#and such a wonderful writer. i really really admire them. their works inspire me so much

[ms--lobotomy]

Don’t do energy drinks at 3 pm, lest you end up like me and can’t sleep. Thanks @kit-williams for the writer’s inspiration thing. 😊

Summary: One of your Iron Hands minis inexplicably disappears. Conversely, there is a very big Iron Hand man at your door. Uh oh

Word Count: 1216

Content Warnings: Attempted violence, a guilty pleasure trope of mine, uhhh that’s probably all?

A half-smile crossed your face as you put down the last mini and wrung the Mephiston Red off of your paintbrush. Finished. You admired your handiwork, turning him around in your hands a little bit. He was the only one of his brothers without a helmet, but half of his face was covered by metal implements anyways. Painting an Iron Hands space marine (Iron Hand?) was no small order. The brush you’d bought specifically to paint them was still too big, so you’d cut off some of the bristles. And it still frayed, blotching paint where it wasn’t supposed to go. But you’d covered it up well enough that you couldn’t notice most of it. Even though he was one of five of your first minis, he was perfect.

You looked out of the window of your apartment, a little studio think a ways away from anything meaningful. It was dark… kind of. Streetlights lit the scene with no concern for light pollution and cars still travelled outside, sometimes stuck behind a light and sometimes rushing past. Occasionally someone would blare music (and not normally music you liked.) The sound would reach your window, sometimes even piercing your headphones. No matter. It wasn’t happening now.

You opened your phone and checked the time, idly wondering if anyone had sent you anything. 1 AM. The only notification was from Instagram. “Top reels in the United States!” it declared. Lovely. You yawned as you reached for your medication, popping the pills down your throat. You grabbed first for your paint water, then for your water bottle to wash them down. You wasted no time in getting to bed, letting sleep consume you.

You woke up to a loud bang bang bang on the door. Someone with a deep, rumbling voice called out something in a language you didn’t understand, a language you couldn’t even put a name to. You tumbled out of bed, pulled on a sweatshirt and looked out of the window. Still dark. After that, you went to look at the peephole. And then your heart skipped a beat.

You beheld a man tall enough that he had to crouch slightly, and even then his head scraped the ceiling. Half of his face was replaced by mechanical implements, three red lenses where his left eye should be. The right side of his face was scarred and tattered, with a dark brown eye that looked human enough. There was a short chop of black hair on his head. You looked at his armor. There were the mistakes on the armor, blotches of white and little lumps where it was layered on too thickly.

He banged on the door again, causing it to shake. Before weighing your options, you cracked the door open. “Hello?” you’d asked groggily, wiping your eye with your hand.

Before you could process anything, he pushed past you as if you were nothing but a large weed. Your heart beat in your chest and you instinctively reached for the light. Your eyes widened as you processed that there was an intruder in your apartment, and he was large. You watched him scan the room. As he reached for your drawers, you felt your mouth open up. “If you’re here to steal from me, I regret to inform you that I don’t have much,” you yawned. Your eyes darted towards the congregation on your desk, next to your less expensive paints and brushes. “Please don’t take my minis, though. I worked really hard on th—“

He made a beeline for the minis, and your heart skipped a beat as you noticed that there were only four on the table. All of them had their little helmets intact. He examined them carefully, only touching the bases as he picked them up and put them back down.

He was harmless so far, but an intruder nonetheless. You looked for a weapon while he was turned away. You hadn’t much in your apartment; the most dangerous thing in your vicinity was a mechanical pencil laying near your feet. You picked it up. Better than nothing. You began looking for a weakness in his armor, a chink in the metal that surrounded him. Could you reach the back of his neck..? There was only one way to find out.

As you jumped, he snapped back around, a detached look in his eye. The pencil deflected off of his armor and he grabbed you, stepping back into the desk a little bit to steady himself. The desk gave way a little bit, creaking against the faux wood of the floor. His armor was cold and rough against your skin. And he was so large against you, larger than anyone of your own kind. He said something in that language of his before he set you down, steadying you on your feet before he let go.

You watched him look over the mess that was your desk. He picked up a months-old painting done on some scrap paper—something that wasn’t too great by your standards, really—and looked at it for a few moments before gingerly placing it back where it was. Your eyelids slid down slightly. He had no intention of harming you or your apartment.

As his attention slid to your paint water, you chuckled. “What happened to ‘hello?’” you asked, your tone much lighter than it had been.

He turned around, extending a hand. “Hutri,” he said.

You blinked, before taking it. Your face went warm as his hand engulfed yours. You said your name quietly, hoping that Hutri was his name and not an expression in his native language. He repeated it before chuckling, his hand falling from yours. You half wanted to guide your hand to his, but you didn’t know how to do so naturally.

“I guess you really don’t have anywhere to go,” you said quietly. You surveyed your room. There wasn’t even a beanbag chair for you to sleep on. Your bed was made for a baseline human, but it could probably support him if he tried hard enough. You pointed at the bed. “You can take the bed,” you said. “I don’t know where you came from, but you probably need to rest.”

He looked down at you, then at the bed. He began to remove his armor, and you looked away, feeling your face go warm again. He said something, but you hadn’t a clue what it meant. Once you stopped hearing armor fall to the ground (and stopped praying for your downstairs neighbors) you turned around to see him in his body glove. Augmentations still poked out, making themselves known through little convexities popping up from underneath it. He climbed into the twin bed with ease, curling up on it so he could fit. And he left a little bit of room on the side. He beckoned you over wordlessly, pressing himself against the cold wall.

“I’ve had enough sleep,” you muttered, feeling your face warming again. Truth be told, you hadn’t curled up with someone like that in a long while. You missed feeling the warmth of someone close by, feeling their chest rise and fall against you. You looked at him, the right half of his face staring at you expressionlessly.

“Alright, just let me turn the lights off.”

#warhammer 40k x reader #space marine x reader #iron hands x reader #reader insert #iron hands #oc x reader #warhammer lobotomy

[yasubloodly]

Just Us

Chapter 1: Bentley's Owner

Good Omens x GN Reader

Sypnosis: Moving into a new place will never be easy but making new friends especially with an angel and a demon?

Who knows.

A/N: Decided to post it here too. Uh this is my first time posting here.

(Y/N) - Your Name

(H/C) - Hair Color

(E/C) - Eyes Color 

(Y/F/N) - Your Full Name

(S/C) - Skin Color

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Over the years, Soho evolved and adapted. It became a haven for the creative minds that flocked to its streets. Musicians, writers, and artists found solace and inspiration in its coffeehouses and underground clubs. The melodies of jazz, soul, and rock 'n' roll filled the air, drawing both the curious locals and the adventurous tourists to its lively margins.

Beyond its artistic allure, Soho pulsates with culinary delights. From hidden speakeasies to renowned Michelin-starred restaurants, its diverse array of flavors tantalizes the taste buds. Soho is an epicurean's paradise, inviting food enthusiasts from all walks of life to explore its gastronomic offerings.

The neighborhood cherishes its working-class heritage, weaving the stories of the past with the energetic rhythm of the present. Traditional pubs frequented by laborers still stand proudly on street corners, their wooden interiors echoing with laughter and tales of days gone by.

Soho may be a small corner of London, but its spirit is immeasurable. It is a place where creativity knows no bounds, a hub of artistic expression and cultural revolution. The legacy it leaves on those who venture through its vibrant streets is one of inspiration and acceptance.

(Y/N) has been living in a big city their whole life, so moving to Soho was a dream come true. Even though they were excited, the hustle and bustle of the city was intimidating and overwhelming. They started to wander around and got lost in the busy street.

As they were trying to orient themselves , something caught their eye. It was a grand old Bentley, parked across the street. (Y/N) was mesmerized by it. The car was sleek and elegant, totally different from anything they ever owned and different from anything they’ve seen before.

The Bentley’s owner was leaning against the car, with his fiery red hair and a black jacket. He remained stern-faced despite the chaos brewing in his mind as he leaned against his sleek Bentley, his gaze fixed at the vintage little bookshop across the street. Even though (Y/N) had made eye contact with the Bentley owner twice, the person never responded which made them feel like they weren’t welcomed.

(Y/N) couldn’t peel their eyes away from the beauty of the Bentley. To them, the car was much more than a vehicle, it was a symbol of adventure. With that car they could travel the world, explore different places and meet people from all kinds of backgrounds. It was a dream come true.

(Y/N) already knew that living in Soho was going to be an amazing experience. They simply had to take this opportunity and make something of it. With that thought in their head, (Y/N) smiled.

"What?" The man spat out impolitely. 

(Y/N) flinched.

"Excuse me...hello, I'm really sorry for staring. You have such a lovely Bentley, I can't help but to stare" (Y/N) awkwardly stumbled not only on their words but on the steps too, talking to a stranger in a place you don't know can be dangerous. Slowly, (Y/N) walks to him but stay a few feets away from him.

"Oh, also I'm new around here so I don't actually know what to do besides walking around..umm" (Y/N) whispered to themselves, Crowley could barely hear them. 

(Y/N) does not want to make a weird first impression to Crowley. Their soft (H/C) hair bounce from every steps they are taking. 

Crowley was bored and a bit hungry. But the human seemed rather polite. (Y/N) had that innocent puppy dog look on their face. Maybe the human wasn't so bad after all, especially because they admired his car. 

He raised an eyebrow at them, wondering why they were approaching him. He didn't want to be bothered by someone looking for directions or something similar. 

However, he still asked, "Are you lost?" Maybe he could give them false directions, he smirked internally.

"Oh! No no... I'm not lost actually. I'm new to this area. I'm just hanging around here. I did visit some shops and uhh that coffee shop behind me, it was good! " (Y/N) directed their finger towards the coffee shop behind them. 

Their bright (E/C) eyes squinted, they smiled awkwardly or perhaps nervously. Their shoulders dropped as both of their hands are at the sides. 

"Hmm, new here. I don't know anyone that looks quite like you," Crowley muttered, looking them up and down. Their nervousness amused him, he was sure he could annoy them even more. 

He looked at them with a serious expression on his face, "What's your name?"

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself! I'm (Y/F/N) , pleasure meeting you umm... " (Y/N) trailed off, trying to get Crowley to tell his own name. 

"Crowley." He said his name with a straight face, even though he was slightly entertained by the conversation.

Then he smirked, and his voice rang with a bit of sarcasm, "Pleasure is all mine," he said, even though he didn't really think that. "Oh, and are you some kind of exotic tourist around here, (Y/N) ?"

He knew (Y/N) just move into here since they mentioned it earlier but he decided to tease them even more. 

Flush creeps across their (S/C) cheeks. Their (E/C) eyes widen for a second before shifting glances all around the streets. "Uh... I'm a freelancer, I move into this neighborhood just to get some fresh air. It looks nice here" They flashes a smile to Crowley as they nervously tucked one hair behind their ear. 

"How about you Mr. Crowley? What are you doing here, I guess you're not new here like me since you look like you're seems to park your car here every days" questioned (Y/N) . 

"Oh, are you trying to figure out my secrets?" He asked with a smirk. "I've got some time to kill, so I thought I'd come and see if my best friend is in the shop."

He gestured in the direction of the shop. "I'm never far from him," he said with a little smile. "I have nothing better to do. I'm so bored. I wish I could fall through a crack in the world to a more exciting world." 

He looked at (Y/N) with a bit of curiosity. "Are you enjoying this part of the world?"

It was indeed a strange question, someone that you don't even know and meeting them for only a few seconds just ask you that. What does he wants? Is he trying to be friendly or just curious. 

