#deep dive into authors backstory

[3-2-whump]

Friend needs cheering up?! *busts in your window with your favorite food and drinks*

So gush about your favorite whump tropes!!! 👀

-- @whumperofworlds

Thank you 🥹 you brought my favorites I see!

*slurping and munching noises*

So, my favorite whump tropes…

Well, I love an unequal power dynamic. Especially when it comes to the NSFW side of things. Rarely is consent asked in these circumstances, and if it is, does the disadvantaged party really have any choice but to say yes? Do they have the freedom to say no?

I love bondage because I am a human being with eyes and a working blood circulatory system. Idk how to fully explain it, but when I saw Aladdin at the impressionable age of …what, like four?… that was it for me. Just didn’t know what it was called or that I didn’t have to be embarrassed about it until semi-recently.

I also love culture whump, particularly as it pertains to language barriers. I haven’t published anything on this blog about it yet, but in my personal copy of Whumpee and Whumper’s stories (Khaled and Thomas), they can’t understand each other. One has limited English comprehension, the other doesn’t even know what language his pet is speaking. Of course, this changes as the story goes on, Khaled becomes fluent and forgets his natal tongue (with some encouragement), and that makes it all the harder on him when he’s eventually rescued and returned to his family.

Hang on to your hats, everyone, shit’s about to get real under the cut

My love of culture whump and language barriers probably stems from my long-underaddressed adoption trauma. I only just realized as I began seriously writing whump this last year that I also had my culture and my mother tongue ripped away from me without my consent, and, like my Whumpee, I may never be able to fully reclaim it in a way I would have if I had grown up within its framework my entire life. (No wonder I always write about it!) That is why, when my Whumpee recovers, he is never the same person he was before he was taken. But he is doing better than he was, even though his tongue stumbles clumsily around words his siblings could say in their sleep. He is happy enough. And that is enough.

Wow, making me emotional again. But it feels good to kind of lore dump/give backstory about the author now and again. And I do feel kinda better. So thanks!

#whump asks #whump tropes #whump community #deep dive into authors backstory #culture whump #language barrier whump #loss of culture #adoption trauma #interracial adoption #intercultural adoption #writing is cheaper than therapy

[catladyoftheyr]

Too Sweet (Ch 3)

Harvey x Reader

Ch 1 ~ Ch 2

Summary: picking up off last chapters cliffhanger and diving straight into Harvey’s 4 heart event. You resolve the conflict after the incident with George, Harvey gives you a checkup, and you two share a jar of pickles in his apartment. 💘🥒

Authors note: I know nothing about the Air Force I’m so sorry. It’s just for the plot and vibes. He needed a backstory!!

Word count: 1.7k! A longer chapter as a treat

“Harvey! Oh my god why are you here? Wait, no, I don’t mean it like that” the surprise visit from the doctor had you stumbling over your words. “You scared me. And I don’t actually think your mustache is stupid. I just… I was really embarrassed about what happened earlier.”

“I actually stopped by to thank you for backing me up earlier. George can be stubborn, so I’m glad you got him to listen to you.” The doctor averted eye contact and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Do you mind if I join you?”

“Oh uhhh, sure. How much of what I said did you hear by the way?” You hoped silently that he hadn’t heard you call him cute, especially since you’d been talking to a chicken.Harvey slid down and sat next to you on the floor of the coop.

“Just the part where you insulted my mustache,” he replied, stroking his own facial hair. “The farm is coming along nicely. You must be very dedicated to make such a turn around in such a short time.”

Oh thank Yoba you thought to yourself. “Thank you. I guess I’m trying to make up for lost time; I want to honor Grandpa’s memory because he loved this farm and the community. I used to spend a couple weeks here in the summer when I was growing up. I haven’t been back to the valley since I was a teenager. I didn’t think Lewis would recognize me when I came back.” You laughed quietly, an image of you as a gawky adolescent with braces coming back to you

“About earlier, we can put that behind us if you’d like. I didn’t mean to be short with you either. I was startled so I apologize for being curt.” Harvey looked at you with a kind expression before rising from the floor. “I’d like for us to be on good terms going forward.” He extended his hand and helped you up.

———————————————————————————

The bell on the door chimed as you walked in and Harvey’s head poked up from his paperwork. “Hey! Just the person I wanted to see today actually.”

“Oh?”

“I was about to write you a letter recommending that you schedule your annual checkup. If you don’t mind, I’ve got time today actually for a cursory exam.” Truthfully you weren’t very fond of hospitals, or doctor’s appointments. But you were also a terrible liar and had no time to think of an excuse. Better just to get it over with, you supposed.

“I can make it work.” You set the jar of pickles aside temporarily and followed Harvey to an exam room. You sat down on the paper, uncomfortable with the sudden formal shift in your dynamic. You’d gone from friend to patient in a matter of minutes. Harvey placed his stethoscope just under the collar of your shirt and you flinched at the touch of the cold metal.

“Sorry it’s chilly,” Harvey said. “Your heart rate is a little high. Do hospitals make you nervous?” He asked with a slight furrow in his brow.

“A little bit” you admitted. It certainly didn’t help that this was the most physical contact the two of you had shared since you met. He placed his hand on your shoulder and your eyes met. You felt your palms start sweating.

“Take a deep breath for me please” you did as instructed and tried to focus on anything else but the feeling of his hand on you. “Your lungs sound strong.” Harvey was in his element as he checked off the boxes of a routine checkup. He tested your reflexes, examined your ears and eyes, writing down his observations on his clipboard. “So far you seem to be in good health. I just have a few more questions about your lifestyle”

“Ask away, Doc.” Harvey seemed slightly flustered at the nickname but made a quick recovery. He pushed his glasses back up his nose and stood up straighter, clearing his throat

“As I was saying. Working on the farm involves a fair amount of physical labor I assume, so I’m sure you get enough exercise. What do you usually eat in a day?”

“Oh I usually just eat the foragables I find around the valley. There’s a lot of leeks and wild onions out now. I saw a weird looking berry the other day and I ate a couple of those. Sometimes I eat eggs from the chickens, or buy something from Gus for dinner.” Harvey was visibly stressed as he absorbed the information you gave him.

“I would highly advise that you eat a more balanced diet. Foraging is fine as a snack but it won’t provide enough energy for your activity levels. Eggs are good, but I’d implore you to try and eat from all the food groups”

“So this probably isn’t a great time to say I also eat the algae I find in the mines?” You’d never seen the poor doctor so stressed; you imagined most of his patients weren’t quite as odd as you.

“Let’s move on. How much sleep do you get at night?”

“6ish, sometimes less, sometimes more”

“Well, 8 hours a night is recommended but 6 isn’t terrible I suppose. But I’d encourage you to try and find a healthier routine. Farming is labor intensive and if you don’t give your body the care it needs you won’t be able to keep up sooner or later.” He had a look of genuine worry in his eyes and it pulled at your heartstrings. You’d only known each other for several months, but you sensed the beginning of a deep connection.

“I’ll try to be better,” you replied softly. You weren’t used to being chastised, but you understood he meant well.

“Thank you. You’re free to go and have an official clean bill of health from me”

“Well I stopped by to ask a favor actually”

“Oh?”

“I was wondering if you’d do me the honors of being the very first taste tester of my first batch of farm fresh pickles” you grinned and gestured toward the door “I left them on the counter.” Harvey smiled back and held the door open for you.

“I’d be honored. I’m actually about to close up for the day, would you like to come upstairs?”

The two of you headed upstairs to the small apartment above the clinic. Furniture was sparse and well loved, and there was a small kitchenette off the main room. The back wall held a large bookshelf that boasted an assortment of books and some small trinkets. Another shelf was lined carefully with model planes. There was a radio station in the corner by the window. “It’s not much, but it’s home,” Harvey said sheepishly.

“It’s great” you replied, eyes scanning the room with eagerness. You were itching to learn more about him. You took a seat on his small sofa, your heart nearly skipping a beat when he sat next to you, his knee inches away from yours. “You can have the first one” you offered, extending the open pickle jar toward Harvey.

“Don’t mind if I do.” Harvey reached in and plucked out a particularly large pickle before biting into it. His eyes lit up as he tasted it. “This is delicious! You’ve really never made pickles before?” You shook your head. “Well you certainly have a knack for it.” You grabbed a pickle for yourself and were pleasantly surprised at how good they were. You were glad he wasn’t lying to spare your feelings.

“What’s with the planes?” You saw Harvey get a far off look on his face while he thought about his response

“I’ve always been fascinated by aviation. I did a stint in the Air Force years ago. I wanted to become a pilot but it didn’t pan out. It ended up paying for my med school tuition though. The model planes are something I like to do in my free time. I find them relaxing, and they remind me of my time in service.”

“I would have never guessed that. Pilots and doctors are pretty different. What led you down this path?”

“I think I’ve always had an affinity for helping people. I joined the Air Force to serve my country; this feels like a way to serve the community in a different way.”

“That’s actually really selfless.” You toyed with images of Harvey in uniform as you reached for another pickle, not realizing that Harvey had the same idea. Your hands met in the rim of the jar and you flinched back instinctively. The small touch left you wanting more. You adjusted your legs slightly, tentatively letting one fall against his. Harvey made no effort to break contact.

“Tell me more about yourself. You said you explore the mines. Are there really monsters in there?”

“There are! I haven’t made it down very far but there’s all kinds of creatures down there.” You animatedly described the things you’d encountered on your adventures: colorful slimes, stealthy rock crabs, large buzzing insects, agile bats and more. Harvey looked on with a mixture of awe and fear.

His voice grew soft as he spoke “please be careful in the mines. I’d hate to see you get hurt.” Suddenly it was as if a switch had gone off in his mind and he got up from the couch. “Wait here one second!” He bolted across the studio and down the stairs. You heard rummaging from below before Harvey emerged again holding an armful of various medicines and first aid supplies. “Take these.” He thrusted the bundle of supplies into your arms.

“Harvey I can’t just take these from you. These are expensive” you insisted, trying to hand them back to him. A roll of gauze unraveled on the floor. Harvey plucked it from the ground and placed it on a table.

“Nonsense. Consider it part of your checkup.” He looked you in the eyes with a pleading expression. “Please take them. And promise me you’ll keep them with you in the mines”

“I promise.”

#my writing #harvey fluff #harvey x farmer #sdv fanfic #stardew fanfiction #stardew valley fanfic #harvey stardew valley #stardew valley fanfiction #harvey x reader

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

Crafting The Perfect Lovers-to-Enemies Betrayal: A Guide for Aspiring Authors

Fellow writers and aspiring authors, you may be in need of crafting a compelling lovers-to-enemies betrayal for your fiction novel. Few plot twists are as captivating and emotionally charged as the transformation of once-intimate allies into bitter adversaries. In this guide, I'll help you explore the art of creating a lovers-to-enemies betrayal that will leave your readers gasping in disbelief and eagerly turning the pages for more.

Laying the Foundation: To build a convincing and impactful lovers-to-enemies betrayal, you need to establish a strong foundation for your characters' relationship. Begin by developing a deep emotional connection between them. Portray their love as genuine, passionate, and unbreakable. Let readers witness their shared moments, inside jokes, and unwavering support for each other. This foundation will make the eventual betrayal all the more shocking and heart-wrenching.

Foreshadowing: Witty and subtle foreshadowing is the key to creating an unforgettable betrayal. Pepper your narrative with hints and clues that something is amiss. Use foreshadowing techniques such as cryptic dialogue, ambiguous actions, or symbolic objects to plant seeds of doubt in your readers' minds. Engage their curiosity without revealing your cards too early, allowing the betrayal to unfold gradually.

