#yes your honor they are a polycule

[asexuwales]

my faves (i have now unlocked a new era of art since i am now conscious)

(ive never actually drawn rin before welcome to my art world rin)

(i only just realised i flipped rin and never flipped her back so ignore that)

[sunnytheopossum]

So… I’ve been weirdly obsessed with the idea of totheark being a polycule recently?? I’ve literally never headcanonned a poly relationship before, but for whatever reason this one just tickles my brain, and I kind of really love it. It’s like, the farthest thing from canon I can imagine, which isn’t usually my thing, but I don’t even care.

So uh… here’s the three of them playing GameCube together, and they’re wearing each other’s clothes bc of course they are. My idea with this scene is that Seth and Brian were filming and editing a totheark video while Tim was at work, they took a break once it got dark to play Super Monkey Ball or something, and Tim comes home from his construction job and passes out on the couch against Brian (and Seth sits on the floor to make more room for Tim to lie down more because he’s a sweetheart like that). They also mute the tv so Tim can sleep because THEY LOVE EACH OTHER, YOUR HONOR! Also why yes, that is Brian’s weirdo forest fire painting hung up on the wall, thanks for asking!

[piningpercussionist]

transfem scott getting lots of support from ramona and kim in the early 2000's when shit's very taboo but they all 3 have a fire forged bond and lord if they aren't going to make sure they're all as happy as they can be because they've come this far and I dunno it just makes me happy all three of them

YES YES YES

It makes me very happy as well,,

Like I've said before. General Trans Scott enthusiast here- I love the idea of their little support network *violent coughing* I (we?) mean polycule *violent coughing* so fucking much.

Ramona I think has a bit of a more gentle hand with reassuring Scott with gender issues, but sometimes she just can't help herself from some pointed banter or teasing- how could you with someone so dense? (Said w affection)

And then Kim I think is more blunt. But like, in a good way mostly, you know? The kinda blunt that makes you snap to attention and go "Oh. Yeah that was silly of me." And if Ramona's started some sort of banter? Kim is SO piling on. Maybe sometimes she's a bit TOO blunt with it- but it's only because she's so firm in her support. She wants Scott to Get It Together- and be happier for it. So if some ribbing now and again is in order, then goddamnit she will do so! Anything to crack that shell.

And ohhh can you imagine how they would react to some transphobic bullshit?? Unholy terror would be driven into the offender before they walk off with an absurd amount of coins between them. I can feel it in my bones. Scott doesn't even have to lift a finger (if the transphobe is even noticed/processed at all, bc I honestly can see Scott just. Not realizing someone's being transphobic.) Kim giving someone a lashing with her tongue as distraction and then Ramona coming in with the hammer- BAM! Free Money! Paying literally with your life for your transphobia. A Better And Just World.

And of course (transfem Scott more specifically, here,) the way Scott would start to flourish under their support... cagey and maybe a little (perhaps a lot-) resistant to start- but Kim's blunt affirmations and no nonsense attitude for bullshit (which is what Scott insisting on "being cis" would be, c'mon now,) and Ramona's also low bullshit tolerance but less Stabby (bc I won't lie, that's probably how Kim's comments would feel,) assurances? Ough... My Heart... Be Still-

I would Kill for them, Your Honor-

(Ran out of tags so putting this in the body of the post- I am SO tired someone pls sound off if this isn't as coherent as I am hoping this is. I WAS trying to nap and get the extra sleep I desperately needed but the writing bug... it Bit Me.... only a little but enough to stop that process-)

[melchiordommik]

Rating ships (can't sleep)

Eddtord: 100000/10 my favorite Eddsworld shipp (who knew), I love eddtord, it's cute, it's angsty it has ALL of it and I'm absolutely here for it

Eddmatt: 6/10 don't think too much about em, but they're cute! Has a lot of fluff potential

Eddtom: 6/10 kind of like? But don't think a lot about em, very cute too

Tommatt: 10/10 I am a fan, your honor they are kissing on the lips rn. I feel like Matt and Tom would be p good as a couple

Tordmatt: 5/10 I think it works! But I'm personally not huge on it

Tomtord: 9/10 Toxic yaoi. Fuck yes I love these two, so much angst and fluff potential, future stuff too?? Eating it all up

Neighbors--

Edduardo: 7/10 you know what, I see the appeal j really do

Edujon: 7/10 I'm insane? Yeah, but I feel like they should kiss idk

Edumark: 7/10 old married couple, that's what they are, and I like it

Markmatt: 5/10 I think it's a little cute, haven't thought a lot about it

Jonmark: 8/10 like it a bit more than edujon, I just feel like Mark would be softer to Jon

Tomduardo: 3/10 I see it a lil? Not my fav but the art is good

Jontord: 8/10 It's cute, I rest my case

Other--

Paultryck: 6/10 I see it! Not huge on it, though

Paultord: 10/10 yes, I love it, I live for it, wish it was more popular frfr

Paultordtryck/polyred: 10/10 I am crazy about the 3 of them being in a polycule

2trenchcoat: 8/10 warmed up to them, it's cute!

I definitely didn't add some, but it's mostly because I have no opinion on em JDJJGHJJ

[anamelessfool]

Talk Shop Tuesday Q: What are the main source(s) of inspiration for your vintage AU? The breadth of references you cover is honestly incredible, and I'm always curious what initially kickstarted big AUs like that one!

