#you can also tell lots of passion and creativity went into them to write the script and make it sound like they are talking on real events

[natasha-in-space]

One of my favorite things ever is mocumentaries on video game events as if they were actual real life events. Hell yeah I will watch a 2 hour documentary on the fall of Raccoon City like it was a real tragedy that occurred and changed the world as we know it. What's that? A 30 minute video essay on the ruination of the USG Ishimura like it was a real ship that has been struck by a horrible disaster? Oh I will gobble that up!

[gendercomsumer]

Twisted Wonderland Confessions Part 5!

A/N: We're almost finished with the series! Idk what I'll write for after but I'll figure it out eventually. Also my computer broke in the middle of writing this- so yayyyyy

Warnings: Not proof read, Ooc Sebek, Lilia being a menace /hj (Also not knowing how to write him-),

GN!Reader

Characters: Sebek Zigavolt (773 words), Lilia Vanrouge (509 words), Leona Kingscholar (761 words)

Sebek Zigavolt

You'd meet him during the spell drive tournament (Book 2 w/ savanaclaw) When there was the plan to take Diasmonia out of the running for the whole thing.

It was only a small moment you two saw each other but from first impressions he was loud, and most definitely not afraid of showing his loudness off.

You ran into each other again during school realizing you had more classes with the fae then you first thought.

While Sebek is very loud at times, he's diligent and takes great and very organized notes (Even if they're only in pencil with no indicating colors.)

As a friend Sebek is a bit strange

You'll usually find him doing his own thing or lecturing a student on the topic of respect.

You two would hangout during lunch usually close by Malleus in case he needs Sebek to guard him.

A personal head canon is that he's also a bit suspicious of everyone, not like heavily so but it came naturally with him being a knight.

So he might not fully trust you at first to be able to be at two arms length of Malleus.

I mean at least he's being a good guard am I right?

He will let you borrow his notes if you need to, saying some comment along the lines of, "Ha! Of course a human would need my notes!"

While he can help you in math and science he does struggle in art and the more creative classes.

Help him with those and he'll see it as a favors for favors situation.

I can't really see him easily identifying let alone accepting his feelings for you

He at first thinks he's sick, or if you know magic you've somehow slipped a curse on him

He goes to Lilia for guidance and this old man while he looked composed was cackling on the inside.

Lilia explains that Sebek is most likely falling in love with the human and Sebek seems almost appalled by the suggestion.

Him? A fae? Falling for you some random pathetic human?!

No no that can't be right!

This was one of the only times he started to question Lilias judgment and views on the matter.

After getting the same opinion of Silver as well, and a lot of thought, he comes to the conclusion that maybe, just maybe, he might have a teeny itty bitty crush on you.

That's as much as he was going to admit though.

Lilia what do you mean when will he tell them? He's not!

He tries to act the same but the words of his family stuck to the back of his head.

How passionate you were about things you loved and how you have done so much despite being only a human

at times you could catch his stone face starting to melt into a soft lovesick smile

Maybe that crush wasn't as small as he said it was

But he'd never admit that

Confession wise, either he puts it off for as long as he can or you decide to go up and confront him on his very badly hidden feelings.

So for this let's say you've picked up on his hiding of feelings and decide that now's the best time as any to let him know how you feel

You kept your fingers crossed that he felt the same as Lila led you through their dorm

"Alright third door on the left should be Sebek's, don't get too crazy now kids!"

Lilia left down the stairs with a childish laugh as you went down the hall hearing Sebeks voice through the walls.

It really showed how loud his voice could be considering the dorm was made of stone

Standing outside the door you could easily hear Sebek monologuing to himself about... He was talking about you?

The mention of your name was sudden followed by the names of Lilia and Silver.

"If both master Lilia and Silver say that I've... Fallen for this human, does that mean it's true!? mater Lilia is rarely wrong... But I can't be! They're just a human! A human who makes me feel like I'm in front of the thorn fairy herself at times... No no! How dare I compare the two!!"

He continued and a dust of color was brought to your cheeks to raise a hand to knock on his door hopefully loud enough he'd hear.

There was a long pause before the door was opened by Sebek and at the sight of you his face flushed.

In an uncharacteristically quiet way he asked "Please tell me you didn't hear any of that... Did you?"

Lilia Vanrouge

One day You walk out of your dorm planning to go get some food from Sam's shop since it had been awhile since you went on a grocery run.

It was a beautiful day out with the just right amount of clouds

You take a step out of your house, and Lilia appears seemingly out of thin air hanging upside down from your shade on the porch of your house

Yep that's how you met, him almost scaring the living shit out of you on a random Tuesday morning

What a fun way to start off!

After him almost killing you with that scare he would randomly pop up at times scaring anyone and everyone around you (after awhile you got used to it)

He's a very fun person over all despite what he's been through with the fae war and all

His jokes and lightheartedness are usually welcome lifting any bad mood you may have.

he'll try his best to help in any classes, he's a fucking god in history having lived though most of what they're teaching

And as the feelings start to appear he's a bit taken aback by their sudden appearance.

He's had many lovers in his years but this time the love feels different almost?

It's hard for him to describe, hell it's hard for him to comprehend, but nonetheless he enjoys the soft feeling you give him when you're around

He'd consider a long while on whether or not he would want a relationship with you

You are a human and he will most definitely out live you no matter what the world has in store

It's just the sad truth of having an extremely long life span like his

Once he is sure of this he will start to make more moves on you and attempt to gauge your reaction to them.

Depending on your reaction will depend when he confesses to you, or how much longer he wants to wait to confess.

I can see his confession being one on the more romantic side, but not like not as romantic as Rook.

Most likely he would confess in the middle of a hangout he'd be subtly flirting with you whether you notice or not is most likely up to how dense or oblivious you are

He'd be laying on the couch of the living room possibly (most defiantly) upside down

You'd be talking about some random topic and you look away for moment and suddenly oop there he is floating upside down in front of you.

You jumped and laughed questioning Lilia what he was doing

He stayed silent for a moment staring at you in a manner some would consider creepy before letting out a small laugh.

You asked what was so funny in a bit of a cautious manner and Lilia smiled at you "I've had plenty of lovers... but none were a stunning nor did they make me feel as strange as you do... so tell me, will you help me explore what makes you the one..?"

Leona Kingscholar

After the events, to say the least, of book two he's very salty about everything for at least a week

Eventually and inevitably the two of you need to work together (Either during or before book 3)

Or Ruggie some how convinced you to help him out with the lazy Lion

And either way hey it worked!

Most of the time Leona is either bored, sleeping, or secret option number 3! bored and wanting to sleep...

He's an interesting character to get along with and once you do it's a different side you see other than the one that's just a lazy ion that Ruggie and the other students need to deal with

You learn very quickly that he's very smart and knows most of what the teachers are teaching.

He just normally doesn't have the energy or the want to participate in classes.

Which in my opinion fair my dude

But because he's really book smart if you ask and he's in a good mood he would "dumb down the lesson" in reality he's reteaching it just in a way that's easier to understand.

He sleeps a lot so he knows how important it is to get enough of said sleep.

So if you're close (good friends and such) if he sees you start to drift off during class or fall asleep, he'll cover for you but will scold you that that's not a proper place to take a nap

He then proceeds to take a nap in potion class with Rook in the room. What was that about proper nap locations Leona?

But either than that he's a bit sassy at times and can joke around, hell he calls you Herbivore all the time, that should be evidence enough.

One time you had fallen asleep under a tree (Silver kinnie energy-) and Leona found you

He ended up staying with you and skipping class to take a nap of his own and that's when his feelings for you start to fully come into light.

When he saw you sleeping there, there was a small part of him who wanted to stay with you and protect you, silly right?

Now Leona's well versed in emotions. He'd seen how his brother acted around his now sister in law and here they were now with the menace of a child Cheeka.

So once these feelings start to become stronger and more prominent it starts to reflect in his behavior

I am an avid believer in the beast men/ mermen are possessive change my mind (warning you can't)

He'd start to stay around you a lot more than normal and once Ruggie joked that you had cat nip in your pocket and Leona was following you because of it.

Leona makes sure you get enough sleep a day. Didn't get 8 hours at least last night, whelp hopefully nothing important is happening in Crewels class cause you're skipping to take a nap!

He also makes sure you're eating right and not burying yourself in your work (I'm looking at you Crowley)

He also gets protective over you and if people look at you the wrong way they will have a lion glaring them down.

As for confessions I can see him being pretty nonchalant about it.

One day you had been studying in your room since you needed help in History.

