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flightfoot · 3 months

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ML Fanfic Recs for 2023: 20K - 40K words

So I’ve been going through and adding particularly good fics I’ve read throughout the year. Only Complete fics, of course. Enjoy!

Alliance!Adrien’s AI is self-writing, enabling him to grow and change and adapt. As he learns and starts analyzing some of his own systems, he finds some disquieting correlations. Why are there such strong connections between akuma attacks and the Alliance network?

Fu keeps on trying to give Marinette Miraculouses. Marinette refuses to cooperate.

Chat is happy with the person Fu chose to succeed him as Guardian, but confused. Why did he choose Multimouse?

One of Hawk Moth’s akuma attacks ends tragically, with many dead, Adrien in critical condition, and Chat Noir MIA. Alya’s prepared to go to extremes to save the people she cares about, if it comes to it.

In Kuro Neko, Adrien decides to seal off his more rebellious, wilder side, in order to make himself into the perfect partner for Ladybug. This has unintended consequences.

Chat Noir suddenly turns on Ladybug, joining up with Monarch as Cat Walker. Marinette’s devastated. At least she still has Adrien by her side.

Nino offers to fake-date Adrien in order to get the paparazzi off his back. He starts to wish it wasn’t fake.

All this and more below the break!

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The Ghost in the Machine by @jheqiawrites

As part of this function, Adrien knew about Monarch, the akuma butterflies, the victims, and, of course Ladybug and Cat Noir, the heroes of Paris. He was authorized to contact the Ladyblog as well as the citywide alert system if one of his platforms was active during an akuma manifestation, allowing his friends to get somewhere safe until Ladybug and Cat Noir could deal with the situation

While the necessity of these functions was disconcerting, it was programmed to be his routine so he gradually grew used to the inconsistencies. After all, humans tended to be selfish, highly inconsistent, and often flighty, but once you had observed them for a while an intelligence such as his could begin to see the patterns.

That is until she came online.

This is just a beautiful, though bittersweet story. I adore how Alliance!Adrien grows and changes throughout the story, how he develops as a person. He starts off not being able to figure out what he’s feeling, needing to make new modules in order to try to process the emotions he has welling up, and not totally understanding his own reactions. But as time goes on he grows and gets a better handle on himself. This isn’t an “evil AI” story, he’s just a person who’s slowly figuring out who he is and how to handle himself.

Not that it’s entirely about Adrien Alliance figuring out his own emotions, there’s other things going on as well. He’s worried about why there seems to be weird surges in the Alliance Network right before akumas attack, for instance, and why the details about the reason for that seem to be hidden from him, making him more paranoid about the Alliance system the more he looks into it...

It’s just... it’s really good and absolutely worth a read.

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Thanks, But No by @pauliestorylover

For every miraculous that Fu cupped in his palms, an image of the same blue-eyed girl flashed through his mind. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was born to hold the miraculous—she resonated with every single one of them far better than even the late Celestial Guardian, and it was Fu’s duty as the last Guardian not to allow such talent to slip through his hands.

Too bad Marinette wasn’t on the same page.

Or; au where Master Fu keeps throwing miraculous at Marinette hoping one will stick, Marinette goes around handing out miraculous like candy, and Wayzz has never seen anything so ridiculous in his millennia-long lifespan.

This one’s fun. Everyone except for Adrien ends up with a different Miraculous than in canon, and it’s really interesting to see how they all adapt. Marinette’s thorough noping out is pretty funny too, and there’s some sweet bits of Adrino and Alyanette in here!

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The Power of Love by @nedjsmlfavs

In which Ladybug announces that she’s pregnant via her long term boyfriend and Chat Noir is a supportive partner. After all, he can hardly be upset when he’s been dating his Princess for years!

A different take on the show’s tagline (“The Power of Love Always so Strong”) written for Valentine’s day 2023.

This is just a sweet, fluffy fic about Ladybug and Chat Noir finding out they’re having a baby, revealing to each other, getting married, and becoming parents. Gabriel actually tries to do better here, as he does actually care about getting to know his grandchild, and realizes that he can’t undo this timeline without undoing his granddaughter’s existence as well.

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Radio Silence by @into-september

When an inexplicable change between Marinette and Adrien brings the two closer than ever, Alya is left on the outside of a secret too confounding to be about cheesemaking or puppy love.

[No S4 AU]

This is a wonderful Alya-centric fic, with her just being baffled by Marinette’s and Adrien’s newfound closeness. But it’s not all about her being puzzled by the Lovesquare. Things really get rolling when Lila makes her entrance and Marinette and Adrien are particularly hostile to her, with Alya being confused about it and thinking there must be a misunderstanding here, somewhere, even with Lila saying something she KNOWS can’t be true - partially because she doesn’t want to believe she’s been fooled all this time.

But this isn’t a saltfic. Alya’s treated like a full person, and her perspective and thoughts are given credence. She and Marinette talk things out in depth, with both of them feeling badly for accidentally hurting the other person, and reassuring each other (Marinette also told a lie, though unbeknownst to Alya, it was connected to her being a superhero. Alya, however, didn’t know that, and just knew that Marinette lied to her for no clear reason), and they make up. It’s really nice and treats the characters with love and respect.

It’s got a lot of similarities to The Investigation by @11jj11, so if you liked that fic, you’ll probably like this one too.

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I’ll give myself a name (something stupid and pretentious) by @bbutterflies

Nino looked at the number and didn’t recognize it. Usually he wouldn’t answer, but he had nothing better to do – and could still really use a distraction – so he did. “Hello?”

“Hey, Nino.”

Nino stood up quickly, chest tightening. He knew that voice. He’d been waiting to hear it again for over two years. “Adrien?” he whispered.

“Yeah. It’s me."

When Monarch is defeated (and revealed to be Gabriel Agreste), Chat Noir immediately goes missing. Adrien disappears not long after. When Adrien finally shows up in Paris again, Nino would do anything to make sure he doesn't disappear again.

Ah this is lovely, Adrien’s been in a lot of emotional turmoil since Monarch’s defeat, convinced that everyone would hate him, SHOULD hate him, for not realizing that his father was the villain, and should hate him even more for disappearing like he does. But slowly Marinette and Nino get through to him, convince him that they just want him back.

And also Adrien and Nino smooch. Multiple times. So that’s a bonus XD.

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The New Guardian Is... Multimouse? by The_Rabbit42

During the events of Miracle Queen, Master Fu passes on the role of guardian to a surprising successor... Multimouse! Marinette is frustrated, Alya is confused, and Chat Noir is oddly pleased. How will this affect Marinette's friendships and partnership on both sides of her identity? How will this affect Adrien's view of the girls in his life? And how long will they keep it together?

I adore this fic! It diverges from the season 3 ending, with Multimouse - who Chat knows is Marinette, becoming Guardian instead of Ladybug. Which leads to some ripple effects, like Marinette not confessing her identity to Alya, since she’s able to get some support from Chat when he drops by her house. Not that that stops tension from building between Ladybug and Chat Noir, since she won’t just let Chat go and get a Miraculous from Marinette during a battle, and she won’t tell him why, leading him to think that she just dislikes Marinette or doesn’t trust him to get Miraculous like she does. But even while all this tension is building between Ladybug and Chat Noir, Chat’s still able to talk to Marinette, air his feelings in ways he doesn’t feel like he should do with Ladybug, and it’s all a great, complicated situation that I thoroughly enjoyed seeing unfold!

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Two Steps Back (One Step Forward) by @buggachat

Sure, Adrien hadn't been texting her as often as he used to. And sure, Nino noticed it too. But just because Adrien had struggled with depression in the past, didn't mean he was struggling now. Surely, he'd tell her if something was wrong. Right?

Marinette just missed him, and she had a tendency to catastrophize. Surely, he was fine.

But if he wasn't... well, she wasn't above hopping on a flight back to Paris to make sure.

—————

Marinette's at an internship in New York, and Adrien has a depression relapse.

Once again buggachat comes out swinging with a fic centered around Adrien being super depressed and his friends charging in to help him, despite him not wanting them to because he feels like a burden. It’s not easy and Marinette goes through a lot of emotional turmoil, especially since his apartment is in bad enough shape that it can’t be changed to something that a human should be living in without also going shopping, but gradually she helps drag Adrien out of the hole he’s gotten himself stuck in. The emotions are on point and just... if you want to read a hurt/comfort fic with Found Family helping one of their own who’s struggling and doesn’t think they deserve it, this is a great fic to read.

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If only I could break free by megetstoread

It started with Adrien being upset about going away, but led to a lot of revelations.

Another Sentiadrien fic here! After telling Adrien that he’s being sent to London, Gabriel takes advantage of Adrien being distraught to akumatize him. Luckily Ladybug’s right there and deakumatizes him before he can even do anything, but it shakes both her and Chat, leading to her allowing him to tell her a lot more about his home life than usual, and for her and Adrien to investigate to see whether there might be more to Adrien’s inability to stand against his father than just psychological abuse.

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Skinny Dipping in the Seine by whensparksfly

When Marinette and Chat Noir cross paths one stormy night, an unexpected friendship blossoms, and between the two of them they’re both able to admit what they’ve been looking for the most — freedom. Vowing to tackle all of the things they’ve never tried before, they set out on a series of adventures to complete their bucket lists.

Cute little Marichat fic here! Just Marinette and Chat Noir hanging out and doing things they’ve always wanted to do, like going to a rave or, well, skinny-dipping in the Seine.

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Nor No Man Ever Loved by @jheqiawrites

It starts with a gift to cheer up a friend, a friend Marinette's heart is trying to move on from. But when she is blatantly confronted with her feelings by the most unexpected person, Marinette's life takes a turn for the better.

Welcome to my Adrienette April story. It is based around Shakespeare's Sonnet 116: Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds. Each chapter will be framed around part of the sonnet and should be able to stand alone, though the story itself will all be tied together.

This is a nice little story, mostly focusing on Marinette’s perspective while being there for Adrien, WITH Adrien, while dealing with his father and the aftermath of his father’s takedown. We do get some perspective from Adrien though for things like his therapist appointments. I really like that it covered some of the therapy Adrien should have after this event, he needs it.

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Villainous Matchmaking by @nedjsmlfavs

When Chat Noir is tragically unable to attend an event with Ladybug, the mayor calls in a favor from a designer ‘friend’. Now she’s attending in style, on the arm of the hottest male model in Paris. Which would be fine if it weren’t for one, tiny issue: Paris’ favorite domestic terrorist now knows how Ladybug feels about his son. This leads him to his greatest plan yet, using Ladybug’s extremely obvious crush on Adrien Agreste to akumatize Chat Noir.

A Ladrien/“platonic” Ladynoir fic

This is adorable and hilarious. Gabriel keeps on “accidentally” releasing things which makes it looks like Adrien and Ladybug are a couple in an effort to make Chat Noir jealous, while Adrien and Ladybug ae just over-the-moon about getting to spend time together and finding out that the other person loves them XD.

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Vantage Point by @ashes-555

Most of the time, with more information, life get easier and things make more sense. But Alya discovers that sometimes, knowing everything is just plain complicated.

Alya POV fic here, which instantly drew my attention, I think most people know how much I love fics giving her some focus.

This is set post-Gang of Secrets. Basically, Ladybug tells Chat that he can tell someone his secret identity, and he chooses Alya (he thought about telling Nino, but he didn’t want to rock the boat with Nino since he’s his best friend, and he figured Nino would let it slip to Alya anyway). Which leads to Alya just. Dying. As she deals with knowing the full truth about the Lovesquare and not being able to tell Adrien and Marinette that they’re chasing each other around in circles.

The fic soon changes gears, though, becoming a Hawkmoth Defeat fic, with Rena coming up with a plan to discover Scarlet Moth’s location, and then everyone dealing with the ramifications.

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Justifying the Means by @ashes-555

When the worst happens, Alya finds that she may be willing to do the unthinkable. Is any sacrifice to big to make for her friends?

Once again, Ashes comes out swinging with an Alya focused fic!

Basically, there’s a major, destructive akuma attack. During it, Ladybug orders Chat to cataclysm a building in order to stop from being trapped. Unfortunately the building collapses, injuring or killing a lot of people - unbeknownst to her, including Chat Noir. Gabriel releases the akuma, which means she has no way of fixing the damage, either.

A lot of of focus is placed on Alya and Nino worrying over Adrien, who was found in the wreckage barely clinging to life, in a coma, with the doctors unsure whether he’d make it. Shadow Moth takes advantage of their distress to make an offer: if he gets the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses, he can make a Wish to fix everything, including saving Adrien. With as dark a place as Alya and Nino are in, they seriously consider it. Especially with how unhappy both of them are with Chat Noir supposedly “abandoning” Ladybug and Paris as a whole, and Nino being angry with Ladybug for failing (since Alya knows that Marinette is Ladybug, she’s far more understanding on that front).

