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tossawary · 11 months

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Part of the problem with discussing how racism manifests in fandom and in fan organizations is that to present a nuanced and thorough take on a complicated problem, which actually consists of a number of different complex issues with lots of different potential solutions each, you have write really, REALLY long posts about it.

And people don't read long posts.

Or they read the first part and get stuck on one point they don't agree with or can't 100% agree with. So they get caught up in proving one point wrong instead of at least expressing sympathy or sharing the parts they do actually agree with.

(Or people make fun of you for caring about "people being mean in fanfiction communities" as an issue. Because caring is cringe, apparently. Racism in hobbies like book clubs and local knitting groups and kid sports leagues is also important, even if it's "not that big of a deal" in the grand scheme of things in your opinion.)

Which can have (unintentional or intentional) vibes of telling fans of color to shut up about racism. Which is rude and understandably upsetting to people who have experienced this kind of harassment. Saying "go make your own archive" implies that the affected fans of color have not been a part of building the OTW or in running AO3 and don't belong there as writers or readers, which is untrue and unkind.

Now, I know that people have a kneejerk defensive reaction to any form of "We Need To Ban The Bad Fic That I Don't Like". I have that too. And I won't deny that this is a conversation partly about content moderation. And I won't deny that within this broad conversation between lots of different people who want to do something about fandom racism, there are probably some people who are calling to ban everything they find even a little problematic. They're always popping up. I don't agree with those people.

I didn't reblog End OTW Racism's Call to Action post the first time that I saw it because my brain wanted to chew on the thoughts it inspired. I thought a lot about how exactly to write detailed policy that could explicitly ban the worst examples of fanfiction used as intentional hate speech provably for the purpose of targeted harassment, while still ensuring the protection of the queer content, the problematic darkfic, and the explicit kinky fiction that the archive was created to host (which EOTWR also cares about). I do want fans to be able to explore some disturbing and distasteful topics, even if they don't always write it well, without being censored. And yet I also thought a lot about the "Paradox of Tolerance" as a social contract and what it meant to be "Fair to Unfair Voices".

I also thought a lot about how AO3 volunteers can never review every single thing posted to the website (which was not being suggested). And about how this issue intersects heavily with the structural issues that leave some AO3 volunteers overworked and underappreciated. And the structural issues that leave some AO3 volunteers feeling isolated, neglected, ignored, or mistreated. And also how AO3 is shockingly enormous now for being the result of volunteer work on a budget that's small compared to other non-profit organizations.

And honestly, I was fucking exhausted from my job that day and I cynically thought to myself, "I'll read through the links later, but I don't really see how changing the names on a bunch of fics is going to inspire great change within an organization."

(And the people behind this online protest are pretty open about the fact that they didn't expect their awareness campaign - and that's what it is: it's just an awareness campaign - to do anything on the front of "Solving Institutional Racism Immediately".)

But then I thought to myself, "Okay, but I do believe in antiracist action. And even if I don't think some of these suggestions are workable with the current state of things, or that the OTW will ever agree to some things here, there has got to be something here that could be done right now to make things a little better."

I kind of like the idea of expanding the required archive warnings so that more well-meaning people will opt-in to tagging triggering material, which is a form of content moderation. Like the way that the "Graphic Depictions of Violence" tag works already. Major Archive Warnings are left up to the author's best judgement unless reported. And even if people repeatedly refuse to use any relevant warning tags when writing blatantly racist stories, when they get reported for not even using "Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings", then we'll be pretty sure that they're doing it to be a jerk, and AO3 volunteers can suspend or ban them for it.

I like the idea of expanding the abuse policy and clearly defining its terms so that Policy and Abuse volunteers can still retain some freedom of best judgement, but also be more consistent about recognizing when someone is being a racist jerk in the comment section or being racist by gifting violently racist fic to fans of color or otherwise behaving badly. And I like the idea of improving the reporting system while keeping potential misuse in mind. And giving PAC volunteers better admin tools and other resources.

Even if you believe that AO3 is largely run by well-meaning queer women, I personally don't 100% trust that every single volunteer will be great at recognizing the many varied forms of racism, or antisemitism, or transphobia, or prejudice against bisexual or asexual or polyamorous people, or against mentally ill or physically disabled people. And part of this discussion is about when individual members of the PAC team have failed to address malicious behavior that is already explicitly covered by AO3's existing anti-bullying policy. Or that can't be solved by just blocking and muting someone.

Like, this discussion is about racism, and it's worth caring about solely for how it affects fans of color, but optimizing the abuse policy and protocols against harassment would better protect everyone. (And also, please do not assume that fans of color are not also older fans and/or queer fans who care about censorship.)

Some of End OTW Racism's offered solutions are suggestions originally made by AO3 itself back in 2020. A huge part of this discussion is just some fans (they're only, like, 5 people) trying to make some noise so that the OTW will give all users a thorough update on their progress. They are trying to raise awareness to keep the conversation about fandom bigotry going and recruit people to show up to OTW Board meetings to ask what obstacles need to be tackled. They want volunteers trying to change things internally to feel supported and for some more transparency on this subject to externally hold people accountable to their promises.

And I also thought, "Fuck it. This post is worth reblogging if only to remind people that AO3 needs work, to educate new fans on the history and present of fandom racism in general, and to maybe make one person out there feel less alone and connect them with some new friends. Fans of color don't have to be perfect to be heard."

I believe that AO3 has gotten bigger than ever anticipated and management of the OTW has only gotten harder. And I think hiring a diversity consultant, as per AO3's own suggestion back in 2020, sounds like a good idea to curb harassment of all kinds and improve the working conditions of volunteers. Outside contractors have been hired before and these professionals have no effect on OTW's non-profit status. A temporary consultant's job would be to identify where the organization is getting stuck and give suggestions on how to fight bigotry, and the OTW Board can just pick the solutions they think will work in practice with their mission statements.

Honestly, I kind of think it might be a good idea to also hire a security consultant of some kind after some of the harassment of AO3 volunteers in recent years. And if hiring some programming contractors would help the coding volunteers build better admin tools and make tag blacklisting happen sooner, then I support that as well. But that's all up to the OTW Board. And I want the OTW volunteers to know that I support their original suggestion to hire some outside professional help, so that fandom can begin to address some of these ongoing problems beyond just acknowledging that they exist, even if it simply starts with AO3 explicitly calling for more volunteers to get the planned work done.

Saying that there's nothing to be done is defeatist. Saying that the affected fans of color and their allies sound too angry or too serious or too ungrateful, or that everyone involved just doesn't understand how hard these things are, is pretty rude. I don't expect perfect solutions on the first try. I don't expect them immediately. I expect some of these things to take the OTW... years, honestly. I don't always feel very optimistic. I find this entire discussion discomforting and depressing. I'm not ungrateful to the OTW and AO3 when the community has been an undeniably good experience for me personally over the past 10 years. I want people to be able to escape into fandom at the end of a shitty day.

End OTW Racism's awareness campaign is one small part of a much broader discussion and you don't have to agree 100% with everything that they say. Or with what other people talking about fandom racism say (and some people, including academics and journalists and media critics and video essayists, have been talking about fandom racism for a long time). And you definitely don't have to 100% agree with what I've said here.

You don't have immediately volunteer all of your time to the OTW to fix these problems to be a good person. We all have other shit going on in our lives. Just... keep some of the points being made in mind moving forward, yeah? If you have a moment, maybe listen to some of the frustrations with an open mind, and maybe show a little extra love to your fellow fans who are going through it.

And if you have the energy to tear down what you think just one of EOTWR's suggestions is as bad - and they are NOT calling for every single fic on AO3 to be reviewed for problematic tropes or racial slurs before posting, that would be ridiculous, and it's disingenuous to misinterpret them that way - are you also separately talking about and supporting any of the antiracist actions and other harm reduction policies that you think are genuinely viable?

#end otw racism #tossawary ao3 #long post

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scotianostra · 4 months

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The 9th January 2000 saw the death of the historical novelist Nigel Tranter.

Tranter was the most prolific Scottish writer of all time, writing mainly factual and fictional books related to Scottish history, if you haven't read any of his work I recommend you do, the attention to detail takes nothing away from enjoyable stories. In my opinion the only other Scottish writer to come close to the volume and quality of work in this field is Sir Walter Scott.

His grandfathers were church ministers, but a great-grandfather invented the Tranter pistol. He was descended also from James Watt, inventor of the steam engine. He himself wanted to become a restoring architect, but the early death of his father forced him to stop studying. Instead he trained as an accountant and worked in the Scottish National Insurance Company. He served in the Royal Artillery during World War II.

Tranter went to George Heriot’s School in Edinburgh, which may have inspired his love of castles. His earliest writing on these was at the age of 13. As a boy he spent hours cycling to castles and mansions, and drawing them in meticulous detail, before going on to write about them in his first published book, The Fortalices and Early Mansions of Southern Scotland, 1400-1650, at the age of 22. This was followed by the five volumes of The Fortified House in Scotland. In later life he loved to take visitors out to castles and assisted many castle restoration projects in Scotland such as Fa’side.

He married May Jean Campbell Grieve in Athelstaneford Church in July 1933 and they had two children. He and May worked together on The Queen’s Scotland series, giving a short history of parishes in four Scottish regions until her death in 1979, when the project stopped.

Their son Philip was a climber, who sadly died in a car crash in 1966 on his way home from an expedition in the Dolomites. Tranter wrote No Tigers in the Hindu Kush from Philip’s notes.

Tranter saw himself primarily as a storyteller rather than a historian, and his first novel, Trespass, was published in 1937. Although criticised by some academic historians for writing fiction, he developed a huge new audience, who loved his tales of Scottish historical events and people. He wrote his fiction with increasing knowledge of Scottish history, introducing the subject to millions of people worldwide. From 1947 he decided he could earn a living by writing, and produced several novels for children, as well as adults. The Bruce Trilogy sold over 1 million copies and he had fan clubs in many countries. He also wrote Westerns, using the pen name Nye Tredgold.

Nigel Tranter received many honours and awards during his life, and was also actively involved in several organisations, including the St Andrews Society of East Lothian, Scottish PEN, Athelstaneford Flag Fund and the Saltire Society. He believed Scots should ‘be responsible for our own decisions’, and as chairman of the East Lothian Liberal Association for 15 years, he was part of the Scottish Convention, a cross-party pressure group set up to push for devolution. ‘We Scots are different, not better, but long live the difference’.

He continued to write into his 90s, starting each day with a walk across the wooden bridge at Aberlady Bay which he called ‘The Footbridge to Enchantment’. He was a familiar sight walking on the coast, stopping to jot down neat notes for his books on cards or even shells picked up from the beach. Some of these can be seen in the Tranter Museum, which is currently in Athelstaneford Parish Church. His last novel was Envoy Extraordinary. On his death thousands mourned and many friends and residents in the county remember him with great fondness.

Tranter and his family are buried in Aberlady Churchyard. There is a memorial cairn to him at the carpark near the footbridge which leads over to the nature reserve at Aberlady. The Scottish Castles Association have an annual Nigel Tranter Memorial Award in his memory.

There is a lot more on Nigel Tranter at the following link [http://cunninghamh.tripod.com/2001/index.htm](http://cunninghamh.tripod.com/2001/index.htm)

#scotland #history #scottish #author #writer #historical fiction

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almost-a-class-act · 3 months

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Miscellaneous Tag game

Tagged by the beautiful faces of @softguarnere and @mutantmanifesto !

Favorite place in the world you’ve visited?

Iceland. Around every corner, a postcard view. Absolutely unreal. I can't believe it exists.

Something you’re proud of yourself for?

I went to an alumni event over the weekend for a big club I used to be a part of at my university, and heard from a few people that I made them feel welcome and included in the group when they first got there. A few "you probably don't remember this, but..." It was really fucking nice.

Favorite books?

The Alice books by Lewis Carroll.

Something that makes your heart happy when thinking about it?

I missed a call from my nephew on Messenger Kids the other day and then he sent me a drawing of a stick man simply titled "Gustavo".

Favorite thing about your culture?

Tough one, I'm a mayonnaise-blend Canadian. We make sausage every year so I suppose that's a fun holdover from ye old Europe days.

When did you join the HBO War fandom? What was the first show you watched?

I watched The Pacific circa 2012 and then I sort of forgot about it until I watched BoB in the fall of 2020.