Leona went to go get something and you decided to ley your head down on your bed to see if you could catch some quick rest

Leona returned sometime later and looked at you confused

you were still awake but you didn't want to bother to open your eyes as you were in a comfortable position and sleep sounded like a very nice idea at the moment

"Oi, Herbivore, are you asleep?" You stayed quiet and still as Leona looked over your face and gave a mischievous smile.

"Well isn't that adorable.. and here I thought I was the lazy one.." He gently brushed some hair out of your face and placed a feather light kiss to your temple

"It was your idea to study and you're the one to fall asleep.." You could feel the color come to your face as Leona sat at the end of the bed watching you

You eventually sat up and Leona laughed seeing the red color across your face "Thought so I wouldn't think you'd fall asleep that quickly, so tell me Herbivore.." Leona leaned closer to you with a smug smile

"you do know it's dangerous to fall asleep around a lion, don't you?"

[serenityhime1]

Reflections Commentary and Q&A

I'm going to put a cut below to avoid spoliers for anyone who doesn't want them, but I'm going to answer some questions that I was asked about Reflections and share a little commentary. Please feel free to ask further questions if you would like!

I am truly overwhelmed with the support I got for writing Reflections. It was a fun idea I had to write two stories that started in the same place but diverged due to a single change, and the way that played out in telling two different stories. It was important to me that chapters updated simultaneously to give the reader the experience of seeing both stories at the same time, rather than read one story and then the other in their entirety, because it was about how things were different moment-to-moment rather than telling two stories that started with the same premise.

Writing these stories was an exercise in patience as I went back and forth between stories to confirm details and make sure everything was in the right place and the right time. It was only 10 chapters, but definitely felt like the 20 chapters it actually was. Both stories together were over 80k words!

I didn't think anyone would really care too much, but it was well-received and I am incredibly appreciative. It was a strange creative project that was just meant to explore the way we tell stories, but people enjoyed the stories, too, and that means a lot. Anyways, questions below the cut!

@loverinthesnow asked:

Hi! Reflections was such a pleasure to read. I’m going to miss Bulma and Vegeta so much! My question for you: did Vegeta make any choices in the few weeks before each version of the fic that may have influenced the very beginning of the story?

Thank you for the kind words! Vegeta did a lot of self-reflection before the story started. At the time the story picked up, he'd been single for a few months and spending a lot of time thinking about what he wanted out of life, and out of a relationship. It takes time to unwind a lot of the damage an abusive partner can do to you.

Fortunately a lot of that self-reflection led him to a place where he was at least appreciative of the loud, beautiful woman he kept running into at the coffee shop, but he couldn't quite bring himself to talk to her. In a lot of ways it felt too soon, and too late. In one story he accidentally finds a way to start a conversation, and it takes him by surprise. In the other story, he makes a realization and uses his knowledge to his advantage to get her to start the conversation.

It's a little manipulative, perhaps, but it works!

@vegetasmyheart asked:

Reflection was a unique experience. Thank you for sharing your creativity. I was just curious if you prefer one version over the other?

First of all, how dare you ask if I have a favorite child, and the answer is yes of course I have a favorite child. I'm kidding of course! I'd say that taken on their surface I prefer Chiral, because I like a good, confident Bulma who goes after what she wants and gets it. She inspires the best in her partner, and even though she makes mistakes she navigates those with aplomb and we love her for it.

Taken together though, and in the spirit of the project, I really love Achiral. There was a long stretch where people felt like I (or the universe) was a little harsh on Achiral Bulma, but I think that it's important to recognize that insecurity is something we all deal with, and vulnerability is not a bad thing. I definitely don't see Achiral as the "bad" storyline - Bulma and Vegeta get together at almost the same time and they have sex there first, and it's wildly passionate. Perhaps it's a little less emotionally grounded, but we get to see over time that develops just as it did in Chiral.

I also had someone mention they were a little concerned about Krillin living with Roshi, and while I reassured them I just want to reassure all of you that Roshi, while an utter creep to women, is also weirdly progressive and therefore not interested in Krillin at all (since he's a man).

Thank you all for the kind words, loving comments, and questions. I am so glad I got the chance to work on this and had so many people who were invested in it. I appreciate it more than words can say <3

[onewomancitadel]

The Distance Which Fools the Skimming Eye hit a little viewcount milestone...

thank you for reading... I appreciate it a lot, I am really blown away at how many people have read it for good or ill. My life has basically revolved around it one way or another since I started writing it (and kind of Jaune/Cinder as a ship by extension), though not in a bad way by any means (it's been put on hold at various points because of celestial reasons). I don't think you can ever anticipate how that sort of creative thing arrests you.

When I outlined the story and starting posting it, I knew at least two people were going to look at it and that fact made me thrilled. So I never went in with the assumption of writing a fic for anybody essentially except myself. I am sure there are always new people surprised by the fact that I actually, earnestly, genuinely canonship Jaune/Cinder. Hahahaha. This blog established more of a monstrous presence in part due to it; I think it made me more independent in my fandom antics and meta writing.

Of course it started becoming something else due to R/WBY's renewal or lack thereof, RT closing down, the ambiguity of R/WBY's future - and originally I was like, well I have to write this fanfic in case they don't ever do Jaune/Cinder, and now I'm like, well I have to write this fic in case they don't ever do Jaune/Cinder or anything else, which is weird. But I also love R/WBY very passionately and my writing was always intended as a love letter to it. My distant hope would be that people see R/WBY the way I see R/WBY through my fanfic.

I have a tendency to narrativise events and so I hope that this post comes off less self-congratulatory (gross) and more just a reflection, and something suggesting gratitude as well. To be a lifelong eccentric this sort of thing is always supremely weird.

I also know I am the person most obsessed with this fanfic, so perhaps this post is for myself most of all lol. I know it's small and silly, but it does mean a lot to me. I spend most of my daydreaming thinking about writing, whether it's this fic or my other Jaune/Cinder fics, so it does occupy a lot of mental space. Christ. And yes, lots of people have come and gone over time, but I did use my time away to finish writing the story, I just have to post it. I'm a miseryguts and I hate schedules so that will happen when it happens.

My boyfriend said I should get a treat for this and right now I am trying to find vintage black pearl drop clip-on earrings... they essentially don't exist, so I suspect the one pair I own (I got them for $5!) might be the only in the world. If I were a really hack writer, I would tell you this is a metaphor for the rare beauty of Jaune/Cinder.

[arzen9]

✨ writing interview tag game!!! ✨

Thank you @nerdallwritey for tagging me in this, yay!! I love talking about writing lol. Mind you, I'm not a fic writer, but I DO have an MFA in Creative Writing, and I did JUST start writing my first novel after BG3 came into my life & basically jump-started my healing journey. It is in fact a literary fiction vampire novel, ahem ahem. Here we go!

When did you start writing?

I learned how to write when I was seven just like most people I guess, and started with little poems or stories as I had always loved reading and wanted to imitate what the writers I loved were doing. That is still good advice to anyone who wants to become a writer- to start by imitating (not copying!) the style of those who you enjoy reading. Whenever I wrote something for a school assignment my teachers would compliment them, and child me definitely needed the encouragement lol. So I started very young, and the passion for writing never went away.

Are there different themes or genres that you enjoy reading than what you write?

Big YES. I read the themes and genres I write about as well, but I also enjoy reading differently because I think it improves my writing. Even if it didn't though, I truly enjoy reading different genres. For example, I don't write romance but I do enjoy reading it.

Is there a writer you want to emulate or get compared to often?

I don't know if I want to be compared to them necessarily, but I do have lots of writers that inspire me: Toni Morrison, Harper Lee, Flannery O'Connor, and Gillian Flynn are some I have off the top of my head.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

I live in a very small studio apartment with my boyfriend (we even call it a hamster wheel lol) so I don't really have a space per se, but I do like doing a few things to get in the writing mood. A nice candle, some nice music. I have playlists for every different writing idea that I work on whether it be a short story or something else. My biggest dream is something I wrote to get adapted into a movie or a TV show so I tend to imagine scenes and pick out songs for those so-called scenes. Place doesn't really matter for me, in the sense of where I write- as long as I have a strong idea and some music to back it up.

What's your most effective way to muster up a muse?

More professional writers don't really believe in inspiration, they believe in sitting down and getting to work, but I'm not one of them unfortunately lol. Writing without the strike of inspiration is difficult for me, and forcing that inspiration even more so. However, it can strike anytime, anywhere. My notes app is FILLED to the brim with one-liners that came to me at 3 AM.

are there any recurring themes in your writing? do they surprise you?