I used to wonder why a medievalist like myself suddenly became very interested in the 1970s. And it has to do with I believe my primary hobby is Reasearch. I am always researching everything. I like figuring out what people do, and the objects they interact with and the places they go. I like spending time in a place in time or amongst a subculture.

The main inspiration of my current fic set in the late 70s.... Honestly? It was Copia’s car.

I was like, huh, I wonder if that’s Primo’s car. A guy that chill has some serious secrets. Like wouldn’t it be funny if Primo was a hitman for the ministry. Yes, Hitman for the Ministry started as a JOKE. It’s not a joke anymore.

I then made a timeline with general milestone dates. I used 2018’s Terzo’s kidnapping as a starting point. Then I added to the timeline and I started to see interesting parallels. Terzo runs away? Oh, Papa Camino dies in 1984 and they go to this funeral in NYC, that’s a good time for Terzo to run away. Oh, Secondo/Marian/Sandra polycule serendipitously fizzles out the same year Secondo’s son by Sandra is born. Hmmm…and on and on I went. It helps to have a basic timeline in your brain. I personally love legacy films aka plots with lots of family drama and honor. (I guess it ties into my interest in medieval stuff like chivalry) Like The Godfather series or Road to Perdition or Gangs of New York. Generations striving.

It helps to have a basic location too, even if you don't express it explicitly. You can describe things better. People behave in certain ways based on their location or time period. Plots come from that behavior.

I had just finished an amazing podcast about Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground by No Dogs in Space and I loved Nico. I felt Nico would be such a good Papa Emeritus figure. And so I started watching everything about Nico and Lou Reed that I could. And I listened to more and more music that influenced them or was inspired by them.

I watch a LOT of footage on YouTube. Lots of home video, live concert footage, tutorials, everything. If I want to write a noir I watch noir movies. I loved Boogie Nights and I put that in there too. V & G is Boogie Nights meets Goodfellas meets The Omen I guess haha. Pinterest is great for photos but be careful about accurate sources if you're doing actual research. It's better for figuring out a "vibe" if anything. Watching this footage or listening to this music helps me get a feel for a place. I sometimes watch it all over and over and it's how I "prime" myself to get back into a WIP.

Thanks for the ask! Feel free to ask me anything, anyone!

[retiredficwriter]

me? being tagged by @jetsteelyourheart ?? what an honor!

just like the top 5 favorite characters: Make a poll with 5 of your favorite rarepairs/crackships. See which one is everyone's favorite!

i became too invested in this. some of these ships i haven't thought in years, so it was nice to relive the times i was obsessed with them. i narrowed it to one ship per media/fandom and just like my tag-buddy, I'll provide my questionable reasons/propaganda.

REASONS/PROPAGANDA

Sydney Sage/Trey Juarez:

so when i was first reading bloodlines, i read online that sydney gets a human boyfriend in book 2. i had heard about brayden but never in the context of HIM being the boyfriend, so i thought he was the random dude in book 1 (wasn't he, unironically, called hayden??) who asked sydney out. i was theorizing who that boyfriend would be until my brain went: "omg.... IS IT TREY??" and got soo hyped. i loved their interaction in book 1 and thought exploring them in a romantic setting would be so interesting, especially with the implication of trey having a major role. they are so similar (growing up in a cult, daddy issues, both being smart) and yet, trey has some adrian-like traits?? charming, popular in the dating pool, laidback... and it would create some tension between sydrian??? imagine adrian watching trey and sydney date and feeling discouraged because she found a human "version" of him?? and with trey being a warrior, he would try to get sydney to have the alchemist side with them and push the "moroi are evil" narrative, creating more doubts for sydney to rebel! BUT THEN SYDNEY HELPS TREY REBEL AGAINST THE WARRIORS!!

i love their friendship as is, and know for a fact they wouldn't last that long but man... i would have eat up their failed romance.

bonus point for an adrian/sydney/trey polycule

Rachel Berry/Sam Evans:

ah yes. my first ever rarepair. since that one episode in season 2 where she and finn helped sam with his young siblings, i fell in love with them. if you were in the glee fandom, you know every single couple was problematic one way or the other (this is the writers' fault). yet somehow, every relationship sam was in, it was the healthiest the woman he was with ever had. and i wanted that for rachel! i ate all the crumbs this show gave me, which were... almost nonexistent. the big difference between this rarepair and the others on this poll is that, in the show's final season, THEY BECAME CANON. I WAS SO HAPPY. they were very unpopular because it came out of nowhere and the writers only put them together to give rachel a love interest for the final season (and give the storyline they planned for finn to someone else), which... fair. but he was so caring, encouraging her to follow her dreams and telling her the tough truth about things she didn't want to hear. it was so good to see rachel heal from finn and her failed broadway dreams while with sam. (also she was less insufferable with him).

but then, ha... they broke up on the third to last episode of the series. so she could be with jesse who showed up out of nowhere on that same episode, after he "left" 4-3 seasons ago. don't get me wrong - i love st. berry! jonathan groff and lea michelle have chemistry! love ambitious broadway wannabes being a power couple! but why not, i don't know, put the storyline she had with sam with jesse instead so it could be more organic and avoid crushing my dreams???