(Y/N) glances at the bookshop Crowley gestured to, their eyes sparked as soon as they saw the shop. "Ohh! I would love to visit the bookshop, I was supposed to go there just to look around and introduce myself but I'm taking my time out here. Probably just me been nervous" (Y/N) chuckled. 

They turned back to look at Crowley "I do actually enjoy the world, there's a lot of stuff to be discovered! I get to do things that I enjoy too! " beamed (Y/N). Their smile widen at the thought of enjoying life with everything that they have. 

"It just so happens that my best friend works in that very charming little bookshop." He couldn't help himself, and grinned at (Y/N)'s excitement about the bookshop. 

"Is it really that exciting for you?" He asked, a bit amused. 

"Are you perhaps a fan of books, then?" Crowley wondered, because he himself enjoyed a good book every once in a while. But he was sure that there were many things more entertaining to do than reading. Or so he thought.

"I love books! It's just the smell of books got me feeling gleeful. Besides reading books, I also love listening to music especially when I'm drawing or reading. How about you Mr. Crowley, do you enjoy them as well? "  curiously, they look at Crowley in anticipation. 

"Hmm, you seem like a bit of a nerd," he teased. 

"Yes, I might enjoy books and music too," he said with a small smile. His grin widened, and he glanced at (Y/N) in a way that made they feel as if he was looking right through them. He always found it amusing to see someone blush, and he was sure (Y/N)'s face was starting to get a little pink. 

He took a breath and then asked, "Speaking of music, what kind of music do you like?"

(Y/N) let out a soft breathe laugh "To be honest, I love music like Queen but not a lot of people seems to enjoy it. Quite rare if I must say" They crossed their arms as they crinkles their nose. 

Crowley grinned when (Y/N) started to talk about their favorite band. He loved Queen, and he was actually quite surprised that they mentioned them.

"Queen? Really?" He asked. "I also really enjoy them, they're one of my all time favorites!"

The demon gave a loud laughter and then said, "I never thought that I would ever find someone in a place like this that enjoys music even half as much as I do!"

He looked at (Y/N) , and then added with a flirtatious edge in his voice, "Perhaps you and I aren't so different after all."

(Y/N) giggles, they hums a bit " Perhaps we aren't, Mr. Crowley " they winked. 

"Well, it was nice meeting you Mr. Crowley. I guess... I better go now. That bookshop of your good friend has been intriguing me for almost hours" They look down at their black leather watch, wrapping nicely around their left wrist. 

(Y/N) look up back to Crowley, smiling softly "Unless you wouldn't mind to walk me there and introduce me to your friend? " 

Crowley was surprised by their sudden flirtatiousness. Were they really flirting with him? A human, flirting with him? He liked it. 

"Of course I don't mind," he said with a smirk. "I don't want you to get lost. And it makes me happy to make you happy by introducing you to my friend," he replied with a charming smile. 

He started to walk towards the bookshop. It was almost time for closing, and he was hoping that his best friend was still around.

Before they could even reach to the bookshop. Crowley halted. He was hit by a strong sense of urgency, his heart rate increasing rapidly. He immediately stopped walking, turning to look at (Y/N) with a serious expression on his face.

(Y/N) looked at Crowley in concerned " Is something ma-"

"Something is wrong," he said in a low voice. "I have to go back."

He knew that something important had to happen to disturb him, but as always, his curiosity got the better of him. He decided to at least have a look, maybe it'd be worth it.

He quickly started to walk in the opposite direction, trying to ignore all of the people staring at him and wondering what the heck was going on.

Crowley let out a sigh. "Oh, for Go- ugh, what is it now?!" His face suddenly changed to an angry, annoyed gaze. 

Crowley stopped for a moment and turned to (Y/N). They seemed confused about his abrupt behavior, but there was really nothing he could do about it.

He said, "I'm sorry for taking up your time, but something urgent has come up, something I can't ignore."

Crowley then turned and ran as fast as he could, disappearing out of sight around the corner and leaving (Y/N) all by themselves with no idea what the heck just happened.

(Y/N) watched Crowley's Bentley disappeared as he drives away from there. They already at the bookshop door so they don't mind at all. Crowley business seems rather urgent so they don't really want to bother him. Crowley was an interesting man, wearing all black and his red colored hair stood out even more. 

(Y/N) shook their head, turning around to face the fascinating bookshop that they have been wanting to go inside. They took a deep breath, they look through the glass on the door, trying to find the mentioned friend of Crowley.

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A/N: I'm so sorry that they might be a bit OOC but I've been dying on creating a GO fanfic and finally after 2 seasons 😭 decided to write one. Anyways, reader is non binary,

I'll update new chapter whenever I can so please do not put too much hope on me. At first I wanted to write this as one shots but decided to make it a series. Thank you for reading it!

I might not be a big fan of Queen but I love them🧡

#good omens #gn reader #good omens x reader #aziraphale #crowley #aziraphale x reader #aziraphale x y/n #crowley x reader #crowley x y/n

[bl4cktourmaline]

I jumped in excitement when requests are temporarily open:3 ahcahosva I wanna request hu tao with.. reader that's like has the same personality as like hu tao so like 2 sillies:3 and just like her and reader going on dates and like just being very fluffwy :3 she's so silly I love her thank you!!!<3

⛅ . 風鈴 — hu tao

✿ — ♬ ⌨️ᶻᶻᶻ : x is typing... ✉!

✿ — ↻ SYNOPSIS : Hu tao with a reader with the same personality on a date <3

✿ — ♯ GENRE : Fluff

✿ — ↠ NOTE : What's better than 1 hu tao ? 2 hu taos ! Jokes aside, thanks for requesting this miika !! I'm really excited to write this prompt and I hope you enjoyed this fic too<3

If you'd like to request click 'here' and read the writing rules of each writer !

✿ — ♪ REMINDER : reblogs & likes are appreciated, in doing so will motivate us to continue delivering stories to you, thank you for all of your supports ~ !

✿ — ► ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : Hu tao x reader [Headcanons/Drabble]

㊊ It was on Wuwang hill where you first met your beloved girlfriend. You still remember your first meet with hu tao, who saw you first inside wuwang hill and tried to prank you by jumpscaring you when you least expected it!

㊊ After that, it slowly turned into a mini prank wars of who could scare the other person the most. You would go to wuwang hill earlier each day so you could try to get there first to scare hu tao!

㊊ Your prankwars slowly went out of hand though as you brought it over to liyue harbour. However that was when you guys started getting close to each other by pranking xiangling. Even finding out you guys like the same thing! Steamed fish with prawn dumplings, writing poetry and even pranking people!

㊊ Starting from there you guys slowly went on dates..

SWISH SWOOSH

You felt the breeze of wind hitting your face. You are currently in Wuwang hill sitting on one of the sturdy branches of a big tree, looking at the stone gate intently waiting for someone.

It is currently 6 o'clock which is usual time you would go on a date with your lovely girlfriend, hu tao.

Just as you were thinking about spending your day with her..

RUSTLE RUSTLE

"Aiyah.. Where's that girl [name].. Don't tell me she died before our date today!"

Perfect.. Just where you wanted her to be...

As you quickly jumped down from the tree and putting your hands on her shoulders.

"Boo!"

"Ah! There you are [name]~"

"How aren't you scared?!"

"Surely you didn't think that would scare me! We've been together for quite some time now so I know all your tricks!"

Hu tao replied, feeling really proud to be used to your antics and nonsense whenever meeting up.

..While you, on the other hand, felt defeated as you had already used every trick up your sleeves to try and scare her. Every single one with no reaction out of her!

"Aww~ Cheer up! Maybe one day you'll be as good as me~!"

"Hmph! You said that last time, you could've just pretended!"

You crossed your arms and pouted your lips. Which cause hu tao to quickly pecked your cheeks.

"Don't be like that darling! It's fun teasing you~"

Although your tricks never work, you didn't mind as you could get a garuanteed kiss from her every time you pretended to be upset with her! Which you find to be quite worth the stunt.

"I'll let you off for now.. Now, come quick! The sun is about to set and I don't want to miss the view with my wonderful girlfriend!"

You said as you grabbed hu tao's arm and began dragging her towards the cliff to get a clearer view of the scenery.

Taking a seat, you both admire the atmosphere. It isn't often hu tao leaves her work early to meet you, so you wanted her to bathe in this spectacular view and maybe get some poem inspiration.

However, it was rare to see hu tao not say anything during moments like this, so you decided to take the initiative.

"Hey hu tao? Hypothetically speaking, do you think the sun is the brightest thing or do you think the stars are?"

"Eh?! Why all of a sudden are you asking? Hm.. I think the stars should be brighter as there are millions of them~"

"If you were to ask me. I would had said none, as you are the much more brighter than them in my life"

#｡⊹˚x; writing ˏˋ꒰❄️꒱˚彡๑ #・ nouveau livre ˎˊ˗ #astronetwrk #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact #genshin impact x female reader #genshin impact x you #genshin impact hu tao #genshin x reader #genshin scenarios #genshin drabbles #hu tao #hu tao genshin impact #hu tao x reader #hu tao x you #hu tao fluff #genshin impact fluff #genshin impact imagines #genshin impact fanfics #genshin impact x gender neutral reader #genshin x gender neutral reader #genshin x female reader

[notalostcausejustyet]

A pull from my deck, because visual interest.

This one is for both @adverbian and @voluptatiscausa because good lord do y’all really get me to put what I learned in therapy through its paces lol. In the best ways possible of course! Saturday morning coffee thoughts.

Let’s talk about online spaces, finding community, and productive ways of working through things.

The internet is vast. The cosmos, but in digital form. It is also, so very, very small. We somehow took the inimitable and unquantifiable collection of humanity’s existence, stirred in some programming, and created community. Through art and storytelling and the sharing of self, we find people from all over the world and can say “oh, there you are”. We find shared experiences and new perspectives. Dovetailing interests and wonderful new knowledge. There’s so much talent out there. So much brilliance. We gather around our digital cafe table and share peices of ourselves. Commiseration, absolution, acceptance. We get to look at another human being and tell them “I see you”. We get to be seen in return. The load is lighter, and healing is easier when the work is shared. The act of extending grace and acceptance towards others makes it easier to do so for yourself in the end.

For me that looks like writing, spending time in that online space with other writers, finding inspiration their work, or them finding inspiration in mine. It’s an intimate and vulnerable thing. You take a piece of yourself and reframe it around a story, a piece of poetry, some meta-analysis of another work. You hold it out and hope that someone sees an echo of their own experience. It’s cathartic and healthy and you’re constantly learning new things about yourself and other people. Sometimes it hurts, because it’s a wound that hasn’t healed yet and admitting it to yourself, showing that to others is frightening. But you can’t heal in the dark. So you write about it, and turn on the light.

This is a lot of deep thought for Saturday morning coffee, but I’m incredibly grateful for the online community I’ve found in the past few months. I’m thankful that I can still write, that I am writing again. I’m still astounded that writers that I admire tremendously think so highly of it. More than that though, in offering of myself to others, I’m finding healing for myself. It’s one day at a time and the work of growth and knowing and finding healing will never be done. And that’s ok, it’s as it should be. One step at a time, into the sunlight.

