I've done research and put in my own experiences but obviously not everything is going to be perfect.

Four—paraparesis, also called partial paralysis, due to a spinal cord injury inflicted between his first and second adventures. He can't walk without support, which usually comes in the form of a wheelchair he modified, or crutches. The colors experience different intensities, from Vio with near-full paraplegia, to Red who uses crutches, to Green who does as well, to Blue who can walk without support. Four will stab anyone who tries to move his chair without asking.

Hyrule—retinopathy of prematurity, and mild cataracts. He's functionally blind, though he can make out shapes of light and dark with a few shades in between. He has a favorite carved-down stick he uses as a white cane, and his magic can act a little like a radar that blips on good magic (like fairy fountains and Hero Spirits and Zeldas) and bad magic (like corruption and monsters.) He has deep-seated reflexes to stab anything that touches him unexpectedly so please, everyone, advertise your presences.

Legend—RRMS, relapse/remission multiple sclerosis. Translates mostly into stiffness in his legs that gets worse with heat and humidity, and annoying fatigue. Relapse periods for him are characterized by a lot of joint pain and temporary periods of partial blindness. Relapses last days to weeks, remissions last weeks to months. He has an enchanted cane that he will hit your shins with.

Sky—moderate to severe deafness from birth. He can hear low, loud sounds the best. He speaks very clearly (and maybe a bit loudly) due to speech therapy. He gets magic hearing aids in Wild's world because I want him to, and he can now mostly hear voices when they speak up. He can read lips when people are facing him, but even at the best, that only gives him a quarter of what they're saying. Immune to mean taunts and jabs, partly because he can't hear most of them and partly because he's just like that.

Time—that eye he always has closed? It's missing now. He has a cool eye patch. Don't throw things at him.

Twilight—transverse deficiency. He's been missing his right arm between shoulder and bicep since birth. Wolfie is conspicuously three-legged, not that anyone notices the connection sooner. He either needs his modified clothing (thanks Uli) or help getting things on (thanks for nothing Warriors's world with its fancy balls.) He is the definition of "improvise, adapt, overcome." Still a beast on the battlefield. Ba-dum tish.

Warriors—adductor/tremor SD. His vocal cords don't work correctly. He can talk, but it's gotten worse over the years. His voice is quiet and very rough, and shakes almost too much to understand. He prefers signing as his main method of communication. He gets sore throats a lot, and makes a lot of good tea. His laughs are unaffected, and on occasion, he can yell just fine across the battlefield.

Wild—worse burn scars, hypertrophic and contractual. He has spotty hearing on the left, and his shoulder gets stiff a lot. He has a variety of potions and lotions to loosen up and stop the itching that pops up a lot. The shrine did some skin grafts (or whatever the magical equivalent is) and fixed most interior organ issues. The scar is deep but doesn't interfere with those.

EDIT to add—Wild also has atherosclerosis, a heart condition where plaque builds up and heart attacks become a more serious concern. He just needs to stay active and pay attention to his breathing and chest pain. It's not a huge issue, but it could be if he was negligent. The Link he doesn't remember being had more of a difficult time with the condition, and ended up getting heart surgery for it (something like an angioplasty, where they went in to physically unblock the arteries that had gotten buildup.)

Wind—peg leg pirate! Lost his left leg a few inches past the knee to infection. After getting treasure from his adventure, he got a nice, foot-shaped wood and leather prosthetic. It's starting to get a little small.

[stevethehairington]

11 3 9

Steddie asks 😊

3. Favorite three Steddie fanfics?

oh man okay this is SUCH a hard question because obviously there are SO MANY MORE than just 3 that i would consider favorites!!! which is why i have to cheat and list more than 3 sklgjds. i tried to narrow it down, i really really did but. i am horrible at decisions so 5 favorites you will get instead slkdjdsl

let it roll into the night by @toburnup (aka adure on ao3) this one is very special to me bc vio wrote it for me and i love them very very much for that, but also it's just an absolutely incredible fic and it is filled with SO much yearning, like it made me ache so bad (in the best way possible) and i just really really loved it. (i also love literally anything they write so. if you have not PLEASE go check out their fics!!!)

eddie's spectacular, awkward, very safe, very fun first time by @alligator-writes this is pretty much exactly what it says in the title lol and it is quite literally one of my absolute all time favorite headcanons come to life. and the second i read this fic- no the second i saw this fic, i was sold and obsessed already. ria TRULY never misses, ever, and i highly hiiiiiighly recommend literally anything she writes also!!!

the most remarkable thing about you standing in the doorway is that it's you by greatunironic i am sure you must have heard about this fic, everybody has heard about this fic. but there's a reason for that!! it is SO good and SO emotional and just SOOOO. there's just something about those coming back together later in life fics that really fucking hits, and this one hits HARD. plus i love all the little like interview snippets and transcripts that are sprinkled throughout, that's such a fun extra flavor to the fic and the format and i love that!

doing nothing with you by @red-0ak-tree i love love LOVE this fic so so SO much omg. i always love fics that have steve and robin getting out of hawkins and moving in together, and this one has the excellent wonderful fantastic bonus of eddie practically, unofficially moving in too (and also nancy!!). it's so charming and sweet and emotional and the slow burn is soooo good and there's just so so much to love about this one!!

stuck in indianapolis (feeling not so alone) by @oatflatwhite (aka iphigenias on ao3) this is another one that i truly adore so very much!! another delicious slow burn, another moving out of hawkins, another unofficial move in until it is official!! the writing is incredible, the characterization is incredible, the dynamic built up is incredible!! i cannot recommend this one enough!!

9. Do you imagine they would have been childhood friends?

i think that if the circumstances of their childhoods had been different and if they'd had the opportunity to meet as kids, yes, i think they could have been childhood friends. it's clear that they are very different people who come from very different backgrounds, but that doesn't stop them from getting along so well now. they just mesh so well together. there's something about them that just fits. and i think had they been able to nurture that from the start there could've been an even stronger bond between them (which is saying something because the bond they do have is a ridiculously strong one already).

