#you've all read prequels you know how that happens sometimes

[fallenprophets]

midnight, lose my mind

rust cohle x reader

» can be read as a prequel or sequel to televangelism but doesn't have to be

» summary: although you and rust have been "together" for a while now, you've never kissed- and you're perfectly fine with this fact. only now, he seems to want to try.

» warnings: mentions of sex but that's it

» a/n: soooo self indulgent. literally don't know what came over me when i wrote this. listened to lorde and sydney ross mitchell on LOOP. yk. like a normal person

»»»»

I’m not sure how or when our relationship evolved into what it is now. It feels like only yesterday that the most intimate contact with him that I had was the moment our eyes met for a split second across the room; I was lucky if he held my gaze long enough to blink that slow blink of his. And yet here he is, all pretty and domestic, almost, sitting on my bed, shirt buttons undone, hair messy. He’s watching me where I sit on the windowsill, occasionally taking those deep drags of his from a cigarette before passing it to me. I can’t really remember when he first came over; first stayed the night. It just happened, so natural. I just know that now he’s almost always here; and when he’s not, I’m usually at his, borrowing his shirts, smoking his cigarettes. 

He hasn’t kissed me yet, though. That’s something that I think I would remember; I’ve looked at his mouth so much, ached for it. I don’t push it, though. Like him- maybe love him- too much to lose him over something so trivial. He’s done other things for me- after a few weeks, I noticed that I never ran out of cigarettes. When he came over, the dishes crowding my sink would miraculously disappear; dust stopped settling on the piles of books scattered around the living room. I found the other day that the empty first-aid kit I still keep in my bathroom had been filled. He’s even stopped smoking his usual brand of cigarettes, replaced them with the ones I said I liked. 

I don’t say anything; I don’t know if he wants me to notice, if he wants me to point it out, to thank him. For now, I enjoy it. If I’m honest with myself, I still worry that it could end at any minute; that he’ll leave before I wake up, and I’ll only see him at work, when we exchange files. 

It’s hard to believe that, though; because when I come into work, at exactly the same time every day, I find my favourite mug on my desk, filled with coffee- coffee the way I like it, with no sugar but just a little cocoa powder that I buy myself (although that has also magically stopped emptying). It’s real nice, actually. To have someone care for me in that way- to know that when I say something, like how I like my coffee or what my favourite brand of cigarettes is, he’ll file it away into a corner of his brain. 

He told me about his wife, too, the other day. I hadn’t asked; we’d been sitting in his truck, his hand on my thigh, and he’d just mentioned it, told me about his baby girl. 

I’ve never been a particularly optimistic person, but something in me knows that he won’t leave.

I shift, readjust the collar of my top. He’s still watching me in that strange way of his; like he’s trying to read my mind, to learn everything about me through the way I breathe. Not for the first time, I find myself wishing that I could reach through those murky eyes and into his mind, take out his thoughts and wrap myself in them. 

He extends an arm, and I pluck the cigarette- the packet, my favourite brand, sits next to him on the bed- from between his fingers, taking a long drag. My stomach feels strange at the feeling; it’s the closest I’ve come so far to kissing him. 

“What’re you thinkin’ about?” I ask, handing his cigarette back. A routine question, at this point in our relationship. He usually answers with something vague, sometimes that would make Marty flip, and I listen, silent, fascinated. Sometimes, I don’t even register what he’s saying; too busy watching the way his mouth moves, his throat, the slope of his shoulders; dissecting him in my mind. 

“You,” he answers after a brief pause. His gaze has fastened itself to my collarbone. 

My heart hops and skitters like a rabbit. As a teenager, I was convinced the whole butterflies-in-your-belly thing was bullshit, but I think I understand it now. 

I swallow and tilt my head at him, try to read the lines of his face in the soft light. I don’t ask him to elaborate; I like the idea of him thinking about me, of what he’s thinking exactly being his secret. Like a little piece of me, always with him. 

It’s early spring; everything is greener outside, the sun a softer shade of gold. A light breeze blows in through the open windows, stirring the curtains, his hair. I tuck my knee up, rest my chin on him as I keep staring. I’m not hiding it anymore; not the way I used to. Back when we hardly knew each other, when all we had was brief flashes of charged eye contact across the precinct and a whole lotta wantin’, Now, he’s sitting on my bed, and he’s staring at me, so I may as well return the favour. 

I don’t know how long we sit there, just looking. We’ve done it before; often, in fact, we sit in silence, taking each other in. It makes me feel the way I used to feel when I kissed someone, only much heavier, bone-deep. I joked, once, as he drove me home- windows open, cigarette between his teeth, one hand resting on my thigh- that it was our way of having sex. He’d exhaled, almost a laugh. 

Now, he puts the cigarette out in the ashtray sitting on my bed and stands. I move to do the same, swinging my legs down from the windowsill, reaching for the handle to shut the windows. Already, I assume he’s going to leave, go back to his place to beat himself up, maybe. But instead, he motions for me to stop. I do; pull my knees back up to my chest again, push the window open further. 

He sits, and automatically I stretch my legs out, rest one across his lap, the other around his waist. Automatically, he puts a hand on my thigh, rubs it with his thumb. He shifts, and his eyes meet mine, dark and murky yet so, so clear; windows into his soul, I think. 

I open my mouth to say his name, but he shakes his head. He reaches out, his hand cupping my face. His fingers find my pulse, like a reflex. He does it when we’re alone; when we’re sitting in his truck, sometimes, he’ll reach out to press his hand to my neck, feel my pulse. 

His other hand leaves my leg and goes to my throat, resting at the nape of my neck. His skin is warm, and he smells like cigarettes and my sheets. I have a lingering suspicion that the shirt he’s wearing is mine. My downstairs neighbour turns on the radio; a song starts playing, too quiet to hear the words. His mouth is pressed into a thin line, his jaw tight. 

I stay completely silent, try to control my breathing as he manoeuvres us closer to each other, until our foreheads touch. I’m painfully aware of every inch of my body that’s in contact with his; of the fact that he can feel how fast my heart is beating under his calloused fingers, that his breathing is really just as shallow as mine. His presence is warm, comforting. I give in to him immediately, even nudge closer so that our noses bump. I want to close my eyes, so I do; I wonder if he feels my eyelashes against his cheekbone, if it makes him feel a certain way. I think he closes his eyes too, at some point. 

After a few moments of this, I lift my hands from where they are in my lap. Half-open my eyes to find the collar of his shirt. I reach up, trace his chest through the few open buttons. Then I begin to undo them, tug the shirt (my shirt, I’m sure of it now- there’s a pale stain on the cuff from when I broke my nose a few years ago, where a bit of blood dripped) off his shoulders. He lets go of my face just for a moment to take it off fully, never really opening his eyes. I let my fingers trace his shoulders, the dip of his collarbone. Feel the way they rise and fall almost imperceptibly as he breathes, the way his heart beats as I press my hand flat against his chest. 

We’ve never slept together. I don’t mind it, and neither does he, I think- we have other ways of being intimate. It’s the first time he’s ever done something like this, though. Initiated this kind of physical contact.

It’s better than any kiss I’ve ever had; from anyone. It’s personal, it’s intimate, it’s for us only. 

Finally, after what feels like hours of just breathing each other in (at some point, his thumb has started to trace circles on my cheekbone; I shudder when it does, and his breath catches almost unnoticeably for a moment) he shifts, his forehead leaving mine. I’m taken aback by the way it makes me feel; the ache deep in my chest, the way my throat tightens. 

His gaze drops, for the first time ever, to my mouth. 

Somehow, I know that he’s going to kiss me, now. 

I open my mouth, to tell him that he doesn’t have to, that I don’t need him to; but the words die on my tongue as he breaks the small gap between us, pressing his mouth to mine. 

I’m not sure exactly why, but I’d always thought he would kiss harshly, hungrily, maybe a little desperate. I’d pictured him bruising my lips, tugging at my clothes. But no- the way he kisses me is unlike anything I’d pictured. It’s soft, slow, and yes, maybe a little hungry- but not the way I had predicted. He kisses the same way he talks- slow, soft- and it makes me a little breathless. 

I press my hands to the flat of his back, pulling him closer. He pulls away for a moment, just long enough to say my name almost reverently, his thumb dragging across my cheekbone before pulling his away to trace the lines of my mouth. I smile, take his hand in mine to kiss his fingertips. He cups my face again, and I lean into the palm of his hand, suddenly hungry for his warmth, for his touch. He kisses the corner of my mouth, then moves down; slow, methodical, featherlight touches of his lips across my jaw, down my throat. He stops at the center of my collarbone, kisses it. I press my nose into his hair, breathe him in, smile despite myself. 

He comes back up, kisses me on the mouth again. Then he pulls away for good, untangles himself from my legs, stands, takes a few steps away. I stay where I am, wrapping my arms around myself. The absence of his touch, so sudden, is almost painful in a pathetic way. I watch him; I can tell he’s sifting through a thousand different thoughts. My mouth, my neck, my collarbone; all still tingle from the warm, almost feverish touch of his lips. 

He sits down on the bed again, runs a hand through his hair. Finally, I stand too, walk over, sit next to him. I shift to rest my head on his shoulder; his arm finds its place around my waist. I feel him rest his cheek on my head, take a deep breath. 