YES, and they don't really surprise me because they are semi-intentional. I like working with the struggles of minority groups (the LGBTQIA+ community specifically), difficult relationship dynamics especially when it comes to dysfunctional mothers and daughters, and metaphors for love (vampirism is probably the biggest one). I also write a lot about trauma.

what is your reason for writing?

Sappy answer incoming! I had a very difficult childhood (I have CPTSD thanks to it yay me) and my only escape was reading, reading and reading. Once I realized I needed to start dreaming about a future career I immediately decided I wanted to become a writer, because the words of the writers I love literally saved my life, and I want to be able to do that for other people.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating?

Any feedback or piece of constructive criticism is more than helpful. Just knowing someone read something I wrote, spent time on it and engaged with it makes my heart flutter.

how do you want to be thought about by your readers?

As someone relatable, above all. Or someone who wants to help.

what do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

I'm pretty good at approaching difficult subject matter in a way what one of my professors called "cool to the touch". I don't like sentimentality and I'm usually pretty good at avoiding it in my writing. I write about difficult, borderline dark themes with flawed characters and I think that requires a particular way of writing to get right. I'd like to think that I'm pretty good at that!

how do you feel about your own writing?

I don't want to sound like I'm bragging or anything, but I believe that I'm a good writer. I've never had another dream in my life than to become a writer, it has always been everything to me, so it was never just a hobby- it's all consuming lol. And I like it that way!

when you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely for yourself, or a mix of both?

I guess I'd say it's more for myself- I of course want people to enjoy my writing but I won't change the way I write just for that reason. I write so that people will read my stuff, but the writing itself is never too influenced by trends or anything like that. On top of that, I know that my stuff can be difficult to read, and I tend to enjoy that part of my writing.

I don't really have anyone to tag, so anyone who sees this and wants to join in is more than welcome!

[ethersierra]

Here is why the McElroys should consider hiring me if they were ever to adapt Ethersea:

I love Ethersea a lot. Like I'm crazy about it. I'm actively making tables on the wiki and going back and doing episode summaries. I take really detailed notes (I had 22 pages from just the five prologue set ups). I keep track of shit. I have a compilation of all the transcripts in one pdf open at all times.

I have a Vision. The framing, the pacing, the composition, what to keep or cut or add onto, design details. All of it.

While I would not even dare to shoot for the position of illustrator on this ambitious a project (in which I have no professional training so I would be shit at formatting), I do have a creative background in illustration, which would prove useful when communicating with the artist.

I know people! I am your eyes and ears within the Ethersea community. You need a heads up on how something would be received -- well, I've seen how it might! Character choices that matter, relationships that people want to see expanded on, the favorite goofs-- I know them! Your favorite artists who draw scenes from Ethersea? I follow them, I talk to some of them. One of them is my Dungeon Master!! You want to see concepts for this setting? Oh I know a guy! I am like an eel weaving between rocks, you cannot stop me. I find every ethersea post eventually.

I have a diverse array of interests and skills. I may not be a marine biologist but I would drive down to Monterey to talk to one. You need an analytical look at the narrative, to pull apart its themes? Let me just... move this AP Literature score of 5 out of the way so I can start telling you why Ethersea is an incredible piece of fiction with compelling characters and a world that is alive, and how it can function as an allegory to our own relationship with our world. You need someone to do meticulous copy edits? I already have a style guide open in another tab-- being the editor for yearbook trained me for this. I do not only succeed in the technical writing department, but I also have a deep love for science, especially the natural world. My proximity to the pacific ocean means learning a lot about marine ecology even just in passing, and I really love chasing that curiosity.

I have a lot of thoughts about brinarr and their designs. I began working on a speculative biology project about Brinarr but have yet to return to it-- but I learned a Lot about corals and other marine species in that time. I worked on this at the same time as I was taking an anatomy and physiology class (which I have kept my notes from for future reference), and combining these two understandings into one has been one of the more difficult but rewarding creative tasks I've pursued. Because of my variety and versatility of skills and interests, bringing multiple things together to create something new is something I enjoy and comes easily to me.

I am an excellent note taker! I take notes by my very nature. Twice I went to a college tour with a notepad and pen only to find I was alone in that. I have 44 pages of notes from D&D when we only had 5 sessions. I had an organized document for APUSH that was dreadfully long but extremely navigable. I keep my documents in folders. I keep my PLAYLISTS in folders. You will absolutely be able to find the correct document that you're looking for.

I may not have any degrees, or expertise in publishing, but I do have an intense passion for Ethersea and strong motivation to learn and adapt. While this is an absolutely futile endeavor on my end, I am shouting it into the void in the hopes that it is heard.

[raitobie]

Why I self ship with Light Yagami

*.·:·.✧ ∘°∘♡∘°∘ ✧.·:·.*

I started writing a post and my tendency to be incredibly long winded about Death Note took over, as it does.

Instead of just leaving it in my drafts as per usual however, I decided that I will do what I see others do and add a post index to either my carrd or eventual proper pinned post I should’ve made a long time ago, oof. This will be a part of a FAQ type section maybe as it’s been a question I’ve gotten enough times to answer.

“hOw CoUlD yOu LoVe a MaSs MuRdErEr yOu kNoW hE wOuLd KiLL yOu RiGhT” and the such which I just 🤦🏾‍♀️ I address that below the cut LMAO but some people are also just curious about my thoughts and feelings too, so if you are as well. Or just want to read something…here ya go 💀 I am an intense person, but I do not apologize for this.

I do however apologize for any grammatical or spelling errors, I did as best as I could. 🥲 I’ll probably keep editing it to my liking after I post it.

I have a few reasons really, but the main and important reason I self ship (with Light in particular) is that I think Death Note tells an incredibly interesting story about what it’s like to be human and uses the supernatural to expose human behaviour and the human experience.

And it’s so fascinating to me that Light can both have genuine love and passion in his heart (for his family and society in canon), but also be wicked and diabolical all in a confusing, contradictory attempt to grapple with his own sense of self. It’s so relatable yet a rare and bizarre, disturbing spectacle that isn’t really observable to the extent that death note allows for it to be in real life.

I want it explored, I want his brilliant concept of a character and story to be appreciated, dissected and influence story telling and the creativity of others like it’s done for me because Death Note is so unique and rare and such an iconic staple of pop culture and media.

Yet too often, I see that people’s disgust and discomfort with his actions and choices while rightful cause them to distance themselves from his nuance and complexity as a character as a moral stance. People don’t want to empathize with him lest they excuse and downplay what he’s done. Or, they empathize with him entirely because they recognize the good in him but can’t reconcile it with the bad.

I simply see Light as a whole person with good and bad and a lot of well placed duality with all his traits, whether it’s confidence and insecurity, compassion and belittling, etc. I also see him as initially a very blank slate/default idea that can swing in so many directions with influence from environment, relationships and circumstance, and Death Note canon is just only one of those hypothetical paths and could’ve went so differently with smaller shifts in the plot.

And because of this, it’s necessary that many things have to be true about him all at once. And that makes him so interesting to me. He’s a character I’d love to talk to and get to know even about the littlest mundane things because they shape him in such a way that leaves for so many possibilities complimentary to his main prospects.

So I instantly get cancer when people chalk him up as being inherently evil and narcissistic/psychopathic/sociopathic which is not only a very crappy depiction of those disorders, but just isn’t even true at all. His actions and choices make so much sense with all context and details involved considered, and it’s so much more complicated than mental health diagnoses that Light doesn’t even meet the true criteria for. He deserves so much better analysis and interpretation as a character than to just get that label slapped on him and call it a day.

I’d argue that his longevity as a popular character for well over a decade is very much because he’s inherently complex and he’s perfect for examining closer, and it’s so much fun and natural to want to fill in the blanks based on inferring from the text and piecing together what kind of person Light Yagami has to be to cause as much chaos and cultural shift as he does.

I say all this to say I self ship specifically with Light because I love Light and I love all of him. And one particular thing that is undoubtedly a part of him but gets retconned out of how he’s portrayed by fandom and even some of the official adaptations is that he himself very much does love others, and when he does, he loves them very deeply.

Not only that, but he’s very capable of loving women in particular with the right opportunities and circumstances to connect with one, in which lack thereof is really the only concrete reason he can’t and doesn’t in canon. Not intense and deep misogyny. He does not demonstrate any hate for women by right of their gender, he just treats women badly and is distant from them in canon due to yes, necessity in context and priority. He manipulates with what he knows to be true and likely about particular men and women alike, and Ohba’s sexist ideology influences this and happens to pigeonhole the women Light interacts with into these ideas.