#fanfic writers #fanfic talk #fanfiction #fanfic writing #writer friends #writers on tumblr #finding community #it’s therapy bitches

[rosekasa]

🥑🐝

hi anon!!!!

writers' truth & dare asks

🥑 ⇢ you accidentally killed somebody, which mutual(s) do you text for help?

immediately my best friend @renwatchesanime ahdjsja. they would bring out their apple pen and notability and our criminal law textbook

i think id also text @jattendschaton for emotional support because i feel like bren is the person ive sent so many vns to like 'am i bad person for this?? i feel like a bad person' and bren is very good at either reassuring me im not a bad person or honestly saying 'what you did wasnt ideal but i love you and understand you and you'll be fine'

🐝 ⇢ tag your biggest supporter(s) and say one nice thing about them

BUTTTTT I HAVE SO MANY 🥺🥺🥺 IM BLESSED WITH SO MANY PEOPLE ANON!!!

@mozzygan : morgan my beloved: someone who never lets anyone feel forgotten! it's such a wonderful trait to remember people the way she does, especially when she does so many awesome things day to day already!! i feel like someone's priorities say a lot about them as a person and this is so true with morgan

@asukiess : autumn my beloved, she's always cheering me on 🥺 she is such a beautiful person in terms of literally everything -- personality, appearance, her brain, her creations -- and it feels like she is so Fully beautiful that just being around her makes you feel beautiful too

@ladyofthenoodle : noodles has known me since i was sixteen and has always felt like someone i know would stand by me regardless of how active i was in the fandom. i think the thing about noodles that has always inspired me is just the insane level of dedication she has to things in her life -- her work, her fics, her friendships, everything. to me she is someone extremely purposeful and very admirable!!

@jattendschaton : brenu has also known me since i was a baby and she has made me feel so loved and safe in her presence, even back when i didnt really believe i deserved it. bren has such a loving soul and i think it really shows in everything they do. their writing, their art, their tags on reblogs, and ESPECIALLY in conversations, you can tell that they are extremely full of love. talking to them feels like getting a hug. you can't NOT feel secure with them, even if you don't feel secure in yourself.

@hakucho-art : mika is my opposite in the ways that are so important to me. she is all the ambition and fire and fierce steadfastness to get what she wants that i lacked before i met her, and the best part is it's so natural to her that she doesn't even do it consciously. she is the person i turn to when i need to be reminded to stop thinking so much about what's the right thing to do and instead just do the thing and figure out what's right later. they are so amazing in every way and literally a case study on how to be naturally successful

@renwatchesanime : ren is my best friend and is quite literally always there for me. like, i never feel like im ever in an unescapable bind bc i know ren will somehow help me out. my fav thing about ren since forever has always been their brain. they're so fucking smart that i was jealous of them before we became friends. their thinking patterns feel like they catch all the things mine miss, and they're so insanely good at connecting information together and making it make sense. they're quite frankly an absolute genius and they dont give themselves enough credit for it.

#ask #anon

[seokmashu]

moot appreciation & 1000th post ❤️

to celebrate the end of predebut era, zb1's debut, my lovely 5ever moots, and my 1000th post! (also bc this ask has been sitting in my inbox for a few weeks now and i figured it's time!) it's been a few months since i joined zumblr and i wanted to shout out a few people who have made this experience so fun and lively and wonderful and whose friendships i really treasure ❤️ i love all of you mwah now let's goo!!

💌 cherrie // @cherriegyu 🍒

cherrieee tietie 🫶 when i first came on tumblr you were one of the only ppl i talked to and you made me feel so welcome in the community- i loved discussing lex's hp ideas with you, our bias lists and being a zerorat (💀) imy and love you lots <3

💌 moni // @taerrrrrae 🐨

moni you're always so sincere when reading and reacting to other ppl's works, responding to asks, and letting other ppl know you're thinking of them, that i find it so inspiring~ i mean who else would compose poems for their moots?? you're such a sweet person a 7 star hallabong fr <3

💌 riri // @chxrrymxxnlight 🌛

ririii my fav riyangi fangirl!! you're so cute and i appreciate how you always keep me up to date about zb1 stuff (like within 0.1 seconds of them posting, insane) even tho we always miss each other cuz we live in opposite timezones 😭 i hope u only have happy days ahead and i'm so excited to hear more about this story you're writing and drawing!! <3

💌 tee // @haesunflower ⛳

teee! i'm so glad you sent me that message when we first became moots bc it's so much fun talking to you~ remember the gyuvin cheeto ask i sent you? 💀 and all those times you were thirsty over wrote about zb1 ahem. i love discussing fic ideas with you because you simply give the best reactions and i'm so happy you get to live out your y/n fantasy fr fr 😭 <3

💌 rose // @ohdudedhesflirting 🐝

ah yes rose one of the only other seokryus that i know on tumbles 😭 your thirsty reactions to posts are so funny and always crack me up~ i'm sooo glad you started writing more bc i love reading your fics!! still mad you didn't tag me in the first one 😤 but it's ok since it literally wrenched my heart out ;; i hope you're doing better now and that you had a wonderful bday <3

💌 lex // @bp-zb1fics 🦇

lex i know you haven't been as active lately but it doesn't feel right to not include you in this since you were literally my d-1 bestie when i first started this blog- i loved discussing fic ideas with you and joking around making silly posts and sending each other twts and telling each other about our dreams and reading all the wonderful stuff you wrote! i hope you're doing well now, i'm thinking about you <3

💌 venom // @zerobaseonefics 🕸️

you were one of the first people i talked to when i arrived at zumblr and i remember thinking wow she seems cool i wanna get to know her! little did we know that was the start of a century long feud however thankfully we can say war is over now that you've admited defeat 😇 fr tho, you're such a talented writer and i really admire how you always make time to listen to and talk to everyone~ your love for spiderman is sooo cute you act cool all the time but you're actually the cutest yk? thank you for encouraging me to post my art back then, i really don't think i would've started posting my bday series if it weren't for you and ilysm <3

💌 hazel // @hanbeanz 🔮

aka the don 😎 hazel i think you're such a talented gifmaker and the way you include your stream of consciousness always cracks me up lolol i think you're an awesome leader and it's fun discussing ideas for zb1net tg, don't feel too discouraged and i also hope you don't get too burnt out either<3 also that time you sent me an ask about your emoji tag still cracks me up hahaha <3

💌 alma // @gunwookstan 🐭

my fav fav fav mattwook fangirl almaaaaa <3 i'm so happy you messaged me bc we are literally kindred spirits when it comes to reacting to our boys LOL it was sooo funny that one time i was scrolling twt and accidentally found your account and you were like sweats uhhh that's not me ok sure 👀 talking with you always brightens my day ily sooo much mwah <3

💌 rin // @jjanguri 🐳

rininining!! my sweet, kind, open-hearted friend who can't help but cry from simply existing 🥺 from our first interaction i could tell you were gonna be lots of fun to talk to~ i love being spymasters tg, hearing ab your feud with your cubicle mate, the tattoos you plan on getting, your reactions to hao, and your love of eating bricks and concrete <3 bc of you "goobert" and "monch" are imprinted into my mind LOL and also i think it's soo impressive how you churn out 10 gifsets every day even tho you're so busy all the time~ idk what's up with the whole ss and meow agenda you've been cooking up lately but grrrr i'm keeping my eye on you 👀 thanks for being such a fun but also calming presence my lovely friend and i hope you know i'm here for you when the going gets tough <3

💌 iana // @taeraex 🦖

iana our cute adorable bb <33 it's funny that your bias is taerae bc both of you could stand still doing nothing and i would still think it's the funniest thing LOLL i love talking to you about astrological signs and your stalker behavior and being petty and your random bursting out into song and playing codenames with you (we fr are connected to the same wifi bc it's crazy how similar our instincts are) it's always such a fun time when you're around 😛 you could talk for hours and hours and i would love listening to every second of it you're just so funny and endearing and cute <3 also thank u for always supplying the cute cat pics bc there is a SEVERE drought going on 🙏 i hope u get some sleep bc i'm always worried ab you y'know <3

💌 lili // @y--eontan 🦎

o lilicat how i adore you, you're so funny and brazen and sweet and every time i see you lurking in chat i just wanna go pspspsps 😽 before we started talking i remember seeing your emoji gifset and i remember thinking this is so cool i can't wait to see the part 2!! and then you messaged me and i was like :0 your reactions to gunwookie are soo cute that i just wanna spam you with every noot noot/cheek pic i see~ it's so funny the way you complain about stuff and block people you have no patience for lmaooo i am seated for our next complaining sesh 🫡 your comments and little quips always catch me off guard bc you're so deadpan and i love your sense of humor haha also when you drew that lil orange puppy on the art i made for you? *bursts into tears* <3

💌 hope // @zeroze 🕊️

my cute hopieee i'm so sorry i called u buzz lightyear when all u wanted to be was bubbles 😭 it's so much fun theorizing ab zb1 concepts with you bc we share one mind when it comes to our music tastes and thank you for always looking out for me and asking if i'm gonna watch stuff with you and making sure i go to bed at a reasonable hour 🫶 you're so sweet and kind and funny (thinking about the time you banned iana 💀) even tho you never let me have my own cute emoji reacts :'( i hope your exhibition wraps up well and you can fiiiinally have the break you deserve! and i also hope you have the best time in japan/korea (if we don't end up meeting up!!) and i SWEARRR i'll go to bed earlier (just for u 😚) <3

💌 maria // @sunghanbinie 🌺

aka jiff, lieutenant mario, and the other half of our shared braincell -- i love how we can talk about anything and everything, from when we wake up to when we go to bed, you've simply been there for everything. even though you torment me day-to-day with monkey allegations and thirsty matt gifs, you're also always there to listen to my troubles and check up on me when i'm feeling down - i appreciate you so so much from playing 49584 games together every night and spilling tea to fangirling over zb1 and giving me gif advice. you are my constant <3 i think you're so smart and funny and such a talented gifmaker and writer. i love our little jokes and making fun of each other at every opportunity, and i truly don't think being on zumblr would've been the same without you <3 i love you sooo much mwah mwah mwah <333

finally, a shoutout to moots who i haven't spoken to as much but who i want to get to know better because i just think they're so talented and cute and cool: @jinkiseason // @zb1s // @zerobaseone // @seokmatthewz // @sung-hanbin // @yunacoeur // @keiwook // @cinnajun // @juyomiao <3

this was written from the heart at like 4am and i hope you all know just how much i love and appreciate each and every one of you <3 1000 posts and 10000 more to go! can't wait to spend the next 2.5 years with y'all 😁

#this post is littered with heart emojis LOL #i swear when my gifmaking skills improve i'll make a nicer graphic #anyways i said what i said! 😤 #lub u all <3 #nina thinks

[byrdtrolls]

💭💭💭

@astrumocs Is a long time friend and very dear to me. I'm so excited that we're writing more together and obsesseddddd with tavi and hikaru for sure <3. They're one of my friends who I feel has a very distinct voice in all their writing, like you can read one paragraph and sort of tell it's them through the style he uses. If that makes sense. I really admire that about him. They're also such a capable artist and you can tell how much time and effort they put into every individual piece. The spritesets he's been putting out lately just sort of blow my mind with the rendering. His style feels just as distinct and recognizable as his writing is, it just oozes with personality in every way. And outside of art they are just a very loving and wonderful friend. Who has been there for me throughout a lot of hard times. Making me laugh and saying things that are so kind. I love them a whole lot.