i'm fine. not bitter at all. I'M FINE. I'M F-

Clarisse La Rue/Silena Beauregard (PJO):

this isn't a rarepair compared to the previous two, but within the pjo fandom, it isn't as popular (surprisingly?? at least in ao3. i'm so out of the loop). first time reading pjo, little old only thought of clarisse and silena as best friends. but as i got older and read more fan analysis of the series, i realized the tragedy of these two. either 1) clarisse had an unrequited crush 2) they dated and didn't work out 3) it was a failed situationship. the daughter of ares, the girl people in camp-half blood are so scared of because she is mean to everyone and can (and will) beat the shit out of them, had a wholesome friendship with the daughter of aphrodite, and one of the nicest people in the camp?? and this friendship appeared because silena helped clarisse with her "boy problems"??? and then clarisse basically protected and comforted silena after what happened with charlie?? no spoilers for those who haven't read the books, but they parallel a famous greek mythology couple and their ending hurts. still love silena/charlie, but god... poor clarisse...

can't wait to keep rereading the books and suffer once i get to their part!

Gary "Eggsy" Unwin/Roxy Morton (Kingsman)

everyone prefers hartwin and merlin/eggsy, but i can't help but love mortwin. i watched the first movie and loved their small moments. loved how they bonded over being the underdogs in the competition and, instead of becoming sworn enemies, they recognized each other as worthy opponents. their small fun, friendly-rivarly banter was cute. part of me was relieved they stayed as friends in the end... but i couldn't help but be soo disappointed. the chemistry? it was there!! even taron egerton said there was potential to explore a romance if given the chance! plus, i'm a sucker for well-developed friends-to-lovers.

never watched the sequel but after reading what the writers did to roxy, i'm glad i didn't and never will. i can now create my own sequel in my head and read fanfics of the story they deserve 😌

Bella Swan/Leah Clearwater (Twilight):

i want to thank this one brazilian fanfic i found years ago (and never wrote down the name and lost it 😔) for presenting me with this ship. everyone talks about bella/alice, bella/rosalie, bella/carlisle... but what about bella/leah??? think new moon, when bella has just been abandoned by edward, meeting the werewolves through jacob and therefore leah, who is still dealing with the whole paul/emily thing. they can still start out with leah hating bella but they can bond over being abandoned by their boyfriends and heal from it, and in the end realize they don't need them anymore - they can have each other!

i also love if edward still comes back and bella is conflicted, and it's a edward/bella/leah love triangle (apparently people ship edward/leah and how i never heard of it?! imagine the drama!!) i will take anything where jacob isn't involved

tagging @morocorra @forcebookish @artianaiolanthe @sydneysageivashkov + anyone who wants to do this!

[turtletaubwrites]

Helloo! I have a question. Would u allow ppl to write fanfiction abt the polycule of Numbers Girl? With credits and ofc tagging you.

Bc this idea abt Dom! Crocodile, Buggy and Reader with Sub! Mihawk just popped on my head and i wanted to ask u first. But it’s completely ok if you don’t want to tho!!

Anon, I will have you know that I haven't been allowed to type anything for a week because my silly thumb had to stop working right before I start my new job 😩

But I RAN to the laptop to tap these buttons with my non dominant hand to answer this ask.

Yes!!! Absolutely yes, hells yeah, gimme!

I would be so honored and pleased to share, and super fucking stoked to read that delightful idea of yours!!!

Thank you so much for checking with me first, and for enjoying this lil bad guy polycule story enough to play around in it! 🥰🙏

[selfproclaimedunicorn]

Omg I’m so blind and forgot my own ask game. Ok. Yes, for crackships. I submit Yorick and Aldreda (separately, not as a ship lol) for your consideration

Dude, you are so good because I had fun anyway lol. I live for smashing the OCs together like we are having a playdate & each brought our dolls.

As for Yorick--is it still even a crackship if it's his "bad end?" I would argue "yes" because every ship that isn't him with Shireen is a crackship to me. Those 2 are soulmates, your honor. Anyway, ultimate crackship is Yornyra.

Rhaenyra got what she wanted (owning the Targaryen malewife she is entitled to), but at what cost? They are so toxic & miserable, but they're toxic & miserable ✨together✨

Yorick is having the worst time, Rhaenyra is having the worst time, their kids are having the worst time--literally only Viserys is having a nice time & that's because he gets to be delusional all day long. I do not know all the details of this AU, all I know is that it is deliciously toxic & they are bringing out the worst in each other because Yorick is done with her shit & she has had her fantasy of him being her spineless accessory into adulthood shattered. I'm obsessed, but also it's sad & it sucks. Aesthetically it fucks though & you know they make pretty kids.

Now I am so glad you asked about Seal Mommy.

Crackships for Aldreda are just "what if we add more people? Making this shit a polycule would make it more chaotic."

OT3: Don't kill yourself you're so sexy. Aha

I think the name of the ship speaks for itself lmao. Everyone is having an existential crisis, they've all cried in front of each other about fucking each other/the other member of the throuple, Aldreda helped Criston give himself his midlife crisis bangs, Alicent had to hold Aldreda's hair back while she puked because she got hammered in response to letting a man see her vulnerable one (1) time

OT4: The WLW Are Unionizing

What if there was a toxic, lesbian polycule? What then? What if one (1) member of The Dragonstone Commune Polycule opening up about her trauma was a category 5 disaster that ended with 5 dead & countless injured but then they all made out about it? What then?

