#i'd wait to post it until i'd make it digital but let's be real

[sonchus-arvensis]

Haha angsty tv man

#i'd wait to post it until i'd make it digital but let's be real #anyway im in hazbin hotel phase even tho i didnt believe it could be good #it's good #i stan these broadway bops they make two per episode #yes feed us #also look at this pathetic tv guy #he simps soooo bad for a stupid tumblr sexyman #haha #idiot #staticradio #unrequited staticradio #vox #alastor #hazbin hotel #vox x alastor #moje

[blackpensils]

Hi! I saw your post about possible prompts and the struggle of creating, and the urge to let out everything about that au yet stuck(?) in a block. I would like to say that I so incredibly love your Hereafter AU! And I am always happy to see art and concept connected to that! I love the kids so much, each of them! (I am just a silent admirer, but I am here. ^^) Your works always make me smile when I see them, and I'd always be open and all 'ears' (read: eyes in this case) to learning more about them. So as a so-called prompt, what about telling/showing a typical day of them? Character(s) is your choice. It can be a Friday or a Saturday, just them hanging out, having their 'usual' (or not so usual) day. With or without their family member or being with just friends, the details are totally up to you. - Alice

You have no idea how happy reading this made me. And it is perfectly fine to be a silent admirer. Not everyone has to be vocal about their admiration for someone else's work and that is okay. Just knowing that people enjoy my art and au is more than enough for me to be inspired to continue with it.

Now buckle up, this gets long.

Now, I'm not sure which of the kids people enjoy seeing the most of or which they want to see more of, but for your prompt I think I'm going to go with Jax. I don't do enough with his character, and he is, in my opinion, a very interesting character.

I've mentioned before that Jax is very unenthusiastic about pretty much everything. He is lazy and he would rather play games or tinker with some invention or code than anything else. He has little interest in ghost hunting or even using his powers, even though he has already decided to join the family business when he grows up (mostly so he doesn't have to put any real effort into school).

But your average day for Jax usually starts with a frozen alarm clock. He usually waits until the very last minute to get out of bed on a school day, and on the weekends you can very much expect him to sleep till noon. He is not a morning person whatsoever and you can not have a intelligent conversation with him until he's had at least a can of coffee. He doesn't even have the energy to walk down the stairs in the mornings, usually teleporting down into the kitchen and scaring his family in the process when he appears out of nowhere.

In school he is very passive. He will not be an active participant in class, and if he's called upon to answer a question he will say he doesn't know it or just shrug his shoulders. Even when he does know the answer. He also doesn't pay much attention in class, either. He will often be found doddling in his notebooks and even corrections in his textbooks on areas where he finds errors. He has sticky notes inside of his textbooks where he's written additions and such to the text. His teacher saw this once and tried to push him to show his true intellect. It didn't work.

He doesn't have many friends in or outside of school. This is intentional though since he finds most people exhausting. Most of the time he spends it with Misty or with Aeleigh. Misty being his sister it's obvious that they'd be close, but Aeleigh is his best friend. When Misty isn't present or is away spending time with her friends or with Lennie, Jax is most likely with Aeleigh. They spend lunch together and spend their recess together. Even though Aeleigh doesn't understand it most of the time, Jax will talk about code and inventions and stuff like it with her. She will often draw what he's talking about and he will point out corrections to the design. He often use them as reference when he's building and inventing stuff.

He will often be seen with his switch in hand. It is more of a miniature computer than it is a gaming concole. He's tweaked it. He can use it to hack and has done so before. Like said, he's increadibly smart and has been naturally giften when it comes to machinery and digital coding. Think Jazz brain and Jack and Maddie's technological smarts put into together, and then amp it up a bit.

Jax doesn't really have any extracurricular activites like Lennie, who does gymanstics, or Misty, who's made it a personal mission to learn as many instruments as she possibly can before graduation. Instead he'll spend his days in his room or down in the fenton lab. Down there he'll be found tinkering with inventions or coding something. Upgrading Aeleigh's ghost gauntlets perhaphs? Who knows, really.

If he's not in the lab, you'll find him in his room. While he does have a toolbox and metal scraps and half-finished inventions (an alarm clock that's being upgraded, a computer that's being tweaked, etcetera), he usually spends his time up there watching tv shows or movies. He prefers cartoons. In his opinion they follow a formula, which makes them easy. He's a brony. He has very strong opinions when it comes to cartoons and he can talk about them for hours if you give him the chance. It's the one area where he's extremelly passionate.

Some days after school, he and Misty have ghost training. Meaning that they have training sessions at the Ghost Hunting Academy to learn how to use their powers. Danny and Valerie started it when Ghost's became a more videspread problem and didn't their kids to have it as rough as they did when they were teens.

Whereas Misty is a natural in her ghost form (being born a ghost, after all), Jax is less than enthused about it. He doesn't really care much for his ghost half and he doesn't transform if he has to. Even during training you'll find him being human unil he absolutely has to transform to use his full abilities.

Now, here's the thing about the twins. Misty is naturally a ghost, right? Jax is human and if he could choose, he would pick being human. But if they were put against each other and they had to fight seriously, it wouldn't be as easy to say who'd win the fight. You'd assume Misty since she's a natural fighter, but Jax is a better strategist. And he knows his sister well. And he knows how she fights. Where Misty has the brute strength, Jax has the brains. You could say they anchor each other.

And, of course, the end of the day would be a family dinner and then it would be off to bed. The kids would retreat to their rooms and be your average anti-social teen.

But that's how a normal day for Jax is. That's pretty much what a usual day is like. They do sometimes spend time together after school, like hanging out at someone's house or at the park. They might go see a movie or something like it, but Jax isn't very sociable. He needs his personal space and time for himself. And this is what that would look like.