11. Which one would confess their attraction/love first? Why?

ooh okay love this one!!

when it come to confessing their attraction first, i think it would be steve. i think eddie would probably realize his own attraction first, but i don't think he would do or say anything about it because 1. he thinks steve is straight 2. he doesn't want to make steve uncomfortable 3. he doesn't want to ruin their friendship because like. steve is one of the closest friends he's ever had, and they're so comfortable with each other and there's so much love there (even if it isn't the same kind eddie wishes it were). he wouldn't want to jeopardize that. and even if eddie started to pick up on steve's mutual attraction, i think he would still hold back on his own, because this is still so new for steve, and eddie doesn't want to scare him off, or acknowledge something that maybe steve himself isn't ready to acknowlede, and he also eddie doesn't want to just be some experiment. it means too much to him. so he waits. he leaves the ball in steve's court. which means that steve is the one who has to make the first move. steve is the one who kisses eddie first. steve is the one who tells eddie, scared out of his mind but still pushing that back to be brave, that he likes him, that he really likes him.

when it comes to confessing their love first, i think that would fall to eddie. we allllll know steve's experience with love. nancy wheeler was the last romantic partner that he said confessed his love to, and that was all bullshit. so, i think steve would be ready to say it first (he usually is, in any relationship he has, though i do think nancy was probably the first one he actually meant it with) but he would be so god damn scared. he would be terrified. so he would swallow it down. he would keep it locked up. he wouldn't say it because the last time he did everything crumbled around him. and he doesn't want that. not again. not with eddie. so he bites his tongue and he doesn't say it even though every cell inside his body is screaming it. (even though he says it perfectly clearly in every action anyways). so that means that eddie is the one to say it first. eddie is the one to turn to steve, to grasp his face, to look him in the eye and say "steve, i- i love you". and when it happens steve is both over the goddamn moon about it. and there's still a teeny tiny part of him that is scared, that thinks the rug could be pulled out from beneath his feet at any second. but then he looks into eddie's eyes, and he can see that he means it. and he trusts eddie, too. he knows that eddie chooses his words carefully when he wants to, that he doesn't say things that he doesn't mean. and he means this. steve can tell.

steddie ask game

[marycecilyy]

Happy New Year!

Word count: 1687

Pairing: NathXCandy

Waning: NSFW ahead!

-x-

Nath gave his girlfriend’s hand a light squeeze while he nodded, listening to Chani as she told him some interesting stories about her time spent with Violette and Kim. The trio had grown even closer in the past months. Between painting and exercising, they were inseparable.

“And did you decide if you’re gonna accept Yael’s offer?” Candy asked, throwing a quick glance at the redhead, who was casually chatting with Hyun.

Chani fiddled with the glass on her hand, taking a few seconds to come up with an answer: “Not yet, but I’m inclined to accept. I mean, she seems to be handling Vio’s career pretty well.” 

“Yeah, you’re right. I trust her a lot and I know you’d be in good hands. Still, it’s  up to you.” 

Bzzzz

A vibration on Candy’s purse made her excuse herself from the conversation. Nath gave her a quick kiss and she went to the outside of the café to pick the call.

“Is everything okay? It 's 23:30, In twenty minutes we’ll head to the park to watch the fireworks.” 

“I’m ready, it’s just…” There were rare times when she saw Priya insecure, and this was absolutely one of them. Candy could even tell the reason why.

“Look, I know you’re nervous about Rayan being here, but you’ll have to get used to seeing him. Also didn’t he accept your apologies already?”

“He did, but still...I don’t want to ruin everybody’s night with my presence.”

Candy frowned.  This had been such a complicated issue and she had tried to be there for both of her friends. Priya resigning from the case had been a relief, but there were still things to solve.

“You won’t, and I’m sure you two will work things out.”

“...Okay. I’ll see you soon, then.” With that, Priya hung up.

Well, things could have gone worse. She was about to get back in and search for Rayan when she spotted golden locks heading towards her. Nath.

He pulled her by her waist and caressed her cheek sweetly. “I know you have this urge to solve everyone’s problems, but not today. They’re both adults, I’m sure they can figure this out on their own.”

“How did you know….”

“Intuition. I know you well, babe.”

Candy melted into his embrace at the sound of the pet name. Their lips met in a soft kiss, proper but still full of love.

“Now, let’s get back inside.”

As soon as Priya entered the Cosy Bear, ten minutes later, things got a bit uncomfortable. She found Rayan quickly, though, and they started a pacific conversation. Candy had no idea what they talked about, but both of them seemed more relieved as everyone walked to the park. 

-x-

5… 4… 3… 2...1…

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Colorful fireworks brightened the night sky and, as everyone cheered and hugged each other, Candy and Nath shared their first kiss of the year. One hell of a kiss, by the way. With her lips locked on his, she wondered if that year would surprise her more than the last one.

“Hmm…” His thumb caressed her lower lip, red and swollen from the passionate make out. “You know what? I think we should head home.”

“What? But what about the others? And the champagne!” She turned her head to look at  her friends, but he held her chin so that she would face him instead.

Nathaniel’s lips curled up into a devilish smile. He approached her ear and whispered. “They had your attention all night. Besides, no champagne will leave you as dizzy as when I’m done with you.”

Damn, that man really mastered the seduction skill.

Eric noticed the couple distancing the group and abandoned his talk with Nina (good for her, his romance tips weren’t that great) to properly say goodbye.

“Aw, are you leaving already? The party has only started!”

“Sorry, but we really have to… uh… feed White.”

Eric threw a questioning look at Candy. It was obvious he didn’t buy it. However, he didn’t insist more. It was clear that the two of them were about to have some amazing sex and he wouldn’t interfere on that.  

He tried to repress the quick beating of his heart as he watched the lovebirds leave, his eyes focused on the girl’s form. Eric noticed how her eyes avoided his during the short conversation. Judging by Nathaniel’s behavior, though, she didn’t tell him anything about what almost happened and that was a relief. Damn, why did he think she’d return his feelings?