Have you read any of Easy Company’s books? If so, which ones were your favorite?

I've got the Ambrose book and the Babe & Bill book under my belt. I own the Malarkey book which I've been told is fab but I haven't cracked it yet. My favourite HBO War book is (say it with me!) Helmet for my Pillow.

Favorite HBO War character and your favorite moment with them?

Robert Leckie, and it might be that bit at the end where he's snarking about having fought for television. That feels like book Bob Leckie to me. (And it doesn't hurt that Vera gets a kick out of it!)

Do you make content for any fandoms, if so; what sort of content?

I write fic primarily for HBOWar and Justified these days.

Favorite actor/actress and your favorite film of theirs?

Andrew Garfield and everything he does puts a damn branch in my eye.

Favorite quote/s that you wish to share with others?

"In the eighth inning, you can't hear the roar of the ninth. All you can do is hold yourself together, and trust." Jim Abbott

Random fact your mutuals/followers don’t know about you?

I collect shot glasses. I have a big 'ol shelf of them from all over the world.

If you’re a writer, do you need a beta reader (say yes so I can be your beta reader 🤭)?

@fayestardust reads most of my stuff before I post it so she can tell me where I invariably left entire words or plot points out. Thanks ma belle!

Three things that make you smile?

My French press, summertime lake swimming, sucking nearby friends into whatever fandom black hole I am currently in.

Any nicknames you like?

My ball team calls me a nickname that won't make sense unless I explain a tedious sports pun to you, but otherwise I don't think I've had too many nicknames that have stuck.

List some people you love to see around on tumblr!

@mutantmanifesto and @cody-helix02 post my fave art. @mercurygray is just one of those fandom bright stars. @onehelluvamarine is a real sweetheart.

There are a lot! It's 11:30PM and I'm tapping out. But I see all y'all.

What would you do during a zombie apocalypse?

I am a backwoods camping gal so I have a water filter, camp stove, dry food, etc., and I live pretty wilderness-adjacent. You guys will have to come track me down if it turns out if was a false alarm.

Favorite movie?

Goon.

Do you like horror movies?

Love 'em.

Tagging: @educationalporpoises @dukesoakedoats @heystovepipeboys @batmanschmatman @terresdebrume @vintagelavenderskies @eoinmcgonigal @lionsaint @fayestardust

#tag games #tumblr pals

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thehumanpuffball · 2 months

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Myth is Man (1)

Throughout history, humans have always loved stories. They, in some cases, form intrinsic parts of how we teach about our norms and values. A rather famous example would be the moral tale of “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” a very apt name in my opinion. Anyone who went to a British primary school most likely knows this one off by heart, but I do not know about other countries so here is a shortened version of it:

A shepherd boy tends to the flocks of sheep on the side of the hill at night. He works when all of the shepherds have gone to bed and his job is to protect the flock from the wolves that would otherwise eat the sheep. If he sees a wolf coming to eat the sheep, he must cry out at the top of his lungs “WOLF!” and the townspeople would come running up the hill to scare it away. One night, the boy gets bored, and he thinks that it would be a good idea to shout to the town that there is a wolf. Of course, all those who could, come running up the hill to protect the sheep which will feed them in the winter, but alas, the wolf is not there. Another night comes and the boy does the same, the wolf is still not there, and the townspeople all get angry as they have been called out of bed repeatedly in order to scare away a wolf which doesn’t exist. On the third night, there is a wolf, and the boy cries out to tell them, in hopes that they will run up the hill to save the flock. Nobody comes. He tries again but it is all in vain. Nobody is coming.

The next morning, the shepherd comes back to the hillside, and he says to the boy “Where are the sheep?”, for they had all been taken by the foxes. The boy replies with “I called for the townspeople, but nobody came.

This story is told often to primary school children because it highlights the importance of not lying as when the boy in the tale lies people stop believing him and when he needs help, he does not receive it.

There are so many of these stories and they are told in assemblies everywhere. They are such an important part of our lives growing up as the characters going through these very obvious and tangible events can be used in order to teach children about morals and about right and wrong more effectively than a list of rules can. Writing and storytelling is one of the oldest human artforms, our brains love a good story, once they kept us together around campfires, and now they keep us together in book clubs and at Halloween when we tell ghost stories with our friends in the dark. Fandom is also a form of this, a group of people brought together by the pure joy of loving a piece of media and wanting to talk about it.

Furthermore, it is crucial that we celebrate all writers, because not only can we find joy, peace, and delight in fiction, but we can also understand some of the more awful things in the world a little better using fiction. I know that my perception of religion and where I stand on it was somewhat guided by my reading of the His Dark Materials trilogy which has some beautiful messages about the dangers of control of only one religion, but the wonder that can be created when different people with different life experiences and beliefs all put their ideas together, and the importance of discussion and open mindedness. This part goes for writers too, it is so crucial that people keep writing the stories that they want to write, not what will sell, because every book has a soul. A writer behind those pages who put so much emotion into these characters, crafted people from the electrical and chemical signals in their mind.

Storytelling is a major part of being human, it always has been and (hopefully) always will be. Whether you are a bestselling author, or you like to make up little scary stories to tell your friends at sleepovers, your story is part of a long, long tradition, and is valuable, and beautiful.

#writing #stories #the boy who cried wolf #my words #spilled thoughts

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absentcaryatid · 1 year

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The Favorite Customer

An ATEEZ fanfic by AbsentCaryatid

An irresistible Jongho along with friends from his writers' group become regulars at the coffeehouse the reader runs with Yunho.

2K fluffy words, Content note: gender neutral reader referred to by they/them pronouns, food

Despite years of experience serving coffee, the request for something called a coffee tonic was a new one. “It is made with espresso over ice, cut with tonic water, and optional simple syrup.” The customer before you, Jongho according to the cup name, added that preferred his unsweetened.

“Hey Yunho, do we still have that tonic water in the back?” While your employee went to look, you explained Italian sodas had just been added to the menu to take advantage of the warming weather. Flavored syrups and cream were always on hand for the coffees anyway, so it had been a simple matter to begin stocking club soda to complete the recipe. Somewhere in the ordering process either you or Yunho had mistakenly picked tonic water instead so the idea of suddenly having a purpose for the stuff was an appealing one.

Triumphantly holding aloft a bottle, Yunho returned batting his eyelashes. “You see, I am a genius for ordering tonic water. We needed it after all.”

Knowing it was just humorous bluster on the part of the usually self-effacing man, you agreed Yunho was a genius. “Not for the ingredient mix up, which I still think was my fault, but for your effect on my life. Everything is so much easier since we met.”

Clearing his throat and with a head tilt to Jongho, Yunho reminded you a customer was waiting.

“Since this is experimental, your coffee tonic is on the house. It might take a little longer so Yunho will bring it over to you once it is ready.”

“Thank you. I look forward to it.” With a graceful nod Jongho dropped some bills in the tip jar. He then pulled out a notebook from his trouser pocket and sat at a nearby table, scribbling away. Jongho was impressed when soon afterward Yunho brought the drink over accompanied by a complimentary spinach and Parmesan quiche. “That is incredibly kind of you.”

“My boss is grateful you clued us in to a trend. With a clientele that runs older, we are not exactly cutting edge around here. A basic coffee is what most of the regulars come in for.”

Jongho took a sip. “That's excellent. What a difference from chain coffee bars. I really like the family atmosphere you have here too. You and your partner seem made for each other.”

Yunho clapped a hand over his mouth to cover a laugh. “I only started working here a few weeks ago. They are that warm with everybody. Pretty sure my boss could charm even the most stoic of hearts.”

Flustered, Jongho regretted his offhand comment. “I should not have assumed. My mind goes to romance too easily these days while I am trying to write a love story.”

“No, it is fine.” Yunho looked a little wistful. “We would not be compatible anyway. I don't like to read and they devour books at an astounding rate. Someday the right person will come along who matches their tastes.” Looking down to the notebook Yunho encouraged, “Take all the time you need. You can see we are not busy and lingering customers bring life to the place. And, if you get it published, I can brag the author did some writing here. It will be good for business.” Respecting Jongho's privacy, Yunho then returned to the counter without asking about the story.

Jongho decided he could get used to working on his novel here in the quiet and friendly shop. From that day on he was a regular for coffee tonics and a bite of something savory. There was always welcoming banter from either you or Yunho when he entered, then enough time to himself to get a significant word count in.

Often gazing into space while coming up with the right phrasing, Jongho would catch himself watching you at the counter. No matter how busy the line, you met his eyes with your own smiling ones every time. Slowly but surely the love interest in his novel took on your traits. Not only did the physical description match yours, the character was also quick witted and funny like yourself. Over the course of the story they drew out the more reserved friend turned boyfriend who had a lot in common with Jongho himself. After this progression, the guys in his writers' group had already begun to lovingly tease Jongho about asking you out when they heard how affectionately he described his muse.

Their urging became insistent when they saw the two of you together with some clear signs of attraction on each side. This occurred when the library room they usually gathered at underwent renovation. Jongho had asked if it was okay for his authors' group to meet at the coffeehouse instead. The idea was met with your wholehearted approval. It was not just a business decision, more time in Jongho's presence was the real draw. By now your crush had become so obvious that Yunho was merciless with his good-natured jokes about your 'boyfriend' whenever customers were not around.

Greeting them enthusiastically, you made the group feel at home from their first meeting. An interesting mix of personalities, you wondered what drew them together beyond a love of words. It did not take long to see the way they cared for each other and were closely bonded. Within a few meetings you were just as welcome among them as a friend, and it warmed your heart to have expanded your social circle.

The first to introduce himself had been Hongjoong. It was not just a vibrant head of blue hair and eclectic clothes that made him stand out, he also seemed to hold something of a leadership position in the group. With such an artistic style it made sense Hongjoong's writing took the form of lyrics to go with his musical compositions.

Seonghwa was working on a self-help book about increasing self-esteem. From what you observed, the elegant and polite man seemed to be working on the project as much for himself as any potential audience. Over the weeks you began to see improvement in the way he carried himself thanks to the continued support of his members. Jongho had been particularly encouraging, and again got you thinking about how attractive he was as a person in addition to the physical aspects you had noticed right away.

Slower to warm up than the others, Yeosang's reserved nature gave way to a talkative jokester once he knew you better. Already successful at writing and illustrating comics, he found getting out to be around others helped his mood as well as his productivity. Yeosang seemed particularly close to two of the members. Wooyoung, the outgoing cookbook writer who always had a funny kitchen anecdote to share was the first. San was the other. One night as he left, the friendly, dimpled man confided he was finally feeling confident enough to preview his poetry in the group and credited your interest in his writing as part of the change.

Alternating between laid back and boisterous with a voice that carried, Mingi was the final man you met. He was currently at work on an engaging history of fashion. Mingi's compliments on your own apparel and thoughtful suggestions of new items to incorporate made you feel good. Mingi had a similar effect on Yunho. The two became fast friends and you later learned they had taken to shopping together expanding Yunho's wardrobe.

With Mingi's encouragement over time, Yunho had unexpectedly become one of the members. Although he was not one for writing, they welcomed him as an engaging oral storyteller and he was able to refine his stories with their assistance. Seamlessly integrating into the group, it was as if Yunho had belonged with them from the start.

The last to reveal his work, you heard Jongho's project was a novel centered around a love story though he would say no more. Perhaps in time he would be ready to talk about it, but you would never press. As it was, you were happy enough just to have him nearby, exchanging pleasantries on his way in or out.

Then too, there were the occasional conversations revealing more of his life. It was something you cherished every time it happened. Jongho had also taken to swapping book recommendations based on your tastes, and lately you sat with him on your breaks to discuss the stories. When a shared love of dramas was discovered, you hoped to work up the courage to invite Jongho to watch something together sometime, maybe just in the coffeehouse after closing to begin with.

Another meeting night came to an end and you waved the last of the men off. Your sigh was heavy as you swept up, cursing another missed opportunity to say something to Jongho. Turning to Yunho you admitted, “You have been right all along. I think, well, I know for certain I have a crush on my favorite customer.”

Out of nowhere, or rather the direction of the restroom, Jongho appeared and joined the conversation in a friendly tone that masked his disappointment. “And here I was thinking I was your favorite customer. So, who's the lucky person?”

Frozen in place with a panicked look, your mind raced trying to come up with a face-saving reply.