___

Throwing in some Lennie facts as well. Mostly because she has the more interesting family dynamic. See, she has two younger half-brothers on Paulina's side (Justin, 11, and Adrian, 5), as well as an older half-brother (Ryan, about 18) on Dash's side. Not to mention that Paulina's married to a very wealthy and well-known fashion designer. Her typical day can be a bit... interesting depending on which day we're talking about.

But she spends a lot of her freetime doing gymnastics. She's good at it because she's done it for so long now, but at this point it's not something that she's passionate about anymore.

It used to be.

She started it because she loved it. Then she started to compete and Paulina got very competitive about her winning. But it was never her fault that she lost, it was always the judge or one of the other moms, etcetera. But it made Lennie feel bad and then it just turned into something she does because she's been doing it for so long.

But at school Lennie spends most times with her friends. And not always Misty, Jax and Aeleigh. Since she didn't become friends with Misty until later on in the school year, she already have a friend group at school. She does spend time with Misty during school hours as well, but she does often times eat lunch with her other friends.

At home she spends a lot of time with her little brother Adrian. She often babysits him when the other adults don't have time. Paulina is busy with her job as a model and with her make up brand, so she's often caught up in meetings and other stuff that Lennie just doesn't care for.

Now, Adrian does have a nanny, but Lennie likes to spend time with him. And Adrian often goes to her when he's sad. He's so comfortable with her that he often goes to her rom when he can't sleep instead of going to his parents room.

Lennie is a natural when it comes to kids. She's good with them. Patient and calm and knows how to play with them and match their speeds.

That's about it for now. But seriously, this was so fun to do! I absolutley loved this ask! Rambling really helped get some of the blockaged to go away. I should really think about writing a fic about these kids someday. I feel like I could probably pull some one-shots off sometime in the future.

#danny phantom #danny fenton #sam manson #tucker foley #danny x sam #phandom #phanart #danny phantom oc #danny phantom next gen #next gen #hereafter au #jackson fenton #jax fenton #misty fenton #aeleigh foley #lennie baxter #madeleine baxter sanchez

[frogsandfries]

Shit's just been weird

Finally got ahold of my diamond painting that I ordered. It's Bakery by Baelee Jae

And it's really lovely. The only reason I'm making insane progress on it is:

A: I'm entirely burned out. I'm having trouble adjusting to the shift from autumn into winter as told by the sun. Plainly, I hate that from ten until four, it could now be noon or ten or two or anybody's guess.

B: I'm excited about having something pretty on my wall. Finally. This is fairly simple to put together, just follow the clearly delineated process.

C: I desperately needed a three-day weekend for once. I'm so burned out, I feel like I don't even have any sticker ideas. I'm so burned out, I don't know what to do with myself.

Just the last couple days, I got a text from the "friend" in Oregon who caused my partner and myself to be homeless. It was another mewling, worthless post about trying to be better. Apparently, according to the cop here who came out, there's nothing that can be done since it was done on Facebook and why didn't you just block him. I didn't see any point in blocking him, since he'll just create a new account. But whatever. We have a case on file where we are.

According to the sergeant in Oregon, even though at one point we did pretend to play ball, mostly the repeated, unsolicited communications are considered digital/ telecommunicated harassment. So there may be a case there. Especially because this small-town officer probably knows this "friend" and his antics.

What's really..... idk, I'll just say it, the dude's engaged to a fat girl who looks vaguely like me and she wears plastic wigs??? When I left Oregon in early March, there wasn't a whisper that this dude even had any real friends, let alone any kind of love interest???? And now the dude is engaged????? Gross, honestly. I haven't spoken to this girl yet; apparently now it would be criminal to do so, according to a local cop there who is repeatedly, self-professedly a friend to this guy.

I'd like to confirm for myself that this dude is probably doing the same thing he's done with every previous person: All of these previous people who he was just trying to help, they really hurt him and they took from him and he's the real victim here!! So now I'm probably some horrible, awful person, or who knows, maybe my partner is the awful person and one day I'll come to my senses and go back to Oregon to be with my Knight in Shining Armor that I'll realize he truly is, but I'll be disappointed because he'll have someone who's So Much Better than me!!

I just feel sorry for her. But better her than me. This dude didn't even respect my wishes to be alone and wanted to use my emotions to manipulate me into ending my brand new relationship.

So anyway, diamond painting. Not really sure how I feel about it. I'm not sure there will be many designs/illustrations to come that will compel me to buy them and diamond paint them, but I guess they're are going to be times when I'm just utterly burned out and don't want to work on anything else? So maybe I should buy a couple more?

I actually have my eye on a couple more from Diamond Art Club. I haven't really looked much further, but if you happen to read this and know about any Harry Potter, Dr Who, or Ghibli themed diamond paintings, do let me know. I don't think I'll go entirely crazy, but I would love to have some posters or something that aren't entirely tacky or cheap-feeling, and I guess I just don't make time like I could or should for my actual cross-stitch projects. I have two cross-stitch posters in progress right now, one I'm actively working on and the other just waiting at the moment. By actively, I do mean, it's in a drawer, ready to be pulled out and worked on at any moment, but at this point, probably waiting for me to finish Bakery.

Honestly, some full-on painting/ illustrations, or really buckling down on the graphic novel, at this point, is probably the target goal. I have a brand new tablet and it's just waiting to help me make this graphic novel more than just a side project. I just look at some of these diamond paintings and think about the kinds of diamond paintings or posters I would like to have. These, for the most part, aren't it.

[planetsam]

Love your writing! Prompt/ask: Isabel & Alex friendship development post finale -- they'll both be processing a lot & maybe looking for a confidant who gets it. & I'd love to see their types of humor together!

Alex almost backs out.

