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givemeanaccountalready · 3 months

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You know what I’m most curious about for Milgram? How did the first few days go over? Milgram kidnapped eleven people and threw them in a building with no exits or even a window, had one announce to the others that they were all murderers and they were going to investigate, and how well do you think that went over?

I can see those who were indirect murderers being much more sociable than those who directly took a life. Like Mikoto, who is so sure that all he did was dream and believed that this was some sort of game show, thinks the term murderer is made up and is just chatting away. Or Shidou, whose murder seems to involve his shitty bedside manner (pressuring families of brain dead patients to pull the plug and I think pressuring other patients to go through with risky organ transplants), is probably like yes, everyone must be involved with a death that would be hard to prosecute, I bet little Amane probably was playing with a friend who fell off the playground, cracked their head open, and died. Does she need a trusted adult?

Then you have Haruka and Muu, who directly killed their victims through very personal methods (strangulation and stabbing), who are rightly terrified that the others must have killed like they have and could be killed so they try to stay out of the spotlight. Kotoko, who stomped her victim to death, having the same line of thought as Kazui, a policeman, with needing to carefully evaluate the situation and not act rashly because they both realize that the chances of everyone having the same story as them is slim.

Just imagine the first meal together. It’s tense and awkward, as everyone steals glances at each other and pokes at the food, and then someone (Shidou or Mikoto, probably) breaks the ice.

Shidou: “Why don’t we go around the room and introduce ourselves? I’m Shidou Kirisaki. I’m 29 years old, and I worked as a doctor before coming here.”

Mikoto: “That’s a great idea! I’m-”

Fuuta: “Why are we doing this kiddie crap? We were kidnapped. And why are we eating with this cosplaying brat and a rabbit?”

Es: refuses to react

Jackalope: angry ear twitch

Mikoto: “Chillax. This is probably just one of those new reality shows.”

Fuuta: “You sign up for those, stupid. Do you remember signing up for this, because I sure as hell don’t remember-”

Shidou: cutting in “Language.”

Fuuta: “Are you fu-”

Mikoto: quickly “So, I’m Mikoto Kayano, 23, and I worked for a top of the line advertising company down in Tokyo! What about you, uh?”

Kotoko: “Kotoko Yuzuriha. 20. I was studying law, but I was taking a brief sabbatical before… this.”

Mikoto: “Cool! I don’t think I could be a lawyer. I’m terrible at conflict.”

Mahiru: “Same here! I’m Mahiru Shiina, and I’m 22 years old. I’m in my final year of studying literature at university.”

Shidou: “What about you? You must be in your last year of high school, right? What are you thinking of studying?”

Fuuta: sputtering “I-I’m in college! I’m 20, for God’s sake! I haven’t been in high school for a while. You need to get your eyes checked.”

Kazui: to Amane “Would you like to go next or should I?”

Amane: “You can go first. I don’t mind.”

Fuuta: loudly “I’m not done yet!”

Mikoto: “I thought you didn’t want to do this-”

Fuuta: interrupts “The name’s Fuuta Kajiyama.”

Kazui: “And I’m Kazui Mukuhara. 39. I’m a police officer.”

Kotoko: narrows eyes “A police officer? And you’re here?”

Shidou: to the four remaining “And you all?”

Amane: “My name is Amane Momose, and I am 12 years old. I’m in the sixth grade.”

Mikoto: disbelief “My God, you’re so young.”

Amane: “I’d prefer it if you didn’t offer me any sort of special treatment because of my age. Treat me as you would any other prisoner.”

Shidou: aghast “But you are a child.”

Amane: angry pout and about to argue when

Yuno: does not want to listen to them argue “I suppose I’ll go next. I’m Yuno Kashiki. 18. I’m in my final year of high school. And you?”

Muu: “M-my name is M-Muu Kusonoki. I am 16 years old and in my first year of high school. Please don’t hurt me.”

Kotoko: flatly “The grade-schooler has more guts than you.”

Shidou: “I would argue that she isn’t being foolish.”

Amane: “It would be foolish to ask for special treatment. I do agree with the sentiment but I don’t fear any of you.”

Fuuta: “You’re literally 12. How are you not pissing your-”

Shidou: “Language!”

Amane: “There is no need for censorship on my account. I know all the bad words already. Speak freely around me.”

Fuuta: smugly “Yeah, see? She’s probably heard worse from her classmates.” Points to Haruka. “What about you?”

Haruka: shrinks down in his chair “U-uh, I’m, um, I’m Haruka Sakurai. I’m 17, I think. I’m uh, not very bright. Please be patient with me.”

Shidou: “There’s no need to put yourself down. What year of high school are you in?”

Haruka: “I’m, I’m not. My parents said that, that they’d rather light the money on fire for warmth than send me to high school just for me to flunk out. It would be a better use of-”

Fuuta: angry “That’s fucked!”

Shidou: “Language!”

Yuno: “Hate to say it, but he’s right. It is messed up.”

Shidou: “It is, but there is no reason to use such language in front of a child.”

Amane: “You don’t have to protect me from foul language. I just said-”

Shidou: “What about you, Es? How old are you?”

Es: “15.”

Fuuta: “You have gotta be kidding me! The fate of our lives hang in the hands of a junior high student!”

Mikoto: “Relax. Our lives don’t really hang in their hands. It’s just a TV show.”

Fuuta: “This isn’t a TV show!”

#milgram project #milgram fanfic #shidou kirisaki #fuuta kajiyama #mikoto kayano

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thegayhimbo · 7 days

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Ranking The Stranger Things Tie-Ins:

Now that I've finished the reviews (for the time being), I wanted to do a ranking of all the tie-in comics, graphic novels, and books. Originally, I was just going to do a Top 5 Best and Worst List, but I figured it would be more fun to make a complete list of all the tie-ins while also giving my brief thoughts on each one (especially for those who don't want to read my lengthy reviews). Please note this is all in good fun and just my personal opinion, which can be subjected to change.

Also, this list will NOT include any of the show's episodes, video games, tabletop games, children's tie-in books, the Choose Your Own Adventure book, the Stranger Things Experience, or the stage play The First Shadow.

With that out of the way, let's begin in order from Worst to Best:

#26: Stranger Things Summer Special (See Review Here)

I never cared for Powell and Callahan as characters. They barely have anything to do with the show's main arc, they're NOT funny, and the "bumbling cop" trope is something I've grown tired of in recent years.

The premise of this short, where both of them are conveniently present at key events during season 3 in their lousy pursuit of being "good cops," all the while having constant near-misses with the Upside Down, the Flayed, and the Meat Flayer, is a repetitive joke that quickly grows old. That's not even getting into the huge continuity errors plaguing the short and creating a bunch of plot-holes. Completely unnecessary. Hard pass.

#25: Stranger Things The Bully (See Review Here)

This only ranks slightly higher than Summer Special because I like the artwork better, and it doesn't mess up the show's continuity like the previous comic did. However, that's all this really has going for it.

For whatever reason, they decided to make an entire graphic novel focusing on Troy and James (the bullies from season 1), and all I could think about while reading it is "This is a huge waste of time." I already didn't like Troy to begin with, this comic does NOTHING to improve my opinion of him, and considering that neither James nor Troy have appeared on the show since (and probably aren't coming back for season 5), I don't see what the point of this story was. This paragraph from my review sums it up best:

#24: Stranger Things x TMNT Crossover (See Review Here)

I'm sure there are fans who enjoyed this bizarre trip while embracing its absurdness and surrealism, but I am not one of them. I like TMNT and I like Stranger Things, but I draw the line at saying both properties exist in the same universe. That's not even getting into the haphazard attempts by the writers to make this comic canon with the show. Knowing the Duffer Brothers, that's likely not going to happen.

#23: Stranger Things Tales From Hawkins (See Review Here)

The idea of doing an anthology comic focusing on Hawkins residents was intriguing, but the end result was disappointing. They should have broadened their horizons regarding which characters to focus on, and not just set the stories exclusively in the first 2 seasons.

Murray's story (Issue #2) and the Pumpkin Patch Rivalry (Issue #4) are arguably the best ones. The rest are either forgettable or derivative.

#22: Stranger Things Six (See Review Here)

My first venture into Stranger Things comics. I've come a long way since then! :)

I remember looking forward to this particular comic to learn more about Hawkins Lab, Dr. Brenner, Project MKUltra, and the special kids............only to feel underwhelmed when I actually read it. I wanted to like Francine/Six, but I didn't find her interesting or compelling as a character, and the attempts to include other aspects of the show's lore (i.e. The Upside Down, Terry Ives, El and Kali, etc) felt shoehorned. Combined with the direction season 4 went, and it's a safe bet to say this comic is NOT canon (if it ever was).

#21: Stranger Things Suspicious Minds (See Review Here)

Suspicious Minds ranks slightly higher that Six for doing a better job fleshing out the experiments that were taking place at Hawkins Lab, as well as giving more details about Kali, Terry Ives, the test subjects, and El's biological father Andrew. It helps that Brenner is a threatening presence in this book, and that the narrative excels in maintaining suspense.

However, similar to Six, the events of season 4 render most of this book non-canon. That's not even getting into a major continuity error regarding El's date of birth that sticks out like a sore thumb.

Suspicious Minds serves as a cautionary reminder that if you're a creator and you've planned out a major twist for your show, then you either need to have a direct hands-on approach to how tie-ins are written and approved, or you need to be willing to share that twist with those you've hired to write tie-ins for the universe you're managing.

In any case, it is PAINFULLY CLEAR the Duffer Brothers didn't share information about Henry/One/Vecna with Gwenda Bond when she worte this book (or Paul Dichter for that matter when he helped oversee its development), and boy does it show in the final product. 😖

#20: Stranger Things Kamchatka (See Review Here)

Another example of a comic where the premise sounds intriguing, but they squander it on characters who aren't going to play a role on the show while also giving very little (and in some cases, contradictory) information about the show's lore.

While I liked the darker tone, the Cold War setting, and the spy thriller aspects, the characters didn't do much to impress me, and I was also frustrated by the lack of canon characters (Hopper, Dmitiri, Yuri, etc) who could have been in this comic and weren't. It's not bad, but it is mediocre when it didn't need to be.

#19: Stranger Things Into The Fire (See Review Here)

A sequel that improves on its predecessor (Stranger Things Six). While the comic likely isn't canon for the same reasons Six isn't, I appreciated the personal stakes this time around, I loved the creepy gothic aesthetic they did with Jamie/Nine's hallucinations, and it was nice to see Kali utilized in this story in a meaningful way. Here's hoping the Duffer Brothers wise up and bring Kali back for season 5 because she deserves so much better!

#18: Stranger Things Creature Feature (See Review Here)

One aspect of Season 4 that was disappointing was how little we got to see of the family dynamic with El and the Byers once they moved. It's hinted at, but not explored deeply. Creature Feature dives a little more into that, as well as El's struggles with PTSD, and gives a nice heartwarming scene between El, Jonathan, and Will towards the end that makes the short stand out.

However, the one-shot comic is sadly brief, and it may leave people frustrated about why they didn't go for a longer comic/graphic novel about El and the Byers adjusting to life in Lenora. I would've been interested in seeing that!

#17: Stranger Things The Game Master (See Review Here)

A one-shot comic where we get to see Steve and Nancy back together after the events of season 1 while also getting a surprisingly sweet interaction between Steve and Mike that isn't them griping with one another. I don't care much for Steve and Nancy's relationship, but I did like their attempts to help Mike feel better after El's apparent death. That was enough to elevate this short.

#16: Stranger Things Erica's Quest (See Review Here)

Not a fan of the artwork, but I was happy to witness the Scoop's Troop back together again. I also love how this short confirms Steve has played D&D before, which gives context to that scene in S4 when Dustin calls Steve asking him to be a substitute player in Eddie's D&D campaign.

#15: Stranger Things The Voyage (See Review Here)

Major improvement on Stranger Things Kamchatka. It's highly doubtful the show will include any mention of this comic (though if the Duffer Brothers decide to bring back the Russian arc for S5, I hope they incorporate Dr. Karine as the main antagonist), but the story is scary, suspenseful, and has the kind of gruesomeness you'd expect from an R-Rated horror film.

#14: Stranger Things Darkness On The Edge Of Town (See Reviews Here)

Having grown up reading a lot of murder mysteries, I have a soft spot for the genre. Hearing that Hopper's backstory involved him tracking down a deranged serial killer in New York City back in the 70s while also dealing with a dangerous cult was enough to get me on board with this book.

This novel isn't perfect, but it makes up for its shortcomings in creative ways. Hopper's backstory with the NYPD is fascinating, the story's focus on issues related to poverty, crime, mental health, law enforcement, and societal woes works well (even if they drop the ball towards the end), Hopper's interactions with El in the present are a highlight, and the narrative is effective in keeping the reader invested.

#13: Stranger Things Erica The Great (See Review Here)

A light-hearted graphic novel that bridges Erica's arc between seasons 3 and 4 while expanding on her growth as a character and development as a D&D play. It was cool seeing Erica's friends get their day in the limelight (one of whom might be making an appearance in S5), and the story has enough funny moments to keep the reader entertained.