I don’t agree that he’s not sexually attracted to women at all, either. I personally think he takes too much pride, care and attention in his popularity with them to not appreciate them in that way at all. I just more see it as a valid explanation that he takes his attractiveness for granted and discipline, pride and a need for healthy emotional connection as a prerequisite for deeper feelings and attraction (I headcanon/view him as demisexual) play a very big part in his indifference. Being that he has no true healthy close bonds with anyone aside from his sister in canon, it makes perfect sense that he doesn’t love any of the women he’s romantically involved with.

And this particular side of him is never explored well or positively at all in anything I’ve read concerning him, even though I think there’s a lot of interesting elements to explore to make the scenario of him being in a healthy relationship happen. But it’s very possible for him, and I want to explore EVERY possibility for him. This is just territory that’s gone long and very largely uncharted with no full regards and consideration of who he is, so I’m going there for my own appreciation and respect of his depth.

And because Light always puts on a mask as to hide how he really thinks and feels and has never been loved and accepted wholly for his good and bad even by himself, I imagine he’d feel very loved and touched if he could know how I felt about him and would experience some of those feelings back. And I love that for him and it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

So alas, that’s how I got here. I think he’s fascinating as a person and a very sweet and admirable person deep down, and I want to be as close to him as possible to experience who he is and nurture and appreciate that. I’m sorry for what he became and I see all of him enough to want to love him as well as I can and give him another path to take. This is all my creative outlet for that. A lot more details could be discussed here, but I’ve got to take it easy at some point lol.

[not-poignant]

19 and 20!

19. Tell me a story about your writing journey. When did you start? Why did you start? Were there bumps along the way? Where are you now and where are you going?

Oh this is... this will be long and it's 12.13am and I don't want to write long, so I'm going to shorthand it:

Started writing as a kid, liked it, pure escapism and needed that shit because real life sucked. Enjoyed reading and though 'I could do that' before anyone told me no. Wrote several novels as a 10 year old before I realised actually you're supposed to learn how to do it first. I still like those stories. Finished my first epic fantasy trilogy by the age of 12/13.

Lots of bumps, including some creative writing at university which killed all my passion to write. The long and short of it is that I could write award-winning short stories and poems, but I hated all of it and judged and edited everything I wrote to the point where I...stopped.

Stopped all writing. For many years. Became pro-artist. Occasionally write very short fanfics that only ever got posted on Livejournal or Schnoogle. Never liked any of it.

Quit art, had a mental breakdown, needed that good good pure escapism again. Read a lot of fanfiction. Made a fandom Tumblr. Watched Rise of the Guardians, went to town on AO3, wrote literally whatever the fuck I wanted even though I was sure people would hate it and hate me. Some folks said 'hey these OCs are alright' and I went 'sure okay.'

Here we are. :)

20. If a witch offered you the choice between eternal happiness with your one true love and the ability to finally finish, perfect, and publish your dearest, darlingest, most precious WIP in exactly the way you've always imagined it — which would you choose? You can’t have both sorry, life’s a bitch

I don't want both. I don't want either. Fuck monogamy, lmao. (For me! Not for anyone else reading this! I am a walking caveat!!!)

I don't want perfection. I don't have a 'most precious WIP.' Stories are easy to come by, and they're all fun. Characters are easy to come by, and you can hurt/comfort nearly all of them. There is no 'dearest, darlingest, most precious WIP' like damn.

I also...don't want eternal happiness. Like Arden, in FFS, I do not believe that the goal of life is eternal happiness. That's literally not the way our brains are built. Emotions are meant to transform. The good news is - that means all the ones that make you feel like shit. The bad news is - that means all the ones that make you feel good. That's why it's so important to learn how to tolerate and sit with all your emotions free from judgement, because the sooner you do that, the more often you'll feel happiness in general.

We're not made, as a species, to feel happy all the time. You ever see people shaking their indoor plants to mimic wind because otherwise they grow all weak and shit and die early because they had no challenges? Yeah.

And yes, I've had challenges, and I'm also not an indoor plant, I just don't believe eternal happiness is the goal here.

Also I'm polyamorous so this whole 'one true love' thing can fuck right off. This question just reads a little like 'u have one true love story and u have one true love person' and folks can live like that but a bitch could never (it's me, I'm bitch)

--

From the Weird Writing Asks meme!

[edenwiththeemi]

My Writing Journey… So Far

summary: What’s led me to writing, and what’s led me through writing, up to 2024.

word count: 664

a/n: Long time no write! Hope you enjoy this tidbit. What’s your writing journey? I’d love to know about it!

Rhododendrons in Parkland, WA on May 11, 2021. Copyright Eden Flynn.

My writing journey began, as many people’s does, in elementary school. I can’t remember anything that I wrote, but I remember how happy I was to write fiction, and how much I hated writing nonfiction. Now, I enjoy reading nonfiction and sometimes enjoy writing nonfiction, but the nonfiction I write is limited to what I find interesting and what I experience in the world.

When I was in eighth grade, I discovered fanfiction for the first time, and when I entered my junior year of high school I started writing original fiction. I don’t know that it was good – it was only ever conceptual since I couldn’t restrain my ADHD enough to finish anything, but after I graduated high school, I started writing my own fanfiction, and that went a lot better than I expected.

At this point, I’ve published probably around a hundred pieces of fanfiction, and have a little over a hundred followers on my fanfic Tumblr, last I checked. I don’t check very often, in all honesty. The success of my fanfiction is what pushed me to start a blog for original work, and I find myself enjoying the privacy that comes with being a blog without any followers – I’m just screaming into the void until someone decides they like whatever noise I’m making.

Why do I write? Currently, because I’m passionate about it, and it makes me happier. I can’t say it makes me happy, because if I had to stop writing tomorrow, I’d still be happy, but that’s a good thing, to me.

In high school, I wrote because it helped me to understand the ongoing trauma of childhood abuse and toxicity I was experiencing. I used writing as a tool to process my emotions (and still do now), and I used writing as a means of reflecting my reality in writing. Having abusive parents is more common than it should be, but having a parent try to kill you is a very isolating experience. Not many people can relate to that, and while I’d never wish it on others, it still felt so lonely to go through that in high school – arguably the worst period in time to go through anything.

As of 2024, I’m published in Pierce College’s 2024 Student Literary and Arts Magazine, or SLAM, under the name Emile Flynn, and have two original songs and one feature available on all major streaming platforms as Emile. I submitted the poem at a time where I was working out what name I wanted my work published under, but now I know that I want my music published under Emile, and I want my writing published under Eden Flynn — my real name.

I also work as a Writer for Pierce’s Student Media team in the Office of Student Life. My current big project is writing the biweekly student newsletter known as “The Pinnacle Push”, an idea I initially pushed because I believed the biggest contributing factors to a student’s success were building a strong support system around them and having important academic information all in one place. So far, we’ve had six releases, and two more will be published before Winter Quarter is out. I hope that over time, the Push will get closer and closer to the vision I have for it and will be a successful marriage of Student Media to the rest of Student Life.

Right now, I’m in my last quarter at Pierce, and will receive my AA with a focus in Writing. Once I graduate, I’ll be transferring back to UWT to pursue my BA in English, with a focus in Creative Writing. In a few years I’ll publish a sequel piece to this narrative detailing my writing journey from 2024 onward, so if you’re reading this and wondering how writing life has treated me after the publishing date of this narrative, feel free to browse this blog to look for an update, or send me an ask and I can tell you!

[ithappensblog]

dream vs. reality

I have always loved giving gifts to people. I guess it's in my nature. There is something so satisfying about finding or creating the perfect item that matches someone’s personality, interests, or needs. That’s why I decided to open up my own gift shop, Little Pepper Gift Co., where I could sell crafts, personalized accessories, made by other Canadian makers. I don't have much patience for creating products myself, so I decided that supporting other small businesses by opening a small shop carrying products I loved (and knew other people would, too!) would be a great way to accomplish this. I was so excited to launch my shop online and share it with the world. I had a vision of being an overnight success, or at least a steady source of income and joy. I thought I had what it takes to run a successful business, just like my husband, who owns Labrosse Consulting, a thriving survey equipment supplier combined with Civil Engineering Technology consulting. Something he was passionate about and good at. I thought people would love my products and appreciate the care and creativity that went into them. But reality soon hit me hard. Running a gift shop is not as easy as it seems. It takes a lot of time and effort to create, market, and ship the products. It takes a lot of work to set up shop at craft shows, if you're lucky enough to score a spot. It also takes a lot of patience and resilience to deal with the competition, the customer feedback, and the sales fluctuations. Mostly, it takes a toll on your mental and physical health, especially if you struggle like I do. I started to feel disappointed and discouraged when I saw my friends and family buying similar items from big chain stores instead of supporting my shop. I felt like they didn’t value my work or understand how much it meant to me. I felt like they were choosing convenience over quality and connection. I also started to feel like shit when I went days or weeks without a sale. I felt like no one wanted what I had to offer. I felt like I was wasting my time and energy on something that nobody cared about. I felt like a failure, with another business adventure that didn’t pan out because of my bright ADHD ideas.