“You are always telling me Jongho is your favorite customer. You've never said that about anybody else before,” Yunho helpfully supplied. The smirk accompanying the statement told you this was a very deliberate comment. His work done, both paid employment for the day and as your wingman, Yunho hung around and busied himself far down the counter, but still within earshot. He might seem innocent with his cheerful demeanor, but Yunho certainly could be crafty too. Somehow you'd have to get back at him later on, that is if you even survived the embarrassment of this moment.

You watched a smile break out as Jongho worked through the new information. “I know it can go quite badly to ask someone out while they are at work, but I'm sensing it might be okay in this case. For some time now I have wanted to take you someplace for dinner. Would you be my date?”

Almost too excited to speak, you managed to squeak out, “Yes, I would like that very much.”

Your grin matched Jongho's and that signal of success led to muffled cheers heard through the shop window. The rest of the writers' group practically had their noses pressed to the glass watching from outside. They poured back in led by Wooyoung who slapped Jongho across the back and exclaimed, “I knew you had it in you.” The others offered congratulations in turn to Jongho and yourself before dragging a somewhat dazed Jongho out. No doubt they would be psyching Jongho up for his first date just as Yunho would be offering you the same support.

Despite any initial awkwardness getting the relationship off the ground, it was a success. By the time Jongho's first novel finally came out, you were already living together and he welcomed your offer to host the launch party in your coffeehouse, as well as subsequent events for the rest of your shared friend group. Author readings had by now become a popular staple of your cafe. As a raconteur par excellence on open mic nights, even Yunho in time had a volume of his own transcribed tales published.

Taking great pride in the group's accomplishments, over time each of their autographed books became available for sale beside the cash register. All of the volumes by local authors were popular, but none outsold Jongho's love story about the man who admired a cafe owner from afar. The characters' mutual pining came to an end thanks to a chain of unlikely and humorous events that made it an entertaining reread. This was your favorite of the books developed by the writers meeting in your coffee shop too, though your true preference was for living the real-life version with Jongho at your side.

Jongho Masterlist

General Masterlist

#ATEEZ Fanfic #Kpop Fanfic #Kpop Fluff #ATEEZ Fluff #diverseinsertknet #gender neutral reader #they/them pronouns used for reader #cross posted on ao3 #Choi Jongho #Jongho x reader #Jongho x You #it was a rare day off #Jongho #ATEEZ Jongho

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the-hinky-panda · 11 months

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The Preacher's Wife Series - Big Bear Lake (Part I)

Maggie has this down to an art. Whenever a deadline is coming up, she finds a local women’s retreat and registers for it. It’s something that’s expected of a pastor’s wife, that “continuing education” on ministry techniques and how to organize a prayer group. She rents a house nearby, one that is fairly remote and with a garage. She shows up for the first day, signs in, collects the welcome packet, sits through the opening ceremony, and then heads to her Airbnb or Vrbo. She parks her car in the garage and won’t let it be seen again until she heads back to the conference on the last day for the closing meeting. She uses Uber or DoorDash for food. Other than that, she’s locked inside the rented space, trying to finish the first draft or final revision of her latest romance novel.

She’s sold six books so far and has a hefty amount of money stashed away from the publication and royalties. Her publisher has been chomping at the bit for the seventh book but lucky number seven has been…difficult. And that was an understatement. When this retreat for pastor’s wives was announced as being held in Redlands and was a week-long retreat, she jumped at the opportunity to get away and try to figure out how to get this book started, let alone written.

She was two days into her seven day retreat when the writer’s block got too much for her. She had been staring at the same blank page for six hours now and nothing, nothing was coming to her. She needed dinner and a good drink. Maybe then she would be able to fill the void with words that would eventually give way to a plot. She calls up the Uber app, places her request, and touches up her make-up. She’s grabbing her jacket and purse when the car pulls up in the driveway.

The driver is a young man, college age from the looks of it. According to the app, his name is Stephen, which is how he introduces himself with that surfer twang. She asks him for his suggestion of the best local bar, something family owned, no chains. He tells her the best place that fits that description would be Hunter’s Lodge which sits right on the lake. She asks him what he does and he tells her he surfs in the morning, snowboards in the afternoons, and drives for Uber in the evenings. It sounds like a charmed life and she tells him so. He asks what she does and she simply answers she’s a writer, because that’s who she is at the moment.

He drops her off in the gravel parking lot of a rustic looking cabin that does sit right on the lake’s edge. There’s a patio off the back with a few brave souls under heat lamps sitting out there. It’s May but winter is still in the evening air this far up the mountains. She pays Stephan for the drive and says her goodbye before heading towards the door. There’s only a few cars in the parking lot, a couple bikes, a beat up scrap metal truck with a load of twisted fenders and other broken pieces in the back of it. Romero Brother’s Scrapyard. Why is that a familiar name to her? Before she can figure that out, someone shouts from the front door.

“Maggie?”

She freezes. After all these years, almost eight years now of doing these covert writing retreats, her cover is finally blown. Shit.

“Maggie,” they call again, the crunch of gravel under work boots announcing the person’s approach. “Is that you?”

She turns and sees one of the men from the Santo Padre motorcycle club, the one that her sister works for as their medic. When she says his name, it’s with absolute relief. “Hank!”

He gives her a small smile. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m, uh, I’m here, um…” She wants to be honest with him but how do you explain that you’re here hiding from your life and responsibilities because your secret life needs to be addressed? That you’ve lied to your megachurch pastor husband about going away to grow in your relationship with the Lord when in fact all you’re doing is hiding away in someone else’s cabin and writing about some poor woman’s sexual awakening with a handsome stranger because the stories of the other six women with similar sexual awakenings were wildly successful that your publisher wants a seventh.

“I’m sorry,” he holds up his hand, “I didn’t mean to pry.”

“No,” she shakes her head, “you’re not prying at all. It’s just…complicated.”

“I get that.”

She doesn’t know where the bravery and forwardness comes from but the words are out of her mouth before she can stop them. “I can explain it over a drink, if you don’t have anything better to do this evening.”

He smiles again, small and subtle, but immensely genuine. “I’d like that.”

#hank loza x ofc #hank loza #hank loza fic #mayans mc fic #mayans mc

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iamveronica · 1 year

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Me, Morrissey & Manchester

As a teenager growing up in Manchester in the 1970s Billy [Duffy] befriended Steven Morrissey, drawn together by a mutual love of underground New York Music. They played in a band together briefly before both going on to extremely successful careers in music.

BD: I remember when I met Morrissey the first time he was smoking these menthol cigarettes called ‘More’ which were like long cocktail cigarettes. AL: Is that when he had long hair? BD: Yeah, it wasn’t really long, just longish, shoulder length curly hair. The quiffs all came later for us when after punk the next big thing was rockabilly with the Stray Cats around 1980…

AL: At the time was Morrissey a mate or just a guy that you had a musical connection with? BD: We shared an obsession with New York underground music and that was the connection with him, me, and my mates from Wythenshawe, like Phil Fletcher and Steven Pomfritt and to some extent Johnny Marr. Johnny was a young kid, 3 or 4 years younger than us but he was very smart even if he hadn’t really grown into himself at that point.

BD: I got the gig and they said do you know any singers cos Eddie Garrity had left the band too. I said, “I know this guy Steve and he really wants to be a singer and he’s shown me lyrics which are brilliant but I don’t know whether he can sing or not”. MP: It sounds like you were a bit wary about suggesting him? BD: Well, like I said the lyrics were amazing but I was just more scared for him that he would get battered cos it was quite a violent time. He wasn’t really effeminate but he used to have that sexual ambiguity thing and at the time the big bands were like Sham 69… it was all fighting, punk rock and skinheads. So, as such it was gamble to give him a go but I was desperate to do anything to get out of my home in Wythenshawe as I wasn’t getting on with my parents. Looking back on it I always knew that Morrissey was a unique character I just didn’t know if he could sing or not, or front it, but then I figured he’s such a strong character and what have I got to lose. All that said, even though his sexual orientation was always ambiguous it wasn’t a big deal amongst our group of friends. Nobody cared because a big part of the punk thing in Manchester was we always used to go to the gay clubs cos they’d have a straight night where they’d play all the music that we liked and you could go there and not get beaten up!

MP: You were obviously concerned about Morrissey being able to be a front man, so when did you realise it was going to work? BD: I think it was when he started throwing sweets out at that second Nosebleeds gig at the Ritz. We were the support band and did six songs and the last one was called ‘Peppermint Heaven’ and he threw out all these sweets which completely surprised everyone. That was the first time I thought that he had something special cos he never let on what he was going to do, he’d just thought that out and done it. Remember, at that time every other front man was more of an aggressive macho character and there was a lot of violence in the crowds and spitting going on so Morrissey throwing out sweets was quite different. We actually got a great review of that first gig in the NME by the legendary writer Paul Morley where he said “The Nosebleeds re-surface with a front man with charisma” and “Only their name can prevent them being this year’s big surprise”. An important thing to mention about the Nosebleeds with me and Morrissey was that we wrote all new songs and didn’t play any of the old ones including their single “Aint bin to no music school” which was their one known song! It was Morrissey’s insistence that we didn’t even do it and I don’t think he even wanted to call the band the Nosebleeds.

MP: So it was all brand-new songs that you’d written with Morrissey? BD: Yeah and one cover, apparently. I don’t actually remember writing with Steven though but I do remember some of the songs. As well as ‘Peppermint Heaven’ there was one called ‘Pristine Condition’… which I thought was quite funny and was about someone getting beaten up for being different. The lyric was from the point of view of a person pleading “don’t punch me in the face” … and that that was inspired by what was going on in town at that time. There was one called ‘I think I’m ready for the Electric Chair’ and I think also one called ‘Deeper and Deeper’.”

July 2017

#morrissey #obsessed with the image of moz these conjure up #i think i'm ready for the electric chair... i know it was iconic #the nosebleeds #johnny marr

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ariparri · 1 year

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Dancing, Dueling and Diego Rewrite (parts 1 & 2)

This has been in my drafts since last year in November or September.

This is part of @carewyncromwell’s Rewrite A Sidequest Challenge! She also tagged me to rewrite the side quest involving Diego, well because he's my favorite and I'm biased towards him (//w//) By the way, I’m so sorry this took me so long to make .°(ಗдಗ。)°.

This was originally going to have all six parts in one post, but it was already long enough... I also need to rewrite them because I've changed up a lot of things since this was first made. I'll try and post the others in pairs too. For now, enjoy what I have so far (ง ื▿ ื)ว

I don’t call myself a writer. My writing style is based on how I used to roleplay back in 2013-2014. So I’m very sorry, if my writing doesn’t make sense. Please don’t roast me too hard, I’m sensitive. I was actually very scared to share this here. (´°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥ω°̥̥̥̥̥̥̥̥｀)

It's not that great, but I think I did okay for someone who is trying to get back into writing!

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Part 1 • The Dance Contest

The group headed down to Hogsmeade, with Jae and Carson going to Zonko's while the others headed to the Three Broomsticks. Normally, Diego would have joined the boys, but he's heard from a few members of the Dance Club about Madam Rosmerta's special announcement. So he decided to skip out on the trip to Zonko's.

Upon entering the Three Broomsticks, Madam Rosmerta greeted them with a warm smile. The inside of the tavern was warm and cozy as usual, with students and other patrons occupying many of the tables within. Returning their usual greetings, Veruca leads the group to their usual spot in the tavern, passing a few tables to get to the booth in the back. The four take a seat, Rowan and Chiara taking up the spaces inside the booth while Diego and Veruca take the outer seats. As they waited for their orders, the group chatted amongst themselves.

"Finally," Rowan says as she sinks deeper into her seat, "a day to unwind after all that studying. Any longer at my desk and I would have merged with it."

"Like how you are right now?" Veruca nudges her with a grin on her face. Rowan looks completely relaxed, a lazy smile on her face. "Hey, give me a break! I aim to be the youngest professor at Hogwarts; I need to do what it takes to achieve that goal." The two Slytherins laughed and continued to joke with each other. Chiara watches them with a small smile on her face before turning her attention to Diego.

"I'm surprised you skipped out on joining the boys, Diego. "You usually join them to see what Carson gets so you know what to expect when he tries to prank you."

The male Hufflepuff leaned back in his seat and said, "Oh, I'm still worried about what Carson's buying. I'll take a peek in his bag later, so I'll know. But I heard Madam Rosmerta has an announcement to make." This caught the attention of the other girls.