#12: Stranger Things Flight Of Icarus (See Review Here)

I know fan reaction towards this book was cold when it was first announced, and I'll admit parts of it were hard to read given we all know how Eddie's story ends. I'm not a fan of media that teases false hope to the audience, only to cruelly yank it away.

That being said, I will go to bat for this book: It's well-written, and does a good job expanding on Eddie's character and his relationships with others (Wayne, Al Munson, Jason, etc). I also appreciate the book's themes regarding "forced conformity," and its scathing criticisms towards individuals and institutions (school teachers, law enforcement, students, residents, etc) who scapegoat and punish people like Eddie for existing while allowing (or in some cases, enabling) truly vile people to get away with being vicious and cruel towards "acceptable targets."

Considering how certain individuals on Tumblr and varying social media platforms have been treating others for the past few months, this book couldn't have come during a more relevant time.

#11: Stranger Things Halloween Special (See Review Here)

A delightful Halloween comic taking place before season 1 which centers around the Party telling an urban legend about the Child Eater of Hawkins, which coincidentally has eerie parallels to Vecna. Creepy artwork, an unsettling atmosphere, and a fun twist at the end! :)

#10: Stranger Things Hawkins Horrors (See Review Here)

Same deal as the Halloween Special, except it takes place between Seasons 3 and 4, and features multiple horror stories told by Steve, Robin, Nancy, Max, Lucas, Erica, Dustin, and Mike while they're all trapped in the Video Store during a power outage. The stories are scary and reminiscent of horror anthologies like Tales from the Crypt and Goosebumps, and some of them even cheekily foreshadow certain events that occur in season 4.

#9: Stranger Things Runaway Max (See Reviews Here)

Like Flight of Icarus, this book is hard to read, albeit for a different reason: I don't enjoy stories with characters trapped in abusive situations, and this book does not pull its punches in depicting the utter hell Max suffered through living with both Neil and Billy.

That being said, I grew to have a new appreciation for Max's character because of this book, and I liked seeing her backstory, her perspective on the events of season 2, and her thoughts about the characters she interacts with. I loved seeing her relationship with Lucas develop, I liked her brief interactions with Steve, and there was a satisfying payoff in her standing up to Billy and finally regaining some control over her life. If you love Max's character, this book is for you!

#8: Stranger Things Winter Special (See Review Here)

The closest Stranger Things will ever have for a Christmas Special (not counting the endings of the first two season finales). So many little details (i.e. the way the Party explains different Christmas stories to El and how she visualizes them, the revelation about what happened to the demodog in Joyce's fridge, etc) that make this an enjoyable read.

#7: Stranger Things Lucas On The Line (See Review Here)

One thing I will say for the tie-ins is that I appreciate how they expand the perspectives of characters from the show. Such is the case with Lucas on the Line. It takes place between seasons 3 and 4, and explores Lucas's attempts to come to terms with his trauma, the growing rift between himself and Max, his attempts to balance his strained relationships with his friends and his desire to play basketball and break out of the "nerd" stereotype, and it gives a very brutal but effective portrait of what it's like for Lucas to be one of the few black kids in Hawkins constantly surrounded by people who are either outwardly racist or project their biases and prejudices in truly insidious ways.

There are two reasons I'm not ranking this novel as highly even though it's a fan-favorite: 1.) There are continuity errors that took me out of certain moments while reading it, and 2.) The third act (which is when S4 begins) does a clumsy job tying in with the rest of the book and its themes. I really wish the book had continued with Lucas's story up to the end of S4 instead of stopping halfway through.

#6: Stranger Things The Other Side (See Review Here)

I always wanted to know what was going on with Will in season 1 when he was taken to the Upside Down. This comic thankfully elaborates on that and doesn't disappoint. Will's journey to survive is both intense and terrifying, and the way the comic seamlessly connects itself with the events of season 1 is to be applauded.

I have no clue what the Duffer Brothers plan to reveal in season 5 about the Upside Down and why time froze in 1983 when Will was taken, but considering they talked with the writers and artists for this comic and gave their stamp of approval, I'm hopeful the events of The Other Side won't be retconned.

#5: Stranger Things Science Camp (See Review Here)

Who knew that when Dustin went to Science Camp, he walked right into a Friday the 13th movie? 😂

Don't want to spoil too much about this one, but I had a blast reading it. Dustin's perspective is always entertaining, the comic works as a brilliant introduction for Suzie, and the mystery plaguing the camp is genuinely interesting and has a good twist. High recommendation.

#4: Stranger Things Zombie Boys (See Review Here)

I'm still bitter that the character of Joey Kim never made an appearance on the show despite the camaraderie he had with the Party, as well as how he gave the boys some catharsis from all the shit they were put through in season 1.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the premise of the Party making a zombie movie, and I appreciated how it handled the characters' trauma without being patronizing. The artwork was also impressive and beautiful to look at. Here's hoping we get more comics and graphic novels like this in the future!

#3: Stranger Things Tomb Of Ybwen (See Review Here)

At its core, the comic manages to explore an aspect that wasn't given much coverage on the show: Will's reaction to Bob's death and his attempts to come to terms with it. All of which culminates in a quest Will undertakes when he finds a map from Bob that (allegedly) leads to an ancient Viking treasure buried in Hawkins.

I don't want to give too much away in terms of spoilers, but the story is both emotional, sad, and heartwarming, and it does an excellent job reinforcing the friendship between all 4 boys while also demonstrating the impact Bob had on Will's life.

#2: Stranger Things and Dungeons and Dragons (See Review Here)

Speaking as someone who's occasionally crafted various fantasy scenarios in my head to cope with the stresses of life, this comic was deeply relatable. The show never shied away from emphasizing the importance of D&D to these characters, and this comic expands on that by illustrating why they became interested in D&D in the first place, how they've used D&D to cope with living in Hawkins, how the events of the first 3 seasons factor into how they play D&D, and how the game evolved with them as they continued to get older. It's like the piece of media from your childhood that stays with you as an adult. Arguably the best comic in the series (so far).

#1: Stranger Things Rebel Robin (See Reviews Here)

My favorite book and tie-in of the series. Speaking as someone who's gay, this story spoke to me on a personal level, and there were a lot of parallels I was drawing between Robin's experiences in high school and my own: The fear of being outed and ostracized. The desire to break free and explore the world. Recognizing the injustices that exist in society and wishing you could do something about them. Getting a nasty dose of reality that people you thought you could trust aren't reliable, and may even be more awful than you anticipated. Been there, done that, still dealing with some aspects of it.

It's funny because even if you take out the plot elements relating to the Upside Down, you still get a great coming-of-age story, and one that speaks to many people, LGBT+ or otherwise.

That concludes the ranking and reviews for right now! Thank you again for those who've been reading them! :)

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goodfish-bowl · 2 months

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It Came to Me in a Dream

Part 2

DP Side Hoes Week Master Post

Day 4: Jack Fenton - nostalgia

Summary: Dreams are said to be the organization of the mind while one sleeps, and often reveal something the individual already knew in a new light. Jack Fenton revels in the nostalgia of the proto-portal as he and Maddie put the finishing touches on the full-size version.

Word Count: 602

AO3 Link

Jack Fenton stared at the gaping hole in front of him in absolute awe. After 22 years, lots of lost funding, tested and failed theories, and altering and re-altering of design plans, Maddie and he had finally finished it. The Ghost Portal was finally reaching its final stages of development. He was so excited to have finally reached this point that Maddie had to practically hold his hand to keep him from throwing the power switch before the last touches were put in place. But it was done. Or at least so, so, so very close to being done that Jack could hardly contain himself over it. His, Maddie’s, and his dearest friend Vlad’s dream to reach into the realm where ghosts resided was just hours away from being complete, and absolutely, completely within their grasp after all of these years of hard work. This portal would be their magnum opus, their life’s work! It would be revolutionary, even!

A sense of nostalgia overwhelmed Jack in the moment, bringing tears to his eyes while his loving wife just smiled and shook her head at his reaction. Oh, how he wished his best friend was here to witness this moment with him. Jack would bet Vladdie would be just as moved as he was to finally see this dream become a reality.

At the thought, Jack let out a snort, careful not to mess up any of the sensitive parts he was currently working on. The portal, oh so long ago, back in college, when their club was looking for a purpose other than going ghost hunting in the local areas, looking to make it a science, Jack had an odd dream.

It had been a vivid, wild thing shifting between perspectives and places so quickly but it remained vivid to Jack, even 23 years later. It took him though their lab, both modern day and their college-sponsored one and showed him different versions of the portal, both what became of the proto-portal and the beauty in front of him. He even dreamed of what the other side could possibly look like, with strange green swirls and floating doors. It was a little uncanny, but Jack couldn’t help but embrace it with a renewed inspiration. He had based quite a few of his designs off of ones he remembered from that one dream.

When Jack had woken up from that fateful dream, he had quickly woken Vladdie up in their shared dorm room to share his newest idea. The idea to build a portal to the realm where ghosts resided had been both ‘brilliant and the craziest thing I have ever’ Vlad had told him at four in the morning. But he had agreed to the idea, eyes lighting up with that passion that led Jack and Vlad to fuel each other's ideas back in the good old days.

It had sounded so hard at first, almost impossible, but Jack was certain they could do it. They had needed a project outside of EMF readers and messing with other radio equipment. Their concentration for their studies, and their club’s funding was about to be dropped if they didn’t come up with something soon, so it was just what the doctor had ordered! If anyone could do it, Jack believed the three of them could. Jack could build the device, Vlad was a wiz with moving energy and power around, while Mads was great with the chemistry of it all. A dream-team, even, prefect to make the impossible happen!

Now, seeing his literal dream come true in front of him, it moved Jack to tears.

#danny phantom #goodfish writes #dp side hoes week 2024 #day 4 #jack fenton #character study #vlad masters (mentioned)#maddie fenton (mentioned)

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writeblrfantasy · 1 year

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around six years ago, i started writing seriously for the first time. it was fanfiction. (glee fanfiction if you're curious.) i wouldn't write something original for the first time for another year.

i loved writing fanfiction--i put my whole unashamed heart into it, i didn't even think about whether it was good or not, because i was having a blast. i wrote for many different fandoms, i wrote one (short) fanfic a day during december based on one word prompts, and i would send them to my friend each night--a routine which got me through a very hard week of my life. i wrote buckets and buckets of fanfiction.

and then, i'm not sure when and why that changed--i read and still do read something on ao3 almost every night for dozens and dozens of fandoms, after all. but the more i wrote original books, i stopped writing fanfiction, and over the years, writing fanfiction seemed like an impossible task.

i tried a few times, i wrote a customized fic for my bestie's birthday, but i could never get far usually. it felt alien and intrusive to try and write someone else's characters. it would always end in shame and this feeling of wrong, wrong, wrong.

i don't have any of those early fanfictions from six years ago because i deleted them, convinced they were hot garbage (and they were, but i still would've liked to have them!)

i continued to write originally, still reading fanfiction almost every night and participating in fandom in other ways. and then in late 2021, i wrote and finished a good fic as a herculean labor of love. in spring of 22, it took me an incredible effort, but i took one of my old surviving fanfics and edited it to new standards, and then encouraged by my victory, i wrote 2 more fics and started a bunch of others.

i made an ao3 account and posted these all, and was encouraged like never before by the comments i received, the love i had never received because i'd never posted my fanfics before. slowly, the shame wore off. i could write fanfiction again. it became something i could do while sitting on my phone in a waiting room having an anxiety attack, something to do before i went to bed, something i could do when a fic i wanted didn't exist--i could finally just write it!

and now, we come to this year. in 23 so far, i've written and posted 11 fanfics adding up to 100,805 words in total, in two fandoms, with several fanfic wips in the works. two weeks ago i wrote, without meaning to, 7k of a fic in one day to finish it, a week after finishing the source material. i'm still hesitant to share snippets of fics with friends not in those fandoms, but i did in this case and was told by a friend that it was some of my best writing ever--original and fanfic combined. period.

in january when i watched my favorite movie too many times to get anything more out of it, i turned to fanfiction, where i had a fic i mentioned was inspired by my favorite fic in the tiny ass fandom, which the creator then saw and was flattered by, and continued to read all my fics in that fandom!

this would turn into a 7 part series which i would post once a week, whipping up 5k minimum fics in a matter of days. i was shameless. i was carefree. i was living for the familiar usernames in my comments, and the serotonin of pushing that "new post" button. i was having fun.

in moments where i would wonder if the fic i was writing was cringe, if anyone would like it if i posted it, i reminded myself that i read fic every night. fic is often the first place i turn after finishing a source material, and what i look forward to while consuming that material. if everyone who thought like me about their fics didn't post, i would be without fanfics to get me through my fandom experience, and i would hate that. so i kept writing and posting.

now: my relationship with writing fanfiction has never been healthier. i am better than where i was at six years ago, because my overall writing skills have improved about 1000%, and because i'm posting now. writing fanfiction now often provides me a break from the stress and complexity of writing original novels, and it's a lovely wind down bedtime activity.

so, i suppose if there's a takeaway from this post, it's that fan content creators, no matter what you create, and no matter how small the fandom you're creating for, even if you're the first work in your fandom, keep creating. what you're doing is real and worthy and just as important as original content, and keeps the heart of fandom alive. i am so happy i repaired my relationship with writing fanfic, and it's made me happier this year than i thought possible, due in large part to the incredible commenting communities in fandom. i wish the same for all of you <3

#fanfiction #fanfic #a love letter to fanfiction #writing #writeblr #writers #this got much ramblier and longer than i intended but i'm glad i made this post #been ruminating in my brain for a long time :)#other writers encouraged to rb with their experiences!