I started to lose motivation and interest in my shop. I stopped pursuing new products, updating my website, and posting on social media. I stopped checking my email and responding to inquiries. I stopped caring about my shop and myself. But then I realized something. I realized that I was not alone in this journey. There are many other small business owners out there who face the same challenges and frustrations as me. There are also many customers out there who appreciate and support small businesses like mine. There are also many resources and communities out there that can help me grow and improve my shop. I realized that I still have a passion and a purpose for my shop. I still have a dream and a vision for my shop. And I still have a chance and an opportunity to make it happen.

Now I'm fighting with the idea of selling off the business to some other eager entrepreneur. Or do I stop feeling so fucking sorry for myself, pick back up and not give up on my shop or myself? I know success isn't created overnight. I'd love to rekindle my excitement and determination for my shop. I decided to do something that I love and share it with the world. And you know what? It felt good at first. But here I sit, stuck between a rock and a hard place. My family poured so many hours and so much money into this endeavor that I don't want to let them down and have them feel like this was another stupid idea. Because, when I have the next idea (we all know I will), I don't want them to think that supporting me is a bad idea. That's why I didn't tell anyone about writing these blog entries... I can do without the comments about mistakes I've made in the past.

[jokerownsmysoul]

I'm so late to this girl, once I'll catch up with all the pieces I've yet to review I hope I won't have to say that again! Istg. 🥹🫶🏻

I enjoyed this piece soo much! 😍 This is one of those stories I've wanted to read for years! 😂😂🙇🏻‍♀️🙈 As you know, Sarah meeting the Joker look ™ has always been a dream of mine. I've always been so curious about how she would react to see Arthur in this new outfit/character (I mean, I had one or two ideas... 👀), and what would be the reason why Arthur chooses to dress up as Joker in their own universe, in a background story written with your own unique pov. We all can write the same thing differently, make it special and unique, and I just really wanted to read this whole concept written by you, with them. When I first read this piece I found brilliant the idea that the reason that pushed Arthur to create this new character somehow came from Sarah, and not him. It was a wonderful change, since every time we read/fantasize about Arthur creating Joker in a better and happier circumstance, the idea comes from him most of the times. Which is something I love terribly, having Arthur getting in touch with his Joker persona the way he would with Carnival in happy times is one of the most beautiful things for me, yet it was very fun and interesting this time to read this concept knowing that somehow the reason on itself started from Sarah's plot and he followed along with his creativity, you know what I mean❣️

ALSO, I LOOOOVED that Sarah Holmes ™ came back! 😂😍💓💓 I could read a whole noir series of Sarah investigating through Gotham avenues. I always love to read about this side of her, I've missed it so much ❣️ and of course, it made me very nostalgic because I couldn't stop thinking about her investigation for the Wayne Case in WWH. To think that to write this request you create this whole rich background of a story tells a lot about the good writer you are. It made me genuinely so happy to see her do that again in this piece, I wouldn't mind getting more Sarah Holmes pieces. 🤭

While reading, I couldn't help but admire her. The passion she holds for her job is evident and clear in this piece, even if we knew that already I couldn't help but admire her again. I love the way she would put herself out there in the name to solve a case and help others, she's so passionate, and she manages to transfer her passion on Arthur too. I don't think it's something anyone would do to put themselves out there and take risks like she does, she does that because just like Arthur she loves her job, and I think that's really beautiful. 🥺💙 As for the hot part there's really nothing to say. Sarah reacted to him the way any of us would. 😂😂😮‍💨😮‍💨 Good for her 💀💀💀 read more as always 💃🏻

With a lot of help from Arthur, she'd softened on Halloween. - after reading WBH this line really hit me, obviously my mind went to those Mabel's pov paragraphs where you described what happened on Halloween. 🥺

He understood the holiday was hard for her, and he'd said he wanted to change that, the way she'd changed so much for him. - 💓💓💓💓

To make the season about them. - which is exactly the best! 🥺 I loved that he didn't focus on the holiday on itself but just the two of them enjoying each other, this is the best way to link better feelings and good memories to something.

It was a gesture so loving, so considerate, it sutured the scrapes of old. - beautiful line 💓

A favorite had ended with caramel sliding off Granny Smith apples, and their pajama bottoms sliding to the floor. - MORE OF THIS PLEASE

displaying the inner pinup she kept for her husband? Not a chance. - 🥰🥰🥰

(Latin would never not be a challenge. Fucking up was easy when half the C's sounded like K's.) - I would help her! 😂🥰

Clad in statement shoulder blazer and high-waisted jeans, her dress was trendier than the usual clientele. She was young, too. The baby fat of her cheeks straddled that awkward duck stage of childhood and senior year. Close cropped hair lent her a severe look her baby blues made hard to believe. -, you always have this ability to describe someone so well that makes the reader want to know everything about them. I found this description so lovely and I did grow curious to know more of her ❣️

And it was plain Miranda had been peppered with this question too often. As enterprising as this young woman seemed, she was still a girl, still finding her way in a world of a million crossroads. - loved this ❣️

"This next question can feel uneasy, but I do have to ask. Has your manager or boss ever asked for any favors that made you uncomfortable?" / "Good. And if he had, that'd be on him, not you." - I really appreciated that Sarah pointed it out! 🥺

He snagged her pen to draw triangular eyes on the squash's orange skin. / When he drove a serrated knife through the top, she held the pumpkin steady with both hands. - all I could thing about were his biceps flexing beneath his shirt. My bad. 😩

A round nose came next, traced around a drinking glass. A classic bucktoothed jack-o-lantern smile. - 🥰🥰🥰 I loved so much reading about Arthur carving pumpkin thank you for including this, it was a brief scene but it melted my heart 😭😭😭😭

"Would you help me with what I'm investigating? I need a man to test something." / His quirked brow asked what on earth she could be investigating. And if he could test it now. - what do you want to test, Arthur? 👀

changed into the forest leggings and oversized sweatshirt she'd stuck in her court bag. - it was so cute to imagine her! 😂

She'd spoken through a clenched smile. "I'll be sure to bake him a cake." - I love her humor. I've missed this sneaky side of her so much, reminded me of those chapters of WWH from her pov especially ❣️

"But what if he recognizes me?"/ Kindness was her usual reaction when he overestimated his own prominence. After all, he was immensely prominent to her. - 💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙 I love it so much bruh 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 how could you ever forget him 🥹

"With your ingenuity, you're sure to come up with something. You did invent the best clown in Gotham." - he did 💙

"I think I figured out my new look," Arthur's animated voice called from the living room. Rhythmic footsteps fell across the carpet.

There he stood, lounging on the kitchen doorway by the dining nook, one hand in his pocket, the other braced on the wall. - ❗❗❗❗❗❗❗IT'S HAPPENING❗this description of his new look was perfect I loved it so much 🤩🤩🤩

He'd slicked his chestnut waves into submission - girlll this line is so 😳😳😳

"Hm?" She underlined 19891 and looked up. Her jaw dropped. - 😂😂😂 fair.