I love how much credence Alya’s thought and emotions are given here, and that she doesn’t go for the more drastic option right away, either - she talks with Ladybug about it first, tries to do it her way. She understands the costs, but... her friends are important to her, and she’s desperate. I think this was a really good way to present a more antagonistic sort of Alya. She’s still very much herself here, and still considers Marinette her friend, willing to do things her way to an extent, and understanding why Marinette doesn’t want to use the Wish, even though she disagrees with her. Alya’s mindset, her emotions, her problems, are given respect and credence by the narrative. She’s still willing to talk things out, she’s still sympathetic to Marinette and the enormous trauma and guilt she’s going through, she just disagrees with Marinette’s approach. She wants her friend back.

If you want a fic that has some solid focus on Alya as a person, on her emotional struggles and mindset and just... dealing with things, I highly recommend checking out “Justifying the Means”.

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Would Trust You With Everything by @kasienda

Nino breaks off, tears streaking down his face. Adrien wishes he was here as himself instead of Chat so he could offer a hug.

“It’s not like I don’t think she deserved her privacy. It’s just it felt like I was her last priority. And if I knew why, then maybe we could overcome it. But when I don’t, I’m not willing to be her last thought. You know? I always put her first.”

“Yeah,” Chat agrees, able to relate too well. He always put Ladybug first too, and he’s not sure it has ever been the same for her. “I’m sorry you’ve been so alone through this."

“I haven’t been totally alone,” Nino disagrees, holding up his phone. “My best friend has been keeping me company virtually most of the day.”

“Yeah? It helped?”

“I don’t know if any of the stuff he sent helped, but like, given what I know he’s up to, he totally had to move heaven and earth to talk to me so much, and that really helped. You know, just knowing that someone was thinking of me.”

“I’m glad,” Chat Noir said. “I wish he could be there in person for you.”

Nino sighs. “Yeah, me too, but at least you’re here."

...

Season 4 au - canon divergent from Rocketear Rocketear led to DJWiFi breakup.

Ahh, Adrino my beloved XD. I love the identity shenanigans in this one with Adrien being around Nino as both Adrien and Chat Noir, and both of them vaguely describing their situations to each other. It takes Adrien a bit to figure out that he has a crush on Nino, but once he does...

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Dr. Walker & Kitty Hyde series by @pearl484-blog

Summary of the first fic, Rain Falls, Everybody Lies:

Chat Noir loves the rain. He loves the danger. He loves the excitement, and he especially loves how much Catwalker hates it.

Jekyll and Hyde AU

Adrien AUGreste Entry 3: Rain

So like the summary says, and the title indicates, this series is inspired by the popular conception of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - not how the book actually goes, but how it’s portrayed in popular media, with Jekyll splitting himself in two, with a “good” side and a “bad” side.

During Kuro Neko, instead of just changing his appearance through changing his mindset, Adrien took more extreme measures, sealing off his “undesirable” characteristics, his anger and sadness and all his sharp edges, into the ring so he could assume a more placid, genial persona that’d be more accepted - Cat Walker.

But Chat Noir’s still there, taking over whenever Adrien gets too testy, and desperately trying not to be pressed out of existence entirely. With embodying Adrien’s sealed anger and snappishness and rebelliousness, he’s not too kind to the other heroes - he already felt looked down upon and ignored before this, and seeing them accept Cat Walker while he’s fighting for his life doesn’t endear them to him either.

The series isn’t unfair to them - this isn’t a case where one party is entirely in the wrong and another’s entirely in the right. Marinette, Zoe, Nino, and all the others - they did wonder about what was going on with Chat, but he wasn’t in a position where he could see it, and he did have legitimate questions about how much Ladybug would budge on things, if he’d told her what he was going through. It’s a series that emphasizes characters hurting and lashing out in some terrible ways, but that hurt still being respected, and working things out, trying to get everything to a better place.

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First Dance, Second Chance by @gabriel-agreste-has-no-rights

After fighting by Ladybug's side as Aspik, Adrien finally has an excuse to connect with her. But when Gabriel voices concerns about Ladybug during a charity event, Adrien realizes she might need him for more than just one dance.

Or, the one where Ladybug and Adrien work together to find out Hawkmoth's identity, while maybe squeezing in a date or two along the way.

Ladrien Hawkmoth defeat fic here! I love Ladybug and Adrien teaming up to figure out how to track down Hawkmoth and defeat him, and being super supportive of each other more generally. If you like Ladrien and Hawkmoth Defeat fics, you should check it out!

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The Great War by icebelle24

'And maybe it’s the past that’s talking, screaming from a crypt Telling me to punish you for things you never did So I justified it'

The unthinkable happens, and suddenly, Chat Noir’s allegiances change. Now Ladybug stands on the opposite side of the battlefield from the boy who was once her partner, left alone to make sense of an impossible situation.

At least she still has Adrien to give her hope. Or maybe things are not entirely as they seem.

I adore Ladynoir enemies au, and this is a good one. The reveal of what’s really going on is pretty great, everything makes sense. I love the pieces of Alya’s POV in this as well, as she’s trying to support Marinette through one of the biggest betrayals that could possibly happen, even while Marinette’s making some frustrating decisions that don’t make much tactical sense. Everyone’s pissed at Chat Noir (now Cat Walker) for apparently siding with Hawk Moth, and the subsequent frustrating inability to make any headway against him, as Ladybug always insists on fighting Cat Walker personally, and letting no one else take part.

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The moment I knew (I’d no choice but to love you) by @bbutterflies

“He’s dating me,” Nino said, taking Adrien’s hand in his own.

Adrien could only stare back at him in shock.

“How dare you all force him to come out?” Nino continued, glaring at the reporters. “That was disgusting.” He pulled Adrien over to the car, guided him in, and shut the door behind them.

In the relative quiet and privacy of the backseat, Adrien finally processed what had just happened. “So… when were you going to tell me we were dating?”

This Adrino fic is delicious XD. Reporters keep hounding Adrien about his love life, so Nino finally gets them off Adrien’s back by fake-dating him. Problem is, Adrien’s actually been madly in love with Nino for years but has never been able to tell him. And now as they’re spending more time together, Nino’s beginning to find that he’s enjoying all these “couple” activities more than maybe he ought to if it’s entirely platonic...

If you want to see Adrien and Nino PINING for each other while “fake” dating (is it really fake if both parties want it to be real?) then you’ve come to the right fic!

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Evillustrator Reimagined by onewaywriteturn

A full, mostly-standalone rewrite of the episode "The Evillustrator".

Nathaniel never planned to tell anyone about his secret crush on his friend Marc, but his world changes when Chloe picks up his sketchbook and mocks his art in front of the whole class, inadvertently outing him as bisexual. Now as the Evillustrator, he has two objectives: to take vengeance on Chloe for what she did to him and to go on a date with Marc for his birthday.

At the same time, Marinette is already struggling to defend Sabrina from Chloe when she learns of the Evillustrator's crush on Marc, one of her good friends. And while getting Marc involved with an akuma fight is messy enough, the fact that Marc has secretly liked Nathaniel for a long time complicates the situation so much more.

If you ever wanted to see Evillustrator rewritten to focus around NathMarc, this is the fic for you! The two of them just PINE for each other so hard and are so convinced that the other person couldn’t possibly actually want to date them, even with Evillustrator making it uh. Exceedingly obvious XD.

#miraculous ladybug #ml fanfic rec

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drabblesandimagines · 5 months

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400 requests~ AAAAAAAH CONGRATULATIONS ON 400 I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU OMG (⁠ﾉ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠*⁠.⁠✧ May that following increase and the journey ahead be an enjoyable and rewarding one!

May I request a Joshua x Reader? Where reader gives as good as she gets and they banter/tease one another? Developing relationship with secret smiles and whispers (⁠人⁠*⁠´⁠∀⁠｀⁠)⁠｡⁠*ﾟ⁠+

Ty so much my dear, please take careeeeeee! And congratulations once again ❤️ 🎉

Thank you so, so much! <3 Sorry this took me an age - I hope you enjoy it. I had fun writing it in all its fluffy nonsense. Banter Joshua Rosfield x fem reader

You smile at the sight of Joshua breaking his fast in the Ale Hall. Jote is by his side, as usual, eyes watching him like a hawk as he picks idly at his plate. You stride over, a bounce in your step and sit down to his left, nimbly stealing a piece of Maeve’s famous sweet bread off his plate.

“Morning.” You grin, before taking a bite. If Jote could kill with looks alone, you’d be long gone.

“Good morning.” Joshua nods in acknowledgement, suppressing a grin.

“There is still food being served, my lady.” Jote states, politely.

You finish your mouthful and smile, sweetly, in the Phoenix attendant’s direction. “I know. I didn’t think Joshua would mind sharing, though.” “Oh, I certainly do mind.” He replies, though his tone is teasing. “Only because my lady is surely sweet enough.”

“Careful – if you make me faint, Tarja will be most displeased.”

“Then I will be sure to be swift enough to catch you.”

“Hm,” you muse, looking him up and down. “I’ll believe that when you finally best me in the pit, for how many times is it now that I have sent His Grace down upon his backside?”

Jote’s nostrils flair in annoyance.

“Very true,” Joshua chuckles. “I will mind my words to avoid an unnecessary trip to the infirmary. Speaking of,” he turns to the woman besides him, “Jote, I know Tarja would appreciate your help again there this morning, if you’d be so kind.”

“If you are sure, Your Grace. I do not mind… watching over your training session.”

Jote had been vehemently against your tutelage of Joshua in the pit, even though it had been at Clive’s request. Your weapon was similar to that of the delicate blade Joshua wields and knowing the repercussions of what the use of aether did to the body, Clive was keen for him to start utilizing it properly in battles. Though the Undying had tutored the Phoenix to the best of their ability, Clive had noted areas of improvement whilst fighting alongside Joshua and you had immediately come to mind… much to Jote’s chagrin at the constant, somewhat flirtatious banter you and the blonde had relaxed into throughout your training sessions together. “I’ll be fine, Jote. Thank you.” Joshua smiles, warmly, and you see her relax a little at his words.

“I do not wish to face Tarja’s wrath if I were to send Joshua back to his sickbed, so I promise to be most careful.” You try and reassure too, but the way Jote’s lips fall into a tight line as she gets to her feet, bows her head and heads off towards the infirmary tells that you hadn’t quite hit the mark you intended.

Joshua waits a moment to be sure Jote is clear of the Ale Hall before he drops a hand under the table, subtly reaching for your hand and interlacing his fingers with yours. “Sweet one,” he leans into you to whisper the nickname he’s bestowed upon you for moments such as this, “Once again, I must insist you stop tormenting poor Jote.”

“She makes it so eas-“

A firm squeeze of your hand cuts you off.

“My apologies.” You concede. “In my defence, I was being sincere about the last bit though – I do not wish to send you back to your bed with too much exertion.”

“You will not.” He lets go of your hand, somewhat reluctantly, and stands. “Shall we?”

“Let’s.”

A little while later, the two of you are catching your breath after a round of sparring in the pit.

“That was much better.” You wipe the back of your hand over your brow. “I only knocked you down three times.”

“Twice,” Joshua corrects.

“No, it was definitely three.”

“No, it was definitely twice.” He retorts. “The third time you are referring to does not count.”

You tilt your head, curious. “And why is that, Your Grace?”

Joshua scoffs. “You know exactly why, sweet one.”

“No, I don’t.” You cross your arms. “Enlighten me.”

He sighs. “I will reiterate that kissing me on my cheek is not an acceptable move in combat.”

“Says who? It’s an excellent distraction technique, as you have experienced.” You grin, thinking back of how flustered Joshua had got when you’d pecked him on the cheek… before thwacking the hilt of your blade across the back of his knees to send him toppling down into the sand of the fighting pit.

“Oh, really? Pray tell, who engages with this technique?”

“Me, for a start.”

“Anyone else I might know?”

“Why, Barnabas Tharmr. How do you think he conquered Ash all those years ago?”

Joshua can’t help but laugh at that, taking a step closer. “Of course, pecked his way up to the throne. No-one else?”

You hum in thought. “Clive of course. His foes are always commenting on how handsome he is in battle, so he gives them a quick kiss and down they go. In fact, I heard he kissed a Morbal once-”

“Oh, hello, Clive.” Joshua interrupts, looking behind you. Your heart skips a beat as you spin on your heels, ready to utter a thousand apologies… ..only to find the dock behind you is empty. You turn back, Joshua’s name on your tongue to admonish him, only to find his lips meet yours instead and he kisses you, a hand cupping your cheek and causing your mind to become utterly blank.