Character Development: To make the lovers-to-enemies betrayal resonate with readers, it's crucial to flesh out your characters' motivations and inner conflicts. Dive into their backstories, fears, and desires, unveiling the hidden layers of their personalities. Develop plausible reasons for the betrayal, rooted in their individual growth arcs. This will add depth, complexity, and authenticity to their transformation from lovers to enemies.

The Breaking Point: Every betrayal has a breaking point—a moment of no return. This turning point should be meticulously crafted to maximize its impact. It could be a shocking revelation, an unforeseen twist, or an irreparable loss that shatters the trust between the characters. Build up the tension gradually, heightening the emotional stakes until the breaking point becomes inevitable.

Emotional Fallout: Once the betrayal occurs, the emotional fallout should be palpable and heart-wrenching. Explore the raw emotions of anger, grief, and disbelief. Allow your characters to confront their newfound enmity head-on, engaging in intense confrontations and verbal sparring matches. Show the depth of their emotional wounds and the lasting scars left by the betrayal.

Consequences and Repercussions: Betrayal carries consequences, and your story should reflect these repercussions. Illustrate how the betrayal affects not only the characters involved but also their relationships with other key players in the narrative. Show the ripple effects of the betrayal within the larger story arc, allowing it to reverberate throughout the novel and impact other subplots.

Transformation and Growth: A lovers-to-enemies betrayal can be a catalyst for profound transformation and growth. Allow your characters to evolve in response to the betrayal, exploring the themes of forgiveness, redemption, and self-discovery. This will add richness and complexity to their arcs, making them more relatable and compelling to your readers.

Resolving the Conflict: The resolution of the lovers-to-enemies betrayal should be as satisfying as the betrayal itself. Whether it leads to reconciliation, revenge, or tragic consequences, ensure that the resolution remains true to the characters' development and the overall tone of your novel. Tie up loose ends, provide closure, and leave your readers with a lasting impression.

Checklist For Writers

Establish a strong foundation:

Have you developed a deep emotional connection between the characters?

Have you portrayed their love as genuine, passionate, and unbreakable?

Foreshadowing:

Have you included witty and subtle hints and clues throughout the narrative?

Have you used foreshadowing techniques such as cryptic dialogue, ambiguous actions, or symbolic objects?

Have you engaged readers' curiosity without revealing the betrayal too early?

Character Development:

Have you delved into the characters' backstories, fears, and desires?

Have you established their individual growth arcs?

Have you created plausible motivations for the betrayal rooted in their personal journeys?

The Breaking Point:

Have you built up tension gradually leading to the breaking point?

Have you crafted a moment that is shocking, unforeseen, or irreparable?

Does the breaking point shatter the trust between the characters?

Emotional Fallout:

Have you depicted the raw emotions of anger, grief, and disbelief?

Have you allowed characters to confront their enmity through intense confrontations and verbal conflicts?

Have you shown the depth of emotional wounds and the lasting impact of the betrayal?

Consequences and Repercussions:

Have you explored the consequences of the betrayal on the characters involved?

Have you shown how the betrayal affects their relationships with other key players in the story?

Have you illustrated the ripple effects of the betrayal within the larger story arc?

Transformation and Growth:

Have you allowed the characters to evolve in response to the betrayal?

Have you explored themes of forgiveness, redemption, and self-discovery?

Does the betrayal serve as a catalyst for profound transformation and growth?

Resolving the Conflict:

Does the resolution of the betrayal remain true to the characters' development?

Does it provide closure and tie up loose ends?

Does the resolution leave a lasting impression on readers?

Examples & ideas On How to Establish A Deep Emotional Connection Between Characters

Shared Vulnerability:

Have the characters confide in each other about their deepest fears, insecurities, or past traumas.

Example: Sarah opens up to Jake about her fear of abandonment due to a troubled childhood, and Jake reciprocates by revealing his own struggles with self-doubt.

Intimate Moments:

Show the characters sharing intimate moments that highlight their emotional connection.

Example: Emma and Alex cuddle together on a rainy day, sharing their dreams and aspirations while basking in the warmth of their love.

Inside Jokes and Shared Memories:

Include inside jokes and references that only the characters understand, creating a sense of exclusivity and camaraderie.

Example: Lisa and Mark burst into laughter at the mention of a funny incident from their first date, showcasing a shared history and deep connection.

Unwavering Support:

Demonstrate the characters supporting each other through thick and thin, offering unconditional love and understanding.

Example: When James faces a career setback, Lily stands by his side, encouraging him to pursue his dreams and assuring him of her unwavering support.

Emotional Intimacy:

Showcase moments of emotional intimacy, where the characters express their feelings and empathize with each other.

Example: During a heart-to-heart conversation, Michael and Emily discuss their hopes, dreams, and the challenges they've overcome, forging a profound emotional bond.

Sacrifice and Protection:

Illustrate instances where the characters prioritize each other's well-being and safety, even at their own expense.

Example: When faced with danger, Sarah shields David from harm without a second thought, displaying her deep love and commitment to him.

Shared Goals and Dreams:

Establish common goals and dreams that the characters work towards together, reinforcing their shared aspirations.

Example: Emma and Ryan are both passionate about environmental conservation and collaborate on a project to create a greener community, strengthening their emotional connection.

Few Extra Tips For creating Believable Lovers-To-Enemies betrayal

Build Complexity:

Make sure the characters have multifaceted personalities with their own strengths, flaws, and conflicting desires.

Avoid stereotypical portrayals and strive for nuanced, relatable characters who are capable of both love and betrayal.

Foreshadow Effectively:

Use subtle hints and foreshadowing throughout the story to create anticipation and suspense.

Drop clues that something might be amiss in the relationship, without giving away the specific betrayal itself.

Motivation and Justification:

Develop strong motivations for the betrayal that align with the characters' growth arcs and personal journeys.

Provide plausible justifications for their actions, rooted in their fears, desires, or external pressures.

Gradual Transformation:

Allow the transformation from lovers to enemies to occur gradually, rather than abruptly.

Show the progression of small betrayals, conflicts, or misunderstandings that slowly erode the trust between the characters.

Emotional Impact:

Highlight the emotional impact of the betrayal on both characters involved.

Explore their feelings of hurt, anger, betrayal, and confusion, making the reader empathize with their emotional turmoil.

Consequences and Repercussions:

Illustrate the wide-ranging consequences of the betrayal, not only on the characters' relationship but also on other aspects of their lives and the story's narrative.

Show how the betrayal affects other characters, relationships, and subplots, creating a ripple effect throughout the story.

Character Growth and Arcs:

Use the betrayal as a catalyst for character growth and transformation.

Allow the characters to learn from their actions, confront their flaws, and seek redemption or revenge, depending on their paths.

Authentic Dialogue and Reactions:

Ensure that the characters' dialogue and reactions to the betrayal feel authentic and true to their personalities.

Capture the range of emotions, conflicts, and tensions through well-crafted dialogue exchanges and internal monologues.

Avoid Clichés:

Strive to create a unique twist on the lovers-to-enemies betrayal trope, avoiding clichés or predictable plot developments.

Surprise your readers with unexpected turns and outcomes that challenge their assumptions.

Resolution and Closure:

Craft a satisfying resolution that provides closure for the characters and the readers.

Tie up loose ends and address the consequences of the betrayal, allowing for a sense of resolution and growth.

Crafting a lovers-to-enemies betrayal is a thrilling endeavor that requires careful planning, attention to detail, and a touch of literary finesse. Hopefully this guide helped you get the foundation of Lovers-To-Enemies Betrayal.

#creative writing #on writing #thewriteadviceforwriters #writing #writing tips #writers block #writers and poets #how to write #writeblr #enemies to lovers #writersblock #writers on tumblr #writerscommunity #writersociety #writerslife #female writers #writblr #writer stuff #ao3 writer #authoradvice #writer #novelist #author #writerscorner

[buckybarnesss]

parts of fandom: derek's age is entirely unknown and he wasn't a teenager when he was involved with kate and the fire happened

If people don't believe that Derek was a teen in the show, doesn't in the novels clearly tells that Derek was 16? The novels are slightly canon, right?

there is only 1 novel and it's on fire: a teen wolf novel and it's non-canon. i consider the novel an au of season 1. it was published in 2012 and the author nancy holder only uses canon material from the first 5 episodes.

per nancy holder herself she was given the okay by jeff davis to create her own derek and kate backstory which is fandom has leaned on because we actually very little about in the show.

i recently completed a deep dive into the entire novel.

derek's age in the show isn't specifically said but i've seen around fandom places before that there's people who believe he's in his late 20s and even his 30s or something. which is just completely disregarding many, many contextual pieces of information we are given that derek is in his early 20s.

#my blog #thoughts on teen wolf #teen wolf #derek hale

[thedroneranger]

The Drone Ranger's Be Kind Rewind ⏪ mygyn Edition!

A rec reblog series dedicated to the fics that we love so much, we've re-read them!

The next Rewind has landed: @mygyn! Look, mygyn did the most in the best way. They did a deep dive to share some of their hidden gems.

While we continue to churn out amazing new content, let's be kind and rewind to look at some of the OG content we love. And don't forget to reblog when you re-read! Continue to show your comfort fics and favorite creators some love. It helps keep the fresh content coming :)

We want to keep this going throughout the summer, so I'll continue to invite friends—other creators and readers—to share their lists. Stay tuned!

If you're interested in participating in the Be Kind Rewind, message me. The more, the merrier—let's keep this going as long as we can!

If you want to know when a new Rewind drops, join the tag list, and check out previous Rewinds!

fics below the cut (listed in alphabetical order by title)

 ‘86 Flyboy Matchmaker, '86 Top Gun pilots, @semperhuggs This is a piece of art! I 100% am a fiend for a good IceMav story! So often, I fall into the trap of reading X Reader and inserting myself into the story, but if you want a classic story that goes through the pain that Ice and Mav would have felt during DADT, this 100% is a story for you to check out (There are several offshoots that are a chef's kiss as well).

Angel by the Wings , Jake Seresin + Bradley Bradshaw, @makethatelevenrings Okay, can I say that love this. 10/10 for great representation. Jake and Roo and you. I’m a huge, huge sucker for threesomes so seeing an ethical one where all parties are equal and consensual is a huge win.

Great Balls of Fire, Bradley Bradshaw, @bratshaws As a plus-sized reader myself, the story of Bee and Roo has had me smiling laughing and crying, along with the insecurities that come along with being so fabulous! If you want a story that tackles the real and vulnerabilities of a relationship, I 100% suggest this one. Also, fun fact: This was the first story that I fell in love with on Tumblr. 

Golden Barn Light, Jake Seresin, @siempre-bucky  This blog hasn’t posted any stories recently, but this was the first story that made me fall in love with Hangman. It explored his softer side, his love for his family and, quite frankly, was an adorable read. 

I had to let go of you to find myself, Jake Seresin, @gennyanydots Speaking of Hangman, if you want to read an angst story with redemption, love and, in my opinion, one of the most accurate descriptions of Hangman, and how he would deal with trauma, this is a winner.

Sleepy Baby, Jake Seresin, @discount-shades Soft Jake what is this… I think I’m just an angst lover! But Jake meets a girl and ends up tracking her down to help her overcome her tragic backstory and moves forward into a life of love and relationship! 

Starting Over, Bradley Bradshaw + Jake Seresin x Natasha Trace, @bellaireland1981  What’s this? Jake has a sister who married an asshole? Do we get to see soft Jake and Phoenix? Yes. Do we get to see Bradley and Jake's sister? Yes. Do we get to see Daddy Roo? 100. This story fills each and every one of my boxes. 

Stepping to You Toe to Toe, Jake Seresin, @dingochef I first fell in love with this story on A03, but the amazing and wonderful author has brought it over to Tumblr. If you want a story with plenty of smexy time plot, and to see several beautiful relationships grow and bloom, this is the one for you. 