Sharing his feelings isn’t his strong suit, especially not about this. He chooses a group a few towns over. He doesn’t need one that might get back to his dad. It’s an hour drive but he makes it and sits outside until it’s five minutes to starting. He forces himself to go in. He gets one of the paper cups of bad coffee and finds his seat among the handful of people. Most are women. He picked a coed group for a reason, one that focused on LGBTQ+. Which makes this even more difficult. But in for a penny, in for a pound and so he takes his seat as the person in charge comes in.

“Thank you all for coming,” she says, “being here is the first step so I commend you all. We have some new faces, would anyone like to share?”

They go around and share stories, stories that are familiar to Alex but he doesn’t feel more comforted by them. He feels like he doesn’t want to be here. Attention is slowly shifting to him and he’s prepared to just bolt. But then the door opens and everyone swings towards it. Alex stares too. Apparently his brilliant idea to go a few towns away was brilliant enough to have occurred to someone else. Standing in the doorway looking torn between fleeing and murdering someone is none other than Isobel Evans.

“Is this the abuse support group for LGBTQ+?” She asks.

“Yes,” the group leader says, “join us,” she motions her in.

Isobel crosses the room with quick precise steps. Alex feels like he’s about a foot tall. She doesn’t seem embarrassed or ashamed to be here and he wants the ground to open him up and swallow him whole. A flicker of surprise crosses her face when she looks at him, but she quickly pushes it away and deposits her purse next to her seat. When she clasps her hands together, Alex can see that her ring finger is bare.

“Would you like to share?” The leader offers.

Isobel pauses for a second but then she sets her face and looks directly at the woman.

“My name is Isobel,” she says, “I recently discovered my husband was grooming me since I was a teenager, married me and abused me the entire time,” she continues, “also I’m bisexual.”

He has no idea how she can say it like that.

Apparently neither does anyone else. Then again, Isobel is unique. God knows she was more popular in school than Max or Michael. And since school she’s the most successful every way you look at it. When she sets her mind to something, the world had better watch out. And it seems that she has set her mind to this. When the leader looks at him, Alex does his best to channel her before realizing that’s exactly what he doesn’t want to do. He has to be his own hero in this.

“I’m Alex,” he says, “my father was verbally and physically abusive to me because I was gay.”

The world doesn’t end when he says it aloud. It makes him slightly braver as he continues.

“I was blackmailed into going to war and I’m proud, to have served my country,” he says, “but I lost a lot,” he continues, “and I feel like when I look in the mirror, the only thing I see is him. I don’t know how to be myself.”

When he meets Isobel’s eyes, she gives him the saddest, most encouraging smile he’s ever gotten.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Isobel says.

“Great minds?” He offers as they get their paper cups of bad coffee during the break, “you got here fast. I couldn’t admit what happened for a long time.”

“Bull in a china shop,” she says with a shrug, “but I have to do this. I can’t be there for Michael while Max is—“ she shrugs.

Something cold slithers down Alex’s spine.

“While Max is what?” He asks.

Isobel’s perfect eyebrows draw together.

“Max is asleep,” she says, stressing the word so he knows she’s not talking about the natural kind, “did Michael not tell you?”

“I haven’t talked to him in weeks,” Alex says.

“What?!” Isobel bursts out. “Whose he spending all his time with?” Alex looks away, “oh.”

“Yeah,” he says.

He can’t be mad. Not after everything he’s put Michael through these past few years. He said that it was over so Michael found someone. Or acted on something that was already there. Alex knows he shouldn’t have left Michael behind. Just as equally, he knows that he did. Now he has to live with the consequences of it. Isobel looks devastated and even in the midst of what he feels, in the midst of trying to share, a part of him wants to shake the answers out of her.

“Let’s go back?”

“Yeah,” he says again.

They arrive separately for weeks.

Some days they talk, some days they don’t acknowledge the other past a quick nod. It’s mind blowing to hear Isobel talk though. She reworks everything seamlessly. He always chalked Michael’s hesitance to share up to his past. But Isobel reworks everything so that if he didn’t know the truth he would never have guessed she was lying. His own truth is hard to choke out. Sometimes he thinks he chokes on it when he speaks. But he gets the barbs out. Finally one day he can’t avoid it anymore.

“I hurt someone I love,” he says finally, “I was a coward and they moved on,” he looks down at his coffee, trying to put his words together in a way that makes sense, “which I know is my fault and I don’t blame him. But when I see him I just hear my dad’s voice.”

Afterwards Isobel walks over to him.

“Let’s get coffee,” she says, “real coffee,” she adds.

Alex doesn’t want to but he nods.

“Look, I love both of my brothers,” she says, “but Michael’s a physical person, he always has been,” she continues, “he’s either going to fight or fuck and since Max is asleep, it’s the latter.”

“Talking about this with you is weird,” Alex says.

“Weird’s my speciality,” Isobel says and points at him with her fork, “Michael likes you. More than anyone else. You’re his person. Or he wants you to be.”

“I doubt that,” Alex says.

“Stop being stubborn about this. You are,” she emphasizes, “he and Maria are cute but—“ she shakes her head, “cute just means you’ve got fucked up things no-one can see.”

“I thought your marriage was perfect,” Alex says.

“And I planned a parade in your honor,” Isobel replies, “things are never what they seem,” she sits back, “Michael needs this group,” she says. Alex shakes his head. Michael accepting help will be a cold day in hell, “he needs SAA first.”

“SAA?”

“Sex Addicts Anonymous,” Isobel says, completely straight faced before she grins.

“I resent them for not seeing it,” Isobel says in a careful tone, “I shouldn’t but I do,” she looks down, “it feels like I can’t trust anyone. Like I have to put on an act.”

Murmurs of agreement go up. Isobel runs her thumb across her finger.

“I’m afraid of my ring imprint fading. I’m afraid of looking normal and not being normal.”

Afterwards he waits by her car. She comes out and looks at him. Alex knows that he shouldn’t say anything, that everything should stay in the room but he grasps her hand.

“You’re never going to be normal to me.”

She hugs him so tightly he thinks she might have broken a rib.