-x-

“Is everything okay?”

Candy nodded, but her frown didn’t disappear. She knew she did nothing wrong, on the contrary. However, Nath deserved to know about Eric’s interest towards her. After all, they were friends.

“Look, whatever is bothering you, I hope it isn’t too serious. I still plan to start this year with a bang, if you know what I mean, and we can’t do that if you have that face on.”

She chuckled at his pun. That sexy bastard…

“We can talk about it tomorrow, I think. You’re right, we need to enjoy our night.”

Nath pushed his girlfriend onto the bed, hovering over her and gluing their lips in a fierce kiss. Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist and forced his crotch against hers. The roll of their clothed hips caused a shiver to run down her spine, going directly to her lower half. 

Candy arched her back when Nath’s hand went under her dress and started touching her clothed pussy. The same moment he bit her lower lip harshly, he started drawing circles over her clit. A moan escaped her mouth and he pushed one finger in.

His digits were rough and precise, hitting with expertise all her favorite spots. He kept kissing her, swallowing all of her gasps as he fucked her with his fingers. Her high was near, she could feel it. However, as she was getting close…

“Hey. Why did you stop?” Candy opened her eyes and looked up at Nath, who was now sitting on the bed. He had pulled out from her and was taking out his shirt. 

He unbuckled and kicked off his jeans, leaving him only with his boxers. He looked at her like a beast about to eat his prey, his eyes full of utter desire.

“I think we should do something different tonight…” 

She sat back up and laughed. “What now, you want to try anal?”

As a response, Nath only grabbed her ass and squeezed it harshly. Damn, he was being serious.

“Oh....” In two seconds her face was bright red. Well, it wasn’t like she didn’t think about it before, but she never imagined he’d bring that up out of the blue like that.

“Only if you want to…” His hand drew circles over her bottom.

Candy gulped. Well, it surely would be a great way to start the year. But what if something went wrong? If she got an infection or whatever, it would be so embarrassing…

“If it helps, I bought some lube the other day. It’s in the bathroom.”

“Mmm… Well, okay. But only if you let me return the favor in the future.”

It was his time to be embarrassed. She never talked about that, why the sudden interest in pegging him? “I-I’ll think about it… I promise.”

She grinned, satisfied with his answer, and went to the bathroom to get the lube. Before getting on the bed again, she undressed completely.

“So, how do you wanna do this?” Her initial shyness was completely gone, replaced by the excitement of trying something new. 

“You tell me, love. However it’s more comfortable for you.”

Nath gave her a sweet peck that eventually turned into a long make out. She laid on her back and let him control the kiss. Without interrupting the contact, he grabbed the lube and spilled it over his index. Slowly and carefully, he pushed it into her hole.

It felt… different. A good different, though. Candy closed her eyes and focused on the pumping of his finger in and out of her. When she felt like taking more, she gave his hair a little pull and muttered encouraging words.

He put in another one. Again, he started with languid movements, curling his fingers to spread her nicely.

“Are you feeling good?”

“Yeah…”

Nath pulled out his fingers and freed his dick from his underwear. He smeared it with more lube and gave some testing pumps. He looked so sexy, hair messy and spine curved as he hovered above her with his cock poking at her entrance. 

When he finally was inside her, Candy swore she saw stars. It was a completely new sensation, something she had never felt before. As Nath slowly moved inside her, he also rubbed her clit with his hand that wasn’t holding her hips. She looked up to lock her eyes on his. He had his notorious pleasure face, eyes squinted and head tilted back. She was sure that was an amazing experience for him too. 

Nath didn’t go rough like she expected, all of his thrusts were calculated, but deep and passionate enough to have her cumming in no time. He followed suit, spilling himself into her as he grunted next to her ear. Wow. That had been…

“Amazing. This was...” He pulled out and kissed her sweetly, “I wasn’t certain you’d actually accept that. Guess you always find some way to surprise me, don’t you?” 

Candy laughed between erratic breaths. She watched as he put his boxers on and laid next to her.  She embraced him and placed a few kisses on his chest.

“I loved it. Can’t wait for my time to fuck you. Should I buy the strap-on already?”

“You won’t give up on that, will you?”

Her response was immediate. “Never in a million years. It’s called payback” 

He would still hear a lot about that subject. However, that night, the only thing that mattered was their bodies entwined and the fact that they had started the year the best way possible.

[infinitethree]

hi daydream. you are my second favorite. how do you cope with having a really big family? does it ever get too crowded?

That one makes Day grin a little. Sure, some of the questions have been a little…less than kind, but this type? The ones asking about his family without jabbing at their scars? These he likes.

He’s in a study of some sort, light and airy and with a boggling amount of books crammed into the many floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. He sits at a big desk, books and papers and post it notes scattered across the oak surface. It’s not quite clear what he’s doing, but whatever it is seems to require a fair bit of cross-referencing and general research.

The pencil he’s holding is spun slowly through his fingers as he speaks. “It’s really not that bad. We split up the houses so that there’s enough room for us to have spaces for our interests outside of just our rooms. Some of those are detached from our houses–Dee’s forge and the Magic Haus, for instance. Atlas’ work areas–plural–are connected to his and Quizzy’s house through the store, but it’s pretty clearly delineated. Theo and I both share this study, Perce has…we’ll call it a nerd cave, affectionately, and leave it at that. Orpheus has a room dedicated to music–writing, playing, recording, storing, collecting, all of it. Lee spends a lot of time in the Magic Haus and we’re working on plans for a place where he can work with poison safely.”

Day rolls his eyes a little and adds, “I’d really rather he not poison the groundwater by accident, nor for anything he might grow or raise for their venomous or poisonous qualities to escape. He’s very excited about it.” He leans back in his seat, a fond smile forming. His tone is equally as fond in the same way it always is when he talks about his kids. “As much as it’s good for them to have spaces for themselves, it’s just as important we do things together. We all eat at least a few meals together a week. I usually make breakfast, too, though that’s more…they wander in and out over the course of an hour or two and grab what they want. We also do training–which you’ve seen a bit of. We go on trips to peaceful worlds as well just to take advantage of the fact that we can.”