It only lasts a moment when he sideswipes at your ankles and sends you toppling down to your backside with a boyish grin.

“You’re right,” he crouches down and offers you his hand, “it is a good distraction technique.”

-- PS: I love Jote, really! Just had to tease her a little bit too.

Masterlist . Requests welcome . Commissions/Ko-Fi

#ghostdogwrites #joshua rosfield x you #joshua rosfield x female reader

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corvusalbus93 · 5 months

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Wish: Pure Villain Rewrite

I’ve posted a rewrite with Magnifico as a sympathetic antagonist some time ago, (click here if interested) now it’s time for Magnifico as a pure Disney Villain. No big backstory here, just note that Amaya is going to be just as villainous, and like in my other rewrite, Asha’s their daughter.

The story:

Asha grows up believing her parents to be quite benevolent; all they ask is that each citizen gives them a single wish (usually once people move to Rosas or turn fifteen), some getting granted by her father...eventually. The people appear content and happy, crime is virtually unknown. A perfect kingdom on the surface.

Asha is mostly taught by tutors, not seeing her parents all that often, but begins to study magic as a teenager under her father. She eventually does ask him about the wishes, why he doesn’t fulfil more. Magnifico explains how some might be dangerous and would threaten the kingdom; it’s best for the stability of their realm if he and her mother keep a close watch. He assures Asha she’ll understand soon enough.

One night Asha catches a guy, around her age, breaking in; he claims her parents aren’t benevolent, but using magic to keep people obedient. Asha insists that Rosas is the most splendid kingdom, wealthy, its citizens safe and content. The guy points out that the reason is the mind-alteration and because other kingdoms are too scared to mess with a powerful sorcerer. She doesn’t buy it and guards bring him into the dungeon. Still, his words stick with her. She doesn’t want to believe it and decides to check the city for herself, having never really mingled with the common people before, to prove the wanna-be thief wrong.

She uses her hawk, Valentino, a spell allowing her to see through his eyes (I changed him into a none-speaking hawk, because falconry was a popular pastime among nobles, so it felt like a better fit). Asha sees how docile, in some cases almost lethargic, the people are, when it isn’t a wish-ceremony or other celebration. Most just go about their lives, stuck in their routines and with no real drive. She checks on a staff-member, who had their wish taken the other day, a boy only a little younger than herself, and he too is unsettlingly docile, rather than his chipper old self.

That night she sneaks into the dungeons to speak with the wanna-be thief, confused and feeling conflicted.

(“But my father only takes a wish!” Asha exclaimed. “All people must have more than one or develop new ones through life. Why would taking one change them so much?”

“That’s sounds like something worth looking into.”

“You’re dragging me into something, aren’t you?”

“Am I? ‘Cause you seem perfectly capable of following this line of thought on your own.”

“My parents are good people.”

“...are you telling me, or yourself?”)

After their conversation, Asha begins to spy on her parents, using her hawk Valentino among others. She not only sees them reward morally dubious people with granted wishes for their services, but her mother spies on their people (using the eyes of any animal she wishes, just like Asha does with Valentino), picking out those who need to reigned in, which happens via wishes. As it turns out, the wishes are a link to people’s minds and heart and Magnifico can manipulate how a person thinks and feels through a wish-orb.

Trying to fix this, Asha speaks to her father about the wishes once again, but can’t sway him. He lectures her on the importance of keeping order. Without it, people turn against each other and their rulers, which only leads to suffering. People leave the continent and come to Rosas seeking safety and hoping their dreams have a chance to become reality here, even if the chance is small. They happily give him their deepest wishes, forget them willingly, because in truth, they desire stability even more. And as a wise and just ruler it falls to him to decide what wishes will benefit the kingdom.

Asha struggles with this new knowledge for a while, before she frees the wanna-be thief from his cell, not wanting him to have his wish taken. He asks her to come with him, and to see what life with agency looks like. He leads her deep into the mountains beyond the city, to a hidden town and introduces her to the enclave. While not as splendid, the people seem happy, lively, everything is so much more vibrant, a stark contrast to the city of white marble. She sees how people need more than safety/order to truly thrive. To live.

She’s introduced to a group that studies magic and is trying to figure out how to give the wishes back and get rid of the royals. They eventually ask Asha for help, as she can actually use magic, while they are trying to teach it to themselves, without much success yet. Asha needs some time to think about it, but after a heart-to-heart with some of her new friends agrees to help.

She returns to the castle, continues to spy and study, playing the good daughter, while supplying the enclave with books, scrolls and information. (Probably a good place for a song-montage to show how this takes place over months)

That is until one night her father summons a star. Not only would it empower him, but it would allow him to extend his control far beyond the island borders and now Asha’s parents are creating a spell that would forcefully draw out people’s wishes in both Rosas and neighbouring realms. Asha quickly notifies the enclave and acting quickly they go to steal the star. They succeed thanks to Asha getting them past all magical security measures, but she has to leave with her rebel friends.

Back in the enclave the rebels discuss using the star against the royals, but Asha, not wanting to be anything like her parents at this point, instead frees the star (which turns out to be a mute shapeshifter), which is very grateful for her kindness. She asks if the star would willingly help them free their people, and after explaining things to them, the star readily agrees. As she can’t return to the capital, Asha uses Valentino to check on her parents, to find out their next move.

Magnifico and Amaya learn about the theft and with their daughter gone, the magical seals broken, it doesn’t take them long to figure out she’s responsible. They are disappointed, and lament not having overseen her education personally or not having taken one of Asha’s wishes to help mould her more directly. They discuss how to proceed and while without the star the spell’s reach will be limited, Magnifico can still use it to forcefully draw out the wishes of everyone on the island at least, including their daughter. Asha overhears this thanks to Valentino, but her mother notices the hawk, and sends one of her own birds to bring him down, while Asha is powerless to stop it.

The rebels get everyone together for another meeting, and a still conflicted Asha speaks to one of her friends, who reveals that their parents had their wishes taken and are completely loyal, completely trusting the royals. They tried to reason with them, but didn’t believe a word, and so they fled before their wish could be taken to. They wish to reconnect with their family, despite still being angry with their parents for what happened between them. After all, they too were deceived and manipulated, perhaps even with magic. Asha apologizes for the pain her parents caused them and so many others, and for not realizing how evil they were earlier. Her friend reassures her that she doesn’t need to apologize, not to them. She was just a kid, who trusted her parents...and yet she still came through, despite how difficult this must be for her. Asha asks if they even want her as a queen, should they succeed, how she doesn’t even know if she’s suited for such a task. Her friend reminds her that she won’t have to do everything on her own and whatever happens, she’s already doing more for their people than her parents.

As the meeting begins, Star gives Asha a staff of her own, fashioned from a tree branch, infused with the Star’s own magic, so she can stand a chance against her father. The rebels pick a team to go on the mission to take the king and queen out, deciding to go about it stealthily, hoping to be able to strike before Magnifico or Amaya can use their magic against them. This brings up the question as to what to do with them, most voting to either imprison the royal couple for the rest of their lives, others inclined to a more permanent solution, fearing they could escape and pose a threat again. Asha asks Star, if they can take her parents magical abilities away, but Star shakes their head, communicating that it would likely be lethal; it would be like taking someone’s entire blood supply. But the enclave’s scholars claim to have found a solution. They found an enchantment in the books provided by Asha and understanding their intentions, Star uses this knowledge to enchant several handcuffs collected from freed prisoners to suppress the magic of anyone wearing them. Every member of the team gets one, hoping that two of them will be able to get one on both king and queen.

They infiltrate the palace, only to find out that Magnifico has already begun casting the spell, having set up a giant ritual circle in the royal garden, since it offered the most space. With the guard fast asleep, thanks to Star and Asha, Queen Amaya defends her husband, so he can focus. It works at first, Asha and her allies unable to act as the wishes are being painfully drawn out of them, but an unaffected Star begins to duel Amaya. When she’s about to be defeated, Magnifico interrupts the spell to save her, allowing the others to join the fight, Asha taking on her father.

But even with her new staff, she is quickly pushed back. She tries to reason with him, but he’s fully aware of what he’s doing and has no qualms, telling her that he’s quite disappointed in her, but they’ll “fix” her, once he got his hands on her wish. Star needs to step in and save her, shielding Asha, so she can focus on the offensive, which evens the odds.

The others eventually manage to outmanoeuvre the Queen, putting a pair of handcuffs on her. Magnifico is enraged by this and lashes out, knocking most out or injuring them. Only Asha, shielded by Star’s magic, remains relatively unharmed/conscious. As Magnifico goes to free his wife, Asha acts quickly and reaches out to the plants of the garden. She manages to trap her parents in a pair of trees, just as they reach out to each other, though they never manage to touch...merely the newly sprouted branches do. Star enchants the trees to make sure they won’t wither and die, turning them into permanent prisons, or at least until Asha figures out another solution, if she ever finds one.

They return the wishes to the people, releasing those directly manipulated of her parents’ spell and Asha sends Star home to the heavens (maybe after Star showing her how to heal Valentino, if we don’t want to kill off the animal sidekick; I want the Star not to simply fulfil wishes, but to only give the heroes the tools they need to do things themselves, in contrast to Magnifico + a little magical support in combat). Rosas begins to recover, families start to heal with the wishes returned and he truth out. Those living in the enclave don’t have to hide anymore either, though the place remains a bustling little town.

Ends with Asha standing in the gardens, in front of the trees, contemplating all that has happened. A friends soon joins her, informing their new Queen that the Council is ready for their first meeting. When noticing that something’s up, Asha explaining that while she’s overjoyed for her people and kingdom, she laments that her family can never heal. Her friend reminds her that while this is true, she got her friends now, and they got her back, they’ll be there for her, always...so, how about they go make this a kingdom into something truly great together.

#disney wish #wish 2023 #wish rewrite #asha wish #king magnifico #queen amaya

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bumpkinspice0 · 4 months

Text

Recovery Time: Chapter 5

Joel Miller x Fem!Reader

No use of y/n

Rating: Mature

Word Count: 3.5k

Summary: Joel and you are finally comfortable around each other, finding a rhythm to your new strange little life with him in it. You can't help but start to develop feelings for him and wonder if he could feel the same?

Not sure if i captured the emotions and motivations very well in this one but I think I like it anyway.

Warnings: Pining, angst, mentions of past trama, Joel's a sad cowboy playin' sad cowboy songs

Series Masterlist

Previous - Next

AO3

_______________

Chapter 5: Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues

This man. This fucking man was threatening to tear your entire life down, and he didn’t even know it. You can’t get anything done, too stuck inside your own head to focus on a single task.

The last few days you’ve woken up to find him already in the garden or limping about the property doing some random menial tasks— and you’re still not sure if you like it. Well, you liked having the help, of course, but you selfishly missed his sweet music to accompany your day. If he was working he couldn’t be playing and you hated that fact. When you were suddenly without his music to listen to, you find yourself just looking at him instead. With him taking care of what little there was left in the garden, mostly squash and corn at this point, you had time to make your winter preparations— chopping wood, mostly.

You were usually so focused. There was only ever the task at hand, that’s the way it had to be for so long. Now you catch yourself daydreaming in a way you hadn’t for years now. Longing stares from around the corner, loaded glances, fantasizing about something that you know just wouldn’t happen with Joel.

It was all foolish really—a childish crush on the first person to come into your life in years. Forced time together was making you obsessed. It was just the reality of the situation and you should know better— but why did he have to be so goddamn handsome?

In another way, you should have expected this. Being around someone new for days on end. It’s only natural. Like it was bound to happen. And it would likely pass in due time. You hope it would, at least. It’s an innocent crush at best, the Florence Nightingale effect at worst.

He started calling you pet names. Sweetheart, hon— darlin’ seemed to be his favorite. Your stomach still jumped every time he said it with that deep raspy accent. He was a polite man, at least to you. He’d gotten more comfortable and lowered his walls, just a little. He trusted you. That’s all it was. Still… it only stoked the growing fire inside you.

Lilly took the most liking to him. She was with him now in the garden sitting right next to him on his stool. He didn’t seem to mind. You’d even caught him a few times calling for her when she wasn’t right at his side. It was sweet, really.

He had Lilly, you still had Gus.

Gus had finally warmed up to him in a sense. He didn’t guard you, or watch Joel’s every move like a hawk anymore. But he was still almost annoyed by the whole thing. He’d gone out with Joel a few times since he put up the traps and everything seemed to go over smoothly. Maybe he was jealous he wasn’t the only man in your life anymore. You chuckle to yourself at the thought.