"An announcement?" Veruca perks up: "That would explain why the place seems more crowded than usual. I thought Madam Rosmerta had something special going on today." Looking around the establishment, there were some people that were standing around their tables.

"Excuse me, may I have all of your attention!" Madam Rosmerta stood at the front of the pub, signaling everyone to focus their attention on her. "I would like to announce that the Three Broomsticks will be hosting its very first dance contest! Contestants will form a team of two and perform their dance here in the pub."

After Madam Rosmerta finished up her announcement, the pub was filled with excited chatter. Diego looks over at the girls with a big grin on his face. "A dance contest sounds like an exciting event! I'm definitely signing up for it."

"It does sound kind of fun. What do you think, Veruca?" Rowan nudged her friend, prompting Veruca to hum in acknowledgement.

Veruca shrugs, taking a sip from her butterbeer. "Eh, I guess it's okay. It's not really for me." The other three looked over at her; she didn't seem particularly interested in the competition; in fact, she appeared completely bored as she sipped her drink. Chiara was about to ask if she was okay until Jae and Carson finally arrived.

As they joined them at their table, Carson handed out some snacks and treats he got from Honeydukes. "Honeydukes was having a sale, so I bought a bunch of stuff!" He pulls out some sugar quills for himself, and Rowan makes a grab for them. As she and Carson fight over the sweet treat, Diego takes this time to tell the boys about the dance contest.

"A dance contest! Sounds fun. Hey Veruca you should aah!—" Carson let out a high pitched yelp when Rowan jabbed his side before taking the sugar quills. He glares at Rowan happily munching on the sugar quills. Rubbing the sore spot to soothe it, he turns back to Veruca, "As I was saying, I think you should join Veruca. It’ll be nice to get back into dancing."

Upon hearing this new bit of information, the others were surprised to hear of Veruca's talents since she never mentioned or showed any interest in dancing. Veruca frowned, "It’s not like dancing was something I planned to do forever; it just wasn’t for me."

"What dance did you practice?" Despite the lack of interest on his face, Jae was curious. Veruca didn’t share much about herself other than what people usually asked about. When asked about quidditch, she’ll talk about how her father got her into the sport. If it was about dueling, she'd tell the history of her family’s top duelists and some of the spells they created that she uses today. Realizing it now, Jae noticed that Veruca never really shared these interests as her own; it was always about her family having an influence on her.

"I used to do ballet but gave it up. Like I said, I don't see myself pursuing it," Veruca shrugged, leaning back in her seat. She spoke with an uninterested tone, dismissing any questions the group kept asking. It was clearly obvious that she didn’t want to talk about it. Chiara saw the glint in Diego’s eyes, and she knew from that look that Diego had something planned and was determined to get it done.

═════ ✥.❖.✥ ═════

Part 2 • A Bet Between Duelist

Diego doesn’t see Veruca again until the next day, when he finds her in the Dueling Club room. She was in the middle of a duel with another Slytherin, who looked to be in her second year. Diego recognized her to be Elora Dunn, one of the few Slytherins who enjoyed Veruca's company and usually sought out her help. Veruca wasn't using any of her usual destructive and aggressive spells, so Diego assumed she was training the younger Slytherin.

Elora was holding her own pretty well despite the slight delays in casting some protection spells or countering Veruca's attacks. Meanwhile, Veruca was barely breaking a sweat. She cast spells with ease; she was in her element, easily countering Elora's spells. Veruca took advantage of Elora's delayed reaction, using Expelliarmus to knock the wand right out of Elora's hand, ending the duel.

"Good job, Elora. You lasted much longer than the last time." Veruca gave her a small smile, patting the young girl on her head. Elora lets out a sigh and picks up her wand, "Yet I still lost."

"How many duels you win or lose shouldn't matter. What really matters is that you've been improving, though you still hesitate when you're about to counter." Veruca casts a glance at Diego, who was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He gives her a light wave and his usual grin. Veruca returns the gesture with a pointed look before turning back to Elora. "I'd say we can continue, but let’s call it quits for today. You can go, I’m sure your friends are waiting for you. Someone else needs my attention." Elora lets out a small laugh, "Okay! I’ll see you later, Veruca. Thanks again for training me!" She grabbed her stuff before rushing out of the club room.

Silence filled the room a bit before Diego spoke up, "How charitable of you, Veruca. I always knew you were selfless. I mean, why wouldn't you be? You were willing to help Rowan become a prefect. You even helped Ismelda when Emily was bullying her, despite your past interactions with each other. And then there was—"

"Alright, what do you want?" Veruca cuts him off before he can continue droning on. Knowing Diego, he'll go off on tangents just to praise anyone worthy of it. "Quick to the point, too!" shrugged the Hufflepuff. "Well, I'm genuinely curious why you'd give up dancing. Especially with how you're quick to dismiss anyone's questions about it."

"Diego, why are you so insistent on knowing? Everyone else dropped the topic, yet you can't seem to do the same."

"Because I can tell from the look in your eyes that it's more than just you losing interest in it." He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in for Veruca. He can see the internal battle going on through Veruca's eyes. While it's true that Veruca doesn't usually talk about herself, it's kind of easy to see right through her if you knew her well enough to get past her high walls. Diego steps closer to Veruca, placing a hand over her shoulder for comfort. "Did something happen that affected your passion for ballet, that it would make you quit altogether?"

Veruca remained silent, staring into Diego's eyes for any sign of... something. But what? What exactly is she looking for? Diego is a genuine and sincere guy; he hasn't done anything that would hurt her. Veruca's hands feel sweaty. How long have her hands even been clasped? Sensing no deceit, Veruca lets out a heavy sigh. "When I was still attending a school for ballet, there was a classical ballet that I wanted to play in. It was important to me that I get in, even if it was a background role."

"What ballet was it?" Diego inquired. Veruca doesn't usually like sharing her problems with others. It might be because of her pride, or she just genuinely doesn’t want people to get involved with her issues.

"Sleeping Beauty. My nana loved the fairytale so much, I wanted to get in just for her to watch. But I couldn't."

"And what happened? Were all the roles taken?"

Veruca shakes her head, "I failed..." She shifts her weight, leaning on one foot. Not knowing what to do with her hands as her fingers kept clenching and unclenching, she wrapped her arms around herself, her hands grasping onto her upper arms. "I didn't stick the landing. I lost my balance upon landing and fell over. I almost got hurt in the process."

"Sleeping Beauty is one of the hardest classical ballets. One mistake though shouldn't stop you from that. There's nothing to be ashamed about."

"Diego, I'm more ashamed that I couldn't do something nice for my nana after telling her I'd get a part. I practiced that dance every day, only to fail in front of everyone at the audition. My nana… She was upset when she heard the news."

"Are you sure she was upset that you didn't get the part, or because you were dancing for someone else's enjoyment and not yours?"

Veruca didn't answer. In truth, she actually didn't know how her Nana really felt. She had been so caught up in her emotions that day that it may have felt like her nana was upset at her. "It doesn't matter now... I've given up dancing altogether. I don't plan on getting back into it."

Diego was silent. He knew something bad must have happened to Veruca to cause her to quit. But he never expected her to feel so much shame from it. His gaze on Veruca never left; he saw how her face was scrunched up, the many emotions clashing in her eyes, and her arms wrapped around her as if she were protecting herself. He's never seen her look so vulnerable before.

"I have an idea!" Diego loudly proclaims, causing Veruca to flinch from the sudden outburst. "How about we duel? And not our usual duel—a bet, so to speak. I think it would do good for both of us if we put some stakes on the line."

When Diego insisted on a bet, Veruca was skeptical of him. Having already experienced the intense glare of a McQuaid and feeling the absolute dread that the gaze evokes, Diego immediately gives his reason for challenging Veruca before she can use her glare on him. "Look, you like a challenge, right? Obviously, I'm not going to get a direct answer from you, so how about we place bets? If I win the duel, you have to be my partner for the dance contest."

"And if I win?" Veruca asks. "If you win, I'll find someone else to join me, and I'll never bring up your dancing history again," Diego simply shrugged.

After a moment of contemplation, Veruca agrees to duel. After all, Diego was right; she loves a challenge and wouldn't turn one down. She takes pride in her dueling skills and her family’s history of spell creation. Dueling is just a family hobby for her, something she can handle with ease.

After a long, hard duel with aggressive and destructive spells being cast left and right, it ultimately ends with Diego being the victor, leaving Veruca completely surprised. "It looks like I've won, Veruca." Diego strode toward the girl, a proud expression on his face. "And now, you'll have to be my partner for the contest." "I promise you, you will have the time of your life," he says as he clasps his hands over Veruca's. "And you won't ever feel the fear or shame of performing again."

Veruca rolls her eyes, pulling her hands away from Diego's. "Yeah, yeah. So what now? When do we start?"

Diego shakes his head and says, "It's not when, but where and with whom." We are going to head to Professor McGonagal. Before we can start practicing, we need to help you build up your confidence."

"My confidence?" Veruca raises her brow. "What does Professor McGonagal have to do with that?"

"Professor McGonagal is the advisor for the dance club. Who better to seek advice and encouragement from than her?" Diego happily says, taking Veruca's hand again and leading her out of the Dueling Club room, heading towards the Transfiguration Class. Veruca doesn't say anything but lets Diego drag her along.

#ariparri #HPHM Rewrite a Sidequest #veruca mcquaid #diego caplan #dieruca #elora dunn #hogwarts mystery #hphm #harry potter hogwarts mystery #hphm mc #hogwarts mystery mc

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secretlywritingstories · 1 year

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So there is this online space where I met a lot of great friends. We’re a whole group. It started as an anonymous chat room with weekly productivity chats, partly for fic writers, which eventually evolved into daily chats and hanging out while also doing productivity rounds. It’s been running steadily like that for actual years by now, and it’s such an ingrained part of my routine.

It’s now were I’ve met some great people that I consider very dear friends. We’ve watched movies, we’ve got a discord, we’ve done book club, we’ve had video chats, there has been irl meet-ups and will be more in the future. It’s just great, and I don’t know how to imagine not having these incredibly cool people in my life and coming into that online chat almost on a daily basis. Sometimes for hours and hours while hanging out online, sometimes just for a quick chat.

While some fandom backgrounds are shared, we’re also all over the place with what we enjoy, though there are an overwhelming amount of writers and I am almost always in the chat when I am writing. We get to share sentences, cheer each other one, beta each other’s fics, exchange ideas, ask for opinions. It’s such a lovely and creative space and I am sure it helps keep me on track with my writing.

And then today, BAM, out of nowhere, we were told that the space that hosts our daily chats might shut down. Instant confusion. Imagine us all running around like headless chickens. We took to the discord of course, reached out to each other through dms, made a new online chat on the site that we’ve used as back-up before. And yet, devastation traveled through us all, almost as if we were one collective being.

We were instantly trying to look up other sites that could host daily chats and testing out their features, making Google Forms to come up with ideas, Google Docs to figure out what we’d want our homes to look like. Just a collective effort to instantly find a new home now that “ours” had so rudely been foreclosed on without warning. It really felt like we were standing homeless out there in the street. It was a time where I was very thankful for both the shared tumblr and the discord server.

Not that we’d all suddenly lose each other, but it felt like it could have scattering effects on the group as a whole. And it’s a very dear group, with a routine that many of us treasure. Now it looks like we might have our home back, after what is just half a day thankfully. The relief I personally felt coming into the white chat with the blue border, our little names with pronouns and emojis and control over our username colours.

When trying to write what we wanted in our online home, I could just think of all that we have in the original one. Here’s to hoping that it stays open and we do not get a scare like this again. But we can never know. Online spaces are fragile, we are not guaranteed to keep them. Just like tumblr could one day vanish too, which would honestly hurt my heart so much.

But for the group of people that I am happy to call friends, I was very reassured to see how we all scrambled and worked together. It was a mutual effort, a mutual desire to continue to have a shared house we can stroll into. We can get work done, cheer each other one, catch up and hang out. It is incredibly lovely to see how much that was valued by us all.

#personal #friendship #my tumblr dabbles

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scotianostra · 1 year

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November 23rd 1909 saw the birth of the historical novelist Nigel Tranter in Glasgow.