This smile extended well past Arthur's dimples to decorate his cheeks - I loved how you described this smile by mentioning his dimples 💓💓💓

Wild and carefree, it'd broken its bars. The perfect analogy to his self-assuredness blossoming over the years. - 🥰🥰🥰🥰

The same trousers he'd worn the night she remembered like yesterday. His beguiling beauty. His hesitant but hungry body pressed into hers in the elevator. The belt loops her greedy fingers hooked through... - 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 LOVED THIS

This clown wasn't as innocent as Carnival. Mischief lurked beneath the surface, a roguish tease. The private side of the man she knew revealed. - 🙇🏻‍♀️🧘🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🧘🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🧘🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️🧘🏻‍♀️🙇🏻‍♀️

"Accessio." She got the hard C right this time. - this was so cute 🥺🥺🥺

"Or how you've taken my favorite parts of Carnival and combined them with that suit." - THIS IS SO CUTEEEEEEEEEE he really took the best parts! 🥺💙

"Mr. Jingles? Buster?" - I was hoping to see Mr. Jingles mentioned somewhere, I loved that ❣️ too innocent of a name for him, but it was adorable to see it taken in consideration 🥺💙 Buster! Loved this too 🥰

"Heat prickled the nape of her neck. "Arthur Harris." / Though she adored having his name, that he'd chosen her maiden made her feel as treasured as his journal. - I loved that he chose her maiden name of all the possible choices. You made it original and heartfelt and lovely, with a name idea only you could get. That's why I've always wanted to read this concept from you! It was lovely 🥺 Arthur Harris sounds SOOO good! 😭😭😭 It feels like it was made for him 🥺 and it sounds also very hot for the clown it was picked for 😩

"You've worn it four years in a row." / "You've made love to me in it four years in a row." - 😂😂😂 as we say in Italy, never change a winning team. I would use it too if that's what it meant 💀💀💀

Intent on grabbing those belt loops again and laying him - 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 what a lucky woman

His nearness made her senses spin. / Except for common sense. - the way this is worded made me chuckle. I loved it 😂

A deep frown, exasperation even his painted-on smile couldn't conceal. "Pantyhose?" - poor man. No stockings for him this time. 😂

"Don't rip these. They're my last pair." - DID HE RIP THEM BEFORE OR WHAT???? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT 🙇🏻‍♀️

His breath shivered against her tender flesh, nose dragging through her downy curls, dark and now peppered with red. Wanton gleam in his stare, he smiled. - this is so hot! Damn 😩😩😩😩😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

Carded through his curls and traced his sideburn. - I want 🙇🏻‍♀️

Liquid heat had streaked makeup from his chin, smudged the margins of his pristine smile, blended ivory and crimson into a pleasing pink. - 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 HELP THIS IS SO HOT

The generous streaks of white where her inner thighs had met his cheeks. - getting stained patches of make up on your skin will never stop being so hot. For me one of the best things to write when it comes to smuts where he's wearing make up 🙈

Awareness speared her, excitement startled a gasp. He was touching himself. Touching himself while kissing her most intimate secret, where she was wet and desperate. That this would so thoroughly inspire him spurred her on. - 🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨

The chair thudded across the linoleum. Thump. Thump. Thump. - poor neighbors! 😂😂 That was so sensual to picture. 😩👌🏻

his hips locked with hers, their jutting angles softened by polyester. - ❣️❣️❣️❣️

The pull of her tresses shifted to a gentle cradling, a place of safety where she could dissolve. Her body melted into his and her world was filled with him. - loved the feeling of peace and comfort reading this gave me 🥺💙💙💙

The two of them were an absolute mess. - the proof that they just had a very good fuck. 😂 Again, I never get tired of this whole getting-stained-by-his-make up thing. 🙈💓

"I, uh. I think you found your disguise." - 🤭🤭

Giggling, she grasped his tie and pulled him in for a kiss, then pulled him into the apartment and kissed him again. - aaaaahhhhhh *screams* WHAT A MOOD! 😭 I loved this so much, made my tummy flutter 🥺💙

"Busy but nice. The kid I told you about, Charlie, got to go home today." - it made me so happy to read this idk 🥺

He stretched his arms above his head, out to the sides. On a yawn, he turned to the kitchen. "What smells so good?" - ❣️❣️❣️

"Thanks for your assistance, enterprising husband." Y/N hugged him tight about the middle. "You more than earned that cake." - the article was adorable, I found so sweet that Miranda thanked not only her but also Arthur. "enterprising husband" made me dizzy ❣️💓

He plucked a corner from the dessert and plopped it in his mouth. Twisting in her arms, he took her hand, stepped back to study her. He rolled the dark purple mesh of her sleeves between forefinger and thumb. "You know, you're a cute witch. Are you gonna put a spell on me?" - I can't even tell you how dizzy this paragraph made me and how hard I was blushing. I loved this 🙈 it was so cute that Sarah did change her costume after all when he asked. 🥰 Something tells me that even if she did, he's going to make love to her no matter what her costume is. 😂

"Actually, there's a love potion in the dough. Sugar and spice and honey that's nice." She curved towards him, kissed him once more. - 💓💓💓💓💓 this whole scene made my tummy flutter, what a lucky woman 🥺

His hold on her tightened, as though he were reading her mind. Eyelashes lowered, she bit her bottom lip. "Would you put the suit and teal shirt back on? I want to take them off you." - ❗❗❗❗❗❗mood❗❗❗❗❗❗ what 🗣️ a 🗣️ lucky 🗣️ woman 🗣️

This piece was incredible girl, not just the smut itself, the whole investigating plot was so brilliant. It's even more brilliant if you think that you came up with it only to write a smut with Arthur full Joker. Your mind 👑👑👑 I WANT TO DRAW THIS

Heebie Jeebies

Summary: It’s the Halloween season and Y/N’s working against the clock. After she recruits Arthur for help, the new look he creates sends shivers down both their spines.

Words: 4,852

Warnings: Swearing, Smut

A/N: @iartsometimes​ made this request a few months ago. It’s taken all this time to figure out how to get Arthur in that getup without his life falling apart. 😂 Thank you for the challenge! I hope you enjoy this story! Much gratitude to @sweet-nothings04​ for beta-reading, summary assistance, and such helpful feedback! 😃

“Terry, for the last time: I am not wearing a costume to the office.”

“Come on!” Hands behind head, Terry leaned back in his chair and put his heels on his desk. “Kim and I need a Curly.”

“You’re stooge enough for two,” Y/N said. The man might have the ability to cajole her into seasonal fundraising coupon books for his son’s index of little league teams, but he’d never sell her on this.

“You’re gonna be the only stick in the mud. You know that, right?”

She shoved a rubber fingertip on her pointer. “One of us has to meet clients without scaring them off.”

Continua a leggere

[inkskinned]

i. about 2 weeks ago, i was told there's a good chance that in 5 or so years, i'll need a wheelchair.

ii. okay. i loved harry potter as a kid. i have a hypothesis about this to be honest - why people still kind of like it. it's that she got very lucky. she managed to make a cross-generational hit. it was something shared for both parents and kids. it was right at the start of a huge cultural shift from pre to post-internet. i genuinely think many people were just seeking community; not her writing. it was a nice shorthand to create connection. which is a long way of saying - she didn't build this legacy, we built it for her. she got lucky, just once. that's all.

iii. to be real with you, i still struggle with identifying as someone with a disability, which is wild, especially given the ways my life has changed. i always come up against internalized ableism and shame - convinced even right now that i'm faking it for attention. i passed out in a grocery store recently. i hit my head on the shelves while i went down.

iv. he raises his eyebrows while he sends me a look. her most recent new book has POTS featured in it. okay, i say. i already don't like where this is going. we both take another bite of ramen. it is a trait of the villain, he says. we both roll our eyes about it.

v. so one of the things about being nonbinary but previously super into harry potter is that i super hate jk rowling. but it is also not good for my mental health to regret any form of joy i engaged with as a kid. i can't punish my young self for being so into the books - it was a passion, and it was how i made most of my friends. everyone knew about it. i felt like everyone had my same joy, my same fixation. as a "weird kid", this sense of belonging resonated with me so loudly that i would have done anything to protect it.

vi. as a present, my parents once took me out of school to go see the second movie. it is an incredibly precious memory: my mom straight-up lying about a dentist appointment. us snickering and sneaking into the weekday matinee. within seven years of this experience, the internet would be a necessity to get my homework finished. the world had permanently changed. harry potter was a relic, a way any of us could hold onto something of the analog.

vii. by sheer luck, the year that i started figuring out the whole gender fluid thing was also the first year people started to point out that she might have some internalized biases. i remember tumblr before that; how often her name was treated as godhood. how harry potter was kind of a word synonymous for "nerdy but cool." i would walk out of that year tasting he/him and they/them; she would walk out snarling and snapping about it.

viii. when i teach older kids creative writing, i usually tell them - so, she did change the face of young adult fiction, there's no denying that. she had a lot more opportunities than many of us will - there were more publishing houses, less push for "virally" popular content creators. but beyond reading another book, we need to write more books. we need to uplift the voices of those who remain unrepresented. we need to push for an exposure to the bigotry baked into the publishing system. and i promise you: you can write better than she ever did. nothing she did was what was magical - it was the way that the community responded to it.

ix. i get home from ramen. three other people have screenshotted the POTS thing and sent it to me. can you fucking believe we're still hearing this shit from her when it's almost twenty-fucking-twenty-three. the villain is notably also popular on tumblr. i just think that's funny. this woman is a billionaire and she's mad that she can't control the opinions of some people on a dying blue site that makes no money. lady, and i mean this - get a fucking life.

x. i am sorry to the kid i was. maybe the kid you were too. none of us deserved to see something like this ruined. that thing used to be precious to me. and now - all those good times; measured into dust.