You take a break from stacking your next pile of wood and sneak a peek around the cabin to look at your new favorite pastime for the dozenth time today. Lilly perches herself on his broad shoulders while he digs out the last of the zucchini, humming the latest song he’s been learning. It was adorable—a little glimpse into a domestic life that didn’t exist anymore.

He was healing fast. He still had a limp you wanted to monitor for a little longer and you’ll take his stitches out in a few days. He’ll be gone before you know it, just another ghost in your life.

Again, that selfish part of you wishes he wouldn’t leave. Sure, he would stay for guaranteed food and shelter, any sane person would… but would he stay just for you? Because you wanted him to? How did Joel Miller feel about you? The question that kept you awake more than you’d care to admit. A friend? Just a caretaker… or something more?

Nosey , was probably the right answer.

An annoyed ruff at your side pulls you back to the task at hand. You sigh and sit beside Gus, your only anchor to reality. Your family. This dumb little dog had saved you in more ways than he could ever know. Could he even comprehend the depths of your kinship? What he means to you? A part of you likes to think so.

You pull him in and give him a rough scratch around the neck, “You know you’re the only guy for me, buddy.”

_______________

“Ya know, we started this game so we could play it.”

“The way you play this game is strategy. And strategy takes time.”

You’d been staring down at the same chessboard for over 5 minutes now. You both started this game over 2 days ago, just a little something to do on breaks. Joel had heard of professional chess games sometimes taking days but you were both clearly so far from professional. You were losing. The more and more it became evident the longer and longer your turns took. It was to the point where he just grabbed the guitar and started playing whenever it was your turn— he had plenty of time. Better than twiddling his thumbs and staring at you, not that he’d mind all that much. If his mindless picking was distracting you, you didn’t say anything.

It felt good rekindling something he thought he’d lost forever. It came so naturally. When his fingers danced across the strings so effortlessly it was almost a relief. Part of the old him was still there, just a little. Someone he thought died a long time ago.

It was a fine instrument. Old but well looked after, just like him, he supposed. Small scratches and chips scattered about it that likely told a story. The words ‘With Love, Ruth’ sloppily burned into the back. You hadn’t mentioned the name Ruth yet but he’s sure you’ll tell him about her one day. Likely the wife or long-lost love of this Art fella you always talked about. For now, he just leaves it be.

You liked listening to him play, he could tell. You never explicitly said so, but the faint smile on your lips whenever he picked up the guitar was enough. It made his heart swell with… pride maybe? You didn’t know any of the songs he was working on but it didn’t seem to matter. Music was music and he was happy to give something back to you, however small it was.

You finally make your move and he counters almost immediately. He had you cornered in every spot. The game was probably his at least 5 moves ago, you just didn’t know it yet.

“Check,” He says as he returns to strumming. You continue to deliberate.

“What song is that?” you passively ask, eyes not moving from the board, “It’s really coming along.”

“ Good Time Charlie’s Got the Blues ,” He answers, plucking through the verse progression smoothly. He supposes it has come along in the last few days.

“ That’s a blues song?” you raise your brow, quizzically.

A fair question. Blues was in the title but the twangy folk melody didn’t remotely resemble classic blues, “More of a country song actually. Dad used to listen to it. Sad old song for sad old men.”

“How old does that make you?” you ask, tapping your finger on your Rook piece. You decide against whatever move you were brewing, not that it would have saved you anyway.

“Old enough to play sad music.”

“That old, huh?”

“What about you?”

“Oh, Twenty-one of course,” you jokingly answer without hesitation. He gives a small chuckle before you answer truthfully, “Thirty-two.”

He does some quick math in his head from what little you’ve shared with him. You were a nurse before and after the outbreak, yet you seemed to be so experienced. You must have gotten to work right after high school or gotten a quick degree.

“That’s… young.” He immediately regrets it when you shoot him a look, “For knowin’ what you know, I mean. A lot of experience.”

You shrug it off with a smile, “With a dad as one of the only doctors in a small town, I ended up volunteering at the hospital most of high school. He died my senior year. Turned out to love the medical field and got my associate's in nursing ASAP. I didn’t want to waste my time with a bachelor's or med school. I just wanted to help firsthand. Ended up knowing a lot more than a few of my teachers, but if I had to do it over again I’d’ve probably tried to be a doctor, follow in Dad’s footsteps maybe. Only got a year of real-world experience before the outbreak. Learned the rest from Art.”

“Art taught you medicine?”

This is what your mealtimes have become. Long streams of questions, learning just a little more about one another each time. Joel withheld a lot but still found a way to share a little bit of himself with you. He didn’t want to share in the first place but felt he had to when you were such an open book.

“Art taught me a lot of things,” You answer, “Medicine, hunting, survival— A man of many hats. I called him my consultant . He would only tell me what to do, but he wouldn’t come help in town. He stayed out here away from it all. He gave up on the world but not on me. I was the only one he’d talk to when… when it all ended. The world.”

It was a common thing in the apocalypse. People closing themselves off from what was left of humanity. Joel would never meet this man but yet he understood him completely. The world was so ugly, why should he give any of himself to it? Look out for yourself then there’s only one person to worry about. Yeah, Joel really understood that.

Still, another part of him could understand why Art would want to look out for you. There was something in you that needed to be cherished. Needed to be protected.

He’s not sure he should ask his next question but he does anyway, “What happened to him? To Art?”

You pause as if trying to push back a memory. A twinge of guilt pricks at his conscience and he wishes he could take it back. He should know better than anyone not to ask about the dead. Still, you answer anyway.

“He died 5 years ago trying to protect me.” You answer in the flattest tone he’d ever heard you speak since he got here.

He does some quick math again. It’d been ten years since the outbreak and you’d been out here for five. Why did you stay here alone instead of heading into the QZ? Your skills were in high demand, people would have given you whatever you wanted. Someone in charge would have given you a good life in exchange for your medical knowledge. Something happened that kept you out here all by yourself in your dead friend's home. Something terrible. He won’t ask anything more.

“You never answered my question,” you break the silence he didn’t realize had formed.

“What?” He resumes his picking.

“How old are you?”

He genuinely has to put some thought into it, “Forty- six.”

“Oof, you are old,” you roll your eyes and he gives you a playful kick in response, “When’s your birthday?”

“The 26th of Se–.”

The words slip out of his mouth before he can stop himself. His guard was down. It was just so automatic he didn’t realize until it was too late. He didn’t want to think about this right now. He didn’t want to think about his damn birthday and what that meant. He didn’t want to think about her. God, not right now.

“The 26th of what?” You press. He doesn’t respond, looking away from you. Regardless, you still try, “September? The 26th of September?”

He does nothing. Doesn’t nod or speak. He just plays. A look of realization springs on your face and he knows it’s too late.

“Joel… that was 2 days ago.”

“It’s just another day,” He grumbles, focusing on his finger-picking.

“Just another day?” You stand, “Joel, we have to—”

“Don’t.” He bites. It came out a little harsher than he intended. Still, you get the message and sit back down. “I just… I don’t celebrate my birthday. Please, just forget I said anything.”

You look sorry. It wasn’t your fault, really. It was a completely normal question for anyone else. There’s no way you could have known. Still, he hopes his harshness helped you get the message— forget it.

“Okay, Joel,” You nod. It’s at least another two minutes before you finally make a move. Your knight takes one of his pawns guarding his queen. Futile. He slides his Bishop right in the path of your open King.

“Check-Mate.”

_______________

On top of having help with daily chores, getting finished early was something you weren’t used to either. Tonight you actually had time to relax and unwind instead of just collapsing into bed. You can’t recall the last time you were able to make it into the house before sunset without your bones weary from constant movement. Jumping from one thing to the next just to stay alive.

Joel brought in a rabbit from one of his traps and cooked dinner that night, along with a few of the vegetables he’d harvested that morning. It was incredible. You're not sure if it’s because he was actually a decent cook or because it’s the first thing in years that you didn’t have to make yourself. Maybe a little bit of both.

You could finally relax— just a little. You’re not sure you know the meaning of the word anymore.

You decide to start with a shower. In a perfect world, it’d be a hot bath with maybe some candlelight. Maybe even a glass of that god-awful chokecherry wine in the cellar. There was an old claw-footed bathtub on the back porch that Art never got around to installing. The thing was massive . You’d boiled some water in it once or twice when you really needed a break. Lately, it worked perfectly as a produce washing station. Maybe a spa-style bath some other night. Funny how something like sitting in hot water became such a luxury.

When you finally leave your cold shower, twilight has settled in. You walk out to the living room ready to get cozy with a book and a glass of wine, expecting Joel to be waiting in his usual spot on the couch. The house is empty, even of the animals. Before you even have time to wonder where they are, the faint strumming of a guitar catches your attention.

You look through the living room window and see Joel sitting out past the yard by the sheds, a flickering lantern at his feet. Gus and Lilly sat peacefully at his feet, eyes closed in contentment. It seems you’re not the only one who missed his playing. Why was he so far away from the house? He’d usually practice on the porch or in the living room, he knew you didn’t mind listening.

He’d caught you off guard today, with his response to your question. He’d missed his birthday, one of the few things left in the world to celebrate. Almost as if he was ashamed of it. You thought about it all afternoon. Was it his age? When he finally gave the number there didn’t seem like any embarrassment or hesitation there. He was simply stating a fact.

He didn’t seem defensive until you brought up the vague possibility of celebrating. He was afraid to ask anything more of you— that was your theory anyway. Yes, you’d given a lot to him and he’d shown how grateful he was in so many ways. Still, everyone should have a birthday, right?

The last half of the afternoon was spent scheming. Just something small, like what you do for your birthday. You’ll get the generator going, make something nice to eat, listen to music, or watch a movie from Art’s sparse collection. His stay here had been plagued with so much pain already, he could have a treat too. This was his home, even if it was temporary, and he gets all the amenities that come with it.

And that includes a birthday party.

You crack the window to get a better listen and drag a rocking chair over. It’s not a hot bath with all the fixings but candlelight with some music and reading was the next best thing. You peek out the window before you open your book. Joel hasn’t seemed to notice you yet. It would be hard to see you mulling about the house from that far away. He wanted this moment for himself, that’s fine— But there’s no rules about you just being a bystander. That is— if he didn’t know you were.

You barely get a paragraph into your new chapter before you hear it. It catches you completely off guard. You immediately snap your head in his direction just to see it with your own eyes.

Joel was singing.

You know just enough about him to see that this was a rare moment you're not sure you’ll ever have again. You’d missed the first part of the song already. You commit the next precious moments to memory.

Some caught a freight, some caught a plane

Find the sunshine, leave the rain

They said this town's a waste of time

I guess they're right, it's wastin' mine

Some gotta win, some gotta lose

Good time Charlie's got the blues

The words came out gruff and rugged. His voice is unpracticed and raw but beautiful in a way that’s just so him . He practically speaks most of the words yet you can feel a deep melancholy over all of them as he does so. Lyrics sung with feeling.

Ya know my heart keeps tellin' me

"You're not a kid at thirty-three"

"Ya play around, ya lose your wife"

"Ya play too long, you lose your life"

I got my pills to ease the pain

Can't find a thing to ease the rain

I'd love to try and settle down

But everybody's leavin' town

Some gotta win, some gotta lose

Good time Charlie's got the blues

He sings the second half quieter, slower as if the words are hard to say. He hums himself out with a gentle melody. What’s he thinking of while he sings? Are the memories with this song just too painful? Questions you so desperately want to ask him but know you never will. He starts the song over and his voice quakes ever so slightly. You hold back a tear yourself, gasping into your hand and turning away from the window before he sees you. This moment was his, you want him to have it without your presents souring it. You feel dirty for even having witnessed it, yet so grateful that you did.

There was such sadness in his song. Something deep and beautiful. You saw a side of him tonight that you hadn’t before. A raw aching side where a lonely hurt man lay. You’d seen it so many times before in so many other people. The part of them you couldn’t fix.

You don’t know what Joel has been through. You may never know, and that was okay. You’d probably never tell him your full story either. Too much darkness is already in the world— too much pain and death. Yet, here you both were together. It’s not a fairytale but maybe something new. The closest anyone could hope to getting a normal life.

He’ll leave one day. You’ve accepted that. He’ll go back to whatever life he had before and you’ll go on living yours. But what if he had something more to remember you by than the scars on his body. What if you gave him something back to show there’s still a shimmer of light still in the world—still a little bit of humanity and kindness.

Show him you care about him as a person. As a friend. That he’ll always have a place here if he wants it.

Yeah, you’re definitely going to throw Joel a Birthday Party.