There’s a brief pause as he accidentally flings his pencil across the room. He frowns at it like it personally offended him, but doesn’t get up to go grab it. Instead, he opens a drawer and pulls out another one. He immediately starts doing the same motion with it.

“We all also go to therapy, on an individual basis. It was…frustrating, at first, but I can’t argue with the results of the server-wide ‘therapy or else’ mandate Vio started. It’s still boggling that he turned his spite into a force for good. It’s…okay, actually, I can definitely believe that about him. In the SMPza he was known for doing things vindictively. Everyone learned quickly not to piss him off and not to get in his debt. We did business sometimes, and it was always…stressful. To put it mildly.”

Memories of an underground office and eyes that saw everything, of secrets sold and kept for the sake of money rise to the forefront of his mind. It was always with the implicit knowledge that to stop was to damn his family that Day had paid Vio–Purpled, then–to say nothing of anything he learned about his family.

And the equally implicit knowledge that there was no other option, not really. Theo, for all his strengths, had weaknesses as well. He was also a huge target for prestige, for revenge, and as a convenient enemy.

It’s easy to rally people against a monster. Day would know; it’s what had damned him in his first life.

He realizes he’s been quiet for a few minutes before he shakes the melancholy and starts speaking again. “I like the setup here. I especially like not having to hear Atlas or Dee hammering metal at three in the morning. Dee’s forge is separate for that very reason. Quizzy is the only one who can sleep though Atlas’ insomnia-fueled work because he sleeps like the dead. There have been more than a few people who have felt the need to check for his pulse to make sure he’s still alive. I’ve been one of them, before I realized that’s just how he is. Few things have been quite as harrowing as being afraid I’d have to explain to Atlas that his best friend was dead and I’d been the one to find his body.”

The pencil flies away again; Day makes a noise of frustration at the loss. He pulls another one out, this evidently being a regular enough occurrence for him that he kept a stash for when they went flying off. That or he lost them in other ways with alarming frequency.

“...Theo and Lee living in the same house with me would be more of a concern if Theo and I weren’t very used to navigating being around each other all the time or if Theo and Lee got along less. Theo adores his baby brother, though, and as far as Lee is concerned his eldest brother hangs the moon. It won’t stop Theo’s eventual death by poison, but it has stopped Lee from trying to smother him in his sleep. It hasn’t stopped their brothers, though, which is why Theo’s room is on the opposite side of the house.” His eyes roll as he starts tapping his pencil on the desk instead of spinning it.

People always assume that he’s exaggerating when he calls his sons horrible little gremlins, but–no. They’re all terrors in their own way. He stands by calling them that at the same time as he stands by loving them with his entire heart. “I have a hard enough time sleeping without having to hear the attempted murder. There have been a few times where said attempted murders were stopped because Lee had snuck in because of a nightmare or bad weather or some other reason. Unfortunately for Theo, his baby brother doesn’t need that any more. Lee also would be just as likely to use it as a chance to stab him in his sleep as genuinely need comfort. It would be hilarious, honestly, because Theo would absolutely deserve it.” He pauses and then adds, “...It probably also helps that there’s a small army who have decided that Lee is the most important thing. I’m still not sure how that happened–they just…started wearing ear cuffs and saying they were going to protect Lee. Not even Atlas realized what the cuffs were for and he made them.”

If he were to attempt to dig into the history of the group, he knows he’ll find more than he’s meant to. That normally wouldn’t be a concern–would usually be a reason to start digging in the first place–but Aster has proven his trustworthiness over the years. Day trusts his eldest’s judgement, too; if Aster gave him any bad vibes, he never would have gotten an earring.

Earrings matter in their family. Earrings, at least ones that hold family stones, aren’t given out lightly. The six studs in Day’s ears and the lapis pair that each of his sons have are the representation of their bonds. The first things Atlas ever directly handed to him were earrings–earrings he still owns.

Their bonds are ones forged of jewelry and braids and wings. Hand-made armor and weapons perfectly designed for each of them; names that are oaths and oaths taken in turn. Nights spent in silent vigil when the weight of a thousand worlds weighs too heavily to bear alone, meals spent bickering over petty bullshit, movie nights that end with everyone asleep before the credits roll. None of it should exist, and none of it gives a single fucking shit about that fact.

So for Aster to have an earring from Theo–the one who has a chorus of voices whispering in his head and who has won wars while blind with his cleverness and ruthlessness? That counts for a lot.

[aiden-png]

to celebrate the end of 2020, I’ve decided to share the highlights of the writing I did this year! I’m going to share a few of my favorite snippets from 2020, and I think this could be a fun tag meme to invite friends to join in on so they can appreciate their progress and hard work too! I couldn’t have written so much if it wasn’t for the great online community supporting me and all my wonderfully talented friends!!

I’m gonna tag @freshie-writes @silverdragon-imagines-blog @st0rmy-writes @fuckit-hero-of-trains @no-themes-just-memes @timeturner-jay and anyone else who wants to join in, feel free! you don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, but you all wrote amazing things this year and I’m gonna appreciate you for them!!

snippets below the cut (please do this or make a new post if you wanna join, just so we don’t flood everyone’s dashboard lol!)

it’s difficult to count for certain, but across 7 google docs from April to December 2020, I wrote 324,782 words just of Legend of Zelda fanfic! it’s been a crazy fun year and I think my writing has improved a ton since I started writing fic again in April! thank you all for supporting me through the last 9 months!! <3

here’s a highlight of some of my favorite excerpts from fics I wrote this year! Smoke on the Wind and Dream With Me are two of my favorite pieces I wrote this year for angst, while Four Feet of Pure Flirtation and Lessons in Love are my favorites for crack/fluff :D the other snippets are featured bc I’m proud of how the fics turned out !