The Same Mistakes, Bradley Bradshaw, @ofstoriesandstardust This list wouldn’t be complete without Rebel. This is a story where Rebel Mav’s daughter is a pilot and goes through the trauma of having a Father who is notorious in the Navy and she has to overcome his reputation and find her own wings to fly.

you said you would grow old with me, Bradley Bradshaw, @blue-aconite If you need to cry, this is the one for you. I’m a sucker for angst apparently. This is an amazing piece that covers loss, love, and it shows a great example of putting the one you love before yourself.

Bonus!

Since I don’t write but am an avid reader and reblogger, here are some amazing authors that I know will be featured at some point <3

@roosterforme

@ereardon

@callsign-magnolia

@cherrycola27

I literally would recommend anything that they have written. If you want angst, smut, great story lines, these four are my go-to’s.

Tag list and friends: @petcr3 @desert-fern @Sagittarius-Lovewitch @mygyn @sweetwhispersofchaos @horseshoegirl @the-annoying-fan @dingochef @moon42flight @thecitysgraveyard @galaxy-of-stories @taytaylala12@malindacath @violyn20 @awildewit @potato-girl99981 @shanimallina87 @blue-aconite @djs8891 @linkpk88 @furiousladyking @daggerspare-standingby @princess76179 @jstarr86 @hecate-steps-on-me @darkheartcherry @soulmates8 @roosters-girl @dempy @roosterisdaddy36 @hangmanscoming @s-u-t @mavrellover91 @chicomonks @averyhotchner 

A kind reminder, this is a 18+ blog. While not all stories in the recommendation list are 18+, please respect boundaries and do not interact unless you are 18 years of age or older.

#tgm be kind rewind #bradley rooster bradshaw #jake hangman seresin #jake seresin #rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw #top gun maverick #tgm #top gun #mygyn

[beefromanoff]

Project Mockingbird Ch. 8

summary: Charlotte deep dives into her backstory and all the dark, twisty parts. Bucky has flashbacks. It's getting angsty.

pairing: Bucky Barnes x OC

author's note: another long one, I'm so sorry it took me so long! the next one is ALMOST done too so it'll come out super soon! thank you so much for reading!

tag list: @bangtanxberm (let me know if you want to be added <3)

chapter list

_______________________________________

chapter aesthetic

In the quiet hum of the infirmary, the Avengers gathered outside Charlotte's room, concern etched on each face, She’d barely vacated the room for a week before landing back in the same place. The atmosphere was tense, the air heavy with unspoken worry. Benchmark testing had abruptly ended six hours earlier with Bucky emerging from the woods, Charlotte’s body draped across his arms. She hadn’t woken up yet. 

Tony paced back and forth in the laboratory, one room over from the infirmary. "This is absolutely unacceptable. We knew this could happen. Bruce, we let this happen."

"Tony,” Bruce sighed heavily. “We weighed the risks, she deserved freedom of choice, she insisted on competing. I’m sure she’d stand by her choice. We can’t sideline her based on a discovery we didn’t even give her the courtesy of telling her about."

“I’m sorry,” Natasha crossed the threshold into the lab, arms crossed. “Care to let the rest of us in on your little secret?” Steve and Bucky strode into the room behind her, looking equal parts concerned and angry. 

Sighing, Tony rubbed his jaw. “We…took a second look at her brain scan after she was released. Then a third. We found an…alteration.” He chanced a look at Bucky. “Courtesy of our friends at HYDRA.” 

“They tampered with her ability to self-regulate…” Bruce added sheepishly. “Her mind has been rewired, it’s like they took away her ability to govern her own physiological limits. Most people have mental limits, lines they can’t cross when their body needs to quit to save itself. They took that away from her. She, quite literally, doesn’t know when to quit.”

Nat leveled a pointed gaze at the two scientists. "And you just…let her compete with all of us today. What did you expect? You said yourself he doesn't know her limits, and now she's paying the price." She glanced back through the doorway, leading to the room where Charlotte still lie unconscious.

“We didn’t think it was our place to take away her autonomy.” Tony’s voice was uncharacteristically soft. “Until we had enough information to give her and let her decide for herself what she wants to do, we decided to keep it to ourselves. Clearly we didn’t work fast enough.” 

“Clearly.” Bucky spoke for the first time, his gruff voice cutting through the room.

Steve’s brow furrowed in concern. "Whatever happened before, that’s in the past. We convinced her to come here and told her she’d be safe with us. We need to figure out a solution or our word means nothing."

Tony ran a hand through his hair. "Look, we have some information. We pulled every single file we’ve extracted from HYDRA over the past decade and cross referenced it with the limited intel we have on Charlotte." He winced. “It’s not great.” 

Bruce interjected, "We're working on something, a way to regulate abilities without sidelining her completely. But it's complicated…and it’s far from ready."

Natasha's piercing gaze shifted from Tony to Bruce. "Complicated or not, we can't have her collapsing every time she pushes herself. We need a fix, and we need it now."

Steve stepped forward, taking charge. "Tony, Bruce, we appreciate the effort and the discretion, but we owe her all the information we have. Even if it’s incomplete. Ready or not, let her make her own choice. It’s what we all would want if we were in her position."

Bucky pushed off the wall, his face twisted in an expression between frustration and pain. He said nothing.

Tony nodded solemnly. "Fine. We'll expedite the process. But this is risky. It's experimental, and we can't guarantee—"

"We don't have time for guarantees anyways," Natasha interrupted. "We just need to try. Charlotte deserves that much. I didn’t bring her here so we could put her at risk and make decisions for her. I brought her here so she could be around people like her and be safe."

The hushed tones of concern were abruptly disrupted as Bucky, still standing at the periphery of the conversation, tensed. His keen senses caught a sound, soft but unmistakable—a groan emanating from Charlotte's room. Without a word, he swiftly turned and made his way to her room.

The group followed, their collective worry etched on their faces. They filed into the room only to find Charlotte blinking back into consciousness. The relief was palpable. Bucky couldn't help but mutter, "Welcome back to the land of the living."

Charlotte, still groggy, managed a weak smile. "You guys always know how to throw a party."

Steve quirked an eyebrow. "Yeah, and you sure know how to make an exit."

She chuckled, a raspy sound, and shifted on the bed. "Well, sorry to ruin the mood. Next time I'll make sure to schedule my collapses better."

Tony smirked, relief evident in his voice. "You do that. Maybe put it on the Avengers calendar."

The others couldn't suppress a few chuckles at the banter. Natasha leaned in, her tone dry, "You know, collapsing is very last season. We're aiming for superhero landings now."

Charlotte groaned as she shifted to sit up in the bed. "Noted."

Bucky, satisfied that Charlotte was -- at least for the moment -- all right, turned abruptly to leave the room. His departure didn't go unnoticed.

"Where are you going?" Steve called after him.

Bucky shot a glance back, his expression guarded. "She's awake. You guys got this." He disappeared into the hallway, leaving the others to surround Charlotte. 

Natasha, a wry smile on her face, remarked, "Buck’s gonna give you a run for your money in the dramatic exit department."

"Dramatic? An angel like me?” Charlotte croaked. 

Tony added, "An angel with a penchant for collapsing. Very celestial."

In the hallway just outside the room, Bucky leaned against the wall. He heard the exchange from the room but couldn’t stomach the jokes so soon after the scare. Rolling his eyes, he pushed off the wall and strode for the doors.nSteve caught up with Bucky in the hallway, jogging to match his friend's brisk steps.

"Hey, Buck," Steve began, concern etched across his features. "Why the rush?"

Bucky didn't meet Steve's gaze, his jaw set in a tight line. "They say she doesn't know her limits, but she knew. She knew and she kept going. You didn’t see her in the woods, Steve. She was laughing. She's playing with fire and doesn't even realize it."

Steve placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "She's been through a lot. You know that. We don’t even know the extent of it all yet, and maybe we never will. You know as well as anyone that it’s not easy to acknowledge your weaknesses. It's not easy for her, either."

Bucky's frustration spilled out in a sigh. "I get that. I do. But seeing her collapse like that, it... it brings back things I'd rather forget."

Steve's expression softened, understanding dawning in his eyes. He guided Bucky to a nearby bench, encouraging him to sit. "Buck, I know this is hard for you. Seeing someone go through what you went through with HYDRA—it's like reliving your own nightmare."

Bucky clenched his jaw, his metal fingers tapping an agitated rhythm on his thigh. "It’s not just that - I mean, it is, but…I don’t know. I’ve been getting…glimpses. Maybe flashbacks." He ran his hand along his jawline. “I can’t tell if they’re memories or nightmares or just my mind messing with me.”

“What do you see? When you have them?” 

“It’s…blurry. I get bits and pieces at a time. When I saw her for the first time, that’s when it started. I got a flash of us running, in the woods. I couldn’t tell who was chasing who. Then when she…blacked out in the gym, I had another one. We’ve fought before. I don’t remember when or where, but it was familiar. In a God awful way.” He stared down at his hands in his lap. “Then, in the woods, seeing her bleed and collapse…I saw a glimpse of what they did to her.” 

The pained look on Bucky’s face made it clear he was done talking. Steve let out a sigh, leaning back on the bench. “Well, this isn’t really an easy thing to give advice on, but you have to remember you’re still in recovery too. Just because you’ve been here longer, you’ve broken the brainwashing…it doesn’t mean nothing ever happened. You’re gonna deal with a lot of trauma for a long time. It’s okay to take a step back if you need to.”

“I shouldn’t be the one who needs to take a step back right now. She needs more help than I do.”

"You are helping her, just by being here. But you're not her keeper, Bucky. You can't control everything. She has to make her own choices, even if some of them worry you. We’re all figuring out the best way to help someone we just met.” Steve gave a half smile, nudging his friend. “If you recall, you didn’t exactly give us clear instructions on how to help you, either.” 

Bucky forced a smile. "Guess not. Should’ve taken it a little easier on you guys.” He leaned back on the bench. “It just... it feels like I'm back in that damn lab, watching people suffer because of me. At the end of the day, she’s in this position because of me.”

“That’s not fair, Buck. You know it. You didn’t ask for this any more than she did.” He raised a hand and waved off Bucky’s protest. “I know that Project Mockingbird was a response to the Winter Soldier Project. But last time I checked, you didn’t sign up to be the Winter Soldier. You’re both victims of the same sadistic scientists. We’re all here for you both, but at the end of the day, no one else went through what you two did. Don’t let them win by keeping a divide between you.” Steve's voice was gentle, a steady reassurance. 

“Damn.” Bucky gave a half smile. “I guess some of that therapy finally stuck.” 

__________________________________

The morning sunlight filtered through the window, casting a gentle glow across the medical wing. The aroma of fresh coffee lingered in the air. Agent Hill sat in a chair beside the bed, Natasha perched on the edge near Charlotte’s feet. 

Maria, her expression businesslike, clicked through her notes on the tablet in front of her. "Let's go over this one more time. There are still some gaps here.”

Charlotte sipped her coffee, her gaze fixed on the swirling steam escaping from the cup. "I told you everything I remember."

Natasha shot Maria a warning look as she opened her mouth to protest. Her face softened. “I know this is difficult, Charlotte. I can’t even begin to imagine what you went through. But, if you’re able to give us anything else, it will get us that much closer to bringing HYDRA down for good.”

Nodding, Charlotte steeled herself. “What else do you need to know?”

“They’re known for their incredible discretion and secrecy. No one gets in or out. Hell, it took Bucky seventy years to escape and that was through a freak accident at the Triskelion. You escaped from the facility, from the headquarters. How?”

Charlotte's eyes glazed with the distant recollection. "I was kept in a different part of the facility than the Win - than James was. Bucky." She shook her head. “I don’t remember much, but I was able to pick it up over time. Piece things together. Things people said, glimpses I got at files here and there…it wasn’t the full picture, but it was something.” 

The two women stayed quiet, letting her continue. 