“I need a ride to group,” she says over the phone, “my car’s in the shop. It seems stupid to ride separately anyway.”

“Sure, I can give you a ride,” Alex says, though they both know it’s a good idea for them to come separately. Even though everyone knows they’re acquaintances at this point, “I’ll be by in twenty minutes.”

He gets there and walks up to her door, ringing the bell. He hears her shout and would recognize the timber of the voice through the door anywhere. Instead of pretending to be oblivious, he glares as she opens the door. She motions in him in and he wants to protest actually but she’s an alien and he knows better than to get in her way. Her house is beautiful inside. Naturally Alex thinks the most beautiful thing in there is the one currently fishing in the fridge of a beer.

“I said I’d take you,” Michael says, “I just said I wasn’t going. Besides are you sure the other kooks there should be driving?”

“I don’t know Michael, what does your second beer think about it?” Isobel snaps, “forgive my brother. Though I guess I don’t have to explain that to you.”

Michael’s entire body stiffens and the word ‘kooks’ hangs in the air. He straightens up and looks at Alex who gives the tightest smile he’s given in weeks. Being around Michael is always hard. Always. In a million different ways apparently. Michael really is a miserable liar as his jaw hangs open and he looks between the pair of them like his worst nightmare has come true.

“No,” he says.

“Yes,” Isobel replies.

“Can we go?” Alex asks, “if we’re late—“

“Ugh, you’re right,” Isobel grabs her house keys, “come on.”

Michael stares. For once he and Alex are silent at the same time.

“We’re not avoiding each other,” Alex says. Isobel raises her eyebrows, “we just have nothing to say to each other.”

“Come on Alex, of course you do,” she argues, “you two are in love with each other.”

“He’s dating my friend,” Alex points out.

“From high school,” Isobel says, “and we agreed he’s using her. Not dating her. The fact that it’s gone on for this long is insane.”

Alex has somehow become the driver to group. Isobel’s car is back but he shows up early at her door and she goes. Sometimes Michael is there, sometimes he’s not. They don’t say anything to each other though and even Alex can admit he’s steaming into petty territory. It’s right next to coward-land and borders passive aggressive republic. The mirror hurts and though they are careful to not always be talking about group or therapy or how broken they are, sometimes the car rides can feel more like an extension of it.

“Can you come in?” Isobel asks. Alex looks at her, “I need a second opinion on something.”

“Isobel, just because I’m gay—“ he starts.

“Your jacket costs triple digits,” she snaps and he closes his mouth, “please? It’s black?”

Alex sighs and gets out of the car.

It’s easier.

Isobel leads him through the house. He can hear Michael in the other room with the radio on but he doesn’t want to think what that sound might be masquerading. Isobel leads him into her room and puts him on the chair, vanishing into her wardrobe. Alex almost sags with relief as she closes the doors. He’s gay but he doesn’t really want to know what kind of lingerie Isobel favors. Michael shuffles in a moment later and they acknowledge each other with quick nods. He turns and doesn’t acknowledge the disappointment that comes over Michael’s face. A moment later Isobel comes out in a short black dress that is deceptively modest until she shows that a large swath of her back is visible.

“Looking good, Iz,” Michael says.

“You look great,” Alex echoes.

“Thank you,” she says to him and glares at Michael, “I don’t trust your fashion sense.”

“I look good!” Michael protests.

Isobel looks back at Alex.

“I’m going on a date,” she says.

Alex is surprised at how happy he feels to hear this. Who would have thought he’d actively cheer on Isobel Evans of all people. But here they are. Again her determination shoves her through anything that might stand in her way.  

“That’s great, I’m so happy for you,” he says./

Isobel beams.

“He or she?” Michael asks.

Isobel flushes a pretty rose color.

“She.”

“We should go on a double date if this works out,” Isobel says.

Alex looks away. Michael shifts his weight and tries to look casual.

“Isobel,” he says.

“We should!” She says, “that way you can get into the dating pool and I’ll be there to wingman for you. I am the best wingman.”

Alex thinks he’s making some progress in therapy. He really does. So even though it hurts like hell he finds himself nodding.

“Good,” he says, “I’m going to need the help.”

The date doesn’t work out.

Neither does the next one.

It’s not until they’re at the Crashdown that Alex realizes why.

“Isobel,” he scolds, “you have to talk to her.”

Isobel looks crestfallen. It says a lot about the town that saying Liz’s cousin has decided to stay is just accepted. Or maybe it just says a lot about people in general. But if they’re facing everything then this is on the table. Isobel looks horribly unsure and Alex would let her get away with it, if Rosa didn’t keep looking in their direction like she wants to say something. Best wingman his ass. He signals her and she hesitates only a moment before running over.

“Hi,” Alex says, “you must be the cousin I’ve heard so much about. I’m Alex. This is Isobel.”

“Hi,” Isobel says. Rosa’s lips flicker.

“Hi,” she says.

“Isobel is the town event planner,” he says when they fall silent and just stare at each other, “she knows everywhere so if you need someone to show you around—“

“Liz is on it, I’m sure,” Isobel says, not taking her eyes off Rosa.

“Liz was gone for ten years,” Alex says, “I’m sure she doesn’t know all the spots you do.” Isobel’s foot collides with his prosthetic and she swears like that’s his fault, “she gives a great tour.”

“I’d love that,” Rosa says before Isobel can kill him.

“You would?” Isobel repeats. Rosa nods, already scribbling something, “here’s my number.”

“G-got it,” Isobel says taking the piece of paper before putting on her best smile. She types it into her phone and sends a text, “now you’ve got mine.”

“We’ll hook up sometime,” Rosa says.

“I’d like that.”

Alex has a feeling that this date will work out.