Dream With Me: June 28, 2020 Legend and Hyrule sat on the beach, a mere two feet separating them. It felt like much more. Farther than they’d ever been apart before. The other heroes stumbled onto the sand, frozen in shock as they took in the scene before them. Legend, knife drawn and hands shaking dangerously. Hyrule, knees buried in the sand and hands held over his chest, trying desperately not to reach out again. The sun was rising, pinks disappearing into vibrant gold and crushed purple and bright blue. As dawn broke, their vision wavered. Hyrule gasped, Legend blurring before him, the sand beneath him fading, the roar of the waves diminishing. Magic hour was ending. “This isn’t a dream,” Hyrule whispered, and Legend’s shoulders shook with silent sobs. “I’m real. I’m here. Legend, come with me.” Hyrule stretched out his arm, fingers splayed, eyes begging. Legend flinched back, dagger slipping from shaking fingers. He stared, disbelieving. Vertigo consumed Hyrule’s senses, his vision clouding with black dots. “Take my hand, Legend!” Hyrule cried, and Legend jumped. He sprung forward, hand grasping. Hyrule felt nothing as Legend’s hand passed through his. “Hyrule!” He blinked, and found himself in an unfamiliar field, reaching towards sunrise.

Smoke on the Wind: August 7, 2020 Wind hadn’t always had this ability, but before his second adventure, before the ghosts became tangible to his skin and visible to his eyes, he still had a sixth sense of sorts to rely on. Back then he’d called it instinct, but now he called it a curse. It never helped him do better on his adventure, never showed him the way, never allowed him to prevent someone’s demise--only forced him to bear witness to it in all its excruciatingly gory detail. Some spoke of death like a mercy, others like a boon. Wind knew death like an old friend and he despised it with all the rage contained in his tiny body. Some feared death, some prayed for its delay. Wind feared no man, god, or figment of imagination. There was no reason to fear something he couldn’t prevent, there was no reason to pray to something that would never hear or listen. Some ran from death, some hid. Wind stared death in the eye and spat in its face. He thrust a magical fucking sword through its head and banished it to a watery grave.

Four Feet of Pure Flirtation: June 26, 2020 Maybe he should have shared just a tad bit more with them, but that was a regret for future Four to deal with. And really, he hadn’t been expecting it himself, so they couldn’t exactly blame him when Dark Link materialized in their camp one morning and sent Four’s heart racing in an unfamiliar-familiar way. Four felt the heat crawl up his chest, felt his tongue loosen, felt his eyes trail over Dark’s lithe form just a bit too slow to be innocent. No one had told him Dark was attractive. Although, Vio reminded him, we are the only ones attracted to villains. We are most decidedly not! Four shot back. The denial was empty. They most decidedly were.

Hero Through the Ages: June 19, 2020 Wild sighed, chin resting on his knees. He glanced over at Sky, feeling anxiety buzz within him as a question pushed at the back of his mind. “Hey, Sky… does the sword still recognize me?” Sky froze at the unexpected question, eyes searching Wild’s carefully schooled expression. Wild felt his anxiety rise but he held his ground as the older hero tentatively reached back and unsheathed the Master Sword. He closed his eyes for a moment, and Wild tried hard not to notice the new eyes on them as he waited for Sky’s response. He knew what the answer should be, but when the other slowly opened his eyes and held the sword out for Wild, it was still conflicting to feel the familiar weight of it in his hands. Not too heavy. Not burning. Perfectly at home, as if he’d just begun his adventure and still had many years left before the Calamity struck. Wild felt a pit in his stomach as he handed the sword back, Sky’s concerned gaze not helping. “How old were you when you pulled the sword?” Sky asked quietly, and Wild stared at his hands as they trembled slightly in his lap. “Too young.”

A Shower to Remember: July 4, 2020 Enter Twilight and Wild. TWILIGHT     I can see thee up th’re.     Come hither.     I simply wish to speak with thee.

Enter Legend to Shower Crashers. LEGEND     all’s well that ends well, I believe our plan hath been a success. cheers to thee all. FOUR     didst thou not see     Wild running     for his life not     a minute past? LEGEND     that is’t his problem, not mine.

Lessons in Love: July 9, 2020 The offer though, that’s what truly made Legend pause. Show you the ropes, he’d said. He should be insulted that Ravio thought he was that hopeless, but the man wasn’t wrong. Legend was absolutely, positively hopeless, evidenced by the situation he now found himself in. Should he say no and move on? Should he accept--and then what? Maybe he should laugh it off, say he was joking, or perhaps he should come clean now and tell Ravio how he felt? But he still didn’t know if Ravio felt the same, those dark eyes betraying nothing in the fading light of sunset. So, naturally, Legend continued to panic. “What do you mean by ‘show me the ropes’?” Legend asked, quick, defensive enough to pass as insulted. Ravio snorted, tasting the hot chocolate, and Legend’s eyes were drawn to his lips once more as if under a spell. “I mean no offense, Link,” Ravio laughed, seeming not to catch the blush on Legend’s face as Ravio used his name. “I just figured you might want some pointers. Flirting, hand holding, relationship advice, y’know? You don’t have to accept the offer by any means!” Flirting? Hand holding? Legend gulped. He was already an idiot. Maybe he could play dumb for a little while longer…

Scars: June 2, 2020 “I used to try and cover myself in public--I didn’t like the way people would whisper or stare when they saw. But eventually I came to accept the scars as part of me. I remembered how I got them, and I realized I wouldn’t be the person I am today without the journey that led to me getting these scars. And I like who I am…” Wild trailed off, sifting sand through his fingers as Warriors listened. “I’ve come to love my scars, because they hold such important memories for me. Even if some of the memories aren’t so great, I wouldn’t be who I am today without them, you know? And I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

Beneath the Surface: July 13, 2020 For the first few months he had lied to himself, blaming the others or the weather or Shadow or Vaati or anything rather than admitting he had a problem. But Blue did, in fact, have a problem, and fighting and yelling it out wasn’t the healthiest solution. For the others it was easy. Green had Vio, for Wind could rarely move Earth, and Red got along with everyone he was so full of love to give. But Blue wasn’t good at teamwork, he wasn’t good at strategizing, and he wasn’t good at showing affection--he was good at being angry, and that was it. He was the protector, the toughest of them all in strength and will; but when you’re always protecting others, no one protects you. Not like Blue made it easy for the others to approach him, and he didn’t blame them for giving up. They were all struggling, they all had their own issues, and while Wind was a gentle breeze and Fire a warming comfort and Earth a steady rock--Water was impossible to hold down. He was forever changing, flowing, and while it meant that he could adapt well to new situations, it also meant that every time he felt close to getting a handle on his emotions they would slip from his grasp once more. His magic ebbed and swayed and his emotions followed their tide, not his, and so he pushed others away rather than admit he couldn’t handle himself. If protecting them meant distancing himself, then so be it.