“To my understanding, I was one of around a dozen people in Project Mockingbird. All of us were brought in just before 1950. The Winter Soldier project had gone well, too well. I remember hearing screams, hearing him take down agent after agent. They said he was too strong. That he couldn’t be controlled. That was before they perfected the memory wipe. He knew who he was, and that was why they couldn’t stop him. I always wondered what he was fighting so hard to get back to.” Charlotte gave a soft, sad smile. “The rest of us didn’t have much of a life before being captured. I think that’s why they went after orphans. When Captain America, er, when Steve came in and raided the base to free Bucky and the rest of the soldiers…they learned. They stopped taking prisoners that someone would miss. I didn’t really get to know anyone else in my group, or if I did…I don’t remember. I know we were all around the same age, sixteen to eighteen. About to age out of most orphanages, if we hadn’t run away already.” 

She took a slow sip of her coffee, seeming lost in her memories. 

“I don’t remember much about the experiments. I remember pain, needles, being restrained. Some didn’t survive the first dose. They tried to alter the serum they gave Bucky…it killed two immediately. A few didn’t survive the brainwashing, it made them go insane.”

“What happened to them?” Maria’s voice was unusually gentle.

“They got shot.” The nonchalance in Charlotte’s voice was chilling. 

“I believe, well, I was told…they tried different methods on all of us. Some got a serum, some got brainwashing, some were…enhanced in other ways.” She winced. “Prosthetics. But they ran out of vibranium, and their version ended up poisoning the whole group they used it on. So, you know.” She mimed a gunshot to the head. “I was in the lucky last group. They took everything they got right with the others, the ones they deemed most likely to survive anyways. Their best chance. I know there was a version of the serum, very diluted. It enhances the senses and makes us…me, stronger and faster. Not as strong as him though. They believed they made him too strong. We had to be enhanced enough to contend with him, but not so strong that we posed a threat to HYDRA.”

Nat reached a hand out, squeezing Charlotte’s knee. 

“Things got a little blurry for a while. I didn’t know how much time had passed, how long I had been there. I think I was kept in cryo for long stretches while they figured out what to do with me. I know they used to make us run hunting exercises.” 

“What were the hunting exercises?”

Charlotte took a slow, shuddering breath as she raised her eyes to look at Maria.

“They would release us into the woods. The group of Mockingbirds…and the Winter Soldier. No weapons. Miles and miles of cold, Siberian wilderness. No food. They made us hunt him. To see if we could actually survive, track him, and to see what we’d do if we caught up to him.”

“Did anyone ever…catch up to him?” Neither Maria nor Natasha knew if they were prepared for her answer.

“Yes. I don’t remember, but I remember hearing them talk about it after I was wiped. How one of the best Mockingbirds caught him and was about to snap his neck when they shot him. They had HYDRA snipers in the trees the whole time. We were never meant to kill him. They just wanted to see if we’d be able to give ourselves the chance.” 

Natasha’s stomach turned as she wondered if Bucky knew. 

“I don’t know how many or how long those…exercises went on. Eventually they got better at brainwashing, so control became less of an issue. Bucky spent more time in the chair…we spent more time in cryo. They’d wake us up every so often, every decade or so? I don’t remember what they told me. Just to make sure we were still alive. Eventually, I was the only one who woke up. I felt like I should be sad, but it had been so long since the last time that I didn’t even remember their names.” 

Charlotte looked like she wanted to cry, but no tears came. 

“We can stop, Char.” Nat spoke softly. 

“No, it’s okay. I want to help.” She swallowed. “I’m almost done anyways.” She sat up straighter in bed, pulling her legs towards her chest. 

“The only real memories I have started about five years ago. Right after -” 

“The Triskelion.” Maria and Natasha both muttered. 

“Right. When the agents returned without the Winter Soldier, everyone lost their shit. Or at least, I’m assuming. They were still losing their shit when they woke me up. I couldn’t even get my bearings before they were outfitting me in tactical gear, yelling at me to track him and kill on sight. I was in a helicopter within the hour.” She grimaced. “They dropped me all over the United States, sending me to track him down anywhere they thought there was a sighting. Every time, I came up empty. That didn’t go over well.” 

As if feeling phantom pain, Charlotte absently rubbed the side of her face. “It just went downhill from there. The longer we couldn’t find him, the more leads that went cold, the angrier they got. With me. They tried to punish me, thinking it would make me work harder or find him faster, but it just made me weaker. We finally went back to the base…and I remember thinking how I must really be in Hell if I was relieved to go back there.” She chuckled to herself. “I was hoping they’d put me back in cryo and never wake me up.”

“But when we got back to base…we didn’t go back to the cryo chamber. We went back to the lab.” Color drained from Charlotte’s face. “They had the scientists all working on something…anything that would make me better. It was awful. They were under duress too, not that I could ever feel bad for the bastards. But it wasn’t exactly the environment for a breakthrough. Once, an agent shot one of the scientists for making excuses. They didn’t move his body for two weeks as a reminder to the others.” 

She sighed. 

“But, just like with me, the punishment did the opposite of what they wanted. It made them sloppy. One day, they forgot to secure my restraints.” 

Charlotte raised her eyes, looking straight at Agent Hill. “So I killed them all.” 

A stunned silence hung over the room. Not once had Charlotte’s voice cracked. Although Natasha had a feeling her hands would be shaking if it weren’t for the vice grip she had on the bedding. 

“I know this sounds redundant…but can you tell me the rest?” Maria’s eyes were almost apologetic for dragging this on further. “You overpowered the scientists, but what about guards? The rest of the base?” 

“There were two guards outside the lab. I jabbed them in the neck with whatever bullshit serum the scientists had been prepping for me, grabbed their weapons, and didn’t look back. Although, judging by the way they screamed, that serum wouldn’t have done me any favors.” She tucked her hair behind her ears. “They had been in such a hurry to get me into the lab once we returned that no one thought to wipe me. I knew exactly the way out. I wanted, so badly, to find my file and have answers. But I was tired. So tired. I only had one chance. I took it.” 

“From there, you escaped through…?” 

“The woods.” Charlotte grinned. “The same goddamn woods they used for the hunting exercises.” 

“And then you hitch-hiked across Europe,” Nat joined in. 

“Which is exactly where the story I already told you picks up.” Charlotte’s face showed relief, whether it was over the end of the grueling discussion or in finally sharing her burdens with someone. 

“Did anyone ever come after you? Try to find you?” Maria frowned. 

“Not once.” Charlotte shrugged. “I was careful, at first. I changed my hair every few weeks. Kept moving. Didn’t have a phone or a footprint of any kind. As time went on and no one came, I stopped hiding. But I never stopped looking over my shoulder.” 

“I just find it strange that HYDRA would give up with not one, but two of their most lethal assassins just…out in the world.” 

“With what I left behind, there wasn’t much of a team to rally.” 

Maria raised an eyebrow, skeptical, but Natasha waved her off before she could continue. Pressing the button to stop the session recording, Nat grasped Charlotte’s hand. “I think that’s enough reliving trauma for one day. What do you say to wine and pizza, and Peter bringing the big TV in here for the night?”

Charlotte squeezed her friend’s hand. “I’d say…I hope you like pineapple on pizza.” 

As Natasha breezed out of the room, promising to be back bearing gifts within the hour, Bruce caught up to her in the hallway. Jogging to keep pace, he stammered a protest. “You know, with the damage to her kidneys, from uh - the run…she really shouldn’t be having wine. If I could just do another urine sample to make sure she’s okay, then -” 

“Bruce.” Natasha whirled to face him, stopping in her tracks. “Go back and listen to the session recording and then try and tell me that girl doesn’t deserve a glass of wine. Because if I had to take one guess, you’ll be bringing her something much stronger before you even get through it.” 

#avengers #bucky barnes x oc #bucky fanfic #james bucky barnes #bucky barnes #winter soldier #bucky fluff #sebastian stan #winter soldier fluff #winter solider x reader

[brenbrennn]