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ikroah · 2 years

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Wherever I have gone, wherever I've been and gone, wherever I have gone, the blues are all the same —“Blues Run the Game,” Jackson C. Frank (1965)

It Keeps Right On a-Hurtin’ #23 - Ring-a-Ding-Ding II

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Read IKROAH on Archive of Our Own

Notes / Original Pencils / Transcript:

Notes:

Let’s talk about two things.

The first thing is burnout. It’s hilarious in retrospect that the notes on the previous issue open with an apology that it’s been three months since the preceding issue, which given that this current hiatus lasted six months, lmao. As I’ve mentioned before and elsewhere, shortly after completing the previous issue of IKROAH, the toll of working on it and other projects so industrially for two years finally caught up with me, and by May I basically had a kind of flip turn where suddenly, I could not stand my own art. More than that, I was repulsed by the very act of drawing, of making. Too many self-imposed deadlines, too many long nights churning comics out in as few sessions of work as possible, too many other things that I wasn’t giving myself enough time for. Something had to give, and when it did, I could barely hold a pencil for months without just getting really angry. I wish that I could say that there was something specific that I did to overcome this feeling, but there wasn’t: I can only attribute wanting to draw again to spending a long time not drawing at all, a time in which I tried to basically forget through disuse all of the bad habits that I’d ingrained about making myself make art. Art is an important hobby and creative outlet to me, but sometimes, you really just need to step away from something for a relatively long time so that you can come back to it with a much healthier mindset. And that’s what I’ve done. Thank you all for being so patient with me during IKROAH’s first real hiatus. There have been “hiatuses” in the past but, for example, one thing that I definitely had to strip out of myself was the anxiety and the guilt that I would feel when IKROAH would go on “hiatus” because more than three weeks or so passed between issues. I had myself on an absolutely insane production schedule for no reason except believing that getting every issue out as fast as possible was paramount. When I first began this comic with issue #1, I thought I could do one issue every two weeks. This was colossally stupid and going in as naive as I did with this mindset was like ingesting a slow-acting poison. IKROAH issues come out whenever they come out and that’s that from now on, and I feel silly because no reader of the comic has ever acted entitled to anything but that anyway.

The second thing I want to talk about is my art itself. My burnout had a point, especially with IKROAH, which is that there are some things about my art that is very frustrating. Did you know that the reason that IKROAH pages are the size that they are (1080 x 1678 px) is because I draw them two-per-sheet-of-paper at 13cm x 21cm each, and 1080 pixels is twice the width of the (possibly outdated) maximum display width of an inline image on the dashboard, and a height of 1678 pixels matches the aspect ratio of the best way that I could digitize my images at the time, which was by taking a picture of my art the best that I could with my phone in good lighting? This was the standard that I set for myself in summer of 2020 and for some reason I decided that it was etched in stone. I made some small improvements over time, such as finally buying a scanner sometime around IKROAH #12, and then changing IKROAH’s dialogue font and switching to digital paneling in #22, but this is going to be the final issue that abides by that old, absurdly small page size. I have finally reached my breaking point in this issue with how it completely prevents me from drawing fine or distant detail, so this is the final issue that is going to be at this size. Were it not for the fact that pre-burnout I hadn’t already drawn the first two pages of this issue and had formatted the paneling and lettering already for this specific size, I probably would have gone bigger already!

IKROAH has been, for the most part, an artistic playground where I’ve honed my skills and experimented with the comic book form gleefully. Compare the art from the first few issues with the more recent ones to see that development in action. But for all of this development and experimentation, why have I felt like page size is unassailable? I can’t tell you for sure what the “new” page size is going to be, because while I have a larger size in mind, it’s another experiment, not a promise of consistency. I used to think that it was easier and faster to work small because smaller art meant less art, but I’m finally sure that it’s more trouble than it’s worth. Now, I’m extremely excited for what a much larger canvas will mean for the look of the comic, and for the rest of Volume 2, I’m sure that you’ll be able to see me experimenting artistically in some way with every issue.

Original Pencils

Unfortunately, due to the way in which this issue was inked, I don’t have the complete original pencils to share with you! I would draw and ink panels one-by-one instead of penciling the whole page first. This is because I my burnout was actually triggered, essentially, by fucking up the inks on the first page after penciling it and feeling sure that I would have to redraw it, and that making me so mad that I couldn’t bear to reapproach my art at all. I didn’t want to make that mistake again, so I went through the rest of the pages with a lot more caution. Still, I can show you some scans.

One major thing that made working on all but the first two pages was finally investing in real non-copy blue pencils instead of blue colored pencils. Real non-copy blue pencils lack the waxiness of colored pencils, making them draw much lighter, erase much cleaner, and generally behave much more like regular pencils that just happen to be blue. It’s been a godsend for my ability to ink more expressively, and I’m experimenting with inking and coloring styles are going to be my favorite part of the rest of Volume 2, because I think that that is something that I want to overhaul the most.

Also, one funny thing: if there was a significant reason why I made Benny’s suite number 1007, I have forgotten it. Just like how I must have forgotten in the writing and penciling of this issue that Benny’s suite is canonically on the thirteenth floor. Oops! Well, not in this canon it’s not.

I do have one complete pencil sketch to show you: IKROAH’s first ever two-page spread! Bang!

Transcript

EXT. THE TOPS CASINO, NEW VEGAS. The Tops’ signature sign shines brightly outside the entrance, brightly even for Vegas.

INT. THE TOPS CASINO, NEW VEGAS. Casino guests hustle and bustle around the main floor, checking in, heading to and from the cashier on the second floor, and mingling. Leaning against a rail overlooking the slightly sunken gaming area is AGNES SANDS. She stares intently and furiously toward the back of the room, where an older man is laughing with a younger man. The younger man is drinking a martini, wears a black-and-white checked suit jacket, and is oblivious to her presence.

AGNES thinks to herself as she watches him.

Hello, Benny.

Her eye narrows.

You’d think that getting shot in the head would be the worst thing to ever happen to somebody, but at this point in my life, I’m genuinely not sure.

On the casino floor, a RED-HAIRED WOMAN seems to accidentally bump into BENNY from behind, knocking his drink out of his hand. It shatters on the ground, and he turns angrily to face her.

When I was six years old, my father died from a bad fall. He was a caravaneer, so they never shipped his body home.

ROSE OF SHARON CASSIDY stands in front of Benny, clutching a nearly empty glass of whiskey. She raises her hand up to her faced, shocked and embarrassed. BENNY is just as surprised, and even more so when CASS takes his face in one hand and suggests that he come with her to refill her glass.

My mom was our town’s doctor, so after that, she decided to apprentice me as her nurse. I was still just a kid.

She was right to do it. It takes a long time to learn medicine, and it’s a useful skill. She knew it’d do me good.

CASS hurriedly leads BENNY by the hand toward the casino bar. As the pair brush past AGNES, she pickpockets BENNY’s key, and holds it up to glean the room number from its tag: 1007. Satisfied, she drops the key on the ground, and heads for the elevators. Just behind her, CASS points out that BENNY seems to have dropped his keys, and he reacts with relief.

But she was hard, as a teacher. Maybe even more so as a mother. Maybe she had to be.

AGNES’ elevator slowly ascends. First floor to the tenth.

Maybe I wouldn’t have started messing around with locks if I didn’t get it in my head to act so damn rebellious later on. I broke in somewhere I shouldn’t have. Found something I shouldn’t have. I was thirteen.

I had to put my own face back together right there on the concrete floor. Held it in place with duct tape, and two-hundred year old bandages. Pre-war.*

*As depicted in IKROAH #7 and the IKROAH Vol. 1 Special Delivery companion story, “Scar Tissue.”

Ding! The elevator arrives and the door opens.

I still can’t even shave without getting a cold sweat.

Back on the casino floor, CASS and BENNY have it it off. They’re smiling and laughing at the bar, several drinks deep.

Meanwhile, AGNES stalks toward Room 1007.

My mom was happy I was alive, but didn’t care whether I was okay, if that makes sense. She was always like that.

It’s why we fought when she found out about...me, when the changes from the hormones I’d been sneaking got...unignorable.

The lock is easy to pick for practiced hands. It opens with a CLICK. The door swings open and AGNES stands in the doorway, assessing the area.

I wonder what your mother would think of this. What she must have been like. Whether she’s even alive now. I wonder if she loved you, her baby boy, a killer in cold blood.

Eventually, we fought. Physically, I mean. It was a long time coming. I hit her hard, once, and that was it. It was over.

I don’t think I’ll ever forget what that felt like. Maybe I’m not one to talk.

Time passes.

BENNY returns to his suite and puts his keys in the lock.

I ran away to the NCR after that. I was an adult now, and had to start over. And I needed skills that my mom couldn’t have taught me. I thought I’d be a combat medic, out in the field. But no. No, no. Of course not.

BENNY opens his door, looking exhausted and covered in kiss marks. Looks like somebody really wore him out. He shuffles over to his bedroom.

They shipped me to some do-nothing recon station way up north in California, near Gecko. And from the minute I set foot there, my C.O. fucking hated me.

He abused me, berated me, blamed me, because I took his old friend’s position or something. Stupid petty bullshit like that.

I think that he was sabotaging my medical supplies. Messing with my work, trying to get me discharged.

There’s no other way he could have found my estrogen from home.

BENNY undresses in his bedroom, and then flops onto his bed.

Just another thing for him to scream at me about. Or it would have been.

AGNES enters the bedroom.

Never got any military police after me when I attacked him with a scalpel that night and ran.

Maybe he couldn’t cover up his own bullshit well enough, so he just kept his mouth shut. Doesn’t matter. Lucky me.

AGNES rifles through BENNY’s jacket, which he hung on a coatrack near the door.

I ran to New Reno. I’d deserted. The only job I could get was at a charity clinic run by one of the crime families there, and it was dismal. I couldn’t afford to live.

So I started picking locks again. Pockets, too. Got real good at it, too. You’d know.

AGNES’ eyes fixate on something. She’s pulled it out of his coat.

I was stealing to survive. Same dance, different song. Nevermind my hormones, I needed food and shelter. I’d never felt lower.

The Platium Chip.

I was casing one of the casinos there when I saw a man get glassed. I was still a doctor. Still had that oath. So I went to work, and saved the man’s life right there. His name was Yancy Bishop and he made my life a living hell for six long years.*

*IKROAH #12.

Until I killed him.

Something else catches AGNES’ attention in BENNY’s bedroom. Something on his nightstand. A gun.

He came to me helpless in surgery and I ripped him apart from the inside out, thrilled, exhilarated, terrified of myself.

AGNES approaches the nightstand. She picks up the gun.

And after that...I ran away again. Ran until I got to the Mojave. Ran until I fumbled into being a courier. Making deliveries, always running, but not a doctor anymore, not stealing to survive, just some stability in my life for once. For once. And then:

It’s the same gun that BENNY shot her with.

She turns to face BENNY.

You.

AGNES removes the 9mm bullet that she has been wearing around her neck since she left Goodsprings; a bullet made partly from the lead that was fished out of her own skull.

You are not special.

She loads the gun. As quietly as she can.

I’ve been dealing with people like you my entire life. My mother. My C.O. The Bishops...

...your Khans, McLafferty, the Van Graffs...have I killed more people in the last week than you have in your whole...

AGNES approaches BENNY’s bed. She gets one shot.

...was I the only one, Benny? And you couldn’t even do it right. I clawed out. An ugly life, too ugly to kill, even with a gun to my head. Your gun. This gun.

She raises the gun. She aims with both hands. Bodies are easier to hit than bottles.

Rigged from the start—is that what you’d said? You piece of shit. You look like you have everything, have been given everything. So you just had to rub it in, that night. Didn’t you.

AGNES scowls. Her brow furrows with rage.

Always been too big of a target. Too tall, too wide, too mannish. Never been beautiful. Never even got to be handsome, like you. Then you shoot my eye out, butcher me even more—and all for what? A mail-order tchotchke!?

The gun gleams in the sparse light.

I’m going to fucking kill you.

AGNES’ expression shifts.

I’ve killed so many people to get to you.

Her hands start to shake. The gun is heavy in them.

And...and now I’m going to kill you.

Sweat is beading on her face.