OT3: I just want nice things for Alicent, she deserves that

Because here's the thing I have not stopped thinking about them since this ask. Adding more people to the equation instantly makes the ship sillier & I am nothing if not A Silly Little Guy. I think Alicent deserves to get her soul sucked out while Aldreda rails Kaleb (and also I think he needs to bottom for Seal Mommy. Getting pegged will fix him/pegging a man will fix her)

[owl-with-a-pen]

Been getting back into Supergirl recently, which means I’ve been getting back into Brainia, which means I’ve been thinking more about my Naltorian headcanons.

This is one I’ve just kind of had in the back of my head for a while. It’s not really a mannerism as much as it’s just me rocking a sort of soulmate-adjacent concept because I love those.

Naltorians are a species that mates for life in a very literal sense. They can only form romantic bonds one time in their life. They can bond to multiple partners in the case of polyamory, but in cases like this the entire polycule has to meet each other before any romantic bonding takes place and all bonds will form at the same time. Once it’s done, it’s done. There will be no more partners, ever.

Naltorians tend to be very protective of their partners and proactive in upkeeping and maintaining their relationships, as they know there won’t be another chance if they lose this one. Generally, they don’t have to worry about breakups outside of extreme circumstances. They don’t ever want to be without their partners, so it’s very rare for a Naltorian to voluntarily end a relationship.

When a Naltorian bonds to a member of another species, though, that can get a little messy. Imagine Nia, knowing full well that Brainy is her one and only even in the earliest stages, dealing with that breakup. Imagine Brainy, being very aware of how Naltorian romantic bonds work, dying of guilt that entire time because he knows exactly what he’s doing to her. Imagine the added dismay when Brainy has to go off to the future without her, because they both know she is never going to be able to move on or find someone else.

On a less angsty note, I don’t know exactly how voluntary the bonding itself is, but a Naltorian will always bond to someone who is compatible and makes them feel safe and valued. Brainy would be very honored to know that not only does he meet the criteria, but he does so more than anyone else in the world. He would treasure that.

I also just think it’s a little fun to have Brainy very familiar with the motions of a romantic relationship but not at all with true emotional intimacy with a person he loves, while Nia is the exact opposite. She knows a lot about the closeness the bond entails and the commitment it requires, but maybe not so much about the little things in a relationship because she’s never been in one before. Getting together is a learning curve for both of them.

Ohhh I like this, and also yes that did kill me with the angst factor because of my god Brainy realising what he'd be putting Nia through during the break-up is just devastating to think about. Even more-so when he leaves for the future. Honestly, that being the reason he comes back would definitely be a better explanation than what we got. 😅

But I kinda want to add my own spin on this idea if you'll allow me. Because what if it's a little different for the Dreamer of a family? Nia's mother had a dream of where she had to go to find her husband, so what if that's the standard for finding your soulmate if you have the Sight? What if Nia didn't think it would apply to her, she's trying to convince herself she won't get the Sight and in doing so she rejects a lot of Naltorian customs along the way. Maybe she doesn't even think the whole soulmate thing applies to her either as she's half human, so she does dabble in the dating world but never falls for anyone, or it never feels just right.

And then maybe one day she wakes from a dream that she plays off as nothing, just like any other visions she's had along the way. She pushes it back, so far that when she first sees Brainy it doesn't even register fully that he seems familiar to her somehow, but she does know that this feels different. That something here is worth pursuing, worth fighting for.

Maybe she has the dream again a couple of nights later and it clicks into place, but because she's still trying to avoid her powers it takes her a lot longer to come to terms with what it truly means.

I wonder if you could apply Brainy's foreknowledge of Naltorian customs from Nura to this equation as well. He's so cagey about starting a relationship with her in season 4, but imagine if it was because he was aware of the fact that his residency in that time was only temporary and as much as he was beginning to feel for her, he didn't want to cement himself as her one love if he knew he couldn't be with her forever.

I really like your idea that Nia and Brainy are coming at the relationship from different angles, but also maybe they're actually more similar than they realise. They've both tried their hand at relationships, even if it only ever went as far as physical and never emotional, and so they're both on this new territory where they suddenly have to navigate the very raw feelings they're suddenly experiencing for one another. I also love your idea that Nia at least knows how to deal with that from what she's heard of Naltorian customs and soulmates in the past, but Brainy's got absolutely no frame of reference. Having them learn and work on it all together just sounds so so cute and is also a great doorway for comedy.

Aaah thanks for sharing as always, come join me in jumping headfirst back into that Supergirl pool. 😂

[mrssimply]

Santino topping John WOWOWOW

How often does it happen? And how does Santino get John into that mood? Or does John kinda want it just because he feels like it? :3

An interesting question I asked myself more or less recently (I made a mention of Santino topping John in The Burning of Rome, as you know ;)).

Here is how I see it: first, I have to say it's rare for me to write couples that don't switch position. That's clearly due to my own experience, but I know some people prefer one or the other, and Santino clearly has a preference for bottoming in my head.