Tranter is the most prolific Scottish writer of all time, writing mainly factual and fictional books related to Scottish history, if you haven’t read any of his work I recommend you do, the attention to detail takes nothing away from enjoyable stories. In my opinion the only other Scottish writer to come close to the volume and quality of work in this field is Sir Walter Scott.

His grandfathers were church ministers, and a great-grandfather invented the Tranter pistol. He was descended also from James Watt, inventor of the steam engine. He himself wanted to become a restoring architect, but the early death of his father forced him to stop studying. Instead he trained as an accountant and worked in the Scottish National Insurance Company.

He served in the Royal Artillery during World War II.Tranter went to George Heriot’s School in Edinburgh, which may have inspired his love of castles. His earliest writing on these was at the age of 13. As a boy he spent hours cycling to castles and mansions, and drawing them in meticulous detail, before going on to write about them in his first published book, The Fortalices and Early Mansions of Southern Scotland, 1400-1650, at the age of 22. This was followed by the five volumes of The Fortified House in Scotland. In later life he loved to take visitors out to castles and assisted many castle restoration projects in Scotland such as Fa’side.

Nigel married May Jean Campbell Grieve in Athelstaneford Church in July 1933 and they had two children. He and May worked together on The Queen’s Scotland series, giving a short history of parishes in four Scottish regions until her death in 1979, when the project stopped.

Their son Philip was a climber, who sadly died in a car crash in 1966 on his way home from an expedition in the Dolomites. Tranter wrote No Tigers in the Hindu Kush from Philip’s notes.

The Bruce Trilogy sold over 1 million copies and he had fan clubs in many countries. He also wrote Westerns, using the pen name Nye Tredgold.

“We Scots are different, not better, but long live the difference”

There is a lot more on Nigel Tranter at the following link http://cunninghamh.tripod.com/2001/index.htm

#Scotland #scottish #writer #historian #Patriot #history

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sunnyrosewritesstuff · 2 years

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13, 16, 19 and 25 from fanfiction writing asks please! (if you want of course 😉)

LOL YES! I would love to. 🥰

13. Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what have you been listening to recently?

I used to a lot more than I do now. 🤣 I have this playlist that I literally just call "Lyricless" and that was my ONLY writing playlist forever! Now, when I'm writing Haddotin I actually have a playlist I call "Haddock's Radio" full of upbeat songs from the 60s and 70s and that's definitely a writing mood. But I've been stressing myself out with deadlines so recently it's been silence or whatever is on TV. 😓

16. Do you write by hand, on your phone, or on your laptop?

Okay, so when I was still in college, I carried around a notebook with me that was my "writer's notebook" and as I was taking notes in class, I was writing simultaneously. 😅 But now? Only the laptop. Phone is for reading, laptop is for writing.

19. Do you enjoy creating OCs or do you prefer to stick solely to canon characters?

I actually answered this one here! But I did only talk about Hobbit OCs, so I will say I really want to use more of the OCs I made for the Sailor's Club: Hurley, Davey, Fisher, Porter, and Rip. Just cuz...I feel like Haddock needs more friends and I like rowdy groups (aka the Company 😆)

25. What’s your favorite part of the writing process (worldbuilding, brainstorming/outlining, writing, editing, etc)?

All of it.

Lol that is true! I do enjoy all aspects of the writing process (although actually writing is kicking my butt rn), but I think my favorite is the outlining. It's getting that chance to see those brainstorming ideas which were fun and definitely sparked the fire, actually starting to take the shape of a story. And then it's not just 1 scene I'm excited for anymore. And my outlines are kinda ridiculously thorough. 😅 So it makes the writing process easier when I have a solid outline.

Ask Sunny Stuff for Fanfic Writer Appreciation Day!

#sunny answers stuff #writer stuff #fanfic writer appreciation day #honestly? my fics that have been stalled out rn are the ones without an outline

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yegarts · 2 years

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“I Am YEG Arts” Series: Darrin Hagen

Speak less and listen more. It’s one heck of a resolution, and one Darrin Hagen made decades ago. His reason? You don’t learn much while you’re talking, and Hagen wants to learn. Consequentially, as pandemic fate would have it, he’s had more time than ever to work on that. While some of us were perfecting our sourdough, Hagen spent his hiatus taking comfort in his first love: music. He’s been writing about it, composing it, producing videos, and learning how to share it all digitally with the world. If that isn’t exciting enough, you can also look forward to the two plays he’s bringing to this years’ long-awaited Fringe Festival. Writer, performer, composer, and listener—this week’s “I Am YEG Arts” story belongs to Darrin Hagen.

What keeps you choosing Edmonton as your place to live and work?

I arrived in Edmonton four decades ago and never intended to stay, but good things keep happening to me here. Edmonton has always opened doors to experiences I never could have had anywhere else. It’s also a big anniversary year for me: 40 years living in Edmonton, 35 years since Guys In Disguise made its debut at the Fringe Festival, and 25 years since the publication of The Edmonton Queen.

Tell us about your journey as a storyteller of queer history and where you hope it takes you next.

I never try to predict or anticipate what’s next—and I think that’s the secret to moving forward. I didn’t write The Edmonton Queen 25 years ago to be political or to fulfill an agenda. I just wrote what I had experienced and what I was feeling. We are all the authorities in our own lived experience, and for whatever reason, I’ve lived through some pretty unique circumstances, and that’s given me a distinct outlook on the world around me.

I’m a history nerd and love research, so I’ll just keep digging and expanding my knowledge of what the Queer population of this province has endured. It’s important for the young Queers to understand the struggles of prior generations in order to fully appreciate and protect the privileges we now enjoy. And it’s important for the elder Queers to know that their pain and their efforts were not in vain.

I recently did a Zoom call with the gay seniors group and told stories of the many moments where I was in drag, dealing with the media that not only didn’t understand my gender fluidity, but didn’t even possess the vocabulary to describe it. The session was a blast and made me realize that I have many more stories to tell. I do feel a shift toward creating documentaries, though. Again—that’s not something I ever could have predicted—but it began to happen, and I am very open to it!

What’s your favourite part of the creative process?

I love that moment when you stop trying and just allow the art to happen—the moment where effort becomes effortless. It doesn’t always happen, but it’s so good when it does. After I’ve composed some music, my favourite part of that process is spending a few hours just listening. I also love that moment on stage when you’re in the last seconds of a play, and you can feel that it worked.

What does community mean to you, and where do you find it?

My answer to this has changed many, many times over the years. For a long time, it was in the club scene—the world of Flashback both saved and inspired me. Then it was the world of activism that was my foundation. Then for years it was the theatre scene. But I think through all of that, the people who enjoy my work and honour it by spending time with it are the community that means the most to me. My creative output is a conversation between them and I, and some have been on this journey with me since the days I was spewing Life cereal all over the Flashback stage in the early 80s. They’ve allowed me to grow, and struggle, and sometimes triumph.

The pandemic years have also shown me that my world has gotten very insular as I devote my time to solo creation. I think that’s a natural progression, as I morph into an artist that’s newly intrigued by digital dissemination.

What has surprised you most over the course of your writing career?

I don’t think I was ever really meant to be a writer, so everything I write is still a surprise. I’m surprised by some of the advances around Queer equality—most of the activists I knew couldn’t have predicted how quickly things could progress. I’m also surprised at how quickly language has changed in my lifetime. That kind of change used to take centuries, didn’t it?

It is said that to be an activist is to speak, and to be an advocate is to listen. You’re known for both. How is each reflected in your current work?

I made a New Year’s resolution decades ago to speak less and listen more. Anyone who knows me can tell you what a struggle that can be for someone as verbose as I. But I say it to myself every December 31: One doesn’t learn much while one is talking. I want to learn.

I have also spent decades interviewing people—first for Outlooks Magazine, then for HelpTV, then many, many interviews with Queer elders for the many Queer history projects I have been working on. It’s important to leave room for people to speak. As I get older, I get less and less interested in being the one speaking. When I do, I want it to be measured and thoughtful. That’s why I hate social media.

Metronome at Workshop West, directed by Heather Inglis.

What excites you most about the YEG arts scene right now?

I’m intrigued to see what new art and which new voices will emerge from the darkness of the pandemic. I had a very productive time composing music and learning how to edit video, and am about to start releasing music I made during the hiatus. I’ve already seen and heard some brilliant things. Society experienced something huge. The ripples will never stop.

Tell us about the importance of mentorship throughout your career and what it’s taught you.

Working with other writers makes me a better writer. I had some inspiring and generous minds that gave me early encouragement/advice. I feel a duty to pay that generosity forward.

The Queer community is in a situation now where a lack of mentors has created an impasse, or a gap, between generations. This has resulted in a population unaware of the struggles that came before. We should be building bridges between the present and the past. The more Queer history work I do, the more important that seems.

Describe your perfect day in Edmonton. How do you spend it?

A perfect Edmonton day is spent in my garden with a friend or two.

You visit Edmonton 20 years from now. What do you hope has changed? What do you hope has stayed the same?

In 20 years I will be 78. What I hope to see is a provincial government that has finally stopped fighting Queer equality. I also hope I see seniors’ homes for the Queer elders who changed the world for the rest of us. I hope the river valley is still natural and unspoiled. I hope the Edmonton Arts Council is still helping Edmonton artists contribute to the vibrancy of our city.

Want more YEG Arts Stories? We’ll be sharing them here all year and on social media using the hashtag #IamYegArts. Follow along!

Visit Darrin Hagen’s Vimeo to discover his digital catalogue of new music and art, and be sure to catch his upcoming Fringe 2022 plays: Crack In the Mirror (Varscona Theatre) and Pansy Cabaret (the Roxy).

About Darrin Hagen

Darrin Hagen is an award-winning playwright, author, composer, and Queer historian whose plays have been produced across Canada, in the US, and Europe. Since The Edmonton Queen (published by Brindle & Glass), he has created art that is a unique window into gender and history. During the pandemic, he turned his attention to creating video art and has done a deep dive into Queer history research, including many hours working with MacEwan’s Edmonton Queer History Project.

He has been Artistic Director of Guys In Disguise since 1987, has received 7 Sterling Awards for his work in Edmonton Theatre, and an AMPIA for his broadcasting work. Other plays include, Tornado Magnet, BitchSlap!, Witch Hunt at the Strand, Buddy, The Empress & The Prime Minister, Metronome, and the upcoming Pansy Cabaret.

Together with his collaborator, Trevor Schmidt, he has created a decade’s worth of hit Fringe comedies, including Flora & Fawna’s Field Trip, Flora & Fawna Have Beaver Fever, Dragula, Psychobabble, Prepare for the Worst, Puck Bunnies, Don’t Frown at the Gown, Klondykes, and the upcoming Fringe hit, Crack In The Mirror.

Hagen has been named one of the 25 Most Influential Alberta Artists in the Past 25 Years, as well as one of 100 Edmontonians of the Century.

#yegarts #edmonton #IamYegArts #ArtistFeature #yegtheatre

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violetsystems · 2 years

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#personal

Week after week writing down here can trick me into thinking sometimes that I'm part of some wider culture. It is true that Tumblr is about the closest thing I have to offer in terms of contemporary American culture. (Freedom of speech, baby!) What isn't very clear to me is who all actually reads these. This as a writer is a challenge because you need to know your audience to effectively communicate. Otherwise I'm just down here babbling to myself. I've become confident over the years that nobody really knows who I am other than my friends. I tend to make friends because I like to communicate with people like me. These days I feel pressured to reconnect with the past to stay alive financially. Down here we connect together in the things we share and grow from them in ways deeper than currency or clout. Culture is always evolving and yet on the American stage it is always judged. Mostly because America fears the power disruption in the culture wars it referees. America is a judgmental society. It cannot stand ambiguity even as it touts ambiguous religious and personal freedoms that can be manipulated in a court of law. It literally fights wars all over the world under the pretense that we are the template of freedom and equality. There is an entire Supreme Court that ambiguously agrees during the selection process to protect women's rights. Somewhere deep in the secret halls, dying old men are judging the future of women's rights and quite possibly more regardless of what they testified to not do. No matter where you are on the moral side of the debate of abortion, you can't really get white christians to agree all killing is wrong. Especially when the second amendment floats out there in the distance. I applied for a gun permit. I'm historically anti gun. That license was issued late March. The mail has still not properly delivered a piece of highly sensitive federal identification. So there's a lot of double standards I'm used to with my country. It's a great salesperson. It showers money all over the world to fight valid wars it could have made not happen with better diplomacy. America is all talk and explanation. I had to wake up this morning to Chet Hanks from the cast of Empire in the hot seat defending cultural appropriation with an eloquent line of poetry. "Social justice warriors can kick rocks.” This is the guy that speaks for the streets. You have a clearly defined good cop and bad cop in that interview. But they're both cops in the acab sense of the word. The son of a rich actor on a television station bought out by one of the five richest people in the world. And I'm down here defending my right to breathe in languages other than English poetically.

