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Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then, everything changed when the Dannypocalypse attacked. Only the Danno, master of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years passed and my brother and I discovered the new Danno, a Danno named Danno. And although his dannobending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone. But I believe Danno can save the world.

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Put your hands up 🙌 put your hands up 🙌

'Cause Danny 👻 DIED 😵 FOR OUR SINS 😱🙅‍♀️

🙏🙏😤🫡👌

(Please enjoy this year's 20th Anniversary Dannypocalypse Magnum Opus Rap Song. Special shoutout to @mace-from-outerspace and @bibliophilea for providing some backup vocals.)

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Oops! A little late this year

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sad that it was only a dream ):

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when you’ve got the best of both worlds but you’re kind of half-dead and the government wants to kill you

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everywhere

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Boop!

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honestly when it comes to ladynoir i kinda eat up preconceived notions. like whenever Chat tells Ladybug a story about himself, her brain comes up with something oh-so-totally different than if she imagined it for Adrien.

like if he mentions his room? she would NEVER in a million years think of the grandiose room Adrien has in the Agreste house in the context of Chat Noir. her brain would likely come up with a dimly lit, smaller-to-average size room, probably a little messy, absolutely teeming with anime posters on the walls and a desk with a big monitor and a silly gamer chair with cat ears. just absolutely screaming personality.

and when Ladybug lets slip that she works for her parents? Chat Noir, who has been an employee of the Gabriel company for pretty much his entire cognizant life, would never have his go-to guess be his Lady being a baker’s daughter. No, his brain weirdly enough goes straight for her doing office-type work for her parents, even though she’s 14 and this makes literally no sense lol. (but he’s been extorted by his parents for his entire life so is that really shocking)

she’s always imagined he’d have siblings, but has never been able to decide if she thinks he’s the youngest or oldest

he’s always been fairly convinced she’s pretty athletic in her real life, and probably plays some sports competitively

I just love love love the idea of them being so absolutely flabbergasted when they find out bc they had all these ideas in their head they thought were on the right track and end up being beyond incorrect.

Marinette especially has her brain oh so totally shattered bc the mental image of “civilian chat noir” was so absolute in her head that when it comes out to be reserved, clean-cut Adrien she’s just like ?!?!?!?!? blue screen

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Beautiful Cinnamon Roll Too Good For This World, Too Pure

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This collab was not on my 2023 bingo card

(source)

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writing patterns: last lines

I love the first lines meme, but what about last lines? I find them as vital as first lines, if not more. A first line should do a lot of things (indicate POV, tone, voice) while also catching the attention of the reader and inviting them to read on. But it can be invisible, just a way into the story, and that's perfectly fine because the story is what will amaze/impress/entertain the reader.

The last line, however, is the last impression: it can be a powerful punch, or it can be underwhelming. It's the vibe, the feeling, the aftertaste that the reader will carry with her when she closes the tab/book. It doesn't do as much work as the opening, but a really strong (or really weak) last line might colour what has come before.

For this game, instead of recent fics, I decided to check my longer fics; the last line of a longer piece of work sort of carries more weight, in my mind, idk.

Rules: write the last line of your 10 longest fics. What patterns can you see, if any? Which ones are your favourites?

Something I noticed: in my longer fics, I often have a short epilogue at the end of the story. Like a post-credits scene. I'm including both last lines for pattern-seeking. Also, a while ago, I'd done a before-during-after ask thing and posted some sequels at the end of a few fics. I debated using only the original ending here, but the sequel's last line is what will stay with readers, so I added both.

I. 9 ½ Days (drarry, E, ~70k)

(story) Harry burrowed closer to him, eyes fluttering open. ‘You’re real.’ ‘I am.’ Draco tangled their legs together. It was snug under the covers. ‘Touch me and see.’

(epilogue) Harry took his hand and together they stepped forward into the green, living wood.

II. dirtynumbangelboy (drarry, E, 39.4k)

(story) ‘Home,’ Harry says, nuzzling Draco’s hair. ‘Take us home.’

(epilogue) He wants them to look smashing at the betrothal.

III. The Miseducation of Draco Malfoy (drarry, E, ~38k)

(story) Draco decided he would be happy to spend his life making Harry laugh, and thrust in.

(epilogue) “Let’s give them something good to talk about then,” Draco suggested, and Harry smiled, bent him backwards, and gave him a proper kiss, tongue and all.

IV. The Boy Who Died (drarry, E, ~27k)

Overthrowing the regime will take a miracle, Kingsley had said in the dark Edwardian manor. Draco had smiled at that and gazed at Harry. Indeed. Which is why we’ll win.

V. The Gift (drarry, E, ~26k)

Before [Draco] casts Nox, he takes a last look at his packed trunk, and then, in the whispering night, he allows himself to dream.

VI. Hush, darling (drarry, E, 23.6k)

But Draco holds Harry tighter — and doesn’t let go.

VII. The Unquiet Grave (drarry, E, 21.5k)

Draco glanced at Harry and smiled. ‘I’ll be fine. I have a bodyguard.’

VIII. Through the Looking Glass and What Draco Found There (drarry, E, 17.5k)

(original) This world was fucked up. It had pain and grief and sick people and dead people and stupid decisions and bad hair days and fear and regret—although it didn’t have Smith in leather gear, which was something. It also had Harry Potter, who buried his face in the crook of Draco’s neck, and who liked this Draco, the Death Eater Draco, and that made everything worth it.

(sequel) ‘Pull them down yourself,’ Draco said and kissed him.

IX. The Full Monty (drarry, E, 10k)

First, he goes to the kitchen to make sure Arthur is indeed alive — he is, nibbling at some seeds on the counter — but after that, yes, he goes straight to where Potter is waiting, hopefully all soapy and wet.

X. How to Court your Husband (drarry, E, 5,5k)

(original) Their escorts maintained a discreet distance when they arrived and saw what the princes were up to, and twenty minutes later in the palace courtyard, the Fountain spurted a jet of water the likes of which had never been seen before.

(sequel) Harry smiled and stroked Draco’s face. ‘We’re in no hurry, husband.’

Patterns

JFC. I like my epilogues and codas and sequels, don't I? Lord. I don't think I'd noticed it before as clearly as I do now. This isn't even everything: I actually started a coda for The Gift a while back, and I have a half-finished sequel scene for dirtynumb in my folders. I can just never leave off. But it's true: I do love epilogues.

I end with dialogue A LOT more than I start with it. First lines, I estimated a third of them are dialogue, but almost half of the endings are.

A large majority of my endings involve kissing or cuddling or touching in some way.

There's a fair bit of Draco glancing at Harry and smiling.

In the two fics that have a sequel scene, the original ending is, imo, vastly superior to the sequel's. Hm.

Faves

I like the epilogue ending of 9 1/2 Days; the ending of Unquiet Grave, which works better I think in context; the rather poetic ending of The Gift; the ending of Through the Looking Glass, which, imo, perfectly captures the theme; and the ending of How To Court Your Husband, which is hilarious in context. Several readers commented on that.

Tagging

I'll tag @lettersbyelise @lqtraintracks @the-starryknight @skeptiquex @etalice @coriesocks @gracerene @citrusses @lower-east-side @hogwartsfirebolt @queenofthyme @writcraft @shealwaysreads @phdmama to get the ball rolling.

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He still not spilling the milk at 52

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WITCHCRAFT!!!!!!!!

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joining a fandom discord server is so funny bc you either come out with some of the bestest friends you’ve ever made in your life OR the experience of bearing witness to some of the most insane and specific drama you could imagine