So I would answer it like this: it's not John who needs to be in the mood, it's Santino.

John is by default in the mood for everything his partner(s) might want, be it Helen, Caine, Koji (yes, thanks to Koda, it's now a HC they had a little polycule back in their youth) or of course, Santino. His own desire often takes a backseat to the desire of his parner(s): nothing gets him off harder than giving pleasure, or responding to his partner(s)' want.

I think we also have to separate top/bottom from dominant/submissive, or from driving/following. In my head, John is a follower. He's not a leader in anyway, and if he happens to create movement around him, it's accidental, or collateral, nearly never conscious. I always loved how... surprised he was by the consequences of his actions (Him refusing to honor the Marker => Santino blowing his house up, then later of course being excomunicado, later again having the whole High Table on his ass and he's like "I've never asked for any of this" and I'm like "John, my man, did you stop for one second to think about the chain of events you were setting into motion?". Many characters tell him variations of that: Winston, Koji, the Elders, Gianna...). In a way, he's very passive in his own narrative: his thought process is very forward and simple (that doesn't mean he isn't intelligent, it means he doesn't care about complexities and the big picture). In that way, I feel like he's very "in the moment" and very attuned to what people feel, even if he often lacks the words to express it.

So back to sex: John responds to the desire of his partner first and foremost in my head. So he's basically always potentially in the mood to top or bottom, it doesn't depend on him, it depends on his partner a lot. That doesn't mean he can't have wants and desires of his own, but to me he's very attuned to the mood of his potential partners, and even unconsciously he'll give them what they want.

It also means that to me, he's more submissive than dominant, but then again, if his partner requires dominance, he'll do it in a heartbeat, and he'll like it.

Santino, on the other hand, is a pillow princess, and a brat. He loves to be whorshipped and conquered, you gotta earn the right to put your hands on him, it's a privilege and he intends for his partner(s) understand that very clearly before he let them kiss his toes.

He will take on a more active and leading role because he loves to test his partners. It's really a way for him to ensure they're worthy of him. Of course he's a control freak, letting go is the ultimate gift he can offer to a partner, but they need to work for it painstakingly. Every game he plays with John in my fics is just him being a scared little boy in need of reassurance. Being pampered, held, and taken is how he feels safe and loved, even if it hurts.

He also understands perfectly how receiving can mean being on top: the control it gives him, the way he can use his body as a weapon of submission. To him, it's not a matter of position, it's a matter of controling the mindset of his partner, and hiding behind a screen.

And finally, I'll answer the question: it doesn't happen often because to him, topping is giving. It's putting the need and desire of his partner first, and not his own, it's taking care, and not being taken care of (again, it's how I think he views it, it's in no way an absolute truth). For the mood to strike he would have to be in a very safe place, with a partner he trusts entierly, in a moment he feels confident enough and good enough to give. A moment where the bottomless pit of want that exists by his heart is somewhat filled. A fragment of time where he has enough selflove to pass an opportunity to receive the devotion he expects of his partners, and for once, to give some of that devotion to his lovers.

And that is very rare.

ALRIGHT, thank you for coming to my Ted Talk, I'll gladly take more questions if you're ready to read entire essays that probably lack cohesion but whatever, I'll stand my ground xD.

Thank you so much for the ask, this was really fun!

[mareenavee]

Fic Authors Self Rec!

Tagged by the indominable @kookaburra1701! Rules:

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love!

I love this. OKAY LET'S GO. Tell me about how proud you are of your work, friends. You've come so far <3

Tagging: @paraparadigm, @polypolymorph, @changelingsandothernonsense, @thana-topsy, @dirty-bosmer, @thequeenofthewinter, @gilgamish, @archangelsunited, @throughtrialbyfire, @expended-sleeper, @ladytanithia and YOU yes if you see this, talk kindly about your writing journey and TAG ME BACK <3

Below the cut because I do be ramblin' (: They're not really in any particular order, I just love them all for different reasons.

1) If We Knew Anything At All

This one was a hell ship prompted by a list that Topsy shared with a bunch of us and I had a brainwyrm, then ended up crying while I wrote the end of it. Quite possibly one of my favorite ever pieces. This one is both the inevitable end to my fic universe and something completely outside time. How did I manage this? Via Sheogorath's voicing. I don't think it gets more unreliable than that.

2) Metempsychosis

A very dear friend and fantastic teammate I met through Skywind sent me this prompt and it gave me such an excellent challenge not only to flex on weird god voice stuff again, but also to bust out some spoken word poetry tricks. I did end up recording myself reading this one too and it felt like old times. I loved all the layers of references I shoved into 1,000 words. It is also my first Morrowfic. And also one that reminded me what I am capable of even more strongly than some of my other projects did. 🥰

3) Serpens Caput

This one is newer, yes BUT OH MY GODS what a flex it was. ANOTHER Morrowfic but it's set in Ceth's fic universe featuring not only major character death but the mindset of a villain in his final moments. And we get to see Danger!Josh through his eyes. It was WEIRD. WEIRD WEIRD but so much fun. I don't think I've yelled so much about a fic whilst writing before. Ceth threw me this prompt, but I don't think was expecting this to end up...being this way (: Borrowed the description of Teldryn and Nerevar from her universe and just RAN WITH IT.