Because of what you did to me. Because I can’t sleep at night. Because of you. I don’t sleep, most nights, because of you.

AGNES grimaces as her whole body trembles.

So I’ll kill you, with the fucking gun you killed me with, then I won’t be so...

The gun. The gun. The gun--

I’ll...I’m—

Her eye is wide with terror.

Oh God.

AGNES stands alone in the dark in the bedroom of the man that she has planned to kill. The gun is in her hands. Tears stream down her face, frozen in grief. The gun is in her hands.

BENNY is awake. He has been awake. He is sitting up in his bed. He is staring at her staring at him.

The gun is in her hands.

AGNES fires the gun.

SFX: BANG

#fallout #fallout new vegas #courier six #benny gecko #rose of sharon cassidy #the tops #new vegas #ikroah archive #volume 02 #23

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urg1rlfri3nd · 2 months

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4*town headcanons

Here is part 1 of my 4*town headcanons (finally) for my 4*town story on @orch1dsworld. I hope y'all like it and enjoy 🤗 (Slight angst warning)

Jesse James O'Connell

Jesse's birthday is June 22nd, 1976 which makes him 26 years old. Jesse's Irish and American. Jesse was born with dark brown hair but dyed it in 1988 due to not liking how his eye color and brown hair looked together.

Jesse's an only child but has a very supportive mom, Emily, that never made him feel alone (most of the time at least). Jesse's dad, Rowan, was there but not really there. Rowan would go out a lot and barely paid Jesse any attention unless he needed something from Jesse like favors.

Rowan and Emily got into a huge argument over Jesse in 1983, it ended in Rowan leaving and Emily in tears. Jesse wanted to help his mom get over his dad but couldn't due to how young he was. Emily was severely damaged from this since she was now a single, heartbroken mom with no help. Emily's mom was a very successful business woman, but didn't care about Emily due to the fact that Emily couldn't have kids. Emily's dad was kia during his stay in North Korea for the military.

As Jesse grew up, he realized that he had a broken home and family. His mom was depressed all the time and he didn't have any other family members, so he was basically alone. He figured that if he wanted a happy-go-lucky family that would always be joyful then he would have to make one of his own.

In 1993 he got into a relationship with this girl named Ana and they even graduated high school in 1994 together as a couple. They got married when they were 19, 1995, and were happy for the start of their married lives. They got an apartment together and even got jobs at the same restaurant. Jesse's mom was okay with Ana but Jesse's grandma didn't like the girl one bit, sensed that there was something off about her. Jesse ended up ignoring his grandma after that because he thought that Ana was an angel and so did his mom.

Jesse went to college for a Bachelor in Fine Arts but Ana thought college was for people with nothing better to do. At the age of 20 (1996) they had their first kid, Justin. At the age of 22 (1997) they had their second kid, August. Jesse had to drop out of college to help take care of their kids. They were both excited and truly loved each other, but one day Ana changed.

Ana refused to help Jesse take care of their kids, but she refused to let Jesse spend time with them because she felt as if Jesse was "not doing his job right". She even went out to party with her friends most nights. This went on for one year until Jesse had enough.

In late 1998 they had a huge argument about it and it ended in them both wanting a divorce. Ana wanted custody of both of their kids (for the benefits) but Jesse wanted them both to have equal custody. They went to court and they were both granted equal custody over their kids.

Ana moved out and took both of their kids with her. Jesse could see them but only on the weekends. Jesse found out about the auditions for a boy band, he was 23 at the time. He knew he could sing and auditioned, and to Jesse's surprise, he got in.

Fast forward to present day (2002) and Jesse is now 26, one of his kids is 5 and the other is 3. He is still in 4*town but Ana hates it and recently dropped off their kids to him. Now Jesse has to watch them while also dealing with the band. Emily wants to help watch Jesse's kids but Jesse doesn't wanna burden his mom with his choices. His grandma found out about what happened and ended up bragging about how she was right. Jesse apologized to her and now they're on good terms...mostly. As for Emily and her mom's relationship, it's still rocky, but Emily tries to fix it when she can.

#4town #4townie #jesse 4town #4town headcanons #jesse headcanons

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itsgigikay · 2 years

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Kiwi Part I

A/N: Hii!! Okay so I think I’ll actually be doing this as a series, the series is called Did We Do It and within the series there are parts but I’ll naming each one of them not sure if that makes sense😂 also I’ve never been to Italy so I’m not sure if this restaurant actually exists but we’ll pretend it does but anyways I hope you like it again it’s my first time writing so please any feedback would be great. Much love❤️

Harry Styles x Reader

Harry was the one to confess his feelings first. He didn’t care that she was 22 years old and he was a year younger. He loved her and she loved him. They’ve known each other since she was 17 years old and he was 16 years old. They dated for 3 years until Harry was able to pop the question. During the 3 years, they dated there were so many things going on that were planned, a busy schedule, tour, album releases, and some things that weren’t planned. She’s always been there no questions asked, confirming her love and support towards him.

2017 was when Harry first released his first album HS1, he was 23 and Y/N was 24 after the release, the tour started however no matter how busy Harry was he always found time for her, taking her around to visit the cities they were in, or even going on dates where they would have to enter through the back doors and he would have to rent out the place to have their privacy.

The best memory Y/N remembered was in September of 2018 when they were in Italy after the tour. It was fashion week in Italy and Harry and Y/N were there because he was invited to some of them and as a plus one he had decided to take you with him. After they had gone to the Fendi fashion show, Harry had rented out his favorite restaurant in Milan Seta. It was also your one-year anniversary. You had honestly thought Harry would forget because throughout the whole week he didn’t even mention anything to you about it.

When you saw he had pulled up to the restaurant you had turned to Harry looking puzzled. He was wearing gray dressy pants, sheer like black button down with the first couple of buttons opened, a long black coat matched with white loafers, and his hair out wild curls flying everywhere. You had your hair waved just a bit with very little to no makeup. Wearing a black dress that ends just by your mid-thigh, sleeves sheer with the top being a corset matching it with gold accessories and you had switched from your heels to white Alexander McQueen sneakers.

“Okay lovie put this on” he had opened the glove compartment pulling out a blindfold

“What’s this for H” she asked, taking it from his hand and putting it around her eyes.

“You’ll see once we get in,” he said, opening the driver's car door and going around to open the car for you grabbing your hand “watch your step, love” he warned you getting out of the car.

As you were walking hand in hand, hearing crickets in the background you heard a door open walking in some more you finally stopped walking Harry walked behind you pulling the blindfold off your eyes. The first thing you had seen was a table with a white cloth set for two. Room is lightly lit with candles all around with the smell of floral going around the room.

“Harry-“ you started trying to get the right words in. You had really thought he had forgotten about your anniversary.

“You’d really think I’d forget love, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Come on I know you're hungry they’ve got the best pasta” taking her hand and leading her to the table.

Looking up straight at his eyes “I love you.”

“And I love you, Happy Anniversary” kissing her on the cheek and giving her a peak as well. And so their night had just begun from there.

A month and a half after they had come back from their trip Y/N wasn’t feeling well, she had been waking up with nausea, and a slight headache. She had thought it was due to her almost getting her period so she forgot about it and let it slip her mind.

A week and a half later she had woken up in their LA home, their room still dark, she felt a little uneasy in her stomach before she can think. She felt coming up her throat almost not making it to the bathroom, quickly bending down on her knees and emptying out everything she had for dinner before she went to bed. She had felt someone hold up her hair heaving over again this time she felt circle motions trying to comfort her, she saw from the corner of her eye it was no one other than Harry. After she was completely done she went limp against their bathtub. Harry had scooped her up on her lap telling her sweet nothings into her ear, “I’ve got you” “it’s okay, love” kissing her temple he saw her eyes slowly drooping so he carried her back to bed putting her under the covers. Harry got under the covers as well getting close to her and wrapping his arms around her and they fell back asleep within seconds.

She woke up the next morning feeling Harry's arms around her. She reached out for her phone by the side of her bed, seeing that it was 9:07 AM. She had a funny taste in her mouth suddenly all the memories came flooding back in about what had happened last night. Her throwing up, Harry was by her side soothing her and comforting her. She had turned to face her boyfriend, taking in all his beauty. His long lashes rested on the top of his cheeks, heart-shaped lips opened partially, long hair wild with the curls being everywhere covering his eye just a little. She slowly started moving the hair out of the way when she saw a smile forming on those heart-shaped lips.

“Good morning, darling” slowly he opened his eyes looking straight at his girlfriend and smiling at her lovingly.

“Good morning, lovie” she replied back leaning into him kissing his cheek, and resting her head on his chest.

“How are you feeling? Do you still feel sick?” he asked while slowly stroking through her hair, kissing the top of her head.

“Little queasy, honestly. Also, need to brush my teeth” she told him looking up at him

“We’ll go in a minute, let's cuddle for a little more.” leaning in closer, if that was even possible, letting their chests squeeze in together, hissing from that as she felt pain on her boobs.

“You okay?” he asked worriedly, she nodded her head, leaning back to the position they were in.

She had started going through her thoughts, she had sensitive boobs, nausea, throwing up, and she did have a slight headache sometimes. She thought it was her period but then she doesn’t remember when the last time she got it was. She‘s the type of person that writes down from when to when she gets her period, even has an app, Clue. She grabbed her phone looking for the app, the last time she had gotten her period was almost 2 and half months ago. There’s something wrong with her, her mind went through so many scenarios we’re going through her mind but one thing she couldn’t shake out was her being pregnant. What if she is pregnant?

“What time do we have to be at the studio?” She asked with her eyes closed. Harry was finally starting to write for his second album.

“Probably 11 you want to make breakfast or pick up on the way” in his morning voice.

“Hmmm, honestly I’m tired to get up but I want homemade blueberry pancakes with Nutella.” She moaned at the craving.

“I’ve got you, love. Maple syrup? Coffee or tea? Eggs or hashbrowns?” Detangling himself from her, pushing off the covers giving her a peak on her bow-shaped lips.

“Yes, tea and hashbrowns, please and thank you” mumbling into his lips.

While Harry was downstairs whipping, whisking, frying, and cutting everything from the flour, eggs, baking powder, salt, sugar, milk, butter, blueberries, hash browns, Fruits, and putting on the tea kettle Y/N decided to go take a quick shower. When Y/N comes out of the shower she takes her towel and wraps it body after wrapping it around herself she bent down, opened her cabinet under her sink finally found what she was looking for.

A pregnancy test.

‘Okay, so I just pee on the stick and wait a few minutes one is negative two is positive’ thinking in her head.

After taking not one but three tests her alarm finally went off letting her know that her wait time was over. She let out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding in, she was feeling so many emotions she was anxious, nervous, maybe a little excited but most of all scared. She didn’t know if Harry would want a baby now, he had just released his album, he’s going on tour, and yes he adores kids he’s known to love kids but you both never discussed when and if you both wanted to start a family.

Flipping all three tests over she saw a total of 6 lines, all she can do is look down and the three shaking tests that she holds. She’s pregnant. She’s carrying a baby. She’s growing a real human inside her. When does she tell Harry? Should she even tell Harry most importantly how? Her mind was going in circles until she heard a knocking on the other side of the bathroom door.

“Darling are you in there? Breakfast is ready.” Harry asked a little hesitant.

“Y-yes I’ll be right out I was just taking a shower.” whipping the tear that had rolled to the corner of her lip, she didn’t even realize she was crying the pregnancy tests in her hand. She heard Harry’s feet pitter-patter on the floor. She took the tests in her head putting them under her towel.

She had put her tests in the nightstand drawer by her bedside. When she had finally finished getting dressed with shaky hands and headed downstairs.

“Smells great H, thank you,” she said grabbing her plate and adding the pancakes, syrup, some fruits, and hash browns as well.

Stuffing her face with the pancakes “ ‘s so good H ‘ank you” she pointed to her plate of food with the fork.

“Hmm” Harry hummed back nodding his head and digging into his eggs.

After breakfast, Harry went up to get ready. As he was getting ready Y/N was thinking about the news.

Should she tell him it’ll ruin his career, how should I tell him if I do?

“Babe you coming with?” Harry interrupted her thought coming down the stairs wearing Nike shorts with a matching hoodie, a cap with sunglasses, and sneakers.

“Yeah, but can I steal your glasses I don’t have makeup on.” she asked with a pout giving her the glasses and mumbling under his breath something between the line of “don’t need makeup” and they both headed out for their day.

“Love I can’t find my sunglasses and journal have you seen them” Harry yelled from upstairs, looking everywhere in your room.

It had been two weeks since Y/N knew she was pregnant and she still didn’t figure out a way to tell Harry. Harry had another studio session today to continue writing for his second album but Y/N wasn’t going, she had wanted to catch up on some work emails.

“No, I didn’t see them” yelling back not aware of her surroundings.