“What’re you thinkin’ about?” I ask again, still breathless. 

“You.” The answer comes quickly; he doesn’t hesitate this time. And he shifts, his eyes meeting mine. He holds my gaze. 

“You stayin’ the night?” I don't feel stupid saying it, like I did the first time I asked to stay over at his. I feel comfortable, because I already know what his answer is.

“Yes.” Again, he says it quickly, like he was hoping I’d ask. I reach over to thread my fingers through his. His skin is warm. I wonder if he can feel my pulse where our hands touch. 

[david-talks-sw]

I was watching the Clone Wars featurette about the Holocron arc and Dave talks about the scene where Bane threatens to kill Ahsoka. He says "we're seeing a dark side of Anakin, and in a very clear illustration of why Jedi should not have attachments, we see that attachment get exploited." So clearly at what point in time he understood the whole attachment thing. What happened?

Unlike Karen Traviss, I think Dave Filoni actually understands what "attachment" means, in Star Wars. Apparently, it's the Star Wars theme that he and George spoke the most about.

"The biggest area of the Force and the Jedi [that] George and I have gotten into discussing the whole deal with attachments. And, arguably, that's what Anakin whole life is hinged on, is this - like you've mentioned - he has a lot of attachments to Artoo and how how right or wrong is that? Is it that the Jedi have made themselves dispassionate, that they are actually deceived by the Sith and they fall apart?" - Dave Filoni, Rebel Force Radio, 2012

What I've noticed is that, while understanding the meaning of attachment... Filoni doesn't seem to agree that the Prequel Jedi embody the concept of compassion.

He has acknowledged sometimes that "attachment is bad" is the theme of Anakin's story (but question if it's really so bad, unlike Lucas who says it's understandable but bad) but disagrees that the Prequel Jedi represent the obvious counter-theme, "compassion is good."

If you read what Filoni says, he argues that:

The Jedi have lost their way, taken the "rid yourself of attachment" rule and pushed it to an extreme where they've rid themselves of any empathy and thus compassion. They've focused so much on being selfless that they've forgotten how to love.

All except for Qui-Gon, who is the only one that truly knows how to love without getting attached, to love selflessly.

And personally, that strikes me as a coping headcanon, a way of reconciling the theme and feeling the Jedi like Mace, Ki-Adi, even Yoda and Obi-Wan are stoic, unlikable and too different from Luke.

Sure, they're not perfect, but nowhere in the films is the Jedi's stance on love framed as "bad" by the narrative. The narrative agrees with their philosophy, and George echoes it.

In fact, among 772 collected George Lucas quotes, I've never seen him state that theme while adding the asterisk that "of course, the Jedi of the Prequels have forgotten how to be compassionate, except for Qui-Gon who was the true Jedi."

And of course he doesn't do that. Because doesn't that muddy the waters so much?

Supposing Qui-Gon truly is the only character that embodies the concept of "compassion"... doesn't killing him off in the first film confuse a targeted audience of children?

Bearing in mind that the Prequels are about how greed makes people and institutions become the very thing they swear to destroy, and Star Wars as a whole is about being selfless instead of selfish:

In one corner, we have Anakin and the Senate showing what you're not supposed to do.

In the other, you got Padmé, Shmi and the Jedi, showing you what you should do instead.

Simple. I can see a kid getting this (and I did). But according to Filoni, that second point is incorrect. Instead, it's:

In the other, we have... Qui-Gon, who is one of the first film's four protagonists that dies at the end, without openly stating anything about the trilogy's theme. Theoretically, there's the Jedi who state and address the theme, but they don't themselves embody it so they don't count. So really... in this corner we have nobody (?)

That seems overly complex, a whole lotta hoops to jump through. Doesn't make sense. But hey, good luck learning the lesson, kids.

So yeah, Dave Filoni gets what attachment means. He just doesn't think it's as bad as Lucas' films frame it as, and disagrees on the Jedi narratively embodying the concept of compassion.

And I think it's coping. It's connecting non-existent dots, Always Sunny-style, to justify not liking characters that weren't meant to be developed much, due to their calm, collected nature and secondary/tertiary role in the story.

Coping and coming up with headcanons are what any irritated Star Wars fan does when they're confronted with something they're unable to make sense of.

“I care because I passionately believe that important stories ought to make sense.” As well you should—and when a story does not, you apply that passion to finding a way to make it make sense. [...] When a rational and inquisitive mind is confronted by the engaging yet irrational, it often responds in this manner. This process is not usually appreciated by those undergoing it; the most common reaction is a deep irritation. But isn’t that always how pearls are formed?” - Don DeBrandt, Star Wars on Trial, 2006

Unless they choose to make documentaries and click-baity YouTube video where they decide to spew hate and get angry pointlessly. Which I'd argue is still worse.

[tokyo-tower-symbolism]

I've been meaning to get into the re:live game story for a while now, but I don't know how necessary the event stories are in comparison to the main and school stories...

do you have a recommended reading order for main story and events if the timeline makes them interspersed?

Uhh, there was this one good google doc that had a bunch of stuff like what stories were important for each character, but I cannot find that right now so I'll do my best from memory but honestly I might miss a couple things so my bad.

Edit: thank you @pallastronomy for finding the doc in question, i really wanted to read that again too

To read it you can go to the wikia, read it on karth.top, or look up the parts on Youtube. That last one might be the best since you'll get the full visual novel experience.

So first off I would suggest reading the first part of the story, so Main Story chapters 1-6. Well, suggest is a strong word. I think those chapters kinda suck, but I guess they're necessary for the premise and to introduce the characters? But then again they abandon the original premise half way in favor of the performance festival so whatever. And if you want a better introduction to the characters you should read the School Stories (ignoring SJH) and also maybe watch Shoujo Cante All Starlight. So really I don't suggest you read those chapters but

I think at this point you are can read the event stories from "Hello to Halloween" to "Surprise! Rehearsal Friends!"

And you don't need to read them all, but they're fun! I couldn't really tell you which ones are super important to the plot, sorry about that. Honestly my personal opinion at this point is to just pick a couple characters you like to follow and read their stories. You can see who participates in each one on the Revue Starlight wikia

Plus, character card bond stories! Each event has a couple gacha cards they're trying to sell, and sometimes they're not super related to the story, but sometimes they are. If someone references something that happened off screen, it either happened in an earlier event or in the bond card, but I'd still only read the bond cards once you're done reading the event is over since otherwise they can be spoilers. Just think of those as prequels instead of preludes.

Then at this point you can read Main Story Chapters 7-11. And I really do think you should read these since they are juicy. There's a new plot and we really get to dive deep into the ReLive characters and see their individual pasts and why they now stand on stage. It's great.

Now for the Event Stories, feel free to read any story from "Starry Diamond Tragic Orion" up until "Royal Retainer"

Although now I gotta bring up some caveats. Anything with Seiran is not going to matter to the main plot of ReLive, and if you're curious about them, then that gets into Stage Play Territory which is much easier to follow but not in ReLive.

And honestly same with the Seisho only stories. They're fun, don't get me wrong, but they kinda don't affect the developments of the cast at all.

Starry Diamond is a live show that had some Revues, so some of the relive events are just rehashings of those. Except Venus & Cupid Story, which is a sequel to Zeus no Chuusai from the Starry Diamond Live, and that revue is actually super important to the Yumeoji Sisters's story but it is not in ReLive.

And once you've had your fill of those stories, you can start reading Main Story Chapters 12-18, Arcana Arcadia. And this one is really good. Iirc, the main revue starlight writer came in for these parts. There's some info that directly leads into the movie. And it's honestly great.

But the issue is that there are intermission bond stories that need to be read in the middle of the chapters. If you are reading it online that can be kind of pain, but in the game I think it's in the right order? I could not say for sure since I don't actually play it. Anyways, here's the vague order according to the wikia, but I'm not 100% on this

Chapter 12: 1-2

Chapter 13: Tower, Hermit, Empress, 1-3, High Priestess, 4-5, Magician, 6-9, Hanged Man, Strength, 10-15

Chapter 14: Wheel of Fortune, Chariot, 1-2, Lovers, 3-14, Faith, Hierophant, 15

Chapter 15: 1-2, Devil, Sun, Justice, 3-15

Chapter 16: Death, Charity, 1-15

Chapter 17: Temperance, 1, Fool, 2-4, World, Judgement, 5-15

Chapter 18: Hope, 1-9, Emperor, 10-14, 15/Moon

So yeah, after this you have basically free reign to read the remaining event stories. The next big ongoing plot seems to be about Siegfeld Junior High, but that one also isn't really connected to the previous stories at all.

Also some cards have connecting bond stories even without events, such as the Frontier Rangers, Orpheus, Camelot, Snow White, and Yin-Yang.

But for real, I think the best way to get into the story is to read the main story and then see what characters you like. Then you can read along all their bond stories and events that they star in, and maybe you'll find other characters that stand out. If you are missing any information, usually characters will reference whatever they are talking about, so you won't be completely lost.

So yeah, I hope you have fun with the relive story! It touches on a lot of the themes from the show and honestly I just really liked seeing the characters again. And also Arcana Arcadia is great, just so great.