4) Little Dragon

This was written as part of my cute, happy LDB!Athis polycule AU where nothing is quite as horrifically messy as my main fic universe. It is a different kind of catharsis to write, often fun and humorous and a flex in that direction, since I didn't know what i was capable of—I always write pining and heartbreak lol. This came about as part of a fic writer's duel with AU (judged by Poly) which was honestly one of the coolest fandom experiences I've ever been in. It has become its own thing now with multiple other stories and I've been in yet another fandom duel since then. So it's all cute fuzzy feelings and happy memories and I love it to bits.

and last but certainly not least:

5) The World on Our Shoulders

My longfic which throws characters into extremely tough situations, handles horribly difficult themes and topics, shows people being messy and still finds ways to show it all with grace. It's what got me out of my multi-year writing slump and truly, truly brought me back to myself. So yes maybe some of the characters have some of my irl nonsense. Some scenes are far too relatable and it's a little scary sometimes how horrible that is, but it's a different kind of Catharsis. I love also the support its gotten so far for its specific type of storytelling structure as well as all the weird details that sprawl into other stories (Like my honorable mention written for Para, Recurse) and sequels and spin offs. It's been a great joy to be writing this and it's continued to inspire me. From draft one, which I wrote in challenge mode, posting every day this last February to now, where I am mid-ground-up-edit, I love this project to bits and will do all I can to see it through to the end. I see how much I can accomplish in this project. I see what can be done with common tropes and themes and even Fic in general. It's unalienated labor that I do for the sheer hell of it because I can and it's mine and I don't have to follow The Rules. There's something beautiful about that. It's one reason I get up at the crack of dawn every day -- to write for the sake of writing. Out of spite sometimes for all the ways the world tries to crush this kind of self expression out of us. This is my gem of a project. And I am proud of it and how far I've come since I started it. (:

So now it's your turn, if you got this far. Why do you write? How have your favorite fics you've written changed your perspective on the craft so far?

[abcwordsurge]

very curious: what do you think is a slept on pairing that isn't romantic? like queerplatonic, platonic, unlabeled, etc..

also. polyamorous pairings you like and/or think are underrated. any polycules.

also you are so very cool and nice and i'm sorry i don't interact with you that much. i think about it a lot but get embarrassed and never do. you're very cool and thank you for being, like, one of the first people i've really interacted with in the fandom. it's always been scary for me being new to a community and you've made it wonderful (along with everyone else) <3 -floridagirlboy

Ok this is pretty long because you pressed all the right buttons to keep me talking for, like, hours, so I'm just gonna put it under the cut. But before I even do that, I have to get the most important thing out of the way- you are so flipping amazing, thank you for the ask, I'm glad you're liking your time here so far, and no need to apologize :D

Underrated platonic / queerplatonic / etc pairings? Where should I start?

First of all, platonic Illinois and Indiana. They are besties your honor. It's like opposites attract but platonic. Good cop Indiana, bad cop Illinois. Also uber-cautious Illinois and safety hazard Indiana. Indiana is probably bi or pan or something like that and aromantic Illinois just has to listen to his relationship problems and be like, "yes, this definitely makes even a little bit of sense to me, yes, romance, perfectly reasonable." But in my mind, Indiana was one of if not the first person Illinois came out to as aromantic and Indiana was really supportive (of course) so he completely understands that when he talks to Illinois about relationship stuff, Illinois will stare at him blankly and the best advice he will offer is "break up with them."

Also. North and South Dakota. This isn't, like, a rare pair, but it's definitely slept on. Like, everyone acknowledges that they're twins and hang out literally constantly, but I feel like there aren't many fics that actually focus on their dynamic. And that is a wasted opportunity. Y'know what, I might have to write a fic for them soon.

Ok, polyamorous / polycule relationships! First up, Alaska / Hawaii / Rhode Island. My reasoning? Basically 100% "Rhode Island Joins the Table," because Rhode has banter with Alaska and Hawaii calls Rhode cute. And I mean, I'm sure I don't have to explain that Alaska and Hawaii love each other. I don't even have the words for how much I love these three. They work so well together because they're all so snarky and awesome and just, aaah, I love them all as individuals and in a polycule.

And of course the four corners. That's probably a pretty standard answer, but it's standard for a reason, man. Arizona / Colorado / New Mexico / Utah- they're iconic. How did this start? Who the hell knows. We all looked at a map and were like, "yeah, look at that, four states that meet at a single point. Polyamory at its finest." But I love it so much because there's hyper-religious Utah, demon boy Arizona, tired and hungry New Mexico, and just-chilling Colorado, and they're all so unexpectedly soft with each other and it's perfect, man, it's perfect.