Meanwhile, in their room Harry had looked everywhere he can but one place he didn’t look was Y/N’s nightstand on side of her bed. They don’t through each other's nightstand it’s where they keep personal things, however, Harry had remembered he handed Y/N his journal to read one of his songs before going to sleep, she must’ve put it in there. He would usually ask her permission or she would do it herself but he was running late already. He had walked over to her nightstand, opening the drawer he saw his brown journal inside. Smiling to himself he had picked it up as he was closing the draw he couldn’t help but see the three tests that were under his journal. With frowned brows He had collected the test forgetting about his journal looking at them, they all had two lines. He had let out a shaky breath as he went down the stairs his mind was racing. Looking for her he finally found her at the kitchen table in front of her computer screen. She was wearing one of his shirts, a messy bun, and had one leg up on the chair almost like hugging herself. “Lovie” he called out for her quietly. His only response from her was a hum not even bothering to look up at him. “Y/N,” he said more sternly this time.

#harry oneshot #Harry Styles #harry styles x reader #harry styles x you #dad!harry styles #harry #harries #harry styles blurb #harry x y/n #harry's house album #harry update #mommy #pregnant #pregnancy #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles fic #harry fanfic #harry fic

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whimsicallyenchantedrose · 5 months

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Christmas Reruns 2023 Day 13: Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Merry Christmas if you celebrate it and happy holidays if you don’t! One of the things I love about Christmas is watching reruns of all the old classic Christmas movies–Christmas is a big time for nostalgia. A few years ago, I decided to incorporate that tradition into my fandom life and post my CS holiday reruns. So here you go! Enough holiday (mostly) fluff to get you to New Year’s Day. (With a new story posting on Christmas Day.)

Rating: G

Word Count: 2807

Other chapters: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32

Today’s story was originally written as part of my Fluffy Friday’s collection. It was written just after 5a aired, and is now more of a post 5b canon divergence. Disappointed that no one seems to be in the Christmas spirit, Henry inadvertently casts a curse that will either spread Christmas cheer…or drive everyone nuts.

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CS genre: future fic (post 5b)

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.

~Buddy the Elf~

Emma woke abruptly, hand going immediately to her racing heart. It had been six months since their return from the Underworld, but she still had the dream with frightening regularity: She had to watch Killian die again, sacrificing himself for all of them. They made it to the Underworld, but just as they were about to reach Killian, he slipped from her grasp, falling farther and farther away from her until he was lost to her for good.

She swiveled her head to the side and then sighed in relief. He lay there beside her, sleeping peacefully, the ghost of a smile on his lips. She still felt the tears gather at the thought that the reality had been far from her nightmare. She had found Killian; she’d brought him home. They’d married as soon as it could be arranged; neither wanting to wait another second to make the vows that would join them together as one forever.

Emma smoothed the unruly hair away from her husband’s face, and then bent down to kiss him, needing to reassure herself that he was alive and well and here with her. She’d meant it to be just a quick kiss, a peck, but the moment her lips met his, the familiar fire that was ever-present between them fanned into flame.

He groaned deep in his chest and breathed her name, hand coming to tangle in her hair, mouth slanting to meet hers, to deepen the kiss, before he was even fully awake. The kiss went on for long moments, becoming more all-consuming with each passing moment, but finally Killian pulled away, breathing heavily.

“That was quite the pleasant way to wake, my love,” he said, his voice still gravely from sleep. “To what do I owe this show of affection?”

She stroked his face, smiling down at him, not wanting to mar the moment with talk of her dream. She shrugged. “Merry Christmas, Killian.”

He gave her a searching look, his brow furrowing in obvious concern. “It was the dream again, wasn’t it, Swan?”

She flopped back onto her side of the bed with a sigh. The man was too perceptive for his own good. “Yeah. Six months back home and safe and everything, and I still have the dream. I just, I don’t know, I needed to reassure myself that you’re here and safe and all of that.”

He raised up on one elbow, looking down at her, running his fingers through her messy curls. After a moment he turned from concerned husband to dashing rapscallion. “I assure you I am, Emma. If you, however, need to be convinced, I’ve more than a few thoughts on how to put your mind at ease.”

Emma felt the desire coil deep within at the heated look in his eyes and she smiled up at him before bringing his mouth back to hers. “Yeah, I think I could use a little convincing, pirate.”

This kiss was all heat and white hot passion from the start. Emma felt Killian’s hand move to the buttons on her pajama top, and things were about to get really interesting, when suddenly their bedroom door slammed open.

“We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, and a happy New Year,” came Leroy’s loud voice. A moment later, the man himself—along with his usual grumpy scowl—came into view.

“What the hell?” Killian growled as he rolled off of Emma and shot the dwarf a look that could kill.

Emma hastily re-buttoned her pajama top and then sat up, looking at the people pouring into her bedroom—the dwarfs, Regina and Robin, Granny and Ruby, her parents, Henry—the latter three looking extremely uncomfortable at the scene they’d burst in upon. “You guys ever think about, I don’t know, knocking before you barge into a person’s house? And their bedroom?”

“No time, sister,” Grumpy said with a scowl. “Seems like we’ve been cursed again and we’re gonna need the savior.”

~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~

“Wait,” Emma said, holding up a hand and looking at her family and friends now surrounding her booth at Granny’s. “You’re telling me that Santa, Santa Claus is real too? And that he cursed us? How does this even happen?”

Ruby walked past singing “Santa baby”, while in the far corner Archie and Marco began a rousing chorus of “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the year.” Henry joined Emma and Killian in their booth.

“Yeah…” he said, glancing aside. “I, um…I think this is my fault. I kind of wrote a letter to Santa and, well, this happened.”

“You…you wrote a letter to Santa asking him to curse us so that we all break out into Christmas songs every few moments?” Emma asked, rolling her eyes as the rest of the dwarfs surrounded Leroy and started singing “You’re a mean one, Mr. Grinch.”

“Kid, this’s got to be the most annoying curse ever.”

“You’re telling me,” Granny groused, stopping by their booth on the way to serve a couple in the back who’d just begun serenading each other with Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, and looking very displeased about it. “If I have to hear Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer one more time, the blue-plate special might start coming with a side of poison.”

“Oh please,” Regina said with an eye roll worthy of a queen, “you think that’s bad? Roland’s been singing The Twelve Days of Christmas more or less non-stop for the past twenty-four hours. I’m about to go all Evil Queen on everyone.”

“Well, lad,” Killian said, fixing Henry with a stern, fatherly look, “your mother asked you a question. What have you to say for yourself? Why did you go to this ‘Santa’ fellow and request a curse?”

Henry sighed deeply. “I didn’t request a curse,” he said. “I just. I don’t know, I wanted everyone to get a little Christmas spirit, you know, after you all decided to skip Christmas and everything. I didn’t want Santa to curse you! I just thought we needed all the peace and love and joy and family and all that holiday stuff we could get after what we’ve been through. I asked Santa to help me think of a way to make everyone see that we need Christmas more than ever this year.”

“The holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown, of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown,” Ashley and Thomas sang—in perfect harmony—as they stopped by the table. “Emma! You’ve got to help us stop this!”

“Alright everybody,” Emma said, bringing her hands to her temples. “Just…let me think for a minute.”

It was true what Henry said; they had made a town-wide decision to skip Christmas this year. It had been decided that after everything everyone had been through lately—between Zelena and the Queens of Darkness and then both Killian and her becoming Dark Ones and then Rumple’s renewed betrayal, and then going through hell to bring Killian back—that they deserved a break, a chance to just catch their breath and renew their strength before the next villain showed up (or Rumple found a way back from the Underworld where they’d left him). There was no doubt the new year would bring a new curse or villain or crisis of some type. Last thing they all needed was the hustle and bustle and stress of the Christmas season.

Henry had been disappointed, of course, but she’d promised to make it up to him. He’d seemed to accept it graciously enough after that, and Emma had hoped he accepted the town’s decision.

Guess not, if he was writing letters to Santa requesting Yuletide backup.

“Not to state the obvious,” Killian said, settling his arm around Emma’s waist, “but there is a tried and true method for breaking curses. Has anyone thought to try True Love’s Kiss?”

“Couldn’t hurt,” David said turning toward Mary Margaret.

Emma watched as her father bent toward her mother, as Robin took Regina in his arms, and then felt her own true love nudge her with his hook. “Shall we do our part as well, love?”

“Yeah, I think we’d better,” Emma said, smiling up at him. She took his face into her hands and pulled him down to her. This kiss was warm and sweet as ever, sending a rush of her true love magic rushing through her system—but no pulse of electricity; no waves of rainbow-tinted light.

As the strains of Mulan singing Do You Hear What I Hear filled the otherwise quiet diner, Emma came to realize they were dealing with a foe more formidable than any of them had expected.

~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~

It was a rather demoralized group that trudged back into Granny’s a couple hours later. Sleepy sang “Deck the Halls” in between yawns, but otherwise silence reigned. They’d yet to find a cure for their musical malady.

This “Christmas” was an odd custom, Killian thought to himself as he slid into a booth and then promptly laced his fingers with his wife’s. It was purported to be a happy time, full of magic and merriment, but the residents of Storybrooke regarded it nearly as drudgery.

Then there was this “Santa Claus” fellow. Per Swan, he was said to be the very embodiment of the Christmas spirit—both jolly and benevolent.

Having just met the man, he could vouch for the jolly part, but benevolent…that was far more up for debate.

They’d no more than determined True Love’s Kiss was not a solution to this particular curse than Belle had burst into the diner, book in hand (singing “Jingle Bell Rock” under her breath—an odd song, that).

“I think I know who Santa is in Storybrooke!” she’d announced. “You know that guy, Kris who runs the North Pole Ice Rink? It’s got to be him! Think about it, he’s got a long white beard, his laugh sounds like ‘ho, ho, ho’ and he’s always warning trouble-makers that he’s keeping a list and checking it twice.”

“That does sound like Santa,” Henry agreed.

“Now that we’ve presumably found our villain, what do we propose to do about the situation?” Killian asked, idly caressing Emma’s hand with his thumb.

“I don’t think he’s a villain, exactly,” Belle said, brow furrowed. “Maybe…if we just, I don’t know, asked him nicely he’ll lift the curse for us.”

Regina tutted and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure jolly old St. Nick’s just going to do what we want because we asked nicely.”

Emma sighed deeply. “Well it’s worth a shot. Don’t hear anyone else coming up with a better solution.”

And so they’d walked to the ice rink and discovered that Kris Kringle was indeed the Santa fellow they were in search of. They’d walked in the door of the establishment to be greeted by a large number of very small men—elves, Swan had called them—all singing “Here Comes Santa Claus” as a man with a long white beard, rosy cheeks, a rotund belly and a permanent look of good humor came forward to greet them.

Most unfortunately, the Evil Queen had been quite correct. While Santa had laughed merrily, he’d flat out refused to accede to their request, insisting the terms of the curse were quite absolute. The compulsive singing would only come to an end when the town had achieved sufficient Christmas spirit and come to accept and embrace the holiday at hand.

And so, thwarted again, they’d returned to the diner to plot a new strategy.

“Hark the herald angels sing,” the fairies began from the other side of Granny’s.

“Not to state the obvious,” Leroy began, “but True Love’s Kiss didn’t work; confronting Santa didn’t work; we’re about to strike out.”

“How about you keep your unhelpful comments to yourself, dwarf?” Regina snarled.

“Watch it sister,” Leroy returned, “you can take your attitude and shove it up your…”

Emma slashed the air with her hand; just in time, it would seem. The queen seemed on the point of forming a fireball. “Not helping guys.”

Killian wrapped an arm around Emma’s shoulders, and she slumped against him with a sigh. “Perhaps we didn’t get the result we hoped from our confrontation with Santa Claus, but it is possible that we obtained a solution to our problem nonetheless.”

Emma turned toward him. “What do you mean?”

“Well,” he answered, smiling down at her. “Santa did offer us a way to break the curse. We simply need to embrace the spirit of this Christmas. Perhaps it wasn’t what we planned, but it would seem the choice is simple: either we follow the demands of the curse, or we learn to live with the constant barrage of musical offerings from this town’s citizens.”

~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s~c~s

“Just a little to the left, David” Mary Margaret said, stepping back and tilting her head to the side. “No, back to the right, but just a tiny bit…there! Perfect.”

“Okay folks,” Leroy said, grin on his face, “ready to light it up?”

A chorus of cheers greeted him as he put the plug into the socket.

Emma grinned as she heard the delighted gasp of her pirate husband who was holding her close to him on their couch. “Swan!” he breathed. “You’ve the daftest customs in your land; who would think to bring a tree inside and decorate it? I must admit, however, that draped with the baubles and festive lights it’s a wonder to behold.”

She leaned over and kissed his cheek before settling back with her head on his shoulder. “Yeah, it certainly is.”

It had been decided that Killian’s idea was the only real solution to the town’s problem. Regina and Leroy had objected at first, insisting that it set a bad precedent, bowing to Yuletide terrorists, but in the end, they’d been overruled.

Henry had been so excited, he’d immediately started planning, calling the new mission “Operation Reindeer”. How could Emma deny her son when he was so enthusiastic? And really, what was so bad about Christmas anyway? Why had they all been so insistent not to so much as put up a string of Christmas lights?