[lockefanfic]

Long time Business Trip fan! I'm sure you've addressed these, maybe you didn't. So here we go - 1) Any alternative endings you plan to write? 2) Did you plan each chapter or did you write them as you went along? 3) Any regrets in which you wished you did but didn't for the story?

Firstly, thanks for reading <3

I think I've answered a few of these already, but answers after the break:

I wrote an alternate ending for Nayeon a while back. I'll be honest - as much as I loved the original ending and am overall satisfied with it, the Nayeon ending is kind of my canon ending. ;) I don't see myself writing any further alternate endings for the other love interests (Jeongyeon and Sana) because I feel like their arcs wrapped up pretty nicely in the canon ending.

I absolutely, 100% made each chapter up as I went along. There was no overall plan for the series and even when I decided I would end it at 50 chapters I had no idea how I would do that (I just knew it had run its course and it was time to end it). Sometimes I would write myself into a corner with the last chapter (I tried to end each chapter with a cliffhanger or hook without knowing how I would resolve it in the next chapter lol) and I had to figure out just how to write myself out of it. This is probably why it's kind of disjointed in some parts, and doesn't flow as smoothly as it would have had I had an overall plan for the series.

I wish I had "justified" the Momo endgame more. Yes, she was there since the beginning, and the she was there all along trope pull is strong, but I don't think her character had as much development as Nayeon or Jeongyeon. If I had to write it again I'd put more emphasis on her so OC had more reason to end up with her over Jeongyeon or (especially) Nayeon. I'd also probably have written some of the other non-Twice characters more. I had an idea in mind for a Somi chapter, for example, but it never got past a rough outline and I had no idea how to work it into the story. I think her chapter ended up being the Sakura chapter instead. I also wanted to write Jisoo - the entire reason I introduced that second male OC in her prequel chapter was to set up a MMF threesome chapter, but that didn't happen either. I love Jisoo so maybe I'll write her eventually, but not in BT.

Thanks for reading all this time, and I hope you like my future work just as much <3

[kyleoreillylover]

Polaroids and Kisses 📸- Loyalty Prequel

Summary: How a kiss sparked the flames of a 20+ year relationship/friendship.

tagged:@southerngirl41 @venusesworld @jeysbae@reci1996@tbonesteakwithasideofmashngrav @hope4more @selena-tyler-564 @saintaquarius@whatdoeseverybodywant@raya-hunter01

word count: 1912

a/n: could be read as a standalone but is part of the loyalty universe. Hope ya'll enjoy!

You will never forget your first kiss with Sami.

Most people would assume that because of his bubbly, sunshine persona, that it was a moment crafted out of a picture perfect rom com. Your favorite flowers planted on the ground, soft music playing in the background, and maybe even a gentle breeze to carry the scent of romance. But no, that's not how it happened with Sami Zayn.

The year was 2009, and it was the night you won the Ring of Honor Championship. It had been the main event of the PPV, the first in which a women headlined, and Sami and Kevin had listened to you ramble excitedly all week about how much this opportunity meant to you. Sami had seen the dedication and hard work you put into every match, and he couldn't have been prouder when you emerged victorious.

The celebration was in full swing backstage. Balloons, confetti, and the joyous atmosphere filled the air. Sami, despite not having a match that night, was buzzing with energy. He found you amidst the celebration, a bright smile on his face.

You were mid-conversation with Finn Balor (who was your opponent but real life friend) and Becky, but you sensed Sami's presence and turned towards him with an even bigger smile. "There he is! The man of the hour!"

Sami wasted no time and pulled you into a bear hug, your feet slightly off the ground. "I told you that title was yours, champ!"

You laughed, feeling the genuine happiness radiating from Sami, the euphoria of the victory coursing through your veins. "We did it, Sami! This is for everyone who supported me, including you, and Kevin."

You saw Kevin walking in the hallway, presumably trying to find you, and you called out to him. "Kevin! Get over here, we're celebrating!"

Kevin grumbled something under his breath but made his way to the celebration. His usually tough guy act crumbled at the look of genuine happiness on your face, and he cracked a smile when you released Sami and brought him into a hug.

"Did you see me out there!" You rambled about the match, excitement bubbling out of you. "When I hit that finishing move, I knew it was over. It's like time slowed down, and I could see the title in my hands."

Sami and Kevin exchanged amused glances, both appreciating your enthusiasm. The three of you continued the celebration, sharing laughter and stories from the night. As the party began to wind down, Kevin saw the perfect opportunity for the two of you to be alone and decided to play the role of a considerate friend.

"Hey, I think I left something in the car. Mind helping me grab it?" Kevin suggested, shooting a knowing look at Sami.

You raised an eyebrow, but agreed, "Sure, Kevin. Sami, you holding down the fort here?"

Sami nodded with a smile. "Go ahead, I'll be right here."

As you followed Kevin towards the parking area, he made small talk about the match and your victory, but you could sense a subtle tension in the air. Once you reached the car, Kevin opened the door for you and gestured for you to go in first.

"Thanks," you said, slightly confused but appreciative of the gesture.

Kevin took a deep breath before getting in after you, and for a moment, there was an awkward silence. He looked at you, his usual confident demeanor replaced by a hint of nervousness.

"Listen, I know I can be an ass sometimes, but tonight was a big deal for you, and I didn't want to ruin it," Kevin admitted, scratching the back of his neck.

You chuckled, "Kevin, you're not ruining anything. We're celebrating, remember? Besides, you've been supportive tonight."

He sighed, "Yeah, well… I wanted to give you a moment alone with Sami. It's obvious he's got a thing for you."

Your eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, what?"

Kevin smirked, "Come on, don't tell me you haven't noticed. The guy's practically glowing when he's around you. And I've seen the way you look at him too."

You felt a blush creeping up on your cheeks. "I… I don't know what you're talking about."

Kevin chuckled, "Sure, whatever you say. But just keep it in mind, alright? Sami's a good guy, and you deserve someone who makes you happy."

Before you could respond, Kevin opened the car door and stepped out, leaving you in a state of shock. You sat there for a moment, processing his words, and then decided to head back to the celebration.

When you returned, the party was still going strong, and Sami was engaged in a conversation with a few colleagues. You joined in, but your mind was elsewhere, contemplating Kevin's unexpected advice.

As the night progressed, the group gradually dispersed, leaving you and Sami alone in the celebration aftermath. You both ended up sitting on a bench outside the arena, the cool night air a welcome change from the heated atmosphere inside.

"Tonight was amazing," you sighed, looking up at the stars.

Sami nodded, "It truly was. I'm so proud of you, Y/N."

A comfortable silence settled between you, but the tension from Kevin's words lingered in the air. You decided to address it, unsure of what Sami might think.

"Kevin said something interesting when we were alone," you began cautiously.

Sami turned to look at you, curiosity in his eyes. "Oh? What did he say?"

"He mentioned… he thinks you have a thing for me," you admitted, watching Sami's reaction.

Sami's cheeks turned slightly pink, but he didn't look away. "I, uh …well, yeah, I guess I do," Sami admitted, scratching the back of his head nervously.

Your brain shut down at this revelation. The adreadline from the match, the celebration, and now this unexpected confession from Sami had your heart racing. You stared at him, processing his words.

"Oh." Was all you could manage to get out, and Sami's face turned to panic at your lack of response.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make things weird, and I-I didn't want to ruin the night for you." Sami stammered, his eyes filled with genuine concern. "I understand if you don't want to be best friends anymore-"

"Sami!" You interrupted his confession, placing a hand on his shoulder to calm his nervous rambling. "You're not ruining anything. In fact, I appreciate your honesty."

Sami looked at you with a mix of relief and uncertainty. "You do?"

"Yeah," you smiled, "Because I like you too."

Sami felt as if hearts were doing a synchronized dance in his chest. The relief on his face transformed into a bright, genuine smile. "You do?"

You nodded, your own smile mirroring his. "Yeah, Sami. " God you looked stunning, yellow dress, curled hair perfectly resting on your shoulders, the glow of victory still evident on your face. You were almost at the same height because of your heels, and any other time he would have teased you for having to wear them to be closer to his 6 foot frame, but tonight was different.

Sami couldn't believe his luck. The night that already felt like a dream turned into something even more magical. He reached over, taking your hand in his, his smile never fading.

"Is this real life?" You giggled at Sami's remark, and Sami couldn't help but chuckle along with you.

"I think so," You replied, giving your hand a gentle squeeze. "And if it's a dream, then I hope I never wake up."

And with that, you slightly leaned up, and pressed your lips onto Sami's.

The kiss was soft, sweet, and filled with the shared joy and excitement of the night. Sami's initial surprise melted into a reciprocated warmth, and he closed his eyes, savoring the moment. You sighed into his mouth, gripping onto his shoulders, and he licked your bottom lip as a reward.

As you pulled away before it got too heated, both of you wore matching smiles, and the air was charged with a newfound connection. Sami couldn't help but express his elation.

"I never expected this night to get even better," Sami admitted, his eyes still gleaming with happiness.

You laughed, leaning into Sami's arms around your waist. This setting would be the most ideal for people-a crappy arena with dim lighting, remnants of the celebration scattered around, and the distant sound of equipment being packed away. Yet, for you and Sami, it was perfect.

"With you, I always feel like I'm living in a perfect moment," you confessed, resting your head on Sami's shoulder.