@quiescent-trolls is another long time friend. Their passion for my characters constantly drives me to create. They're such an important part of this community and such a talented artist and writer. I'm obsessed with what they did with fucked up but also their arc with nesmos <3 I really love how they write relationships. I think we have very similar tastes in terms of charactor angst and conflict. Every so often you just meet someone who clicks with you. When/if we write together, it is so over for all of you. Their art is also amazing and I've been blown away by it every single time I see it and I feel so lucky to be able to collab with them! Besides that they are a great friend and just a very considerate, mature and intelligent person. We've had a lot of conversations on kink and sexuality and all manner of things that are so important to me. I think its so nice to have people to talk too about this kind of thing.

@dirgelwch I don't even know where to start with lin, I could be here for hours. They constantly inspire me with their art and how they play around with the medium of storytelling. I remember being blown away by all the stuff they did with their narrator storyline and I still am. They're a very talented writer and I love Melina with my whole heart and am so excited anytime theres a drabble for her. Their physical art is also so impressive. Their work feels almost so, era specific, with the rendering and effects and noise they add to it, everything feels so nostalgic and familiar and emotional. I'm constantly impressed by their lineart, they have a really professional and characteristic way of using line that I just really admire. They're also such a capable character designer, and have so many trolls with such distinct sillouttes and color palettes. Other than that, outside of rp they are just a very wonderful, kind person who has always been willing to lend an ear to me. Theyre so funny and I love terrorizing our friends with silly nsfw breaking bad and lorax nonsense with them.

#robin rambles #ask meme #ask tag

[corvys-clover]

Your art style is phenomenal 💖

I also love coffee (it’s what keeps me awake on my writing/art benders). Favorite kind? ☕️✨

Also, what inspired you to be an illustrator? Your style is really unique and I wanna hear about your inspirations! 💫

Thank you so much!! <3

I think for coffee, I'd say my favorite might be an iced caramel macchiato (I got one with chocolate syrup the other day and it was hella good), it's just bitter enough that it's not over-sweetened and I like how it balances out. I also love any kind of mocha :>

A lot of my initial inspiration actually came from manga and anime! I drew a huge amount of Naruto fan art in my early teens, and I really aspired to be a manga artist myself for a good while there. Moving away from that style to develop my own has been important to me, but I learned a lot starting out from there. Watching anime also did a lot to shape my writing and storytelling (for better and worse), and I think it's what gave me a more cinematic mental approach to visualizing scenes. Sketching and storyboarding became an important part of my writing process, and over time that starting drawing me towards comics, along with inspiration from comic artists like Gerard Way, Gabriel Bá, and Gabriel Picolo.

I was also really inspired by C.E. Thornton, a self-published author who wrote The Guardians of the Light trilogy. She's a wonderful person and a brilliant writer, and she really encouraged me to keep creating my own stories.

In the past few years, I've been really inspired by comic and Webtoon artists I've met online! Mat Jester (Para-Professional, Cryptozoology), SodaWizard (Artificial Blood), Indiigocats (Misguided Ghosts), A.Berg (After Dark), and Wulvert (Paperteeth!) in particular are wonderful artists I admire. Seeing them work so hard to bring such beautiful characters and stories to life inspires and motivates me to work toward the same.

Thank you so much for the ask! I'm excited to check out your work :>

#asks #sorry for rambling lol #I know it's a list but I couldn't leave them out

[seijorhi]

Hey, god it’s me again. 😔 LOL

I think that at this point of my life your beautiful and flawless fic ‘means to an end’ has physical intertwined with me. It is a part of my mind, soul, and body. 😩 Everything about it is chefs kiss.

I wish I could just kiss that beautiful big brain of yours for coming up with such delicious ideas. The way it’s on my mind daily since the moment I read it is SICKENING (in a good way obvi 😏).

I will go through my day and out of nowhere something will remind me of it and along will come a question. You did this to me Rhi 🫵.

NOW I know you’re very busy with getting your new fic ready (absolutely excited btw, I love Gojo and knowing your beautiful mind , anything you write will be to die for!!!!) but I wanted to ask a couple questions (I know, shocker right?). Since I know you’re busy, don’t feel obligated to answer these questions. In fact, I’ll be very happy if you even reply with a heart. (I simply just wanted to let you know deeply I appreciate/admire your work.)

But here are my troublesome questions:

- Did the guys on their volleyball team know about their obsession with the reader?

- I know you mentioned Atsumu having girlfriends through highschool but did that apply to Osamu too? (Especially since he liked the reader first?)

- This is sort of like my first question but did the girlfriends know as well? And if they did, did they feel any jealousy? (Jealousy from their boyfriend giving his attention to someone else.)

- Since there was a long period of time of not seeing the reader, did they have hopes of seeing her again? (before Atsumu found ame)

- While in that period of time did the twins still date around?

That’s all but please if you have anything else to add , it’s definitely welcomed. 🫶 (also I’m sorry if these questions sound silly or stupid but they’ve been taking up my mind for awhile and I’m sorry to everyone for constantly bringing up ‘means to an end’ but that fic has a strong grip on me yall. Like I’m down bad on my knees for this version/fic of the Miya twins 😔.)

OFF TOPIC: I’ve been trying very hard to be more active with my favorite writers to show love and support but still find the idea to be very scary. I still get nervous sending in messages or asks but I’m trying to take baby steps. I also want to gain the confidence of not having to press the anonymous button because I want you to know who I am but as a second baby step , I will now be signing my post with my nickname since I want you to (sort of) know who I am ☺️ (and not just some crazed fan lol.)

-🌬️🌫️ katia

(I keep on forgetting which emojis I used on the previous questions I sent but I hope I got it right this time 🥲)

(Edit: you’ll probably see the same message again but that’s because I’m sending it to you again because I forgot to mention this in the pervious one 😰.

You’ve inspired me to start taking a more darker route in my writing. I began writing maybe a month ago and it’s a romance novel. (So far I’ve got two chapters 🫠).

But these past couple days I’ve been REALL REALLY wanting to write more darker content (like the kind you write, you’ve inspired me a great deal with your writing technique).

But the problem is I don’t know how to write yandere/horror/gore. So I was wondering if it wasn’t to much of a bother, if you could give me some tips or advice. (Im very new to writing and I have my struggles but I want to branch out to more darker themes, like you and fairy.) Still learning the ropes but I hope with your guidance, I’ll get there 🫡. )

hello my love!

okay so first of all if ur gonna keep being so cute and complimentary i will melt into a soft gooey puddle and be of no use to anybody so be warned.

as for your questions:

i would say that most people who spent a decent amount of time around the twins, i.e. their teammates and classmates, would have at least an inkling about their interest in bullying her. the miyas are many things, subtle isn't one of them. having said that, i think out of everyone, suna was probably the only one who saw it for what it was

hookups yes, 'girlfriends' no

again, anyone who spent a significant amount of time around the twins was bound to eventually put two and two together. which isn't to say that they were all blind going in – some undoubtedly thought they could snag his attention once they were officially dating, only to find themselves bitterly disappointed

they 100% both kept tabs on the reader, it was more a case of biding their time and waiting for the right moment

yes. not serious, long term relationships (aside from ame) as neither one of them would be capable of faking it for more than a few months but relationships all the same

advice wise, i dug up this old post which hopefully will be at least a little helpful??

beyond that, all i can really say is that for me, good yandere/horror fics balance emotion with tension, and the build up of both. the characterisation is also really important – what makes you love to loathe them, or alternatively, not see them coming until it's entirely too late. nothing bores me more in a yan fic than when the writer hasn't bothered to give their yan a personality beyond a cookie cutter obsession.

but congrats on getting started with writing! i'm proud of you bby <33

#i was literally in the process of typing up a response to the first one when i got the second ghvfjdksjnhfjdks #rhi answers #fic asks #means to an end

[deathsmallcaps]

Maybe it’s just because there’s only so many ways to draw a type of thing, but I have seven thoughts about Elemental (2023) after watching it again lol.

1. It showcases a lovely balanced relationship between artists. Ember, of course, has an eye and hand for glass making, and Wade sees the potential and ability she has; how her light shines through to the world and him, figuratively and literally. Meanwhile, Wade’s way with words is more subtle, but really reaches in deep and converts visual art into emotion; it takes a good writer and speaker to convey feeling into accessible ideas. And Ember recognizes his talent, and lets it touch her.

They bring light into each other’s lives; without each other, they were fine and functioning and almost happy, but when they have the other, that’s just the icing on the cake.

2. The art style looks worse without motion. Both characters are constantly unconsciously moving in every shot; Ember flickers and Wade drips. Plus, the way light works with them and around them doesn’t translate well to a still image (especially with Ember; it’s hard to draw without outline, and I think it helped with visibility and stability on the screen, but in stills it looks awkward.).

A lot of fan art I’m seeing seems to struggle with this outline/still problem, again more with Ember than with Wade, but a lot of artists have added their own spin and style and made it work. I think the problem is directly related to how it’s difficult to capture water, fire and light ‘sources’ like the moon via photo. So if the art style for that particular aspect is turning you off, and you’ve only seen stills, I’d suggest you watch a bit of video or a good gif set (there’s already quite a few) before deciding whether it’s worth watching or not.

3. Speaking of art, this movie really reminded me of Studio Ghibli movies. Maybe there’s only so many ways to draw something, or maybe it’s just the Howl’s Moving Castle (both book and film) and Ponyo fan in me, but Ember for sure took a lot of visual inspiration from Calcifer, it’s the red outline and such, and Wade the waves from Ponyo. It was fun to see! Also tbh I saw some Dr. Seuss CGI movie shapes in their bodies.

4. Ember and Burnie breaking the cycle. When Burnie left Fire Land for Element City, he was following his dreams (and he even started enough of a trend that his whole neighborhood because a new fire town). But his Sad disagreed with him. As a last attempt at connection, Burnie bowed a Bok Sa (sp?), a very deep bow, to his father, to show respect and love. His Dad did not return the gesture, spurning his son and his dreams, and turned away.

When Ember leaves for the glassblowing internship, she performed a Bok Sa for her Dad (and it’s so intimate guys. Like it’s almost embarrassing to look at because it’s raw and passionate and I really admire the creators for Not restraining it). Burnie sees a chance to show his daughter that he loves her, and that he respects her dreams (despite his and Cinder’s sacrifice of emigration from Fire Land, which is a big theme in this movie), and so he holds back the hurt his father laid upon him, so many years ago. He does a Bok S- back. It’s wonderful. I’m not sure he would’ve done that at the beginning of the movie, but his love for his daughter won out in the end.

(I just wish that the mother-daughter relationship received a little more canon consideration as well, but I appreciate the movie for the relations it did focus on.)

5. The city fucks up in a big way, and of course it’s up to the people affected to solve it, at least in the short term. Despite water being a huge hazard and supposedly already gotten rid of in fire town, there’s still a water train that passes regularly and always displaces enough water to kill a fire person. And in terms of the dam, there’s so much bureaucracy that Gale (the city safety officer?) found it easier to (nearly) shut down a business than to get a health hazard (the broken dam) fixed.

And when Ember covers up the hole, she leaves it! Her tempered glass doesn’t get support, and it eventually cracks and floods Fire Town, nearly killing lots of residents and leading to Wade’s evaporation.

6. Feel free to add on but I’m surprised that no globe has really talked about the disability angle yet. I i afraid I don’t have enough experience being physically disabled to talk about it in a nuanced enough way but oh well. It’s there. The way the fire people needed different transportation (also there was a fire person in a wheelchair. How things that are safe for others could kill them (Cinder nearly died while carrying ember because a guy dripped on her, which is a thing that others would find mildly inconvenient). How Wade’s nephew casually mentioned that Ember could die if she stepped off her mobility aid (the floatie) and proceeded to mess with it. And of course the shame, embarrassment and fear of being excluded & discriminated against.