The Point of No Return: June 19, 2020 He turned back to Four, brushing the back of his hand across his cheek. He’d wanted to share a meal with his partner. He’d wanted to see Four’s small smile--just for him--as he tried Hylian food for the first, second, hundredth time. Long ago, they’d promised to travel the world together. Four wanted to share everything with him; wanted to show him the forge, wanted him to meet his Grandfather, wanted to take him to see the Minish. After the adventure, Four had promised. He’d be free to go and do whatever he wanted, right by Four’s side. Well, he was at his side now. And this was not what they’d promised each other.

A Major Test of Strength: May 7, 2020 Even being worthy of the Triforce of Courage didn’t mean he was brave enough to act on, or even think, about how he felt about Sidon. He reasoned it was better not to say anything, especially now. He was going off to a battle he may not return from. Even if he burned to know if Sidon felt the same, it would be selfish to ask knowing he may be leaving for the last time. Link would rather go to the grave with his feelings then leave Sidon alone with them. At least if he died before confessing, Sidon would be able to move on, he hoped. Sidon was his best friend, and that was enough for now.

[viovio]

💕📌🎶 :) hehehe have a cube of mango too vio *mango cube appears beside you*

💕 tell us about one of your favorite characters and why you like them!

ok so I already did this one but I have a lot of faves so its ok. Mr jonathan morris like is just a teen that's most of his personality and I love it (daddy issues too which eugh maybe not so much, he needs charlotte to ground him which I feel sorry for), 18 years old brings along his 16 y/o childhood friend to kick draculas ass and they don't worry too much about it. They're banters quite funny too, even though the talk button in the menu just gives you tips on gameplay most of the time during boss battles they have a lot to say about them, it's a nice feature really. That and he's a whole dumbass, you could kill richter with fucking creampies and that's why por is best game hands down (it's not but a paper airplanes also a subweapon which gives it another point). I ALSO LOVE HIS LITTLE VOICE LINES if you complete the game I think starting a new one from the menu has u hear him saying "showtime!" Or when you successfully complete the motorcycle puzzle and he says "YAHOO!!" it's just so adorable. Have I mentioned that he's gay because he is, charlotte clearly shows interest in him throughout but bc he is gay and she is clearly a lesbian and they don't know it he treats her like a little sister and is also oblivious to a lot of romantic advances, hell the only time he's shown interest in a woman was during the astarte boss battle where he LITERALLY has to be mind controlled to do so, that boy *pointing at him* is gay.

📌 how did you find your hyperfixation?

So how I found it was very simple, as a kid (really young I think maybe about 5-7) we had a ds, was absolutely obsessed with it it had warioware kirby all that stuff, but then there was my first castlevania game: dawn of sorrow. Being the sequel to aria of sorrow (my favorite) and also being a kid I had no clue what was going on but I knew a few things, 1) somas surname was cruz and that made me think he was filipino so I liked him very much, 2) the music was really good!! And 3) some of the enemies looked terrifying and I was all for that. I liked looking at the enemy index and reading their descriptions cuz u loved the lore a lot, I always erased and made new files cuz frankly I had no clue what to do after the first or third levels. I also didn't know how the controls worked since I liked using the touch feature a lot. What I remember was when I beat the puppet master (a terrifying looking boss that was in a later level called the demon guest house), and since the magic seal (a feature added in cuz of the touch system, which you had to use after every boss or else they won't die) was kinda complicated to me and I somehow completed it I was proud of myself!! Showed off to my dad too (he didn't care). Later on he got order of ecclissia (another fantastic game) and i loved it even better than dos, the artwork was gorgeous and shanoa..... 😳 Was also very gorgeous. A lot of things were improved since it was the third and last cv game ever to be released by konami (a whole decade ago I'm so sad) and since this was getting too long I'll cut this short. Our ds broke sometime and I was sad but eventually my dad got a lords of shadow game for our pc, I forgot which one it was I think it was the one with victor in it, anyways it was the first game where I was introduced to alucard, I didn't really play it just watched dad or kuya play it and it was also gorgeous. After that id watch boss rushes or playthroughs of castlevania games on youtube for a nostalgia rush, I didn't really know about any of the other games other than the ds ones, at some point I heard they made the netflix series of it which I didn't watch yet. Until last year, cv was pretty much niche to me and far from my interests, it was August or June I think when dad put on an anime site on tv and watched it with us and needless to say I loved the first season, I didn't know about cv3 or any of the other games so the plot confused me but I did know alucard, after watching all of it I went on a huge rush and learned about all of it's lore (in all the games). Dad then taught us how to emulate games and ever since then I've been playing and loving castlevania a lot, so year long story short I played some of the games as a kid and got really into it after watching the netflix series. Although after s3 and being disappointed I could care less about it cuz all I think about are the games.

🎶 if your hyperfixation has songs/an ost, what is your favorite song from it?

oh my god you did NOT just ask me this bc *clipping from my seat* EHE THERES A LOT SO BUCKLE UP!!!!