Sami tightened his grip around you, savoring the warmth and comfort of having you in his arms. "I feel the same way. You make everything better, Y/N." And he couln't resist, and brought you into another kiss, this time more heated then the first one.

The kiss deepened, fueled by the emotions of the night and the mutual feelings you both had just confessed. Sami's tongue swirled around yours, and the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of you in that magical moment. Eventually, you both pulled away, breathless but content.

Sami rested his forehead against yours, his eyes filled with adoration. "I think this is officially the best night of my life."

You giggled, pecking his cheek. "Mine too, Sami. Mine too."

"Come on lovebirds, we have to clean the ring before they close the arena," a voice interrupted, and you both turned to see Kevin standing there, a playful smirk on his face.

You chuckled, feeling a rush of gratitude for Kevin's timely interruption. "Alright, alright. We're coming."

As you and Sami stood up from the bench, Kevin offered a knowing smile before turning to head back inside. You exchanged a glance with Sami, both of you sharing a silent understanding of the momentous turn your relationship had taken.

And even though you had to clean the crappy ring and pack up the arena, you didnt care because in that moment, under the starry sky, with the echoes of celebration fading into the night, you knew that your first kiss with Sami Zayn would be a memory etched in your heart forever.

You laughed as Kevin and Sami chased each other to clean up, the joy of the night still lingering in the air. You spotted Becky walking and jumped on her back, beckoning her to run with them. "Show them how the ladies do it!" The two of you giggled as Becky carried you off towards the arena, joining in on the post-celebration cleanup with enthusiasm.

Sami and Kevin worked alongside you, sharing jokes and stories as you worked efficiently to clear the ring and the surrounding area, and when the night was finished, you grabbed your flip phone, and turned the camera on.

"No pics!" Kevin glared half-heartedly at you, but you all ignored him, and Sami wrapped an arm around you both as Becky hugged you as you snapped a photo. The picture captured the essence of the night – the messy arena, the tired but content smiles on your faces.

But what they didn't see was Sami's hand wrapped around your waist, pulling you closer to him, and the warmth of his touch sending shivers down your spine. It was a moment frozen in time, a memory you would treasure forever.

And it was a moment Sami would both love and regret for the rest of his life.

[epickiya722]

If you don't mind me asking, can I ask your top favorite fics that you've written (feel free how much that you want to list)? Why they're special to you? Is there a specific inspiration when you wrote them?

Thanks if you want to answer....

I'll tell you, all my fics are special to me and most of the time, I find myself having fun writing them. Writing isn't just a hobby, but a way for me to release pent up feelings I have or express an idea that came to me.

To name a couple...

Beware of the Bunnies - It's the first fic I wrote for "if Miruko was Midoriya's mentor". It was fun writing that fic, especially when it's a fic for my two #1 faves. I honestly didn't expect the amount of attention I got for it!

Not Red, Black - I sometimes like branching out from writing warm-hearted, funny fics and this is one of those times. Another AU idea I had, but if Miruko and Midoriya were eldritch-like creatures and related. Unlike its prequel, this one stepped more in horror imagery and I think the direction the fic took.

Forbid a Woman from Being Great - Yes, another Miruko fic and one I actually wrote out of spite. When it comes to this fandom (as with any), is how double standard they can get. With Miruko, I have seem people hate her for being "too aggressive" or "too mean", but praise other characters for those same traits or even give excuses for their behavior. Or with fanservice, the same people who complain about it also thirst over the male characters getting bloody and shirtless. I don't hate characters like Dabi, Shigaraki or Hawks but I can't stomach how their fans act when it comes to Miruko or any other character really. It was actually a Hawks fan that irritated me enough to write this fic as well as get me out of the writing funk I was in.

An Absolute Menace - This is a fun little fic. It's part of a series of Class A and occasionally B partaking in antics. With this one, writing Koda as this troll was new, but fun.

Let's SK8 Over the Rainbow - This is actually a SK8 series that I wrote and it's still one of my favorites. It started off as a headcanon (Reki allowing Koyomi to paint his nails) and then spiraled into a collection of short stories themed around colors and I love colors so much. One of the fics, You're Lime Green Jell-O, I dove into expanding a character that only appeared once in SK8. Her name is Miki and she has green hair and I remember seeing her and going "You, you're getting some personality, a story, etc." Best decision ever. I just loved writing Miki and I think it was the first time I wrote a whole story for a character that only had two lines in canon.

Tu es le Moment Auquel J'appartiens - Another series I adore. I wanted to write some jealous Vanitas since I don't think I had seen a lot of Vanoé fics where he was the jealous one while Noé was more oblivious. Not at the time, I don't know about now since I haven't read a VNC fic in a long time. The title translates to "You are the moment I belong to" which is a line of lyrics from the anime's first ending song that I love so much.

It's the Pink Hair, Isn't It? - Do not get me wrong! I do love the AUs I see where Sukuna and Yuji are brothers, but the idea of this fic came from what if they were identical strangers and not related in the slightest. Even funnier, in the fic, Kenjaku and Suguru are siblings that look like twins, but Kenjaku is older. My favorite scenes probably have to be Kenjaku and Yuji interacting and Sukuna and Yuji meeting. I've also been cooking up a sequel so I can write more of Kenjaku and Suguru being siblings and Yuji's brothers and I do mean all nine older brothers. (I relate to Choso so much.)

Your Heartbeat Is My Comfort - Ever see a beautiful piece of fanart and you want to write a fic about it? That's what happened here. I saw this FushiIta art post here and it was like BAM! I had to write a fic. It was also another I didn't write something comedic, but more somber, bit of tragedy yet comfort in there.

Maybe Someday We'll Meet Again - I'm all for the Teacher Geto AU! However, this fic came from a what if scenario had Suguru and Yuji had met when they were younger and I always how Kenjaku was even aware of Suguru's technique. So I put both ideas together and thus this fic was born. It isn't dark, but little less comedic than others and I tried my hand at focusing on more of Yuji's strangeness and innocence here along with Suguru's character before he became a curse user.

You Are My Special - Again, another time I went for less comedy and fluff and tried with something else. I actually don't know how to categorize this one in terms of genre. SPECIALZ was stuck in my head for a long time and it got when I really started thinking about the lyrics and decided why not try writing something from Kenjaku's POV about Yuji? It may have took forever to write, but I'm glad I did. I actually wanted to write a companion piece of sorts but from Sukuna's POV about Yuji.

The Pink Sky and Cherry Blossoms - I actually just posted this fic and I'm glad I waited to answer this ask because of it. I was rereading the manga and came to Uro's fight with Ryu and Yuta and instantly fell in love with her character and thought about how would it have been like if Uro met my other favorite, Yuji? They have some similarities going on there and it was eye-opening writing those into this fic, especially with Uro's character. I wasn't around when that arc came out, so I didn't know how the fandom acted towards her, but for me, I just felt there's more to her than the surface. She's the Miruko of JJK to me as Yuji is the Izuku. Just as I would love for Miruko and Izuku to be a duo in a big sis-lil bro/mentor-mentee way, I love the same for Uro and Yuji.

The Craving That Paints Your Lips Red - The last fic I wrote for 2023 and a sequel to another fic, I wanted to try my hand at the horror again. But more tame, but still "Oh my gosh". I'm writing a post about it, but I have thoughts about Yuji and Sukuna's relationship and sometimes I have this feeling that Sukuna wants to corrupt Yuji, kind of like shape him to be the next him almost. Not for certain, but it's an idea that kind of struck me. For this fic, I wanted to explore a more horror fic side of Yuji housing the King of Curses. The best part of this fic for me is how I unintentionally stuck with the idea that Yuji keeps getting back up no matter how many times Sukuna tries to break him.

That list got longer than intended, but again, I have a lot of fics I have enjoyed writing! I'm glad to have talked about them and I thank you for asking! 💜

[wondereads]

Weekly Reading Update (06/23/24)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler (8/10)

This was my first ever Octavia E. Butler book, and it didn't disappoint! The way this story used Anyanwu and Doro's relationship to comment on power dynamics and issues in the world at large blew my mind; I found the discussion of eugenics particularly interesting. They were both such intensely flawed yet compelling characters. This book skirts the line between fantasy and sci-fi (something I'm looking into for my thesis as a peripheral issue), and it definitely made me wonder about the world. I wasn't aware going in that this was a prequel situation, but even then I do think I was a bit dissatisfied with how things left off. That's just my personal taste though.

Haikyuu!! Vol. 41 and 42 by Haruichi Furudate (10/10)

It usually takes me around half an hour or so to get through a volume of manga, but these took me a couple of hours. Why? Because I had to keep putting it down because I was crying so hard I couldn't breathe. As someone who has read a plethora of books ever since I was young, it takes a lot to get me to cry, especially that hard. I was sobbing. Furudate has created such wonderful characters and then puts them through so many struggles that I can't even be mad about because it's highly realistic that someone pursuing a sport would run into this! Seeing Hinata break down followed instantly by the third years graduating and the Brazil arc had me miserable in the best way possible. I usually never rate manga or graphic novels five stars because they're usually super fast-paced and so much relies on writing style for me when I read novels, but this just broke me.