_______________

'Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues' by Danny O'Keefe

I'm a whore for old folk/country songs and decided Joel is too, well for this song specifically. My dad introduced me to this song and the first time I heard it i was like "Yeah, this Joel's vibes." Hope it wasn't too cringey! I never thought I'd be the type of person to put songs into my fics but... well here we are.

#joel miller x reader #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller x you #Joel Miller #tlou #the last of us #recovery time

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dekusleftsock · 10 months

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I think if hori wrote toga better more people would like her but he hardly gives a shit about her so her story and personality and thoughts are messy (as in badly written) and nonsensical. I wanna like her but you have to do a lot of leg work to make her interesting and worth the time and love, Hori doesnt love her enough to but a lot of effort into her, unlike the other two male villains who he wont shut up about. Togas always just been (for me personally) an underutilized, underdeveloped waste of what could have been a cool idea. The Anti-toga people are not unfounded in most of their criticisms (MOST), shes the only seemingly queer person and of course shes a lustful blood sucking pervert psycho murderer with no real depth.

(btw you are more than welcome to both ignore this and LOVE toga I am not saying for you shes not worth the time or energy, this is just me reflecting on her and how hori has treated her, i appreciate and value fanon and the effort fans will put into loving her, thats so cool and based, im glad you can find joy in something like that, for people who like her- I wish she was cared for by her writer 💕)

Uh… what I see or believe isn’t fanon broski.

Look Horikoshi has always had a problem of pushing aside the women in his series, the worst of this case has ALWAYS been ochako. Do I think that’s because he wanted to write a gay love story? Yeah, I do. Does that make it okay? Absolutely not. I will be the first person to shout from the rooftops that horikoshi does not write women as well as he should. He has fan service abundant, he makes crude jokes using women that really aren’t all that funny, he’s pushed aside his women and their moments in order to forward bkdk’s development.

But you can absolutely not come into my ask to tell me that she is an, “underdeveloped wasted idea”. Because she’s just fucking not.

People think toga is just “the blood sucking bisexual who likes animals too”, but she’s just fucking not. That’s never been her defining trait or character.

Toga is a subversion of the yandere trope. That sadly means there will always be misogynistic rhetoric because that’s what the trope is. At least BEFORE the subversion happens, which is now! Where Ochako DOESNT FIND HER CREEPY!

She’s going to be creepy and weird and have issues because she’s a villain. She’s a queer villain. Her entire story is one that defies the tragedy of carmilla and refuses to let her identity be anything but “Himiko Toga”. She has always been a character about identity. She’s never been “possessive” or “jealous” over Izuku for this purpose. It’s the reason why she’s bisexual, why she just “has an attraction to blood”. It’s a queer story wrapped in metaphor and it always has been. Why is THIS monster/villain queer story any worse than, idfk, the joker and Batman. I haven’t found a single person able to genuinely voice that to me in a way that is convincing! Horror and unconventional ways of love and ESPECIALLY blood has always always ALWAYS been a part of queer coded stories for a LONG TIME. We are the unconventional. We always have been. And that’s not me “bending over backwards” HER PARENTS LITERALLY CALL HER A DEVIANT AND SHE ASKS WHY NO ONE ELSE STRUGGLES WITH THE URGES SHE DOES.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll fucking say it again, Toga is horikoshi’s most well written and thought out female character. Ochako got kicked over and over again, same with momo, Tsu, Mina, and whoever the fuck else.

And I’m sorry, but writing a queer villain inspired by the lesbian vampire trope isn’t homophobic or bad writing.

She’s HAD depth. Idk if you read her backstory or her feelings on Ochako, twice, hawks, or even Izuku but she’s HAD depth. And I’m tired of pretending she hasn’t.

Normally I wouldn’t engage with shit like this but you reached out to me DIRECTLY. So let me make this clear: you can have whatever opinions you want on toga, and I will not get angry or express anger in any sort of way. But this account? This is not your fucking space and I will ABSOLUTELY meme on you for it.

#togachako #got a little heated there silly me #togaocha #togaraka #sock rages #maybe that should be a new tag just for me

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kookie-doughs · 11 months

Text

Happy Meal

Hawks / Keigo Takami X Reader

-As a young mother YN didn't know what to do when the number 2 hero had taken the last happy meal that her son so desperately want.

Chapter 19: Stories Are To Be Told

A sobs and screams, moans and groans, so much sounds echoed through the mountains of debris. Heroes in a state of panic trying to save all they could.

The place was a wasteland after attacking the base of a villain group at the area. Numbers of buildings, homes and such had collapsed.

Number of injured are 378 and still rising.

Number of deaths are 167 and is also rising.

A hero, Nana, discarding large debris left and right clearing the site to provide more access to those possibly buried alive.

As the number of people found increased, Nana was growing tired.

Suddenly an ear piercing scream echoed the area alerting everyone. The scream was causing the mountair of debris to shake. It might break and crush potentially alive people buried.

Nana swiftly dashed to where the scream echoed, and it so happens that she arrived at the perfect moment as the debris was about to crush the little girl.

She manages to stop the debris and catching the girl's attention. There she saw a little girl clutching the hands of two older couple she assumed was the girl's parents.

The child could no be more than 6 maybe around the age of her grandson. Her hair was tangled with dirt, ash and rocks whilst wet with whatever liquid. She was covered in blood and dirt. Looking at Nana with tearful eyes.

The hero descends to her and picked her up. The child sobbed at the arms of the hero as she made her way to the medic.

It wasn't long after that the search ends. Nana was drawn to the child she had saved. There was something about her that reminds her of her dear grandson.

"Y/N..." The child says in an almost inaudible whimper.

"Its nice to meet you Y/N... I'm Nana..."

Nana had developed a relationship with the child within just few days. She was introduced to other children Y/N knew in the hospital. She adored it. But it is never one sided.

"So why don't you agree? I'm being quite diplomatic don't you agree?"

"What do you want from the children?" The president, at the time, of HPSC glares at the man.

"I just wish to adopt one. I am quite feeling lonely."

"We could attack you. You are a heinous criminal. The worst criminal there is."

All for One laughs, "You're low in numbers after the war you had forged with those no bodies. Attack me I'll win and take all the children. So let me repeat myself." He sits up straight, "I am quite feeling nice right now. I could feel a great luck coming to me... yes. I would adopt a child, and I will help rebuild the city."

The president glares at the villain. Unsure of his plans. Having no idea what to do.

"Why do you need a child."

"Children brings joy and light. Don't you think I deserve those right now?" He smirks.

"Which one..?"

AFO's eyes wander outside scanning the place where the children are. And as if the request couldn't be better. He spots Nana playing with Y/N. A smirk forms in his lips.

"Tell me about that one." He points at the two.

"L/N Y/N, she's 6. Nana seem fond of her." The president curses at how he said the information AFO was probably after. "Her quirk amplifies her voice when she screams."

With smirk he nods. "Her. Give her."

"What are you going to do with her?"

"That," He turned to face the president. "Is not for you to find out. So? A deal?"

The president looked at Y/N with guilt...

A sacrifice has to be made... For the better.

"We accept."

"Hello~" AFO sang.

The child reluctantly approached him. He had a smile, and it wasn't like Y/N had any choice. She's living with him either way so relationship is bound to be created.

"Can we be friends~?" He asked calmly and tenderly.

She nods.

"I'm sorry I took you from your friends." AFO pats her head. "You see, I wanted to be your friend. Take care of you, help you and all that."

"Can't you help us all?"

"There's too many of you." He sighed, "The place where you were, they're not keeping the other kids too. They're waiting for nice people to take them because it's hard taking care of them all."

"Where are they going to go?"

"I don't know."

"Y/N!!"

A H/C (Hair color) haired girl proceeds to rush out of the room skipping, excited by the familiar voice.

"Master, you're back!"

She froze seeing her said master. Behind him was a boy, not far from her age.

"I brought you a friend~"

The boy peeks from behind the man and the moment he layed his eyes on her... he felt something. He felt excited and joyed, which he hasn't felt in forever.

"I'm Y/N." She had the brightest smile he's ever seen.

"Tenko..."

The girl was ecstatic finally she had someone new in her life other than AFO. She was going to rush to hold the boy but was stopped by AFO.

"Y/N! He's dangerous!"

Tenko teared up hearing that. But he knew what the man meant.

"I-I'll c-control it!" He cried.

Y/N looked at the boy worried. "What's wrong?"

"His quirk is uncontrollable... for now. I can provide you with a power to withstand him but right now you can't touch him okay?"

Y/N looks at the boy who looked at her expectantly. She nods.

"Tenko-nii!" The said boy was tackled down causing him to jolt.

A pair of E/C (Eye Color) eyes stared down on him while the girl sat on his stomach, giggling.

"Y/N, master said my name is Tomura now. Stop calling me that. And don't call big brother." He flicks her forehead.

Pouting she scratches the spot, "Yeah but you're Tenko to me. I dont care about that Tomura guy."

"I'm the Tomura guy. I'm Shigaraki Tomura now. Master gave me a new identity and I will live as he said."

"Yea and I'm N/N (Nickname/New Name) Shigaraki but you don't follow that do you? You still call me Y/N."

Tomura grunts, "Its because master deemed us siblings."

"I make a pretty cute little sister! I don't get why you don't want me to be."

"It's because you're dumb."

She pouts once again, "Yeah well if I'm Y/N, you're Tenko."

"Get off me already." Tomura huffs.

He pats himself down upon finally getting up and walks to the other room.

"T-Tenko-"

She was cut off by his lips crashing into hers.

Their lips finally met, and in that instant, a surge of warmth and electricity passed between them. The contrast between the roughness of his lips and the softness of her own, their connection felt undeniably tender and passionate. In that stolen moment, time seemed to stand still as they lost themselves in the intoxicating dance of their lips.

As they slowly parted from the kiss, their breaths mingled in the cool night air. Their eyes met, shining with a newfound depth of affection and understanding. He tenderly brushed his thumb across her cheek, his touch conveying feelings that words could not express.

"Y/N, I love you"

"Oh my god," getting a slap to reality Y/N pulls away red as a beet. "IS THIS WHY YOU HATED N/N?! YOU HAD SO MUCH ARGUMENTS WITH MASTER?!"

Tomura looks to the ground.

"H-How long have you liked me..." Her flushed face couldn't bare looking at the man.

"Since I've met you."

"T-Thats years ago-"

Tomura smiled, "I know."

"Y/N!"

Tomura craddles her wet beaten body. Her features were now marked by bruises, her skin mottled with shades of purple and blue. A disheveled cascade of hair framed her face, the strands tangled and damp, as its soaked in an unknown liquid. Her sobs echoed throughout the room.

"Master I'm sorry please forgive me!" You begged repeatedly despite the man not being present.

A kiss to your forehead and soft rubs on your back was all Tomura had to offer trying to calm you down.

"You're gonna be fine, I'm right here."

In a moment of deep despair, her tear-stained face, sought comfort in the presence of the guy who had always been a comforting presence. Her trembling lips met his in a desperate, fleeting kiss, an attempt to find respite from the overwhelming weight of her emotions. It was a kiss born out of the need to escape the suffocating grip of sadness, if only for a brief moment.

Tomura, caught off guard by the intensity of the moment, responded with a mixture of surprise and vulnerability. His arms instinctively wrapped around her, drawing her closer, as if he wanted to drown himself in the connection they shared.

In that passionate exchange, he reciprocated the kiss with a tenderness that belied his own inner turmoil. His lips moved against hers with a fervent longing, his heart beating in sync with hers. It was a response that spoke volumes, revealing his own hidden desires and the depth of his feelings for her.

Lost in the heat of the moment, their bodies gravitated toward each other, his body pressing against hers with an urgency that mirrored the intensity of their desires. The world around them ceased to exist as they became lost in the heat of their connection, their bodies entangled and craving more.

With each caress and touch, their passion intensified. His hands roamed her body, tracing the curves that had haunted his dreams, while she clung to him, reveling in the strength and warmth of his embrace.

"Where is she?!" Tomura screamed. "Master please!! I need her please master..."

"Tomura, she left on her own."

"SHE WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT IF YOU HADNT-" He took a deep breath.

Tomura should know better than to fight this man. But he was lost. What was he without you?

"She left you. She left us both. Truly ungrateful of what we had given her."

"Master, I can't go on without her in my life."

"Then use your pawns. Get her on your own. I for one have no need for her."

The call hangs up and Tomura was left to think of a plan to get you back.

It hasn't been a while from your departure, you should still be close by.

"Kurogiri," He looks at the city map trying to think where you'd go. "Here."

"Tenko, stop!!!" She sobbed.

"You are not going to leave me!" He grabs another person by the throat, one finger away from perishing, he raises it to your level to have a view. "Anyone who gets in my way from making sure of that. Dies."