ੈ✩‧₊˚  ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴇ

Summary!!: As the cordyceps destroyed the world you used to know , you stayed alone for a good couple of years. You took a guess that any other civilization was hell on earth or tarnished to bits. Though at that point , hell seemed way better than any of this mess. With your travels as a smuggler , you met two people by the names of Joel Miller and Ellie Williams. Haven't have not seen really any living human beings in ages , you decided to join them on their mission to get to a certain fireflies base. Upon the time you spent with them , you grew to care for the two. Especially growing close to Joel. Even growing a sort of parent and daughter relationship with Ellie , you couldn’t expect ever leaving their sides. Settling into Jackson was a beyond good choice. The community was welcoming and nicely guarded. It allowed you to finally be at ease. But that comfortable feeling was going to be fractured sooner or later. After someone from your past turns up and finds you in Jackson , a lot of realities come to the forefront. Leading you and old man Miller having to actually talk about your relationship. Authors Note!!: WOOOO THE LAST OF USSS!! Ive been a huge fan of the game for a while , and the series already has me hooked. I wanna swarm this game with all my love. So I decided to write some good joel x reader. By all far he is one of the most intimidating characters I have written for. Mainly cause this is my first time writing for the game and I dont wanna fuck up any personalities. Strap in because this one is gonna be a long , angsty , fluffy ride. Content Warning!!: Canon typical game violence/gore (aka descriptions of violence and the reader getting their shit rocked) , deep diving into backstories (specifically the readers since I made up a whole faction) , child death , more game universe than show universe ,  allusions to a fem!reader (had a daughter before the outbreak - also gets called mom a couple times) , and brief mentions of suicide idealation , Spoilers for like the first and second TLOU game , Kind of edited? I am still going through some spelling mistake lol. I understand if some of you wanna sit this one out , love ya guys <3                                     ⋘══════∗ {•『 ♡ 』•} ∗══════ ⋙ For the longest time , Joel Miller was the one person to always plague your thoughts. After a while of getting to know him more , and getting close with Ellie the humanity you once berried so down inside sprawled awake. You got to know the two more , their dreams and fears. Especially Joel.... having a sort of alignment with him. In a weird way you two as a pair sort of clicked. If you still stayed stuck in your mindset before everything , you would have never realized you were in love with Joel. That word always racked your mind. Love... something you hadn’t felt for another person in such a long time. But it was true even if it was hard to explain , you loved that man. With every ounce of life in you. Though, Joel was like a rock. Even after he eased out when choosing to stay in Jackson with you and Ellie , his old habits always snuck up on him. One in particular was the denying of his own feelings. The ones towards you that made him feel like a teenager again. That made him feel whole , those ones he didnt know how to admit them. Which was a pest to your guy's budding relationship. It always floated around the both of you , almost like a warning. You hadn’t known what to describe your relationship. Were you only a companion? Was this something more than just a toughly bonded friendship? You knew about his struggles , at least some of them. Loosing his daughter and all of that.  But couldn't you two finally live to be happy? Shrug away the burdens that had been haunting you? This had all spiraled out in a argument you both had. You were the one who started it , even though you were not proud of it at all. Something had been picking at you the weeks into winter. A harsh storm had swarmed Jackson , almost like the bubbling anxiety that was stirring inside you. The two of you were stern adults , stubborn with your opinions. Some less shared than others. What started as a question exploded into a mostly heated dispute. You tried not to be so loud , the two of you genuinely just tired from the day. You had gotten off of an overnight patrol shift together , but this question could not be avoided for much longer.  Harsh words were met with other harsh words. He got defensive and so did you. Ellie had been off with Dina and Jesse so you knew it was just the two of you alone. “I’m not just that same stranger that came to help you Joel!” You were racked with tears. “I have stuck with you through thick and thin - an this is how you treat me?! Like some liability!”  You were beyond pissed off , and Joel just looked at you in silence. He wanted to say so much but was held back. By his own fears and insecurities. It had only been a year since the firefly incident back in salt lake city. You two sharing an abundance of secrets between one another. He was still scared with being vulnerable with you , and couldn't mutter a word. Not even a sentence to ease your worry. God he felt like such a jackass. He never meant to hurt you this much. He never meant to hurt you at all. “Was this for nothing...?” Your tone filled with anguish. “If your gonna say it like that , I guess so.” He stared at you through gritted teeth. Your heart plummeted to the bottom of your stomach. Ripped out of your chest by the man you had trusted. Trusted with so much and so little. Maybe he was right about everything. You glared , it burned holes into Joel. He felt horrible , he was so worked up his brain was making stuff up on the spot. He had to keep you at an arms length. He didnt want to get you hurt. He had already let you in though , so genuinely there was no way he could rid his heart of you. Not that he even wanted to. The both of you shared a long , pained look. You broke the slowly growing stale silence. “Have it your way , I totally understand. We always said it was to the destination and than nothing else.” Sighing , you walked out of the main area to grab your bag. Your voice trembled , trying not to break out cry’s. You had to keep your cool for now. “I guess I was the only one who didnt keep my word.” That one really stung his heart. He was stunned , stuck in his stance. At this point anything else he would have said most likely wouldnt have helped it all. What was done is done , and he regretted every last second of it. You stuffed a couple things in your pack. “I’ll stay at Tommie's and Marias until then. I know you probably dont wanna see my face.” He nodded weakly , his expression nothing but blank. One more final look from you as you headed out the door. Joel couldn't help but let his sobs' spring free. Shameful tears plummeted down his cheeks. He had no idea what to do , was karma out to get him?  After popping by to see Maria , you told her a majority of everything. She gave pity on you , offering the guest bedroom for you to stay in for a bit. Until yours and Joel’s disagreement died down. Tommy caught wind and reassured you that it was only Joel being Joel. He would come around soon. You tried your hardest to believe him. Patrol time came on once again , Tommy volunteered to head off with you. So going with Joel wouldnt make things more tricky than they already were. You had grown to become a good friend with Tommy along with a lot of the other residents in Jackson. The two of you began to set off around the perimeter , heading the route you had been assigned to. Even with the annoyance of the snow , it was nice that day out. Calm and quiet you made sure to keep your eyes open. Trying to not let your argument before with Joel cloud your thought process. Tommy could see how off you were , and as a friend he was gonna lend a helping hand obviously. “Alright over there? Seem stuck in your own world.” He chuckled , patting his sides as he rode along his horse. You took a breath , flinching your hands at the reins. “No if I am being completely honest , I cant shake the argument at all.” You grew a pained smiled over your face. Tommy took a second before responding. “Look its like I said , this is only Joel being Joel. He’s a protector , but sometimes a idiot when it comes to being out with what he feels. He was like that when we were younger , and now its only worse with what yall have gone through.” He went on , you couldn’t really disagree with what he was saying. He gestured his head over to you once Joel came back to subject again. “Besides , he really does care about you.” That made you paused big time. “Really? What do you mean?” You needed to know more. “Whenever he talks about you , he always compliments you in a way. Either on your smarts or how optimistic you are.”  You sucked your teeth in when he brought that up. You could recognize the ‘awe’ growing inside you , reflecting in the warmness of your face. It had put everything into perspective. Maybe he wasn’t so rough and tough like he always exuded. You could never get through to the truth , always blocked off by him time and time again shutting down. “He’s only stubborn , he’ll realize his wrongs and apologize. If you wanna draw it out so much we can make a bet.” He flashed a sympathetic smile. You chuckled in response , “Thanks Tommy but I would rather not bet on my personal life.” He snickered “Fine , I’ll just do it with Maria.” You couldn’t help but giggle lightly. “Suree suree , you keep saying that.”  Now your mood was a little better from before , less down in the dumps than earlier. Becoming more hopeful, you finished logging everything down that you spotted and started heading back to Jackson with Tommy. Surprisingly you guys hadn't ran into any infected. You two carried conversation for a good while , talking about life in the general sense. Mentally you were trying to think of ways to talk to Joel again. Scenarios went through your head with any possible conversation. Stuck in thought , something jolted you immediately into defense mode. That something was gun shots ringing at you and Tommy.  Right away you both collectively tried to fight it off. But shots kept littering out , one even hitting you in the shoulder. You winced in pain and in a panic looked back at Tommy. “GO NOW!” You shouted , the snow fall getting heaver. “No I cant just leave you here!” He tried to shoot at the random sniper among the trees. “This could mean hunters or bandits , warn Jackson!”  “No! We should both get fuckin going!” He continued to shoot at whatever was hitting you guys. “I have this under control , GO TOMMY!” You tried to plead with him. “I promise once I get this bozo I’ll follow right behind you.” Almost as if you were begging him to run of.                                                     •·.·''·.·• The storm was getting heavier and heavier as the two of you continued trying to communicate. Tommy gave you a conflicted expression but finally did as you said. “You better be on my ass as soon as you finish them off!” He shouted over the blizzard.  He made his way the opposite direction , regretful of his decision. Not being able to look be he kept on going forward , hoping that you would come out unscathed.  But you were gonna be okay. You had to be okay. He rode into the gates of Jackson in a hurry , the large wooden doors opening up. People quickly started to notice that you weren’t actually behind Tommy. Joel especially noticed and couldn’t stop thinking of what possibly could have happened. Everything got worse once they heard a horse , it was your horse. Pained neighs came as it trotted in , on its last leg. The poor baby had a fresh gun wound in its side. Quickly it was helped off to the stables for care. Immediately people got to questioning and Tommy tried his hardest to explain. Every ounce of what went down he told. Recalling the guilt he felt leaving you behind. But when he tried to reason you wouldnt let down at all. Ellie was oh so worried , begging to go out and try to find you. She couldn't lose a parental figure , thinking back to Colorado with Joel. Dina even offered to come along. Maria attempted to calm the overlapping voices but Joel again was quiet. The thumping of his pulse could be heard in his ears. What if you were dead? What if they pumped you full of led? He couldn’t stop imaging the sight. Multiple gun holes in your torso , the light drained from your eyes. Your blood was everywhere , the snow going from a pure white to a dark red. He wasn't gonna let some fuckup do who knows what to you. He was gonna make sure his fists were covered in their blood. He clung onto any possibilities , ones where your insides weren’t strung up. He knew you were a fighter , he just hoped they could find you in time.  Along with Dina , Jesse , Ellie , Joel and Maria some other patrol men tagged along. Tommy wanted to go , feeling that he in some way caused this mess. But Maria told him to stay back , since you weren’t the only one wounded in the scuffle. He sighed in defeat but agreed. Wishing the rest of the others good luck. The search party looked out for you , same route you and Tommy headed on. But there were no signs of you. No backpack , no gun no nothing. Even when they found the specific spot where the sniper was spotted , it was almost like you up and left. Though something was uncovered , and it wasn’t something good. Bloody boot tracks were implanted in the snow , almost forming a trail. They could only follow so much and were led with nothing. Maria looked along the trail , realizing the cut off. Dina spoke up , “Thats weird... it doesnt lead to any direction of Jackson.” Ellie agreed , “Yeah they wouldn’t just up and leave. Thats not like them … this has to be something more?” The possibility of you running away swarmed Joel's thoughts. He never meant for you to think he didnt care for you in any way. You became so constant in his life he couldn’t fathom losing you. Maria sighed , contemplating on what to do. “Lets keep on looking , they could have went to get shelter.” Jesse commented along with the groups decision.  “Yeah , doesnt seem so bad. Maybe we check the lodge? That place is pretty nice shelter from the snow.” Everyone else came to an agreement while Joel stayed quiet. Only letting out a murmur in return. Searching for you lead them into a typical wild goose chase. You weren’t stuck at any of the surrounding areas. It didnt help that the weather proceeded to get more rough. Maria ordered everyone to head back , they can continue this all later. Joel couldn’t stop beating himself up about what was going on. He caused this , he was the one to blame. He scared you off... and now fate was coming to give him a message. He couldn’t be frantic, he had to keep on a brave face at least for Ellie. Slowly you started to gain a sliver of consciousness. As your eyes began to focus around , your surroundings were unfamiliar. This wasn't the woods of Jacksonville , instead you were situated in a old house. Walls were in ruins , paint peeling off of them. Whole room was filled to the brim in dust.  Trying to free your hands , you soon realized you were restrained. Both your wrists and ankles were tied. Your wrists were specifically tied to the railing of the homes stairs. You cursed , trying to get a look at what else surrounded you. Thankfully your gun was with you , but not so thankfully all of its ammo was emptied on the floor. Heavy foot falls followed your look around. You heard a gun rifle get cocked back as you met the face of the gun holder. Immediately you started to panic. Thrashing your brain around on how he could have found you. You thought you had lost him?! There in front of you stood the man Zachary Hale , someone of nightmares. His eyes traced over you , a crooked smile on his face. “Oh friend - how wonderful to see you!” He sounded like a full blown maniac. Which was not super far from the truth. “How ya been? The whole new set up treating you well?” He commented , proceeding to pull up a metal chair. “...How did you fucking find me?” You gritted out , clearly annoyed. Slowly blood from your nose trickled down your features. “Oh sweetheart you forget that you cant just lose me THAT easily?”, he snickered. “Its adorable how you think I’m such a dunce , seriously!” He threw his gun to the side , you watched it clank away.  “Seems like you got your smarts knocked back into you.” He’d let out a wheezy chuckle , playing up the friendly tone a little too hard. But not for long was he gonna keep you like this. “So great Hale , whats your fucking plan? Did you just wanna have tea with me in this shithole?” You cracked , trying to hide your anxiousness with humoring him. Immediately you flinched your face back as his screwed up hand cupped your cheek. You could feel the dirt and grime laced into his palm. It also wasn’t hard to notice the nasty hole in the middle of his free hand. “Oh honey... my little angel , you know that Ive missed you.” He said with a sickly smile. “But you haven’t given me any introductions to your new friends.” Right away you realized what he wanted , you could feel your insides twist into knots. “Sooo... I am going to beat the life out of you until you tell me all of their names.” He was definitely amused seeing into in this state of pain , your gun wound from earlier still oozing with blood. Same went for your nose , as the butt of his gun met right with your face earlier. “I’m not gonna tell you anything , you jackass!” You barked , the tight rope of your wrists thrashing at your skin. “Now see , that's where your wrong.” His finger graced the lining of your jaw. You wanted to bite his finger off , shoot him dead and run off. But the thing was you had no idea where you were. You wouldn’t be surprised if he planned this all out meticulously. With how creepy he is , he wasn't the most stupid when it came to getting his way.  “How so asshole , you know I wont ever answer to you.” His lips curved up in enjoyment. “Well your gonna have to or else I’ll let you bleed out in the snow.” You kept your cool , not wanting him to get inside your head. “Even you know I keep my promises!” He leaned back gleefully , retracting his arms and crossing them. “If you dont , then I’m just gonna have to do it myself. So I suggest you cooperate , I want to ruin you like you did to me.” He chuckled with teeth on full display. It was almost like you were starring right back at death itself. “ I wont stop until I get all.my.satisfaction from this.” He made sure to make his point clear. Again , his hand met your face.   “I didn’t do anything! Your the monster here!” You squirmed around , hoping that luck would be by your side. “You wanna go into things you did , cause OH I can name a list.” Suddenly you stiffened up as soon as he said that. You had an idea of what he was gonna utter. His lips situated into the twisted like grin from before. “Shouldn’t you remember killing her in cold blood....?” He whispered into your ear , rage skyrocketing through you. “DONT YOU DARE MENTION HER!” You barked at him , getting a kick in. He stumbled but didnt change in demeanor at all. “Well if your gonna be a such a pain, I will. Maybe lets jog your memory since we’re gonna be cooped up for a while.” He went into a long explanation , dragging out details and making sure you were put to blame. He wanted to rip into you emotionally and it was working. When the outbreak started , you immediately wanted to get away from civilization. Luckily you were able to make it out of your town before military blocked off any roads. You could remember barreling home after finding out what was going on. Your first priority was your daughter. Barreling through your homes front door , your eyes panickily darted around. “Baby!? Baby where are you?! You called through the house. Right away your daughter let herself be known. She had hid inside her closet once she caught commotion outside. Originally you just wanted to get some errands done , but now you had a mission.  Her eyes were teary as she met you with a hug. You calmed her down , needing to make sure you two got out with every ounce of you both intact. You ran out of your house with her , reminding her to leave anything else behind. She listened and you hightailed you guys out of there. Even if you couldn’t get out of your area right away , you needed somewhere to lay low.