Better Than the Movies by Lynn Painter (46%)

This is a very cute book so far. I could probably tell you exactly what's going to happen from this point onward, but it's a genre convention for romcoms to be predictable. Liz is a fun protagonist; she's quirky in a way that has a reason and isn't annoying. There's good chemistry between the leads with some great banter, and you really can't ask for more than that. However, I will say the constant song references are starting to irk me, especially with the lyrics included in the writing --I don't know, it just reminds me too strongly of my early fanfiction years.

Moon Rising by Tui T. Sutherland (45%)

If there's one thing about me, I love a mind-reading protagonist. Moonwatcher is probably my favorite perspective of the Wings of Fire series, even if I wish she'd speak up sometimes. Sutherland did a great job making her similar to Starflight, since they're the same tribe, without being a carbon copy, and while mind reading might seem a little too omniscient, her inexperience and general social ineptitude keep it from becoming overpowered. I'm thrilled to see the return of Peril, whose story is left open from the previous arc, and I'm excited to learn more about the other new characters (Winter, Qibli, and I believe Turtle) who have their own interesting introductions.

The Fellowship of the Ring by J. R. R. Tolkien (43%)

Despite my fantasy obsession, this is my first time reading The Lord of the Rings (though I have read The Hobbit). While it is definitely much slower-paced than the average modern fantasy, I'm enjoying myself so much. If you've been following my blog for a while, you'll know I'm a worldbuilding nut, so this is like my dream book. There are so many tangents to tell stories about the history of Middle Earth and all the goings-on of the world, and I keep noticing little details and wishing they'd talk about those too. Tolkien is also a rather funny writer; Bilbo's passive aggression in particular made me giggle. While this a bit of a dense story, it's definitely living up to its reputation so far.

Boys With Sharp Teeth by Jenni Howell (42%)

This is a project for my part-time job, so I'm not sure how much I can actually divulge, but let me just say this: this book is compared to The Raven Boys in its summary, and it's living up to that.

Her Wolves by G. Bailey (7%)

I won't lie, the writing of this book so far does not give me hope. However, it could still be a fun read even if the grammar and syntax aren't the best. Also, funny thing, this book is set in the future on Earth. I did not know this. I thought it was a high fantasy. So imagine my surprise to see a landmass labeled "America Court" on the map. My misunderstanding was cleared up soon, but it still made me laugh.

[gloriousmonsters]

what is the new book concept?? (if you don’t mind sharing — but if you do mind it’s ok not to reply)

also what is that font you used btw? is there a full alphabet somewhere and if so would you mind sharing the link? i like that it’s a very understated gothic-looking serif. or very calligraphic looking i guess

sure thing!! with the understanding it's a lot more half-baked than most of the ideas I've been talking about, so i'm going to briefly walk you through the few ideas that went into it before explaining (also briefly) what it is so far, lol. Also, the font is Fondamento - it was one of the fonts available in Photopea (free online photoshop-like) which I used to make the cover, but it looks like it's also on Google Fonts. If you want to know how I did the bronze metallic-ink-ish look for the text I can expound on that as well, btw, or you can just enjoy the font :)

So I've been having a resurgence of my Tempest emotions

(for those who are unfamiliar. i would summarize it, but it would take a long time. just. find a summary and read it with a MASSIVE grain of salt that's labeled 'prospero is an asshole and nobody understands Caliban but tumblr user gloriousmonsters and the poet Robert Browning')

and this time reading it was especially having fun with the parallels between Caliban and Miranda's characters and also thinking about how EXTREMELY weird and screwed up their relationship would have been growing up.

Despite interpretations/stories based on it sometimes having it otherwise, in canon neither of them seem to have ever seen or spoken to Ariel (at least in capacity as A Person You Can Talk to; Caliban is more aware of the spirits Prospero commands in abstract, at least). Aside from Prospero, who is notoriously not good at being present for what he's supposed to be looking after, they are the only human being the other one knows. It's serving twisted Eden vibes. It's serving tmg's 'the last man on earth'. it's serving 'not that Prospero would have encouraged it, but to an extent they must have seen each other as family, right? especially in Miranda's case, considering she grew up her entire life with him. the psuedoincest is off the charts'. Then shit goes bad (in whatever way you want to interpret) and now suddenly they're in a place of seeing each other daily, because Caliban does literally everything around the place, but having an uncrossable rift of mutual hurt and betrayal between them* that has little choice but to curdle and get worse because neither of them can do anything to change their situation. Depending on how lines are assigned, they never speak to each other in the play. And they have nobody else to talk to save for cursing out Prospero (Caliban) or trying to get in two words between Prospero's monologues (Miranda). And then the play events happen and they just part ways because Prospero has decided it, after probably expecting they'd be stuck in this forever. And then the next-to-only person you've ever known is on a different landmass and you're probably never going to see them again. it's So fucked.

Anyway I was revolving all of that with quiet awe in my head, and going 'man, I want to write a fucked up Caliban/Miranda book, but I don't have a non-play plot and I don't want to just write a prequel'

Then I encountered Caliban upon Setebos for the first time, and despite the fact i could still nitpick some things it slaps insanely. Only good Tempest fanfiction. It's a long poem consisting of Caliban theorizing about Setebos--a god his mother supposedly got her witch powers from, but that Caliban knows very little about. He theorizes that Setebos is either indifferent or malignant or both--impossible to predict, driven by whim. The only other divine force is 'the Quiet', an even more inhuman and incomprehensible force that doesn't do anything at all; cosmology is cruel, the world a sandbox under the eye of a god with as many arms as a cuttlefish, capricious and sadistic, whom we can only hope will someday grow decrepit and sleep, which is the closest to it being dead we can pray for--

It was about this point I realized Caliban/Browning was inventing the Lovecraft mythos 50ish years ahead of schedule, and got hit by the lightning bolt of 'PUT ELDRITCH BEINGS IN IT' and, five seconds later 'CALIBAN DESERVES TO BE A MAGICIAN' and five seconds after that 'miranda deserves to break out of being her father's Perfect child, let's set it in the future and kill Prospero off'

So Bitter Heart (taken from a line in the poem, 'Caliban/a bitter heart that bides its time') is conceptually a dual perspective novella/short novel focused on how about nine years after the conclusion of The Tempest, Miranda (unmarried, I'll handwave it; Ferdinand bores me so much sorry dude) finds her father dead and surrounded by rambling half-incomprehensible notes, remnants of a type of magic that's far different from his old ways, and a creeping sense of Wrongness that begins to slowly manifest in distortion, mutation and decay of elements of reality. People search for solutions while Miranda tries to find the source of the bizarre power in her father's notes and what hidden books she can unearth from his study, but she hasn't made it very far before a man comes to Milan at the behest of someone who's decided we should throw magic at the magic problem--a man she's heard rumors of as the hot new 'guy you keep in your court for a bit to show him off at parties because he's learned and also Moorish or something, he has this crazy backstory that's probably fake but is a lot of fun, also he does magic probably' in other cities, but never met.

A man who, when they meet face to face, turns out to be Caliban, who after about a year of 'finally peace and quiet' realized that living completely alone on an island was going to drive him insane and also he still really wanted revenge on Prospero (and had a lot of ambiguous ideas about what he wanted from Miranda) so he scraped together what Prospero had left behind and taught himself magic for the next few years until he could figure out a way off the island. He's extremely annoyed that after that, and after spending more years building himself up and finding his footing in the outside world, Prospero had the nerve to die RIGHT before he showed up, even if he wasn't promised a reward if he can stop people's arms from turning into fishes and shit he'd find out what did it so he can give it a piece of his mind. Miranda understandably never planned for this scenario and has a really hard time knowing what to feel about it, but she and Caliban form a tentative truce in order to try and figure out wtf Prospero was doing before he croaked.

There'll be intercut flashbacks to their past and the time they spent becoming incredibly codependent and eventually tipping into confused romantic attraction and sexual experimentation, which both of them have tried very hard to convince themselves was a bad idea for one reason or another, it clearly wasn't and will never be good for them, etc; and of course in present day they both immediately resume having bitter gothic sexual tension and trying to ignore the instinct that, now they've met each other again, they're the only two real people in a world of dreams and spirits.

Also they have to find the entrance to an eldritch realm and figure out what's coming through and how to stop it, and have a lot of insanely weird and pretentious thoughts/conversations about God and sin and abuse and vengeance/hatred and so on. So that's the mess Bitter Heart is at the moment :P

*ymmv may vary on how justified on either side depending on the situation, obviously

[ltleflrt]

Twenty Questions for Fic Writers!

Thanks for tagging me @prosopopeya 😊

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

112 (also 112 unanswered asks in my inbox, oops lol)

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

1,998,134

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Dragon Age, Mass Effect, SPN/Destiel, Baldur's Gate 3

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Kiss the Baker (9,346)

Satin and Sawdust (8,306)

Cursed Or Not (7,797)

No Words (7,754)

Addicted To You (6,079)

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

I try to! In order to conserve spoons for it, I only answer comments on my long/chaptered fics, and don't answer them on my short one-shots. Which makes me feel guilty sometimes, but setting up an exception is the only way I can manage my social anxiety about it.

6. What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

No Such Thing As Ghosts

This is a one-shot that I always answer comments on because if someone takes the time to read a MCD fic, they deserve extra gratitude, and probably milk and cookies and a box of tissues.