The person's reduced to ashes. Y/N was met with his glaring red eyes.

"Y/N, I can't live without you. I need you." He walks up to her and hold her. "You can't leave me like that please..."

"Tenko... I can't go back there..."

"You have to. I'm goingbback there, with you no matter what."

"Tenko, you can't force-"

"I SAID YOURE GOING BACK WITH ME!!!" He grabs her by the throat and slams her against the wall. "YOU ARE GOING HOME WITH ME! I SAID I NEED YOU, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO KEAVE ME!"

"T-Tenko you're scaring m-me."

"Be scared. Scared people follow what's told."

"GET AWAY FROM MEEE!!!" Her scream staggers Tomura, giving herself a chance to run and get away.

***

The sound of chains rattling wakes you up. Memories you wished never had existed floods back.

"Shigaraki-san~! Your girlfriend is away~!"

You turn to your side where the sound came from, it was a blonde girl with golden eyes.

"You're so pretty!" She giggles.

"And you get away from her." A familiar voice says behind you.

Pouting and muttering to herself the girl leaves after the sound of the door slamming, followed by the lock, you had no escape.

"I worked so hard to get you back."

You finally got your courage together and faced him.

"Tenko..."

"I'm sorry I wanted to take Sato with us, but he's too busy being protected."

"Tenko let me go please."

"No." He looks away from you. "Y/N I already waited , you know how long, for you to come back to me. Now that youre back, I'm not losing you again."

"Tenko... I can't stay..."

"If you're saying that because of Sato are you suggesting I take him too?"

You think of what AFO would do with Sato. You can not have him take Sato.

"Y/N, I only want you. I'm glad, I'm ecstatic we have a child together." He creases your cheek, "I want to be with him. But, I know you wouldn't want that. I'll let him go. We can just start over, new family. Just us, our future children."

"T-Tenko, I can't. I don't wanna be here please. Let me go."

"NO!" In a fit the bed you lay on disintegrates and so does everything around you two. "STOP! ASKING! TO! LEAVE! YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE ME!"

"Can you-"

"Y/N PLEASE IM DOING EVERYTHING! I DIDN'T BRING SATO! I DIDN'T TELL MASTER! I KEPT THAT HERO ALIVE! IM DOING EVERYTHING I CAN TO NOT MAKE YOU ANGRY! I, HAVE MY LIMIT! IF YOU KEEP ON DOING THIS I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU! SO SHUT UP!"

You looked at him. His tear-filled eyes, once vibrant and fierce, now appeared clouded and dimmed by his overwhelming sadness. The bright red irises, normally intense and piercing, were now drowned in a sea of tears, their fiery glow extinguished. Each sob that wracked his body shook him to his core, his whole frame trembling with the weight of his sorrow.

Seeing him broke your heart. He's tried his hardest, you know that. He's not like this... he wouldn't have been like this if not for you.

You pull him to you, it didn't take him long to cling onto you. His face buried on the crook of your neck, tears flowing and staining your shirt.

"Tenko, I'm sorry..."

"I just want to be with you please. I need to be with you."

Previous | Masterlist | Next

Taglist?

@gayer-than-the-gayest-gay @faithneko @officiallykuute @pinksilk @applepie-macaroon @lolawassad @grinnwolph

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bonefall · 1 year

Note

hi!!!! thoughts on how you wish hawk/moth/tawny’s arcs went? always thought they were a billion times more interesting than their brother who is somehow still relevant and given all the screentime despite basically having his true arc wrapped up before he was ever given a pov

They were sacrificed on the altar of framing Brambleclaw's growth and ergo none of them got the satisfying conclusion they should have collectively had in TNP.

To talk about them, I first have to talk about what I think the Erins were doing with Brambleclaw

Brambleclaw

They decided that the arc that Brambleclaw went through in TNP did not actually end with closure. I don't necessarily think that's too bad of an idea; that watching his father get brutally murdered interrupted Bramblepaw's personal development, and made him possibly reconsider the idea that he was completely bad.

The choice in that moment, to reject Tigerstar or accept him, was taken from Bramblepaw when he saw him die. Now there's a new struggle, with BloodClan, and that FIRM rejection is off the table. In TNP, Brambleclaw is going to move on from Tigerstar in a way that TPB did not afford him.

That said... I think this was just a bad idea to begin with.

Because this is TAWNYPELT'S arc

SHE was the one who chose to side with him, who was seeing the real horrors of TigerClan, who saw her brother standing up for himself at that meeting, and watched Tigerstar die horribly. TAWNYPAW is the one who had to quickly move on and delay grappling with what she'd seen and supported; where Bramblepaw was in a clan WITH AN ENTIRE SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT AGREES TIGERSTAR IS BAD. His mom! Firestar! Longtail! Dustpelt!

Many people in ThunderClan were deceived by Tigerstar; but do not judge Brambleclaw for his parentage! God-- what about his cousins, even? The Snowfour are his FULL COUSINS on his mom's side!

TAWNYPELT is the one who should be struggling with fully rejecting his legacy, along with the ENTIRELY of ShadowClan, whose collective arc should be paralleling hers as they grapple with the fact they happily supported TWO dictators IN A ROW.

But I digress. I'll get to Tawny in a moment.

The bottom line is; in order to tell the story they wanted to tell with Brambleclaw, they did have to re-open his arc from TPB, and continue it in a new direction.

Tawnypelt

Was completely and utterly shafted by TNP. She barely does anything on the Sundrown Patrol, and only shows up to point things out about Brambleclaw. "Your actions affect the group, bro. Stop talking to our evil dad, bro. Hawkfrost is not trustworthy, bro"

If she's so wise, why aren't we following her as she confronts these things? It frustrates me that the writers keep her on hand as a tool to frame her mediocre manchild of a brother as he makes terrible choices, making her effortlessly competent while Bramble stays oblivious and ignorant to reality until his actions have violent, bloody consequences.

I can't stand how they just... keep a much wiser, more pro-active female character on-hand completely for the benefit of her brother's arc.

I wish they made her the leader of the Sun-Drown Patrol.

I wish she had more of a struggle with rejecting Tigerstar because she's so intelligent she's able to rationalize decisions she knows are bad.

I wish she actually had an arc in TNP instead of deciding Brambleclaw was going to TAKE hers because of author favoritism

Hawkfrost

I've written a lot about Hawkfrost, how I think TNP ends up implying that he inherited evil. The problem with Evil People being born occasionally and ruining a near-perfect society, their deaths allowing everything to Go Back To Normal

But I've also written a lot on how I think RiverClan should have had a better story about confronting how they welcomed TigerClan, how much I dislike A Shadow In RiverClan, and how Hawkfrost can fit into that... how he's such a good villain because he has EXCELLENT dialogue.

So I think my biggest issue with Hawkfrost is how he was executed. Hawkfrost should be failed by RiverClan, raised allowing to slip into the pawsteps of his father as a great man who did only a fewww terrible things, which shouldn't overshadow his good achievements.

Even, on some level... groomed by the cats around who see the similarities between him and his father, pushing him into the position to inherit this great legacy. To take up the torch where Tigerstar failed.

I wish that TNP had allowed for a greater tragedy in the ambitious young man resurrecting a deeply sick, evil ideology.

Becoming a symbol of it, even.

And in the end, being too far gone to save. Impaled by his own ambition.

Mothwing

Should have been the one to kill Hawkfrost, imo.

As TNP goes on, we see him becoming more and more demanding of her. He mistreats her even as early as the first book, calling her names, shoving her to the side. She's terrified of him. She's right to be.

I think when you're talking about fascism and fascists, you're missing the point if you ever downplay its hypocrisy. Hawkfrost and Mothwing come from the same situation, as outsiders raised by a non-clan mother. Hawkfrost has found a position where he could even play this to his advantage, "one of the good ones." But that same status for Mothwing is something Hawkfrost can exploit because she is gentle.

And he does. Getting her into the medcat den, wrapping her up in all of his schemes, holding the false sign over her head if she were ever to stand up against him.

She is a victim of him, and also of the dangerous sentiment he's raising in RiverClan. She fears him. She loves him. She hates him. She misses him-- the brother he once was.

I think it's a final trauma for her, to watch him impale himself on the stake she's holding. It should be self-defense, but more than that, Hawkfrost's own accident. Furious beyond reason, SO used to being able to bully her whenever, however he wants, he does not even notice that Mothwing can hurt him.

Blood spills blood, and the lake runs red. Mothwing doesn't like seeing the lake at sunset; it makes her taste something metallic.

Soooooooo TL;DR all four of them needed different arcs in TNP lmao.

#Warrior cats analysis #Tigerkin #Brambleclaw #Tawnypelt #Hawkfrost #Mothwing #Tigerstar #Tigerclawstar #This is really more analysis than anything rewrite-related #Though I did touch on a few of the things I'm committed to in my rewrite #TNP #Fascism #Brambleclaw frustrates me a lot because he's so large he kinda sucks up time other characters should have gotten #He isn't JUST a POV in TNP the whole thing is constructed around him #Like #The four of them are all relevant but TNP is not written to flesh out the struggles of each #TNP is written around Brambleclaw ergo his siblings are relevant #If that makes sense #There's a huge difference between those two things

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cozzzynook · 1 year

Note

do you have any hcs for pregnant Dabi? 👀

I’m so happy you asked me this 😍

I hope you like them 😭🫶🏽

A few i can think of right off the top of my head is

- hyper-pregnancy 👏🏽 dabi is huge for his size. Throughout the entire pregnancy he’s larger than normal and looks like he’s carrying more than what he is. It doesn’t matter if it’s one or three, he’s carrying heavier than normal.

-sickness. Dabi already is unhealthy in canon and chronically ill so I think pregnancy would make it worse. He need’s to be on bed rest as soon as possible!

- his belly and hips are covered in stretch marks and his hips spread wide.

-he already has big pecs so he grows literal c cup breasts by the end of the pregnancy and has no choice but to wear a bra.

- he’s pregnant with twins or more. Always. His body won’t settle for only carrying one baby no matter how hard the pregnancy is on him.

-he craves the food of his baby’s father. Be it chicken/yakitori like hawks 😉 or finger food like Tomura 😉😌

- dabi gets emotional, like crying into his hands emotional at random thinking about the past and he hates it

- dabi has a hard time saying no while pregnant because his need to please and prove he’s not burden and worth something comes to light and he can’t hide it.

- if pregnant with Tomura’s child, dabi goes through A LOT to try and hide it and get away from the man because he knows better. He knows hideouts and constantly being on the run is no place for a child. So he leaves a cryptic message saying he’s leaving and not to look for him. Tomura doesn’t respect his wishes at all and finds him within a few months. Struggling to get out of bed to waddle to the door of his average apartment. Opening it only to find Tomura standing there in his black trench coat looking angry before shock takes over. Dabi closes the door and waddles off to pack and leave, futile he knows but he tries. Tomura ends up dusting the door and permanently moving in with Dabi. Tomura develops a pregnancy kink and Dabi hates him for it.

- Dabi Pregnant with hawks child is worse on his body because heteromorph pregnancies are harder on the body. Dabi figures out he’s pregnant when he catches himself eating a piece of raw chicken and finds he enjoys it. He goes home that night abruptly leaving Hawks in the dark and disappearing after that night. Hawks is annoyed because Dabi just up and left and he hasn’t seen him in days but then it turns to weeks which isn’t like Dabi and by the second month he’s on a panicked search for him all throughout his patrols and time with the league. The only reason he’s able to find Dabi after months of searching is because Twice accidentally led Hawks to Dabi’s location and Hawks got the shock of his life seeing Dabi so heavily pregnant with long white hair. Hawks is pissed beyond belief that Dabi hid this from him after marching inside Dabi’s apartment. Hawks world is burst when Dabi reveals he gave up everything to keep his child safe with him since Hawks is a hero and would turn him in after the pregnancy, so hawks was never meant to know. Dabi shares how he’s sure their child would grow up not having enough love because the commission wouldn’t let hawks keep it and hawks would always pick being a hero over anything else, even their own child. Dabi says it with such assurance and finality it leaves hawks quiet and Dabi uses that moment to tell him to leave. Hawks eventually does but not before promising to see Dabi again.

I hope you enjoyed and if you have anymore questions feel free to ask ☺️🥰 thank you for asking 🥰

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ungrateful-cyborg · 5 months

Text

10 fandoms, 10 characters, 10 tags

Basic rules: choose 10 fandoms that you are part of/support, and choose a favorite character from each of those. Then, tag ten folks!