In the end, getting into the Christmas spirit herself, Emma had offered the Swan-Jones house as a meeting place and begun planning a Christmas party, the likes of which Storybrooke had never seen.

Emma smiled, burrowing deeper into her husband’s side as her mom and Regina put the last touches on the tree. She had to admit, this was kind of…nice. There’d been a spirit of joy and anticipation that had settled over the whole town as everyone pitched in to show Christmas that when they invited someone in and held a party in its honor, they did a proper job of it.

As the talking, laughing and merry-making continued long into the night, Emma suddenly realized something. “Killian, I haven’t heard a single person sing a carol in about three hours!”

He kissed her softly. “It would appear you’ve broken yet another curse, love, though I’d never doubt you. There’s not a curse in any realm that’s a match for you.”

“Not me,” Emma said, looking around at her family and friends, “us. All of us.”

“Be that as it may,” Killian said, affixing a sprig of mistletoe onto his hook and holding it above them. “You’re still bloody brilliant. Now, if I’m to understand correctly, there is a tradition in this realm related to the weed on my hook. In the spirit of Christmas, I believe we really must comply.”

“Oh, you think so, do you?”

“Most assuredly.”

She laughed, reaching up with both arms and pulling him down to her. He came more than willingly, his lips curved into a delighted smile as she thoroughly and enthusiastically fulfilled the requirements of standing beneath the mistletoe.

“So, pirate,” she whispered, lips still against his. “If I remember right, we were in the middle of something when the town burst in on us this morning. What do you say we wrap this party up and get back to that?”

His smile turned decidedly wicked. “I’d say of all the brilliant ideas you’ve had today, that is most definitely your best.”

NEXT CHAPTER->

#christmas reruns 2023 #cs fanfiction #captain swan christmas ff #my fanfiction #santa claus is coming to town

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bonesandthebees · 8 months

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Chapter 22:

Wilbur blaming himself for cursing Tommy because he’s the one whose cursed and feeling guilty about it vs. Tommy blaming himself for getting curse because he told Wilbur to take of his blindfold and feeling guilty about Wilbur blaming himself and feeling like shit. (Probably also about stressing Phil and Techno out).

The resurface of Wilbur’s ‘death wise’. It’s not that he wants to die per se, it’s more that religious guilt and what he thinks he deserves + jumping to the worst conclusions any time he can. But we are in his head, everyone around him is not and therefore worried(TM).

Phil and Techno clearly being upset, but trying their hardest to not let it show because they know Wilbur and Tommy probably tried everything in their power to avoid this, so it’s not their fault and being angry at them won’t help. Also, Wilbur will (and did) that their frustrations as anger at him. (I just love their ‘parenting’ style, they are so chill whereas in other stories characters like these would get a very for plot, they are just here to be (mostly) reasonable.)

The codependency kicking in strong. Sleeping in the same room. Constantly being together and when they aren’t there’s always someone else with them, most often Phil and Techno. When one of them needs a 1 on 1 talk the other will always stay or escort the remaining member of the codependency gang. (Which is how we get Wilbur not noticing Techno is still with him at the end.)

Speaking of the end: Tommy is still the only person who knows that Wilbur used to be a street kid, so his little rant might tip Techno of to that. At which point Techno could suddenly understand why they get along so well. (At least I’m pretty sure Wilbur says that nobody cared about him on the street, I’m not going back to check).

Also, Tommy being very scared of dying even though he doesn’t really (fully) believe in the curse vs. Tommy not wanting anyone (especially Wilbur) to be worried about him (or get made at Wilbur). So he hides that he’s cursed and he’s so damn good in pretending he doesn’t feel like shit. But then the second he’s just with people who know he’s cursed, you can sort of see him unravel, because he’s still scared.

Also, Phil telling Wilbur that he’s going to need to decide if he still wants to be Pythia and soon is food for my ‘they are working together with Eret to take over and possibly using Wilbur as a gambling chip’ theory. There’s more to fuel that theory in chapter 23, so I’ll get to it.

And lastly, Phil pointing that Wilbur couldn’t have changed the vision is fuel of the ‘the Pythia can see the future, but never change it and maybe even help cause it’ theory. There’s also a bit with Tommy but I can’t remember which chapter that’s in, so I’ll put it in the next one.

-🌲

the totally not brothers are in a competition to out self-guilt each other

yeah I thought it was really interesting to show wilbur returning to that mindset even if it was just a brief moment. just showing that even though he's improved a lot, he's still got a lot of issues and some troubling mindsets that are ingrained into him which led to some very unhealthy thought patterns. he never wanted to die, but he's been made to feel like his life isn't worth much at all so if he's not serving his purpose and/or he's done something wrong, dying might be the best option

I think it helps that phil and techno are also literally worshippers of death. like of course they're worried and upset and don't want tommy to die, but they have a different view of death than most people do, which also lends itself to their more chill reaction. and like you said, they know wilbur and tommy definitely did everything they could to avoid this.

oh yeah the codependency is only gonna be kicked up higher with this whole situation. the brothers are attached at the hip and phil and techno can tell.

tommy IS scared yes!! despite worshipping death he's also an 18 year old who doesn't want to die yet. sure death isn't as scary for him as it is for most people, but he's not ready to go. tommy's actually got a really interesting internal struggle going on right now with his own religious beliefs conflicting with his fears of dying that I don't have much opportunity to show. but yeah he's got a lot of internal conflict going on with his belief in kristin right now

hmm theories theories theories :)

#ask #spruce anon #glass ch 22 #through a glass divine

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ichinoue · 1 year

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Hey, wanted to know your thoughts on what Kubo said about how Ichigo and Orihime were about to start dating when Ichigo was in university and how they formally started dating when they've became working adults. We know that in the WDkALY novel, Ichigo was around 20/21 years old and that he was in university, plus, it was stated that he loves Orihime, and in the end of the novel we have the "next time, could you make some time for me" scene, so, was Kubo talking about what happened after this scene when he said that they were about to start dating when Ichigo was in university ?

What do you think happened between those two that led them to start formally dating when they both became working adults?

For me, I think the reason for them not starting immediately after what Ichigo said was that he propably had to leave to England or the US for one year to complete his English translator studies. We know that they had Kazui when they were 23/24, that means that they were together when they were 22/23, so if Ichigo left when he was 21 the math adds up.

To be honest, I don't see any other reason for them to wait a whole year before starting to date formally when they both know that they love each other.

(PS: I don't know if formally dating means getting married or just starting to go out together, because in the 10 years time skip ch.686, Kazui was around 4 years old, and Ichigo and Orihime were 27/28, if we say that formally dating means starting to go out together then there's the possibility that they had Kazui before being married, is that kind of thing OK in Japan?)

Yeah, that's probably about right. Honestly I don't really get too caught up in the specifics, because like Kubo said, he wanted to leave some things up to the reader's imagination, so I would assume they started dating shortly after Ichigo approached Orihime at Rukia's wedding.

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autumnslance · 2 years

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LynMars’s FFXIV Write 2022 Master Post

Writings completed for this year’s daily challenge. As usual any of my ship-related content is marked with an asterisk (*) to seek or avoid as needed.

The goal this year was to write less than I have in previous years; to allow myself shorter scenes and not push myself on free days. To actually relax, have fun, and not stress about writing “enough”. To make my prose just as long as it needed to be.

Overall, I succeeded in said goals.

Breakdowns and commentary under the cut for those interested!

1. Cross - Two travelers’ journey over time & adventuring together. 2. Bolt - Iyna doing her duty as a rebel versus the Empire. 3. Temper - Midgardsormr keeps a promise to forge a hero. 4. Free Day! 5. Cutting Corners - Dark Autumn after a company officer meeting. 6. Onerous - Thancred & the Immortal Flames, post-Ifrit. 7. Pawn - Emelia obtains passage for her family to Thavnair. 8. Tepid - Zaine realizing he doesn’t belong with the Radiant Host. 9. Yawn - Aeryn escaping the Bloody Banquet through the tunnel. 10. Channel - C’oretta’s thought processes. 11. Free Day! 12. Miss the Boat - Urianger, Moenbryda, and regrets. 13. Confluence - Venat tracing the flow of fate. 14. Attrition - Ser Ompagne has a brief theological discussion. 15. Row - Dark versus a certain baby behemoth. 16. Deiform - Dark, Aeryn, Iyna, & C’oretta in Delubrum Reginae. 17. Novel* - Aeryn, Thancred, & a borrowed book over time. 18. Free Day - Memory* - Aeryn & Thancred discuss his possession. 19. Turn a Blind Eye - Lahabrea contemplates his mistakes. 20. Anon - Ryne learning two opposing definitions of the word. 21. Solution - 2 Azems discuss the plans for the Final Days. 22. Veracity - In a possible future, Iyna ensures history’s truth. 23. Pitch* - Thancred knows how to distract Aeryn when necessary. 24. Vicissitudes - Ascian viewpoints on their stolen mortal bodies. 25. Free Day! 26. Break a Leg - Iyna & C’oretta help the dancers at a recital. 27. Hail - An Estinien PoV of the final fight in the Aitiascope. 28. Vainglory - The Warrior of Light isn’t what Jullus expected. 29. Fuse - Tanzel thinks of ways to handle his stepchild’s temper. 30. Sojourn - A family of travelers, in 1 lifetime & perspective.

Totals: 18,813 words.

A bit more than my 2018 (around 16k), less than my 2019 (21.4K), and way less than 2020 and 2021. I was realistic about my time and energy, asked myself what is the core idea or scene I really want to get across, and any spot-editing was for tightening wording and phrases. I feel like it got harder to keep writing shorter as the month went on and my focus slipped--and I really got into a writing groove!

I could have definitely gone on longer for some of these, and do have other scene ideas and notes in the drafts. But for the 24 hour challenge I tried to keep them short, though they’re each as long as they need to be.

I did mean to put out old WIPs again on free days, but that time/energy factor combined with busy weekends, so I took them off. "Memory" actually came out of "Yawn" and was plinked at over the week before it went up for the 18th.

Only a couple wolcred fics this year; got in a good mix of NPCs and OCs, with Iyna taking a bit more of a POV spotlight in the non-Aeryn-focused stories, though all the girls got at least one. More Ancients and Ascians than I generally go with, though still made sure some favorite Scions got in there. And a bit more of Aeryn's family and backstory, as getting Thavnair finally has put that forefront in my brain.

I was hoping something would spark an idea for an Avengret chapter I feel is "missing" but I may have to resign myself to the fact that chapter doesn't want to be written as I continue revising last year's unexpected longfic. Thankfully this year's prompts were all standalones.

More Breakdowns:

Longest: 17 Novel, 2073. Shortest: 15 Row, 220.

Between 1500 - 2000: 24 Vicissitudes (1522), 29 Fuse (1678) Between 1000 - 1499: 18 Memory (1034) Between 500 - 999: 3 Temper (537), 8 Tepid (500), 10 Channel (586), 12 Miss the Boat (824), 13 Confluence (702), 14 Attrition (683), 20 Anon (839), 21 Solution (532), 22 Veracity (857), 28 Vainglory (864), 30 Sojourn (989) Between 200 - 499: 1 Cross (386), 2 Bolt (299), 5 Cutting Corners (445), 6 Onerous (488), 7 Pawn (300), 9 Yawn (375), 15 Row (220), 16 Deiform (375), 19 Turn a Blind Eye (277), 23 Pitch (481), 26 Break a Leg (462), 27 Hail (485)

General WoL: 1 Cross, 3 Temper, 13 Confluence, 22 Veracity I tend to default to feminine pronouns when writing Generic Default WoL.

WoL Aeryn (as an adult): 6 Onerous, 9 Yawn, 16 Deiform, 17 Novel, 18 Memory, 23 Pitch, 27 Hail, 28 Vainglory, 30 Sojourn

Wolcred: 17 Novel, 18 Memory, 23 Pitch.