/// 9.6.2022 // FUCKING AGAIN, JK? Are you fucking kidding me?

[art]

Creator Spotlight: @velinxi​

Hello! I’m Xiao Tong Kong, better known as “Velinxi.” I’m the creator of the webcomic Countdown to Countdown and have been doing freelance artwork since I was a teenager. I love telling stories with my illustrations! Tumblr was where I first got my start as an artist, specifically a small fandom artist as a hobby… and now I’m somehow here! When I’m not trying my best to stay awake in front of my tablets, I’m usually cooking, gaming, or sleeping. Sometimes all three, in my dreams.

Check out our interview with Velinxi below!

Did you originally have a background in art? If not, how did you start?

Yeah! I’ve basically been on track to become an artist since I was a child. I went to a middle school with an emphasis on arts and a high school specializing in it. I went to SVA briefly for computer arts but dropped out to pursue freelance and webcomics after my first year.

Over the years as an artist, what or who were your biggest inspirations behind your creativity?

My biggest inspirations growing up were Yuumei and Shilin Huang, two titans on DeviantArt back in the day. They still inspire me today, but the list of inspirations has grown exponentially over the years, including artists, movies, entire art movements, etc.

What was your thought process behind the creation of your webcomic, Countdown to Countdown?

Well, Countdown to Countdown started as a passion project back when I was 15, in high school, and pretty depressed. I just wanted to draw whatever story I thought was cool, inspired by my favorite media at the time. There was a very loose beginning and outline, but I was truly just writing as I drew the story. That’s why I had to stop the comic in 2018 and restart from scratch the year after. Now, the story has a set story and a clear outline. It still has similar roots, characters, and themes of neglect, abuse, and escape—but I think the story is a lot easier to follow now. It’s got an artstyle I can actually keep up with in the long run. The origin of why CTC exists also remains the same: I simply wanted to make a story I wanted to read for myself. Which happens to be about two dumb boys with superpowers navigating a hostile world that wants them dead or caged—together.

Have you ever had an art block? If so, how did you overcome it?

Oh, all the time. It’s part of the process. Personally, though—I just have to draw through it. Every month on my Patreon, I have my patrons vote on a theme I have to draw by the end of the month, and I try my best to make it as interesting as possible. I draw quite a few—tens even, of doodles or compositions for each of these themes to try to make something that tells a story while still being aesthetically pleasing and clear. I think pushing myself like this helps with art block, really. I also do remember to take breaks and simply consume other media I like! It gets the inspiration juices flowing.

Advice you would give to an aspiring creator?

If you do one—your first webcomic should be a short, fun, messy thing. It’s not often you can get it right the first time, but you’ll certainly learn a lot through sheer experience. This goes for a lot of things in art, to be honest.

What is a medium that you have always been intrigued by but would never use yourself?

3D Animation. I briefly learned it at SVA, and I think that’s enough of that tech for me. I accept that there are some things that are truly beautiful if done right, and I am too simple and lazy for it.

What is your goal for the rest of this year?

Get Countdown to Countdown book 2 finished! And live HAHA

Who on Tumblr inspires you and why?

@yuumei-art on Tumblr, still! They’ve been a huge inspiration for digital artists and storytellers online for years. I have no doubt that many digital artists of my generation have been influenced by them, and they’re still here, making beautiful art and stories. It’s a thing to behold.

Thanks for stopping by, Velinxi! If you haven’t seen her Meet the Artist piece, be sure to check it out here. You can also follow her for more amazing art over at her Tumblr, @velinxi!

[biceratops7]

Let’s deconstruct this…

Ok, so at this point I’ve seen a great many things written on Who Ed is with a capital W, and even I’ve thrown bits and pieces of my hat in the ring. But there is one particular thing I have a burning desire to express, and that is, respectfully, Edward’s softness is his own damnit.

There’s a pretty popular notion gaining traction in the fandom that Ed’s softness is just as much a performance as Blackbeard. That him embracing it fully in those brief moments of episode 10 before “the kraken” was unhealthy actually, and he wasn’t being true to himself. In summary: Ed requires Blackbeard to be whole. And my question is: why do people find Ed an unreliable narrator in his softness, or more specifically, why do people think he lacks autonomy of it?

It bothers me when people say that Ed is trying to be like Stede to gain approval in these moments, because the only major similarity I see is aesthetic. Guys a huge theme of the show is older queer men finally finding ways to escape varying forms of toxic masculinity, and understanding that their queerness does not exclude them from manhood. Homogenizing two effeminate gay men and implying that one is “losing himself” to the idiosyncrasies of the other goes directly against this goal. In fact it actually perpetuates negative gay stereotypes, but I’ve made a video essay where I discuss that at length.

Edward writes and performs a song on deck when he wants to process and share his feelings openly. Not only is this waaay more emotional honesty than we ever see Stede express (on purpose at least), but this is a creative outlet unique to Ed. Theatrical story telling is an established motif in Ed’s character the same way literary storytelling is for Stede’s. Edward’s not only dealing with his hurt in a way Stede definitely wouldn’t (he didn’t, Stede went out of his way pretend everything was fine in episode 8), he’s also doing so through an established passion of his.

The Swede wasn’t full of shit when he said that performance can simply be an expression of you. This is not Ed trying to put on a new mask when the old one proved ineffective. This is him finding comfort and even joy in finally using performance to reveal himself instead of hide. I don’t understand why the credit for this beautiful moment of self discovery must be ripped from Ed and used to accuse Stede.

It’s the same with the “SiLk GoWn”. This is the same person who lovingly touches every piece of nice fabric he lays eyes on, and lit up like a fucking Christmas tree the second someone said the word “fashion.” Ed has had a deep love and longing for such a soft pretty thing since day 1. These were ingrained and suppressed in Ed all long before Stede came on the scene. That robe may literally belong to Stede, but just as he wore it as a sign of his newfound boldness under the safety of someone loving him for who he is, Ed’s choice to wear it symbolizes the blossoming autonomy of his own identity. To continue enjoying the things Stede made him feel safe enjoying even without his presence.

Now let’s move on (or backwards I guess?) to the academy. Something I’ve seen a lot is people decrying that Ed is sacrificing his authenticity to play a housewife for Stede. Guys… he just folded some socks, calm tf down. Saying something like this about a gay man just trying to do something small and sweet for someone he loves, again, really seems to perpetuate the toxic masculinity this show hauls ass to deconstruct. Yes the answer to toxic masculinity isn’t just “effeminacy is perfect and good”. But Ed can be genuinely content with finally being able to partake in the domesticity he never got to experience without perpetuating that.

And you know what, he can be unsure of the best way to fulfill that desire and change his mind. I don’t quite like the disregard for Ed’s autonomy when people say his decision to stay at the academy or find an escape is driven only by whatever he thinks Stede wants. He is taking Stede’s feelings into consideration because that is perfectly healthy when you love someone and want a life with them, but his choices are still absolutely driven by his own needs moment by moment too.

I think people really take Ed understandably not wanting to be subjugated by the British and run with it. Like yes he is visibly uncomfortable with the soldiers treating him like an exotic animal they’ve tamed because no shit. But I don’t know how many times Ed has to blatantly state he does not want to be a pirate anymore for it to be believed.

Edward is not an exception to this. Even if he managed to thrive emotionally in this line of work once upon a time and there are aspects of it he enjoys, Ed still became a pirate out of desperation. He didn’t choose it any more than Oluwande and Jim did, he was fleeing poverty and abuse.

It’s not that piracy is a net bad and that Ed should want to distance himself from it. It’s that he assumed piracy is the only option he’s ever had in life even when it hurts him, and the realization that he has the freedom to choose differently is empowering and a net good. Him wanting to run to China with Stede, or take the crew’s funky acts on the road, whether they’re practical or not (especially in this show) is beside the point. The point is Ed’s absolute unbridled joy in their possibilities, the pure delight in discovering that you are not chained to a series of decisions you made under extreme duress 30 years ago.

No, Ed is not doing a complete 180 of his personality during his NoBeard era. He’s been forced to sacrifice his personhood for decades, and is now finally wrestling it out the grasp of thousands of people… at the age of 50 and during two of his darkest moments no less. How absolutely amazing.