Dawn of Sorrow: Draculas Tears (The laboratory theme, dunno how to describe it it's really funky but gets funkier later on, the melody later on kinda feels melancholic bit goes right back to being funky)

Portrait of Ruin: Piercing Silence (one of the 3 boss themes, I like it was better since it gets my heart racing but in a good way, has a REALLY good synth later on), Dance of Sadness (a boss theme saved for only the sisters, also really gorgeous with a melancholic vibe), Iron Blue Intention (13th street theme, a remix of the track w the same name in bloodlines)

Symphony of the Night: Dance of Pales (classical and makes you feel lost in wonder, olroxs quarters theme I think) Woodcarving Partita (VERY fancy library theme I absolutely love it), Rainbow Cemetery (ITS THE CATACOMBS GOD ITS SO GOOD, it makes you dance but also let you know that something's up deep in them)

Castlevania Bloodlines: Calling from Heaven (AUGH WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN... One of my top tracks and also 2nd to last level where Johns dying, rly makes u feel y'know)

Lament of Innocence: Leons theme (also called lament of innocence but GOOD GOD ALSO IN MY TOP TRACKS ITS SO FUCKING GOOD, despite not being my favorite gameplay wise the soundtracks absolutely gorgeous even though it's mostly remixes, save from this one. Absolutely funky theme and being my 2nd fave belmont it's also my favorite belmont theme)

Order of Ecclissia: An Empty Tome (The games main theme and also the first two levels in Draculas castle, it describes who shanoa is, being filled with powerful glyphs abilities and a great weapon against dracula but having no memory of who she is, she's an empty tome) Sorrows distortion (ABSOLUTELY KILLING IT albus's boss theme) Wandering of the Crystal Blue (gorgeous theme for the second water stage), Malaks Labrinth (I forgot what the stage name was but also very good), and also (Forgot the stage name but the credits deserve a spot here)

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

Character Names in Eleutherophobia

Since I’ve had a few people ask me about the character names in Eleutherophobia, I figured I’d run down the whole list.  These names are approximately in order of appearance in my various fics.  To be clear: this is not crossover fiction.  These are supposed to be nods to these characters, not the characters themselves.  Bearing that in mind, in approximate order of appearance:

Day the Earth Stood Still

Essa 412: a yeerkanization of “Boy 412,” the main character of the Septimus Heap series.  In my opinion, the second best treatment of the impact of war on children ever written into a modern fantasy series.

Leslie Burke: the deuteragonist of Bridge to Terabithia.  The character always reminded me of a younger Rachel, so I chose to give the name to the bearer of Rachel’s death.

Anne Shirley: the main character of Anne of Green Gables, who often goes underestimated for the extent to which she is a tough, complex, socially awkward heroine written in 1908.

George Little: the younger brother of the title character of Stuart Little.  Mostly named because I wanted to give David a last name that implied cowardice without being ridiculously obvious about it.

Lost World

[Steve] Carlsberg: the not-quite-antagonist of Welcome to Night Vale.

Akira 

Dr. Miranda Franklin: named for Miranda of Dr. Franklin’s Island.  Kind of a pun on my part: the plot of that book involves one of the main characters involuntarily turning into an anaconda. 

Jennifer Murdley: titular character of Jennifer Murdley’s Toad, one of the books in Bruce Coville’s Magic Shop series who learns the very hard way to love herself. 

Mrs. [Hannah] Gruen: Nancy Drew’s housekeeper.

THX 1138

Joey Costello: the deuteragonist of Tangerine, a story about two boys who have very different sets of troubles with their respective older brothers. 

Dr. Pendanski: one of the incompetent counselors from Holes by Louis Sachar.

Jodi O’Shea: far and away my most pointed literary allusion.  Jodi is a minor character in The Host by Stephenie Meyer, a book which I love (except for the extremely problematic ending, but I’ll get back to that). The Host is essentially a love story between a yeerk (Wanda) and a human (Ian) whose entire plot is driven by consent negotiations.  It’s about Wanda and Ian wishing they could be together but knowing they never will because they can’t be without violating the right to consent of the yeerk’s host, Melanie.  Melanie, meanwhile, is in love with a different guy... Who can’t be with her either without violating Wanda’s right to consent.

[SPOILER WARNING] Eventually Ian resolves this love quadrangle by putting Wanda inside a human (“Pet,” and don’t get me started on that name) who has been a controller for so long that she has forgotten how to exert her own conscious will.  Wanda and Ian presumably do the horizontal tango using that host instead, AND THIS IS TREATED AS A HAPPY ENDING.  Jodi O’Shea also meets the same fate as Pet: Jodi has forgotten how to feed herself or move on her own, so her own husband decides that they should just put her yeerk, Sunny, back in her head.  Sunny claims that Jodi is brain-dead... But Sunny is also strongly motivated to lie.  (There are also implications that Jodi’s husband becomes romantically involved with Sunny instead, a plot which is so horrifying it deserves its own blog post.)  Most importantly, all the main characters are really happy that these poor hosts are vegetables.  There is an entire subpopulation of humans who have become entirely dependent on their alien slave masters for survival... and this fact is treated as the solution to all the characters’ problems.  It’s celebrated.  And, yeah, both THX 1138 and Ghost in the Shell contain some pretty pointed commentary from me on why I find this ending to be so deeply unfortunate.  [END SPOILERS]

Ghost in the Shell

Mary Lennox: the main character of The Secret Garden, the first book without pictures I ever read on my own. 

Rose Rita: main character of The Letter, the Witch, and the Ring, and arguably one of the first genderqueer characters to make it into a children’s fantasy novel.

Margaret White: the antagonist of Stephen King’s novel Carrie, obsessed with preserving the innocence (and thus the dependent ignorance) of her teenage daughter.

Sophie Hatter: main character of Howl’s Moving Castle, who does in fact make her own clothes.

[Mr.] Broxholm: the titular alien from My Teacher Flunked the Planet by Bruce Coville, one of the most awesome and profound children’s sci-fi novels I have ever read.

Anita Psammead: a nod to The Five Children and It by E. Nesbitt, one of the first ever fantasy novels written for children. 

Miss Zarves: the teacher from Sideways Stories from Wayside School who doesn’t exist, because she was accidentally assigned to teach on a floor that was never built.