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

I write romances or smutfics, they all have happy endings lol

Probably the sweetest thing I've ever written is Where The Heart Lives which was for an October writing challenge a few years ago.

8. Do you get hate on fics?

It's happened, though it's rare. There was a troll that targeted me on FFnet like 10 years ago who was so over the top with their hatred that it was actually funny. Every once in a while I'll get a comment that irritates me, but it's not really hateful stuff, just something I disagree with.

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

Yeah, original sci-fi alien smut was a thing for me when I was a teenager. For fanfic, I loooove writing smut. Some of my short fics are just smut. My favorite kind of smut involves being in a shower or a bathtub. It might just be masturbation, or full on sexual escapades, but there's water involved.

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

I don't like crossovers, so no. I have a lot of ideas for fusions, but I haven't written any. I tried to do a Pacific Rim/Mass Effect fusion, but I only ever got 1 chapter, and it's the only fic I've deleted from AO3.

For reference, I consider a crossover something that includes characters from both universes in a story together, and a fusion is a story where characters from one universe live in the other universe, but there's no meeting of characters from both. Like, Dean is a Templar who knows Knight Captain Cullen in Dragon Age, vs what if Dean is the Knight Captain instead of Cullen.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I'm aware of *knocks on wood*

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, a few. One of them isn't on AO3 and I lost the link, which I'm sad about. But now I only give permission if it's going to be posted on AO3, so they show up under my name.

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

Not exactly, but @jupiterjames and I have worked so closely together that it's almost co-writing. @bendingsignpost wrote a prequel to a shortfic I wrote tho... does that count? That probably counts. Here's the series:

Bookshelf Boys by bendingsignpost, Ltleflrt

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

They all feel equal in my heart, but I've written the most for Destiel, so they're probably a tiiiiny bit more important to me lol

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

I'm starting to think I'm never going to finish anything ever again lol

My current posted WIPs are

Reaching Out (Dragon Age)

Shameless (SPN/Destiel)

I desperately want to finish them, but my brain is very NOPE about it. There's also the Untitled Haunted House AU I've been talking about for years now, but I've never posted any of it.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Capturing character voice in dialogue. Also shower/bathtub smut 😁

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Descriptions. Of anything. People, places, emotions. I feel like I suck at all descriptions.

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

I like to do it, but I definitely have to get help since I'm hopelessly monolingual. And I like when other authors do it too.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Dragon Age, specifically DA2. It's what got me into reading fanfic in the first place, and eventually sparked the urge to write.

20. Favorite fic you've written?

This answer changes every time someone asks me the question lol... today's favorite is Peace because it's the most recent thing I've worked on and there are 2 people commenting on it, and I'm having a good time with it.

Tagging: @jupiterjames @mittensmorgul @slytherkins @valleydean

[spikybanana]

fic writer tag game

@to-proudly-go thank u for the tag pal <3<3 (I very definitely love your poetic angst & your art)

How many works do you have on ao3?

25 :) 15 for hp and 10 for star wars

What's your ao3 word count?

144,107!

What fandoms do you write for?

hp and star wars, though I've definitely brought the marauders fandom habits (delusional obsession w main character's dad and his best friends) straight to the prequels

What are your top five fics by kudos?

"trust" the inscription said (hp/wolfstar)

then he came home (hp/wolfstar)

don't let's die as heroes (hp/jegulily)

the prophecies spoke of you and I (sw/obikin) (which is also my most recent work, so it's crazy to me that it's up here)

slipped back in (hp/wolfstar)

Do you respond to comments?

I always do eventually!! even if it's the smallest comment I like to send a smiley face in reply. It's just that I might take forever coming up with what to say, especially for the super nice ones ;3;

What's the fic you write with the happiest ending?

hmm I'd say don't let's die as heroes for the marauders (literally turns 3 canonical funerals into a wedding) and Designation for obikin. & I usually write happy endings (minus canon fics) even if they're more "the future is uncertain but bright" rather than happily ever afters

Do you get hate on fics?

none so far! & they better not because if I do get hate I will cry

Do you write smut? What kind?

listen. listen. this is a whole Thing. as your neighbourhood ace, smut is like science fiction/horror to me. which is to say I have written both mlm and wlw sex scenes lol. it happens very rarely, but it has happened before & will happen again.

Do you write cross-overs?

I hope you know that I'm constantly thinking about how sirius/remus and anakin/obi-wan are homomorphic creatures and I really want them to meet. but also, so far, no. except if you count the wolfstar sw au sitting in the docs.

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

not afaik!

Have you ever had a fic translated?

not afaik either!

Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

I don't think so, but I would absolutely love to try

What's your all time favourite ship?

wolfstar and obikin are the same ship actually, so both. (unserious)

What's your WIP you like to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I read back on What You Will earlier today and scared myself so possibly that. (it's a jegulily parody of Shakespeare's twelfth night, and has already been rewritten from scratch twice, so maybe mayyybe there's a sign)

What are your writing strengths?

errrrr. occasionally poetic-ish description? I like writing pretty vibes. and occasionally punchy-feely stuff. where you stand above & survey a life through tiny poignant snippets far apart. quite a few of my fics are like that

What are your writing weaknesses?

so many. definitely more than I'm aware of too. I feel I'm awful at pacing & easily get bogged down in tiny details, which is why long fics have not worked out for me lol. It's also hard for characters to feel real to me, like I'd just stop in the middle of a story and think "my darling I do not understand you at all"

Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I definitely love when I see them, but I've not tried it myself. it feels impossible to merge Mandarin and English in a way that feels natural (or write it down in English characters), even though come to think of it I do it with my brother all the time. huh.

First fandom you wrote for?

drarry! and I still wanna go back sometimes

Favourite fic you've ever written?

awh but I always like them better before they're words on the screen/on ao3. ideas are just pure vibes and potential yk? rather than a dozen annoying imperfections you're not good enough to fix. lol sorry, if I have to pick, Once Upon a Green Haze. it's unfinished & only has 3 chapters for now, but I like them.

I've seen this going around the dash for a while now, so open tag :)

[danikatze]

How about B, I, K, M, N, O, U for the alphabet ask thing?

Alphabet Asks

B - A pairing–platonic, romantic or sexual–that you initially didn’t consider, but someone changed your mind.

hahah well TJ.. as you know you've been very influential when it comes to ships - especially for Naruto. First one that comes to mind is KakaGai, but there's also YamaSai and KankuSai and ShikaCho. All of them I still love <3 Also, thanks to you I shipped GaraShir before I even watched the show. And there are just countless ships from other fandoms that I'm not (really) a part of that I have a soft spot for, because you sell them so well :))

I - Has Tumblr caused you to stop liking any fandoms, if so, which and why?

Errr I guess you could say HP? But that's not Tumblr's fault - all it did was share the messed up things Rowling said and did and gradully all of the moments HP got tiny kid me through rough and lonely times started feeling like a very big lie and I can't even think of it fondly anymore.

K - What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc?

Oh gosh, so many, but let's go for Fjord from Critical Role. All the little and big steps he takes towards learning to accept himself throughout the campaign and the way they don't come all at once but are spread out over like a hundred plus episodes, including inevitable steps backward. The strength it took for him to walk away from the one who gave him conditional power and to accept unconditional love that is extended by his friends and the Wildmother. His arc just makes me so emotional and happy every time I think about it. I love him and I love his journey and I cannot wait to see it animated.

M - Name a character that you’d like to have for a friend.

Yamato from Naruto seems like a perfect friend. He's kind and loyal and usually a reasonable, level headed person who can calm you down in stressed situations. But he's also someone you can have fun with!

N - Name three things you wish you saw more or in your main fandom (or a fandom of choice).

For Saraiya Goyou: 1) anyone other than me making stuff for it lol. Usually I don't mind it so much, but sometimes I almost desperately wish I would see the tag update and it's not something I made. 2) drawings and fics from the past are mostly for Yaichi and Masa. I'd love more art and writing for other characters and pairings (romantic or otherwise) 3) sneakily shared fan translations of the prequels and spin-offs would be great lol. They're never going to be translated officially, but scans are taken down immediately as well. I bought Futagashira but I have no way of reading it unless I learn to read Japanese myself ^^;

O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of?

Shuffle produced Pulling Teeth by Green Day. "I'm all busted up, broken bones and nasty cuts, accidents will happen, but this time I can't get up." That's definitely Meg and Zagreus from Hades. They beat each other up on a regular basis lol and I was so bad at this game in the beginning I got Zag killed by her a lot (sorry Zag..) Not top 10 ship for me, but I like them well enough!

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.

1) Matsu from Saraiya Goyou: during my first reread the manga, after I learned that he loved Yaichi, I fell in love with him through his subtle and heartbreaking expressions. That's when I really got to know and understand him more. I love that he's charming as can be for his job, but doesn't know how to behave around his friends. He's so skilled and he knows it, yet has such a low self esteem. He's just a highly skilled, very pathetic little grumpy guy that deserves all the love in the world. And I give him as much as I can. 2) Caduceus from Critical Role: perfect, big, chill cow man who has the best advice and calming words for others, but can't recognise his own problems, let alone how to deal with them. He's so dumb and wise and I love him. 3) Gerry from the Magnus Archives: he's one of those people that seems to be full of contradictions. He's so bitter and stubborn and impatient and crude, but in a way that feels friendly? His life was so full of grief and horror from the moment he was born and he just wants a break from it all, but at the same time he can't stop himself from helping people who are about to fall - or have already fallen - victim to the horrors. The fear and defiance he lived (and died) with is heartbreaking and admirable.