Also!! You are very cool and nice! Don't worry, there's no pressure to interact if you're not feeling up to it. I understand <3. And that means so so much to me haha. I remember when I joined the fandom a couple months ago, that everyone was instantly so sweet and welcoming, and I'm very happy that now I'm one of those people for you!! It's like, circle or life or whatever. I don't know. I'm just happy you've had a good first experience with the WttT community. It's awesome here :D

[sunnyrifle]

top 10 your fave fkmt paring !

ten?!? that's a lot omg-- but I can handle it (tho I'm indifferent to the last 3, I'll throw them in)

1) classic GinMori (obviously)

2) classic AkaKai+KaiAka 19/22

3) Shiniki/Kaiji

4) ot4 polycule of Shiniki/Ginji/Morita/Kaiji (any combination between them four,,, yes Shiniki/Ginji is in there as a bonus too)

5) 3Kagi/Kaiji (honorable mention to 13Akagi/Kaiji)

6) MoriGin (it's a whole different genre for me)

7) Shiniki/Hiro (Ten somewhere along them too) I need more content of them!! I bet I'd like it a lot more if I'd dig out the content--

8) Osamu/Akagi

9) Akagi/Hirayama

10) BouKai (but only bc I'm yet to meet them)

P.S. TS aka genderbend for any of the mentioned above works for me (be that both characters or only one of them)

[sodrippy]

*shows up in your inbox covered in sweat and tears* okay so i finished wci

hi!! it's op anon, how are you? how have you been? did you have fun on your vacation?

so ik this is on me for knowing the whole plot before reading it + taking big breaks between reading + having a migraine for half of it BUT i feel like it was just okay. idk, what do you think?

like i feel like the parts with sanji wayy outweighed the rest of it. but i mean i am biased so... although i will say i liked bege and chiffon a lot more than i thought i would. they're probably my favorite side characters along with carrot, pekoms and pedro. who were some of your favorites?

speaking of - zou was so good!! love sanjis cunty little blue fur jacket, but more than that i liked the lore parts about wano! and the minks <3 (also am i just yaoi brained or are duke dogstorm and cat viper supposed to be another zoro/sanji parallel like dorry and broggy were?) and the heart pirates! they're such cuties

okay now the sanji parts: OUGH WAUGH AHHHH

he really is all heart isn't he 🥺 that first fight with judge in the present where he's like talking to himself like "he treated you worse than anyone but you still can't go all out on him?" ough. god.

and i LOVED reiju putting him in his place about trying to blame himself for their mom's death. (and i mean i know he had to save them because that's who he is) but he still has yet to learn that lesson of respecting women's agency

speaking of! zeff's parenting... sanji really walked out of one prison of masculinity into another huh? 😬🚬

but little sanji... i knew what happened but actually seeing it... you'll find people who are good to you! and then he did!!! 🥺

and i like that we see a return of his east blue coping style of like.. feeling stuck so just rolling over and accepting whatever comes. but like you cannot just let life happen to you. you have to act! you have to ask for help! not making a choice is choice itself! (i am having a totally normal reaction to this btw 👍)

also sanji getting luffy after he defeats katakuri and going i knew you could do it! waugh.. they really love and trust each other completely T.T not to mention their talk in the rain! :c to be loved is to be known and to know you can rely on someone :cc

i think that's all i had to say about sanji, other than that jinbe was so cool!! i love that dude so much

and pedro </3 i can't believe he actually died, i'm worried about pekoms too, i hope he's alright at least :(

also i kind of think the big mom pirates should just commit regicide and rule as siblings that would kind of slay. they seem to actually care for each other ( at least more than their mother does), thoughts?

aaaand i do not usually think this ( i am a zosan and sanuso enjoyer only) but that scene where pudding tells a captured nami and luffy that she's gonna kill sanji did make me think for like FIVE seconds: east blue polycule real?? now i've shaken that off but i just had to get it off my chest

ummm i think that's it? i hope you're having a wonderful day and i look forward to hearing your thoughts!! <3

HIII!

im good, thanks, yes my holiday was incredible! i hope youve been well too 💖

no im totally with you on this, but i also watched it in a kind of backwards bad way. the parts w sanji and his backstory + interactions w his family and pudding were soooooo good oh my god. but the rest of it was....i just didnt care fhdsjn like uh huh ok cool whatever WHERES SANJI...

i really liked chiffon too! and bege gets a pass bc i always think a Wife Guy is so sweet. like oh god he loves his family...wow... i think pedro was probably one of my fave new/side characters from the arc, as well as katakuri. im also not immune to a like, 'villain' w strong morals/code of honor, plus his character design just fucks. can i be so real, i knew about pudding from the start but even so i was like 'damn, if pudding wasnt Like That i could get on board w her and sanji being together..' and like honestly, the bit at the wedding where she shows her third eye and sanjis like 'wow youre beautiful' i was like yeah they could make this work i think fdhcjxn

sanjis outfits>>>>> i actually dont even really remember the lore drops bc ive watched back a lot of those episodes as Research so its all confused in my memory, but the guys ALL being so into meeting a real ninja was so fucking funny. like when even law and zoro have requests of him...ok losers. and yeah its always funny when they introduce a new 'i hate you but actually youre my bestie forever' duo. also just zoro being soooo cranky all throughout zou was insanely funny. why did they have him say all that.

OH I LOVED THE HEART PIRATES YEAH. law being such a closed off guy and his crew all being SOOO affectionate n missing him so much and stuff 😭😭😭 it was so sweet theyre so cute

RAAAAAAAA SANJI......literally there is no better description of sanji than all heart. hes so everything foreverrrr. the deep conflict he has between like, knowing that how they treated him was abhorrent and he doesnt owe them anything with still not being able to let go and not care what happens to them was so ough. like yeah you are fundamentally different to them, you continue to defy what judge wanted to make you w your every choice huh 😭 i could talk about this for hours fr

actually kind of funny to think that, well...judge isnt the one who made sanji chauvinistic, it was zeff......