Child Aeryn: 7 Pawn, 29 Fuse

Aeryn’s Family: 7 Pawn, 8 Tepid, 29 Fuse, 30 Sojourn

Other OCs: 2 Bolt (Iyna), 5 Cutting Corners (Dark), 10 Channel (C'oretta), 15 Row (Dark & Violet), 16 Deiform (Iyna, Dark, C'oretta, Aeryn), 21 Solution (Pandora), 22 Veracity (Iyna), 26 Break a Leg (Iyna & C'oretta)

Ancients & Ascians: 13 Confluence (Venat), 19 Turn a Blind Eye (Lahabrea), 21 Solution (Venat), 24 Vicissitudes (Lahabrea & Emet-Selch)

Other NPCs: 3 Temper (Midgardsormr), 12 Miss the Boat (Urianger, Moenbryda, Louisoix), 14 Attrition (Ser Ompagne), 20 Anon (Ryne, Ran’jit, Thancred), 27 Hail (Estinien, other Scions)

#Final Fantasy XIV #FFXIVWrite2022 #Lyn Writing #Aeryn Striker #Dark Autumn #C'oretta Khell #Iyna Cauld #Scions of the Seventh Dawn #Endwalker #Shadowbringers #Stormblood #Heavensward #A Realm Reborn #Backstory

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jake-amy · 1 year

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Hi so first hopefully you don’t think this is too weird but you’re one of the main Gregory Bridgerton fan account on Twitter and I wanted to see if you had any thoughts on this:

In the first Smyth-Smith book, set in 1824, Gregory is in final year at Cambridge. He is said to be around same age as Honoria, who is 21. On the surface it makes perfect sense for a 21 year old to be in final year. However, Greg was born in 1801 and in TSPWL, also set in 1824, he says he is 23. Anthony was due to go to Oxford aged 18. Students typically went to university age 18 (sometimes as young as 15) for a period one to three years. Gregory would have had to leave Eton when he was 18 which was 1819. Furthermore, from OTWTTW we knew he went to Eton and Cambridge with Lord Haselby and Neville Berbrooke. The only explanations for are :

Greg and Neville did a two year grand tour before university and only overlapped with Haselby for one year or the pair of them spent 5 years in university. (Flaw: considering Greg’s allowance I doubt he could afford this and I also don’t think he liked Neville enough)

Completed undergraduate and postgraduate studies a lá Richard Abernathy. (Flaw: that only there’s a two year gap between G&R, they both went to Cambridge but they don’t know each other)

I need to re-read all the Bridgerton books for some more clues about Greg’s whereabouts but honestly, he is the sibling we probably know the least about from the books and this one timeline detail of education should be impossible to get wrong and yet here I am.

Don’t even get me started on Colin and Greg’s show!verse education or book!verse Lucy and Hermione finishing school and debut at twenty years old!

no i love this, this is so welcome! <3 <3 <3

– gregory really is the character whose whereabouts are a big question mark, there's just a bunch of hand-waved "oh, he's off doing such and such" until he needs to show up in TSPWL and IIHK. like he couldn't make the time to come home for his mother's birthday but he's supposedly at daphne's ball at the end of RMB. we need to launch a full-federal investigation.......

– maybe if we say greg is an early may baby we could say he's 22ish in "just like heaven" and the first halves of RMB/WHWW, and then turns 23? and then kate's house party in OTWTTW is later may, hence he'd already turned 26 by the time he meets lucy – i could see greg doing a grand tour, possibly! maybe a much, much more condensed version of what colin was doing. it's pushing believability a little since it's never mentioned AND colin is the one to suggest "you'll have to travel" right after gregory creates the scandal at lucy's wedding. neville.... i don't feel like he's someone who would've liked to be abroad for long and you're right that greg wouldn't have wanted to go with him fjkdslfj

– i think lucy says haselby is a decade her elder.... making him at least 30. if greg and neville are 26, maybe they overlapped that one year at cambridge, but that would mean they did have to start school in 1819 🤔 so then that rules out pre-university travel. unless of course haselby also delayed his studies. much to think about.

– i'm dead jfkdj it says something about richard electing to remain at school even when he didn't have to, and delaying having to take his place in society (i think he's only able to do this for a year though, since he's 22?). but i'm wondering if that's a possibility for either neville or greg to have done (it's not super plausible.... but maybe? 😭). though then that also doesn't make sense for greg to say his path never crossed with richard's at school, unless he meant they were there at the same time but didn't actually ever meet.

– headcanon for hermione (who's prospects hadn't yet been 'secured' the way lucy's were with haselby) is that she asked her family to send her to finishing school to delay her debut so she could keep up her correspondence with edmonds (also why was he encouraging a romance with a 16/17 girl? a discussion for another time....)

– lucy going to school worked out in everyone's favor, with her wanting to be somewhere where she could make friends and davenport wanting a "well-polished" wife for haselby, but it's also sad to think she loses out on having a season she realizes she would've actually enjoyed (so i like to hope that the period between her first and second wedding wasn't too bogged down with scandal, and that she got to have some fun)

– greg in the show not going school.... but we all know that's because they couldn't let the fan favorite character remain off-screen cmon now! (no but 😭 i'm assuming they want us to think his term ended before the start of season 2, and then he has tutors over his break) anyways this is a mess i feel like charlie day in that gif. thank you for sending this ask and i loved all the evidence and reasoning you put together! we WILL figure this out 😤

#gregory bridgerton #lucy abernathy #hermione watson #richard abernathy #arthur haselby #neville berbrooke #bridgerton #ask

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equallyshaw · 2 years

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The Medicated Series: features OC’s with medical issues such as depression, anxiety, physical disabilities such as MS or Rheumatoid Arthritis as well as any other autoimmune disease such as Crohn’s, endometriosis, infertility, etc. (not an autoimmune but you get it) I feel, as a person with a physical disability, that there is a lack of representation and have always wanted to see myself in y/n stories. Always have and always will.

Links for information regarding rheumatoid arthritis:

https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/rheumatoid-arthritis.html

triggers/warnings: talks of pregnancy, medications. and angst. also SOFT. SOFT.

Original Character: Eliza Nicole James, 23 years old. Brunette Hair, Blue Eyes, short and curvy.

Word Count: 3.8k (will get longer over time, trying to adjust to this new format from a previous one)

Part Three:

—

Becca's POV:

I settled into the starbucks table, honing in on the atmosphere to pull me through an hour of work that I had to get done. I sipped on my cold brew, skipping songs in my playlist, hoping to find one that would get me moving. It had been a week since Cale and I had last spoken, and quite frankly I was ok with it. Yeah, not amused but alas, it is what it is. It was for the best. Right?

Eric and Becca were hitting up the groupchat and I rolled my eyes over there fullishness. I couldn't help but laugh at them for going after eachother, apparently my job was not needed. I'd go after them any day, though. I turned back to my notes and statuses, of what was still needed to be done and what had been done for the upcoming board meeting for the hospital. Things were going according to Eric's and I's two year plan. I was about to turn 24, and after graduating from University of Denver was I was 22, we set out to expand the program after years of me practically begging the higher up's as a patient and had gotten nowehere until I met Eric one day outside a board meeting, he had been moved by what I had to say and wanted to take the chance to expand the program. Here we are, working with some of the best children in the field. Like Martha who was my little irish dancer who never seazed to make me laugh and reconsider ALL of my decisions. Phillip, who knew how to say the right words when I have a bad day. Piper who constantly pushes forth the idea that being in pain doesn't need to hold you back and as a ten year, she is kicking it in Soccer and Softball. A fucking warrior. They inspire me each and every day, so how could I leave all that behind to go somewhere new that I didn't have any idea about. Who had no idea who I was and probably, would look at me differently because of what I have. I don't have the time or patience or the fucking need to do so. So, maybe my decision was made. Maybe, I do in fact turn down Joe Sakics' offer. But he's, Joe Fucking Sakic. How could I do that? I'd be a fool to do so.

Before I could move onto another topic of thoughts I was taken back, by the movement in front of me from a far. A group of three guys walked in, laughing at something. And you best know- me and the few others gave them the dirtiest glare. You just don't do that a 9 am on a Thursday. Common respect. They followed the train of glares and apologized, and I looked down not really taking in who they were.

I shook my shoulders, typing away at an email that needed to be sent. Coffee orders were said, but I didn't hear the names.

Until you know who, decided to walk up to my table.

I continued to type away, trying to ignore him but he would not move- ever after the two other guys had walked out. I sighed, taking out my airpod and looking up at Cale who had a soft smile on his face, with a eyebrow raised. I sighed, pointing towards the chair in front of me and he gladly took it. "What can I help you with?" I asked getting straight to it. But Cale didn't answer that, "How are you today?" He asked the one question he always started off all our conversations with. I hated how many fucking times a person would ask me that, and even though it was Cale- it got old real quick. Always having to tell people, but at the same time atleast somebody was asking.

"Im doing well actually, this past week has been great." I answered honestly and he nodded, cheeks turning pinker. "What can I help you with?" I asked again and he nodded, "Would you want to hang out again soon?" He asked and I shook my head. "Fat chance, Cale." I said heatedly. He was taken back, he had never been on the recieving end of my snarky tone before. "We need to talk, Eliza. We need to talk about things." He responded and I shook my head again. "I don't want to, it wouldn't be worth my time in the end. Even for you, I don't want to. This is a doomed friendship anyways." I spat trying to ignore those bubbling fillings inside of me. One's about how he actually might like me and one's of wanting to have him hold my hand again. Nervous tears filled me eyes, "Who said it was doomed?" He questioned trying to read my face. I looked away, trying to hide my nervous tears threatning to spill. "Hey.Hey." He said softly, grabbing ahold of my hand and bringing me back to the conversation. "I want to believe you Cale, I really do. I don't know if I am ready to open up to somebody again and be shit on. Hell, I really don't wanna be around a group of people who barely know me and fear that they will judge me. They all do Cale, and I know you will too." I rasped, pulling my hand away. Cale did not like that. "But im not going to. Why do you keep comparing me to somebody else? Why can't you believe me? I want you to believe me, when I say what I say." He said catching me off guard as I began to put my stuff away. I stared at him for a second, before sighing. "Believe me Cale, if I could I would." I responded before getting up from the chair and walking out towards my car. He quickly followed after.

You could if you really wanted to he thought, but brushed the anxiety away.

"Eliza, stop!" he said as I opened my car door. "No Cale, please just leave me alone." I said throwing my bag in but my feet wouldn't move me to actually get in the car. My body wanted something differently than my mind. I shut my door and crossed my arms. Cale stared at me with hopefuly eyes. "You know I can't do that, Eliza." He blurted. I looked down eating my own words, "Fine, we do need to talk but not here." I said and he nodded getting excited. "How about you come back to my place right now if you can and we can chat. If not, I am available this weekend at any time." I said. "Ill follow you right now." He smiled before opening my car door for me and allowing me to get in.

I gave him a weary smile before turning it on as he walked over to his.

"What the fuck am I doing?" I said leaning my head against the steering wheel.

I was meandering in my room when I heard my buzzer go off, signaling that somebody was here for me. I walked back out towards the kitchen and buzzed them in and thanked the front desk attendent Jasmine. I went back to my room and stared at the mess I had made this morning. Groaning I looked at all the medications I needed to get refilled, and one's that were good until the following month. Today I was going to refill my monthly medication container, so I didn't have to worry about it the following day. Yet, I hated doing this. It took too much time up, when I could be using that energy for something else.

I didn't hear the knock on my door, as I buzzed through the first week of pills. My phone started to ring with Cale's contact and I softly smiled, getitng off my bed and walking over to the door.

He was leaning against doorway as I opened the door, a smile appeared on his face as I did so. "Hi." I said sheepishly, opening the door further to let him in. He smiled, "Hi." he responded.

"Give me a few mintutes, I am in the middle of something right now." I apologized making my way back to my room as he took off his shoes and jacket. "What are you doing?" He questioned, debating if he wanted to come over to my room. He had never been in there, because we always spent our time together in the living room or kitchen.

"Just some arthritis things." I said walking towards the door and seeing him eye it. "Come in, I don't bite." I mused opening my door more and he walked in as I walked back to my bed. He took in my room that was covered pretty minimal despite having vintage antiques spread around, making the room feel cozy. This definetly adds up, he thought. She was an old soul, and this room matched her personality perfecetly; he thought. He took a one over before, looking at the bed filled with medication bottles.

"I know it's a lot." I smirked, as he sat down at my desk's chair. "Do you take these every day?" He questioned seeing all the pills in my hand. I nodded, putting them in the Tuesday's container. "Yep, everday for years unfortunetly. All pain or anti inflammatory medications, and then we have the oh so lovely steroid. Which my body loves, but I loathe to take." I said honestly, and he took it in like a sponge. He took my movements and my little comments under my breath in. "How long have you been taking all this?" he said inspecting the medicine bottles.

"This, this and this- 6 years. this for 2 years and this 1, since I was diagnosed." I said showing him each pill. He nodded, thankful that she was opening up. "Oh and cannot forget about this lovely thing." I mused showing him my weekly injection and he visibly cringed. I smiled softly, "It's not the best but it helps me with my energy." I explained.

"It gets boring after while." I confessed closing the last day of the month, smiling. "All done. Finally." I smiled putting it on my night stand next to my phone. I then proceeded to round up all the pills bottles and put it in my storage container that I put under my bed. "Hmm. Seems a tad bit lighter, think it's time to get some more." I mused standing up all the way. Cale smiled at me, and I think I felt a shiver run down my spine. A good shiver. "So, what did you want to say?" I questioned cutting to the chase as I sat on my bed. Butt went down first, then the legs kicked me back into the bed more, my arms doing as much as they could. Cale watched the whole thing and was amused, especially as I made fake grunts. I rolled on my side and put my head and rested it on my hand, facing him. "Comfy?" He questioned and I nodded, "Yes, now please continue." I said.

"First off I just wanna say, you do not need to open up to me right now. I will never force anything out of you. But, I just feel lost honestly. You know, im trying to build a friendship with you -

[there it is: friednship, not relationship]

- and I want to be there for you, if you want me to. I am trying here, that's all I want for you to know. Is that im trying, and I will never intentially try to upset you in anyway." he shared nervously. I nodded, sighing and rubbing my eyes.