Tagged by: @miqojak! Ty! It didn't even take me half a year to get around it this time XD

In no particular order, except for the first one ever since I'm 16. Also finding 10 fandoms is kinda hard because I'm def not that active, or even a passive participant, in so many fandoms so you'll get a glimpse of my younger self instead :'D

And long post ahead so thank you in advance if you've taken the time to go through this list!

Kanon, from Saint Seiya

Look, this is the blorbo and if you see similarities between his backstory and Kazan's, no you don't. Mentioning either him or the manga is enough to get my friends to sigh and groan as they await the inevitable gushing/rant that'll follow (which reminds me that I haven't, actually, gushed about him or ranted about the manga in quite a while now). Which is to say, I love lonely sad villains/antiheroes and if you've ever seen me mentioning the forbidden blorbo, now you know who I'm talking about.

Emet-Selch, from FFXIV

At this point I feel like I should mention that I do not stand in favor of manipulating or killing people as a form of therapy :'D

A bit more seriously though, I think he's the first character I felt so viscerally about in the game? Like I never agreed with his views but going through ShB I really hoped we'd managed to bring him to our side. My tragedy-loving ass won't complain about how ShB ended for him, mind you, but still.

Honorable mention for Thancred too, whom I feel more and more attached to as times passes, and also Y'shtola but in her case it's perhaps more the fact that she's, in terms of behavior, very much My Type.

Madi, from Black Sails

There are many great characters in that TV show and if you haven't seen it, I can only recommend it to you. But really, Madi is my favourite of the lot and definitely the inspiration for Inge if I had to pick one.

Between her cleverness, her dignity, her integrity, her charisma, her dedication to her people and her cause and her curiosity about others, what's not to love about her?

Varric Tethras, from Dragon Age 2 / DA:I

I was hesitating between Isabela and Cullen, but then I remembered the Best Companion Ever and how could I not put Hawke's most loyal friend on the list? I love him, love his loyalty, how he stays compassionate despite all he goes through, his sense of humor, his honesty... Only wish we could have romanced him in DA:I, but on the other end I like his story with Bianca so I'm not too sad about not being able to.

Byakuya Kuchiki, from Bleach

In the spirit of this dash game I'll respect the rules and make a choice, but if I'd filled this list any other day, I might have put Grimmjow there instead :'D

Anyway. I love a stubborn man with a stick up his ass and too many (conflicting) principles despite a rebellious heart who needs to be almost killed to start thinking that perhaps, just perhaps, he could have handle a Situation better.

And I love this character development past that point.

He wasn't an inspiration for Wolfe, but they're very much alike in several aspect. Byakuya is, however, a lot better at keeping a straight face.

Lois Habiba, from Torchwood S3

I haven't watched Torchwood in a long time but I remember her. In fact I remember Lois better than I remember some of the main cast.

She was just a normal young woman who had managed to get a really good job and risked everything to do the right thing and idk. She was just a really solid character that deserved better recognition.

Dean Winchester. Do I need to say from where?

Look, I loved all five seasons of Supernatural. A shame they didn't add more later!

And with Dean it's a bit personal so I'm not gonna go deep in details about it, but let's just say that there's quite a bit of me that I recognized in him and I just want to give that man a hug.

Donna Noble, from Doctor Who

I'm not up to date with the new seasons/episodes so no spoilers please!

But hm, yeah. I think what I loved the most about how Russel T. Davies was directing the show was how real his everyday people turned companion felt, and while I preferred Rose when I was younger, the older I get, the more appreciation I have for Donna.

She's just so full of life and character, so brave and so unapologetic about being herself despite her self-esteem issues, but I think what I love above all else about her is how she always acted as an equal to the Doctor.

I'm gonna repeat myself but really, the older I get, the more I love her. And I really need to catch up :'D

Cain Hargreaves, from the Cain saga

Honestly I don't expect anyone to remember this manga XD It's an old one I read when I was a teenager and one of the few I kept despite not having re-read it in 10+ years. I don't remember that much from it but I do remember the ending quite well.

Anyways. Cain's a young earl with a tragic past, a strong sense of justice, more money than common sense, a love for poisons and a fear of commitment. Truly, what could go wrong with such a character?

Also:

"Have I ever failed a promise to you? - Yes, all the time." after his sister made him swear he'd come back to her alive is just perfect.

Spike, from BtVS

He's devoted, he's cruel, he's romantic, he's brave, he's pathetic, he's capable of taking responsibility for his actions... I love a multifaceted character and I've had a soft spot for Spike ever since I've watched the series for the first time.

I rewatched it not too long ago and it didn't age that well imo, or maybe I'm just more critical than I used to be, but I still think Spike is an awesome character and I love that it was in spite of Whedon's intentions for him.

---

And I believe that brings me at 10 characters for 10 fandoms! It strangely feels more like undressing in front of strangers than actually undressing in front of strangers :'D So obviously I'm gonna tag a few people to do it too:

@under-the-blood-moonlight @merlwybs-wife @voidtekarc @alannah-corvaine @ashenbun @zhauric @biff-adventurer @tea-and-conspiracy and @confusedtia! And frankly anyone else who wants to!

#The More You Know #answered; OOC #I can only hope Tumblr won't block the notifications this time around

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demetriandelibinaryboyfriends · 7 months

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@allvalleyskillschallenge

Prompt: Back to School Pairing: YasMoon More cheer content for Best Lesbians!!!

***

You’re at the mall with your boyfriend, he’s upset He’s yelling at you while completely drenched in sweat He doesn’t get nonviolence like I do

I’m in Marseille, it’s a typical summer night Watching the kind of sissy chick flicks he doesn’t like And he’ll never smell like roses like I do

But she wears short skirts I wear t-shirts She’s cheer captain And I’m on the bleachers

Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find That all that macho shit Won’t keep your chakras aligned!

If you could see that I won’t get a tattoo of you Without asking first because that’s creepy You don’t belong to me And I think you should flee

Walking the halls with you and your lecturing I’m sort of shocked that you still want to hang with me Seeing your laugh and thinking to myself “I’m glad Moon forgives easy”

And I see your ex acting like he’s worth your time After all he ever did was treat you like some prize You said it was love but I know better than that Have some self-respect and don’t you dare take him back!

But she wears high heels I wear sneakers She’s cheer captain And I’m on the bleachers

Know I’m nobody now, and I’m just some tryhard But despite how Hawk’s changed He’s got no clue who you are!

If you could see that I know all your favorite smoke spots Music, movies, outfits down to your bikinis And where you go on shopping sprees

Flying home to see you on the prom night I know they thought that I came for Demetri But he’s only a beard to me And you’re all I see

Oh, I remember you leaving me behind For the school karate gang But you’d end up in a bind ‘Cause mean kids are all the same

And I know that I fucked up And I know I was a bitch But if it meant there’d still be an “us” Then for you I’d make a switch

Do you see it when we’re tanning by the poolside? Do you see it when we’re sitting in the booth and I’m like please Why can’t you see me?

And I know I’ve missed my chance over and over And longing’s not bringing you any closer Even if I have to plead But you belong with me Maybe someday you’ll see

You belong with me And one day I’ll feel free To say what I wish we could be And what you mean to me

***

@karatecaulfield pspsps

After I made this, I...maaaaaay have gotten kinda carried away with the YasMoon cheerleading content and wrote them a dumb little You Belong With Me cover. Whoops ^^;

So You Belong With Me has actually always kinda given me YasMoon vibes, but like...in a roundabout way? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know that technically Yasmine and Moon BOTH canonically wear short skirts and high heels (which like. Good for them!!! It's such a Look and they slay!!!), but it makes me think of post-S1 YasMoon, where Moon was still one of the most popular girls in school, and Yasmine...definitely was not anymore. And we DO know that Yas started dressing more "modestly" from S3 onwards (as annoying as it was that she had to give up her "evil slut clothes" to undergo character development ig -____-), so it doesn't seem out of the question for Moon to keep the skirts and heels while Yas transitions to more casual, mundane stuff so as not to draw attention to herself. Definitely wouldn't blame her for wanting to stay under the radar after the wedgie video went viral lmao

Also TELL me Yasmine wouldn't look cute as fuck in pink tennis shoes and/or pink converse!!! Like come on!!! Girl would be ADORABLE in bright barbie pink stereotypical "not like the other girls" clothing and the more I think about it, the more I NEED to see this in S6. Also because it would be really funny if Moon just like. Had a thing for mean people in casual sportswear XD

Actually, went a bit apeshit and made this entire thing pink💗💗💗 What can I say!!! They just look so good in bright girly feminine colors!!! I have SUCH a weakness for hyperfemme4hyperfemme lesbians tbh. Same for hypermasc4hypermasc gays, hyperfemme4hyperfemme gays, and hypermasc4hypermasc lesbians 💖 Idk there's just something so special about queer couples who don't give a single flying fuck about The Straights™️trying to impose their "one person MUST be masculine and one person MUST be feminine in all couples!!!" brand of heteronormativity on LGBT folk. Masc4masc pairings that feel 0 desire for any femininity in your romantic relationship I love you, femme4femme pairings that feel desire for any masculinity in your romantic relationship I love you--

Yes I know realistically speaking most LGBT and non-LGBT couples are a pretty solid mix of masc and femme between BOTH people but I'm trying to make a point here akjsdiulfhkdufh

Fun fact: I was reading cheerleader anecdotes while researching how cheer squads work, and I learned the stereotypical pleated cheerleader skirt is...actually considered kind of dated??? At least in the actual cheer community. Which I think is a damn shame, because those skirts are cute as fuck D: But TBH Moon is popular enough that she could wear the most dated pleaty cheer skirt on the market and STILL rock it. Plus make it look "cool" and "retro" XD And we damn well know Yasmine will think she looks hot regardless <3

ALSO idk if I've ever mentioned this before, but it blows my damn mind that Yasmine is practically wearing the lesbian flag during the scene where she signs Demetri's cast :O Take away that blue stripe and she literally would be??? Like that whole but needed to be any more ragingly queer-coded than it already way XD NOT MY GIRL SAYING SHE KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE PUBLICLY HUMILIATED TO THE POINT OF BEING OUTCASTED AND OTHERED. WHILE WEARING A GODDAMN LESBIAN SWEATER. AND THEN IMMEDIATELY "STRAIGHTENING" THE HOMOPHOBIC JOKE ON HIS CAST AND COVERING BOTH THEIR GAY ASSES IN ONE FEEL SWOOP AJDIOSUHYFDUG Lesbian queen!!!

Also this subtext is going to make me go fucking INSANE I swear to GOD

Rambles specific to the dumb little song I wrote under the cut!

Basically the scenario I'm imagining here takes place during S3. A recently fallen-from-grace Yasmine is now at the bottom of the school food chain, forced to watch from the sidelines as her ex-best-friend (who STILL gives her the time of day for some reason) remains a popular, universally-loved socialite. And she finds herself in a strange position.

She can't help being a little envious, of course, since she remembers when she was that widely respected. It leaves a sour taste in her mouth that she once ruled the school, and now her second-in-command is blossoming and thriving while she's been reduced to a pathetic laughingstock. And with Moon expanding her circle as Yasmine's shrinks, Yasmine always ends up feeling left behind.

But it's more than that. With Moon soaring high while she's crawling through the dirt trying to catch up, Yasmine believes more and more that she's not worthy of her best friend's time. Like Moon has outgrown her in a way that leaves her feeling desolate and lost.

And yet Moon lets her stick around. Yasmine knows she should spend more time counting her blessings and less ruminating on her newfound status as the school loser.

Because, for some strange reason, Moon doesn't actually seem to care. For now, that's enough.

Unfortunately, her enduring popularity doesn't make Moon immune to the kind of self-interested assholes Yasmine's trying not to emulate anymore. Moon's ex--the subject of many a horror story concerning the Valley in Yasmine's absence--can't seem to leave her alone. Whether it's making passes at her when she's very clearly not interested or wrecking her science project because he can't stand to see her happy without him, the guy cannot for the life of him take a hint.

Moon vents at lunch one day that she loved him, and it broke her heart to watch him turn into such a jerk. Yasmine hopes for the sake of her own sanity that her friend is exaggerating.

Because Moon really, really needs to set her sights higher than some possessive creep who gets her name branded on his skin after a month of dating, and then acts like it cosmically bound them forever. The issue is that Yasmine has no idea how to convey this tactfully enough that Moon will actually listen.

For the most part, Yasmine is grudgingly happy that Moon grew a backbone. But she misses when her opinion had more sway, based on force and conviction alone.

It's times like these she wishes the two of them were on speaking terms over the summer. Then Yasmine could've told Moon to fucking run.

Moon's ex gets better, at least. Stops being a raging ass. Actually steps back and respects Moon's relationship with Piper.