The dialogue at the root is valid but the culture wars have a different agenda. There is a massive power struggle in America that is Sisyphean in nature. My vision of America has always been about personal identity and individual rights. We all try our best to stay in our lane and respect each other. The mosh pits I grew up in taught me that most of this is a dance. But the pits grow wildly more violent in nature. People get hurt, subjugated, and left for dead. In terms of mosh pits, I have been clashing with racists most of my life. I called out a group of skinheads in my twenties at an all ages music venue called off the alley. This was a club where I first met my ex boss decades ago who now pretends I don't exist. One of the skinheads from that crew inexplicably was hired later on in my life at the same art school we all worked at. It fucked me up because only I knew about this guy's past apparently. He was fired later for sexual harassment. As fresh in my mind as the fresh cuts on their heads, I actually talked to one of the nicer ones that converted on Facebook recently. I tend to not reconnect with my past as a sort of protest for these people never coming out with their past. But I am in the process of looking for a job in a world that pretends I'm dead. This guy who worked on mopeds and became a VW mechanic was part of a group of punks who hung out at the Denny's I worked at in the suburbs. They all hung out in the smoking section where we all smoked and drank coffee. One day they went from harmless ska punks to bald, flight jacket wearing Neo nazis standing on the edge of every pit. At a jawbreaker show possibly is where I saw them fraternizing with skinhead recruiters. I confronted them at the local denny's. I told them I cared about them getting into something they didn't understand was hate. They told me to shut my mouth or they would come for me and beat me up. From there on out, they pretended I didn't exist. That is until much later where they pretended it never happened. I live with this memory of being anti racist and that is part of my culture. They probably only talk about how weird I am online with my relationships. The history there is buried worse than my dj career. But this is how it goes down. And the narrative is probably only read by a few people enough to know that I am deeply triggered by anything hate related. No matter how free you want to keep this country, the memories of the lies are held at my own expense. I keep the contacts on Facebook messenger just the same in fear of losing any history I have to stay employable. But my past is just a pothole at this point that collect rain and tears.

America lies. It expects you not to question it because it is a class actor. It will make you feel guilty with undeniable religious fervor. Everyone is free here to worship their own god as long as it's part of a larger group. You are so free that separation of church and state is a bit of an inconvenience for the wider agenda. The vacuum cleaner salesmen mentality has graduated to peddling freedoms we already have constitutionally. Those freedoms are violated often. The only way to salvage them is to get a lawyer and fight in a court of law. Freedom in America is bought and sold. And anything that upsets the status quo will find itself fighting dirty. America fights dirty all the time. It lies. It cheats. It excuses itself. It points the finger at other people. It lives off the idea of creating an other like a moving target. So much so that it will find a scapegoat in the people it claims to represent. I don't particularly identify as anything but myself. I have a lifetime of protecting people. Standing up for people that aren't like me. And the way I am rewarded is bittersweet. You can only protect what you can be responsible for and control. And most of what I feel like I keep sacred are my relationships down here. They're more crypto than blockchain. You have my word I don't really talk to anyone about anything other than ambiguously. It's the American way. I tell my parents I am dating. They don't seem to know how to pry any deeper. I tell old acquaintances that I'm happily maintaining relationships I'd like to keep private. Then it's the same old bullshit. Let's get together and talk loudly about it in public. Let's get the band back together. Let's play the old FBI game of infiltration and subterfuge. Let's forget you all congregated together and apologized for each other being skinheads for one entire summer. Then suddenly became members of a rival SHARP crew. Sheep. Flocking together. Judging and roasting each other to cover up for their own inadequacies. Brushing away the problems they've inherited. A culture of imperialism and colonial ideals mutated into an ugly mess of I told you so. If there's one thing I told you I was better off at all these years, it was staying out of America's bullshit altogether. I only hope I can afford to last. It's been close to two years of unrelenting judgement and hell with no chance to speak my mind except down here. I don't think there's anywhere else where the love is more true. And I do love you very fucking much. So much so that I keep it to myself for fear of the rest of the world fucking it up. If I can hold my own against these shitheads for over two decades, I can wait for you to cross my threshold one day. <3 Tim

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shititbe · 3 years

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Anyway, HSM2 is about internalized homophobia, and no one can tell me otherwise.

High School Musical is one of the most beloved franchises in the world. Teenagers all over the world grew up watching Troy and Gabriella harmonize together. Three movies, and nearly a decade later it’s still beloved by all. The first film easily forgotten in the ashes of the early 2000’s, the third film stuck in a purgatorial limbo of the rather unfortunate late 2000’s. The second film on the other hand sticks out between the ruckus.

The second High School Musical film takes place at Sharpay and Ryan’s family country club, during the summer between junior and senior year. The Wildcats are working summer jobs on the country club, often forced to the beck and call of Ryan and Sharpay themselves. Sharpay uses all her prestige to help Troy with college instead of starting at the bottom ( or rather, in the kitchen washing dishes) with his friends. In the time she’s helping Troy, she is also pushing her brother away; replacing him with Troy in their musical number for the talent show, and refusing to hang out with him in preference for Troy. Ryan becomes vengeful to his twin and starts hanging around the Wildcats in the kitchen. At first, he was met with some distasteful looks and words (most of which from Chad). With the help of Kelsey, and her neutral party, Ryan fits in smoothly with the other teenagers, eventually giving the WildCats all dance lessons.

Throughout the movie, the main conflict continues to be the internal conflict of Troy Bolton. He debates over and over again if he should go through with Sharpay’s shenanigans, or if he wants to “listen to my own heart.” This of course involves Gabriella, as she is Troy’s love interest. She’s not in the second film except for the beginning, then, where she leaves in the middle of the film - in order to create angst for Troy - then when she shows up again in the finally to sing/rejoin Troy.

The conflict in the second film is the combining of Troy’s two worlds. His first - his main world in the first movie, that hence became his secondary world - which is represented by Chad. Then his secondary world - which becomes his main world in this movie - which is represented by Ryan. Chad represents Troy’s masculinity, or his more idealized version of himself. Ryan represents Troy’s femininity or his current version of reality. These two worlds collide in the iconic song “I don’t dance”.

Since this movie - and hence this scene - came out in the early 2000’s, a lot of the innuendoes went over people's heads. Luckily, as the children who watched this movie grew older and more experienced, and the world became more accepting, we’re able to see this song for what it is.

Before getting into the lore and symbolism of the iconic “I Don’t Dance” sequence, context is needed. For most of human history, homosexuality was seen as a sin in all places except ancient times (see: Greece and Japan). The modern age is the most accepting on all fronts, such as sexual orientation, race, and religion. In the early 2000’s, High School Musical director Kenny Ortega was not publicialy out yet. He wouldn’t be till 2014.

Originally, while writing this, my first thought was that Kenny - the director - would be using Troy as a y/n type character to project his insecurities and struggles with masculinity, and what that means in defining his orientation and societal views that would be placed upon him. Then, it came to me later that this is in fact not the case, Troy (and Gabriella - who is in fact a y/n character for the female audience) is more of a character for a man of his time, confused with his own ideals of masculinity and the views of society because, “oh god, I can’t like theater/drama because only queer people and girls like it!” The second point is pushed further with the Troy and Sharpay sub-plot. Sharpay tries to further Troy’s career as a basketball player, though that’s not what he wants anymore, and Troy is no longer sure if that is what he ever wanted to begin with (enter the song “Bet on it” and the hilarious meme “no dad, I’m giving up on your dream”).

Keeping these things in mind - Kenney’s queerness, and Troy’s struggle to realize you can in fact sing and be a heterosexual, wow, revolutionary - it became clear to me that Kenney’s y/n characters were Ryan and Chad.

For those who aren’t into the arts, or find them too difficult after a singular attempt thinking they could write a world class novel on the first go, let me be the first to tell you every author has a y/n character. First, for those who don’t know what y/n stands for, it’s a popular fanfiction trope where a writer will write a story about a character dating, being friends, and so on, with the reader. The y/n stands for “your name” so anyone can be the main character in this story at any time. For a writer of mainstream fictional work, such as High School Musical, Game Of Thrones, Lord Of The Rings, Pride and Prejudice, Harry Potter, Hunger Games, even most comics. Now, most writers or directors aren’t going to be as obvious as having a character not named (or named y/n) or even named Jane (looking at you Jane Austin), the y/n character of many mainstream authors/directors/comic artists and so on is usually the character they feel or have given the most attributes similar to themselves.

It’s the same reason people have favourite characters. You see a fictional character and you either 1. Want to Bob the Builder them, 2. Some sort of weird sex thing, or 3. See more/the most of yourself in this character. Number three - thankfully - is usually the main reason. Some people just create their own favourite characters. An even easier way to think about this, is just projection baby, that’s psych 101.

Before I went off on a small tangent of fictional works and how human emotion plays into creating them (except anything Disney has made in the past decade, and no you can’t change my mind on that) I mentioned that Chad and Ryan are Kenney’s y/n characters. As a queer person myself, it’s clear for me to see the different struggles each of these characters face and how these reflect the queer experience.

So, let’s finally get into it.

Ryan, without it being explicitly said is clearly a character of what people in the early 2000s think a gay man is. He is effeminate, wearing bright coloured outfits with lots of accessories - namely his signature hats - he is also in the theater department doing musicals, and passive/subservient to any of his twin sisters' wills. Yes, now we know gay men aren’t just feminized men, but in the early 2000’s a gay man who can do "masculine" things like change their car oil, like sports, and so on, break the "effeminate" stereotype thus confused many cishet people. Sharpay is painted as more confident - or, for sake of comparability - masculine to her twin in the first movie, and most of the second movie. Making Ryan a bit of her dog who would do anything to get by - painting Ryan as lesser than human, once more, playing into the homophobia of the early 2000's.

Despite the clear stereotypes playing into his character, Ryan is consistently one of the most confident characters in the movie. The other, being his sister of course. This confidence in himself is what gravitates the other characters towards him, either by being intimidated (Troy, thinking Ryan and Gabriella were a thing), or admiration (Chad, by the end of “I don’t dance”).

Chad, on the other hand, is a whole different ball game. While he is confident in the first movie, and the first portion of the second movie, he begins to break more and more when Ryan becomes a more integral part of the Wildcat group. To keep in mind, Chad is also the most vocal about his distaste for Troy’s artistic past-time. When the other Wildcats join Ryan and begin learning how to dance for the talent show at the end of the movie, Chad is also the most vocal about his distaste. The baseball game where “I don’t dance” takes place, is the climax of Chad’s arc and his turn towards acceptance to Ryan/Troy’s hobbies.

Of course, there is more to the “I don’t dance” sequence than just Chad’s realization - the exact one Troy comes to terms with in the second movie as well - of “oh my god I don’t have to be gay to enjoy stereotypical ‘feminine’ things.” That is the main part of the song though, that and all the sexual tension.

Going back to what I’ve stated previously, Chad and Ryan are Kenney’s projection or y/n characters. Let me do a small recap before we get into the nitty gritty of the famous “I don’t dance” video.

Thinking back to the first few paragraphs, I stated that Kenney wasn’t publicly out till 2014, about 7 years after the second movie came out. This could be due to the fact that a) it’s the early 2000’s and everyones still very homophobic, or b) self-doubt that comes with the queer experience. The most likely reason is a mixture of both of these. Because of this, Ryan is the more self-assured version, or idealized version of Kenney that he wants to be. Ryan is confident, never being swayed about his lifestyle (could be read as: sexuality) even though Chad - and most of the wildcats in the first movie - put him through relentless “teasing” and humiliation. He’s confident, almost to a fault, he’s sure of himself, and yet still reaches out a hand to Chad and the other wildcats to show them that they’re just being, kinda dick-ish.

Every queer person wants to be Ryan. Despite his heavily stereotyped characterization, I personally believe he is one of the stronger written characters in the movies, mainly due to Kenney putting the time in to really make Ryan feel like a real person, to give himself some sort of relief of his own anxieties, a chance to see the world through a person who truly has no fear. Unlike Kenney himself.