Thankfully Isobel doesn’t try to push him to date. Not like she threatened. Rosa doesn’t have any friends. And Isobel mysteriously drops the issue in a way Alex would harp on about but other things come up. Things like his dad. And Project Shepherd and deciding what to do with his life. He misses one group meeting and is late to the next. Even though he knows that the late arrival attention will make him probably be in the hot seat. He still goes because he needs to. He comes in as quietly as he can but no-one pays him any mind.

“We have a new member,” Dr. Delfino says, “would you like to introduce yourself?”

Michael forces his hands from twisting around his hat, clears his throat and looks at Dr. Delfino. At the last moment, when he reaches out Isobel grabs his hand and locks their fingers together. Whether that grounds him or physically keeps him from leaving, Alex isn’t sure. But he works his jaw with all the Michael Guerin stubbornness he knows.

“I’m Michael,” he says.

It’s a start.

#roswell new mexico #roswell nm fanfic #alex manes #isobel evans #rosa ortecho #michael guerin #malex #if you squint #mostly alex and isobel become friends #malex fic

[punkscowardschampions]

Fearghal & Kaitlin

Fearghal: [So the setup is sending her a postcard pretending to be a mate visiting in England for whatever reason (could be fam you get the vibe, nothing suspect given the time this is) but giving enough info that she 1. Knows it is him 2. has the number of at least a phonebox nearby if not a phone in his care home 3. a time when he plans to first call the phonebox nearest their home in Ireland, assumedly this is some sneaky twin shit they've pulled similar enough before that she can catch on without any of the rest of the fam also doing so; only question is how long do we want it to be since he left?] Kaitlin: [3 months ish later then and they've turned 15 but only just for our ref how do we think the situation is with his dad etc like would he just be acting like he's dead cos is to him?] Fearghal: [basically my vibe was they wanted to weaponize Tabby killing herself for their gain, like make it something political even though literally not about that bar the fact her family and his family and co didn't want them together and she was a dramatic teenage girl in love (no offense but like) and so when he wouldn't go along with that there was a massive fight, actual, between him and his dad and then Fearghal left 'cos there's never any option but to do as your told with this fam and he can't lose face with all the other people etc etc and the story the dad is telling the fam etc is that Fearghal deserted them which not untrue but yeah, good enough for all the olders to disown him too so it'd be like we don't talk about him and if someone else bring him up you denounce him] Kaitlin: [let's say there's a crying baby in the background cos like in my OG post she can use her youngest sister needing fresh air as an excuse so casually left her outside the phonebox but might be able to hear her if she's going for it] Kaitlin: How ya Fearghal: K? Fuck's sake, you've not had a bastard, have ya? 's'not been that long, like Kaitlin: Catch yourself on! mind how ya ma was fit to drop, you eejit? well we're all lurred she had another girl who I'm hauling about as my cover, so I am Fearghal: [Laughs] Still easy to windup then [slight pause to take in that it's a girl and is here, like not the biggest shock but also literally no way of knowing at this time so] And go on, don't leave me in suspense, what name they burden the poor fucker with Kaitlin: [makes an unimpressed noise like fuck off] full of that good craic you are, bet the brits are buzzing to hear it. You ready? Niamh Roisin, it's a cracker, like [sighs] Fearghal: [laughs some more] Yeah, catch me on that most wanted list, obviously [makes a wincing noise like no] Christ, actually lost it fully then, has she? Made it longer than some but dunno if mentals get to heaven, haveta ask Father Quigley, like Kaitlin: [laughs herself] yeah yeah [makes like a idk noise] can you lose what you've never had? A good catholic'll find a way, to be sure, and she is that, our ma [makes a scornful noise at the mention of the priest as is standard for her] Fearghal: [makes a mm noise to agree] Suppose so, don't reckon much was said 'bout being good to 'em once you had 'em, so be alright [sighs] What have you been up to, then...How's it been Kaitlin: if it was she'd recite between the lines to keep us anyone's problem but hers, poor critter [sarcastic laugh because mum's getting no real sympathy] it could've been 3 days from when you went off for what's changed and not- [a long pause because everything's shit and we know it is] Fearghal: What's God if not top babysitter, eh? Cheaper than telly and who's giving money to the BBC [scoffs but cuts it short 'cos yep] And I'm fine too, you rude cow Kaitlin: and stand him next to our earthly da and he comes out lookin' class [chefs kiss noise] Hey now! [makes a fake noise of shock like she's appalled at the mention of the bbc] watch your profanity around me, dicko! [really long exaggerated sigh as a pisstake] a'course you are, land well anywhere, but hit me with your bars, it's no bother to hear how right I am Fearghal: If you can get him stand still long enough, like and you ain't a lad so no chance, babe [does pisstake wistful sigh] Forgot you needed protecting from the evils of this world, my apologies [coughs awkwardly then, stalling for time, fiddling with the phone in ways she can probably hear] Taking a bow as we speak, can't fit in here with me but the adoring fans are aplenty over this way, well more than there so fuck it, life's grand so it is Kaitlin: Wise up, boy, he only sways slightly of an evening on these ones lately so he does [but her voice is MAD because fuck being a girl in this fam] Did you now? Thank fuck my new lad has his uses then, like [takes a deep breath to try and calm down but exaggerates it for the pisstake because have to, god forbid they are serious rn] I went and saw your former biggest fan under that rock they've carved with protestant shite, no word on if life's grander for her now it's ended or if she's regretting she didn't send her prayers up saying she wanted another bite of the cherry, one that wasn't yours- [stops like I've probably gone a bit far here and shouldn't mention his dead ex anymore] Fearghal: Good for him [through gritted teeth like let's never talk about him thank you] Like you need a replacement protector, got how many ready and willing at home, just DYING to beat the shit out of some 15 year old kid for your honour and just for the craic of it [does it back, like and then is silent until the pips are going but he's still there 'cos they stop when he puts more money in] You'll be under some rock with Catholic shite if they catch you in their graveyard [says it much more quietly than he's said the rest] Kaitlin: [makes a noise of disgust that doesn't need to be exaggerated for the pisstake cos genuinely horrified at this fam thanks] what honour? Shame you brought down on us with what they caught you at [but her voice is softer too because didn't mean to go off and also doesn't mean any of that we know] supposed to scare me, is it? [said like I wouldn't be here to give them a chance to do it just like you weren't] Fearghal: Why you need to ask one of the others, ain't it; can't be the best looking of the bunch and the best behaved, got to leave something for 'em to do and impressing n pleasing him 's'never been high on my to-do so have at it, lads [does meh noise like this is all so casual] Called the fear of God for a reason, aye Kaitlin: [does the meh noise back and it's her turn to awkwardly fiddle with the phone/cough while she works up to saying what she does next, more quietly than she has anything else] how's it truly then? Away and everything. Free and clear Fearghal: It's, like- just shit because you realize that everything that happens in that fucking town, all the stuff that rules our lives and is all they give a shit about, no other cunt does, you know, Kait? Sure, its on the news when another bomb goes off or don't and that; but the English don't even have to think about it, their day to day ain't affected at all, no fucker but our lot cares and what's the point, honestly? Everything we were forced to at least think was important, if not fecking stupid, ain't and now I don't- [Stops to do some actual breathing to calm down] Not to mention I'm thick as shite, thanks for that and all- 'cos frees a bloody joke [laughs bitterly] I get by, now, got a place to stay so, don't haveta worry but don't be hopping the next ferry