[natgoodmans]

Aww that's so nice that you were watching a livestream while I was there. I'm so happy that I got to experience that and happy I got to go at all. It was really amazing and I already miss it. The thing with surprise songs is that it's really subjective..like a coworkers daughter apparently said she would have rather seen All of the Girls..which is also cool. I would've liked that too but it was better for me that Aaron was there cuz that doesn't happen every show. The only thing that could've possibly made it better is if she brought Hayley out too..lol. Anyway loved it so much and she did also wear the pink Folklore dress which is one I was hoping for. It was just so cool to even see the Folklore cabin in person too and the Vigilante chair dance.

Anyway..for my other ask..I usually don't read sequels or series. The only time I did was with HP or Twilight and that was when all the sequels were already out. But I totally get what you mean about cash grab and spinoffs. I'm interested in the new Hunger Games movie spinoff though! I think sometimes it's natural or it might be because readers want more. Like with this one, I think the book is like 10 years old and people have discovered it and seeing people like it inspired her to write more maybe? Also it works sometimes when you are writing a different characters perspective too..which is the case here apparently. If I did read series regularly, I would probably forget about it too though lol. Also..I loved the first season of Crazy Ex Girlfriend!!! I never got to finish it though cuz I stopped having Netflix..but I do like when a show is able to wrap up the story. I feel like that happens more often now actually..like when a show is based on a book so there is only one season. Then there's something like the new Sex and the City reboot show which seems kinda unnecessary but you still wanna watch for the characters lol. I did like how they updated part of it..like what it would be like for them now and in their 50s though..which made it seem a little fresh at least but it was just okay. I know people were unhappy with Gilmore Girls too..which idk how to feel about either. So I'm usually up for having more to a story or characters I love but sometimes it messes with what you already imagined in your head I guess. These two books do stand on their own though and you probably don't need to read the sequel either unless you want to and that's if you like it lol. I probably will though cuz I get curious and then I could let you know how it is. Also if you do end up reading Some Mistakes Were Made..you could let me know how it is, or I could start reading it again..or together maybe? I've taken a break from reading too this week since I was focused on Taylor but excited to get back to it. I hope you have an awesome trip in Chicago this week! 🩷

hi 🩷 friend!!!! i missed you while i was out of town 🤍 i hope you've been doin well! what have you been up to? have you read anything good lately? it is so, so interesting how people feel about surprise songs!! because to me i think they're just a bonus to the 43 songs that we're already incredibly lucky to hear, but i've seen people on tiktok/twitter/etc. genuinely upset and angry and claiming that their surprise songs like, ruined their experience or whatever and i'm like ... really? i just feel like the relationship "swifties" talk about taylor is ... very ... interesting, to say the least! my friends and i were so hopeful that hayley would be a surprise guest in seattle night 2, and they'd sing castles crumbling (we were also convinced that she'd acknowledge folklore though, and she didn't) because paramore was supposed to play in seattle the day after seattle night two but had to reschedule. and i'm SO happy you got the dress you wanted for folklore! i think the folklore outfits are just so, so pretty — they might be my favorite set of costumes for the whole show. i'm quite intrigued with the new hunger games prequel! i haven't read it yet (and i've actually only ever seen the first hunger games movie), but i really loved the trilogy when i was younger and have been thinking about finally sitting down and watching them (or maybe rereading, once i'm done with my current rereads). i do agree a prequel like this feels more natural, rather than say, shadowhunters, which has like 50 million books! if you ever get a chance to finish watching crazy ex girlfriend, i highly recommend it!! i also just love all the musical theatre references and i just think it's really well done. i haven't rewatched it since it aired, actually, but i do want to rewatch it soon! i am just very, very bad at watching tv! i'm currently watching the summer i turned pretty, and then when i'm caught up with that (or when i have a little more breathing room), i think i'll watch the second season of heartstopper! i was really excited about the new gossip girl (especially since a couple of theatre people are in it), but it just did not … work for me at all. and yes!! i would definitely be down for a buddy read of some mistakes were made if you'd like? i could start it next week if that works for you!! i just need to get my life together and hopefully finish one or two of my current reads first! i had a lovely time in chicago, thank you my dear 🤍 definitely dreading being back at work tomorrow!

[justlettheraincome]

I wrote a prequel:

Sometime, at the TARDIS

After an especially bad dispute with Aziraphale, Crowley had left Earth for a moment to brood amidst the stars. He didn't stay lonely for long:

A blue police box that hadn't been in fashion for sixty years sweeped by, turned around and stopped a few feet away. "Hiya", a young voice that sounded a lot like his own greeted Crowley: "I'm the Doctor, wanna come in for a cuppa?" Disturbed in his sulking and without much else to do, the grumpy demon accepted the invitation.

They found themselves sitting on the TARDIS' threshold, their feet dangling over the vast nothingness. They were looking at the one planet both of them love most, even if it isn't in a remotely interesting area of the universe. Crowley had miracled himself a glass of red wine, while the Doctor was clutching a cup of tea.

"Are you alone?", Crowley asked.

"I haven't always been. I had a friend. We travelled the universe together. She made the stars beautiful. There were others. Martha, Donna. I've only been alone for a few hours now. Humans... you have to be careful. They walk into your life, laugh at you in the most charming and beautiful way and live in your heart before you even notice."

"What happened?"

"What always happens. Time. But I have to go on. Just me and the TARDIS. And a whole universe to explore." The Doctor opened his arms as if he wanted to embrace the whole universe and simultaneously show it to someone. Maybe Crowley.

"How do you do it?", Crowley asked desperately: "How do you go on? How do you never fall in love?"

The Doctor gazed into the distance for a moment, before focusing his eyes on Crowley: "I don't. The secret to never fall in love is to always fall in love. And it hurts. Every hour of every day, I miss them. I am the loneliest being in the universe. I am the last of the Timelords. I lost my family, my children, my lovers. But who would I be without them? If I had never cared enough about them to mourn their loss. Sometimes I feel so old. And I don't want to be left alone any more. But I have to go on. And I just can't do it on my own."

"Oh, dear", Crowley had listened to the rant silently, before carefully stretching out a hand to the being by his side: "It's bad today, isn't it?"

"What do you know about being a Timelord? Some nights, there's nothing heavier than 906 years."

Crowley smiled at the Timelord, who had wrapped his arms tightly around his knees: "I'm older than you, you know." He winked and pointed down to Earth: "I've been on this planet for 6000 years. And I've seen a whole lot before that."

"But you've never lost the one you love."

"No, I haven't. He is down there, you know. Still fighting to admit that he loves me back." His voice broke. The two nearly eternal beings stared off into the distance for a while. Companionable silence spread until it became suffocating.

After a moment that felt like an eternity, the Doctor clambered to his feet and held out a hand to Crowley: "Do you want to join me for a while?"

Read it on AO3:

Sometime, at the TARDIS (551 words) by Guin_Ever Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Good Omens (TV), Doctor Who (2005), Doctor Who & Related Fandoms Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens), Crowley (Good Omens) & Tenth Doctor (Doctor Who), Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler Characters: Crowley (Good Omens), Tenth Doctor (Doctor Who) Additional Tags: Finally someone understands, talking it through, Crossover, Space Shenanigans, Crowley Has Issues (Good Omens), The Doctor (Doctor Who) Has Issues, The Doctor (Doctor Who) Needs a Hug, They all need hugs Series: Part 2 of Of Demons and Timelords Summary: The promised prequel. Crowley is sulking in space, when the Doctor stumbles over him and decides to stay for a chat…

I've met someone

"I've met someone" It was a notion, that Aziraphale had dreaded for a long time. There was a smile playing on Crowley's lips. Just the faintest notion of love hanging in the air. "You've met someone?", he repeatet. "Yes, lovely bloke", Crowley puttered on: "900 year old timelord, has seen the start of the universe and could actually name all of my stars…" There was a pain digging into Aziraphales heart. Crowley had met someone, someone who shared his ife experience. And his interests. Someone, who maybe wasn't so afraid of speed. Or his own feelings. Aziraphale felt the ground under his feet start to spin. "- anyways, I digress", Crowley finished the tangent. Taking a closer look at Aziraphale's face, he asked: "Are you alright?" "Yes, yes perfectly fine. Do go on my dear." Crowley shook his head slightly, as if to acknowledge that he didn't really believe Aziraphale. But his point seemed to be important to him, so he didn't dig further: "We talked about the problems of a nearly eternal life. And discovered that we had quite a lot in common." Aziraphale felt the ground sway again. He breathed in, softly. This was an important experience in Crowleys life. Even if he would have loved to be that guy instead of listening to Crowley going on and on about him, he owed Crowley the respect to listen to his feelings. "Including the regret of not saying something very important. And he doesn't have the chance to say it anymore. But I do. And I don't want to regret not saying it." What was Crowley going on about? Aziraphale had lost him somewhere on the way. Hadn't he just been explaining how great that guy was? "Right, okay, yes, so… We've known each other a long time. We've been on this planet for a long time. I mean, you and me. I could always rely on you. You could always rely on me. We're a team, a group. Group of the two of us. And we've spent our existence pretending that we aren't. I mean, the last few years, not really. And I would like to spend… The rest of eternity not pretending any more." With that sentence, Crowley seemed to deflate. Aziraphale needed a moment to register: "Not pretending anymore?" he repeated slowly. Crowley closed the distance between them. Yellow eyes pierced into sky-blue ones. He took another deep breath in: "Aziraphale…", there was just the tiniest bit of hesitation in his voice. A fear not yet fully overcome. "I love you."