This is where Chad comes in.

Chad is seen as “confident” in the first movie, the second Troy “leaves” basketball though, all that confidence comes crashing down. His best friend has another hobby - one he thinks is “not right” (it’s okay, you can say gay), - they wont be spending all their time together (first, can you say dependent relationship much, yikes).Chad’s defining characteristic up until their fight that instigate act three of the second movie, is being Troy’s best friend. I’m going to take this as if this were truly the case, and not a decently written character arch. Some people base themselves around their friends and their whole identity on being a friend, that they lose sight of themselves, this mainly in high school of course, when your whole world is really nothing but school, and friends. Newly developed independence is there, but that’s scary, so instead of worrying about the future, cling to something that’s reliable. I’ve seen this happen, mainly at the end of high school, when the “real world” is coming a bit too close for comfort. This could generally be the case if a person is lonely, but for timeline sake I’m going to say Chad has got some anxiety about graduating (considering the second movie takes place the summer of junior year).

His lashing out at Troy’s hobbies and at Troy’s neglectful friendship, make more sense with that background, and are seen more in the second movie where Troy begins spending all his spare time with Sharpay (trying to collect that BAG!). Chad - and others (read: father) - insists that music is not a feasible career option, and Troy should just stick with basketball (like...that is a feasible career option). The tension Chad creates in the studio only grows when the other wildcats decide to take up Ryan’s offer for dance lessons and move from the kitchen, to helping out with the talent show. (Next essay idea: how high school musical two was really about class all along, cause Jesus).

Chad is the less obvious option for a y/n character. Though again, the 2000’s were not as cool people like to pretend they are. Chad - for Kenney - represents what he actually feels, this fear of being rejected for how he is and how he chooses to live his life/lifestyle, so he sticks to something reliable. Ryan is new, and exciting, and confident in a way that Kenney/Chad wish they could be, but in order for that to happen they need to understand that maybe people are complex creatures, and can enjoy multiple hobbies (aka: the same lesson Troy is teaching the viewers, but far less boring). But, for Kenney/Chad facing that thought and that realization is scary, and thus, they lash out at anyone (read this paragraph as: Chad mad jealous of Ryan cause Ryan bomb as fuck).

All this build up, finally comes ahead in the employee baseball match

******

The baseball game is probably the most memorable scene in the whole High School Musical franchise (minus Sharpay’s “Fabulous” solo, but that’s also from the same movie, and it’s kinda rude to give what’s already the best more points); the tension in the scene, and what it implies makes it the best written segment of all three movies, let alone the most entertaining.

Some things to keep in mind from our background information: Chad is missing his bestie and struggling with what being “masculine” really means for him and others. Ryan of course makes this confusing, because the traditional method is being thrown out the window. In short, Chad has internalized homophobia, and Ryan being open - or as open as Disney would let him - is causing all sorts of problems.

Despite the song, “I don’t dance” being logged into our collective skulls for all eternity (you’re probably humming it right now, sorry about that), the very brief interaction of Ryan and Chad before the game is lost on the public consciousness. The two are clearly comfortable with each other, though the distaste seems to be on Chad’s side more than Ryans. So, the two start playfully jabbing at each other before deciding to do a bat toss to see who will be in the outfield first.

Before they begin the bat toss, Ryan says “You don’t think dancing takes some game?” Chad then very clearly checks him out, doing a simple but effective ‘drag-your-eyes-over-them-top-to-bottom-then-smile’ and says “you got game?” (Seen in gif below)

I don’t know how much you know about sex metaphors and how many of those baseball has in it (seriously though, it’s a lot), but with the bat toss, Ryan’s hand ended up on top, and Chad’s under Ryan’s. Let’s ignore this for now, it’ll be implied again later. Ryan’s team starts out in the outfield because he won the bat toss, and hence, the song officially starts.

The first lyrics (ignoring the chores of “hey batter batter, hey batter batter, swing”) is

I'll show you that it's one and the same

Baseball, dancing, same game

It's easy

Step up to the place, start swingin

This part is sung by Ryan, who is taunting Chad out in the outfield. Before the game, as stated, Chad was taunting Ryan about his lack of “game” (both sexual and not sexual metaphor are implied), and now, Ryan has turned those tables around. Baseball - is seen as more masculine than dancing, not as masculine as football or basketball, but it’s up there. Chad is someone who cares about his masculinity, enough to the point that Ryan playing baseball makes him loose his mind. Makes him question his own personal definition of masculinity, if you will.

Ryan says, “baseball, dancing, same game,” impyling that, to him, baseball and dancing are one and the same. That is baffling to Chad, cause well, how can something meant for girls even be close to something meant for boys.

Chad comes back with:

I wanna play ball now, and that's all

This is what I do

It ain't no dance that you can show me, yeah

This only proves my previous point.

I had a conversation with myself about this, and I’ve decided not to include it in this essay, but a second essay may or may not be possible. Basically the premise - the dancing/”musical” moments of High School Musical are conjured up images by those meant to see them (ie: like a visual hallucination, but, not really) but this scene kinda poo-poos that idea.

Now, the thing I am talking about is Ryan and Chad’s peacocking at each other during the time they sing these lyrics. The movements they’re making could be mistaken for dancing - as we automatically assume it is because of the title and themes of the movie - or it could be them just getting ready for the baseball game. Ryan swings his leg over the pitcher's mound, tossing the ball up and down into his glove, making wavy hand gestures, etc. Chad brushes off his gloves, swings his legs, hits the bat on each foot, and so on.

For the peacocking, Chad makes a mock of the ballerina foot stance before strutting over to the home plate. Ryan laughs at this, which earns quite the smirk from Chad himself (see gif below).

This is when it becomes a conversation.

You'll never know - R

Oh I know - Ch

If you never try - R

There's just one little thing - Ch

That stops me every time, yeah - Ch

Come on - Ch

When Chad says “Come on” it’s when Ryan throws the baseball at him, starting the game, and giving Chad’s team their first strike of the game (get it, it’s funny). Now, obviously we need to talk about the “there’s just one little thing that stops me every time.” As a queer person, I assure you, two of the things that kept me from living my Best Life were 1) my own ignorance of what asexuality was and 2) the fear that everyone I love would hate me for who I am, and what I have no control over.

Sorry to get deep like that on main, but, can any other queer person say different? Obviously, your first point may differ, but my point still stands. In the video/scene there is a very short moment (to which I have condensed into a gif for you all, you’re welcome, and I’m sorry about the quality in advance), of the camera moving over to Chad’s team (or his friends in this case since it’s an employee baseball game) as he says this line (gif below).

I will not be explaining the use of subtly in this essay, but I’m sure you get the metaphor Kenney is trying to use. If not, let me spell it out for you in very simple words. This song has a lot of sexual innuendos (as mentioned pervious with the baseball bat scene and still, more to come), with that in mind, and clearly queer themes at play (as mentioned before, again), this scene only shows Chad isn’t as straight as he leads on. His fear/phobia of Ryan/the arts come from a much deeper place.

In shorter, and much simpler terms: Chad queer.

But, let’s get back to the boy's conversation.

I don't dance - Ch

I know you can - R

Not a chance, no - Ch

If I could do this, well, you could do that - R

Translation: “If I can do this weird, sweaty, dirty, Male thing without blowing a fuse, you can and should be able to dance just fine.”

But I don't dance - Ch

Hit it out of the park - Both

I don't dance - Ch

I say you can - R

There's not a chance, oh - Ch

Slide home, you score, swingin on the dance floor - Both

I don't dance, no - Ch (This is just the chores, you’ll see it multiple times throughout the essay, I just figured if the song is going to be in your head, go all the way right).

Two-steppin, now you're up to bat - R

Bases loaded, do your dance - R

Here we are with the baseball metaphors you’ve all been waiting for ladies and gentlemen. Girls, gays, and non-binary pals. For those who have somehow managed a sheltered existence with access to the internet, lemme help you. Ryan is talking about “loaded bases” both in the context of the game (where it shows each base has one person from Chad’s team on them) and in the term of sex. While you go out there dating - while it’s mostly douche bags and people using it ironically - your nosey friends may ask you how far you got.

“First, second, or third base?” They may ask. Or something like, “oh wow, did you get to home plate/base?” These are simply the rankings of the stages of a sexual relationship. First - kissing, sometimes just handholding, Second - making out, some light groping, Third - full on groping, no clothes come off, but it gets close. While each person has different boundaries, these are the general accepted definitions for the bases.

Home base is obviously full blown sexual intercourse. Since Chad has his “bases loaded” it means he’s done all these things before, just never gone completely to sexual intercourse with someone - in the terms of the song and the history we’ve already established, it’s most likely a male character. This is only proven by Chad’s uncomfortable nature towards Ryan (internalized Homophobia, thank you, returning theme) but his easy, and cocky personality towards everyone else. “bUt thAt DoEsnT pRovE” hush, that’s the final cherry on top. Remember this conversation.

It's easy - R

Again. Previous points have been made.

Take your best shot, just hit it - Ch

I've got what it takes, playin my game - Ch

So you better spin that pitch - Ch

You're gonna throw me, yeah - Ch

I'll show you how I swing - Ch

Ah, the famous “I’ll show you how i swing” a very strong baseball metaphor for everyone. Keeps queer people from defining themselves to dangerous (straight) people, and, well, that’s it actually. This term is mostly used by bi/pan people, though if you want to stay in the closet or are in a dangerous place, it is also used to subtly tell other queer people you are in fact, not straight. My favourite is when this term came into play when President Buchanan got elected in 1856 (for those that don’t know, he’s the first and only gay president).

You'll never know - R

Oh I know - Ch

If you never try - R

There's just one little thing - Ch

That stops me every time, yeah - Ch

This is again, the same lyric as before it doesn’t pan, and the tone is much different. The camera stays on Chad as he says this line, meaning he’s reflecting, he is now his own problem, the person that is keeping him back. His friends are not on his mind anymore, which is good, Ryan’s Gay Propaganda has been working.

Come on - Ch

I don't dance - Ch

I know you can - R

Not a chance, no, no - Ch

If I could do this, well, you could do that - R

But I don't dance - Ch

Hit it out of the park - R

I don't dance - Ch

I say you can - R

There's not a chance, oh no - Ch

Slide home, you score, swingin on the dance floor - Both

I don't dance, no - Ch

Lean back, tuck it in, take a chance - R

Swing it out, spin around, do the dance - R

I wanna play ball, not dance hall - Ch

I'm makin a triple, not a curtain cal - Chl

I can prove it to you til you know it's true - R

'Cause I can swing it, I can bring it to the diamond too - R

You're talkin a lot, show me what you got - Ch

Again, like the beginning of this song, this is a heavy base for flirting and sexual tension, which this song is drowning in.

Stop swinging - both

Hey - both

This is the part where they all start a flash mob in the middle of the baseball diamond. Again, alluding to the conversation I had to myself earlier, this only proves my own theory as no one takes notice of this. But, that’s not this essay, this is where I mention how close Chad and Ryan are at the end of the group dance.

Come on, swing it like this - both

Oh, swing - both

Jitterbug, just like that - both

That's what I mean, that's how you swing - both

You make a good pitch but I don't believe - both

Here is yet another (and the final) sexual innuendo. This is actually a rather quick one. Pitching in queer culture is considered the person who tops (because queer people even had to straight-ify their sex lives to “top” and “bottom”), this is the person who is giving, if you know what I’m saying.

I say you can - R

I know I can't - Ch

I don't dance - Ch

You can do it - R

I don't dance, no - Ch

Here is where that mosh pit ends, and how they get a little too close to comfort.

Nothing to it, atta boy, atta boy, yeah - both

The rest of this song is simply a mash-up of the baseball game being finished, and this lovely gem.

Now, clearly, Chad’s self conscious nature towards his sexuality is gone, he’s sitting close - if not squishing - Ryan, and talking to him like they’ve been friends forever. Take note of the change of close, most likely due to all the tension at the end of the song, and maybe a little of Chad’s own natural human curiosity built in. Now, I leave you with this note:

If there is anything that confirms all this more, its Chad’s girlfriend wearing the pride colours.

Also note: this could also be seen as a friend helping his bro discover his sexuality and fighting internalized homophobia, but, that’s ignoring the sexual tension, so go off I guess.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.