yourself, girl Kaitlin: [when you're just silent for ages because as much as you think it's bullshit you're basically in a cult rn with no chance of getting out so what can you say like] not that thick, warning me off coming to keep an eye on all these english girls with theirs on ya but no bother 'cause mind I get sea sick and class as boking on brits sounds I'd get fairly covered myself before I made any casualties of 'em Fearghal: Know enough about girls and enough about you to know the two don't need mixing, that's just school of life, that [moving away a bit and telling someone who's impatiently waiting to fuck off] Stay put [when you say it firmly like serious voice] That wain and the rest needs someone VAGUELY sane about to stand any chance, fuck me, Aislinn's already been corrupted and she's barely in double digits [kicks the box] Kaitlin: [laughs because yeah don't let her around any girls you like babe] you should know enough about me to know what giving me your orders'll do fer ya and what it'll make me do [but there's no actual real threat in it we all know she's staying for the bubs] Sane as you by that count, ain't I? [can't help genuinely sighing] Mammy's girl is Aislinn been like it since she was old enough to play house [grimaces at the thought cos never that bitch] got the rest under MY apron strings, grand they are and it goes for the stories I tell 'em every night after prayers, rest easy yourself knowing that, yeah? Fearghal: Alright, alright [hear the 🙄😏] But if you wanna be the next to bring shame on 'em, you can do better than a cheeky abortion, surely? [shakes his head] Yeah. [Pause] Yeah [Coughs again] I'm doing my bit, swear, it's gonna take a while 'til I can send you anything and I've got to work out how when I do- it ain't for them, just you lot but like I said, not cheap Kaitlin: [an outraged noise like who do you think you're talking to, of course I can do better than that etc] Yeah. [Pauses herself because again what to say, there's so much it's too much] I've got faith in the right shite, Gally [nickname ftw because feels] it'll work out. We'll work it out, like we did this Fearghal: 'Course we will, K. No other choice, is there [definitely not a question] Kaitlin: not a real question, is it? [she knows its not] Fearghal: you want me to ask you one? Kaitlin: do English girls fall for that? Fearghal: Enough of 'em, yeah Kaitlin: [makes a ugh noise] how you've got a bed, is it? Fearghal: Theirs top where mine is Kaitlin: I deeply feel that Fearghal: [makes the kinda sad 'ha' sound like 'I know'] Not all bad though, some class drugs about and you don't get kneecapped for taking a casual interest Kaitlin: [does a little hooray down the phone] Fearghal: Send you some but your phones probably tapped so I definitely won't Kaitlin: thanks or no thanks, depending who'll be listening Fearghal: Cover those bases and the baby's ears Kaitlin: nothing to be heard over her crying Fearghal: don't lie, you miss me that much [laughs] Kaitlin: fuck off [but laughs too] Fearghal: Will do Fearghal: so many English girls Kaitlin: [exaggerated being sick noise] nowhere close to a ferry and sick as a dog, don't start me any further Fearghal: You think I escaped to pray every day and fight the good fight, like Kaitlin: if you still pray you ain't escaped fuck all Fearghal: Not living on my knees for no cunt, sis Fearghal: am being haunted, for my sins, though Kaitlin: Be on track to commit more, you'll have enough ghosts for all manner of shite to get done Fearghal: No rest for the wicked on the one hand, but on the other, idle hands and idle minds [breathes out like so conflicted and confused] Kaitlin: [a change in tone because serious] She's gone, so are you. Leave it here. Leave it in this fucking town Fearghal: Not a choice Kaitlin: Can be Fearghal: Nah, s'not, boths already happened Kaitlin: Happened to you, gives you a say in how you deal with it Fearghal: Yeah Kaitlin: You've lived in one haunted house as things stand, ain't you? Miss home that much, is it? Fearghal: How could I not? Live for these lectures, like Kaitlin: [an unamused noise because you're basically calling her a nagging girl which ain't a mood] Fearghal: [the pips again] Oh shit, should robably let you go, yeah? Kaitlin: Yeah probably [but she obvs doesn't wanna that'd be clear] Fearghal: Tell the kids I miss 'em, won't ya Kaitlin: I'll even include her out there Fearghal: Try and send a picture some time, alright Kaitlin: 'Course Fearghal: You too, kid Kaitlin: [laughs but in a more genuine way] You're my twin brother, calling me kid is calling yourself a wain, you eejit Fearghal: That's alright by me, like Kaitlin: I'll not baby you, got enough noses and arses to wipe here while you're hand holding these brits Fearghal: No handholding, on me life, just good old-fashioned- [will cut him off before he can be gross] Kaitlin: [we can say she cuts him off with a very unamused noise as per like no thank you] Fearghal: G'wan then, piss off before that kid freezes to death Kaitlin: [doesn't wanna be the first one to hang up obvs] Watch yourself then Fearghal: You too Fearghal: When can we do this again then Kaitlin: When can you? It's no bother for me to slip out with this ginger whinger, needs fresh air so she does Fearghal: [laughs then is pondering like umm] Try next Sunday, after church, if I don't answer then I'll send another postcard or whatever, yeah Kaitlin: Tryin' to get a free sermon told to ya, respect that hustle if not the message Fearghal: Obviously, how am I getting to heaven from England? Kaitlin: [laughs] no angels in England is there not? You'll have been thinking on your feet for fresh pick up lines all these months, no wonder you ain't had time for me, like Fearghal: Something like that... [Trails off 'cos don't wanna tell her what's really been going on but also does 'cos not its like that and its been a lot to just deal with on his own] Kaitlin: But it's something else like what? [cos sees through you boyyy] Fearghal: It's alright now, like Fearghal: but it ain't as if the old man sent me on me way with anywhere to go, is it Kaitlin: He didn't put a bullet in your head as a send off, that's what gets me to sleep of a night, but- [trails off because she was gonna say she knows it hasn't been easy but she doesn't know how hard it's been and she's not trying to guess like let's compare struggles] Kaitlin: Yeah [another pause] Fearghal: Should've put one in his [so under his breath it's like did you mean that to be heard or] Kaitlin: You'd have to take ma out an' all, I don't reckon the broken heart myth is anything other than another story, and probably a few of us would make the cut for cute little orphans but you and me'd have to catch ourselves on quick and wise up Fearghal: Make Tara look after you all as well as Diarmaid's kids, see how committed to the family she really is [sniffs 'cos we been knew] Kaitlin: [makes an identical sound cos twinning] I'll take her out if she was bothered to try and get near 'em Fearghal: Least Owie is old enough to help out, young enough to give a clout, yeah? [genuine concern] Kaitlin: [scoffs because we know he's a bit of a knob but it's still affectionate because] Fearghal: He'll be alright [but doesn't sound as reassuring as that's meant to be 'cos like unlikely at this point] Kaitlin: He's got me, my will's stronger than god's so father Q likes to say [laughs] under his breath, a'course Fearghal: [laughs back but its less 'cos sad] He doesn't always chat shite Kaitlin: Reckon he's a soft spot for me Fearghal: [makes noise like 'hopefully not too soft' but is joking, doesn't need to be that kind of priest] Kaitlin: I don't wish you were here Fearghal: How could he not, with the charm [but just jk like] Is it better, in some ways Kaitlin: It's...[trails off cos we all know even if there's less hassle it's not better as far as she's concerned and the loneliness is a real mood] I'm buzzing you got out [genuine but her voice is sad] Fearghal: Your turn next, I mean it Kaitlin: After we get a few birthday's under Niamh's belt [pauses because it's sinking in how stuck she is for now] and the rest, give 'em a fighting chance Fearghal: Yeah Fearghal: I'll make it easier, any which way I can Kaitlin: Me too, for you, I mean Fearghal: I'm grand, honest but cheers [more pips] I am outta shrapnel though so- Kaitlin: Don't be putting honest on a lie [frustrated sigh because nobody wants this to end but she wouldn't have money] speak Sunday and like I said, watch yourself Fearghal: Love ya, K ['cos no time to take the piss for it or protest] Kaitlin: [let's say she gets cut off before she can say it back for the pain]