Which is when you remembered your parents farm. It was deep in a woods area and was basically off the grid. You knew for a while your father had been always paranoid about something like this happening , so there had to be supplies. Passing through dirt roads and unpaved patches of land you finally arrived.  It was the same as you could recall. Barbed wiring and large metal fences surrounded the area. Your father was a very guarded person. Always prepping for what sort of worst disaster. Guess this time he was right about it. Taking your daughter by the hand you rushed inside the fencing , blocking you off from the outside. By the time you got really inside the home , place was entirely empty. You always thought your parents would be here. Never hesitating to hide away when a storm came brewing. But no... no one was inside. A letter was placed on the fridge door , the hand writing looked frantic. It was your mother , her signature and all placed at the bottom left. "𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵. 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺, 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨.  𝘞𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘻𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘞𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦, 𝘐'𝘮 𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺. 𝘐 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦. 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶."  - 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦 , 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 Thoughts overtook you completely. Why a quarantine zone? I mean this house is stocked up with all essentials. What if they were infected already? What if they were shot and killed? From day one of your existence you had always been prepared for this scenario , so it surprised you they were denying their own protections.

You had to keep on pushing through , for you daughter. You couldn’t get all emotional now. That would have to be saved for the inside of whatever mattress. What ripped you away from your stream of assumptions was your little girl speaking up. “Are we- are we sick?” She mumbled , still teary eyed.

You moved over to her and crouched down since she was sitting on the couch. “Sweetie no , you didn’t let anyone inside right?” You comfortably tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She’d quickly nod her head , she was paranoid out of her mind. A kid her age shouldn’t have to panic so much like this , so you tried to quell her fears.

“Look we’re gonna be safe , okay? Take this like a fun trip! We need to keep some rules in check though so me and you can be safe.” You explained , she clung to you with a fearful nod. Guilt was pouring through you but you couldn’t change the situation you two were in. So the best option was to find a solution , couldn’t be so hard...?

                                                     •·.·''·.·•

What continued was years of hiding. Through your scavenging you found ways to fortify the house so no one got out or in. You were able to somewhat supply your daughter with a stable childhood. With the occurrence of infected always prowling around , they were easily fought off with traps surrounding every corner of the farm. Even though you were guarded to the max , slip ups could potentially happen.

It was the middle of the night. Both you and your daughter were sleeping peacefully, her a couple rooms down from yours. A sawed off shotgun just within your reach. Oddly , you were taken out of your slumber by a loud banging coming from your front door. Which genuinely woke you up , your hand immediately went to your weapon.

You haven't been graced with the presence of any other living humans in years; the infected didnt have any manners of knocking. It led you befuddled , making your exit out of your room to check what was happening. Your daughter had rose from her room and found you. In which you quickly shushed her as you made your way to the cameras.

Clicking through them , you found the source of the loud banging. A...family of three were sat at your front door step. It was a mother , father , and a little girl - she was maybe around the age of six. The man was the one who had been hammering at the front of the house , loudly announcing his presence. By what you could make out from the mother and girl , the mother was carefully holding up the young child. You couldn't observe much anything else , except the annoying persistent stranger.

The presence of your daughter stood behind you , she immediately wanted to know what was had to be done. Firmly , you told her to stay put in her room as you would go deal with this. She replied with an “okay.. be careful mom.” Before making her way back up the stairs. Pinching your nose , you cocked your gun and headed to your homes entrance. Immediately as sign of life was heard from inside , the raucous finally quelled. You unlocked the door and it swung in your way , meeting the father with the muzzle of your shotgun at his chest. Instantly he staggered back , so did the mother with her child. Clearly you were pissed off , and you were not gonna be so kind to strangers. “Who are you and what the fuck are you doing at my home?” You grunted out , adjusting you firearm to make sure it was up and shown. The mom and dad made panicked glancing looks before the father finally spoke up. “Look , we were part of a QZ before this. It got tarnished by a resistance group. We’re just trying to find shelter , and our daughter was injured in a scuffle.” The guy explained basically their whole entire story. You listened intently , trying to come up with what to do. “Please , we mean you no harm. Only thing I’m asking for is if you could maybe lend us some medical supplies,” Something else popped up in his head. “Or you could check out her leg wound , but that's all we need.” As the man rambled , your eye peeked over at the two behind him. The mothers eyes looked mortified , clearly this wasn't some ploy. You heart crumbled into tiny pieces as you saw the younger one. She was shaking , her small hands gripping onto her mother. You could recall the start of the outbreak , your mortified daughters expression as the new predicament shaped her childhood.

You sighed and moved your gun away from view. The mans more panicked attitude switched to somewhat awkward. You spoke up , looking at the three before you got to talking. “...Seeing as if your not some sort of trick , I will let you inside. On one condition - you only stay here for the night.” The father right away shook his head in agreement. Before he could say anything more , you cut him off. “We have rooms you can stay in , but you dont touch anything else. Do you hear me clear.” It was almost like a command. Again , the man shook his head into agreement. “Yes yes , thank you so much...!” You nodded in return and let them inside. The rest of the night was a majority of you showing them around. Examining the kids injury , it at first looked like just a couple scrapings. Which you in the end helped with some rubbing alcohol and a cloth. Your daughter came down , ease dropping for most of the confrontation. The parents collectively were thankful for your helpfulness , you only really replying with a gritting “No problem at all.” The threes stay expanded from one day to more. To be completely honest you weren’t mad about it. More people around wasn’t so terrible , and your daughter was getting nicely along with their youngest. But from your earlier predictions , you may have been wrong about it being some couple scratches. Oh would you be so regretful of what you did. Though the belittlement of your past actions was stopped; as you felt your face exit the piercingly cold lake water. You regained your breath , your shivering only getting worse by then. Hale had the ends of your hair balled into a fist , he had a rough grip on it. “What - you gonna budge now?” His hold only got tighter as you squirmed. Through gasps and blood coughing out of your mouth , “Fuck no you dipshit!”  As the cold red liquid trailed down your lip from seemingly days of torture , he threw you to the side. You tumbled not too far , but felt stuck in your moment. Your odds of getting out of this were slim. You couldn't just think your way out of this like the many times before. He’d let out a coarse chuckle , making his way over to you. “God how I always loved your stubbornness.”  Your rigid body was dragged back inside of the run down home , you were met with the cold wooden floor. He looked at you , something was ticking away. “Times running out but I’m a patient man. So I am gonna let you rest until tomorrows fun activities.” He gave you a solemn look before again , leaving your sights. Left to way there - you deep dived back into your past. Going through the mistakes you made to get here. The day your world view plummeted was a week after you’d let the young family stay with you. It was early morning at the farm , sun cupping up into the sky. Even though the sights outside looked so pretty , the inside of your home was not the same.  What awoke you was the startled shrieks of your daughter. Garbled commotion was all you could hear , and right away you were on your feet. When you made your way downstairs you couldn’t be anymore shocked. The young girl was infected , trying to devour her parents. She was eating into her mothers neck , while the father was already out for the count. Right away your gun went off , but it missed the now infected kid. Your daughter was yelling for you , yelling to get her. Before you could make the perfect shot , the now turned child already got a swipe at your daughter. Fucking finally you were able to land a head shot right through the head of the monster. Briskly , two more shots rang out. You were frozen in your path , weapon dropping in your hand. Before your brain could clock what was going on , your daughter spoke. Her voice was chocked with tears as she held her arm. “Mama... I’m gonna become a monster.” That grabbed your attention as you saw what your idiotic decisions gave you.  Your daughter was bit on her forearm , she couldn't stop crying. “Mama please dont let me become one of them!” She begged you , her frame wrapping around your torso. Cautiously you wrapped your arms around her , this would be your final hug. Your head looked back to your dropped gun , her daughters loud sobbs were muffled into you. You looked down at your baby girl and adjusted your view to look at her.  “Honey lets head outside , I wanna show you something.” The two of you shared a look. Through a begrudging smile you ushered her outside. You took her to a nearby field , entirely empty with no civilization for miles. “Why dont you turn around for me and pick some of the flowers?” You mumbled as you gestured to the small patch of daisies.  One last final look , she looked like she knew what was gonna happen. As she crouched down , she began to grab at the patch of flowers. “I love you baby... I hope you know that.” She turned back , again staring you right down. “I love you too mama.” She replied with a quivering smile. She began to hum as she went back to doing what you asked. Your eyes poured out so much tears , you reloaded your gun with ammo. “Remember our song baby? I want you to sing it as loud as you can.” You felt as if your knees were about to go weak.  She listened and began with more volume , sing that same tune. As the words of “Make your own kind of music” came from her mouth , you counted down mentally. Backwards from three , the noise around you went quiet. Only being able to see what you did. Your daughter fell into the flowers , a gun shot to the back of her head.  You finally fell to the grass , erupting into painful sobbing. You crawled over and cradled her in your arms. Repeating's of “I’m sorry” came from your lips as you rocked back and fourth. You never expected to be so alone , but now you were. You lost the only thing that kept you going in this cold world. You wanted to die with her that day but you couldn’t. A crack from a branch came from out of nowhere. You realized where you were , laying on a large tree. Your eyes opened , meeting the face of Joel Miller. Petrified seeing the state you were in. Bleeding out and gravely injured , you could only meet him with a breath of life and curve of your lips.

                                  **END (part 2 coming soon)**

#Tlou #tlou fanfic #the last of us fanfic #tlou fanfiction #the last of us fanfiction #the last of us #the last of us part one #the last of us part two #the last of us part 2 #Joel Miller #Joel Miller x reader #Joel Miller angst #Joel Miller fic #Joel Miller fanfic #joel miller fanficition #SO UH YEAH- #I hope you guys enjoyed this #I wanted to split it up into a two parter because it felt like it was getting OVERLY long #I promise to expand more on this when I get the next part out #This was honestly super detailed and im proud of myself for making something so long #I just hope you guys like this #ly!! ^^

[raiquen]

Book Review: The Invisible Man, H. G. Wells

My review in a Tweet:

"Would men turn evil if they were free from society?" is a frequent question in fiction and phylosophy in general, and while it's present in this book, it has been exaggerated on literary analysis that followed it. Overall, an interesting read with a very dull middle part.

Complete Review:

I decided to pause my other readings to dive into special thematic books for Halloween, while also complementing the nights I watch movie classics. So, for the first special review, I chose "The Invisible Man", by Herbert George Wells.

Years ago, I read "The Time Machine" by the same author, and it left a good impression of his writing skills. This time, while it wasn't bad, I'd say it left me a little unimpressed. The prose and descriptions, like the dialogues, were precise and well written but a bit dense. Wells would go over too many details, and although it's probably a common product of its time, it lacks a more deep or meaningful story.

The book it's divided in chapters, but I think the plot it's separated in four parts:

The arrival of the Invisible Man to a small town, his secret protected by the costume he wears.

The reveal of the secret and the following chaos.

The origin of the Invisible Man, told by himself to an old friend he runs into.

The manhunt of the Invisible Man.