7. More Men Should Cry!!! It literally saved Wade’s life lmao.

#elemental spoilers #elemental #elemental (2023) #pixar’s elemental #wade ripple #ember lumen #yes I have brain rot #also all the fire people (afaik) had lighter colored flares coming out of the corners of their eyes #the older ones had little crows feet red/dark orange lines too #it’s a nice touch #also I’m surprised that no one has really talked about the disability angle yet. I don’t think I have enough exp being physically disabled #to talk about it in a nuanced enough way but it’s there #the way the fire people needed different transportation (also there was a fire person in a wheelchair in one scene!) #how things that were safe for others could kill them (Cinder nearly died because a guy dropped on her which is a thing other people could #live with easily though they would be annoyed) #how Wade’s nephews messed with ember’s mobility device (a floatie) and flippantly mentioned show she could die without it #etc. and of course the shame fear and embarrassment of being excluded and discriminated against #which can be interpreted though so many lenses #AND

[boxwinebaddie]

Hey Uncle Nina, I was wondering if you had any writing tips for new writers? ((Also side note but I am really inspired by you deciding to take breaks, (not in a mean way, i'm so, so, sorry if it sounded mean!!) I'm also just inspired by you in general your like my idol. :33))

hello my precious peach! before i begin, i would just like to start off by saying that you could, never, ever be mean, darling! you are so kind and wonderful!!! this message made me smile a rare kyle pile smile of over-large, lopsided stanley marsh proportions at my computer screen <33 and i admired it for many, many moons. :')

-- but i can't believe i'm your idol, possibly?! awww!!!! wowowow! i am extremely honored that you'd consider me as your idol given that i am constantly being a bumbling buffoon and am the ceo of girlfailuring.

behind 16k of nonsense and bold-space-italics, i swear i am just deranged writer college student, cat mom, box wine enthusiast.

i will say, however, that it means a lot to me that you find me inspirational or that you look up to me in someway because...

sigh. okay. please be cool guys. i debated mentioning this for a long time because i am scared it will punish me in some way, but...

i am studying to become a teacher. :')

woAh! new uncle nina lore just dropped! shdkahldk

so if i seem exhausted all the time, that is why, and if i preach at you guys a little bit, its just what i am constantly doing haha. i also specialize specifically in the area of social emotional learning, aka the part of teaching that focuses on mental health, creating a safe environment in your classroom, advocating/addressing student social needs, making sure students feel loved/validated/heard, etc.

with that said! i would love to give you some tips! anything i can do to support you on your writing journey means so much to me! i'll drop some things i have found helpful under the cut! xx

THIS ASK IS VERY LONG AND MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL BUT I HOPE THAT IT HELPS EVEN A LITTLE BIT! <3

i thought i would begin by playing off the part of your ask where you felt inspired by willingness to take breaks and!!!! i love that actually because...it took me a very long time to get there.

and if anyone has followed me from the very beginning, you watched me learn how to become kind to myself and go from rushing and stressing and feeling horrible about myself to...letting myself relax.

so, my darling, i want to start by saying...

fanfic is funfic.

writing is not always easy, no, sometimes it is very hard, but it should always, always, always be fun.

writing is a hobby. it's something that we do to unwind, to make us happy, to share stories through a creative media, to capture thoughts, feelings and speak without using our physical voices.

it should never, ever feel like work. ever. ever, ever, EVER!

if it starts to feel like work or a chore, it's time to step away.

one of the worst crimes i fell victim to as a writer was...rushing. i was obsessed with getting out my updates fast and not falling 'behind' ( which was some invisible and impossible standard i set for myself ), so i started rushing my updates and found they got really...forced.

forcing out writing feels horrible and even if it is good writing ( which i'm sure yours will be regardless ) it takes the fun out of everything. like, i forced out OG chapters 11-12 of peppermint and literally deleted them because of how much i hated them BECAUSE i rushed! forced!

and the reason i was doing that, unfortunately, was because i was trying to keep you all engaged! i wanted to satisfy you all, i was scared of letting you down, that you would be upset with me etc.

and unfortunately, along the way, i stopped...writing for me.

now, it's easier said than done but...

Write. For. You.

this is your story. you are writing it because it means something to you. you are writing it because you are passionate about it. and yes, it is fun to share your stories online ( i have never felt blessed in my life than to have had my stories read by all of you ), you are not writing it for the people who are reading it/to satisfy the masses/get notoriety, you are writing it because it's something you love.

if people read it and like it too, that is an added bonus.

and those people, i have found, are some of the loveliest in the world and they will...wait for your content. however long that will take. be it tomorrow or never. you are under no obligation to post within a certain time frame or please other people. post when you want. post when you feel good. write when you feel good.

with that said...take your time, will you darling?

however much time that is. take it. be greedy with it.

take so, so many breaks. come back with fresh eyes.

learn from my mistakes. i got so holed up writing this summer that...quite frankly, it almost killed me. do not do that. see your friends, touch grass, make meaningful experiences outside of fanfiction and then come back in healthy shifts. do not marry your work or your computer. do not chain yourself to your desk, lovely.

another thing is that writing is rewriting.

always write a first draft. and a first draft is anything past a blank document. i like to write all my drafts in google docs first and then transfer them when i am ready to format. it just keeps them secure and i really just prefer the format and the fonts and stuff, haha.

you may be writing something and being like, yikes! this is foul! i should delete this whole thing!

doooooo not do that.

leave it alone. just write your weird little thing and when you come back later you might be like...woah, i was kind of being a dickhead? this is actually pretty good, wtf? ooooorr...you may still not like it but you can always salvage parts you do like...or be like hm i like the direction that this was going in, lets follow that.

when i was an english major, i specialized in editing, so my favorite thing is looking at my horrible draft and sentence by sentence just fixing every sentence until i like it. <3 its tedious, but i swear its fun when you're done and you're like wow this is neat!

also, be kind to yourself, yeah? you might think what you've written is 'bad'...never use that word, by the way. nothing you write is 'bad' its just not the way you want it to look...Yet. you might need to rework it or, honestly, you are probably just holding yourself to an impossible standard. take pride in the things that you write! you worked hard!

i. am. proud. of. you. <3

one of my favorite things to do is...really understand my characters.

my favorite comments about my fanfics are that people think that my characterizations of the boys are really good which, means a lot to me because characterization and detail is very important to me.

i think its fun to flesh your characters out!

to do this, i have a notebook dedicated to my fanfics! i take notes about character backstories, headcanons, write myself notes when i have random ideas! it helps keep me organized!

i also like to do these character forms...it helps me have a solid feeling about my characters, how they look, walk, talk, etc. i love, love, love detail so i fill those out pretty thoroughly

( which!!!! if you guys want to see me fill one out! just ask me and specify which character to do it for! i could totally do pep!stan or pep!kyle or rm!jerseykyle or...ok actually, if i do raven i have to be Very Careful because of the plot...so...maybe ask me in a couple chapters before i do one on him...which pains me because THATS THE ONE I WANT TO DO!!! LIKE MAN!!!...i can also do side chars

***also maybe let me know what sections you want just because they are long as fuck lmaoooo help haha )

answer as many questions about your characters as you can! think about what they smell like! what types of food gross them out! celebrity crushes! one thing they could change about themselves? hidden talents? ideal man/woman/person? birthmarks/scars, etc.

i think ones about character motivations/dreams/fears/insecurities are reaaaallly good ones to look at.

also just putting your characters in situations is fun ( its why i like when you guys ask me about headcanons or give me one shot requests because it helps me flesh my characters out! )

( also if you aren't sure! that's okay! go with your gut! you can always edit! or change stuff! like...i learned about marj while writing pep and i used chapter five as a way to transition butters into marj...i also...fml found out something very annoying that impacts a large part of the rm lore i wrote BEFORE IT RECENTLY HAPPENED and had to painstakingly readapt my fanfic...around this info...but! thats on Being Flexible, my friends! writing...is rewriting )

also for inspiration! idk play dress up! hit your closet or the thrift store and wear something your character might! method act. ( if you are writing stan do not drink like him, i have done enough of that in my life for all of you, you're welcome it fucking sucks )

i am cringe but i do run the clove essential oil writing ravenstan/i did make a fireball apple cider ( yes they are gross, yes im gross ), i washed my face with an aggressive peppermint face wash writing stan season, i write a lot of my kyle chapters in large sweaters and frown often haha...

ok...uh personal cringey sidebar convo...weirdly sometimes writing stan i wear a lot of big hoodies, flannels and i am like...boy...nina? boyfriend? nina? why do i kinda? like him? skhdsldhd help if u dont get a little confused about ur gender for a second writing your boy fanfics are u really in character or what lmaooo

( off topic, but to respond to that, i think i am very comfortable in my femininity and girlhood, i just occasionally have a slightly more masc fuckboy backwards hat, ahah then what ;) frat boy moment that i lean into, mostly in a gay girl way...does that make sense? help sdjs the best way i can describe it is this meme lmaoo )

anywaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaays! moving on!

also reading your writing out loud! while weird! is very cathartic and it helps you check if dialogue sounds the way you want it! or if there is an accent you need to hear ( yall heard me do the jersey kyle accent to check pronounciation ) it helps you get more attuned with your writing and really get the feel for it. if you do not want to be a clown like me another thing you can do is highlight your whole piece an have your phone 'speak' it back to you...that way you can check spelling errors.

which...btw...spell with your heart. spell with a stanley marsh level of loveliness and possible illiteracy. it's ok. don't beat yourself up.

but more on characters! make pinterest boards! make playlists!!!! make them on piccrew! don't get obsessed but have fun!!!

( seriously though...do not worry about being too detailed. please be so detailed be so fucking insane. i love reading so much and your readers will too. but maybe i am a maximalist. i want to eat ur chars )

another thing i like a lot about writing is dialogue!!!! i LOOOOOVE dialogue so so so much!

i always write all my dialogue first and try not to write it on the fly because i like to use it as a way to mark my progress, keep me on track, help me remember what goes next, etc.

then fill in the blanks later! its good for plot pacing.

i get asked about believable dialogue sometimes and you really just have to look at how your character presents themselves and how they interact with your world...on a base level.

like i.e. you're new at school and you run into pep!style

stan is sweet and kind and popular and immediately very likable. he'll probably tell you your shirt looks cool/that he likes your hair, probably offer to carry your books and babble on and on about football, video games, marvel movies, cool dogs, nature etc. he's senior class president and gods angel so he'll look after you. he might hug you. he will also probably talk your ear off about kyle and how cool he is.

"woah! sick shirt dude! i love the smiths! i'm listening to them right now! but --ooooof. that's alooooot of books, man. oh god, is that -- ap...history? yiiiiikes, bro. i mean, no offense! it's cool you like learning stuff. kyle's like that. oh...kyle? ha, he's my super best friend! uh-huh, since kindergarten! you know, since you're smart you're probably in a ton of his classes. lucky. speaking of, you'll know him when you see him. he's really tall, he's got big curly red hair, lots of freckles, pr..pretty, s-soft hands and his eyes are really green, like, really, r-really green i mean wowz...ah-hah? my boyfriend? aaaaa, hahaa....no-no he's not my b-boyfriend, why would you--i sound like i'm in love with him? i-i well i do love him, just not like that...i mean, maybe a little mayb--let's get you to class, okay smart guy?"