LITERALLY not making a choice IS a choice!! you get it! sanjis martyr complex makes me insaaaaane-insane fr

every luffy and sanji thing in this arc was so good like oh my god they love each other. completely. entirely. they would die for each other. and luffys TOTAL trust in sanji...sobwail

omg yeah i was so shocked about pedro like. no way theyd actually have him die?? bro...but he was so steadfast and amazing, and his sacrifice was done so well, i really loved his character so much!

i agree! esp by the end in the big fights you see like, oh, no they actually kind of do just love their family in a really genuine way, i found that really sweet honestly. they should def kill big mom i hate her so bad.

mwah, i hope your day and weekend are great! 💞💞💞

[maplemouse-warriors]

Are you open to polycule hypokit requests? If so how's about Jay/Willow/Kestrel? If not Willow/Kestrel would be neat. --@troutfur

@troutfur Yes of course! I love a good polycule lol. Also huge fan of your work honored to see you here!

Robinshade - Gray and white tabby tom with blue eyes. Stubborn, good bird hunter. Has the WindClan build.

Poolwing - Mottled gray molly with green eyes. A grumpy gal who likes to go fishing. She needs a fish fear me women love me hat.

[tragicclownwrites]

What are your favorite sbsp fanfics? Need recommendations for some good ones pls!

Hello, anon!

I'm honestly honored that you asked me this question. I even made a little banner for the occasion. I admit that I had to do some thinking about this one, but I hope you end up liking my suggestions (which are in no particular order). 🤗 I'm not sure what ships you're interested in (if any), but I made a list of my own preferences that undoubtedly influenced my choices below.

I admittedly haven't read everything there is to offer so if anyone else has any additional suggestions for this anon, please feel free to chime in! Can be any pairing/polycule/whatever floats your boat.

SQUIDBOB 🐙🧽

i will never (be your friend) by scabsthekid - 12 Chapters; 90K words; Rating: Teen+

Oh wow, where do I even start with this fic?? You'll often see fics that are beloved by fandom and wonder how it got there. But I can assure you, this fic deserves all the love & recognition it has received. It's such an original concept and the writing, setting and references are amazing and beautiful. I don't want to give anything away but it goes without saying that this is a must-read for anyone looking for SquidBob/SBSP fics! 💖

always be yours by tragicclownwrites - 15 Chapters; 71K words; Rating: Teen+

So yes, this is a self-rec. 🤡✍️ However, I felt it was warranted to include here as it's an unofficial sequel to the fic above. When I wrote this, I was very inspired to explore some of the themes the first fic left open-ended while creating another unique story for folks to enjoy. While the original fic is an absolute classic and I'm sure you'll love it, I'm very confident that you will enjoy this one as well if you've read that one. 😊

(I've also written a couple short fics based on this so feel free to check those out on AO3 as well)

Pop and Licorice by clefabletime - 6 Chapters; 63K words; Rating: Explicit

So this fic was super cute to read! There were lots of memorable moments and romantic tension. Tbh, I'm not typically a fan of NSFW fics for SBSP, but if I had to rec one, this fic would be it. If you're cool with that, great. If that's not your thing, no worries! That part happens towards the end anyway so you will not be missing out on the meat of the story if you decide to skip that part (though even that was well-written). The author does a good job building up to it so it flows naturally and you can see it coming.

i'm in love (you're the worst) by scabsthekid - 1 Chapter; 8.6K words; Rating: Teen+

Another one from this author because I love their work. 😊 It's a separate one-shot from her longer fic, but it's still worth the read. I love the idea of them "secretly" dating but then everyone kinda knowing the whole time and being super supportive about it. 🥰

jellyfish hunting by switchblade (pillars) - 1 Chapter; 1K words; Rating: General

Ahh SquidBob jellyfishing escapades! If you're looking for a slice-of-life, short & sweet fic, this one is a great option. The writing style was a plus in my book.

Make The Yuletide Gay by orphaned_account - 1 Chapter; 1.1K words; Rating: Teen+

Super short & sweet Christmas fic, but it warmed my heart the first time I read it. Realization of feelings are the best! Will note that the author has orphaned the work, so I'm not sure if they've written anything else.

PLABS 🦠🦀

Mixing Blues by ArmorAbs (jadeykitties) - 1 Chapter; 1.9K words; Rating: General

There aren't a ton of Plabs fics out there (yet), but I'd reco checking out this author if that's a pairing you're interested in - loving their WIPs so far! Anyway, I wanted to rec this fic in particular because I felt it conveyed so much of their history in such few (well-written) words and I love painting being a stand-in for that sort of self-expression. They are literally so hung up on each other, it's not even funny.

KARENDY 🤖🐿️

One More Visit by IncurablePeppermint - 3 Chapters; 2.9K words; Rating: General

Like Plabs, there aren't a ton of standalone Karendy fics out there (yet), but this fic is great if you like them together! I usually prefer more canon-divergent fics, but this AU felt like a mix of that and those super adorable barista/café AUs (which I do love). Hence why I wanted to rec this fic in particular. 😊 Would also recommend checking out this author for more Karendy content!