Watch the full thing here

#high school musical 2 #ryan and chad #do they have a ship name?#troy bolton #high school musical #the original not the remake or whatever the kids have now #ryan evans #chad danforth #Sharpay evans #troy x gabriella #ryan/chad #that baseball scene #yall know what i'm talking about #i don't dance #the gayest scene ever #and gayest song #Anyways: the series #should I write that second essay?#thanks for coming to my ted talk

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serenityseventeen · 3 years

Text

♫ Individual Members Masterlist 2:

back to [navigation]/m.list list | individual mb m.list 3

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This masterlist does not repeat what other masterlists already have

Consists of ONESHOTS, IMAGINES, AND SCENARIOS

Stories with more than one part are in numbered order (from left → right or from top ↑ to bottom ↓)

❥ = my personal favs

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All members individually:

(1/13 requested) Vampire Boyfriend Series - what vampire!seventeen would be like as your boyfriend & as vampires in general

↳ The Letter Box

Love & Letter: To The Thirteen Boys I've Loved Before - inspired by "To All The Boys I've Loved Before" by Jenny Han.

You find a letter box consisting of thirteen letters you never sent to thirteen boys that you've fallen in love with and reread them.

S.coups:

↳ "Hours"

(request) both of you forget it's your birthday but he finally remembers

↳ "Because I Love You" ❥

(request) you flinch because of an argument with him and he feels guilty, telling you to slap him in return for making you flinch

↳ "Sulky" (ft. Jun & Mingyu)

(request) you visit him during practice and talk with Mingyu and Jun, causing him to get sulky and jealous

↳ "Kkeke" (ft. 1997 liners - Mingyu, DK, The8)

(request) you and Seungcheol like each other. You are friends with the 1997 line and they are always teasing you two about it. When they leave, Seungcheol confesses and asks you to date him.

Jeonghan:

↳ "Reassemble"

(request) after you flinch during an argument, he goes into the bedroom when your friends come; after your friends leave, you go to check up on him

↳ "The Other Side of the Door"

(request) Songfic: "The Other Side of the Door" by Taylor Swift - you two have an argument & you hate him but at the same time, need him so bad

↳ "Love Poem" | "Love Poem 2" (ft. Svt members)

(request) You are the princess of the Caerat Kingdom and Jeonghan is the prince of the Svuentin Kingdom. You two get arranged for marriage since birth but as the wedding day ticks closer, you find yourselves truly falling for each other.

↳ "I'm Jealous" (ft. Joshua)

(request) he gets really jealous when you get partnered up with your coworker for a three-legged race. extremely jealous.

↳ "I want to kiss you" (ft. S.Coups)

↳ "I want to kiss you, because I love you" (ft. S.Coups)

(request) you tell him that you want to kiss him seriously but you two are just friends...

Joshua:

↳ "I Like You" ❥

(request) you two are cafe workers and you like him and you finally confess to him

↳ "Gifted"

(request) you see his large hands and compare them with yours

↳ "Wonder" ❥

(Combined request) song fic: "Wonder" by Shawn Mendes - you two are friends but he keeps wondering what it's like to be loved by you, which leads to him unexpectedly kissing you

↳ "060421"

(request) you are sick and joshua takes care of you

↳ "Flutters" (ft. Svt members) ❥

(request) you and Joshua like each other but are too shy to confess. One day, you two get stuck in an art supply storage closet and slowly confess your long term crushes

↳ "Fine" ❥

(request) you break up with joshua... :(

↳ "A Sweet Winter Night" ❥

(request) it's a cold winter night and you spend it sweetly cuddling with your boyfriend while eating yummy snacks and drinking hot chocolate (ft. Your first kiss w/ him + a bit of teasing the gentle sexy)

Jun:

↳ "Just For Kisses" (ft. Woozi)

(request) because of a collab, you and jihoon have to spend a lot of time together talking about music, making your boyfriend, jun, jealous.

↳ "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" ❥

(half requested) a fluffy break-day with a clingy Moon Junhui.

↳ "From a Small Glance"

(requested) you are exhausted from performing and no one notices except jun and he gets worried

↳ "Brother"

(request) brother!jun helping you with your homework

↳ "Special Boy" (ft. Hoshi & The8)

(request) You go to Jun's dorm and help him unwind after he had a hard and long day at practice (ft. Cuddles)

↳ "It's Okay"

(request) you get into an argument with your dad on the phone and Jun calms you down

Hoshi:

↳ "Horanghae 호랑해" ❥

(request) you two argue because it seems like he likes tigers more than you

↳ "Close To You"

(request) he gets a bit jealous and protective so he becomes clingy, handcuffing you two together

↳ "Dispatch's New Year's Couple"

(request) you are the oldest in your group and care a lot for your members and is afraid of creating a scandal that could harm the group. your members and boyfriend, soonyoung, comfort you.

↳ "Moonstruck" | "Moonstruck 2"

(request) you are a servant, working as the stable girl in the kingdom of Svuentin. You're best friends with prince Chan and one day, his brother, prince Soonyoung, comes into your life and starts to like you.

↳ "Spider" (ft. SVT Perf. Unit)

(request) you are on an idol survival program and for a performance, you decide to perform 'spider' by Hoshi, not knowing that he's a guest judge. (ft. A bit of feelings being developed)

↳ "Human" (ft. The8)

(request) Soonyoung is stressed and practicing really hard so Minghao calls you to go and help calm Soonyoung down.

Wonwoo:

↳ [12:07 am] with Wonwoo

↳ "A Warmer Valentine's" ❥

Because you have no lover, you also have no plans for Valentine's day. Your friend, Wonwoo, reveals that he does have plans for the day though. The next day, on Valentine's, he shows up at your door.

↳ "Heartstrings" | "Heartstrings 2"

(request) It's 1993 and Jeon Wonwoo is forced to study classical music by his parents. He meets you, the orchestra club's double bassist and begins to love music as he learns with you. He also begins to love being with you too.

↳ "UwU"

(request) you always call him 'baby' or by his name so one day you decide to call him something new, something like "oowoo"

↳ "To My Growing Child" (ft. Mingyu) ❥

(request) you two are shopping with Mingyu and his girlfriend and Wonwoo mentions that he's glad you aren't pregnant when you secretly was (this if fluffy)

↳ "Warmth Amidst The Snowy Night" ❥

(request) it's a snowy night and he is staying over. you notice that his hands are shaking from the cold and give him a back hug to warm him up.

↳ "Goal" (ft. S.Coups)

(request) you make a goal to win in an activity but everyone but you wins in an activity so Wonwoo decides to purposely lose so that he could see you happy

↳ "Beauty of Colors" | "Beauty of Love" (ft. Mingyu)❥

(request) soulmate au: everyone is born in a black and white world until they meet their soulmate. You and Wonwoo meet and your worlds burst with color. As you two hang out, you two fall in love.

↳ "Just Friends?" ❥

(request) your friend Wonwoo has never been on a date and asks you to go on a date with him as a friend but you try to make it realistic, causing him to see you differently as a woman

↳ "Starry Sea in a Healing Cocktail" ❥ (1)

↳ "Peachy Romance by the Blossoming Waves" (2)

(request) You're on vacation in the seaside and every morning, you get tea from the lounge bar, being run by the bartender, Wonwoo. He always greets you with sweet words and asks why you aren't smiling. Now, it's your last day on vacation.

Woozi:

↳ "My My My Darling" ❥

(request) while cuddling, you tell him how much you love him

↳ "Bonkers"

(request) you two are idols and are dating; he accidentally posts a photo of you two on his public Instagram account instead of his private one

↳ "Like Father, Like Son?"

(request) dad!jihoon: he takes care of his son alone for the first time

↳ "Muse"

(request) Woozi is staying up late trying to write lyrics while he's in writer's block so you go to the studio and tell him to go to sleep, ending up with you two sleeping on the couch

↳ "Hand-obsessed"

(request) you love Jihoon's hands so you cuddle with them, hold them, kiss them, and compliment them

↳ "Your Choice"

(request) You see your ex-boyfriend again and feel a bit of longing toward him. Your current boyfriend, Jihoon, notices this and decides to tell you something.

↳ "Moonlight in Unit 0526" (1) ❥

↳ "Sunshine in Room 0922" (2) ❥

(request) Jihoon is a ghost hunter, he could see ghosts for an hour and he uses this ability to send ghosts to the spirit realm. One day, in apartment unit 0526, he meets you, a human-like ghost who's been stuck in your lonely and cold home for who knows how long.

The8:

↳ "Faults"

(requested) you and Minghao get into a sort of silent argument and you flinch when he points at your phone + both of you fluffily comforting each other afterward

↳ "Galaxy in his Eyes"

(request) being clingy and fluffy; after two weeks apart, Minghao finally comes home and is clingy and cuddly because he missed you and loves you

DK:

↳ "Crazy"

(request) you and Seokmin are friends (he has a crush on you) and he invites you couple bungee jumping

↳ "Perfect: What It Means To Be A Singer" (1)

↳ "Perfect: The Process of Becoming One" (2)

↳ "Perfect: Imperfection Makes Perfection" (3)

(request) You and Seokmin are always in singing competitions, fighting for the first place. Suddenly, one day, Seokmin asks to sing for you, changing your relationship with him.

↳ "Idyllic" ❥

(request) You and Seokmin met through a mutual friend and enjoy watching musicals together as a hobby. One day, Seokmin invites you to watch "Marie Antoinette" with him but truthfully, he wants to confirm whether or not he likes you romantically.

Mingyu:

↳ "Criminal: Ruthless" ❥

(request) mafia au: you are captured by a mafia family as a hacker and he saves you

↳ "Cool" | "Cure"

(request) mingyu x doctor!reader; he gets injured and you care for him a bit. He likes you and thinks you are cool.

↳ "Reunion"

(request) you go to a high school reunion and see your former school crush and just as you were about to leave out of boredom, he stops you and you two talk.

↳ "Little Bits"

(request) Mingyu is your boyfriend and has never kissed you longer than a peck. You ask him why.

↳ "Off To School"

(request) dad!mingyu sending his twin daughter and son to school

↳ "Do You Know My Heart?" (ft. Hoshi & Dino)

(request) You like Mingyu and you are his makeup artist. You get switched and become Seungkwan's makeup artist, causing Mingyu to realize his feelings.

↳ "Maybe I Love You" (ft. Svt members)

(request) You two are childhood best friends and he is busy with work so you hang out with the members. After promotions, he wants to hang out alone but you two end up hanging out with all of the members...

↳ "I Like You Better"

(request) Mingyu, your boyfriend, sees that you have the vocalist of a rock band you like as your lockscreen instead of him.

Seungkwan:

↳ "Second Life" (ft. Joshua) ❥

↳ "Second Life 2" (ft. Svt members) ❥

(request) reincarnation fic: You and Seungkwan are in love during the great depression but you both die in a house fire. You two get reincarnated and you remember everything but he doesn't.

↳ "Beautiful Night" ❥

(request) you write a suicide letter but stop halfway; your boyfriend, seungkwan, finds the letter and immediately goes to find you

↳ "Thrice is Fate" ❥

(request) You never have a consistent schedule when it comes to visiting the cafe. However, you meet a guy in the front of the cafe by chance, but then you meet him again by coincidence. Would you meet him for the third time?

Vernon:

↳ "Sweetest Thing" ❥| "Sweetest Thing 2" ❥

(half-request) he is being tailed by a journalist and reporter and you help him by offering some strawberries...

↳ "Care"

(request) you are not feeling well after surgery and he comes to try and take care of you but you refuse because you don't want to be a bother

↳ "Just Ask"

(request) you two go on a date and you notice that he wants to hold your hand but doesn't (he's been wanting to for the whole day)

Dino:

↳ "LOVE"

(request) Chan likes you like crazy but you don't want to love him because you think of yourself as a burden and you think that he won't like you anymore once he knows you better

↳ "The Arcade Date" ❥

(request) going on a date with your boyfriend, Chan, to the arcade, competitively playing games, and making sweet, fluffy bets

↳ "Significance" | "Significant"

(request) you never really celebrated your birthday, on your birthday one night, you meet a man who is busking and he asks if it is anyone's birthday today (February 11th).

↳ "Promise for Eternity" ❥

(request) Chan on his wedding day with you.

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This masterlist has reached the maximum number of links available/is finished.

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-serenityseventeen

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