HEEEEELP

kyle...rip. kyle would probably be like watch where the FUCK you're going new kid! fucking idiot! and then be like i...how do you know my name??? and be like ah, i see you met stan. if he likes you, you're probably alright...y-you have a CRUSH on him??? i mean, i get it...he is captain of the football team, has really big blue eyes, nice eyelashes, broad shoulders and is like smoooooking ho--IS HE MY BOYFRIEND???? UM! NO! he is--he is NOT my boyfriend! were JUST super best friends! pfft you...you asked because he talked about me...like i was his boyfriend? like he was in love with m--ah-hah...you-yknow! we're just close were just....whatdidhesayaboutme askhdlad

important to think about where they might use words like, uh, um, like etc. also things that might be specific to them. i have pep stan say wowza a lot because i think its cute. and that the boys say hyh all the time to eachother. making a lingo is a great way to form chats.

( for accents and stuff, i would just watch videos of people with those accents speaking...even using tiktok as a resource for slang people might use...saying stuff out loud...etc )

uhhhh what else?

BE WEIRD!!!! be so fucking strange and weird!!!!!! be so odd! if you're looking at your story and you're like oof...is this too weird? NO! make it weirder! make it so so mindboggling haha.

i remember i was writing rm and i was scared to post it because i was literally like...this is too weird. people are gonna think this is weird and too ooc and not like it but...

who are we writing for my friend?

YOURSELF!

who cares if its weird! who cares if one person or one hundred million people like your fic! we are publishing stories on the internet! that is already weird, so who cares????

write your truth. write whatever you want. if people dont like it. i seriously dont care. I LIKE IT. i like what you write.

but that does matter.

it matters that you like what you write. write for yourself. write because you love it. everything else is background noise.

do not be afraid to be selfish, to take care of yourself and write only when and what feels right to you.

you guys can also ask me more specific questions or have me beta read anything -- ask me about concepts you might want to write! my dms are open, i have a discord, my twitter...even on ao3! im happy to help and i hope any of this was feasible.

-teacher uncle nina

#this is such a mess #i hope any of this makes sense #basically #write for yourself and no one else #take risks and have confidence in what you write #take breaks and write without a schedule #do character forms make playlists pinterest boards hcs #method act if you need to #read your work back to yourself use voices if you want #its good for checking spelling and vibing with your writing #be cringe #write your stuff in a google doc then transfer to save your work #try dialogue first and then fill in the gaps #put your characters in diff situations #and see how they would talk and interact #see how that might differ character to character #and idk be weird #please be weird #do not be afraid to be strange or cringe or intense #i love and support yall being as insane as u want #also yeah uh please dont dox me that makes me seriously nervous i need a job u guys #i get paid actually zero dollars to write i write because i love it lmao #i get paid not that much more to teach but u know...box wine is not free and neither is therapy which i need often #but yeah whew teacher nina nation nina lore haha #ALSO NOT ME HAVING A GENDER MOMENT U GUYS #i luv being hyper fem y2k princess nina but also in bi girlie way i like being boyfriend nina who will carry u over puddles & wins beer pon #i think its funny when people run into me and they think im cute bc of my fit like oh my godddd #and then i roll up w my dead ass man voice and start being like shaka brah!!! bet!!! bet dude!!! you wont dude! no balls bro? ashdlkha #frat boy girl failure uncle nina nation who is up

[ussjellyfish]

1, 3 and/or 24 for the fic writer asks! (These are questions that could run long answering, so feel free to answer as many or as few as you like, please!)

What’s something new that you tried in a fic this year? How did it turn out and would you do it again?

I wrote several drabbles, which was so much fun. I love how they're like poetry and you're so limited with what you can do or come up with. It's all about the economy of it, and I get wordy or have too much talking, so drabbles are really good for me. They're an excellent challenge.

They were fun to write and turned out well! people enjoyed them. I'm really into my niche little OTP at the moment so my audience is small, kind, and generous. They were enjoyed. I got to really think about how to make the most use out of the words I have.

Another new thing I did was write in second person POV? I have this very odd little fic (you will be mentioned in their biographies) which is about a side character to my current OTP, and how he perceives them, and it was neat to write. I had been having a bit of a block, so somehow writing that cleared my thoughts and I was able to work on Quantum (which is wonderful).

I have only written second person pov once before, so this was an adventure, but it let me say some fun poetic things and really get into how someone like Vance (who is the shining example of a good admiral, good dad, good person, but not extraordinary). He's a utility admiral, where he does a great job, but he's not a protagonist (like Janeway, or Sisko, or Kirk).

Michael is, and how strange it must be to have someone like her just turn up and turn your universe upside down, because she's that once in a blue moon, virtuoso kind of captain.

3. What’s something you learned about yourself as a writer?

The USSJellyfish signature fic (because I am the babyfic specialist) is the long, slow moving, character gets pregnant (usually through accidental-magical-handwavy means) and goes on a long emotional journey before giving birth under unpredictable circumstances (I think I have about 10 of these, depending on how I define it). Sometimes I don't get to the birth, depending on how long the story is. Sometimes my head moves on before I get there, some of these are REALLY long and took me more than two years to complete.

This is one of my favorite things to write. I get to fully immerse myself into the character's feelings. I get to do the big world building, I get to go on a journey...they're wonderful fics to write.

They take work, and it's HARD to sustain that kind of effort and inspiration for two years or so. i have a few that I burned out on the ship before I finished, or swapped.

The first one I posted was started in 2007, so I've been at this for 16 years.

It's the most self indulgent wonderful thing to write (for me). It's so much fun when it goes well and I love it and getting to the birth is wonderful because there's so much I can do with a birth scene, I love them. Usually my favorite characters haven't had children in canon so I have to do some cheating (Star Trek makes it easy, so does Once Upon a Time, and Agents of SHIELD).

I feel guilty about writing them. They're just babyfic and not important and not really plotty and no one really needs them and just niche for me and...self indulgent. So very self indulgent.

And that's okay. (I sort of believe it typing it but, I know intellectually that they're wonderful and fill a space and people should write what they want to write and enjoy it. What really matters is that they're bringing joy, to me writing them, to the handful of people reading them.

I learned in 2022 that I could write without needing to get feedback. Firefly (Star Trek Discovery, Mirror Philippa Georgiou & learning to have feelings), has several chapters that have no comments, and I wasn't sure if anyone was reading them, but I enjoyed writing them.

I got a little spoilt in 2022 and 2023 having people who would workshop plot ideas with me, and they're much busier than they were so that's gone for the moment. So I have to get back to the independent writing place. (I'm kind of there, it's less fun). It's also hard writing something that takes two years, because if you want to work on it with people, you need people who will be into what you're into for two years, and have time to play with you, for two years. I have several stories that have outlasted the friendship I had at the beginning. Usually I made other friends by the end, but it's a long, lonely endeavor.

There's a venn diagram of niche ship and having time to work on it and sustained interest and I feel rather alone at the moment (again, I've been there before) and it's okay. It's a good challenge to work through things on my own and have a dialogue with myself about what I'm writing. It's doable. It's less fun.

Life in general is a lonely place at the moment. I need to make new offline friends and branch out my online friends and...

One of the ways I make friends online is talking about writing and shipping and when I'm really into my tiny tiny ship. (as I am in the moment) it's not the easiest way to make friends.

The thing I'm trying to say that I've learned about myself as a writer, is that I am capable of being a self-sustaining creature. When I'm really into something, it's nice to just let myself enjoy it, and write what I want to write. I shouldn't (but do) feel bad for that, and lonely, but...the only way out is through. So I need to write what I like, and enjoy it. The other option is not writing, which is miserable. Writing by myself is better than not writing because I don't have people, but it's a different kind of energy. Less of a yes and, sort of thing, more of a find your joy.

Embrace it? I learn to be less self-conscious of a writer as I go, but it's always a process.

Right now I'm writing the "giving birth under unpredictable circumstances" chapters for my favorite ship at the moment (Michael/Laira) which is my emotional climax to my favorite ship at the moment in my favorite kind of fic to write so it's everything I like at one time.

AND IT'S HARD.

I need to get it right and find the right emotions and I have to drag myself into it to write it with the right emotional truth and detail and senses and...

It's the best but it's hard, and I'm on with it, so extra hard. (who wants to plot babyfic birth scenes...it's super niche).

I feel guilty for having likes that are so...unliked? That's a thing.

I enjoy it enough to keep going though.

#writing asks #about me #there's a lot of about me #but eh

[sitp-recs]

Happy happy birthday @tackytigerfic!!!! After so many recs and lists it was hard to come up with an original idea to celebrate your day but I was inspired by our darling @sweet-s0rr0w’s collaborative reclists and we thought it would be fun to ask our common friends about their Tacky faves, those fics that hold a special place in their heart for personal reasons. The result is this reclist that made me tear up just thinking of how much I love each fic carefully picked, especially after reading those heartfelt and spot-on commentary. This was really fun to put together - massive thanks to Sweets for being the best partner in crime with this side project, and also to @bluebutter-art who generously let us use her stunning artwork for Take the Moon. Click here to see the full version with their fab faces!!!!

Without further ado come and feast your eyes on our short but lovely “Tacky essentials”, a collection born out of our mutual love, respect and admiration for everything they are and represent, both as an immensely talented writer who explores the wonders of ordinary life and tender romance with so much heart and sensitivity, and also as a dear, generous friend we’re all very lucky to have by our side. Thank you for your daily kindness and for always being there to soothe my exasperated rants and join my overjoyed babbling. My experience wouldn’t be the same without my taste twin, and this Liv wouldn’t be the same without your friendship and fics changing my life for the better. I hope you enjoy our humble gift! I take this chance to invite everyone who enjoys Tacky’s work to join us and add their faves as well!

Our Little Life (Mature, 7.2k) ⚔️

Sometimes Harry dreams. Only they're not really dreams at all, and Malfoy is always in them. It's time travel, but not as we know it, and Harry just needs a good night's sleep.

“This a cheeky pick because Tacky wrote it for my birthday but I still so strongly remember reading for the first time each beautiful iteration of their gravitational pull together across every time and age and just feeling like *yes*, YES, this is why I love this ship, these characters, this magnetic draw together across every barrier and boundary. And it’s so much of what makes Tacky’s writing so exceptional—it’s expansive and open-eyed, and so generous with detail and insight. It totally draws you in to every world Harry dreams of, until they feel as real to you as a reader as they do to him, and then you get the sweet ache of reality and his realisation of what he might have.”

Favorite quote: “Are you going to go?” Malfoy asked, finally, and the regret in his voice was so clear that Harry could have cried, but instead he just shook his head and kissed Malfoy on his trembling sulky mouth, and Malfoy—real Malfoy—kissed him back.*

💚 Bella | @shealwaysreads

Even the Night (Mature, 3.4k) 🚬

Featuring lots of cigarettes, a Midsummer sky, close encounters in a bath, and plenty of fireworks.

“When I think of Tacky’s writing the first things that comes to mind are beautiful prose, gorgeous, evocative imagery and character dynamics that are always so fascinating and deftly written. Even the Night has all of these things and has also been a comfort read that I come back to very often, especially when I need a good cheering up. I love how soft and dreamy the atmosphere is, and despite it only being only 3k words, the universe feels so rich and evocative all the same. I love how subtle and nuanced their characterisation here is- we feel and see so much more as this was a first person POV, and just sensing how strong their yearning for each other in Tacky’s beautiful words are just *chefs kiss*.