The first part it's quite interesting as a reader, because we know what his secret is, so it's fun to read the guesses of the townspeople and the "mysterious events" that surround the stranger.

The second part is also fun, because of the paranoia and desbelief that the reveal of the Invisible Man provokes.

This third part, his backstory, the one I was most eager to read about (driven by the curiosity of getting to know how would the author explain or justify Griffins' invisibility) turned out to be so dull and slow. The proccess is a bit uninteresting (applying the refracting properties of an object to another thanks to a machine barely described), but the tedious first days of Griffin as an invisible man and his laments for all the unfortunate stuff that happens to him because no one can notice him is so... unsufferable. Specially because H.G. Wells decides to describe a lot the most boring stuff. We barely get to see a truly evil Invisible Man.

He does tell to his old friend that he needs an accomplice to declare his Reign of Terror, but by the time we reach this point, we have 10% or 15% of the book left, so the last part is mostly his friends saying No to him and helping the local police capture him (because the narration of his first days invisible gave him the information he needed). Griffin kills a man and injuries badly a few more men, but besides that and stealing money and food, he's no more evil than any person left behind by society.

So maybe, another possible interpretation to this story is not "Do men turn evil when free from society's watchful eye?" but rather "Men will do what they must to survive in a society that won't notice (help) them". Then, maybe, after a life like that, they will grow resentful and bitter like Griffin.

Score: 6.5/10.

My other 2023 readings.

#book reviews #book review #invisible man #h g wells #science fiction #literature #book #2023 readings #my 2023 readings #me

[erinthewriter-blog]

Create 3-Dimensional Characters!

After years of using character profile templates and being frustrated by the fact that there is never enough room to write and that the questions didn’t go deep enough, I created The Character Backstory Workbook! As an author who knows that readers come for the plot, but stay for compelling characters, I set out to create a tool for writers who want to craft 3-dimensional characters that readers could have an emotional investment in and know like their best friend. Asking what a character’s hair color is isn’t “unhelpful,” but most writers need questions that trigger their imagination.

This 100+ question digital download (or you could print it out) includes:

•    A family history deep-dive

•    A closer look into your character’s childhood

•    Explores their platonic and romantic relationships (past and present).

•    Examines their goals, desires, fears, flaws, strengths, and how they transform the plot! + more

This book will spark ideas and build character arcs that raise the stakes in your plot! Grab a copy and get to writing ♥️

#writers on tumblr #writers of tumblr #creative writing #artists on tumblr #dark academia #cottagecore #novel writing #writblr #screenwriting #writing #screenplay #nanowrimo #book writing #book outline #romance writing #writing prompt #writing community #writing inspiration #writing advice #writing tips

[chaos-and-ink]

5 and/or 11 for the fic author asks! 💖

5. What's a piece of lore you haven't shown in your fic or don't think you'll be able to add in? in You Watched Me Burn, I have a whole backstory for Bucky's life before he met Brock. Consisting of his days in Indiana, the big move to New York, his fiancé, Alexander, and the few months after getting dumped. I have a ton of lore for all of that but I don't know if I can fit it all in this fanfic other than a few hints/flashbacks so I'd like to possibly write a sequel. Also part of YWMB, is that Steve has been in a very unhealthy relationship before as well. It's been hinted at a few times in a couple scenes but I'll get to dive a bit more into it in the next chapter! I won't be able to cover everything I want to cover in this fanfic because it just doesn't fit with Bucky's perspective, so I want to write another other fanfiction for that too possibly 😅

11. Is there anything important in your fic you think readers have missed/overlooked? Oh boy, I'd really have to think about this. I think some readers have missed/overlooked how As Stable As Water Bucky is affected by his parents overprotective/helicopter behaviour. Maybe I haven't dug too deep in this topic yet but their attempts at keeping him safe are ultimately hurting him worse because he hasn't had any exposure to sexual education, is unable to use the internet to find answers to questions about what healthy relationships look like, and is sheltered to the point he doesn't have access to information regarding identities that could help him understand himself better as an unlabeled asexual. He also isn't able to access information regarding how he feels so he has no idea what Bipolar is or how it's affecting him and instead he is extremely undereducated and left very vulnerable. While Bucky's parents really only do want what's best for Bucky and love him and want to protect him, they are ultimately going about it in all the wrong ways. The controls and surveillance is setting Bucky up to allow that kind of behaviour from other people (Brock) in the future. And their conservative, religious, overreactive demeanor distances Bucky from opening up to them.

thank you so much for the ask! I really love questions omggg. 💙

#you watched me burn #as stable as water #ask box #writer ask game

[munsons-maiden]

I'm so scared that now that we get the book Eddie really won't be back and all the hints and teases were bc of the book bc Joe is on board with that and what if he meant that? 😭

I see where this is coming from but I absolutely don't think that the book means Eddie won't return

Look at the other characters who got books so far (novels, not graphic novels):

Suspicious Minds - Dr Brenner

Darkness On The Edge Of Town - El and Hopper

Runaway Max - Max

Rebel Robin - Robin

Lucas On The Line - Lucas

There's a very clear pattern here: every single one of these characters is an important recurring character who's been in at least 2 seasons.

And all of these books, including Eddie's, feature said recurring character's backstory. Even if we ignore the first two books and only focus on Runaway Max, Rebel Robin and Lucas On The Line, it's clear that these books offer a deep-dive into each of these main characters' pasts.

Which places Eddie once more on the same level as the recurring main characters of the season.

I've always said that Eddie is a main character based on this post by @strangerthings4theories which perfectly sums up the differences between main characters and supporting characters and from which we can clearly see that Eddie is the new main character introduced this season (and not Argyle or Dmitri etc) PLUS by the level of marketing and promo Eddie got before and after the season aired (Netflix even comissioning an artist to create an "Alive in the Upside Down poster" and so so SO much more) and the way Joe was doing more promo than the actors playing recurring characters combined.

If anything, this book is another big reason to believe that Eddie will return.

Which brings me to my second point.

2. Eddie is not just a fan favorite; he's THE fan favorite. Which makes him Netflix's personal favorite, I suppose. An Eddie novel will bring a lot of money - and imagine how much more money he'll bring them if he returns on screen, which yeah a book is nice but we want him back on screen. Alive and thriving. And they know that, Shawn Levi has said so himself (remember that "We know you love him, so do we, we know you want him back, we heard you"-interview on that red carpet).

Which means that:

3. They KNOW what they have with him, and they've been relentlessly showing us that with said promo, special comissioned posters, etc. They've been doing that looong after Vol 2 had aired: Oh and remember that crop circle?

What I'm trying to say is, even if Joe's winks and I-know-something-you-don't-know smirks were because he already knew there'd be a novel and that he'd be involved in that novel (btw he's the only actor involved in the creation of his character's novel) that still doesn't mean he doesn't know more (he said himself that he knew stuff about ST5 in that interview with Jamie, which in itself is super sus because actors leaving huge popular shows like ST usually don't know what'll happen in the next season if they're not part of it anymore. To put it in relation - Jenna Ortega, who played a fan favorite on Netflix's You for two seasons wasn't even told how the season would end beforehand so she wouldn't be able to spoil anything, and You isn't as big as ST.)

And all that Eddie promo Netflix dropped...for a novel? I don't think that makes sense, considering the novels are a nice little treat on the side but the actual business is the season, the things on screen, not on a printed page.

4. The book's release date is set nicely right between seasons. Screams "hey remember that guy, hm? Hm? ;)" for the general public. Means, keeping the hype going for the general public.

5. The author of the book is Caitlin Schneiderhan, who's one of the writers of ST4. No other ST novel has been written by a ST writer. My thoughts on the matter are summarized here.

6. And finally, the topic of the book will make neither his return nor a spin-off for him redundant because we learn about his past but only some of it (it'll be set in his first senior year in 1984 and likely explain what happened for him to be held back the first time).

So in conclusion,

Eddie will be back and him getting his own novel is only further reason to believe it.

#kiki answers #eddie munson #stranger things 5 #stranger things

[the-cryptographer]

Went on some deep dive on the debate on the archive's 'Creator Chose Not to Warn' tag and ended up feeling kinda disgusted with people on multiple ends of the debate.

I admit I really don't like the archive's warning system. I know I'm a pedant but it feels very... imprecise to me. A lot of people are arguing that people overtag with the violence and choose not to warn tags when the contents are 'mild' but... what makes something 'mild'? It's not 'mild' if it can trigger someone, and most if not all things can. I've been sent on upsetting intrusive thought spirals by something the author considered fluffy and I considered deeply dystopian. So what makes something a 'graphic depiction of violence'? Does the act of violence have to by physical in nature to be graphic?

This feels like the debate about the distinction between 'dubcon' and 'noncon'. A distinction I do actually think is valuable in a literary sense! I definitely feel there is a difference between erotica where the characters entering into an iffy or under-negotiated sex act seem to be having fun (dubcon, imo), verses something that intends to ask a lot of questions about the boundaries of consent and and what is or is not a valid reason to choose to offer sex (also dubcon, imo), verses something where one character is actively coercing someone they have social power over into presumably unwanted sex acts (noncon, imo), verses someone violently disregarding another character's verbal or physical nonconsent (also noncon, imo). But at what point is the archive warning encouraging an environment where like... we are not acknowledging that many flavours of dubcon are just a flavour of rape fiction, and aren't necessarily less triggering, and should probably be warned for and tagged as such - not living in this grey zone that exists between the rape/noncon warning and no archive warnings apply.

And also how much does this go for like... things that are implied as a major part of the backstory? Or fiction where no rape occurs literally on page, but the story uses violently sexual imagery that is evocative of that? This is literary fiction. None of it is real except what it invokes in us as writers and readers. So if I write something to be evocative of a purposefully upsetting theme, I feel that deserves a warning for it in a way that the standardised archive warnings don't really express.

Also, what is the relationship between these tags and the fandom's original canon? Like, if I'm writing a fic for a video game where characters routinely get splattered up to their eyeballs in gore, at what point am I expected to warn for 'graphic violence' that is entirely canon typical? Presumably you wouldn't be here in this fandom's tag if you couldn't stomach characters getting splattered in gore. Does that require a special archive warning? 90% of the fics in this fandom tag should have it then! How is that helpful for sorting out which ones are next level violent?! But would it be right to leave that warning out, when compared to the fics in your feed that you wrote for softer canons, it is excessively violent? And the same goes with canons that deal heavily in themes of sexual violence. At what point do you need a warning that a character who was raped in canon may have flashbacks about that?

idk, just do not think these tags have nuance or clarity of purpose and i do not like using them. and maybe that's silly of me - to 'choose not to use archive warnings' and opt out of using the tools the site has available. But... I will warn in the additional tags or the author's note for what I think needs to contextually be warned for in a fic so as to best help readers make an informed decision. And if i mess that up, like... I can take responsibility for that on my own terms at least, instead of the terms people read into the existing archive warning system.

But it is vaguely upsetting to me that to see takes where 'choosing not to use archive warnings' is a button for opting out of the social responsibility of at least attempting to label your work for what it is, because it would be an, uwu, 'boner killer' to acknowledge you're writing about sexual violence. Because it ruins your day to try to put into words what you're writing and for what purpose. Like, if you can't do that, yeah, maybe you shouldn't be posting in a public/semi-public space (depending on whether you're posting it locked or not). And, like, yeah- I can't stop you. And I wouldn't be comfortable making the call to do so even if I had the power to. But don't expect me to clap for what is unpleasant, irresponsible, antisocial behaviour.

#i think this is ultimately what turned me off the pranti debate #like i realise the world is full of entitled and angry social media bullies who are ready to mob you for good faith attempts to accommodate #but going off in the other direction and expecting a medal for brazenly being like 'idgaf about being accommodating' is #awful

[themuppetagenda]

A few years ago I read the third Mistborn book (Brandon Sanderson) accidentally believing that it was the first book in the series. The whole time I was reading it I kept exclaiming to my s/o how great it was that the author didn't overexplain anything. How the characters clearly had some history together but it was just hinted at through periodic references. It was an already established rebellion that didn't need an origin story.