(As sad as that thought makes Yasmine, for whatever reason.)

And yet he still watches her walk by with those big, sad eyes of his, like she's eternally the most tear-jerking scene in some depressing drama. When Moon stops to chat with him--friendly and kind, even after everything--whatever she says flies in one ear and right out the other.

It's so fucking pathetic. Hawk puts her on this shining pedestal of divinity and utter perfection--his own personal angel of salvation. But ask the boy so much as her favorite color or her favorite animal or her favorite store at the goddamn mall, he would bluescreen faster than a Windows Vista.

And frankly, Yasmine doesn't give a shit about his stupid fucking redemption arc. Good for him that he's not acting like a human dumpster every second of every day, but Moon isn't obligated to patiently help him wade through the muck of his own bad decisions. Fix and tidy up his perpetual list of issues.

Moon is more than some trophy to hand out for not being a shithead.

She's a whole human being, with thoughts and dreams and hopes and feelings. She likes turquoise jewelry and yoga and California rolls. She wants to be a massage therapist, but is worried it would pay like shit. She likes spending quiet, thoughtful nights walking around hidden corners of the bustling city. She realized she had a talent for baking and cooking when she made weed brownies to give out at school. She loves decking herself out in glowsticks at raves because it makes her feel like some mystical fairy. She listens to mostly electronic and top 40s bubblegum pop, but every now and again, she craves nothing but a good classical piano piece. She adores trashy romcoms, and has only ever been taught to be ashamed of it. Especially by people like Hawk.

And she's the most incredible person in the world.

She’s the reason Yasmine boards that plane back to LAX, if she’s honest.

Sure, it’s got something to do with her father’s frequent pestering about her love life. The exhaustion of constantly faking enthusiasm for a relationship that has only ever been a cover-up. And she isn’t keen on missing junior prom for a ceremony ushering in a stepmom scarcely better than the one who gave birth to her.

But the moment she sees that blue dress, that curled hair, that euphoric beam when Yasmine walks over…

Nothing else at that dumb dance even registers.

And yes, she dances with Demetri. Grinds on him as much as she’s expected to. Even stays for the afterparty to make out with him for good measure. She has to keep up appearances, after all.

But with Moon tired and headed home, Yasmine excuses herself after 20 minutes, suddenly no longer able to stand Demetri's mouth on hers.

In the coming weeks, Moon seems to buy into Hawk's song and dance hook, line, and sinker. Somehow, sad puppy eyes and pining stares and sob stories about how he's "lost his confidence" are enough to make up for him not knowing any more about her than a stranger of the street. All the conversations they've had and dates they've been on and intimate ways they've entwined their bodies, and Hawk has managed to ask Moon so remarkably little.

He's learned so remarkably little about the girl he's convinced is his soulmate.

And it's beyond frustrating to see Moon worrying herself over Hawk's neverending teen angst and annoying inner demons when Yasmine worked to better herself, too--and all she expected in return was a halfhearted pity friendship. When Yasmine's the one who can make Moon laugh without even trying. When Yasmine knows Moon's brunch order and favorite spa treatment. When Yasmine has seen Moon high and wasted and everything in between. When Yasmine's the one who always held Moon's hair back when she yakked her entire stomach contents into the toilet.

When Yasmine's the one who rarely leaves Moon's side. When Yasmine's the one who sits closer than just friends in every restaurant booth. When Yasmine's the one who sneaks longing glances at Moon not out of some mopey self-pity that she can never get the girl, but because she simply can't help it.

She'd look at Moon forever if she could. She'd gladly spend eternity taking in everything that was Moon--everything she'd ever been and everything she'd ever be--and never expect a damn thing for it.

And again and again and again, Yasmine is overlooked. Nothing but background noise in Moon's solemn duty to take care of a boy who will never deserve her.

And it's pathetic, really. Moon had a girlfriend. Kissed her in front of the whole school. Yasmine saw the instagram pics. It's not like Moon isn't open to being with girls that way.

Yet every time Yasmine wants to finally tell the truth, something stops her. Something holds her back. Something whispers in her ear that Moon would laugh in her face. And perhaps it has less to do with them both being girls, and everything to do with how they feel worlds apart these days.

After all, what hope is there for the cheer captain to love you back when all you are is that joke of a Front Wedgie Girl sitting in the bleachers?

#allvalleyskillschallenge #yasmoon #yasmine x moon #moon x yasmine #moodboard #aesthetic #yasmine cobra kai #moon cobra kai #cobra kai #cobra kai season 1 #cobra kai season 2 #cobra kai season 3 #cobra kai season 4 #cobra kai season 5 #wlw #lesbian #femslash

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hiddenbeks · 5 months

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ocs as types of suffering + tragic love archetypes

tagged by @hibernationsuit to do a couple quizzes for some ocs, thank u red!!

tagging @narrayya @grimhygge @famewolf @abetterbeginning to do one or both of the quizzes if u want to, no pressure! suffering quiz here, tragic love quiz here <3

did the first quiz for my da girls:

ANDRALE MAHARIEL - yearning

"the pain in your chest bubbles knowing that what you want may never be yours. You're lost in a fantasy world, or consumed by what you wish you were or had as opposed to what you do. it's hard to appreciate what's around you when you're appreciating the hope of what could be instead."

yknow i often consider andrale my most well adjusted oc. she had a relatively stable childhood with friends and loving family. and despite developing a resentment of the world that hates her people as she grows older and desiring a world where things are different she's still mostly satisfied with her life? but this all changes after she becomes a warden. the first months are especially difficult as she's still in denial about her fate and the fact that she's never going back to her old life and indeed yearns for all that she has lost. she eventually learns to live again and enjoy her new life as best she can but she will always carry that sadness and regret and longing with her i think. you may see her happy and content one moment and the next she's staring blankly at nothing, lost in her memories of simpler days.

FRIDA HAWKE - self inadequacy

"you crack under the weight of your own perceived inability. how can you be enough for anyone else when you're just barely enough for yourself? insecurity causes you to have little backbone, and so you fail to reach your full potential when it comes to what you're best at. you sabotage opportunities with fear you'll fail before you've begun. it hurts to never feel like your best is enough, but setting your standards too high or too low ensures it."

i was fully expecting to get 'the giver' as a result for frida but this is accurate too! she never believes she is enough as a daughter or big sister or stand-in parent to the twins or champion or. anything. poor gal believes it's her job to carry the weight of the world and blames herself for not being or doing enough when she inevitably fails. oof

CELYN SURANA - loneliness

"your heart feels full of the connection you feel you lack. no matter how many people are around, strangers or not... someone is missing. you don't know who, what, or if you'll ever find them. you're unsure if there's a person out there who'll really satisfy your life, so really what's the point of continuing to look?"

hmm! celyn was indeed lonely at the circle save for jowan but i have to wonder if it was her own doing. though to be fair i doubt the circle fosters an environment supportive of making friends and forming genuine connections. and obviously the fact that it's partly her own doing doesn't make it any less painful. anyway. celyn put friendships aside in favor of studying and being The Very Best, hoping that advancement in the circle would bring her at least a tiny bit of autonomy and respect. this all leads to a hopeless loop of "i'm lonely and want friends" "don't know how to make friends so i won't even try". she slowly gets better after leaving the circle when andrale and friends coax/force her out of her shell because they need to work togetheeerrr. there's no team-building exercise quite like the blight and the impending end of the world am i right haha

anyway next up some tragic love:

ISABEAU MONET - caníbales; devourer

"love's a knife to skin to you, a vein to woven muscle, blood puddle before you. you listened to all the promises of a stranger's relief and feel the drain of a shower head running it all down again. you committed another murder; kissed and bruised skin with a clench to a quivering wrist and went home in the deafening quiet of a taxi. there's mold covered rage within you. if to take a heart home with you, you'd bite your way through muscle and ribcage first. pleasure comes, but there will be no devouring past it. there is fear in settling down and being seen. there is a glass screen between these bodies and you. relax your tight jaw and feel the real canine fear beneath that scabbed up cavity. the sacrifice of opening up is needed if to be loved as you deeply wish inside. desire doesn't discriminate between hands and spoken word. why should you?"

wowie!! i rarely get serious about isabeau because she's mostly a fun and sexy menace and has convinced even me that that's all there is to her but like. i shouldn't forget that she too is damaged underneath it all 😔 what twenty years of emotional neglect and lack of support from parents does to a gal...

#tag games #ch: andrale #ch: frida #ch: celyn #ch: isabeau #decided to mash these two games together to avoid spamming ppl gfjhjkfg #anyway!! this was inch resting. thanks again for the tag red <3 #this was also so sad wow. love my haunted & tormented girlies <3

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bleachbleachbleach · 9 months

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7/29 - 8/6/2023

I started last weekend really excited about writing Renji 2, and had a good time with that. And then proceeded to have no writing time past last weekend. =_= I just need to chill out and accept that life is going to be about driving and People and racecars and the Women's World Cup rn and not about my blorbos and stories. Not that I don't also like the aforementioned but also MY BLORBOS AND STORIES THO. ):

As excited as I am about this chapter I'm still not sure if it ~works because Renji is just infodumping about 79 different things, and the part I wrote was about written vs. actually-followed easement policy in West Rukongai and how long it takes to run places. Which on one hand, Renji Why, but on the other, Why Not, Renji.

Something I have done a lot of this week, though, is driving—more in the last 7 days than in the last 7 months, to be specific—and I got reacquainted with my nemesis, audiobooks. I still don’t think I actually like audiobooks, but all of the books I listened to were very enjoyable in spite of the format, and I recommend all of them! This is especially exciting because these choices were guided by "what is currently available at the library."

The week’s roadtrip audiobook selections:

H is for Hawk, Helen MacDonald (2014)

Psalm for the Wild-Built, Becky Chambers (2021)

Orange World, Karen Russell (2019)

The Nickel Boys, Colson Whitehead (2019)

H is for Hawk, Helen MacDonald (2014) I’ve been wanting to read this book for a long time, but I’m glad I didn’t get a chance to until now, because coming off of condor!Tobiume this book was especially exciting. I didn’t realize until listening that it drew so heavily on The Once and Future King (and TH White’s biography in general) as intertext, which has really made me want to re-read that book, since I haven’t read it since the summer after I graduated high school. H is for Hawk is a falconry memoir, and it is quite a bit about birds—the goshawk Mabel in particular—which I figured would be a good time, from a creative nonfiction, ecology writing POV, two genres I generally like. But oh my god it is so much better than I already thought it was going to be! MacDonald has such strong analysis of masculinist, neoliberal cultures past and present, and the kinds of mythologies falconry comes from with regard to class and gender (and sexuality, re: TH White), and her own parsing of these things as she grows up. I want to read this book again.

Psalm for the Wild-Built, Becky Chambers (2021) I am OBSESSED with this book and I keep recommending it to everyone I see. It’s about a tea monk on a future moon where, in the distant past, robots developed to work in human factories gained sapience and left the human places to go live freely and separate in the wilds. Yearning for something missing from their life, the tea monk sets off into the wilds and encounters a robot who has been sent out to check in on the humans, and to answer the question, “What do humans need?” I don’t know that I am usually a robot person—but I am a traveling tea monk person haha—but I love these robots so, so much. They name themselves for the first things they see, so they all have plant/animal names. They hyperfixate on watching stalagmites grow, for centuries. This book is so soft and thoughtful and incredibly thought-provoking. It’s about a future that doesn’t rely on post-apocalypse; nothing overtly dramatic happens but everything is gripping.

Orange World, Karen Russell (2019) This is collection of short stories—I was able to pay attention to some far more than others, but Russell had the most interesting prose for me. There were lines where I was like, man, I wish I were reading this so I could copy this down.” Really strong sense of region and place in each story, and the world building (as one might hope of a book titled Orange World) is superb. I was familiar with Russell conceptually but hadn’t read anything by her before. My favorites were the story about Plains State/Midwestern storm farmers, who captured, husbanded, and rented out storms of various stripes—and now their industry was being affected by climate change. And the story about four sisters who are gondoliers, and use echolocation (of a sort) to navigate the span of a short story.

WIP-wise, I guess LOL I’d love to write as beautifully as Karen Russell does!! But more seriously I guess it’s about being bold about the mechanics of a world and how much it is possible to accomplish even in the span of a short story.

The Nickel Boys, Colson Whitehead (2019) I’m only halfway through this one, but it’s historical fiction about a reform school in the South during Brown v Board of Education, and the false promises experienced while attempting to integrate the South.

As far as where this could be WIP research, Whitehead does a great job of minor timeskips across the parts of the novel, including skips of actually writing out major precipitating events, which makes me feel more embolden about how I’ve structured some of this WIP.

#stories for the sea

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