[seyaryminamoto]

I've been browsing your blog for Sokkla research as I feel like it has similarities to what I'm trying to write with Azula and Soren. I haven't begun tackling Gladiator yet, as it looks a little daunting, but I feel I should since I keep hearing so much. I am a little hesitant over accidentally using anything you wrote for my own story. I'd be proud if I could make it as long and epic as yours. It's very personal to me. What motivated you to write Gladiator and keep writing for so long?

Yeah, I saw your post about your crossover ship having potential similarities with Sokkla and I agree that it would, since Soren shares a few traits with Sokka, character-wise. Admittedly, Azula interacting with a character like Soren would present quite a lot of fun possibilities, so it seems to be an idea worth exploring :)

As for reading Gladiator and accidentally using similar tropes… well, I don’t know if it will ease your mind much, but there are several tropes that I’ve run into in many Sokkla fics, mine, other people’s, just… lots of them xD and it’s not really a problem. Storytelling can lead to similar places, but usually, every writer handles their tropes and character development differently.

My plan for a certain, poignant scene in Gladiator’s 96th chapter was set in stone in my head back when I started plotting the fic (like I said in that ask I answered yesterday). The scene in question is one I depicted in some artworks for Gladiator’s second anniversary: Sokka defeats Azula in combat for the first time, pins her down, aims his sword at her, and they just stare at each other before things take a pretty heated twist...

A few months after planning this, I read another fic where practically the same thing happened between them (it’s a Spanish fic, I hadn’t tried reading it yet because it was incomplete, sometimes I still scold the writer in question for never finishing it), only, rather than it happening when they could no longer resist the attraction between them, it happened when they were barely getting to know each other: Azula followed Sokka into a forest clearing, where he was training on his own. Upon noticing someone was hiding in the bushes, he leaps at her and pins her down, aiming his sword at her as well. Of course, he freaks out upon realizing it’s her, she isn’t very happy, and no heated things happen other than a lot of blushing, especially on her part xD

So, as you can see, even if the trope is “Sokka holds Azula down, at swordpoint”, the context was entirely different, the outcome was completely different and heck, the wording and even language we used was 100% different.  I came up with the idea for Gladiator before reading Majesty, later on I found out that someone had written a very similar scene already (and it was a close associate of mine, no less xD). As much as I didn’t feel like I was all that original anymore… I didn’t change my plans because of that. As long as I didn’t pull a Cassandra Clare and copy-pasted the whole scene my friend wrote into Gladiator, where was the harm in trying my own hand at it? I wrote the tropey situation in my own way, with my own words, and it’s completely my own thing.