My favourite part is their coming together, as it was very sweet and felt very *them*. The gentleness, the vulnerability and deep care and love that they have for each other in that scene is always enough to reduce me into an emotional teary blob (but hey, who am I kidding, that’s essentially me with all of Tacky’s writing!)”

💙 Blue | @bluebutter-art

Modern Love (Explicit, 61k) 🎼

Harry Potter, of all people, knows that life isn’t always fair. And no one gets to be happy all of the time. But surely there’s something more—something better—than a rubbish Ministry job, and a lonely old house, and that feeling that everyone out there is doing a better job of living than Harry is. And it really doesn’t seem fair that Draco Malfoy is back in Harry’s life, all of a sudden, and even though he’s wandless, and living with Muggles, and making his mother cry with his lifestyle choices, he’s happy. So what's he doing right, that Harry isn’t?

“Reccing this fic feels a bit like sitting down in front of an abbey full of monks and recommending they check out this hot new book called The Bible. What I mean by that is both that Modern Love is a fundamental religious text in the canon of Drarry (complete with hot priest, thanks very much Tacky) but also that I think most of us have probably read it, and to rec it in the normal sense would be very “do not cite the deep magic to me, witch” vibes. Y’all know. We’ve all inked a page of the illuminated manuscript. Gutenberg is in all of our Twitter circles, and he’s printing honey. So I’m not going to sit here and try to sell you, the reader of this rec, in the year 2022, on The Bible. Instead I’d like to talk a little bit about what this fic meant to me while reading, and what it still makes me feel, months later.

The thing about Modern Love is, reading it made me feel exactly the same way I felt the first time I heard the song Modern Love. I remember sitting in a theatre in Manhattan, way uptown, one of those theatres where everyone else is average age 97 and the snacks are old, easily digestible cookies and paper cups of water. I was seeing Frances Ha, and it was the scene where the titular Frances dances down the street to this song. I’d somehow missed that Bowie song before seeing that movie, and so the audio and visual are now impenetrably melded together in my mind so that every time I hear that song, no matter what context it’s in, I think of someone being so full of emotion and vivacity and so very alive that they can’t just walk down the street—they have to dance. They have to twirl, and throw their hands out, and leap. Reading Modern Love made me feel the same way.

Because you don’t just read a Tacky fic. I mean, fundamentally, if you want to be literal about it, of course you do. But the experience of reading a Tacky story is not as simple as being carried from one word to the next until a sentence is complete, and then a second sentence, and a third, until you have a paragraph. Reading Tacky’s words, you’re compelled to run, to jump, to twist and turn and leap and grin and devour. I keep starting this next sentence as “And watching Modern Love…” because it doesn’t feel like I read it. It feels like I watched it. It feels like I lived it, deep inside of me, and carry it with me wherever I go.

Watching/reading Modern Love… you’re in London with our lads. You’re finding a purpose, you’re discovering meaning, you’re experiencing what it is to be alive, the splendor of making mistakes and looking foolish and falling in love. You remember the joy in being steadfast and determined and then, also, soft and vulnerable, in doing things that mean something, even if no one else notices. And if that’s not worth dancing about, I don’t know what is. Much love to you Tacky. Happy birthday! You’re so special and it is truly an honor to have you writing with us. How’d we get so lucky?”

🖤 Elaine | @oknowkiss

Through the Window, Clear Skies (Mature, 1.4k) 💍

What would happen if Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy moved in together, too soon after they started kissing and then fucking and not hating each other anymore? Will Draco insist on a wine rack? Or: Domestic Drarry with a bare hint of angst.

“One of my faves of Tacky’s is Through the Window, Clear Skies. It’s in essence a love letter to Draco, and it’s both gorgeously lyrical and refreshingly plain-speaking in perfect measures. And also just fills me with so much happiness for Harry, going for what he wants despite what anyone else thinks about it, about his joy at the fact that he and Draco enjoy the same ‘nice things’ and are a little team, and just *have* each other.

And goddamn it, the smells; Tacky always takes me to a higher plane with their descriptions of smells and sensory things. And lastly, because I don’t want to rave on too much, the absolute beauty of the domestic things—vases of flowers, hanging out the bedlinen, sock-stealing. Plus ok one more thing, the end is just so exquisitely romantic with Draco’s little misunderstanding and Harry’s saving of it.”

Favourite quote: "He always had talked a lot, Harry remembered, and he said as much about himself. *I never shut up, I’m a bit much sometimes*, with that crease between his brows that showed he was cross about caring too much about it; and he said out it just like that, like it was a fact, as though it was something he’d heard from other people too many times before. But Harry had never had enough of anything, growing up, and privately he thought that *a bit much* sounded like *just right*."

💙 Maester & Commander | @maesterchill

A Little Death Never Hurt Anyone (Explicit, 4.3k) 👑

Harry's getting good at slipping through the Veil. He's determined to win the war, even if means he has to raise the dead to do it. Draco just wants a stiff drink and a good night's sleep.

“Adulthood creeps up on you sometimes, and then you'll be walking down the street and you will suddenly feel something so big, as big as an army of you, and you'll get choked up like you want to cry and sit down and get picked up - but you can't, because you have to cross the street, you have to board the train, you have to get back to the dishes.

The emotional armature of this story is made of the same material as that precarious state, a gesture of solidarity with this essential human desire, which stretches across time and leaps right over maturity, to step out of the stream of fate and to be saved. This story knocks me out every time - I know it's beloved, but I guard it in my memory like some obscure independent film or the remnant of a forgotten bedtime story.”

💗 Joy | @ihopeyoubothstaysafefromharm

And One To Play (Explicit, 21k) 🌪

Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter are the best team in the Auror Department, even when they're driving Gawain Robards up the wall. When Malfoy is injured on a mission, it causes Harry's magic to go haywire. Meanwhile, a mysterious criminal is draining people's magical cores and turning them into Squibs. Can Harry stop blowing Malfoy away in time to solve the case? And will Malfoy ever stop trying to get the last word?

“And One To Play is a very special fic for me, and all you have to do is read through the first couple of paragraphs to know why. It’s chock-full of worldbuilding, gorgeous imagery, inventive plot and magic, and crackling sexual tension and push-pull.

The main reason I love it so, however, is because this is the fic that got me out of my lurker status and made me brave enough to message someone in Drarry for the very first time. I didn’t know it then, but this fic brought me to a dear, very special friend who means so, so much to me, and has only meant more as we’ve gotten to know each other. Thank you for writing this and everything else you’ve gifted fandom with, Tacky. I am very lucky to know you.”

💜 Mostly Bones | @bonesliketambourines

Dad Draco!Verse: Semiplume | Far Side | Take the Moon 🛒

Harry Potter has always wanted a family of his own, and when a deadly blood curse forces him into a marriage bond with his best friend Draco Malfoy, it looks like he might just have found one. This isn't the story of the marriage. This is the story of two hurt and damaged men who learned how hard they could work for the sake of love.

“I might be cheating here but it was impossible to choose and Tacky knows all about my theory that these three stories belong to dad!Draco & wolf!Harry verse so this felt appropriate. For someone who never cared for kid fic the fact that I keep coming back to these for comfort is kind of a big deal. No one writes adult romance like Tacky, and these gems showcase their exceptional understanding and exploration of tenderness, longing, devotion and intimacy in ways that make me choke with family feels. It’s such a privilege to watch this Harry and Draco, who love Scorpius - and by extension each other - so very much, learn how to love themselves as well.

I embrace this warm and delicate universe in hopes to find some magic in the small joys of their ordinary life together; and every time Harry learns how to ask for, to have - and hold - nice things a piece of my heart clicks back into place. I see so much of myself, and of people I love - Tacky among them - in these stories, the mark they left within will never fade. And because I’m nothing but a sentimental fool, a while ago I asked Joy to illustrate Tacky’s dad Draco, who’s so close to my heart. You can check his magnificent art here. Thank you T for allowing me to experience such sweet devastation, and for showing me new ways of falling in love with these two flawed and fascinating characters, over and over again.”

Favorite quote: “I dunno,” Harry said indistinctly, mouth full, eyes bright with mischief. He swallowed, smiled. “It felt like you were mating me pretty hard last night.” (From Semiplume)

💜 Livvy | sitp

The Last Star Falling (Mature, 1.4k) ☀️

A destination wedding, an afterparty, and an unexpected guest. Seamus is getting married, Portugal is hot, and Ron has nowhere to stay for the night.

“The Last Star Falling was not written for me, but it may as well have been. A perfect bite-sized feast, incredibly sexy in the most subtle way, guaranteed to leave you convinced you’ve just come back from the beach and a long night of wine and dancing with your oldest friends. Let me fall into it face-first and open-mouthed. Delicious!”

❤️ Rosie Josephine Flower | @moonflower-rose

Between the Power Lines (Mature, 3.2k) 🌵

For Harry Potter, all roads eventually lead to Draco Malfoy. Or: this is not an AU! It's just Harry and Draco meeting by chance in an imported food shop in Connecticut and going on a road trip together. Featuring motels, cacti, Americana, and a hefty dose of pining.

“I often find myself moved by whatever writing Tacky shares, long or short, snippet or a full piece. They tell stories that are full of heart, obvious in every word and line and phrase. When I ready Tacky's writing, I see complicated, messy people who get to love and be loved anyway -- that's what keeps me coming back for more of their words every time. I remember reading Between the Power Lines for the first time. I think I got to the end and realized I'd been holding my breath.

I so rarely visualize books as I ready, but this fic's cinematic sensuality brought me along for the ride -- I couldn't put it down, couldn't stop feeling and seeing what Harry and Draco felt. I love the road trip setting because it let us see Draco and Harry moving around each other, readjusting, as the setting around them did the same. If you haven't yet had a chance to read this one, here's your sign to do so. And thank you, Tacky dear, for taking us along for the ride too.”

💛 Starry | @the-starryknight

Offer Up Our Hearts (Mature, 24k) 🧚

Harry Potter has a very nice life, thank you very much. He's a top Curse-Breaker with a lucrative Ministry contract, and exciting prospects ahead. Sometimes he does wish that he had time to pursue something official with Draco Malfoy - they're half in love with each other, after all, and a great team (in and out of bed), though Draco is still one of the most infuriating people he knows. Join Malfoy and Potter in a daring tale of espionage, politics, intrigue, and frog-hunting!

“Honestly I could have chosen any one of about twenty fics for this rec, but ~~since I’m not a dirty cheat like Liv~~ I did eventually manage to settle on just the one! Offer Up Our Hearts was the first Tacky fic I ever read, and it instantly became an all-time favourite for me, combining first-class worldbuilding and a truly unique plot with a Harry who feels very true to canon – brave, headstrong, kind – perfectly matched by this Draco who’s confident and capable in his role as Ministry diplomat.

The majority of Offer Up Our Hearts is set in the underground Sidhe fairy realm – described by Tacky so vividly that you’ll feel like you’re there, frog hunting with Draco or sitting down for a feast – with our boys starting the fic in an undefined (but still very romantic) sort-of-relationship. They’re clearly head-over-heels gone for one another but not quite ready to admit it – that is, until a gorgeous fairy prince with eyes for Draco enters the picture. Jealous Harry is a delicious Tacky trademark, and this fic definitely does not disappoint on that front! Offer Up is the perfect fic for you if you’re looking for a fast-paced, fun, romantic read from one of the best Drarry writers out there ❤️”

🧡 Sweets | @sweet-s0rr0w

Countdown to a Life (Explicit, 3.4k) 🎄

A balcony, first kisses, December to December. A little story of building up a life together.