"I know. I know im not making this easy on you, Becca told me and I can honestly see it when you speak to me." I paused, "I have not had the best time making friends Cale. People in college did not really talk to me. Only Becca did because we have known eachother since we were 10 years old. She's been through it all. The last time I opened up to anbody was a year ago and well once I opened up to them about the realities of Rheumatoid Arthritis, they dropped me. So quickly." I paused, barely whispering the last part. I knew if I kept talking, i'd start to cry. Cale sensed my hesitation and tried to speak but I stopped him. "You say you won't drop me or leave me, but I can't help but fear you will. And we could go back and fourth all day, but everyday I know and talk to you, that will always be at the back of my mind. That's why I never 'spoke' to anybody or tried to get to know any guy because once they realize that I may never want to have kids when Im older it's a turn off, or that they want to go hiking at Colorado's peak but I can't go because if I do, I may fall off the mountain. Or how I would love to go sky diving, yet once we hit the ground, I would probably break my knees. So yes we could go back and fourth all day, and you might say that none of that matters but to me it does. To me it shows all my faults, fears and turnoffs. I live my life very calculated, always watching where I put my feet so I don't fall or slip. Never run late, always up early so I don't have to rush. So Cale, yes I might be a great friend to talk to I won't be a great friend in doing things. I am so fucking weak, that doing the mundane things for you would be difficult for me." I confessed, tears slowly making there way down my cheeks. I looked down trying to hide them, but all Cale did was move out of the chair and sit down in front of me and pull my chin up. He wiped them softly, staring into my blue eyes.

I tried pulling away from him, but he held my chin in place, and made me look back up at him.He got closer, so close I could feel his breath, "Then show me who you are, I want to know and see it all." He muttered so clearly before doing something I had never had done. He kissed me softly, fearing he'd break me. I pulled back, my eyes continued to be closed and I was internally freaking out. "Hey." He whispered pulling me back in to look at him. I reopened my eyes to his soft and welcoming hazel eyes. He had a soft affectionate smile, which made me melt then and there. I shifted away from him, pulling away from his grasp, pulling my short legs out in front of me and folding them into a pretzel style.

Cale watched me as I scooted around, waiting for me to get comfy again. Once I was comfy, I scooted a bit closer to him and did something that was so not me. I placed my lips on his, and he slowly pulled me in closer so now my waist was paralell to his. The closest I could possibly get to him without straddling, which I knew for sure would be uncomfortable for me. We parted after what felt like a few minutes, resting our foreheads against one another. Catching my breath, because that was something again, I'd never done before. I touched my lips, smiling into them and Cale caught that.

He grabbed my hands and pulled them to his lips, before resting them in his lap. I looked up to meet his gaze and sheepishly smiled, very unsure what to do in this moment. "No one's ever done that to me before." I rasped out while blushing and his grew even redder as he smiled. "That was uh, my first kiss." I confessed. He smiled sweeetly, "I'm glad I was your first, Eliza." He said genuinly. "You know i've never had a boyfriend right?" I said getting anxious. He nodded, "Becca told me last week after you left the car." he said and I nodded and cringed at the outburst I had. "Again, people will look at me like im drunk. I promise you Im never drunk." I joked. He was amused by that.

"Did you like the flowers I got you?" he questioned and I nodded, "Fortuntly I am a sucker for expensive peonies." I gushed. "Well, I am glad you loved them. Now I know what to bring you." He mused and I nodded. "How was the infusion?" He questioned and I shifted in my seating for a second. "It went well, as always. This week has been good I think because of it." I smiled. "Well I am glad." He responded rubbing my hand with his thumb, soothing me. "Did you um, did you want to possibly come with me next time?" I questioned. Cale was taken back at that question, because it was so sudden. He nodded exctitedly, "Ofcourse, just tell me when to pick you up. I'll make sure to have coffee and breakfast waiting for you too." He said supportively and I smiled a wide smile.

My face ligting up like I had just won the jackpot.

"Well, thankyou. That means more than you'll ever know." I said looking down at his lips before flicking back up to his eyes. I couldn't get enough of this feeling, this blissful moment. One that I didn't want to pass or let go of. He looked down at my lips before looking back up at me. I sported a slight nod, letting him know I wanted another kiss.

He moved closer, and painstakingly moved at a snails pace it seemed before placing his lips back on mine. I shifted closer again and rested my hands on his cheeks, trying to be as close as I possibly could without literally being on top of him. He wrapped his hands around my lower back keeping me steady, and holding me close. I pulled away for a brief second, looking into his eyes. That were so welcoming and almsot charming. I unconciously smiled, seeing some small scars around his face from years of hockey. I traced them softly, taking in every inch of his face. I felt his thick eyebrows, which made me jealous. "Wanna donate me some eyebrow hair?" I joked, before rubbing my thumbs on his cheekbones. He blushed and chuckled softly.

"Anything for you." He said honestly, looking up in to my eyes.

geez, I could get used to that.

His eyes twinked as he gazed at me. I smirked, giving him one last kiss. One that left us wanting more, and so unfufilled. We pulled apart, and I shifted over to my right to get off the bed. Cale followed after me, as I made my way to the kitchen. Once I went to look at the time on the stove, Cale softly grabbed the base of my back and pulled me in close. Now it was his turn to stare into my eyes, one's filled with happy tears. One's that were captivating and inviting. The warmth they offered, was enough for Cale to swoon even more. Cale did not want to look away, but he did inspecting the little popped blood vessles in her cheeks. Her pale cheeks that held freckles from her many summers in the sun, the way her dimples appeared as she smiled, or the one scar in her eyebrow from many moons ago hid behind her soft brown eyebrows. He traced her jaw, putting his hands underneath and clasping behind her ears, and drawing her in once again.

"God, you are tiny Ms.James." He joked and I rolled my eyes as he grew more serious.

"I wish you saw you, from my point of view." Cale said vulnerably. I bit my lip nervously, as tears pooled my eyes. Cale could see the sudden change in my face and rubbed my cheeks with his thumbs, trying to comfort me. "Well Mr.Makar, that'll be something you'll have to show and remind me everyday." I softly spoke, fearing that if I spoke anymore I'd cry. He nodded, placing a soft kiss on my lips. I wrapped my arms around his back, holding onto this moment. He parted for a second, "I promise." he exclaimed before reconnecting his lips to mine.

—

I wrapped myself in a knitted blanket, taking in the sudden snow shower that decided to show up the following morning. I took the day off and opted to work from the comfort of my home. Which meant, that I could spend the day with Becca who still worked at home with the hospital system. After seeing everything that I had gone through, after getting her bachelors degree in Human Resources she decided to get a job through another local hospital because she saw how I was treated by doctors throughout the years, nurses, technicians and ER staff. She wanted to help change things or atleast make people better at having better bedside manners.

Becca had the biggest heart for me, and after all these years she has been the most faithful and paitient with me. She was my other sister, being there in the worst of times. Never complaining or geeting angry with me. She'll be an amazing mom, no doubt. Unlike me, who goes through a daily back and fourth with the idea. I just dont know, if I am cut out for it. I know i'll be an amazing mom emotionally, but physically I wouldn't and that makes me incredibly sad. I have always said, that I'd only have kids if the right partner came around. Other than that, no stork would be visiting me in this lifetime.

I sighed, sipping some of my hot coffee and setting it down beside me and pulled my laptop up. Today was Feburary 15th, and I had less than a month- not even to decide if I wanted to work for the Colorado Avalanche. I had been silently debating for the past few days but knew the answer would come mere hours before march 1st. My phone buzzed alerting me that somebody had texted me.

[Cale: Will you be around tomorrow morning?]

[Eliza: Yes! I have no plans tomorrow morning, why?]

[Cale: Would you wanna go get breakfast or brunch?]

[Cale: Or lunch or dinner, or even coffee. whatever you prefer.]

i smiled softly at his generosity.

[Eliza: I'm up for brunch anyday. :)]

[Cale: Awesome! I'll be over to pick you up around 11?]

[Eliza: I'll be waiting!]

[Cale: Can't wait, I hope you have an amazing day today. Hopefully you don't get too many annoying emails from Eric.]

[Eliza: lol, he sure has many already today. I hope you have a good practice. Make sure Nathan doesnt fall too much-- Martha needs updates. ;)]

[Cale: hahah yes! Ill be sure to remind nate about it :)]

I shut my phone off for a second, before opening up instagram to actually post a photo for once. Something I rarely did.

@elizajames: 🤍☕️💐✨

- 96 likes, 5 7omments.

@becca: love these, love you :)

↳@elizajames: love you to the moooooon and back.

@jessicajames: omg i want the flowers !!!!

@jessicajames: also the coffee seems delectable

↳ @elizajames: it is ! as always.

@becca: you should do photography or something

↳ @elizajames: omg omg go away lol

@ ElizaJames has followed. @ calemakar

—

I hope you guys enjoyed!!

Please give this a like, and reblog - and if you want you can follow me for more stories i have up my sleeve.

#cale makar #hockey #nhl #colorado avalanche #fanfiction #romance #friendship #rheumatoid arthritis #autoimmunedisease #cale makar blurb #cale makar fic #hockey fic #hockey imagine #cale makar m series

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megatownac · 6 months

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The queue is empty, and it's been a little over four years since that happened. The last time, it's because I was on a two-week trip to Japan. This time, it's because I've quit playing New Horizons.

I stopped playing on September 22, on Ankha's birthday, because I wanted to celebrate that one last time before I put the game down. Since then, I've regained half an hour each day by not playing, and another twenty minutes by not queueing up posts after I got through my backlog on October 1. So it's been about 23 days of having an extra 50 minutes.

I'd been playing for nearly a year for no reason other than to keep getting fuel for posts. It wasn't fun on its own anymore.

I started this blog in September 2013, 10 years and 1 month ago. Since then, I've written over 22,000 posts in just about 3700 days.

When I started this blog, the Animal Crossing world was a lot more active. I made friends with people like @toysleaf and @vivinzenz. I would visit people's towns, and they would visit mine. As years went on, that faded. The blog got a little bit bigger. Just barely, barely big enough that I had to get cautious about what I wrote. I cut out all swearing and off-color jokes. I stopped asking people for things. I made sure never to reveal my political leanings, or my thoughts on current events. It wasn't my place, I thought, and was grateful that nobody asked me to weigh in. I eventually became isolated in my little world, not reblogging anything from anybody, ever, and hoping that maybe eventually some silly joke I made would get viral enough to…

To what, exactly? It's not like I ever made money doing this, and I'd all but given up on making friends. I was just doing it out of habit, out of a drive to see if I could get my follower count to go up. It didn't. I hit the 1500-follower mark back in 2016 or 2017 and never got higher than 1595. My silly jokes, my constant barrage of snarky comments about my day-to-day life, simply weren't popular with some imaginary mainstream Animal Crossing tumblr fandom that stopped existing well before New Horizons came out.

There's still an Animal Crossing fandom out here, of course. Just not one that follows blogs like mine. Do something impressive: create some art, or crochet something, or even design a cool home. Things I was not doing. Things I did not want to do.

I'd like to get back to enjoying Animal Crossing. To playing the game for fun. To playing it with other people, and making friends. But that won't happen right now. It can't.

Remember, I've been doing this for over 10 years. I was in my late twenties when I STARTED this blog, and I knew very well that I was one of the oldest people on Tumblr posting Animal Crossing content. My forties are not far off. I'm old. I feel out of place and weird posting my silly little jokes here when I know that most of the people reading them, and there aren't many who do, are probably quite a bit younger than I am. It's a kid's game, and that's fine. But I'm not a kid, and I'm not posting anything truly creative. Just blogging. Just starting up my game each morning to run around and gather fossils and hit rocks and talk to any islanders I see and snapping dozens of screenshots so I can post them on Tumblr at a rate of 4 or more posts each day.

This isn't goodbye forever. I'm just going on break for now. When something changes, I'll be back.

In the meantime, my main blog, @ratralsis, was active before this one started and is still active. I'm going to try to write there a little more often now that I'm not posting here each day, but we'll see, I guess.

As for here, I don't know what I might be posting here in the next few months. Maybe nothing. Maybe I'll start reblogging things again for the first time in, what, six years? Seven years? I don't know. A long time.

I'm not saying I will. Just that I maybe will. Maybe I won't!

Either way, take care of yourself, and remember that I'm still around and, one way or another, will continue writing on the internet until I am physically unable. I've been doing so since 2001 or so and have never stopped. I've been Ratralsis since 2002 and I needed a name to write on a friend's website (the website is long gone now). As far as I know, I'm either the only Ratralsis out there or the other people with that name don't show up on Google, so, as of today, at least, if you see a Ratralsis out there complaining about Best Buy on Twitter or leaving comments on YouTube videos or posting in the forums on Flight Rising, that's me.

That's all for now.

#text post #long post #non ac #not ac #goodbye for here and for now

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