Nikto 770: nod to the code phrase in Day the Earth Stood Still (the original movie, not my fic).

Kit Rodriguez: the deuteragonist of the Young Wizards series, known for his passion and tendency to care deeply for others.

Aristotle “Ari” [Mendoza]: main character of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.

Dante [Quintana]: main character of Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.

Gabriel “G.T.” Stoop: the main character’s mentor in Hope Was Here.

Elijah Springfield: a teen detective from the Veritas Project series.

Lydia [Bennett]: supporting character from Pride and Prejudice.

Nick Adams: a recurring Ernest Hemingway character.

T.J. Avery: next door neighbor to the Logan family in Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry.

Cecily Tallis: the narrator’s older sister (and unwitting victim) in Atonement by Ian McEwan. 

Maybeth Tillerman: one of the main characters in Homecoming by Cynthia Voight, a book that critics like to describe as “the anti-Boxcar Children” for its unflinchingly realistic portrayal of childhood homelessness.

June Boatwright: one of the protagonist’s mentors in The Secret Life of Bees.

Caitlin Somers: a Judy Blume character from Summer Sisters.

Alex Morales: main character of The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer.

Cooper-Trebond: shortening of “Alanna Cooper of Trebond” the name of the main character of Tamora Pierce’s Song of the Lioness series.

Jesse Hauptman: the protagonist’s stepdaughter and mentee in the Mercy Thompson series.

Timmy Dugan: lesser-known real name of WWII comic book hero Dum Dum Dugan, sidekick to Nick Fury and Howling Commando as part of the Marvel universe. 

Luke Castellan and Chris Rodriguez: two of the supporting characters from Percy Jackson and the Olympians.  I wouldn’t say that Luke Castellan is the first meatsuit I ever fell in love with (despite him being basically a voluntary controller and also a human dumpster fire), but I would say that he made my tendency to care too much about meatsuits in general about 1000 times worse.

“Cornelius”: okay, this one is in fact a crossover—that’s meant to be Tyler Durden, main character of Chuck Palahnuick’s Fight Club. He’s a schizophrenic, lonely guy who goes to support groups for various traumas that he never actually survived (usually under the fake name Cornelius) because that’s the only way he knows how to connect to people. 

Odette: the protagonist of Swan Lake and several subsequent adaptations, including Mercedes Lackey’s awesome The Black Swan.

Rod Allbright: another character from My Teacher is an Alien, because I love that series. 

Officer Nice: a nod to the song of the same name by Vio-Lence, one of my few non-literary allusions.

Gerald “Jerry” Cruncher: a guy who works as a porter (and remover of bodies) in of A Tale of Two Cities. 

Paul Edgecombe: main character of The Green Mile, a deeply conflicted prison guard who gets cast as Pontius Pilate in a modern-day gospel retelling.

Kate Malone: narrator of Laurie Halse Anderson’s amazingly powerful novel Catalyst.

Mae Tuck: matriarch of the titular immortal clan from Tuck Everlasting.

Annie Hughes: one of the main characters from The Iron Giant.

Kirsten Larson: one of the first characters from the American Girl series, an immigrant from Sweden who struggles to acclimate to the United States.

Adah Price: one of the co-narrators of The Poisonwood Bible, a disabled polymath who loves palindromes and puzzles.

Iris Chase: a society lady and heiress from The Blind Assassin, which chronicles family dysfunction and its unique impact on women over several generations. 

Dawn Schafer: part of the enormous rotating cast of protagonists from The Babysitters’ Club series, and one of my favorite characters as a kid.

Henry Case: main character of the genre-creating cyberpunk novel Neuromancer.

Parvana Weera: a tough, outgoing young woman whose struggle to keep her family safe during the American invasion of her home in Afghanistan forms the main plot of The Breadwinner.

Raven Madison: main character of Vampire Kisses, who spends a little too much time in her intense fantasy worlds and not quite enough connected to reality. 

Mr. [Bob] Grey: pseudonym used by the creature also known as Pennywise the Clown and simply “It” in several of Stephen King’s novels.

Ms. [Mary] Logan: mother of the main character in Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry, because I love that book.

Karana Nicoleño: although Karana, the main character of Island of the Blue Dolphins, doesn’t technically have a last name, her tribe is historically referred to as the Nicoleño.

Total Recall 

Vicky Austin: main character of A Ring of Endless Light, a book about coming to terms with dying—and about the many complex shades of victim blaming that can occur in light of unquantifiable tragedy.

Samuel Cornick: roommate to the eponymous Mercy Thompson of the bestselling Patricia Briggs series, a werewolf-doctor who continuously struggles to find meaning in an excessively long life and one of my favorite characters of all time.

The Thing from Another World

Seth Clearwater: a minor character in Eclipse, one of the youngest werewolves of the Quileute pack.

Captain William Nasland: one of the more obscure characters to hold the title Captain America; retconned into the role following Steve Rogers’s “death” in 1945.  Acts as both a hero and a villain because he has a well-intentioned but also closed-minded idea of what Captain America should be. 

Allison Chapman: main character of Sharing Sam, K.A. Applegate’s lesser-known novel about teenage basketball geeks who back their way into understanding the life, the universe, and everything.

Simon Grace: one of the main characters of the Spiderwick Chronicles.

Giselle Villard: one of the main characters from the Mystic comic book series who is awesome, tough... and more than a little power-hungry.

As far as I can tell, that’s it for the character names in Eleutherophobia.  I mentioned here why Marco’s last name is Alvarez and Cassie’s is Day in my series.  There are a few dozen other allusions as well (Tom and Bonnie bastardizing the “tears in the rain” speech from Blade Runner, Cassie quoting the epigraph from Home of the Brave, several nods to Remnants and Everworld and The One and Only Ivan, Marco making jokes about Lost World and Alien) and obviously all my fic titles are from classic sci-fi movies while all my song nods are The Best of 1990—2000, but as far as I know that’s it for allusions. If there are any that I missed, or that you’re still wondering about, let me know and I’ll happily clarify.