I was so excited. I loved it. No backstory deep dives, no long side quests, no repeated macguffin fetching; it was so fresh for a fantasy book to just jump right into the action. I really enjoyed the two days I spent thinking the fantasy genre had started a pivot into contextual backstory where the reader just got to infer things.

#mistborn #cosmere #brandon sanderson #fantasy #i am not a smart man #sanderson

[sapphire-weapon]

will you ever do analysis’s on other characters besides leon? (sry if u have before i just only ever see leon stuff here LOL) cause i would love to hear ur thoughts on other re characters

I've done deep dives on how the trajectory of Ada's character arc seems to have changed in Remake to be one fueled by a mixture of curiosity and guilt. I also talk about Chris every so often.

The thing is with Leon is

RE4make is new and I'm still digging into it and probably will be for the rest of the year, both in anticipation for Separate Ways and as an eventual response to it

There was a stretch of about seven years where my primary contribution to RE fandom was RPing Leon on livejournal/dreamwidth, which is a venue that requires you to be extremely fluent in your character, so knowing the intricacies of his character was basically a part-time job for literal years. This is a huge reason why I was considered an authority on his character back in the LJ/early tumblr days of fandom. I'm not trying to be egotistical when I say that I was considered "The best Leon on LJ" and so people came to me for shit.

So, like. I'm more than happy to talk about other characters if people ask me about them, but talking about Leon comes to me naturally because I know the ins and outs of him like the back of my hand, and it's my primary focus because RE4make is the most recent game release in RE.

It's depressing for me to know that I lost my status as an authority on him to someone who's never played the games and understands Leon's character so little that they think the mafia backstory is canon. I would've at least liked to have passed that torch to someone who knew what the fuck they were talking about. Now the whole fandom sucks.

[kitkatt0430-recommends]

My dive back into my old FFnet favorites continues and I'm bringing some more recs here for anyone interested in them. Still giving them my own summaries to convey my own impressions of the fics.

As You Wish by YarningChick - A fusion of The Cat Returns and The Princess Bride. Haru is the fiercely proud daughter of a samurai who has vowed to marry none other than her sweetheart - not even his death at sea could change her mind. Unfortunately, the King has decided he is going to marry Haru, whether she likes this idea or not.

Haru/Baron is the main ship and the fic itself is rated G. The main cast is all characters from The Cat Returns and while Haru is very different from her movie self, it's still a really fun and enjoyable re-imagining of The Princess Bride's plot. YarningChick has written a lot of fics for The Cat Returns - most AUs of some sort - and they're pretty much all enjoyable. So not only does the fic get a recommendataion, the author does too.

It looks so far like all YarningChick's fics are on Ao3, so that's where the links will lead.

The Angel's Knight by Philip S - Sixteen years after her death saving the world from Glory, Buffy is given the chance to return to life to aid Angel in one final Apocalypse to determine the world's future. But the truth of what's really happening is bigger than anyone could have possibly imagined.

I remember this one especially for it's rather fascinating take on what happened the night Eyghon killed Giles' pre-series and helps to explain some of the inconsistencies with his earlier portrayal and retcons made as characterization marched on. It's also got my favorite take on Catherine Madison post-trophy-ification and an interesting interpretation of the Key.

Rated T, has Buffy/Angel as the main ship, and is, unfortunately, not to be found on Ao3 yet.

BtVS: The College Years by Philip S - A Season 4 AU. With the Slayer beyond their control for the moment, the Watcher's Council chooses to reactivate the Slayer's counterpart: the Huntsman. Meanwhile, Buffy's dealing not only with college, but with the arrival of soldiers intending to fight the good fight… and whose presence will unearth more of Sunnydale's bloodstained history.

This one I remember really enjoying for the take on the Slayer that it was one of two powerful, ancient spirits. And also for incorporating Angel's return to being human via the Mohra demon, but not allowing him to roll back time like in canon. It's obvious to the reader what Angel's in store for as the fic goes on, but how he gets there is pretty fascinating.

It is rated M for a non-con encounter between Buffy and the first guy to become the Huntsman. So reader beware. The main ship is Buffy/Angel. And, like the rest of Philip S's work, it's not on Ao3 at this time.

If It's Not One Thing… by Gabrielle Lawson - There's never a dull moment on Deep Space Nine as murder, secretive aliens, and Julian's past collide. An alternate take on Julian Bashir's past written before the reveal of his parents or genetic engineering.

Probably my favorite fic about Julian. His backstory here is really well thought out and really quite tragic and it definitely captures the feel of early seasons DS9, with the tensions between Starfleet and the Bajorans playing an important part of the storyline.

It's rated T and is on Ao3 now, along with Gabrielle Lawson's other works. Lawson's Deep Space Nine fics are all pretty good from what I remember, though this one was my favorite.

The Geek's Field Guide to Arachnids by likethekoschka - A big robot spider, anaphylactic shock, and a number of near-death-experiences… all just another ordinary day on Atlantis for John and Rodney. First in a series staring John Sheppard and Rodney McKay in an established relationship, written by liketheriver and koschka under their combined penname.

While at least one of the writers moved to Ao3, it doesn't look like they brought any of their ffnet stuff - solo or cowritten - with them. Which is a shame, but I can hold out hope these'll get migrated to somewhere safer than ffnet eventually. (Like Ao3…)

All of the fics in this series are rated T and I cannot recommend the series enough for Stargate Atlantis fans. It's incredibly well written and a lot of fun to read. Features what is probably my favorite version of Radek Zelenka.

Atlas by distractedKat - Star Trek Kelvin-verse fic set after the 2009 movie and AU from there. Kirk throws himself into aiding the rebuilding of Starfleet in the wake of the Narada disaster as Starfleet Academy has found itself short staffed. This may not have been such a good idea, as his many talents have caught the eye of a corrupt Admiral…

An eventual Kirk/Spock fic that treats Spock and Uhura's friendship really well. Rated T and is up on Ao3.

#type: rec list #rec list #fandom: star trek #fandom: stargate atlantis #fandom: star trek - kelvin verse #fandom: star trek - ds9 #fandom: ds9 #fandom: buffy the vampire slayer #fandom: the cat returns

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (12-18 Feb 2023)

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

😊 "List of People Who Disappeared Mysteriously at Sea" (Jen Myers) - nicely eerie short story

😊 In The Market For Murder (Lady Hardcastle Mysteries #2) (T.E. Kinsey, author; Elizabeth Knowelden, narrator) - again, I'm a fan of the breezy 'not-super-serious-about-historical-accuracy-in-the-small-details' tone; I really like that Flo & Lady H have this backstory/history that we only find small bits about here and there

😍 Same As It Ever Was (QuokkaFoxtrot) - 62K, Steddie - EXCELLENT time-loop fixit AU

🥰 Cabin Pressure - Series 1: Abu Dhabi to Fitton (John Finnemore, author; Stephanie Cole/Roger Allam/Benedict Cumberbatch/John Finnemore, voice cast) - entertained again by the crew of MJN Airlines

😍 Matchmaker, Matchmaker, Make Steve a Match (BlueSimplicity) - 209K, shrunkyclunks - omegaverse (but fairly nontrad, no mpreg) - the slow burn tag is not inappropriate but also it kind of doesn't FEEL that slow! deep worldbuilding, excellent epistolary component, incredible OC's, the differences/subversions of trad omegaverse tropes gave me clowfish AU vibes, which I loved

😍 Will Wonders Never Cease (PorcupineGirl) - 56K, zimbits AU, You've Got Mail/She Loves Me fusion - magic's real, Bitty's a tech witch with a very cute familiar - read this in one sitting and my face hurt when I was done from smiling so much

🥰 Luke and Billy Finally Get a Clue (Cat Sebastian) - novella, set in 1953; to paraphrase the official description: two best friend pro ball players finally figure their shit out, featuring: inclement weather, only one (real) bed and some hurt/comfort. Technically this is set in the Cabot Universe but there are zero Cabots in this one. Cat continues to score home runs on vibes alone. I love her books so, so much!

💖💖 +189K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

I Want You to Find Me (PorcupineGirl) - Check Please!: zimbits, 23K - canon-divergent AU where Bitty's a camboy that catches Jack's attention (while also still being his former teammate and all)

Ruin me (rainbow_nerds) - Stranger Things: steddie, 11K - absolutely cannot get enough of a reunion/2nd chance fic!!!!! fluffy AF!

Critical Feline Mass (Kryptaria, zooeyscigar) - MCU: stucky, 39K - no-powers AU where they're both retired military, Steve rents an apt to a still-struggling-to-reintegrate Bucky & sparks (and feelings) fly. also there are a lot of adorable kittens.

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Tom Scott & Gavin Free - "We tried the Hot Ones sauces. It was painful."

Queer Historical Romance panel with KJ Charles, AL Lester & Lex Croucher presented by The Portal Bookshop

Poker Face - s1, e5-7

Our Flag Means Death - s1, e8-10

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

⭐ Vibe Check - NFL = National Fenty League

Digital Folklore - Monsters and Mental Healthcare - Vivian Asimos & Kathleen Hale

The Sporkful - Alan And Arlene Alda Bonded Over A Fallen Rum Cake

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - The Henry Miller Memorial Library

You Must Remember This - 1984: "Vioporn," Body Double and Crimes of Passion (Erotic 80s Part 7)

Switched on Pop - “Flowers” and the art of the response song

Digital Folklore - Hidden Meanings (Haunted Videogames, ARGs, & Folk Groups)

Strange Customs - Katie Lowes and Adam Shapiro—The Rock

It's Been a Minute - Unlocking desire through smut; plus, the gospel of bell hooks

⭐ Vibe Check - There’s Dog Years, and Then There’s Queer Years

ICYMI Plus - The Internet’s Black Emo Renaissance

99% Invisible #525 - The Chinatown Punk Wars

⭐ Fated Mates - S05.22: Trailblazer K.J. Charles

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Pushkin’s Duel

Welcome to Night Vale #222 - Makarov the Magical

Shedunnit - Bonus: Tana French on Josephine Tey

Fated Mates - S05.14: Band Sinister by KJ Charles

Writing Excuses - 18.07: Deep Dive into THE SPARE MAN

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Cactoblastis Memorial Cairn

Writing Excuses - 18.05: An Interview with Mary Robinette Kowal

Ologies - Melaninology (SKIN/HAIR PIGMENT) with Tina Lasisi

You Must Remember This - 1985: Fear Sex. Jagged Edge & AIDS (Erotic 80s Part 8)

Endless Thread - The Journeys of Two Russian Anti-War YouTubers

Strong Songs - From Bach to Miles Davis, with Emily Reese

You're Dead To Me - Early Medieval Papacy

It's Been a Minute - Kelela's guide for breaking up with men

Dear Prudence - My Partner Might Be in Conversion Therapy. Help!

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

Rihanna

The Celtic Spirit

my 'Thumbs Up' playlist

Tropical Dance Pop

Hi-Scores

#sunday reading recap #bookgeekgrrl's reading habits #bookgeekgrrl's soundtracks #fanfic ftw #the guest appearances in poker face have been *chef's kiss* #vibe check podcast #fated mates podcast #atlas obscura podcast #switched on pop podcast #99% invisible podcast #you're dead to me podcast #writing excuses podcast #shedunnit podcast #welcome to night vale #digital folklore podcast #the sporkful podcast #ologies podcast #you must remember this podcast #endless thread podcast #strong songs podcast #icymi podcast #it's been a minute podcast #strange customs podcast #dear prudence podcast #rihanna #fan artists are a *gift*