“Tacky's Draco and Harry always seem familiar and dear, but especially in this fic. It has all the warmth, romance, and atmosphere Tacky always writes with. They take a deceptively simple structure and a straightforward premise and give it such vividness, such verve. I've read this fic over and over; I love sinking into Countdown to a Life and feeling their prose wash over me.”

💙 Tee | @skeptiquewrites

#happy bday 🐯 #collaborative reclist #💜🧡💙💛💗💚🖤❤️

[maria-de-salinas]

Hello! I'm SO overdue to give you a big ol' rave review on the Vulnera Sanentur series, but I've been working my way through it this winter and spring, and I absolutely love it!! I admire your writing skills so much, and I'd love to pick your brain about writing inspo/strategy/etc.

So for the Fanfic Writer questions: ✍️🚀👓🦋🦈💭🚦💛

I know that's a lot, so feel free to skip Q's if its too much! :)

Ahhh, thank you my dear mutual who never fails to make my dash a more fascinating place <3

(And if you're interested the Snape/Lily ballet!au is wonderful!)

Answers below the cut:

✍️ What’s your ideal writing setup?

I'm not at all particular about where I write as long as it's reasonably quiet and comfy, but I love to write outside in the summer and as soon as I get a new laptop battery I intend to one of those coffee shop writers sipping gravely on a latte while I think about whether my characters should get it on in a library or the kitchen

🚀 Do you like to outline your fic first or create as you go?

Definitely outline, but creating as I go within that outline. Some of the best moments of writing are when the characters come to life and insist on wrecking all your plans for them. Which means the outlines keep evolving.

👓 What helps you focus when you write?

Definitely music! I nearly always listen when I write. It also helps set the emotional tone (sometimes too much and then I have to go back and tone it down)

🦋 Which character is your favorite to write?

Snape. Always Snape. Grey, ambiguous, complex, lonely, loyal, brave. Queer-coded, autistic-coded, masks in public, doesn't fit into anyone's box. And most importantly, someone who pickles slimy things in a laboratory and lines up the jars on his shelves.

Sometimes I wish I could get deep into some other fandom and character but he keeps calling me back.

🦈 Which character is the toughest to write?

Definitely Remus. Because at heart he is a genuinely kind and gentl person, but it's hard to disentangle from his passive-aggressive self-loathing and anxious avoidance. Which is so human and relateable but also really hard to pin down.

💭 What inspires you and your writing?

As someone who loves people and is fascinated by people but is socially quite anxious, writing is a lifeline. I *have* to write. It's all about the vulnerability and intimacy. I'm an absolute fiend for these scared, lonely, closed-up characters learning to let their guard down and be vulnerable with someone, whether a friend or a lover or something in between. And letting themselves love in the midst of their grief, knowing that they could lose again, knowing that grief is, as told by WandaVision, love persevering.

(And on the smuttier side of things, I've come to realize that I have something of a thing for extremely repressed characters having an awakening. Which is why you tend to see a lot of Virgin!Snape tags in my fics. I also love exploring all the awkwardness that comes with being physical and how that ties in to being vulnerable.)

🚦What sort of endings do you prefer to write: ambiguous, bad, happily ever after, etc.?

Happily ever after but with a touch of something to make them feel real, maybe? Everything is okay but the characters have scars or regrets or losses, or they love each other but still have conflict.

Bittersweet endings are so powerful and memorable and beautiful and I love them and hate them and they make me want to chew my arm off. I've only written one, a conclusion to one of the storylines in Vulnera Sanentur and The Bollan Cross. I think about it all the time.

💛 What is the most impactful lesson you’ve learned about writing?

Write what you love. Always. Because there's at least one person out there who will love it too, and it's a story you'll always be able to keep and take with you. And if you're not enjoying it, you don't have to do it! Take a break, switch to a new project, write that self-indulgent thing you've always wanted to.

The asks can be found here, so feel free to reblog or let me know in the comments if you want to be asked something! I love hearing about people's creative process.

#ask games #writing #thank you this was so fun to do!

[jamietarttsnorthernattitude]

I'm thinking thinky thoughts about your fics and how you have a wonderful sense of setting weight.

'Setting weight' being a term I made up for how much weight an author puts on the setting of a scene.

To use examples, Tolkien puts a massive amount of time and energy into his settings. On the other end of the spectrum (and I have thrown a dart at the wall here) I'd put Chuck Palahniuk. Oh, he has settings - office buildings, fight clubs, self help groups - but there's little physicality to those settings. They exist to paint a theme.

But in both cases, the author rarely connects the character to their setting. To its history or its meaning, yes, but not to the sensation of the character within the space.

So as I sat there, beginning to reread Not to Me, Not If It's You, I was struck by how lovely your sense of setting weight is. I think back to this opening image a lot. To Jamie, sitting alone on a bed in a hospital in Qatar, watching the World Cup on this small TV. The space Jamie inhabits here is very clear. You cannot dissect him from this setting and have the same meaning ring through

Take Apologies From My Tongue, And Never Yours. Colin and Jamie on the bus. What's so special about that, you may ask? They're on a bus. Characters be on the team bus all the time. Well, yes, but do they often feel like they're on a bus? It's small, but sometimes the setting really is just a passing mention of where a thing happens to take place.

Rage, Rage, Against the Dying of the Light takes place in a hospital, but more importantly (to me) it feels like a hospital. It feels like, even if the author isn't focused on writing about the setting, they're not forgetting that the setting exists. The room stays in the room with us. It's not an after thought.

The cab ride snippet you posted for the fic you're writing on, that also had an excellent sense of just... space. The space the characters inhabit. It's a sort of visual I can feel through the words. It feels real without overwhelming to a Tolkien-esque degree.

I don't feel like I've explained this right, but especially with your last few fics, it's something I've begun to really notice. Just. Setting weight. Good stuff. I know this is more technical appreciation than anything else, but I thought I'd share how much I enjoy this aspect of your writing <3

Thank you for these generous words and fuck you for making me FEEL ALL THE THINGS. (anyone outside of the TL fandom going to read that like damn girl, relax).

I’ve been thinking about this a normal amount (that's a lie I will cherish this until my dying day I want it used as my euology) but I still can't form words enough to do it justice, it's all shrimp emotions.

But seriously, thank you (which does not feel like enough) for your amazingly nice words and taking the time to send them and looking at my works. It's really an honour to have you read them and that they had any impact that you would remember them is absolutely flooring me.

And it's especially an honor because you are one of the authors I try to emulate with this particularly. There are so many amazing authors in this fandom that I learn from everyday and I while I look at your work with admiration for many, many aspects, I especially have tried to learn from your stories and their setting weight (wonderful term btw!).

Thank you so much for taking the time to share this with me, it's especially helpful when I'm struggling through the normal writer horrors. The imposter syndrome is real and especially because there are so many amazing writers here I often struggle comparing myself. The doubting voice in the back of my mind has been especially loud lately. I think there is no other land is the fic I have had the most interest about on here which is amazing and exciting but also fucking terrifying.

The mortifying ordeal of being known, am I right?

All of this rambling to say THANK YOU, for these wonderful, kind, thoughtful words but also THANK YOU for being you and inspiring me, for talking me through whatever story help I need, for giving me story ideas, for being the extremely supportive person you are, for your kudos, comments and bookmarks, for sharing my work or snippets, for sharing cat photos, for absolutely FEEDING me with your works and snippets (where I can be found laughing and/or crying on a regular basis), for sharing your thought provoking analysis.

But most importantly, thank you for your friendship. I am beyond blessed to have the wonderful people in this fandom but especially you. I do not miss all the support you spread through tumblr and ao3 and I have no doubt everywhere you go. You are a joy and I smile everytime I see your name (and esp after I realized you and @jamiesfootball were one in the wonderful same lmao).

Now stop being so nice to me ;)

#wahhhhhhhhhh #seriously I am unwell with how nice you are to me #whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy #If I can't deflect with thanks I got it on sale or thanks it has pockets I don't know what to do #all this to say thank you #but thank you will never be enough #I have already read this a reasonable amount of times* #*that is a lie #aahhh thank you #love you #you are too nice to me #shrimp emotions #readwing #<33333

[finniestoncrane]

Hi there I am here for a blind date?

I’m a 20 year old bisexual woman who uses she/they pronouns. I’m disabled so I use a cane on occasion that I decorate depending on time of year and activity (string lights for the winter holidays, Ivy garland for poison ivy cosplay, etc). I’m a creative writing major at my local community college and work in retail, but my dream job is to be a comic book writer. I’m a libra, if that means anything to you. I love writing and art and creating things. I’m a bit of a curvy girl and I’ve got shoulder length hair I’m dying to dye some shade of pink, my favorite color. My style is relaxed alternative (I wear my dad old band tee shirts and wear too much eyeliner). I’ve been described to be “surprisingly funny, like quietly and unexpectedly funny” and I’m choosing to take that as a compliment. I love your work and I hope I have you the right amount to work with!

💜 blind date 💜 the kitchen is now closed! 🔞minors dni🔞 • masterlist • kofi link • tag: finnie1500 (to follow or to block) a/n: we've uh... had to sit you outside on the decking, i hope that's ok! 💚

"Hi, welcome to the Vill-Inn! Your date is waiting for you. He seems really sweet, but we've had to place you outside for your meal. The weather should hold up, and it's really quite romantic out there! We just don't have the ceiling space inside, unfortunately."

It's not too cold outside, and the patio heaters you can feel once you're shown out to the decking are keeping the temperature pleasant enough. Once you're shown to your table, you can see why you've been seated here. Your date raises his hand awkwardly, waving and smiling. He doesn't need to introduce himself, you'd recognise Killer Croc anywhere, but he does anyway.

"Uh... hi. If you're cold, we can cancel. I... I don't mind. I'm Waylon."

He offers you his hand, but then withdraws it, worried you might be put off by the claws or the scales, but you're quick to grab it and shake it. He really does seem sweet.

And you seem sweet to him, although he does wonder how much of that is just your hair looking delicious, until you start telling him about your creativity. He's smitten! He's so intrigued by people who can make things out of nothing, who can take materials that exist separately and bring them together into something new. He appreciates people who can look at something and see another thing entirely. He needs that, someone to look and see him, not just the villain or the 'monster'. And when you mention comic books, he bashfully asks if there can be a Hero Croc... or even maybe an anti-hero?

"Just... something to think about, y'know? Not always the bad guy."

It's impossible to think of him as the bad guy though, especially when he asks to take a closer look at your cane to admire your decoration. He's so gentle, so careful, so respectful and complimentary.

"Inspiring. I need to find something to help with my hip and knee issues, a cane would be perfect. But... you could maybe help me decorate it? We could do it together?"

Some of his compliments he holds in though, because it's not polite to comment on someone's body, at least not on a first date. But he has been admiring your curves and considering how his large hands might feel against them.

There's a moment where you mention that you feel under-dressed, but he's quick to assure you he likes your relaxed style.

"I live in the sewers. I'm not fancy. But if you ever wanted to visit, I could... clean up for you..."

It's strange, he mentions that you're funny, but in a surprising way. A compliment you hear a lot. He likes that kind of humour. It's not hurtful. It's not loud. It's just pleasant to be around, and it's far more fun to be surprised by humour than to sit around expecting it.

"Everything about you is surprising. I didn't expect to have such a pleasant evening."

You're just far too sweet for him to have left the restaurant feeling otherwise.

#finnie writes #finnie1500