[victorian-platence]

1. I have, after checking, 13 works published on Ao3

2. My total word count is 112k

3. I think MHA, AtLa and Zutara are my mains

4. Okay so

Bothered be all he's a bird in spring at 503 kudos

The enigma of the unfathomable and the human at 263 kudos

In which Shinso becomes a discord kitten to scam Mineta at 244 kudos

A scent of change (plz don't read it) it's a 288 kudos

When the devil answers your prayers at 110 kudos

5. Yes, all of them

6. Of Burning down and consuming out

7. I guess it'd be When the devil answers your prayers

8. I don't think it has ever happened to me

9. I write a lot of smut. Some of it doesn't get published, but I have this thing where I get very specific visions and I need to build up to it so it makes sense, and that's how I find myself 15k into a fic before I can finally fucking wrote the characters doing the frutifantastic horizontal tango. But I'm a little bit into BDSM, a little into heat fics for Hawks (don't ask me why, I just have a breeding kink okay), and idk in general most of my stuff has a dom-sub vibe. Sorrily I only write straight smut. Well, maybe in the things that are not fanfiction but like my original stuff (which I admit gets ignored a lot due to me being busy as fuck and needing quick creative relief) there's lesbian smut, but I just can't get into two men's heads well enough to think out how they'd be in the sheets and I don't really have many wlw ships. Which is funny because if you notice I almost always write from the point of view of someone who wants to fuck a woman with a passion. Is it my brain translating my desire for women into a het narrative due to my own internalised biphobia? Am I just more experienced with men so that influences me? Have I not eaten enough cunt to write it well enough? I don't know. The quid of the question is that so far, in my fanfiction, I've only written het pairings.

10. Well, actually, yeah, I have a Jarida fanfiction that I keep rewriting on and off to make it acceptable because I wrote it for the first time when I was 15 and my English wasn't... Good. But I think Rise of the Guardians and Brave is the only crossover I've written.

11. Nah, I highly doubt someone has ever stolen my fanfiction.

12. Nope

13. Yep. One of the fics I abandoned was because my friend started getting so busy we stopped talking. I think about her often and wonder where her life has taken her.

14. Zutara. Without a doubt. Also fiolee. I've shipped them since I was a little kid, they are a constant in my life

15. I have this big Victorian universe in MHA that spans like six fanfics and it's really big, really a lot of research and reading went into drafting and world building but my brain thrives off of attention and since I don't have the attention of other people to push me forwards on it, I keep not writing it. Which is a shame cause I think it's one of the best things I could have written.

16. I am really good at getting to the headspace of my characters, of making a text acquire a voice that sounds like the character.

17. I suck shit at grounding things in a place, but I think I'm reading so much Balzac for uni this quatrimester I'm going to learn to describe things or die trying

18. I need to speak the language I'm inserting into the text. I need to be able to confidently bullshit and know that a native speaker would go eh, someone might say it like this, before I do it. Either that or I ask a native speaker. I don't trust AI.

19. I think my first fandom I wrote for was Adventure Time, actually, back when I didn't fluently know English and on fanfic.es very very long ago. Like a decade ago. I think I was thirteen. And it was bad fanfic. Dear god was it bad.

20. My jasiper Roman AU. I'm in love with Ancient Rome, I'm actually studying Latin and reading ancient texts just so I can get in the head of ancient people's better. I read a lot of books about domestic ancient Roman history, i can't begin to tell you how much I love it. And I think Jasiper is a pairing that seldom gets any sort of love and idk, I really like it, I think it's a wonderful ship and it has so much potential. I love the things I plan about this fic, even if I'm academically busy I'm always thinking about it. I love it to pieces. It's called Everything that could, did, does, will do

I'm tagging three of my favourite writers here but if anyone wants to just add themselves for the fun of it, by all means! Reblog and add your things babes!

@unicornmachine @psilocybinlemon @tamalinvonpineapple

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Hii @mostmagical thank you for the tag!!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

I have 3!

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

3,710 words

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Just ml at the moment!

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Well, I don't have many so I'll list them in most kudoed order

Tangerine (135 kudos)

Trying to remember how it feels (to have a heartbeat) (57 kudos)

we'll say Hallelujah (you're home) (34 kudos)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes! Because i like replying, also I think it's right since they decided to have words about my writing and i love to reply to show that I appreciate what they think about it

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

It's Trying to remember how it feels (to have a heartbeat)

To be fair i try to write more on the comfort side despite my last fic being somewhat heavy on the topic

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Tangerine! It's just wholesome moments for the core four and Adrien pining

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not the i know of xD

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Maybe 👀

Yes, i do but ehhhh haven't posted any yet because i never finished them and there's some monsters, and crack and straight up sin AUs in there xD

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

Nope!

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I don't think so!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but I'm working on a rewrite in Spanish for Tangerine

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Have not entirely but we did try to start one with @asti-doodles and @halfahelix, it's just a lot of brainstorming and lose scenes

(I don't remember if you guys have posted fics or I just read the snippets you shared but you are welcome to join the game!)

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

Love square, they have almost complete reign of my braincells.

And percabeth!

15. What's a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

My chlolix fic, i want to finish it but words never want to come out.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I have no idea, but I got some people talking about the way i do dialogue feeling natural

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I say multi chaptering and writing the in-between scenes of the important bits of the story, like how do you get from point a to point b and from there to point c kinda thing

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

10/10 if it makes sense and is relevant to what is happening. Gotta think like that being bilingual myself xD

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Does it count as fandom if i was a kid and not in social media? Because if it does it's The Fairly OddParents, BUT if not it was for One Direction.

All of that has been deleted from existence tho

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

we'll say Hallelujah (you're home)

That's a fic that i think will forever be my favorite because it's not only something that i think needed to be explored about Adrien but because it's something i deeply resonate and relate about him. Some stuff in that short fic is stuff i think Adrien could have gone through specifically and some others are my actual experience regarding it.

Thank you again for tagging me!

Tags (NO PRESSURE): @victorian-platence @wackus-bonkus-maximus @redundant-lava @bittersweetresilience @coffeebanana @ck2k18 @asukiess @ladyofthenoodle @heartfulselkie @torvalvt

basically most of the writer littlebugs and people I'm comfy tagging xD

[poppy-metal]

Hi Poppy!! I love your blog very much, especially your Eddie content!

One head cannon that I have about Eddie that resonates really well with the way you wrote him is that he tries to be the kind of person he needed when he was younger, for other people. That’s why he’s so quick to collect his “lost sheep”, because there was no one on hand to take him in when he came to high school. Also part of why he’s so touchy- he’s touch starved himself, so wants to make sure that none of his friends ever feel that way if he can help it. I feel like that’s also why he was so excited when the kids were beating him at D&D- he was so happy to see them win and have a great time, because that’s how he would want somebody to act for him if they came to see him play or went to one of Corroded Coffin’s shows. Also, I feel like he’d be super complimentary of other peoples’ intellect (whether it’s academic smarts, creativity, thinking outside the box during a campaign in D&D, whatever), because he personally would be over the moon if someone said that they found his thought process or his ideas impressive. (And I know he and Steve teased Dustin about needing to get his ego in check, but I feel like that was clearly just another way of expressing affection for him because he made a point of specifically telling Dustin not to change later on. Also I just really think Eddie would like to playfully tease people/be teased, because no one really interacted that way with him for a while, you know?)

In general I feel like he just wants to give people the love he never received, and I love that about him. It makes him seem like he’d be such a supportive, safe-haven kinda person, because no matter what you did or said, if Eddie likes you he’s never gonna judge you. (Except maybe for your music taste, and even then only teasingly).

Sorry if this was kinda long or ramble. I just thought it seemed to work really well with a lot of how you wrote Eddy so wanted to share! Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful writing, it always makes my day. 🦇

this is why i think im so obsessed with him :(( hes so...just like you said, a safe haven kind of person. he teases and he jokes but he's so obviously kind hearted and cares deeply for those who want to be seen/heard. he just wants you to feel so wholly yourself and he'd love love love supporting you and listening to you ramble about things.

something i like to think about him is he'd ask questions about your interests. like what happened in that book you were reading, did that couple finally suck it up and get together in that show you're obsessed with? and hes genuinely interested in hearing your responses. he'd take your recommendations to heart and not just put them on the backburner.

similarly, if you asked about his interests he'd take the time to explain things. he talks to animately its impossible not to be endeared by the things hes passionate about even if you dont share the same passions.

not to be EMOTIONAL but i was one of those lost sheep in school and i still feel like that alot of the time and knowing eddie is the kind of person who'd gravitate towards me and encourage my silly little interests and take me under his wing i i i

lust aside. he would just be an amazing person to know.