There was something else that happened with Gladiator, another friend read it and thought I was taking inspiration for my portrayal of Sokka and Azula from a couple in a TV show she loved. Turns out I’d heard about the show, but I hadn’t watched it until she nudged me enough to do it (no regrets!), and after watching it I understood where the similarities were, but the context was all different. More than that, a certain situation (Sokka admitting his love for Azula for the first time, she asks him to say it again) was close enough to what happened between the main couple in said TV show…

… But I actually had been inspired by another couple, in ANOTHER TV show, that had a slightly similar exchange too xD

Therefore, tropes are tropes. I’ve recycled so many tropes in so many things I’ve written that people could probably psychoanalyze me and figure out all my brain chemistry damn easily if they did. I tend to have a very particular structure when writing, too (the original story I wrote and finished had 3 parts, Gladiator has 3 parts too, to name the most superficial similarity only), and I’ve frequently explored similar topics in them. It’s hardly a crime to do it again, but as long as you do it in a unique way, there’d be no harm in testing how some tropes would turn out with Soren and Azula. It could be worrisome if you portrayed Soren reacting to events exactly the same way Sokka does, but that’s not very likely to happen. As similar as they can be, they’re also different in several ways and in the post where you compared them you seemed to see those differences pretty clearly.

Therefore, I don’t think there’s any real harm in trying your hand at certain tropes and situations. If the context is different, if there’s logic to what you’re writing, and of course, as long as you write it yourself, there’s absolutely no need to worry about repeating things other people have done before.

That being said, don’t feel pressured to read Gladiator at all. I’m glad people have recommended it, but I understand if it feels not only daunting but that maybe you won’t be sure what to write if you see all the stuff I’ve done so far. Gladiator is many things, and one of them is my playground for testing Sokka and Azula’s relationship in just about every way I can xD it’s so long that I’ve been free to play with all sorts of possibilities with them, to fulfill all my shippiest wishes for these two. Therefore, if you’d rather be true to your own ideas and not get too influenced by it, it’s absolutely understandable not to read it until you feel comfortable about giving it a shot (presumably, once you’ve plotted plenty of own story and feel like you won’t be at risk of taking too much inspiration from it).

As for what motivates me… well, I guess there were many factors. One of them is that Gladiator was an idea worth digging into, with so much to explore that I was completely overwhelmed by the possibilities and I got completely caught up in it. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted the story to exist, so I decided I needed to make it happen. As it’s practically a full re-write of ATLA’s storyline, I had a chance to just… handle everything on my terms. And that meant the developments I didn’t like from the show could change: I could improve on things I thought needed improvements, I could add things that I felt the show needed, and so on and so forth. There were nearly no limits, really, and as I was absolutely lost in the beauty and glory of my OTP, I couldn’t help myself and I decided to dive right in.

It helps a lot that Gladiator’s kind of a multi-faceted thing: as I’ve been developing my art too, whenever I was bored in class I’d sketch things related to it and then, if I had a chance and the sketch was good enough, I’d finish the art digitally later. I have a lot of music that inspires me, so sometimes I just sit down, listen to it, and I let myself evoke scenes that I want to write or draw. Fact is, the whole fifth anniversary project was a mix of art and music: the songs that inspired many arcs of Part 1, along with images that referenced them.

Lastly, though… I generally know where Gladiator’s going, so I don’t usually reach a point where I’m like “Woah I have zero plans for what to do next”. I plot things for the story whenever I have nothing to do (when I’m traveling places, when I’m showering, when I’m waiting for something? Just, whenever, wherever). If an arc isn’t shaping up to be particularly fun, I try to figure out what to do to make it more interesting and appealing for me to write. Whenever I come up with something I’m hyped about writing, it helps me keep on writing until I get there. Sometimes that’s also a curse because I go overboard and write like… 12K in a single day because I am that hyped about whatever I’m doing :’D happened a couple of weeks ago xD

Anyways, always try to fulfill your own needs with your story, first and foremost. Sometimes your public won’t be 100% receptive to your ideas, but sometimes they’ll actually want exactly what you’re putting out there for them. The magic of fanfiction is that, if someone doesn’t like what they’re getting, there’s absolutely nothing to stop them from taking to writing a story they do want, right? So, why should we try to please other people instead of writing what we’d want to read?

Make your story something you can revisit and smile about, make your story something you can find value in, regardless of whoever tries to undermine it. Make it yours, make it everything you want it to be. Want humor? Set up humorous situations (I mean, your lead couple would be Azula and Soren, humor’s basically guaranteed xD). Want tragedy and angst? You can have it too. You really can do anything, as long as you make up your mind to get it done. Figure out what it really is you want to write, the key scenes, the development you’re looking for with your main characters, come up with plans on how to get them where you need them to be, and once you feel you’re in solid grounds for it, feel free to start writing and always keep on looking forward to the big things you’ve wanted to write for your fic.

#crackship-azoren #I've always thought the most important advice is to write what you want to read #because so many people are so busy trying to please an audience #they start privileging the wrong things over what really matters (shock value over storytelling for instance) #stories will have conflict and tension and big moments and small moments #let your own ideas be your guide though #no one will know your story better than you #if you don't write what you want to read #there's a pretty big chance no one else ever will #... this got long #oops #well not as long as other things I've answered at least #if someone wants a read more let me know...