[winterflags]

Hello there!

It's about time I did a post like this. Hi, I'm Charlie, known to my close friends as Charles or Ferre, and I love writing.

I'm a polytechnic student, and am currently studying for my diploma in Story and Content Creation (for media). I am a huge theatre fan, mainly Les Miserables, and I kinda go batshit crazy over Star Wars at times.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alright, with all the introductions out of the way, I've been thinking about being more active on Tumblr so I'll be opening writing requests to anyone who may be interested. I mainly write Star Wars and Les Mis, you may check me out at archiveofourown.org/users/CharlesAndCo for the works I have published. (I implore you to ignore my Marvel fics...) But before everything, I do have several boundaries when it comes to writing for requests, so please, I hope you'll respect them if you're thinking of requesting for any fics.

I will absolutely not write /reader fics, even gender neutral readers or male readers.

The ships I specialise in are as follows: for Les Mis, Valvert, Enjoltaire, Courfius, Combeferre/Jehan; for Star Wars: Obikin, QuiObi, Anidala. I would not be opposed to exploring other ships, but I will put my foot down if it comes to any ship I am uncomfortable with, which does not happen often but if it does, consider this a warning.

If I have any ongoing WIPs when you request, especially oneshots that are meant to be gifts to my friends, I will not prioritise your request over the works for them. I love my friends to hell and back, the only way to get around this would be to become my friend, I guess.

NSFW is... well, it depends. I may or may not write NSFW depending on how I feel about it. To put it simply, I have had bad experience when it comes to sex, and so sometimes certain things do trigger me and bring back bad memories. So unless you really think that I would enjoy writing the NSFW request you send in, I'd appreciate it if you mainly stick to SFW works. Thanks :)

If I am uncomfortable, due to any reason, with the request you send in, I will probably very politely decline to write your request.

I write trans stuff as well. HMU if you want me to write a Trans!Javert fic for ya ;))))

I'm pretty versatile when it comes to writing. If you have any specific writing genres or styles you wish me to write, include it in your request and I'll see if I can meet your expectations. For example, if you want me to write an introspection for you, say it in your request, and I'll gladly write it for you!

What you could request:

Les Mis (Musical, 1972, 1978, sigh 2012)

Other musicals like Newsies,

Moulin Rouge (movie my beloved, wouldn't mind musical too)

Falsettos

Catch Me If You Can (musical)

Little Shop of Horrors

Jesus Christ Superstar

(Maybe...?) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Star Wars (mainly Prequels, may write OT though)

If any other musicals that you might want to request is not in this list, you could check with me if I know it/would write it. And yes, Hamilton, DEH, BMC ain't on here, I will not be writing them, thank you.

More might be added, as I discover and watch more shows.

That's about it from me for now. Idk if I'll get any requests from anyone that ain't my friends (not to say that my friends can't request anything, y'all would actually have priority), but I was bored and I need to start writing more. If you've made it to the end here, thanks for reading.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For more information about tags:

[prince-septimus]

listening in

pairing : benjamin poindexter x reader x matt murdock

summary : matt keeps listening in on his and dex's new neighbor.

word count : 800

warnings : slight nsfw

a cold apartment prequel

Matt is a good listener. It's the enhanced senses. It makes it easy to read people — being able to listen to their breathing and the beating of their heart — but it helps with eavesdropping too.

He doesn't always mean to eavesdrop, only sometimes when he's out in the night as Daredevil, using his hearing to help him along. It just happens all the other times, being able to hear Mrs. Jenkins down the hall complain to her daughter on the phone about how the mailman never pays attention to the fragile stickers on her packages, or knowing when the older woman downstairs is home — the one who is always a little too touchy with Dex when they end up in an elevator together.

(Dex laughs every time she's brought up. He always recommends the stairs when she's around.)

He doesn't mean to listen in on you, but you can be awfully loud sometimes. He's sure that you've broken at least 3 bowls since you've moved in, and you have a habit of singing in the shower. You're so loud that even Dex makes a comment about it. It's amusing, your clumsiness and enjoyment of being by yourself thinking no one else is listening.

Matt doesn't mean for it to be creepy. It's not really his fault. He can't help that he can hear a little more than most people.

It's also not his fault that your bedroom is right there, your bed just on the other side of the wall and he can hear the soft little moans you let out, trying to keep quiet because you've probably realized how thin the walls are at this point. He knows it's because of them. He knows that Dex was a little extra loud tonight and could easily be heard and that has to be why he can hear you now, even if he doesn't want to be intrusive.

"That's new," Dex comments.

Matt tilts his head. "You can hear them too?"

Dex smirks in the darkness, bringing his arms up to rest behind his head. There's a thin sheet of sweat covering his chest from their previous activities, and a laziness in his movement. "They probably don't realize how loud they're actually being."

"If they knew, they probably wouldn't be making those noises."

"Probably." Dex chuckles as you get just a little louder. "They're close."

Matt closes his eyes, trying to tune out the noises you make, but it doesn't help. Your moans still fill his ears and overload his senses.

Dex laughs when Matt rolls over to kiss him. "Round two already?"

Matt still feels like he's intruding on something incredibly private the next time he hears you. Dex is rubbing a hand up and down his chest, and Matt wonders if you felt the same when you heard them. "Have you met them yet?"

"Once. In the elevator." Dex's voice is slightly muffled, both from trying to keep quiet and from having his face against the pillow. "You?"

"They ran into me in the hallway." Matt smiles, remembering the collision. "Literally, ran into me. Didn't know I was blind. It was cute."

There's a pause where they're silent, and your moans fill Matt's ears. The sounds from your side of the wall quiet quickly, and there's a tension in the air. Dex rolls over, propping himself above Matt.

"Maybe we should get to know them?" he offers, his hand coming up to trace Matt's jaw.

Matt hums, tilting his head back when Dex's mouth joins his ministrations. "Yeah. Maybe we should."

It's a few days later when Matt walks in to the smell of baked cookies. It had become one of Dex's main hobbies since they moved in together — baking. Matt likes it. It fills the apartment with a warmth he hasn't known since he was a kid, and everything Dex makes always tastes good.

Matt follows the smell, his hand trailing along the counter when he enters the kitchen. "Cookies?"

Dex reaches over to slap Matt's hand away from the cookie tray. "Not for you. For our neighbor."

A smile crosses Matt's face. "Today?"

"Well, we can't wait forever, can we?" Dex moves around Matt, grabbing a plate and filling it with the cookies. "Have to get to know them at some point."

Matt likes the idea of finally getting to do proper introductions with you. He likes the idea of getting to know you as something other than the person on the other side of the wall.

"Ready to go?"

Matt nods, taking Dex's hand.

[blacklight-ghoulette]

It depends on a few things, really. The resin you're using, if you hollowed it out how thin the walls are, if you've over or under cured it... Etc etc. I've actually not had a lot of issues with stuff being brittle, even using the standard resin of various brands (Elegoo, Anycubic, Rich-opto, a few others). Of course, nothing has been this big, but a lot of my models have little pointy details (horns, the chin on the meliora mask, the points on the cutouts for the Prequelle masks, etc) that would be prime candidates for breakage. I don't really have problems with anything breaking, and I'm pretty damn klutzy sometimes and have dropped/accidentally thrown some models onto the floor, against the wall... Not many of them have broken like I'd expect them to. But again, they've all been very small prints (like, the size of a raspberry if that gives any idea of scale). Big things will have more shock going through them when dropped so until I decide to see what happens and do some quality checking... I can't say for certain how breakable it is.

I will say, I've printed this one in 2 different resins. The hair portions are in Elegoo's standard 2.0 (they're my go-to brand for regular resin) since I got a good deal on a 2 kilo bottle, and the face portions were done in Sunlu Abs-like, since that's what was currently in the vat of my original Saturn printer. The ABS-like resin is definitely very strong stuff, especially in long, thin pieces, and they feel very solid despite having some thinner sections.

As for the uncured resin thing, this is why you take care with hollowing out models, and I make sure to put in a ton of drainage holes. The first ghoul mask beads I made the mistake of not being as careful and have found them split apart and leaking uncured resin, so I'm veeeery particular with that now. I've also got a system for washing parts in alcohol to clean the uncured stuff out of them, and make good use of the air compressor to blast out anything that's still stuck inside.

I'm definitely going to be painting and sealing it before deeming it read for wear. Once cured the resin is innert so as far as we know it won't hurt you to wear it, but I'd want a few layers of sealer on it anyways since it'll help protect it.

AHHHHHHH GUYS THEY PRINTED I'M FREAKING OUT THEY ACTUALLY PRINTED ALSKSKSKKSKDKDDKDK